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Inflation was 1.6% in the last quarter, 4% annually, the highest in 13 years. Petrol is driving inflation. By itself petrol accounted for a 1.2% increase. Food is the other big increase, also accounting for a 1.2% and that is itself being driven by international…
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Yesterday, Tracy Watkins wrote something I found a little confusing - "National is winning the war over wages and the price of cheese". I'm wondering in what way National is winning on wages and food prices. It's not in terms of policy. National doesn't have…
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Australia's ABC has a somewhat unusual online game to explain the impact of individuals on climate change to children. It's called 'Planet Slayer'. The main part of the game involves answering questions (which really only apply to adults) around use of cars, house size etc…
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Gordon Campbell has an interesting take on the political PR we're seeing from National in his latest Scoop column. In it he quotes Salon talking about the marketing of Red Bull to different niches: ' Walker noted that instead of attempting to assert the brand's…
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Buried away in the NZIER's recent TNS survey on the Emissions Trading Scheme was this political poll showing a surprisingly high number of people still undecided on who they'd vote for. You should be aware it's based on some pretty shonky methodology (basically it's a…
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Nick Butcher has produced this excellent video opposing the Immigration Bill (which we blogged about last week and is covered in more detail here). There's also a website and an ipetition. This really is an appalling Bill and I take my hat off to Nick…
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It's sad that Matthew Hooton passes for a political commentator in this country. If he was a blogger, he would be third, fourth tier. Surely, we can do better. Last year in his column, Hooton suggested that there would be no election this year because Labour would stage…
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Yesterday on Agenda, SOE Minister Trevor Mallard said that the Government was undertaking an exploratory study to see whether the factory that currently repairs trains could also be used to assemble trains. If its economical, specialised parts would still be imported but a major manufacturing…
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It seems that everyone's commenting right now on Tony Veitch. The various slants by the different commentators, on the same sordid matter seem largely to come down to which ‘camp' you started from, although not exclusively I presume that Mathew Ridge regarded Veitch as a…
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Why is it that the right are so much more litigious than the left? The recent example of Crosby Textor threatening legal action over JafaPete's minor inaccuracy on his blog is just the latest bit of overkill. For those of you who don't know the…
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The idea that a government would purposely spend money in a wasteful manner is patently absurd. Voters want more government services and lower tax, any dollar of wasteful spending not only takes away from a government's ability to meet those desires but also gives voters…
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We have a progressive tax system, whereby the portion of income paid in tax increases with income. Many on the Right argue that moving to a flat tax system, where everyone pays the same portion of tax on income at all income levels, would be…
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It appears, as everyone suspected, that Owen Glenn did give a donation to New Zealand First. There is nothing illegal or immoral in that. Under the law at the time anonymous donations of any sum were legal and National was the biggest exploiter of that…
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When was the last time John Key did an in-depth interview? Why would a potential Prime Minister be afraid to be exposed through a long interview? What does he have to gain by keeping his public appearances brief and tightly controlled? How can New Zealanders…
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A worrying report on the future of petrol prices is out today. It predicts petrol could hit $10 a litre in a decade. Nearly all of that increase will be caused by the supply of oil falling as demand pressure grows. Rationing will probably be…
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From NYT blog The Lede: As news spread across the world of Iran's provocative missile tests, so did an image of four missiles heading skyward in unison. Unfortunately, it appeared to contain one too many missiles, a point that had not emerged before the photo…
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Every time Bill English goes on Agenda, he lets a bit of National policy slip (anyone who thinks it's an accident probably also thinks Nicky Hager's some kind of super-hacker). On Sunday, English told us National will be running on a platform of removing your…
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Another one-page excuse for a policy from National, this one on early childhood education. After vehemently opposing 20Free, National would now keep it but not because it wants to, only because ‘thousands of parents are now using 20 Hours and we do not want to…
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Why was the report on government spending from ANZ Chief Economist Cameron Bagrie blindly accepted by the media at first, when anyone with a basic understanding of how government works (or accounting or statistics or economics) could see it was fundamentally flawed? Why did it take press releases from unions…
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The day that National Radio publicises a 'survey' produced by Matthew Hooton is a very strange day. That day is today. Hooton's 'independent' 'survey' finds flaws in the Emissions Trading Scheme. 'Amazing'. For those with long memories, it reminds one of a survey the Sunday…
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You'll remember our 'interview the leaders' series. John Key has been the only leader missing, we've given his office plenty of extensions on the deadline - enough, as they say, is enough. So, if any journalists would like to ask Key these questions from our…
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The other day Dancer made some good points about the campaign "It's Not Okay" and the role that organisations like the Families Commission play, as we strive for a caring and compassionate society. And Russell Brown who participated in the ads shared his view through the…
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I am beginning to think John Key's attempt to turn statements that involve him into 'personal attacks' might be catching on. Check out this story, on the TVNZ website, but sourced to Newstalk ZB, that accuses Trevor Mallard of 'lashing out' at Cameron Bagrie over…
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After reading Steve's post this morning mocking ANZ National for putting out confused National Party talking points dressed up as research, a reader was inspired to send us this:
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Granny Herald's Editorial yesterday "Private market can help ACC" - dancing on the head of a pin to justify privatising ACC to make $200 million profit for aussie insurers. Granny Herald's Editorial today "It works so don't meddle" - opposing double crewing of ambulances because…
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I was going to write a piece on the much anticipated paper from ANZ's chief economist on government spending. But now I've tracked it down and read it, there's hardly any point. It's just 4 pages in the Bank's monthly market report and it reads…
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On Tuesday, Helen Clark was asked what she thought of the fact that both John Key and Bill English have been unavailable for comment when the media have had questions about National policy this week (not being available for comment is a Crosby/Textor tactic for…
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It's worth remembering that polling gaps really do narrow when election campaigns start. We all remember the 2002 campaign. Labour reached 53% support in April; on Election Day in July, they polled 41%. The gap between labour and National had been blowing out to 30% in…
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