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As we contemplate a bad year in the polls for Labour, the signs are pointing to National cruising onto victory in 2008. Or are they? Labour's mistake may have been that it assumed a booming economy would be enough to carry the day, given that…
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Well I didn't get my pony but I hope everyone's Christmas was as enjoyable as mine. I'm just finishing some peanut butter on toast, by my reckoning the first non turkey- or ham-based meal I've had in five days. I'm hoping that it won't trigger…
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As a kid growing up in the countryside I recall being startled by the realisation that there were people in the world who had never seen a farm animal of any description. How one-dimensional and narrow their view of the world must be, I thought.…
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One morning last week I stumbled upon TV3's early morning Sunrise programme. It's a bright and cheery little show providing an easier alternative to Paul Henry's more acerbic version on TV One. The breezy presenters occasionally host a couple of people called the 'All-Stars' and…
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I have glimpsed the future. I know how Election 08 will play out. It will be a thriller, going down to the wire. The election home straight, like that at Flemington in Melbourne, is a test of champions. In the end it is about class…
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Here's the latest Roy Morgan poll. Nothing too unexpected, but interesting to see the Greens and NZ First both over the 5% threshold. I'm off to get drunk. Merry Xmas.
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If like me you are thinking "why?" to the issue of attack billboards at the time of year when everyone just wants to escape from work and not even think about politicians then here's something you might enjoy. From Creature Comforts - a unique perspective…
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Move over Australia, John Key has a new heart-felt love: Canada. On his recent 'heartland' tour to discover what country folk thought, Key said he wanted to hear to the concerns of locals, and let them know who John Key was. Never mind the only…
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Yesterday we saw a report from Police Deputy Commissioner Rob Pope saying claims that the repeal of section 59 would lead to the prosecution of parents and the removal of children from their homes have been proven wrong. This follows another report which indicates that…
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National's comments on the minimum wage show a party that has no answers on how to close the wage gap with Australia. Just a day after the Government announced plans to increase the minimum wage to $12 next year - an increase of more than…
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Trevor Mallard's had all the press but it's the National Party MPs who have been battling it out all year for top spot on the "worst behaved MP list". NZPA reports on Peter Dunne's annual list: Mr Henare was thrown out of the house five…
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Yesterday NZPA reported that Graham McCready - the man who brought a private prosecution against Mallard over his fight with Tau Heare - was himself in court. He's facing 51 fraud charges from the IRD.
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CNN reports that Republican Mike Huckabee poked fun at critics who said a bookshelf in his new Christmas-themed ad that appeared to highlight the shape of a cross was meant to send a subliminal message. If you're reading this Santa, please get me an awesome…
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Here's some coverage from TV1 last night on what's looking more and more like a PR disaster for National, Farrar and their wealthy backers. The PM, in good humour, commented: "You've got to laugh haven't you. We have a country with the most amazing liberty…
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Not content to let the media moguls over at The Herald have all the campaigning fun, it was great to finally see The Dom get in on the act this morning - and finally a newspaper campaign that I can get behind myself! This morning's…
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There's plenty of comment about Davey's/National's Billboards here and at Blogblog so I'll not bore you with my analysis of these dreadful things. 'Cos as you know I'm a man who likes to know what things cost. And guess what? I've done quite a few…
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Leadership is a quality that everyone can recognise but a whole suite of academic debate has emerged over its definition. For an example check out these Q&As from the NZ Leadership institute. Here, between the leaders of our two major parties we see the positioning…
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The National Party have reverted to type. They're back to stoking the politics of fear and division. Anyone who thought that things might be different under Key were today proved wrong when David Farrar, Kiwiblog author and National Party HQ staffer, launched a billboard campaign…
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PS. If none of this is making sense try lolcats (Wikipedia) or lolnatz (Kiwiblogblog). Also worth noting that Dunne pulled his support at the last minute. His mealy-mouthed speech in which he vainly attempts to justify his fence-sitting is so nonsensical it's almost worthy of…
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According to reports, Peter Dunne has withdrawn his support for the Electoral Finance Bill at the last minute. Newsroom says: Mr Dunne said over recent weeks it had become clear that many New Zealanders had deep unease about the bill and he had been contacted…
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The Dom reports that: Cabinet minister Trevor Mallard has escaped an assault charge over his altercation with National MP Tau Henare by pleading guilty to the lesser charge of fighting in a public place. Appearing in Wellington District Court this afternoon, the Environment Minister was…
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From Stuff: Cullen said "uncertainties'' still existed, but Treasury had "significantly" lifted its revenue forecasts which meant the $1.5b in tax cuts in addition to more spending could be factored in to the budget. "This figure is very soft as no decisions have been taken…
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Here's a cool idea. From the site: I've just finished building CommitteeCaller.com, a site that allows one person to target an entire congressional committee over the phone. The web application utilizes the open source Asterisk PBX system to connect you to every senator or house…
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Reports suggest that the government is set to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour. Coming toward the start of 2008, this would mark the ninth rise in as many years. When it comes to income, one trick ponies John Key and National would…
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The NZ Herald reports the Service and Food Workers Union, the National Distribution Union and Unite have agreed in principle to merge into a new super-union. The new union will represent some of the lowest paid workers in the country such as cleaners, checkout operators,…
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Another video from TED: "I don't think we're going to make it," John Doerr proclaims, in an emotional talk about climate change and investment. Spurred on by his daughter, who demanded he fix the mess the world is heading for, he and his partners at…
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From the site: "The only two universal truths. Death and Taxes. Entitleme is an effort to deduce an individuals effective tax rate. The difficulty in calculating an effective tax rate stems from defining what is or is not a tax. My current thinking is, "if…
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From The Dom: A One News Colmar Brunton poll last night has National on 54 per cent, 19 points clear of Labour. A Three News TNS poll has National with a slimmer lead - 51 to 36 - but still well ahead. Well I doubt…
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Today the hotly contested four horse race to become the candidate for Palmerston North (the position being left vacant by the tenth hottest man in NZ - Steve Maharey - can't remember who ran that poll, a late night TV show no doubt) was won…
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A few readers have written in complaining they're getting a strange message in their browser when they visit the site. Turns out that some versions of Internet Explorer don't like the way one of our Google videos is embedded. Apparently it's nothing to worry about…