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Hide on Nats’ woes
"the best solution is to say in private what you say in public" * Simple, really.
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Search · 2008-01-01 to 2008-12-31 · Page 27
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Collins beats up on the sick, again
The dreadful Judith Collins is once again peddling lies about sickness beneficiaries to try and soften the ground for National to throw our most sick and vulnerable citizens back into work if they ever regain power. In a press release this afternoon, Collins screams: "the…
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TV3 on the leaks from National’s conference
Here's the recent coverage from TV3 and political reporter Duncan Garner. On Bill English's comments regarding the sale of Kiwibank (aired August 4, 2008): On Lockwood Smith's hints at a secret agenda (aired August 5, 2008): [Apologies for errors in the previous videos, have re-uploaded…
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Judy Kirk – “It was a young Nat”
Sources tell us that National's President was overheard yesterday to remark "We think it was one of our Young Nats" regarding the National Party Conference revelations. Not only that: 'We think there is more to come." Sounds like rats in the Nats.
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Mallard to speak at Drinking Liberally, Wellington
After a mysterious three week absence, Drinking Liberally Wellington is back tomorrow evening. Here's the email: We're only half way through a week overflowing with political news so there should be plenty to discuss over a beer tomorrow at the Southern Cross ;) Come join…
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Fallout
National's attempt to contain the meltdown from Bill English's secret agenda comments at the National conference and on TV1 collapsed when it emerged Lockwood Smith was also talking about a secret agenda at the conference. Now, the fallout is raining down on them. So, National…
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Déjà vu
If you didn't already have enough doubts about whether to trust John Key, Bill English and Lockwood Smith by virtue of the recent revelations here's another one to ponder. A promise to resign over future policy isn't new territory for the Nats. Neither is failing to keep it (click image for larger…
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The stolen emails defence
So National has finally reverted to the 'stolen emails' defence to combat the damaging recordings from the weekend's party conference. I'm only surprised it's taken them this long - the misdirection tactic is classic Crosby Textor and it's served the Nats well in the past.…
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Wolf at the door of National’s ‘house of sticks’
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08wire on Nats’ Kiwibank secret agenda
08wire.org, your videos make me smile.
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Nats’ policy top 10, what’s missing?
Here's the top 10 policy priorities that John Key bullet-pointed at the conference on Sunday. See if you can spot what's missing: 1. Tax cuts. (for the rich) 2. Disciplined Government spending. (while borrowing huge amounts for unspecified government spending) 3. Stop growth of public…
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Did Lockwood mis-speak too?
It has been revealed that Bill English isn't the only senior Nat who has been discussing a secret agenda behind closed doors. On TV3 tonight, a recording was played of Lockwood Smith saying: "There's some bloody dead fish you have to swallow... to get into…
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Kiwisaver cuts to fund Nats’ tax cuts?
So, the rumour is that Kiwisaver will be slashed to fund National's tax cut policy. Currently, the Government spends up to the following on each Kiwisaver member: - $1000 on sign-up - Up to $1040 a year in matching contributions - Up to $1040 a…
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Clown princes
The 'Key-English secret recording followed by denial followed by excuse followed by apology' debacle is, well, an utter debacle. If these clowns ever win an election - which has to be questionable after this sort of political mismanagement - similar antics will make opposition rather…
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Key’s shell-game wears thin
On National Radio's Morning Report and Nine to Noon yesterday, Key ran the 'not telling' line once again and it was once too often. Asked a simple question: 'What projects are you going to spend the extra money you plan to borrow on?' Key refused…
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News coverage of English revelations
Here's the segment on the English meltdown from TV One last night. [I wanted to put up TV3's as well - it's good coverage, including interviews with KiwiBank customers - but I just can't seem to deal with their flaky video stream (anyone else have…
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Sarcophagus
After a stunning attack on John Key last night, Bill English is now reverting to more standard National techniques for handling 'accidental frankness'. Initially, deny. When played a recording, claim not to remember it. When that doesn't kill the story, claim to have 'mis-spoken'. Finally,…
assets bill english john key national privatisation slippery
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Meltdown
The English tape has exploded into a massive scandal. You'll be familiar with the content of the recording: - English mocks voters as greedy simpletons taken in by a flashy con-man "they're saying that nice Mr Key, he's pretty smart, he will get me some…
assets bill english john key national privatisation slippery
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Employment, wages up
Despite the economic slowdown, the labour market is holding up well and wages are up at the record rate. The average hourly wage is now $24, up from $21.90 an hour 2 years ago. That's a 9.6% increase. Take away 6.1% inflation and the average…
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Hilarious
Greens on National's plan to borrow to build more roads: "Lonely dinosaur seeks white elephant"
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Spin-busting: ‘A growth problem, not a debt problem’
To justify borrowing for tax cuts, National's new line is that New Zealand has 'a growth problem, not a debt problem'. Untrue. (source) New Zealand's growth has been faster in recent years than trend, faster than it was under National, and faster than growth in…
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Behind closed doors
The scandal over Bill English's comments at the National Party conference has not only overshadowed Key's purposely vague conference announcements, it has derailed National's entire election strategy. The audio is damning. Clearly and unequivocally, we have National's Deputy Leader saying National will 'eventually' (possibly within…
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Pathetic
Rather than discussing the quote from Bill English that he would sell Kiwibank, David Farrar is whining that the protest outside the National Party conference today breached the EFA because it did not contain authorisation. Once again, Farrar would rather try to attack on technicalities…
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Key’s vision: tax cuts for rich, more debt for youse
In a speech described by attendees as 'more bullet points', John Key announced to the National Party conference today that National would borrow $5 billion more over 6 years to finance infrastructure - specifically roads and the broadband 'plan'. The money-man has dressed it up cleverly,…
economy election 2008 john key national slippery tax transport
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A quick Brethren reference
At last an upfront acknowledgement of the Exclusive Brethren's support for National during the 2005 election campaign. According to Colin Espiner: Day One of National's annual conference is nearly over and so far the biggest clanger has been departing Tauranga MP Bob Clarkson's thank-you to the…
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Spinbusting: Nats’ borrowing not for tax cuts
Today, Bill English is outlining National's plan to undo the work of the past fifteen years and take this country further into debt. He will argue that National would not be borrowing for its programme of tax cuts for the wealthy, rather it would borrow…
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No Right Turn temporarily off air
A tale of woe from Idiot/Savant: Sometime this afternoon, Blogger, in its infinite wisdom, decided that No Right Turn was a "spam blog" and locked it. I have naturally asked for a review, and sometime in the next two business days (yeah right) someone at…
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Workers stand up for their rights, Nats still evasive
The EPMU launched its 'Work Rights Wage Drive' today with a rally in Christchurch. Despite the rain, over 1500 Kiwi workers turned out to stand up for their work rights and wages. This is just the first of 25 rallies the EPMU will be undertaking…
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The Standard Week: 25 July-1 August
Another week of gonzo journalism and you can understand why people get turned off politics. While the press gallery concentrated on which of them was most offended by Winston Peters, we had a look behind some of the policies on offer and ran a series of posts on the…
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TV3 promoting a National/NZF government?
It seems TV3 has decided to promote a marriage between John Key and Winston Peters this week. They appear to be paying for ads on Google that come up when you search for "John Key" or for "Winston Peters", but not for other leaders…