Explore the archive
Find articles and conversations by date, subject or search expression.
Searching: posts Sorted by: newest Results: 31–60 of 164
Post
54,982 votes, 2.3% of the total. That was difference in the election. If Labour had lost 55,000 fewer votes to National (it lost 142.966 in total, while voter numbers grew 69,000) then a Labour (47), Green (9), Progressive (1), Maori (5) government would have been…
Post
The article below is well worth a read for anyone concerned about the global economic crisis. It looks at Keynes plan for managing the balance of international trade. It is imbalances in the system that we have now that leads to economic crises and fuels…
Post
Well, John Key took my advice and gave a speech at APEC different from the pro forma MFAT-written speech that might have been expected. Unfortunately, it's still all style and no substance, all bark but no bite. Key is scathing of his fellow money-men for…
Post
The official count, including specials has been released. The Greens have picked up another seat on specials at National's cost. Kennedy Graham will be the Greens' ninth MP. Along with Kevin Hague, Graham brings both intellectual heft and a more 'mainstream' face to the Greens.…
Post
I always love reading the 100 Word Blog. So few words and such a high degree of clarity. Richard has surpassed himself with this post. All I can say is ouch!, ask to reproduce it, and extend its readership. It is quoted below in full…
Post
There's a lot of fuss about at the moment over Ayman al-Zawahri's labelling of Barack Obama as the kind of "house negro" described by Malcolm X. It's a rather absurd comparison, and in my view probably more a sign of Al-Qaeda's increasing irrelevance than anything…
Post
According to a leading financier, carbon credit broker Nigel Brunel, of OMF Financial, New Zealand has become "a bit of a joke" in Europe as National/ACT looks set to delay, even abolish, our Emissions Trading Scheme. If you'll forgive me an anecdote, I'm reminded of the…
Post
It's very easy in our individualist, consumerist, capitalist society to say 'if you're poor, it's your fault, don't come looking to the rest of us for help' - 'it's your fault for marrying an alcoholic, don't expect us to pay to house your family', 'it's…
Post
Workers from Farmers stores in the Auckland area will take part in a 'Skinny Santa' parade down Queen Street today to protest against their low rates of pay and for a $15 minimum wage. Most Farmers staff are only paid between $12 and $13.50 an…
Post
Labour's bright new star and youngest MP, Jacinda Arden will be speaking at Drinking Liberally Palmerston North next Friday (I'll do a reminder closer to the time). Jacinda was fantastic at Backbenches on Wednesday, so if you're in the Palmerston North area, I recommend you…
Post
Psst, Bill. Hey, Bill. Sitting in the big chair is pretty cool, eh? Bet you never thought you would get your chance after Brash rolled you. And we all know who cast the crucial vote in that coup, which smiling assassin betrayed you. Speaking of…
Post
Happy 2000th post everyone. I've brought you all your favourite present - statistics! Our first 1000 posts took nine months, the latest 1000 took six. We've had 67,000 comments all up, 41,000 since we hit 1000 posts, and 10,000 in the last month. It wouldn't…
Post
Bomber over at Tumeke has pointed out a stupid news story about the blogosphere from the Granny Herald. It either shows a selective bias, or someone reporting on something that they don't understand at more than a superficial level. From the Herald staff... The Blogosphere…
Post
Some jokers have given new lyrics to the Dr. Dre and Eminem classic. Hilarious. My favourite part is Hide's cameo. Hattip: Dolla$Trada
Post
Labour leader Phil Goff has announced his shadow cabinet. As announced already Cunliffe takes finance, Clark takes foreign affairs, Hughes and Chadwick are whips. Annette King takes on social development in addition to the deputy leadership - a smart move, she'll make mincemeat out of…
Post
NZ Labour Supporters has been launched as an unofficial online hub for Labour supporters. It looks like a good wee site. Along the lines of g.blog for Greens supporters, any registered user can write blog posts. Looks like there are forums and the ability to…
Post
The National Party's decision to resurrect the idea of a carbon tax is one of the most cynical plays I've seen in a while, coming from a party that opposed a carbon tax from day one. In fact, for all their hollow attacks on Labour's…
Post
John Key's off on his first trip as PM tomorrow - APEC in Peru. When I saw him interviewed about this he seemed to think it would be 'a good chance to meet other world leaders' which, as former member of the dip corp, made…
Post
A crowd several hundred strong turned out this morning to farewell Helen Clark as she left Parliament as Prime Minister for the last time to present her Government's official resignation to the Governor-General. Even though I'm a Greenie, I always find Labour events amazingly heart-warming…
Post
It's exam season for high school students. So, for 10 points explain how the following statement (in the ACT-National agreement and repeated uncritically by the media) can be true, closing the income gap with Australia by 2025... will require a sustained lift in New Zealand's…
Post
The Wellingtonista has a cool post up with a breakdown of Left vs Right voting patterns in Wellington this election. The map above shows party vote on a booth by booth level. The blue bloc represents National, Act and United Future, and the red bloc…
Post
While most of the big media are giving John Key his criticism-free honeymoon ("OMG! A solo mum! An Asian! And a gay chap!") the good old ODT has seen through the centrist spin: Prime Minister-elect John Key showed a clear intention yesterday to move the…
Post
The press gallery is ebullient at the moment and I can understand why. After years of having to analyse the same old government faces and drain the collective wisdom about political personalities to the point of seemingly-endless repetition they now have a new toy to…
Post
There's a lot of talk about Helen Clark leaving Parliament in a year or so to head for an international role. While Clark would obviously be more than capable of performing well at that level, I would prefer to see her do something completely different.…
Post
Chris Trotter has a new blog. Good to see he's left those creeps over at policy.net and gone out on his own. I don't always agree with Trotter, in fact at times I find him infuriating, but he's a smart guy and always worth a…
Post
Part of the National/ACT government's agreement is that a top tax rate of 30% will be the target for the 'medium term'. Such a cut would cost about $2 billion a year. Now, I have nothing in principle against reducing tax (and nothing in principle…
Post
Post
It seems 80's retro has finally moved from being manifest only as the return of skinny jeans and naff facial hair and is now rearing its ugly big-haired head in parliament. Of course I'm talking not just about 80's rock legend Roger Douglas but also…
Post
National's cabinet has been announced. No major surprises, though Maurice Williamson has been dumped outside cabinet and unpopular newcomer Steven Joyce has taken Transport. Lockwood Smith is speaker. More detail and analysis later, but for now the full list is over the break. THE CABINET…
Post
Paul Holmes wrote yesterday: "While Labour moves to the Opposition benches, it does so weirdly unmolested by the election defeat, weirdly undefeated" Damn right, the Left seems undefeated, and so it should. The Right has only won power by masquerading as the Left; Key's mandate…
activism greens labour maori party Media national/act government