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The Government proposes that it will partially sell electricity SOEs if it wins the election. Economist Dr Rhema Vaithianathan from Auckland University will discuss Privatisation New Zealand Style. Her talk will look at the economic logic and evidence on privatisation of utilities and ask whether…
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In the old days soldiers marched onto the floor of parliament with fixed bayonets to replace governments and frustrate the popular will. Now it is being done differently In Greece and now Italy democratic governments and an opposition are being replaced with a single party…
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So, John Key and John Banks have a meeting in a cafe, full of members of the public. They get the photo-op, then usher the media out. A HoS cameraman accidentally leaves his audio recorder. Key and Banks talk. In public. Anyone in the cafe…
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This brief account of Bill English's appearance on TV3's "The Nation" yesterday summarises a classic collection of Nat lines, lies and spin: 'Opportunities' haven't closed income gap - English Finance Minister Bill English has admitted in the last three years, the Government has failed to…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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In 2005 Labour wrote to State House tenants with a warning "Don't let National sell your house." We were criticised for scaring people. Now Tamaki residents have got the real letters. And the boot. On Wednesday in Glen Innes "residents angry at a move to…
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Brent Sheather assesses the case for asset sales in today's Herald. He cuts through the crap and concludes "selling the SOEs doesn't look all that clever, particularly from the perspective of young people and those other sectors of society who won't be able to participate…
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSd_HT7sj9U
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Well, that was a let down. The much-hyped 'cup of tea' climaxed in Key saying that he would be voting for Goldsmith but he "wouldn't be unhappy" if other Epsom voters back Banks. A double negative? Hardly a ringing endorsement. I think it's too little,…
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David Farrar has rather cynically authored a misleading poster about Labour's alcohol policy on his blog and encouraged his readers to print it off, authorise it and distribute it. Putting aside the fact the posters are dreadfully designed and unlikely to have the effect David…
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOAu5bjZBDk
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Are you sick of the whole "cup of tea" symbolism? I know I am. None the less, the meeting has taken place, and Epsom has been asked to hold its nose and vote for failed Nat retread John Banks, and with him on his coat…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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Today, the Prime Minister and National Party leader sits down with a homophob and racist ex-National minister and failed mayoral candidate in a desperate attempt to signal to National voters that they shouldn't vote for the National candidate they prefer and, instead, vote for the…
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When people say 'there's no difference between the two big parties' or 'where are the policies', it's shorthand for 'I haven't been paying attention'. We had a great example of the contrast yesterday. National would subsidise expansion of dairy by selling our assets; Labour would…
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Eleven seconds after this goes up, it will be 11:11.11 11/11/11. Arbitrary but still pretty cool I guess. Once in a century event, having all the same numeral. Interesting to reflect on how much has changed since 11:11.11 11/11/1911. And how little. Wonder what it…
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Labour is the party of the workers, and they're promising to raise the minimum wage to $15 / hour. That's a cost to business, and National is the party of the rich, so they oppose it. But because the current minimum wage is so obviously…
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hattip: the jackal
act don brash election 2011 john key leadership national national/act government
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As usual, good news and bad news for the Left in the latest pair of polls. The bad news is that Labour is down in both (albeit margin of error). The ONE News Colmar Brunton has National down 2% to 54%, and Labour down 2%…
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John Key's promising new capital spending projects left, right, and centre that would be funded by asset sales. But, with the European debt crisis spreading, the odds of getting $5-$7 billion for slices of our energy companies and Air NZ are worsening. So what's the…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Emmerson in the Herald has a good take on John Key's campaign style. As he continues to fail to front up to debate on actual policy.
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The Department of Labour has laid 25 charges against three individuals related to the Pike River disaster. However both the nature of the charges and the names of those charged are suppressed. I'd say this was inevitable given the basic safety failures at Pike. It's…
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Here's two headlines for you to ponder. On the state of the world: IEA: World is hurtling toward irreversible climate change The International Energy Agency has warned that the world is hurtling toward irreversible climate change and will lose the chance to limit warming if…
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Oh hell. My worst fears have been realized. John Key is a wereperson. He is morphing into an incantation of the countries biggest ever political disaster. I realize that one shouldn't judge by appearances. But like the youthful victims of today and the 1990's, but…
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In a logical world, when there are a quarter of a million jobless Kiwis and 59,000 more unemployed under National, Don Brash would not be getting paid a few hundred grand to write a report no-one bothers to read, Christine Rankin would not be employed…
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John Banks says the brand he is campaigning for in Epsom is 'Brand Key' (yup, that's gone mainstream now), not ACT. Epsomites don't want three-time loser Don Brash but it's unavoidably true that a vote for Banks is a vote for Brash. This is leading…
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An obscure little article from 3 News yesterday: Key ignores Christchurch quake minute's silence The Prime Minister has ruffled people's feathers after being shown on television talking during a minute's silence for Christchurch quake victims. Mr Key was shown on a TV3 broadcast talking to…