While there's plenty of criticism flying around about the slow response to the Rena disaster, it is properly directed high up the decision making chain. As usual the people in the front lines are working hard. And as is too often the case, some of…
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...
Price of Tupperwaka: $200K per day Price of specialist environmental response vessel: Dunno, didn't bother buying it. Leaving scene of shipwreck/oil disaster to open fake boat made from oil products: valueless Hmm. Just me or is he developing a severe list? Could be in danger…
It's the one week anniversary of Bomber Bradbury's appearance on RNZ's the Panel, and his subsequent shameful banning from same. Bomber's "crime" was to bombastically criticise Key’s behaviour in the throat slitting incident (video) and his dodgy free 1 hour self promotion session on RadioLIVE. At the…
Check out ACT's policy page (ht freedom in comments). It's the most sense that they've ever made. Click through to any specific policy - they all look the same: Update: They've fixed it. So it's back to their usual nonsense now. How dull.
The Rena disaster has put the spotlight on the environmental risks of National's deepsea oil drilling plans. Yes, they're not the same thing. In fact, an oil spill from a drilling platform or one of the ships serving it is more likely than from a…
Perhaps Mr Key's staff might like to explain to him what the implications of this development, in conjunction with the recent UN Report on NZ SAS rendering prisoners in Afghanistan and the housing of CIA operations at NZDF bases, might mean for the PM. Amnesty International…
We'd been missing the Dimpost lately but it seems there was good reason for Danyl abandoning his blog - as of Sunday he's a dad! Congratulations to Danyl and Maggie from all of us at the Standard - hopefully the months of sleep deprivation you're about…
Key says an anonymous emailer told him that S&P said a Labour Government would make a downgrade more likely (more likely than 'actually, already happened?'). S&P categorically denies saying any such thing. We can now reveal the identity of the anonymous emailer. As well as…
One of the turning points of Bush's presidency was the failed non-response to Hurricane Katrina. It's starting to look now very much as if the wreck of the Rena is John Key's Katrina moment. The government moved too slowly, and squandered the good weather window.…
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...
Trenchant criticism of the beleaguered PM today from an unusual source. Well worth clicking through to read the whole post, here's the main points: John Key lies [updated] ... And the talk elsewhere now is not about last week’s downgrade—due in part to “increased spending…
A timeline of the Rena disaster shows the utter lack of urgency with which the government approached the issue when the weather was good. They left it to Maritime NZ. Who left it to the shipping company. Now, the oil's coming ashore. The promised soldiers…
What we're fighting for in Afghanistan New Zealand currently has around a hundred troops in Afghanistan - 38 with the SAS in Kabul, and the rest as a Provincial Reconstruction team in Bamiyan. So far the deployment has cost us three lives [in combat]: Lieutenant…
We're witnessing, once again, the results of a government whose disaster management is focused on keeping blame off itself, rather than acting. It bears remarkable resemblance to their approach to economic management. National didn't cause the natural and economic disasters it faces but its handling…
There was some great fun on twitter yesterday with the hashtag #keylines. Here's some samples: @petrajane: @RobbCarrNZ: Heard John Key said in the house yesterday if Labour is elected the 2012 apocalypse is more likely to happen #KeyLines @juliefairey: John Key heard from somebody that…
NZ vetoes the last ocean The Ross Sea is the last significantly unexploited ocean on the planet. It is free of pollution, invasive species, mining and overfishing. Currently, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the international body in charge of Antarctica's…
It's been a bad week for John Key: 3News has him caught out lying (excellent video) about what Standard and Poors said about his double downgrade of the economy. An economy that's 3.6% smaller and $37billion deeper in debt than when he took it over. The Standard has his office caught lying that…
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...
The level of outrage about brand Key's freebie ad on Radio Live hasn't died away. Tapu Misa wrote about it in yesterday's Herald. Bomber Bradbury was sacked from RadioNZ for mentioning it. Key's staff spun to media that the show was ok if he didn't…
It's a suggestion that comes up every now and again. Here it is in its current incarnation: Lower voting age: Mana The Mana Party is calling for 16 and 17-year-olds to be allowed to vote. The current voting age is 18 but Mana says young…
Pat Brittenden at Average Joe has written insightful post on the level of understanding that Don Brash has about the treaty issues he has been addressing in Act's "one law for all" policy. Dr. Don Brash has pulled out of a debate on Treaty issues…
The Internet is great for politics as a forum for discussion and a place for organising and mobilising but don't let it replace the real action, which is out in the streets. We're going to do a series of flyers for readers to print off and distribute,…
The threat of invoking defamation is a standard tactic to intimidate those who can't afford the legals bills to shut their mouths. Such threats are sometimes known as strategic lawsuits against public participation or SLAPPS. My understanding of Lange v. Atkinson (2000) and the qualified…
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...
John Key's economic credibility was shattered by the double downgrade. Now, his personal credibility has been lost after he claimed that Standard & Poor's said a Labour government would lead to another downgrade. S&P could not have been more blunt: "At no stage have we…
The lies keep flowing as National desperately tries to limit the damage from the double downgrade. First, it was 'doesn't matter' - Treasury says it does. Then, "hey, it's just private debt" - the agencies' reports say otherwise. Then it was just an international problem…