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The low-lying island nations of Tuvalu and Tokelau have declared water emergencies and parts of Samoa are rationing water. Climate change has raised the sea level so that what little freshwater lens the islands have has been reduced. Higher temperatures evaporate more of it. Climate…
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In October last year I wrote a post called A PM but not a leader, focusing on Key's lack of character and leadership with respect to then current events (Paul Henry's racism and Key's kowtowing to China). Fast forward to today and things are getting…
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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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A man tried to jump into the Parliamentary Chamber today at the end of question time. Yelling something about WINZ, Paula Bennett and John Key, he was caught at the last moment by guards. I have a feeling there's a sad story behind that. Something…
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Three Labour MPs gave their valedictories last night; Lynn Pillay, Pete Hodgson, and Jim Anderton in that order. Jim's career path in political employment was a bit roundabout, Lynn's the shortest (she'll kill me for that!), and Pete's the longest. All have made a huge…
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Once again, the Greens have the best billboards and a great policy platform. But the really clever bit is their positioning. A lot of people don't like National's policies and don't want them having a majority. They like Labour's policies but not the personnel. Enter…
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Will double dipping double downgrade Bill English have the guts to heed his own warning? Finance Minister Bill English has conceded stronger economic growth might make New Zealand's current account deficit worse as company profits go overseas. Mr English says the extent of foreign ownership of…
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The national icon suddenly announces that the future of the thing we pride ourselves is at stake. Some big mean foreigners are going to take if off us. Oh no, oh no! Fortunately, there's a solution. It just requires a few tens of millions of…
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The Nats most recent attack on democracy – the Video Camera Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill – was outrageous in at least three respects. (1) It was an attempt to rewrite the verdict of the Supreme Court. (2) It was retrospective lawmaking which (except in benign cases such as…
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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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John Key's relentless optimism is designed to make the country feel good, and to feel good about him - that nice man Mr Key. It doesn't, however, solve our large economic problems. We're yet to hear the sunny-side of Dan Carter's injury (that 'Colin Slade…
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A clever billboard from Labour. Apparently it has Kiwiblog's knickers in a bunch, so it must be good!
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Bill English didn't foresee the first downgrade of the country's credit rating since the last time he was a minister but he can see some things coming. Here's an interesting admission from Double Dipton (or should that be Double Downgrade?): "That gap is almost certainly…
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The credit rating downgrades have been quite a political earthquake, and the aftershocks are going to continue for some time. If I was to quote from every interesting article this post would be a mile long, so I'm going to force myself to quote from…
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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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Prime Minister Moonbeam clearly broke the law on Friday on the radio show that he chose to run instead of dealing with the downgrade crisis. The law is clear: Key wasn't allowed to make political statements. He did. He made a promise on broadcasting policy…
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National's wee attack poodles seem to have fixated on Labour's IR spokesperson Darien Fenton following her making a mean comment about the mad butcher on facebook and then apologising for it and offering to buy him a beer. Now to me that seems like a…
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Republicans have accused President Obama of waging class war by calling for tax increases on the rich. Warren Buffett responds by going straight to the result and declares the war is over and the rich have won. There may be more battles to come however…
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The second in what may be a series of posts about the Occupy Wall Street / Occupy Together movement. The Occupation, now into its third week, seems to be growing. As is the Police response. In the latest development: Police Arrest More Than 700 Protesters on Brooklyn Bridge In…
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A little birdie tells me there's an election in a little under 8 weeks' time. Labour is releasing a couple of major policies a week (most recently: aged care, women, and Canterbury). The Greens released their massive jobs package policy last week. ACT is deciding…
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What a bizarre week of polls. The Fairfax poll and the Roy Morgan polls both showed swings from National to Labour. The TVNZ poll and the TV3 poll did not. Make of that what you will (but keep in mind Bomber's critique of the TVNZ…
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As National muddles through, refusing to reexamine its economic plans after the shock double-downgrade on Friday, the job losses are starting to pile up again. It's very reminiscent of the last recession, which we will haven't recovered from thanks to 3 years of muddling. Can…
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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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Gerry Brownlee has, predictably, been incredibly high-handed and insensitive in his handling of the Christchurch earthquake, especially when it comes to the red-zone. He created a clumsy, one-size fits all, buyout system and a Catch 22 for homeowners wanting to appeal by denying them access…
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The weeks of the RWC were supposed to be a politics-free zone. Bread and circuses, maybe even an ABs win to take the rugby-loving part of the country into the election in an up-beat sort of mood. All of which was electoral gold for the…
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Don Brash has weaved his magic again. He's going to have a minder now and everything he says will be vetted. But it's too late. His cannabis speech brilliantly highlighted the disjunction between ACT's values and those of the man they need to win Epsom.…
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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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Like the recent Fairfax poll, yesterday's Roy Morgan shows a significant swing from National to Labour: The latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows support for Prime Minister John Key’s National-led Government has fallen to 55.5% (down 6% and back to the level of support…
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Another in what looks like becoming a regular series. Remember this?: Govt rejects 'fairer' pension scheme suggestions The Prime Minister said he has "too much on his plate" to act on recommendations to make the pension scheme fairer. Then just yesterday: John Key pledges to…
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The 2009 budget was another piece of well managed political theatre by National. Reneging on their irresponsible election bribe tax cuts, and knowing that they wouldn't have anything much positive to sell, they set up the threat of a credit downgrade as the litmus test…