Northland’s ghost jobs
One of National’s big claims in the Northland buy election was that they had created 7500 new jobs in Northland. Lies lies lies.
National still attacking democracy in Canterbury
The Nats’ takeover of Environment Canterbury is the greatest attack on democratic rights ever seen in this country. They are about to extend the period of imposed rule, because a fully elected body carries “too many risks”. If you think the people of Canterbury can actually be trusted with democracy you can sign the petition.
National wants to take away our right to silence
A bill designed by Mike Sabin has resurfaced this week. The intention is to take away the right to silence by allowing a Court to draw an adverse inference if someone choses to say nothing when facing certain charges. This proposal needs debate.
Open mike 20/03/2015
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Collins confirms Dirty Politics
Video from last night in Parliament where Judith Collins essentially confirmed the veracity of the information contained in Dirty Politics. And David Cunliffe had the most exquisite put down of an opponent I have seen in a long time.
$46.25 per week Minister!?!
One way the Government is transforming the disability support system is by keeping quiet about allowances desperately needed by those caring for disabled children.
Second “Roast Busters” report released
There are many failings outlined. Police were found to have largely treated women and girls with respect and compassion but their investigations were not robust or thorough, inadequate follow-up enquiries…
Who said it? Shane Reti vs. Aaron Gilmore
All these National backbenchers with delusions of grandeur sound the same to me …
Northland by election – National gets desperate
National is obviously deeply afraid of losing the Northland By Election as is clearly shown by the liberal application of pork barrel politics, the misuse of statistics, the use of Ministerial resources to help campaigning and now the bullying of a local group seeking to have a local road improved.
Shame shame shame
Last night in Parliament National voted down Harawira / Turei’s Feed the Kids Bill, David Shearer’s Food in Schools Bill, and Phil Twyford’s Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill.
Open mike 19/03/2015
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Caption competition
Key admits he’s using our troops as vote-bait
Yesterday the mask slipped and John Key admitted the real reason our deployment to Iraq is only for two years: so he can win an election.
900,000 comments
Yesterday morning we went though 900k comments. We have done another 100k comments in 188 days since September 10th. We are slightly behind our long predicted exponential growth to a million comments in August.
NRT: Who is lying here?
GST wasn’t Key’s only bungle yesterday. I/S at No Right Turn reports…
Len Brown is toast
Bernard Orsman has reported in the Herald today that Len Brown’s campaign team no longer back him and are considering support for a Phil Goff run for the mayoralty.
PM can’t calculate GST
Gotcha politics is all good sport when the opposition makes a mistake. How about Key’s self-inflicted blunder?
Open mike 18/03/2015
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Feed the Kids
Harawira / Turei’s Feed the Kids bill is up tomorrow today in Parliament…
Keep it in the ground
All Apologies
Did commenters on the recent Julian Assange post overstep the mark in their defence of the Wikileaks founder? Are they really rape apologists?
Defining the truth
Changes being considered at Google have far reaching implications. Who gets to decide what is true?
How much is National’s Northland panic costing the taxpayer?
So our PM is cutting short state business for the purposes of party campaigning. Since Key invented the whole silly hats game, I guess it’s fair to ask if he still gets paid as PM when he is acting in his capacity as Party Leader? If so, why?
Open mike 17/03/2015
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
The Killing Moon
TV3 have sacked two judges on X Factor NZ, while Jeremy Clarkson is more popular than ever. When is TV going to pull the plug on itself?
And yet the cast of Dirty Politics are still at large in the media
Herald: “Natalia Kills & Willy Moon are no longer suitable to judge X Factor”.
Surveillance newspeak
Key’s attempt to play cute with the semantics of surveillance is part of an international strategy. Here’s Glenn Greenwald at The Intercept.
The Northland coverup
International travel perks for the people who got us into this mess?
The blogosphere leads the way in breaking a story about yet another sack of cash for MPs …
Donate for cyclone recovery
Vanuatu has been badly hit, with many dead, and significant damage. There is a Red Cross donations page here.
Open mike 16/03/2015
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Still making things go boom dangerously
I have been reading Neil Sheenan’s “A fiery peace in a cold war” on the development of the US ICBM forces in the 50s. At the same time I’ve been reading last week’s Economist, including a feature on the current developing arms race in nuclear weapon systems. Quietly falling into another insane arms race.
Two views on Titirangi’s Kauri
Rodney Hide has published a column about the ancient Titirangi Kauri which predictably argues that land owners should do what they want. But John Roughan has argued to the contrary in an article that will make you wonder if he is actually a greenie at heart.
Spying and the terrorism excuse
The next time that John Key says that we spy so as to keep NZ safe from terrorism, could some journalist please please ask him if the PM of the Solomon Islands is a terrorist?
Finally!
Julian Assange to be allowed to answer to accusations…
Heroes and Villains
Thinking authorities in the west have yet discover the difference between their arse and their elbow…