New record set in ironic racism
The good people of Devonport are outraged, just outraged, about the Waitangi settlement that will see Maori moving in next door.
Queen of Thorns has more…
ImperatorFish: Labour To Blame For Legal Costs
Woka Woka Wharfie Fundraiser – Akl tonight
Something to do in Auckland tonight: What: Special screening of The Muppets Where: Hoyts Sylvia Park, Mt Wellington When: Tonight, April 3rd, 6.10pm […]
Juking the stats?
The recorded crime rate has been dropping for two decades now mostly due to changing demographics. More good news this year with a 4.8% drop, mostly attributable to a 21% fall in Canterbury. But something’s a little off in these numbers. The number of offences recorded has fallen, yet the percentage solved has fallen even more. Shouldn’t less crime mean more resources to solve the ones that do happen?
Nat Civil War: Suckerpunch
John Key just taught Judith Collins not to mess with the Boag faction. The Cabinet Manual required her to consult with him before announcing the defamation suits. He expressed support. Said Cabinet would decide on the funding. Then, at the last minute, word came Cabinet wouldn’t back her. Humiliatingly, she was forced to withdraw her bid but she can’t drop the suits.
Make your voice heard on asset sales
Kiwis oppose asset sales two to one. And they will only happen if one man, Peter Dunne, votes for them to happen. Dunne was too cowardly even to speak to TVNZ on the issue last night. But you can still make him listen. You have 10 days left to make an online submission to the select committee here. It’s a two minute job – just tell them that New Zealand isn’t for sale.
Joyce’s dirty deals: Skycity
While Collins is busy backing herself into a corner over the ACC affair and has found herself footing the bill for vexatious lawsuits, Joyce, her main rival for the post-Key leadership, is cutting a sleazy deal with SkyCity: more pokies and relaxed licencing in return for an international convention centre we don’t need. Now we learn SkyCity is fostering problem gambling.
Open mike 03/04/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Collins’ last stand
It looks like Collin’s has got herself into a bind with her defamation case and Key’s not gonna get her out.
And why would he? Her flailing offers an excellent distraction from the real PR damage of this dispute – the fact his government is only interested in looking after its mates.
Nat Civil War: Key backs Boag over Collins
John Key gave one of his least sure and most defensive interviews in five years on Q+A on the weekend. His goal was clearly to protect his personal brand and close the issue down. He failed. He failed because he refused to criticise Pullar and Boag, and refused to back Collins’ law suits. That puts him at odds with the Collins faction and onside with Boag’s.
TV1 Poll
A TV1 poll yesterday had Key falling as preferred PM, but no significant change for the major parties.
Resignation-watch: Suit cash a confidence vote on Collins
Cabinet today will decide whether the Crown will pick up the tab for Judith Collins’ defamation suits. The suit against RNZ, whose offence was to do live interviews, is particularly egregious and calculated to chill media comment. It will be unprecedented for the public to pay for a minister to take defamation suits. But we will. Anything less will be a vote of no confidence in Collins by her colleagues.
Bernard Hickey – Ouch!
Bernard Hickey has a great piece in the Herald on Sunday that you shouldn’t miss.
Open mike 02/04/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
0900 LOCKOUT
While the PoAL dispute has been raging a thousand meatworkers are entering their fifth week of lockout at Talleys-owned AFFCO.
There’s a war on workers on across the country at the moment but you can help fight back.
NRT on RadioLive decision
The police have announced that they will not be laying charges over John Key’s pre-election radio show. Their reason? “Insufficient evidence”.
On incompetent management
Once upon a time, decades ago now, ports were run by a person called the Harbourmaster. He used to be a highly qualified and experienced Master Mariner, who had extensive knowledge of shipping and decades of experience, at sea and within the port. All this competence and experience came at a wage, at most, five times the average wage.
Open mike 01/04/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Earth Hour
OK – so we’re a bit late with this – but it’s Earth Hour, 8:30 – 9:30pm NZ time.
Confused? A guide to the letters & leaks in the Nats’ Civil War
The ever-growing list of letters, emails, and leaks in the National Party Civil War, that started off as an apparently apolitical privacy breach by ACC, is getting hard to follow. Here’s a summary of the various documents and their ramifications – so far.
Punching above our weight
Punching above our weight will never be the same again …
It’s safe to get off the fence now, Len
The PoAL management looks as incompetent and divided as the Nats after their ‘bullet-proof’ contracting out plans were shot down by the Employment Court and a director resigned publicly admonishment management’s strategy. Time to use that bully pulpit, Len. Say you have no confidence in Pearson and Gibson, demand they drop their plans, and get the port back to work.
Open mike 31/03/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
POAL falling apart
Things are not going so well for Ports of Auckland. “Ports of Auckland lifts lock-out amid board rift” sums it up…
Weekend social 30/03/2012
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
We need “operation 9” to suppress the bookies
Evidently the people at iPredict don’t like being called “bookies” or being described as “opening a contract” on someone. We are now being targeted by this shadowy organisation.
Perhaps it is time that the police exerted themselves as the entertainment for the media and started operation 9 against this subversive organisation
Beached as bro
Within minutes of Simon Lusk’s name being linked to the leaking of the Boag email, a message came through on the tip line – Slater is going feral over Lusk’s name being mentioned. And well he might, Lusk is Cameron Slater’s meal ticket. After a stunned silence on Whaleoil for a few hours – Slater/Lusk were back with all the dirt they could sling.
Participate: Stop Asset Sales and Welfare Reform
Friday 13th (April) – a scary day as submissions close on 2 major government bills. Make sure you get your submissions in on the Mixed Ownership Model Bill and the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill.
Collins’ dilemma & lameduck Key
Judith Collins’ behaviour might strike some as strangely aggressive. Some might even suppose she wouldn’t behave like this unless she was in the right. But let’s put ourselves in her shoes. She wants to be leader. She is now embroiled in a scandal that could end her career. If she could put an end to it without resigning, she would nip it in the bud. Clearly, she can’t.
Suing the taxpayer
Judith Collins is suing Radio NZ for airing 2 Labour MPs defamation. The taxpayer will be paying her costs, Radio NZ’s costs and the court costs. Oh, and should Collins win? The taxpayer will pay any settlement…
Open mike 30/03/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Key people
The people named as Bronwyn Pullar’s support team seem to be the same people that helped John Key into the National Party and then into the leadership.
Like they say – it’s not what you know…
Key linked to Pullar claim
Close Up tonight led with the allegation, based on a leaked document, that John Key (and other prominent Nats) were listed as supporting a $14 million dollar insurance claim by Bronwyn Pullar.
Blinglish’s Treasury not so hot
Bill English and Treasury adopted a “see no evil, hear no evil” approach to the Retail Deposit Guarantee Scheme. And it’s cost us $2 billion. The Deputy Auditor General has delivered a damning report on a ministry used to judging others, not suffering any oversight itself…
Caption Competition
Your life, your choice
The right to choose to end our lives is back on the political agenda with Maryan Street’s private member’s bill on euthanasia going into the ballot. If it’s drawn, it will be the third time in 17 years such a Bill has come up. The first one was voted down 2 to 1, the next lost by 3 votes. This time, success seems highly likely.