Damnit… I missed the 4000th post
Well I missed it. We rolled past the 4000th post at the end of October. A bit unexpected, it was too early by […]
Government of Fantasyland
This is Nick Smith in Parliament yesterday, replying to a question on Treasury’s re-calibrated $50 billion costs of Nationals ETS Bill: Hon Dr […]
Plutonomy
In Michael Moore’s Capitalism: A Love Story (which is excellent, btw) he refers to two 2005 Citigroup memos about ‘plutonomy’ economies and political […]
Teh New Zelaand Herlad
Have you noticed how many spelling mistakes there are in the Herald these days? James at Editing the Herald has: I’ve had quite […]
Laugh track
As Irish has already noted, Fran O’Sullivan has savaged John Key’s record on employment and said that Paula Bennett is “too busy puffing her own achievements […]
Fran’s got it right
For the first time ever I wholeheartedly agree with Fran O’Sullivan’s column. In today’s Herald she writes about the government’s inaction over youth […]
Key needs to face the facts
Nice Mr Key may be feeling the strain a bit. He’s starting to sound quite snippy: Meanwhile, Key has also slammed Treasury predictions […]
Nats could lose, but can Labour win?
If you had told me a year ago that, just a third of a way through its term, this government would have lost […]
ACC misdirection
It looks like the government’s sleight of hand on ACC is about to pay off. Having put up a clearly outrageous proposal to […]
PHARMAC on the altar of free trade
Yesterday John Key indicated that he might be willing to dismantle PHARMAC if it gets us a better free trade deal with the […]
Open mike 18/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
Suppression Orders & The Internet
Gagged The Law Commission yesterday released a report on ‘Suppressing Names and Evidence’. It’s timely given that Vince Siemer was arrested just last […]
Greenpeace to focus on poverty
The new head of Greenpeace, South African Kumi Naidoo, has pledged under his leadership that the organisation’s core focus will be the effect […]
Drinking Liberally: Phil Goff on the Sixth Labour Govt
The next Auckland Drinking Liberally features Labour Party leader Phil Goff discussing his political values and the challenges facing the Sixth Labour Government […]
Bikoi
Just got away from the bikoi at Parliament. What a sight. At least 6,000 people they reckon. The lawn and half the forecourt […]
Softly, softly treatment for militant employers
The continuing wave of lockouts continues to go unremarked by the government, the opposition and the media. Over the past few months there […]
Key to rich mates: NZ for sale
John Key’s residency for the rich scheme has attracted the interest of 12,000 people thus far. Yes, NZ residency is for sale at […]
Total shambles
The government’s handling of the ETS is a total shambles at every level. Even their fans at The Herald are pointing out the […]
Urgent action needed on job creation
We’ve talked a lot about the negative effects of unemployment on the unemployed and their communities (depression, crime, family breakup, poor health, poor […]
Faux pro-smacking march fun
With all his usual wit, James of Editing the Herald proposes a spike of the so-called ‘March for Democracy’ in Auckland this week. The […]
Open mike 17/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
Maori Party shafts Maori workers
The Maori Party says it will support John Key’s emissions trading scheme in exchange for a lucrative deal for the wealthiest Maori. According […]
Key’s $155b subsidy to polluters
A month ago, I wrote that National’s moves to gut the Emissions Trading Scheme would increase government debt by $73 billion by 2050. A Treasury […]
Kiwis will continue to subsidise PM’s rich mates
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has released its report on John Key’s Emissions Trading Scheme. ACT, Labour, and the Greens refused to support […]
Key’s loose government
Over the weekend r0b reckoned the shambles of the Key government would start to really hurt. I was sceptical. Winning the next election […]
Recession’s causes still not fixed
Recessions are meant to be about fixing economic problems that built up during the previous boom – unwinding imbalances in the parlance. Higher […]
Light at the end of the tunnel
We’ve been in the tunnel of love too long. (You youngsters can go look it up.) The media’s affair with our personable but apparently […]
Open mike 16/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
Failures of leadership: English, Hide, and Harawira
I know this point/counterpoint series of posts on Hone Harawira maybe getting a bit tiresome but I have to disagree with the assertion […]
Is there anybody out there…
OK, this has nothing to do with NZ politics, but I’m trying to stick to my resolution not to rant as usual on […]
Iwi tuaroa is Maori for spine
Throughout the mana enhancing relationship between the National and Maori parties, we haven’t yet seen a lot of give and take. Well, I […]
Open mike 15/11/09
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Over to you…
I don’t give a shit about Hone. But the lynch mob is interesting.
Whatever argument there is between the hierarchy of the Maori Party and Hone really doesn’t concern me. While I’m sure Kelvin Davis is […]
Still a trader at heart… gambling with Kiwi lives
Here is one excellent article from Tracey Barnett in the Weekend Herald … Admit it: John Key’s most memorable moment in one year […]
Vote red, get fed
Labour needs to stand up for its electorate, the worker. While National is gutting the infrastructure Labour set up in the last nine […]
Greens greenwashing for anti-environment govt
The Greens have announced the collapse of the cornerstone of their Memorandum of Understanding with National. With Gerry Brownlee as Minister for Energy, National […]