PMs and dictators
While I might not put it quite as vividly as Zetetic, I certainly agree that Carter was very foolish to post anything comparing […]
Chris Carter you dick
I’m not sure if my fellow writers would put it like this. But I’m sure they agree with my sentiment when I say- […]
Fart tax Mk II – they fart we pay
I’ve thought for some time that some of the best political writing in the Herald is to be found on the business pages. […]
Roy joins in Hide’s Breakfast-gate scam
Question Time and media reports have revealed more on Hide’s ministerial-speeches-for-party-donations scam (as you know, every political scandal needs a ‘-gate’. I like Breakfast-gate). Hon Annette […]
National announces ACC privatisation
National is going to privatise ACC. As part of the deal for support on its ACC cuts and levy hikes from the Maori […]
Wee gripes: As Kiwi as shrimps on the barbie
I love the ASB ads saying “We’ve been a Kiwi bank since 1847” No. You were a Kiwi bank. Since 1989 you’ve been […]
ACC deja vous
Here we go again. July 1st 1999 and Prime Minister Jenny Shipley opens ACC to competition. I’d forgotten it was one of the […]
Reflections on the ERA
There’s been a fair bit of coverage of John Key’s use of the CTU conference to divide and rule over wages and announce […]
Chopper chops science education
National’s Anne Tolley, our education minister who thought that taking a ‘helicopter view’ of something meant taking a ride in a chopper, is […]
The moral centre
I thought I would take the time to point out this excellent article by Tapu Misa. It has gone with out saying that […]
What really wins elections
Hide falls foul of Cabinet Manual
The Cabinet Manual details the basic expectations of ministerial conduct. It is not law but it would be highly irregular for a minister to breach […]
Govt tax advisor told Westpac how to cheat on taxes
John Shewan is a member of the Government’s Tax Working Group. A decade ago he was advising Westpac what minimal amount of tax […]
More dodgy fundraising by ACT
The ever industrious No Right Turn has turned up more dodgy fundraising practices by ACT. Last month, three ACT MPs held what was […]
Key’s divide and rule to cut wages
John Key says that if school support staff want pay-rises then teachers should sacrifice the ones they bargained for. Tell him to get […]
Hide flounders in effort to cover corruption
Rodney Hide was always going to go one of two ways to try to excuse his corrupt abuse of office. Remember the facts: […]
Open mike 22/10/09
We’re trying a daily “Open mike”. This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and […]
Clueless on ACE
Night classes Adult and Community Education (ACE). An incredibly cost effective and valuable part of the NZ education sector for decades. The ACE […]
Turia on ACC
Here’s Tariana Turia on Q&A last Sunday, responding to a question from Guyon Espiner about National’s plans for ACC: I’m very concerned and […]
Who is John Key?
OK, so this might be only slightly more intellectual than the usual quality of political analysis in our msm, and obviously it could […]
John Key at CTU conference
Heard over the lunch time news that John Key was the keynote (oh how he must never tire of that) speaker at the […]
Labour Day, a time to celebrate
Next Monday, you have a paid day off. Do you know why? Because workers organised themselves into unions and fought for better pay and […]
Battle to keep MMP set to heat up
It’s a pretty special situation where you get praise just for not cheating but John Armstrong heaps it on Simon Power today. Power […]
Maori Party supports foreign business over working Maori
It is a reflection of the schizophrenic nature of the Maori Party that one day they’re professing to care about poor Maori who […]
The invisible hand gets frisky
Hide’s invitation to corrupt fundraiser
Click here for a PDF of Local Government Minister Rodney Hide’s invitation to local government stakeholders to a breakfast speech titled “The Future […]
Hide’s corrupt abuse of office
Another government minister has been caught in corrupt behaviour, and this is arguably the worst of the lot. Rodney Hide is speaking at […]
Open mike 21/10/09
We’re trying a daily “Open mike”. This is a place for anyone to post comments on topics that might be of interest, and […]
EMA busts another privatisation myth
When asked to explain why they want to start privatising a world-leading institution like ACC, National and ACT tend to fall back on […]
Another day, another sell-out
The Maori Party has decided it will support National’s changes to ACC despite Tariana Turia just two days ago saying she was “very […]
Reminder: Drinking Liberally – Auckland
Drinking Liberally is returning to the London Bar for a session with Greenpeace Executive Director Bunny McDiarmid. When: 7pm WEDNESDAY 21 October Where: […]
ACC fracas ‘truly dumb’
Tim Hazledine, a professor of economics at the University of Auckland, has a nice piece in the Herald today that lays out just […]
Take a stand Phil
John Dalley makes a good point in the comments section of our last ACC post: About now would be a good time for […]
Farrar says: carpe diem National
An interesting post from David Farrar calling for National to implement radical rightwing policies while it still has the support to get away […]
Labour where art thou?
I’m not going to repeat the list of all the things that are starting to make people angry and scared or catalogue the […]
Campbell on political ‘management’
With the absolute dearth of informed political commentary in this country it’s a breath of fresh air to have Gordon Campbell back from […]