More questions for English
Yesterday, John Armstrong talked about the Auditor-General’s 2001 report into eligibility for a Wellington accommodation allowance: the then Auditor-General David MacDonald scrutinised allowances […]
Of witch hunts and solo mums
Frank Macskasy The recent witch-hunt against solo-mums would have done the old Salem village-elders proud. The fires, though, could have been stoked just […]
Wordcamp
If you’re interested in the software that runs this site and many others, there is a wordcamp in Wellington this weekend about the […]
Stick to Acting
John explains how what he said was taken out of context, and he outlines his views on climate change.
Caption Competition
Taxing times
In my opinion Pundit is one of the treasures of the NZ news/blog space. The posts are frequently excellent, in a world where […]
Govt backs tax cheats
There is $4 billion in overdue tax owing. Every dollar of that means someone is pocketing cash that should be paying for schools, […]
Stand up for free speech, stand against Bully State
As you know, when Natasha Fuller and Jennifer Johnston spoke up against the Key government’s cancelling of the Training Incentive Allowance, Paula Bennett […]
Electoral finance – summary of submissions
The Ministry of Justice has released a summary of the submissions it got on its Electoral Finance Issues Document. They got 79. The […]
Unemployment back to English’s ‘realistic’ level
Who said this? “if we continue with National’s policies over the next three years we will be able to create another 115,000 jobs […]
What a coincidence
So there I was, just a walking down the street, and $47,000 just fell out of the sky in tax free readies, bam, […]
Which one’s true, Bill?
According to the Speaker, Bill English MP’s “primary place of residence” is in Dipton because Bill has told him it is. But according […]
English lives where Lockwood says
Allowances for MPs accommodation are made according to the Speaker’s determinations. An MP’s “primary place of residence” is where the Speaker says it […]
A real recession policy
Darien Fenton’s minimum redundancy bill has been drawn from the ballot and is likely to go before the house in the next two […]
Uncowed
Shh. Hear that sound? It’s National’s mud throwing machine gearing up again. Inevitably, they’ve released Labour’s ministers’ spending. No evidence of any rort but […]
English in serious trouble
Over at Red Alert, Trevor Mallard has posted a form that all MPs wanting an out-of-town allowance must fill out. It asks MPs […]
Unemployment hits 6%
Stats NZ has just released the unemployment figures for the June Quarter. Unemployment has hit 6%. That’s 138,000 people out of work. We’re […]
John Key ‘may’ be able to understand it?
John Key has recently acted like a jerk to a young mother worried about what climate change is going to mean for her […]
Greens show the way forward
The Greens have presented a sensible and feasible plan to reduce our greenhouse emissions to 40% less than 1990 levels by 2020. Contrary […]
Flogging our future
Hot Topic has very interesting post up about how Act took a sudden interest in climate change denial after they received $100k from […]
The house built on sand
English, now known by the moniker Double Dipton, has decided to give back half the amount to has rorted so far from the taxpayer. Rather […]
Less work, less pay for Kiwis
Today the Household Labour Force Survey, which includes the official measure of unemployment, will be out. The headline number is expected to be […]
John beats up on young Mum
Seems John Key’s been name-dropping Kiwi film stars to business leaders in Brizzie. In today’s NZ Herald Key is quoted slamming actress Keisha […]
Flippin’ Bill
According to the Companies Office, Bill English lives at an address in Karori in Wellington. This address is publicly available on the Companies […]
DL Dannevirke (I kid you not)
The Drinking Liberally empire keeps on growing. Tomorrow there’s an event in Wellington, and Dannevirke, the newest chapter, has its first event on […]
One law for all?
Are you? a disgraced former minister who resigned from Parliament in shame? a National MP who rents from a National minister (Judith Collins […]
Why don’t they just stop ripping us off?
Key admits his ministers are rorting the system – exploiting the allowance not for need but just because it gives them a chance […]
Key: Don’t join the conversation
By telling Keisha Castle-Hughes she should “stick to acting” and keep out of the climate change debate, Prime Minister John Key is signalling […]
The lies keep coming
Read this: Hon Phil Goff: What analysis did Treasury do on the cost-effectiveness of the national cycleway scheme in producing jobs, and is […]
DL Wellington with David Cunliffe
Drinking Liberally is on again in Wellington this Thursday (that’s tomorrow), with guest speaker David Cunliffe on the opposition’s inquiry into bank profiteering. […]
Sshhh! You’ll make the economy cry
John Key says we shouldn’t be talking about the number of people going on to the dole. He reckons that mentioning the fact that […]
Worth the Bill
What would you call it when you collect $900 a week by false pretenses? What would you call it when you tell the Electoral […]
Field’s guilt and Farrar’s shame
Over at Kiwiblog DPF has wet himself with excitement at the Field verdict. Sadly however, he doesn’t get two bullet points into his […]
3News on National Ministers double-dipping
3News covers the story of National Ministers double-dipping at the taxpayers’ expense. UPDATE: ‘BLiP’ has bestowed a new title on Bill English: “Sir […]
Taito guilty
No surprises and a good outcome. That man betrayed everyone who ever supported and trusted him. He exemplifies how power can corrupt, something […]
Anarcho-syndicalist peasants
An old favourite.