Accountability then and now…
Then: Labour Minister David Parker accused of financial wrongdoing (filing incorrect returns). He resigns Ministerial portfolios and as Attorney General while the Companies […]
Section 59 and child abuse
Late last week households around the country received their referendum envelope that asks “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be […]
More snouts in the trough
More Nats have been exposed rorting the out of town allowance for ministers. Bludger Bill is claiming the allowance for living in his […]
One of these things is not like the other VI
One of these things is not like the other One of these things is not quite the same. Can you guess which one […]
Bon moat
We’ve been puzzling over how Bludger Bill can be spending all the $920 a week he is rorting for living in his family […]
Citizen journalism
Evidently just as fed up as I am with main-stream-media “news” – which increasingly seems to consist of shallow, sensationalist stories broken up […]
Taxing debate
Treasury’s man on the tax reform working group, Professor Norman Gemmell, has laid out some changes that Treasury would like to see: GST […]
What price citizenship?
“What price citizenship?“, asks Heather Roy. “$10 million“, says Jonathan Coleman.
Do as I say, not as I do
What gets me is the entitlement mentality from these senior members of Key’s government. Exactly the same mentality they claim afflicts ‘bludgers’ who […]
Something dodgy in Dipton
Bill English is unrepentant over his $47,000 a year rort of the ministers’ Wellington accommodation allowance. He is claiming the allowance, which is […]
What goes around…
Paula Bennett appears to have broken the law in releasing private information on members of the public who were critical of National’s “ambitious” […]
Women on the web
Is the blogging world becoming more gender balanced? This story in the Times indicates there’s a group who are wanting to get some […]
Good potential, will it deliver?
17,000 youth jobs. That’s what Key has promised with a $152 million programme (some of this is existing money). Like Colin Espiner says […]
Double standards
Paula Bennett has claimed nearly $22,000 in six months for her Wellington accommodation. That’s more, just for a second home Bennett uses maybe half the […]
I don’t think so
National and Act getting ready to sell our assets. Don McGlashan, joining Phil Twyfords ‘Not Yours To Sell’ campaign, says ‘I don’t think […]
Accountability
According to the Herald Paula Bennett has said she will apologise if the complaint to the privacy commissioner is upheld. I would have […]
Get ready for more over-promise, under-deliver
Tomorrow John Key will be announcing policies on youth unemployment. Looks like rehashing of the already announced Youth Guarantee and probably something more. […]
Snouts in the trough
NZPA reports: Taxpayers are contributing nearly $1000 a week to allow deputy prime minister Bill English to live in his own million-dollar Wellington […]
Linton Kwesi Johnson: FITE DEM BACK
Video: Rhys Darby Global Warning Poem
Couldn’t resist some weekend humour
Caption competition
Just when we thought he couldn’t top the comic value of the cycleway…
Youth Court Judge speaks out, sky doesn’t fall
A couple of weeks ago Justice Minister Simon Power slammed Chief Justice Sian Elias for commenting on possibilities of change in the criminal […]
Use of weapons
I’ve been thinking about the different ways ministers from the Left and the Right approach governing. I think it goes back to where […]
Benefits, wages and anger
The recent furore about benefit levels has brought a lot of comments along the lines of ” I don’t get it why should […]
Chilling effect
I’m frankly a little surprised at the way the media and The Herald especially has jumped on the attack the victim bandwagon in […]
Wee gripes: spreading ignorance
Tracy Watkins: “productivity as a country – the amount of goods and services each worker produces and the value they add” God. Here’s […]
The Herald soils its pulpit
Thundering from the pulpit is a fine old editorial tradition, and The Herald has often held forth on the rule of law. Starting […]
Wee gripes: doublethink
If you read Kiwiblog or listen to talkback radio (basically the same thing – smart guy baiting reactionaries for his political ends) then […]
Brash speech confirms National’s secret agenda
This is simply stunning. Don Brash, our new productivity tsar, has just released a speech where he proves he hasn’t changed a bit […]
Comfortable with bullying
John Key is “comfortable” with his Minister Paul Bennett releasing private information (in breach of the Cabinet Manual, Privacy Commission guidelines, and the […]
In bed with bigotry
Maori Party MP Rahui Katene’s Matariki Public Holiday Bill was before the House last night (I understand National is planning to vote it down […]
Substance matters
Last night, our positive and ambitious National/Act government: Voted against Green MP Metiria Turei’s bill to protect the 111 Maui dolphins left. Voted […]
Horrific and ugly
That’s what Bennett is calling the Right’s attacks on the women she released confidential information about. As if she didn’t know that would […]
Fishy
Here’s one of the solo mothers targeted by Bennett appearing on Checkpoint last evening. She’s angry and eloquent and clearly aware of the […]
Change to policy – Privacy Consent
This has been added to the policy because as Lew points out there appear to be morons in government, blogs, and in journalism […]
Bully State
NZPA reports: An MP from government confidence and supply party ACT today told prison officers who spoke out against private prisons that they […]