John Key keeps disappearing into satire
Danyl at The Dim-Post has been indulging in his favored pastime again – satire. In this case Cabinet expresses concern over missing PM […]
Walk the walk
Parents around the country are counting down the days until school starts for the year – but for some the NZHerald had some […]
Bureaucracy cutters call for more bureaucrats
Today on Radio NZ, Health Minister Tony Ryall’s razor gang for the health sector was discussed. One of its proponents argued there was […]
Let me say that again
“It’s important that I get an Australian perspective on the unfolding international economic situation, particularly the impact of a slowdown in China and […]
The Neo-Liberal Front
National’s two main internal factions consist of the Conservatives, and the Neo-Liberals. Overall the Conservatives want to keep things pretty much as they […]
Biz NZ opposes minimum wage increase
As we reported on Monday, the Cabinet is set to review the minimum wage. The Labour Department recommended maintaining its purchasing power by […]
NZ Herald: Nobody Wants It
It seems that Irish millionaire Tony O’Reilly won’t be solving his debt problems any time soon. O’Reilly is desperate to be shod of […]
Conservatism and Progressivism
Conservatism is all about maintaining the status quo. It assumes that the status quo is essentially ok, while change is best avoided. The […]
Paving paradise
We have received information that National’s plan to change the definition of ‘environment’ under the RMA in their 100-day legislation roll out will […]
BastardWatch
After losing their last four seats in the Senate after Australia’s 2007 election, the Australian Democrats are trying hard to stay relevant and […]
Worrying, or what I did with my holidays
I’ve meaning to write a wee post thanking Young Labour for inviting me along to speak at their Summer School the other weekend. […]
Wage for minimum wage workers set to drop
In the Bay Report in December 2007, John Key was quoted as saying “we would love to see wages drop“. Inexplicably, the media […]
Standard writer in shock agreement with KBR!
Over at Kiwiblog David and his rabid followers are screaming over the HoS’s treatment of National’s Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and the […]
Helen Clark greatest living NZer – Herald
I wonder if someone at the Herald is going to get sack for letting this happen? The NZ Herald’s week long poll to […]
Stop the auction
The tragic shooting death of Halatau Kianamanu Naitoko on the motorway today was not National’s fault. In fact it was nothing to do […]
Join the job queue – an Aussie perspective
Jobs, jobs, jobs seems to be the theme of the day. After reading that Microsoft has announced that 5,000 jobs are to go (the […]
We would love to see wages drop – Key
Staying with today’s wages theme, The Herald is reporting: “Mr Key would not rule out pay cuts for public servants in the next […]
Job losses in Aussie
Across the Tasman Kevin Rudd’s plea for employers to save jobs has fallen on deaf ears, with some of Australia’s biggest companies (mining, retail and automotive […]
A pointless symbolic distraction. At best.
I’m the last person who’d criticise freezing the pay of our MPs but John Key’s cynical opportunism is at best a piece of […]
Obama implements pay freeze for some aides
President Obama has announced his intention to institute a pay freeze on the salaries of senior White House aides earning over $US100,000. He says […]
Still swilling the small beer
John Key has written to the Remuneration Board imploring them not to increase wages for MPs and judges in the annual review later this […]
What lies around the corner?
Under the full warmth of the summer sun those clouds that keep gathering on the horizon seem to have been quickly dismissed by many, with the hope […]
Let’s see the options
Over at the Dim Post Danyl is complaining about our complaining again. In a classic piece of sophistry he seems to have decided […]
Time to pony up with some policy
After three years of solid growth, the latest stats show international tourist numbers collapsing 8% last November compared to November 2007 due to the global recession. […]
Brownlee blowing smoke – or is it Coalfinger in disguise?
Gerry Brownlee was puffing smoke this Wednesday morning about his daft (in terms of the Kyoto agreement) decision last month to remove the […]
What does President Obama mean for you?
If you’re living in New Zealand, President Obama isn’t going to change your life. Remember, you voted for John Key. You’ll have to […]
Holiday hackery
I’ve long regarded John Armstrong as the best political press journo we’ve got. Not least because he’s one of the few without a […]
Penny wise?
Health Minister Tony Ryall has followed Paula Bennett’s* lead by cancelling a conference for PR purposes**. In terms of symbolism it’s great. Even […]
Watch Obama’s inauguration live
The embedded stream below is meant to work even outside the US. Fingers crossed. If you find/know of another good live source drop […]
Obama’s inauguration
[I’ve taken down the streaming footage now]
What would Jehovah say?
Reports from Hawkes’ Bay confirm that the Exclusive Brethren broke its rule against voting to ensure a National/ACT victory last year. The Exclusive Brethren […]
Deflation rears its ugly head here and around the world
Inflation, predictably, plunged in the last quarter. With the international prices of oil and other commodities coming off their record highs following the super-spike last […]
A bouquet among the brickbats
We often criticise media coverage of politics, so it’s a pleasure to say something nice. I would love at this point to link to Martin […]
Bad trips
I remember feeling sick to my stomach as the media childishly replayed Clark’s fall, particularly the morning Paul Henry sat there pissing himself […]
I hope so too
Here’s a cool interactive feature from the NYT – “I hope so too”: The New York Times asked more than 200 people in […]
A little help
Oddly the Standard hasn’t received its invite to the “job summit” yet. I’m sure this is just an administrative error but just in […]