Another upgrade
Another upgrade complete. As per usual let me know if any problems (that I didn’t find in testing) show up. Please let me […]
Attention turns to local government
Seems the commentators are definately picking local government as one of the issues to watch in terms of how the new Nationaladministration handles […]
Kids set back children’s franchise 100 years
The results are in from the NZ Post-sponsored Kids Voting project, and while it’s a worthy project it nonetheless shows why we don’t […]
PPPs? No, please
I’ve never seen the sense in Public-Private Partnerships. How is it ever going to be cheaper to get a private profit-making company to […]
The departed
The UK has announced plans to increase departure tax from its airports for flights outside Europe to pay for offsetting their carbon emissions. […]
‘Cos I say so
Following Tony “cos I say so” Ryall’s media success with his plan to cut down waiting lists using the King Canute model of […]
Free trade no answer to credit crisis, part 2
I’m a bit concerned to see people welcoming APEC’s commitment to re-igniting the Doha Round of free trade talks as if they are […]
Ryall: do it or else
Health Minister Tony Ryall’s first policy will be to impose maximum waiting times for hospital emergency departments. No word on extra funding for […]
Why is there a media honeymoon?
Why do new leaders get honeymoons? When you think about it, there’s no objective reason why a leader should get an easy run […]
TVNZ cancels Agenda
No Right Turn reports that TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand’s only in-depth political interview and analysis show: According to Dennis Welch on […]
All the facts
National’s David Farrar has been running a series for some time trying to paint NZ Labour as out of step with Labour Parties […]
Signature performance
Before our new Prime Minister went to APEC I wrote “it’s not an opportunity to get some names in your autograph book”. I […]
Work choices
Watching this new ad from the Australian Council of Trade Unions on employment law reform was kind of depressing – while the Aussies […]
Redundant
I was talking to a friend the other night. Her job is disappearing. Fortunately, she is getting a decent-sized redundancy payment. I asked […]
In the driver’s seat
Free trade no answer to credit crisis
Free trade is basically a good idea. We live on a world of limited resources, we should use those resources as efficiently and […]
Labour’s lessons
54,982 votes, 2.3% of the total. That was difference in the election. If Labour had lost 55,000 fewer votes to National (it lost […]
Time for Keynes’ real ideas
The article below is well worth a read for anyone concerned about the global economic crisis. It looks at Keynes plan for managing […]
Key’s first test – fail
Well, John Key took my advice and gave a speech at APEC different from the pro forma MFAT-written speech that might have been […]
Final results in
The official count, including specials has been released. The Greens have picked up another seat on specials at National’s cost. Kennedy Graham will […]
Minnows
I always love reading the 100 Word Blog. So few words and such a high degree of clarity. Richard has surpassed himself with […]
X-rated
There’s a lot of fuss about at the moment over Ayman al-Zawahri’s labelling of Barack Obama as the kind of “house negro” described […]
Do we want to be a world-leader or a global joke?
According to a leading financier, carbon credit broker Nigel Brunel, of OMF Financial, New Zealand has become “a bit of a joke” in Europe […]
In praise of the welfare state
It’s very easy in our individualist, consumerist, capitalist society to say ‘if you’re poor, it’s your fault, don’t come looking to the rest […]
Farmers workers protest today
Workers from Farmers stores in the Auckland area will take part in a ‘Skinny Santa’ parade down Queen Street today to protest against […]
DL Palmy next Friday
Labour’s bright new star and youngest MP, Jacinda Arden will be speaking at Drinking Liberally Palmerston North next Friday (I’ll do a reminder […]
Bill, tempted to drop the Acting?
Psst, Bill. Hey, Bill. Sitting in the big chair is pretty cool, eh? Bet you never thought you would get your chance after […]
2000th post
Happy 2000th post everyone. I’ve brought you all your favourite present – statistics! Our first 1000 posts took nine months, the latest 1000 […]
“NZ Herald Staff” dribble
Bomber over at Tumeke has pointed out a stupid news story about the blogosphere from the Granny Herald. It either shows a selective […]
Musical Interlude: Forgot about Key
Some jokers have given new lyrics to the Dr. Dre and Eminem classic. Hilarious. My favourite part is Hide’s cameo. Hattip: Dolla$Trada
Goff announces shadow cabinet
Labour leader Phil Goff has announced his shadow cabinet. As announced already Cunliffe takes finance, Clark takes foreign affairs, Hughes and Chadwick are […]
NZ Labour supporters site launched
NZ Labour Supporters has been launched as an unofficial online hub for Labour supporters. It looks like a good wee site. Along the […]
Delaying tactics
The National Party’s decision to resurrect the idea of a carbon tax is one of the most cynical plays I’ve seen in a […]
A chance to make his mark
John Key’s off on his first trip as PM tomorrow – APEC in Peru. When I saw him interviewed about this he seemed […]
Farewell
A crowd several hundred strong turned out this morning to farewell Helen Clark as she left Parliament as Prime Minister for the last […]
Credit where it’s due
It’s exam season for high school students. So, for 10 points explain how the following statement (in the ACT-National agreement and repeated uncritically […]