Nats’ ACC plan only good for insurance companies and lawyers
National has confirmed it intends to privatise the ACC scheme starting with opening the work account to private competition. This would see private […]
Key comes out against wage increases
This morning on Sunrise, John Key said “wage inflation” is a problem causing inflation and needs to be reduced. Wage inflation is a […]
National adopts Labour’s arts policy
So National has adopted Labour’s arts, culture and heritage policy essentially unchanged. Good. The flourishing of New Zealand’s arts and culture we’ve seen […]
Anti-abuse law in action
A front page story on Stuff at the moment is about a woman who systematically beat her child and has been successfully prosecuted […]
The same dream
Some people don’t seem to understand that being of the Left does not mean being soley allied to Labour or the Greens or […]
On infinity
[more ‘Tom The Dancing Bug’ comics here]
Crosby/Textor line de jour
Every Wednesday, John Key does his round of interviews. Breakfast TV makes a nice soft start with interviews on Breakfast then Sunrise. Then […]
90 Day No Rights policy, why?
Why does National want to remove the right of workers to appeal against unjustifiable dismissal in the first 90 days of employment? The […]
It’s not just the polls
Jordan Carter posted a month or so back (a little controversially) on how much easier life might be for some on the left […]
Tearaway on election ’08
A reader just alerted us to the fact that Tearaway’s latest issue features a piece on election ’08. Gotta love the question about […]
Inflation up but interest rates must come down
Inflation was 1.6% in the last quarter, 4% annually, the highest in 13 years. Petrol is driving inflation. By itself petrol accounted for […]
Some policy coverage, too much to ask?
Yesterday, Tracy Watkins wrote something I found a little confusing – “National is winning the war over wages and the price of cheese”. […]
Shouldn’t you be dead by now?
Australia’s ABC has a somewhat unusual online game to explain the impact of individuals on climate change to children. It’s called ‘Planet Slayer‘. […]
Murketing
Gordon Campbell has an interesting take on the political PR we’re seeing from National in his latest Scoop column. In it he quotes […]
NZIER poll
Buried away in the NZIER’s recent TNS survey on the Emissions Trading Scheme was this political poll showing a surprisingly high number of […]
Growing opposition to Immigration Bill
Nick Butcher has produced this excellent video opposing the Immigration Bill (which we blogged about last week and is covered in more detail […]
National’s plan for TVNZ
Ambitious for NZ political debate
It’s sad that Matthew Hooton passes for a political commentator in this country. If he was a blogger, he would be third, fourth tier. Surely, […]
So much for ambition
Yesterday on Agenda, SOE Minister Trevor Mallard said that the Government was undertaking an exploratory study to see whether the factory that currently […]
One true lesson about the Tony Veitch affair
It seems that everyone’s commenting right now on Tony Veitch. The various slants by the different commentators, on the same sordid matter seem […]
Bullies
Why is it that the right are so much more litigious than the left? The recent example of Crosby Textor threatening legal action […]
Contrary to Key, Govt does target waste
The idea that a government would purposely spend money in a wasteful manner is patently absurd. Voters want more government services and lower […]
On flat tax
We have a progressive tax system, whereby the portion of income paid in tax increases with income. Many on the Right argue that […]
Winnie and Glenn
It appears, as everyone suspected, that Owen Glenn did give a donation to New Zealand First. There is nothing illegal or immoral in […]
Failure to front up
When was the last time John Key did an in-depth interview? Why would a potential Prime Minister be afraid to be exposed through […]
Running on empty
A worrying report on the future of petrol prices is out today. It predicts petrol could hit $10 a litre in a decade. […]
Iran’s Photoshop job
From NYT blog The Lede: As news spread across the world of Iran’s provocative missile tests, so did an image of four missiles […]
The Standard Week: July 4 – July 11
Every time Bill English goes on Agenda, he lets a bit of National policy slip (anyone who thinks it’s an accident probably also […]
Remarkably unambitious ECE policy
Another one-page excuse for a policy from National, this one on early childhood education. After vehemently opposing 20Free, National would now keep it […]
Question 2
Why was the report on government spending from ANZ Chief Economist Cameron Bagrie blindly accepted by the media at first, when anyone with a […]
Radio National
The day that National Radio publicises a ‘survey’ produced by Matthew Hooton is a very strange day. That day is today. Hooton’s ‘independent’ […]
Key refuses to answer your questions
You’ll remember our ‘interview the leaders‘ series. John Key has been the only leader missing, we’ve given his office plenty of extensions on […]
“It’s not okay” today either
The other day Dancer made some good points about the campaign “It’s Not Okay” and the role that organisations like the Families Commission play, […]
tis the season
I am beginning to think John Key’s attempt to turn statements that involve him into ‘personal attacks’ might be catching on. Check out […]
National’s Bank
After reading Steve’s post this morning mocking ANZ National for putting out confused National Party talking points dressed up as research, a reader […]
Irony
Granny Herald’s Editorial yesterday “Private market can help ACC” – dancing on the head of a pin to justify privatising ACC to make […]