To sell or not to sell
At the Labour Party congress today, Helen Clark predicted that asset sales would be a key election issue and says the Government was […]
Tough on crime, tough on the parents
Crime, whether static or out of control, is going to be part of our election year “top ten”. I suspect National’s $50 fine […]
Oops.
There was a reboot on the server last night for some reason about 20 hours ago, and the database process failed to start. […]
Bush’s war – online documentary on Iraq
This recent article in the NYTimes illustrates how the way we inform ourselves is changing, and that it’s increasing access to some serious topics. ‘Bush’s […]
Student debt, it’s the interest that matters
Today, outstanding student loan debt reaches $10 billion. That’s a fair old swag of money but what has been ignored in the coverage […]
Still no apology
Last Tuesday Bill English stood up in Parliament and accused the CTU and the PSA of breaking the Electoral Finance Act. Problem for […]
National forced to support meal breaks
National has found itself politically unable to oppose the amendment to the Employment Relations Act that will ensure workers are entitled to meal […]
NZ Growing Faster Than Aussie, US, Japan, and UK
The Reserve Bank produces a series of helpful tables of economic data. One table compares our growth to that of Australia, the US, […]
Too stupid for words
I’m not usually big on the Bush-bashing, but this is classic: Say what you like about Reagan, at least the dude could read […]
Beware the Tory wolf in liberal clothing
Polly Toynbee of The Guardian writes: “Beware the lesson of the Tory wolf in liberal clothing: Sweden’s great social democracy has been transformed […]
Key’s plan for NZ to require lots of tug-boats
From Key’s speech to the NZ Institute of Foreign Affairs on emulating the ‘Celtic Tiger’: “Thirty years ago, Ireland was a total basket […]
Winston and the FTA
New Zealand First’s opposition to the China FTA is no surprise but it is interesting to reflect on the grounds for it that […]
National under fire over unauthorised advertising
Annette King has hit back at National in the House today, producing two items of electoral advertising from them, neither of which is […]
Sensible Sentencing: Disgusting
The Sensible Sentencing Trust is a backward, reactionary organisation at the best of times but this is a new low. Responding to comments […]
Fair and balanced
The Herald could barely contain its self-satisfaction when National’s David Farrar complained to the Electoral Commission that the country’s largest private sector union, […]
Finlay MacDonald: The Audacity of Hype
A reader wrote to us to say that they’d recently seen Finlay MacDonald speak at Otago University as part of the Distinguished Communicator […]
Interview the leaders III: Labour
A big thanks to Progressives’ leader Jim Anderton for being the first participant in our ‘Interview the leaders’ series. The quality of his […]
A dereliction of duty
John Key’s failure to ask a parliamentary question last week exposes a crisis of confidence in National’s ranks. It is unprecedented for an […]
Jim Anderton answers your questions
Today we’re posting the first of our “Interview the leaders” segments – where you get to ask the leaders the questions you want […]
Sir Ed and Helen Clark – admired Kiwis
From the Sunday Star Times: A new poll suggests that National Leader John Key may be up against a bigger obstacle than he thought in […]
Helen Clark on BBC’s “Hardtalk”
Sarah Montague from BBC’s Hardtalk interviews Helen Clark – starting with a question about whether the time might be right for a New […]
Me-too but Cool
Do you have a fascination with ads? Ever wonder where they come up with their ideas or feel like you’ve seen an ad […]
China Syndrome
Liberal democracy (ie. democracy where there are truly competitive elections) is the dominant ideology of government of our time, having seen off monarchy […]
What’s Eating Slippery John?
Slippery John and his mates seemed pretty down in the dumps in the House this week. I know that no one, but a […]
Davey gets it wrong again
David Farrar’s latest political campaign on behalf of the National Party has, like so many of them before, foundered on the sharp rocks […]
If I were Labour’s campaign strategist
Part three of the ‘If I were [Party X]’s campaign strategist’ series brings us to Labour. The strategy for a major party is […]
John Key’s DVD: Take 2
Our sources tell us National is set to follow-up to last year’s DVD ‘John Key: Vacuous for New Zealand’ with its sequel ‘John […]
Didn’t take long
A reader just sent us this – REM meets John Key. (Hat-tip: PJ)
Lockwood: unsurprisingly relaxed about global warming
“Frankly, it’s a market”
That’s what Key said when asked about his plan to increase GP fees. A reader reckons Key’s planning to apply the same market […]
In praise of ACC
It was nice to see this independent report into the ACC scheme by Price Waterhouse Coopers. Amongst the general positive comments was this […]
Campbell grills Peter Brown
Now this is what Campbell needs to do more of. Last night the man ripped poor old Peter Brown to shreds over his […]
Interview the Leaders – reminder
Just a reminder, there’s still time to get your questions in for the Greens in our upcoming Interview the Leaders series. You can […]
Hiding from the hakapiks
There is a Novotel hotel beside the Canadian High Commission on The Terrace in Wellington. Check out this billboard on the wall of […]
Poor Poor John
Tracy Watkins tells us in today’s Dom-Post that John Key may have taken a beating in the stock market lately. He wouldn’t say […]
Sack Spotless
I’ve just got back from a small but very vocal picket outside Spotless’ corporate HQ on The Terrace in solidarity with the 800 […]