“The literal truth”
Fran O’Sullivan’s continuing her ongoing philosophical project of interrogating the notion of truth in her latest repetition of Kiwiblog talking points Herald column. […]
Someone really needs to do this with Winston’s speech
Well, I think it’s funny.
Rich reaction roundup
Colin Espiner reckons that Rich’s departure will hurt the Nats. “She represented”, he says, “precisely the sort of social liberal, moderate, youthful face […]
PM announces plan to tackle graffiti
Helen Clark has just announced a range of measures aimed at cutting down on graffiti vandalism. Presumably the initiative will be supported by […]
National seeks to stop free speech
Vernon Small reports today that National party blogger David Farrar has taken out a complaint against the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union’s registration […]
Peters’ reply to the PM’s statement
The Herald covers it pretty well: ‘He begins poetically – a narrator hooking an audience – with “furrowed brows in the dusty roads […]
National’s house of straw
Affordable housing is the topic de jour. The foundation of affordable housing in New Zealand and other developed nations has long been houses […]
Karl Rove on John McCain
The Dummies’ Guide to National’s wage policy
I never really understood how National planned to make wages grow because every time our man John Key is asked about our wage-gap […]
Getting emotional about economics
Michael Shermer of the LA Times asks: “Would you rather earn $50,000 a year while other people make $25,000, or would you rather […]
Affordable housing
Not in my back yard. Alright, maybe in my back yard but only if the state isn’t involved. UPDATE: No Right Turn has […]
Key hopping on Hobsonville
Just spotted this statement from Maryan Street up on Scoop which suggests at least one reason why Mr Key would like the issue […]
Own home dream
Is tax really the answer to housing affordability? The editorial in the NZ Herald today motivated a reader to send us these observations: […]
For use tomorrow
Via Bureau of Communication.
Australia says sorry
Howard couldn’t bring himself to do it, instead expressing “regret”. Today, Labor’s Kevin Rudd said sorry in a formal statement to the stolen […]
Is inequality closing down our concern for others?
Jenny Russel of the Guardian writes, “As the middle classes feel the pain of comparison with the super-rich, we lose all enthusiasm for […]
Positions on tax cuts: a summary
Both the Labour-led government and National have promised income tax cuts to follow the government’s family and business tax cuts. Neither has given […]
National’s last moderate falls on her sword
Katherine Rich was one of only 2 women on National’s front bench and its last moderate MP. The only surprise in her resignation […]
Rich resignation a huge blow for the Nats
The Press reports that “Senior National front-bencher Katherine Rich has resigned her education portfolio and will quit politics altogether at the election…” Rich […]
Every cloud
The latest in a long line of failed protests on the Electoral Finance Act has ended badly with Steven Franks taking legal action […]
Curia-ser and Curia-ser
You’ll probably know about the rumour around the traps that blogger David Farrar is running his polling company Curia out of National Party […]
Key disappoints
I’ve just listened to Key’s reply to the PM’s speech. I’m underwhelmed. Instead of using it to promote any sort of policy platform […]
Clark targets housing affordability
In her speech today, the Prime Minister announced a slate of government plans on housing affordability. New land will be freed up for […]
Swan to build surplus as economic stabiliser
Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan has announced that he intends to lift the target for the budget surplus, so that fiscal policy can help […]
Key conjures up cuts
John Key tells us that he would cut ‘wasteful government spending’ to pay for upper-bracket tax cuts bigger than Labour’s cuts. But do […]
Roy Morgan
Roy Morgan’s latest poll is out. It shows a big drop of 6.5 for National and a corresponding swing to Labour and the […]
Getting ALL the facts right
This contribution was sent through by a reader who did some digging after reading that Helen Clark’s research is letting her down in […]
Salvation Army report finds poverty in Godzone
A report out today from the Salvation Army acts as a reminder that despite a suite of policies designed to improve the lives […]
Congrats to the Conchords
Stuff reports that Wellingtonians of the year, “Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, who play marginally talented folk singers struggling to make it in […]
Peters ought to stop playing the race card
Winston Peters vexes me. He has a long list of worthy achievements, including free doctor visits for under sixes and crippling the last […]
Rich call for tax cuts for rich
Four associations representing wealthy New Zealanders are saying tax cuts should be in the form of making the top tax rate 30 cents […]
Simpsons evolution
This evening’s Simpsons – Best. Intro. Ever.
Media and our National Day
The decision of TVNZ’s CloseUp to pay to assist Tame Iti to travel to Waitangi this year was the focus of Media Watch […]
Say chee$e
At the supermarket earlier this week I was browsing the aisles and noticed the price of cheese. It seems now that for a […]
When politics and music video collide
From CNN earlier in the week – Jeanne Moos presents her very own Super Tuesday Political Video Awards. A good summary of some […]
Push polling
Tony Milne responds to National Party blogger, David Farrar’s recent post on push polling. Tony points out that any push polling undertaken during […]