Wealth taxation as national self-interest
Is it only the uber wealthy and politicians that don’t want a wealth tax? Guyon Espiner talks with ex trader, now people’s economist Gary Stevenson.
guyon espiner
RNZ’s Chinese Spies story doesn’t add up
On Monday, RNZ reported that “Chinese Communist Party spies are infiltrating New Zealand universities”. Our guest poster views this thin and anecdotal ‘investigative’ reporting with deep suspicion. Was any of this activity was reported to the proper authorities. Or is it just the usual paranoia / racist dog-whistling or a paid story?
Someone should keep a Talley
Radio New Zealand has published details of Talley donations totalling $27,000 being made to the NZ First Foundation.
What’s up with NZF?
Peters’ major election interview is a mess of epic proportions, and NZF’s own Pauline Hanson makes an iwi/kiwi speech.
RNZ: The 9th floor – Clark
“We don’t have a written constitution so nowhere is it written down what are the powers of the Prime Minister. It’s partly your personality. It’s the skills that you’ve got and it’s how you use the office”.
RNZ: The 9th floor – Shipley
“During the day we spent with Shipley she said New Zealand needs to take the “blowtorch” to middle class welfare, with student allowances and healthcare areas where middle and higher income earners should pay more.” “I believe in leadership, not political occupancy.”
RNZ: The 9th floor – Bolger
“He says neo-liberalism has failed and suggests unions should have a stronger voice. He says Treaty of Waitangi settlements may not be full and final and that Māori language tuition should be compulsory in primary schools.”
RNZ: The 9th floor – Moore
Guyon Espiner’s excellent RNZ series The 9th Floor, consists of interviews with five ex NZ PMs. Here’s Mike Moore.
RNZ: The 9th floor – Palmer
On RNZ Guyon Espiner is running what will be a fascinating series, The 9th Floor, consisting of interviews with five ex NZ PMs. First up on Friday was Sir Geoffrey Palmer, “reflecting on the revolutionary fourth Labour government and his year as one of its three Prime Ministers”.
What is the story?
I’m finding that the way that stories are reported rather interesting and full of hidden bias. Looking at the London attack and the “Hit and Run” stories, you have to ask about what editors and some journalists choose to focus on in stories. They often seem to miss the point about why things happen and what the consequences are.
Dunne concerned about “extremely damaging” tax haven label – years too late
Peter Dunne is concerned about the ‘extremely damaging’ tax haven label. Guyon Espiner points out that he used to call it ‘legitimate tax avoidance’.
Will New Zealand social housing soon subsidise Australian social housing?
John Key’s interview on Morning Report this morning suggests that National does not know what it is doing with its social housing policy. Are we approaching a situation where profits from New Zealand social housing is going to underwrite the cost of Australian social housing?
Espiner profile on Andrew Little
Guyon Espiner has a paywalled profile of Andrew Little up at The Listener.
All the way to Key
All credit to Guyon Espiner for another hard-hitting interview with Key on Morning Report today. Espiner tries to get a straight answer from Key over his personal contacts with Slater. Tries and tries and tries, to no avail. It is clear that Key, personally and through his office, is up to his neck in dirty politics.
Espiner becomes RNZ Morning Report host and Pagani criticises the Standard
So Guyon Espiner is the new Morning Report host and Josie Pagani thinks that commentators on the Standard are being mean to her. Guyon’s appointment will provide some interest but Josie should reflect on the cause of criticism of her. Could it be that her beliefs and views are not reflective of the thoughts and views of most progressives and that her use as a representative for these views is failing the need for those views to be represented?
This week’s Jonolist award goes to….
Jonolist award to Patrick Gower for slanted reporting of a non-poll result, continuing his anti-Cunliffe lines. Special mention to 3 News report on The Vote bovver boys, against affordable housing for those in need, forcing a “back-down” from Turei on lowering house prices. Need better MSM.
A police recruitment freeze?
Phil Goff broke news of the Nat’s plan to freeze police recruitment but keep it quiet until after the election.
That policy’s at odds with some fundamental Nat claims.
Update: A freeze on replacement cops would see hundreds fewer on the job after just one year.
Guyon vs English
The frustration was palpable today as Guyon Espiner struggled in vain to get a single straight answer from Bill English, who was only prepared to twist, evade, and repeat lines: “GUYON Do you accept that for very high income earners, people on the sort of salary like your own of $276,000 a year,you gave those people money they simply did not need?
You know your policy sucks when…
Even Guyon Espiner is concerned about the lack of quality analysis and policy design. If the government were serious about helping families in need it’s priority would be getting people back into work and better pay and conditions for low income workers. The fact that is has gone with this Whanau Ora nonsense shows it has no real intention of tackling the causes of this country’s social ills.
Beneficiary bashing – an inglorious National sport
Lifted from comments for wider reading by commentator acclaim.. Beneficiary bashing in this country is definitely becoming uglier by the day. It seems […]
Tax and economic growth – Bill comes clean
Bill English’s argument that cutting taxes for the few at the top can cause an economic step change has always been nonsense.
His appearance on Q&A yesterday simply confirmed it.
Guyon tires of Key’s empty grin
Guyon Espiner isn’t exactly what you would call a critic of John Key’s government, so when he has a blog post titled “John Key’s sloppiness as costly as it is charming” you know things are bad.
English and Key uncertain of Budget’s focus
If there was ever a phrase that this Government keeps reminding me of, it’s “couldn’t organize a piss-up in a brewery”. Today, on […]
Asking the second question
Key’s best trick is to answer questions with impressive or technical sounding assertions that stop the line of questioning but don’t actually tell […]