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SkyCity deal gets sleazier
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, October 23rd, 2013 - 14 comments
It raised a few eyebrows when the Catholic Church appeared to back the SkyCity deal. Seamus Donegan appeared before the select committee for the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, saying they couldn’t find a link between pokies and problem gambling. Turns out that Donegan’s submission was the opposite of the Commission’s real position, and he’s National MP Sam Lotu-Iiga’s electorate chair.
Fight you bastards fight
Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, October 23rd, 2013 - 49 comments
At least one MP if not the whole of National’s caucus knew that the news concerning Len Brown and Bevan Chuang would break soon eight days before it did. Slater’s and Palino’s claims are becoming more and more difficult to believe. And in a comment yesterday Bad12 sums up why this is such bad news for National.
Point of order, Mr Speaker!
Written By: - Date published: 3:06 pm, October 17th, 2013 - 35 comments
The Speaker’s ability to do his job is being questioned strongly after Metiria Turei was thrown out of the debating Chamber after calling the SkyCity deal “sleazy”. How can John Banks provide an impartial vote on the SkyCity Bill? It should be delayed! [Update: Video]
The fish rots from the head
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 pm, October 16th, 2013 - 91 comments
Today’s decision that John Banks will stand trial for signing a false donations return signals the beginning of the end of the Key government. Increasingly it resembles the last days of the Shipley government only worse, as corruption replaces shambles. The decision also puts the famous tea party conversation between Key and Banks, where they stitched up the deal to provide the present Government’s majority, into new perspective.
Angry Simon implodes on Campbell Live
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 pm, October 14th, 2013 - 239 comments
This must be one of the worst “interviews” given by an NZ cabinet minster tonight on Campbell Live. Simon Bridges all bluster, anger, spin and diversions, and fails to answer the real questions about the dangers of the deep sea drilling off NZ’s coast. The ugly face of John Key’s government. [Update: Youtube video of the interview]
EDS attacks Nick Smith’s Ruataniwha Dam process
Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, October 11th, 2013 - 19 comments
The Chair of the Environmental Defence Society has heavily criticised the Ruataniwha Dam process for requiring the voluntary sector to test the scientific evidence, for requiring the analysis of highly technical scientific evidence within a very short time period, and for not including a freshwater expert on the Board of Inquiry. He has described the process as being fundamentally flawed and has stated that the process appears to be designed to facilitate the granting of consents. There is something wrong going on here.
Hekia Parata needs new lawyers
Written By: - Date published: 1:46 pm, October 10th, 2013 - 29 comments
For the second time in less than 12 months the High Court has ruled a decision of Hekia Parata’s to be invalid. The latest decision to be invalidated was the decision to close Phillipstown School in Christchurch. It is clear that either Parata needs better advisors or John Key needs a new Minister of Education.
National’s head in the silt on Christchurch East
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 pm, October 9th, 2013 - 17 comments
In Christchurch East National is up and running in the by election, well sort of. A contributor points out that the National candidate, Matthew Doocey has not referred to the most pressing issues for the residents of Christchurch East, dealing with the EQC and the Insurance companies and the cost of housing.
An expensive shit sandwich
Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, October 3rd, 2013 - 11 comments
There’s a way of giving people bad news called in PR circles a shit sandwich – basically you give people something happy and fluffy, then the bad news, then something happy and fluffy so you can brush on past it.
Simon Bridges caught fibbing again
Written By: - Date published: 6:57 am, October 3rd, 2013 - 15 comments
Simon Bridges has been keeping a low profile lately but he’s in the news again today, and onceagain he’s been caught being somewhat less than honest.
It turns out he’s been caught trying to bury a report showing a huge quarterly jump in electricity prices.
Crony Capitalism and Chorus
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, October 2nd, 2013 - 50 comments
The Axe the Copper Tax campaign has stepped up a notch with the release of a peer review of the original analysis that the tax would cost Kiwis $600 million. The review states that the original methodology was sound and the findings conservative. The issue itself has galvanised opposition from some of the Government’s most staunchest friends. This is probably the first Standard Post ever to rely on comments from the Herald, the NBR, David Farrar and Matthew Hooton to justify a claim that this Government is engaged in the most basic form of Crony Capitalism. Yes things are that bad for the Government.
Will DunnoKeyo Lead National into Next Year’s Defeat?
Written By: - Date published: 4:02 pm, October 1st, 2013 - 80 comments
Te Reo Putake starts speculating on when, how, and by whom John Key will be knifed in the back by. The question of if it is before or after the losing the next election. So far only Keith Holyoake has managed to retire as a leader of National, so after Labour’s tidy leadership changes we’re all looking forward to the political splatterfest that only National can provide.
Return of the Hollow Men
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, September 26th, 2013 - 48 comments
With Cunliffe’s Labour in the ascendance, NAct and/supporters pull out their bag of dirty and deceptively manipulative, Hollow Men, tricks. Adviser to John Key & Boris Johnson, Mark Textor, will most likely be used again: ruthless attack politics, playing on fears & prejudices.
“Dark, dirty and heartless” – Nats & Nick Smith
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 pm, September 25th, 2013 - 52 comments
Two very good speeches in the General Debate in the House from opposition leaders. They highlight Nick Smith’s dodgy record, & why he should be stood down as a Minister in Key’s “Dark, dirty & heartless” government. [Update: Key – on (dis)honesty]
On national’s smear tactics
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 pm, September 25th, 2013 - 100 comments
As Irish predicted, the Nats continued their desperate smear campaign today with the revelation that David Cunliffe doesn’t actually have a qualification he never actually claimed to have. Honestly, you couldn’t make this shit up.
National goes dirty
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 pm, September 24th, 2013 - 131 comments
It’s not been surprising to see National’s dirty tricks machine groan back to life over the last week to attack Cunliffe.
And you’ll not be surprised to know more is due over the next few days.
What is surprising is just how hamfistedly they’re doing it.
Vulnerable Children: The big picture
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, September 18th, 2013 - 43 comments
Yesterday Paula Bennett introduced the First Reading of the Vulnerable Children Bill. Nat MPs separated child abuse from issues of poverty and income inequality. Opposition MPs from Mana, Labour & The Greens called the Nats on it, arguing for the bigger picture.
Cunliffe wins – now what?
Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, September 16th, 2013 - 91 comments
Day one of David Cunliffe’s tenure as Labour leader and the tone is being set. There will be unity in the party and Labour is going to take the fight to National and John Key.
Axe the Copper Tax
Written By: - Date published: 12:38 pm, September 12th, 2013 - 39 comments
A coalition of organisations as diverse as InternetNZ, TUANZ, a number of corporates, Unite Union and even Kiwiblog are starting a campaign to oppose Government plans to stop the cost of copper broadband connections to retail users being reduced to the fair price determined by the Commerce Commission so that Chorus can recover unbudgeted costs on the fibre rollout.
Disgusting
Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, August 22nd, 2013 - 110 comments
Chris Finalyson’s contribution to the GCSB debate yesterday was a strong reminder that the job description for National MPs includes a requirement that they be rude and arrogant and a belief that they are somehow superior to the rest of us.
Is this a question buddy?
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, August 20th, 2013 - 25 comments
Yesterday Scoop’s Alastair Thompson started to ask John Key a really difficult question essentially about the unprecedented powers that Key is giving to the GCSB. Key responded by walking out of the post cabinet press conference. So much for being on top of his game. And last night’s Auckland Town Hall was a stunner. The Bill is due to be debated again today. If only a Government MP or Peter Dunne would develop some principles …
Paula Bennett plans legislative witch hunt
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, August 18th, 2013 - 87 comments
Paula Bennett’s latest idea is to remove the rights of natural justice for state employees who do not take the proposed child abuser vetting test, even though the test has not even been designed. Even for Paula the stupidity of this idea is extreme …
This is/is not democracy
Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 106 comments
The Nats’ PR-managed conference stifled democratic debate & bright ideas, and diverted from significant issues. Armstrong attempts to talk it up, while exposing Key’s win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Meanwhile: speakers announced for democratic meeting to Kill the GCSB Bill [Updated – Hagar also speaking]. [Update: Gordon Campbell – ‘Nanny National‘]
John Key trashes the Constitution
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, August 2nd, 2013 - 55 comments
John Key is getting into the habit of trashing important constitutional principles. The freedom of the press, the independence of Parliamentary Services and the principle that even the Prime Minister is subject to Parliament and the Privileges Committee have all been attacked recently. What next?
A king is born: Long Live Inequality!
Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, July 25th, 2013 - 87 comments
UK children born on the same day as the new prince will get a silver penny: but their lives will be vastly different. Left foot Forward spells out the inequalities between these new born. John Key gushes over the new prince, while his government slashes, burns and fuels inequalities.
War on social security: demonisation of beneficiaries
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, July 15th, 2013 - 275 comments
Sweeping changes to NZ’s Social Security system begin today. This is a major shift from the the 1938 Social Security Act: a shift from support of those in need, to treating them as potential criminals, self-serving addicts, and malingerers. Shame on John Key & Paula Bennett! [Update: RNZ & BAF & AAAP]
Government still doesn’t care about climate change
Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, July 8th, 2013 - 146 comments
We have very good climate scientists in New Zealand, but the government isn’t exactly promoting them.
So I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’re planning on more than halving the climate research budget from $10 million/year to $4.5 million.
So, we’re talking about this now
Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, July 5th, 2013 - 126 comments
National’s using Labour proposed gender balance proposals to take the media’s eye of the GCSB. It’s all in the game. But what about the seeming inability of Key to appoint women ministers? You know, something that’s actually happening, rather than a party’s proposed rule change? John Key has appointed just 8 women out of 28 ministers.
Who benefits?
Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, June 21st, 2013 - 42 comments
The leaderless uprising in Brazil exposes unbearable inequalities in a dysfunctional post-growth world. Extravagant sports events and expensive stadium contrast with anti-public service austerity measures. Home building lags in Christchurch, while Key looks to asset sales to fund a stadium.
Networks of influence: Lobbyists
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, June 19th, 2013 - 23 comments
The Speaker’s list of lobbyists has doubled over the last year. “Neoliberal” & corporate entities have the balance of power. Journalists & PR merchants get more influence than the marginalised, low income & politically disengaged. Social media is a means to counter such influence. [Update: Bunji, NRT]
All is not well in the VFX industry, Squires
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, June 18th, 2013 - 50 comments
Many praise Jackson and Weta for the work it brings to NZ. However, a recent US-focused survey by Scott Squires, shows how subsidies, like that for the Hobbit, plus lack of unionisation are contributing to increasing exploitation, income insecurity and competition among skilled VFX workers internationally. [Update: Squires’ response]
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