On the Banks/Key taping saga
Bringing in the heavy legal artillery to suppress the contents of the Banks/Key conversation – the Police and/or a court injunction if necessary – may […]
General Election NZ
On the Nats’ secret agenda for MMP, and a political star in the making
One of the odder subtexts of the campaign is the serial ‘spontaneity’ with which National Party candidates are endorsing the SM (Supplementary Member) system in […]
On credibility, and the government’s irrigation plans
Like the Biblical loaves and fishes, the government’s Future Investment Fund from asset sales just keeps on giving – $1 billion for schools and hospitals […]
On the only foreign policy issue in this campaign
Ten years ago come Saturday, the Taliban fled Kabul as the US–led forces of Operation Enduring Freedom reached the gates of the Afghan capital. Things […]
On some possible options for the Greens
Is it written in the Green Party’s DNA that they will eventually become the nation’s sole centrist party? Events seem to be conspiring to push […]
On National’s asset sales debacle
The concession by Finance Minister Bill English that National may not get the $5-7 billion it expected from its asset sales programme is a hammer […]
On the first week of the campaign
Labour needed to make inroads early in this campaign. It had to capture voter attention – hey, maybe this could be a real fight after […]
On Phil Goff’s debacle in Christchurch
Any points Phil Goff may have won in the television debate a few days ago went west during last night’s public debate in Christchurch – […]
On the welfare reform proposals
Remember the so called ‘underclass? Remember when John Key in 2007 went walking down McGehan Close in Owairaka, and took 12 year old Aroha Nathan […]
On last night’s debate between John Key and Phil Goff
Has John Key lied about raising GST? The ‘explanation’ he offered during last night‘s debate was that he had made the promise not to raise […]
On evidence that New Zealand is a more socially just society than Australia
Illustration by Tim Denee – www.timdenee.com Before this election campaign began, there was a lot of angst about our income gap with Australia. We will […]
On Labour's plans to raise the retirement age
Labour’s plan to raise the retirement age from 65 to 67 by 2033 (with exemptions for some manual workers) and to gradually lift employer Kiwisaver […]
On our election campaign opening, and Tunisia’s election triumph
As the election campaigns of the major parties kick off, our own Electoral Commission should take inspiration from its counterpart in Tunisia, and in particular […]
On the Prefu, and on the RWC attempts to vilify the French
Update: Audio – Bill English speaks to media at the release of the 2011 pre-election fiscal update. Click a link to play audio (or right-click […]
On RNZ’s banning of Bomber Bradbury
The lifelong ban that RNZ has now been imposed of Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury for breaching the state broadcaster’s hallowed standards of balance is outrageous, even […]
On the Act Party’s latest policy contortions
Click for big version. By bringing together every dope smoking university student who owns a copy of Bob Marley’s Legend with every rural Rasta, the […]
On Labour’s tax package (and Rupert Murdoch)
There could hardly have been a better set of Dom-Post headlines yesterday – Fruit and Vege Prices Rocket / Healthy Choices Off The Menu As […]