Posts by simon g
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Meanwhile, the details of National's tax cuts have been announced. The details are: in 3 years' time, we can have world peace and a pony. Possibly.
So, to sum up, Labour's tax policy is in disarray because Cunliffe stumbled on a specific detail in a debate, while National's tax policy is fine, because there no details to stumble over.
Key doesn't even have to try any more. You can hear the laughter, and the joke's on us.
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Hard News: Dirty Politics, in reply to Kumara Republic,
Person not running for office or holding any relevant position, lashes out to defend her sister.
Public interest: zero.
Yes, of course I have read it and chuckled and mocked, but really, it typifies the worst of the reef fish mindset ... "Let's all pile on an easy target and miss the real ones." Only the real ones win. We don't.
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Well, there's a big story right here, though so far only Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB) seems to be onto it ...
https://twitter.com/felixmarwick/status/508715576412217344/photo/1
Ombudsman responding by the end of "next week" (which is now this week, if you follow). It's important, because this is the only official action before polling day, the rest has been kicked for touch.
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Radio NZ reports:
Former National Party MP Katherine Rich will not be investigated by the Health Promotion Agency after she was accused of undermining its work. ...
Thirty-three senior health researchers signed a letter to Prime Minister John Key in response, asking for an inquiry into Ms Rich's position with the agency.
One researcher, Professor Boyd Swinburn from Auckland University, said Ms Rich's role in lobbying for processed food and alcohol became clear in the Nicky Hager book, Dirty Politics.
The book suggested the former National MP was involved in a right-wing blogger's attacks on public health researchers and academics. ...
But Ms Rich has denied she has been involved in any campaign to undermine public health, and has refused to resign from the agency.
And the agency's chairperson, Lee Mathias, has now reaffirmed her faith in Ms Rich.
Dr Mathias said she had not read the letter, but had no doubt about Ms Rich's integrity. She described Ms Rich as an active supporter of the agency.
It takes 15 seconds on the Google thing to discover that Ms Mathias was an electorate chair for the National Party from 2008 to 2012. A fact worth knowing, you'd think.
We're not asking for Woodward and Bernstein here. Just journalists who look for news instead of selfies.
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The One News report quoted Katherine Rich as saying (get your bingo card ready ...) -
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Boy, am I getting tired of that line being spun, as if it meant anything at all.
Police Officer : "Did you put arsenic in the victim's coffee?"
Suspect: "I have had coffee with a lot of people."
Well, that's all right then. No further questions.
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Hard News: Privacy and the Public Interest, in reply to Russell Brown,
Spot the difference ...
Herald:
"The inquiry will begin on September 12 and is to report back to Mr Key by November 28."
Stuff:
"The inquiry is required to report back to the prime minister, whoever that may be, no later than November 28."
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Our independent institutions are under concerted attack. The public service can be bullied and cowed with leaks, the intelligence services are compromised, the fourth estate is feeble ... it's pretty grim.
But I still have confidence in the judiciary, who are now the last bastion. (The prominence of so many lawyers in the Whale gang does threaten that confidence a little, but I'm assuming their sleazy mates didn't make it to the bench).
Over the coming months, we will find out how strong our democracy really is.
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I'm hoping at least one bloody journalist will push Key on whether he intends to see out the entire term if re-elected.
Yet another example of the "same-same" line being arrant nonsense. When Clark was PM she was asked this question by media constantly. One David Farrar blogged about it ("people have right to know" etc), and the blogging and the asking were not coincidental.
And it's a perfectly fair question, of any long-serving Prime Minister. Especially when we're being asked to vote TeamKey, who aren't even on the ballot paper.
But asking the question now - and wanting an answer - would be an act of lese-majeste, or a smear campaign, or something.
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And the madness continues ...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10461345/Cameron-Slater-takes-legal-action
Kind of a shame that the Minister of Justice is gone, it would be great to hear her considered judgment on this.
Key in 2011, Slater in 2014 ... freedom of speech under attack, Free Speech Coalition silent.
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Speaker: On the upland road, in reply to Pharmachick,
Personally I'd be pleased if Dotcom cancelled his 'Big reveal' on Sept 15, and kept quiet until the election. A backlash against him is probably Key's last best hope.
I fear his ego is bigger than his strategic smarts.