john key Archive

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  Trifling with the Truth

  
  
  
  In politics, it is said – especially by those not in politics – truth is the first casualty.  You do not have to be long in this game to know that ‘truth’, whose ‘true’ meaning philosophers spend aeons in the hereafter debating, is an elastic commodity on the parliamentary market.  But among politicians themselves, there [...] read more
  February 24, 2010 4:45 pm - 13 Comments
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  Does anyone know what Tolley is trying to say?

  
  
  
  Does anyone have any idea what Anne Tolley is trying to say here? Can she say anything sensible without having John Key hold her hand? read more
  February 17, 2010 9:55 pm - 24 Comments
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  No boat ride for me and John

  
  
  
  My Dirty Rivers Rafting Tour is going so well that I invited the PM to join me. Since the launch on the Hutt River in late January, I have visited the Waihou in Waikato and the Taumarere in Northland, attracting some good local interest and starting some great conversations with locals about the state of their [...] read more
  February 16, 2010 5:09 pm - 17 Comments
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  Afghanistan v United States of America

  
  
  
  This is not the War of Terror! It is a friendly sport competition played last Thursday between Afghanistan and the United States of America. Afghanistan won! read more
  February 14, 2010 7:53 pm - 8 Comments
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  PM silent on support for state terrorism in NZ

  
  
  
  Godfrey Bloom is a Member of the European Parliament. He is also a prominent climate change denier. Here he is condoning an act of state terrorism in New Zealand. And our Prime Minister has nothing to say. read more
  February 8, 2010 8:36 am - 28 Comments
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  Economy with the truth

  
  
  
  We expect the truth about the economy from our Government – not economy with the truth. Of course politicians, of whatever hue, are going to attempt to spin statistics to their political advantage. I’m relaxed about that. Telling blatant lies about statistics is another matter. read more
  February 5, 2010 9:12 am - 23 Comments
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  Green New Deal could have prevented record unemployment

  
  
  
  Unemployment has hit a ten year high of 168,000, or 7.3 percent of the labour force, according to the December 2009 Household Labour Force Survey released today. This is far worse than the 6.8% or 6.9% that many commentators were forecasting. How different it could have been if the Government had been prepared to buy into the Green New Deal package proposed by the Greens. read more
  February 4, 2010 2:58 pm - 33 Comments
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  The minimum wage

  
  
  
  The Government has announced a paltry increase in the minimum wage to $12.75 an hour – barely keeping up with inflation. Wouldn’t it be great if the minimum wage were indexed to the average wage, rather than subject to the political whim of the government of the day and the respective lobbying influences of the protagonists in the debate? That would give low income workers security they would at least maintain relativity with those who earn more. read more
  January 18, 2010 1:48 pm - 174 Comments
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  Key at Copenhagen: A stomach turns

  
  
  
  Like all those who inhabit this particular pond, I’m extraordinarily grateful for authoritative, lucid and moving posts from Jeanette and Kennedy in Copenhagen. I hang on every word, both online here and in our offline caucus briefings, and it’s no surprise that Jeanette is clearly the “go to” person for NZ media trying to figure [...] read more
  December 18, 2009 12:57 pm - 53 Comments
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  Global concern at Nats’ plan to mine national parks

  
  
  
  Scrutiny of Government plans to mine our conservation lands is deepening internationally. And it’s got people hot on Facebook too. The Sunday Star Times ran a powerful feature on the weekend called “Picture imperfect”. It looks at international concern at New Zealand’s environmental performance, including National’s plan to mine conservation land: IT’S JUST a stock-take of mineral [...] read more
  December 7, 2009 8:30 pm - 10 Comments