Audrey Young tells me in the left-wing Weekend Herald headline, “Ardern looks ahead after digesting win and a whisky”. Well, she daren’t look back otherwise she’ll see what a dismal failure her first term was. All the key indicators in all the key areas were heading in the
Act as of the present time has ten Members of Parliament. Having attended the Act Party election launch I had the privilege of hearing the top seven speak. They were all very impressive. I thought a bit of background on all of them might be helpful. David Seymour, the Leader,
It is interesting to learn that Peeni Henare would very much like to be the next Minister of Health. He evidently wants the job so badly that he is openly campaigning for it. He is of the opinion that if he’s given the job he will turn the health
In the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson won a substantial majority at the last election largely on the back of voters from the north of England who wanted Brexit. They were mainly concerned about jobs. Some electorates turned from red to blue for the first time in their history. Boris now
Thankfully most National Party MPs appear to be aware, from comments made, that the thrashing they received last Saturday was a wake-up call. This is a first step in the right direction. The next step is to realise that caucus and party unity are paramount. The behaviour of a number
I’m quite fond of Mike Williams in a funny sort of way. He comes across as a loveable sort as in a cuddly teddy bear. His face wouldn’t go amiss on a packet of Huggies nappies. Just picture it, a lovely smile, every child’s idea of an
As many of us on The BFD are aware, days before the election, The Australian newspaper took aim at Jacinda with their foreign editor saying she was a “poor Prime Minister” and undeserving of her widespread acclaim. Most of us here would agree. But shock, horror; post election, our cousins
The National Party has suffered one of the heaviest defeats in its history. This defeat was partly, though not entirely, of its own making. It is obvious that there is a need for National to be a far more disciplined unit. Leaks must stop, blunders must be avoided and there
Ardern called it the Covid Election. If it was a horse race you would say the frivolous fraudulent filly beat the tried and true thoroughbred. The win was not unexpected as by ensuring all the others in the race had more hurdles to jump than she did Ardern guaranteed herself
I recently had the privilege of reading the Prime Minister’s speech from the Wellington Labour Party Rally. I am sure the civil servants in their cardigans lapped it up like kittens drinking milk out of a bowl. Mittens the cat actually got a mention as evidently one of those
Jacinda has called it a COVID election which means that this election in her view is all about a virus. She probably doesn’t realise it but it appears she has made it a virus election on more than one count. The word virus has a number of synonyms. One
I have just read the various election policies of the Maori Party. In all areas, they want a separate system in place for Maori funded by taxpayers of course. Their idea appears to focus on the fact that if they have a system whereby Maori are exempt from the rules
On Tuesday night Christchurch suffered another earthquake. It was a significant one. On the Richter scale, it probably would have registered a ten. This was not an earthquake of the type that damages buildings and roads. This was an earthquake of the type that shatters democracy, the ability to speak
Since the photo of Judith Collins praying in a church was published there have been many points of view expressed as to the rights and wrongs and possible motives or otherwise. I must admit to feeling a little uncomfortable when I first saw it. I was unsure why to start
Jacinda has said so. In amongst her 1 pm electioneering stunt, she said Aucklanders and New Zealanders (her team of five million) have stuck to the plan that has worked twice now and beat the virus again. “We put our heads down and we got on with it”. One thing’
We have now had two leaders’ debates. Before getting to the performance of the two leaders I must pay a compliment to the moderators, John Campbell and Paddy Gower, neither of whom along with Jacinda normally light my fire. But credit where credit is due. Campbell, as Mike Hosking pointed
