It occurred to me recently when watching the poor Plimmerton residents once again sweeping out sodden homes after another bout of torrential rain, the relatively small things councils can do when faced with more frequent heavy rain events (that wouldn’t be costly like the billions of dollars wasted on
So biased is our media reporting around the US election (with disappointing premature responses from both the PM and the Leader of the Opposition), that I refuse to read past the sensational headlines like “Trump falsely alleges counting fraud”. As this is being investigated, we don’t yet know the
Pious, earnest Nikki Kaye retelling how “the most decent person she knows”, Todd Muller, along with her and Amy’s decision to roll Bridges was their moral obligation, is fascinating reading mainly for her enemies in the MSM and Labour. It was hardly going to send National’s polls soaring
Like all good soap operas, it’s good to keep a political story bubbling this close to an election. That’s what Judith Collins has done since raising the likelihood of a wealth tax if a Labour-Green government is elected, at the week-end. Jacinda ruled it out on Hosking on
Ardern’s celebrity is a media construct, as was her Noble Peace Prize nomination which failed due to the Nobel Committee’s quaint insistence on substance over style. Style over substance rules and it was ever thus, but quadruple the effect in today’s superficial world of technology, devices and
Promises are cheap and easy to make. Actions speak louder than words. Let’s look at some facts. Ardern did a flip flop about a week ago on RMA reforms, promising on Friday to dump it altogether. Fine words, but when you have a Maori caucus and, probably, radical Greens
The NZ media were ‘In like Flynn’ attacking the US Ambassador for ‘refusing’ self-isolation at the border on his return home from his recent US trip. Stuff headline: “Scott Brown dodges managed isolation“. Massive shortfalls in border testing, revealed by trusty Newshub journalists (note, never TVNZ) have gone largely ignored
Judith Collins in her recent opinion piece on Stuff on her proposed border agency, “Tough Times calls for Tough measures” humorously said maybe the government thinks the origin of the coronavirus disease was caused by an “immaculate infection“. The witty phrase was invented (I understand) by list MP, Nicola Willis
Ashley Bloomfield has once again refused to appear on Q &A but was happy to be seen in Ardern’s latest campaign ad. (His image has since been removed from the Facebook ad, thanks to advocacy from the Act Party and the Taxpayer Union. He increasingly appears to be
On Monday at the 1pm COVID stand up, the media appeared to have finally grown a spine. And I was transfixed. Led by Herald political reporter Jason Walls, whose repeated questioning of the Director-General showed he would not be denied, he and others were relentless in searching for those elusive
Damien Grant in his Stuff opinion piece last week questions Judith Collins’s lack of economic vision. His assessment is brutal (I don’t agree, but I am not questioning his right to an opinion). However, to complete his demolition of her he exaggerated her involvement in the fall from
National now has two extremely competent spokespeople in their new leader, outspoken Judith Collins and deputy leader, no-nonsense Gerry Brownlee, to call the government out on their bullshit on many issues. And to firmly declare National’s stance and plans going forward. Collins has done that this past week with
The news that Manus Island queue-jumping, fake refugee Behrouz Boochani, who is an “excluded person” according to the Australian government, now has refugee status should not really surprise anyone. Jacinda just waved her magic wand. Voila! Immigration NZ said in November 2019 Behrouz Boochani would be receiving “no special treatment”
Duncan Grieve on The Spinoff is losing his mind over Wendy Petrie missing out to Simon Dallow for TVNZ’s plum 6pm news reading spot. He says TVNZ “loses a great anchor and a major opportunity”. (Wendy has been all class and grace in accepting the news.) Yes, but isn’
Fine rhetoric from our PM does not allay my fears that this government will introduce new taxes to pay for their gargantuan 50 billion dollar loan. “Know us by our deeds”? What rhetorical codswallop. The entranced media, like possums stuck in the headlights, print her responses but do not challenge
The gloves are off and the race is on to make up for all the time lost in fighting the virus foe. Ardern’s daily health announcement has now become her soap box to promote her party ahead of September’s election. If that is going to continue, Simon Bridges
