George Galloway MP Another Leftie Caught with Iraqi Oil

News today in the Daily Telegraph that George Galloway's wife was paid approx NZ$256,000 from the oil-for-food programme by Iraqi agents. To make matters worse Galloway's spokesman received NZ$45,000 the same day as Mrs Galloway from the same bank in Amman to his bank account in Scotland.

Blog readers will recall I raised the subject of the UN and Senate investigations into misuse of the UN's oil-for food programme here. Galloway is another major scalp for the Senate investigations. They must be cock-o-hoop. This is the same Galloway who challenged the Senate to come up with evidence of wrongdoing by either his wife or himself.

Galloway has had a successful libel action against the Daily Telegraph in relation to allegations Galloway received funds from Saddam. That case is now subject to appeal. He may now rue the day he laid his original action.

On the subject of perjury, tellingly Senator Coleman the Chairman of the (bipartisan) Investigating Committee said, "We will forward matters relating to Mr Galloway's false and misleading testimony to the authorities here and in Great Britain."

p.s Mrs Galloway filed for divorce earlier this year. Grist for the Senate mill?

South Auckland Gang Brawl leads to one death

Counties-Manukau Detective Schwalger admitted on One News that the force was stretched beyond its capacity with youth gang related crime. Sadly we have never heard from the outgoing Police Minister and local MP on the subject.

Ms Schwalger confirmed NZ Herald the brawl was gang-related, and said this and a number of other recent incidents highlighted the increasing problems of youth gangs in the Counties-Manukau area.

Disturbingly this case has overtones of the weekend's Birmingham riots I blogged on earlier, here. Similarly, the south Auckland gangs are drawing their inspiration from South Central Los Angeles gangs. The Police need to get their staffing in South Auckland up to strength asap.

BBC News can't mention Race Riots

Using the BBC for information on the riots in Birmingham you would be hard pressed to establish the reasons behind the riots were racially based. Here the BBC notes that the problems are 'community tension' based on a 'rumour'.

People have been stabbed, armed gangs are roaming the streets, and a policeman has been shot in the leg. The reason - stories a 14 year old Afro-Caribbean girl had been raped by a group of Asians (Pakistanis) circulated.

Why didn't the BBC just give the facts? Why are they using euphemisms?

What has happened is that parts of Birmingham are now under siege from gangs of afro-caribbean and Pakistani youths - a la Central Los Angeles. The Police have lost not only the initiative but also control. There are no go areas for Police. Until sections of the news media get real and honest this will get worse.

I note disturbing parallels here in New Zealand - may blog later.

Hurricane Wilma Strengthens to Cat. 3 Nearing Florida landfall

While the hurricane had been reduced to Cat 2. while overland the Yucatan peninsula; it is now drifting north, regaining strength from the warm waters of the gulf and now (re)classed at Cat 3.

There are some really cool sites to follow this and other storms. Google maps is a pearler...try here.

No comment from the braying press on the looting in Mexico following Wilma's pass.

In a silence as deafening as that in the eye of the storm itself there is a surly silence from the MSM in the wake of Wilma. Quick to condemn and accept outrageous headlines from Katrina, the MSM is this time around silent. Katrina gave the MSM a platform to pillory the Bush Administration - not letting the facts get in the way of a great story.

Objectivity is lost.

The Maori Party is a more natural fit with the parties of the Right

One interesting realisations during the election was that the overlaps between the Maori Party and National and indeed Act were greater than as between the Maori Party and Labour - the supposed natural partner of the Maori Party.

Since the election the tie up between National and the Maori Party was deemed expedient and unlikely. I think not. Listen to the language out of the Maori Party and look at the policy they floated. Tax cuts, respect for property rights (including repeal of the Foreshore and Seabed Act) are all covered. The aspirations are self determination (self actualisation for individuals) and a break out from the hegemony and (pa)maternalism of Labour.

Sharples and Turia are completely aware that with Labour they will only get what Clark deems is necessary to keep their vote.

The Maori seats are an obvious issue - however there is a consensus there is not the numbers to initiate change. Therefore it is a dead issue.

I think we will see more on this - Maori is better off with National

Shane Jones was wooed by both National and Labour for candidacy. He went with Clark out of loyalty for the fisheries jobs she gave him. That loyalty has been repaid. He is now free.

Snap Poll Thumbs Down to MMP and Peters in Government

The NZ Herald has published a snap poll with a narrow majority in favour of Clark's Government with NZ First and United Future - 50% said yes and 40.2% unhappy.

More interestingly 47% of those polled said MMP had not worked well this election and 56% believe the economy will suffer as a result of the Government having to make good on election promises.

The Honeymoon is over guys - before it even started.

Parliment this time around will be fantastic - National, almost level pegging Labour on numbers (and hence resources) with vim and vigour through renewal and new growth up against the tired and worn out Labour machine with equally uninspiring and deadwood in NZ First and United Future. The Greens will be irrelevant - they so want to be in Government with Helen and will not fit or foot the role of loyal opposition well. In any event Helen has bought them off with speaker-lite roles - poodled.

Bring it on.

A Valedictory for Rob Robinson

The Police Commissioner is reported as being ticketed for exceeding the speed limit - 97km/h in a 70 km/h zone. Ha friggin ha. Caught by his own trap.

Commissioner Robinson said he didn't see the sign and stayed with cruise control at 100 km/h. Sounds like he targetted 100km/h.

He was even part of a campaign - Speed Limit not a Target - Drive to the Conditions.

Presumably he was driving to the conditions and not operating unsafely for either himself or other drivers/cars. He would be a good judge of that. A little more sympathy through his reign for the rest of us nabbed similarly and he may have found more support for his battered force.

p.s. I'll bet he was faster than 97 km/h. Cruise controls are very accurate - in fact I set mine to 109 and to stay within Robinson's 10km (over)limit. The difference between being nabbed at 100(97) vs 101 km/h for Robbie is 5 less demerit points 35/40 points. I cannot find a link with the difference in fine - My guess it is $230 vs $400 +

Anyone for Surfing?

An astonishing 1.5 tonne great white shark was landed in a net near Raglan. With guys like this out there it will be interesting to see how many International surfing stars wipe out in the current world surfing events being held at Raglan.

Picture / Amos Chapple

NZ First says it is part of the Opposition

When will NZ First realise that they and their leader are fast becoming a joke. The latest charade is to state they should sit on the Opposition benches as they are not part of the Coalition Government. (there was a time not so long ago when Peters said they would sit on the cross benches) - make up your mind Winnie. Winstone Peters is definitely part of the Government - he is a member of the Executive (in cabinet or out, he is a member). His party has agreed to vote for confidence and supply - It follows therefore there is no question NZ First can be regarded as Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition.

Sham Marriages for Private Gain

I seem to be Cathy Odgers' PR - it's easy she writes great copy. Today her post is on Posh and Becks and the apparent ill advised case to sue the NoTW for libel. See her post here and a report on the case here. Cathy's argument is the "marriage" is maintained by the couple purely for vast personal gain.

The alleged motive reminds me of speculation during the election about a sham marriage in New Zealand. Perhaps we need the News of the World...

Great Post at Asian Invasion - Recounting a Foreign Affair(s)

Cathy has reprinted an email from a Peters encounteree (fan I think) marvelling at his prowess as a swordsman. Perhaps the man has talents that will carry him far.

Talking of swordsmen, I fear that he is more Don Juan than Don Quixote - though he is looking Quixotic already - witness the foolish old man setting out from home because he believes the world is the ideal place which "romancers" have described...

Winston Peters Very Unconfident on National Radio

Peters this morning on Morning Report sounded like a little boy from Northland. "I've been abroad (who uses that term in New Zealand?) was uttered on several occasions. As if we needed confirmation this was a big wide world he was facing...? He was desperate to get the conversation onto Racing and Golden Oldies and every time he answered a foreign affairs question with a racing or oldies issue Geoff Robinson steered him back to FA's. All sounded rather pathetic.

Brash followed shortly after - the memorable comment he made was that whenever he has seen Peters at a function for a major political guest (from abroad!) Peters has looked very ill at ease.

The one advantage of having Peters at MFAT is that Goff isn't. Peters is unlikely to cuddle up to Palestinian terrorists or crap on the Israelis as a form of sport. I suspect he is likely to see the merit of rapprochement with the Americans.

May he live in interesting times!

Rod Donald Putting Brave Face On - National Radio - despite the shafting from Clark and Labour

A 'Buy NZ Made Campaign', more money for public transport and more money for students are the 'policy wins' Donald is burbling on about. No much is it for guaranteeing supply and confidence.

Winston Peters Foreign Minister

In cocking a snook at convention (and probably impracticably) Peters has been announced Foreign Minister. As I discussed in an earlier blog - this either demeans the role or shows how high a price Peters demanded.

Dunne Revenue Minister and Assoc Health Minister

Caught the back end of the 5pm news - Peter Dunne has gone a long way on 2.67%

Reports Peters will be Foreign Minister in a Labour Led Government

Today's Herald reports Winston Peters will be Foreign Minister outside Cabinet in a Labour led Government. This is most curious if it comes to pass.

In the UK the Foreign Office is one of the Great Vessels of State - along with the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, and the Home Office. People crawl over broken glass to be Foreign Secretary - there is no question it is a Cabinet level role.

Here we appear to have the extra-ordinary position of the role being downgraded to one outside Cabinet and perhaps amusingly inhabited by a politician who has variously pilloried and shaken migrants from countries apparently New Zealand (under Labour) wants to have some influence - Muslim migrants and migrants from China.

How will Peters reconcile his position at either the Minsiterial level or perhaps more importantly among NZFirst's constituents. I see this as a significant leg rope. Rather oxymoronic to be a Foreign Secretary reaching out (from) under the moniker NZ first. That's the sort of thing we expected from imperial Britain or neo-Imperial US.

The Longer the Interregnum Goes On the Poorer the Quality of the Coalition

Reports tonight that coalition negotiations are in chaos do not augur well for Helen Clark and her Government. While the devil is always in the detail, it has been my experience a good deal is always a natural deal and one that can bear some transparency. Anything less than that and someone is getting shafted. One sage often said, sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Gman's blog covers his view on what Winnie might be thinking - key points are the media will be 99% wrong and unless you have Winnie on tape believe nothing of what is attributed to him.

I stand by my earlier blog, here, that Winnie may fancy his chances with a re-election shortly; and hence will hasten slowly to engage with anyone. The more strident and ridiculous Clark becomes with her assurances a Government will be formed shortly the greater he can distance himself from her. He did signal before the election he would abstain on confidence and supply. He can maintain that position.

Police Commissioner Rob Robinson to Step Down

Not before time, Rob Robinson has reported he will step down from his post at the head of the NZ Police. In a reign that history is unlikely to treat favourably Robinson has failed to reform the Police to either meet the expectations of the population or provide standards of service expected of a modern police force. It would appear he has never stood up to either his Minister or to the Finance Minister and told them he cannot meet the expectations of the population or his staff with the resources he is being provided with.

Racked with many scandals, from failing to recommend fraud charges on the PM for Paintergate, prosecuting Shane Ardern for a minor infringement at Parliament, the Iraena Asher disaster, the police porn probe, an apparent focus on traffic revenue over criminal prosecution, his tenure has often been found wanting.

Robinson came to the job after having the opportunity to knife his boss following Clark's direct intervention through the media with the then Commissioner (Peter Doone) in what became known as Doonegate - well covered at Sir Humphrey's.

Robinson's retirement is a fantastic opportunity to begin the fundamental restructuring of the Police and how they operate. What is needed is a civilian CEO to head the organisation - the conflict between operational needs, funding and the agreeing and delivering the organisation's mission cannot be solved by having a uniformed long serving officer at the head. It is time for renewal.

By way of example and as an aside Robinson was posted to Rotorua/Murupara during the time of the alleged rapes with the Nicholson woman. Whether he knew what was going on is immaterial - and of course the presumption is he had no knowledge - New Zealand is too small a place for there to be any doubt that everything is above board as regards the Police.

Anyone achieving the Commissioner rank in New Zealand from within the force knows 'where all the bodies are'- that is not healthy. Too much opportunity for compromise.

The Serious Fraud Office is a serious fraud.

The SFO fails all standards expected of a Government Agency.

It is failing at its mandated role, identifying and successfully prosecuting serious fraud.

It is competing with the Police for small fry - why were the Huata's SFO cases. The action was for $82,000 I think. The total was less than $1million. Is it because the PM has a greater oversight of its cases than the Police?

At the time (The White Report - December 2004) it seemed the 'clearance' of John Tamihere of serious accusations was fortunate. Is there a political element to the offices workings.

The SFO is proving to be incompetent, venal and mean-spirited - perhaps the more serious accusations one can lay at the foot of a Government agency. Corruption would be the worse accusation and thankfully there is no evidence of that yet.

There has to be complete and full accountability demonstrated for the clearly ill advised prosecution of the Helicopter Trust people. By all accounts the case had no legs. This prosecution appears to be mean-spirited in the extreme.

How could they have spent so long bringing the case and spent so much for it to end so quickly and so ignominously following final arguments. This is rank incompetence and a squandering of taxpayer funding. The accused were not rich men able to spin and drag out proceedings - they were ordinary New Zealander's trying eke out a living - particularly those two on the charity side who faced no accusations of personal gain. Having just about fucked the resuce helicopter service in Auckland the SFO minions and head would not want to find themselves needy of the service's services

I reckon there is a 20 per cent chance a Government won't be formed

Winnie's long and short term prospects may be best served by going back to the electorate now. Without a complicit NZF, Clark will struggle to convince the GG she has the confidence of the House. Winnie will be obliterated in 2008 if a coalition with Labour doesn't travel well. He is out of the electorate business. He may fancy chances better to go back to the electorate now with an agreement with Labour not to stand in Tauranga.

Winnie may decide to let Clark's government building fall flat, avoid any fallout by staying loose and taking his chances at the resultant election...

Was France's Vehement Opposition at the UN to War with Iraq a Cover Up for Food for Oil Corruption?

In what must be a gross embarrassment to the highest levels of french polity senior magistrates are investigating France's former Ambassador to the UN for receiving 11 million barrels of oil from the Saddam regime.

This could go right to the heart of the French Government. De Villepin the French Prime Minister was the chief protaganist against the US at the Security Council Iraqi war hearings in his then role as Foreign Minister. He must have known? Watch this space...

A (US) Senate inquiry found that Benon Sevan, the UN head of the programme, should face criminal charges.

I fancy this scandal now has legs and the smirking holier than thou frogs are in for a caning (delivered by those nice people from the new world!).

I think Kofi is on the way out - and they want to run the internet....

Why are people surprised the Greens cannot connect with business

Roger Kerr has identified why the Greens charm offensive failed. Simply, they fail to consider or seek alternative opinions and are rooted in dogma.

During the election I blogged, here, on the hard wired links between the Greens and the Baader-Meinhof Gang. This is incontrovertible. What a heritage.

The Greens do not understand business at all and are pathologically opposed to market solutions (except of course peak oil, where in a remarkable foot trip, Jeanette Fizsimons during the election suggested that the price of fuel had gone too high too quickly and the GST or excise tax should be suspended??? - what was that going to do for consumption?, but I digress)

The Greens in New Zealand are caught in a 1970's Value's Party mindset - complete with a nirvana style attitude to so-called recreational drugs. While the world has got greener in attitude and approach, NZ's Greens are looking ever more like victims of the ozone hole - redder and redder.

Elsewhere thinking Greens are looking to adopt nuclear power and halt the ideological opposition - with zero carbonifereous and sulphurous emissions and an almost unlimited fuel supply, the single technological issue to solve is what to do with the waste. (and lb for GWH there is buggerall). Now that is a nice place to be - especially when you tell that to the 6,000 chinese miners widows made this year. Surely a thinking Green would bend their mind to solving the waste issue than trying to harness the wind on a calm day. Or do I give them too much credit - this afterall is the cold war we are (still) fighting...

Is Biosecurity New Zealand the Oxymoron of the year?

I still cannot fathom why Rightist parties would side with Labour for only some piece of the action

Aaron B has blogged that Clark is set to announce a minority Government. That much I understand. What I don't understand is that apparently five parties have given her sufficient comfort (presumably in return for policy) to enable her to plan a full term.

As I blogged earlier, these various agreements cannot be a congruent with each party's own mission and ambit of its members on a joint and several basis.

Government in the Westminster tradition is about Treasury and Loyal Opposition. Opposing sides, testing each other out. There is nothing in it for a small party to support Clark (Anderton's Wigram Labour party excluded). Using a teenage analogy - all they will get is blue balls.

Great Initiative with TopSpin

The folks over at Sir Humphrey's have launched TopSpin. This is intended to be a monitor of politics and politicians in New Zealand. As the intention is for it to be non-exclusive and cover the complete spectrum of NZ politics it is a welcome addition and I look forward to watching it develop; and contributing as I am able.

The really interesting thing is by making it agnostic the Right and Left cannot marginalise it by accusing it of bias. The facts as they say will speak for themselves.

The creators describe it thus:

TopSpin is a wiki created to document and monitor New Zealand politics and politicians. We intend to document all parties and all mainstream media outlets. If you're looking for opinion, you won't find it here. We do have links to a number of political blogs - where you'll find all the opinion you need!

Why and how can any party to the RIGHT of Labour contemplate ANY agreement that allows smorgasbord lawmaking?

What's in it for them?

There seems to be something wrong about the way it is reported Clark is being allowed to contemplate her coalition. At the moment Labour does not have a majority. Just because she can cobble together a grouping that will vote a certain way at certain times should not be taken as a proxy for that grouping(s) representing 'how the electorate wanted Parliment to operate'.

Why would there be any circumstances (excepting of course international/national crisis) where a party would effectively stand aside from a Policy that was a direct misalignment of that Party's own mandate and mission.

Why would any politician with any integrity let Clark cherry pick her way through the next Parliament? What's in it for them? OK so you get a Families Commission, but you also had to stand aside while the Civil Union Bill became law and Prostitution was made lawful - to highlight the paradoxical pieces of social law enacted in the last Parliment.

Have we voted for smorgasboard lawmaking by the highest Court in the land?

Just because Clark has no scruples and will do 'whatever' to govern for an historic third time; no one else should feel it is an honourable course.

To my mind as the largest party she should be allowed to form a minority Government and have to eat what she kills along the road. That is how the electorate voted. No deals - just go hard.

Helen Clark Decoded




Hat Tip:Lucyna

Get Your Own Name here:

Zaoui's Last Lines Are being Written

Despite what his commie mates, Locke, Manning and Co say the sand is running through the hour glass for the "fugitive" Zaoui. His claims for asylum and refuge for his family can now be met in his homeland. The sooner the Government sends him packing the better. Sounds like Algeria is quickly becoming the place to be - Peace breaking out.

The alacrity shown by the Government in quickly deporting the Slovakian Bomber, Jakob Slevec after his court appearance following his outrageous activities in Tauranga towards the end of the election, provide some hint of the options available to the authorities. In Slevec's case the unstated words are 'there was no benefit to NZ locking this fool up here at great expense'. The same applies to the sandhopper Zaoui - and quickly before the rest of his whanau make the trip.

How all concerned must wish they had put Zaoui straight back on the plane...

Collateral benefits will be to get Manning and Associates out of the public trough.

Her twisting of the facts borders on the mendacious - she is a remarkable sophistrist. I wonder whether she could withstand a charge of conduct unbecoming before the Society? Would anyone be brave enough to lay the charge?

Clark has Uneven Hand in Caretaker Role

Following on from the shameful delay in investigating the actions of Taito Philip Field, Labour's man in Mangere - who was fingered with conduct unbecoming a Minister during the election campaign, Helen Clark is appointing an independent person to report to her. That is hardly independence.

Her current role is a caretaker role. The independent person should report either to parliament or since that is not sitting to the Leaders of the two major parties.

The election is not a week since and already Clark is suppressing potentially corrupt ministerial behaviour. It was bad enough she didn't act last week when the allegations broke out. Her actions since leaves no confidence that Labour and Clark have any intention of changing their mendacious ways.

The difference now - The opposition is now super sized and super resourced. She will learn that lesson hard.

Way Cleared for Keith Locke's Naked Dash

The Newmarket Business Association has taken up the challenge of ensuring the Newmarket main street, Broadway, is a perfect runway for Locke and the NBA will not be an impediment to Locke's fulfilling his solemn promise that he would run naked through the streets of Epsom if Hide won the electorate.

Run Locke Run - and this ain't the Undie 500 - you need to be nekkid and available to the scrutineers - bring your own seconds to cart your gear to the end - try Mayor 'Dick' Hubbard (he might get some more ideas for an organic muesli).

Now we'll find out why you were refused selection for the SAS and have been dark on them ever since.

Thoughts Post Election

While I sensed a landslide for National it did not happen; or did it. The swing to the Right was massive with many sitting Labour MP's biffed out of electorate seats and popular local Labour MPs returned but the party vote in the electorate going to National (eg West Coast) .

What carried the day for Labour was the Labour vote in the major metropolitans - latte Socialists. A quick look at the map shows, for example, urban Auckland electorates that are west of the Southern Motorway are red. Like Labour's MPs your average dweller in these electorates is likely to fit the old socialist term of labour as opposed to capital. While there may be many contractors they by and large won't have to worry about writing payroll cheques.

The South Island is interesting - outside of the major metropolitans, it is now very blue (West Coast excepted). These are resourceful people, long standing New Zealanders, who trust the Labour Government to do nothing except introduce more petty laws, liberalise longstanding social mores and generally scab off the backs of others.

Country wide Labour's urban oases are surrounded in a sea of Blue.

Clark looked composed but a little fretful last night I thought. Certainly not the commanding triumphalist entry I expected. While she was in tune with the country's mood, the braying by the pack on and off camera was a stark contrast. Judith nowhere to be seen.

Clark knows better than anyone the difficulties ahead. I disagree with her comment they have held/increased their vote within 1% of 1999 (which, BTW was last century). What Labour did was pillage Left votes from the Greens and JAP (bet he didn't do the acronym when he thought his new name up?) as Labour itself haemorhaged C-L votes to NZ F and UNF. Otherwise where did the Green and JAP vote go National, ACT? - they are both down on 2002, MP wise.

Cool thought of the day - Nandor out literally. Toking, lying back wondering where it all went wrong and why they are not getting their message across? Physician heal thyself.

Thing to look forward to - hearing Locke ran naked down Broadway in recompense of his bet with Rodney.

Pee'd off thought - the electorate dealt to many top Labour MPs bigtime, but they all crawled back on the list. Sutton, Barker, Beyer...

Rodney home - fantastic. Now he has an electorate it will be a brilliant base to build a proper party from. A quick squiz at the booth data shows tactical we Epsom voters were - he had huge support in the Electorate - the "Worth" booth counts in Remuera are a complete rout for Rodney.

Party vote in the electorate is interesting:
ACT 3.5%
Green 5.1%
Labour 26.4%
National 59.6%
NZF 2.4%
UNF 1.8%

So Rodney is ahead of his nationwide electorate vote and most of the voters were taking heed of the exhortations to ensure National got the party vote - even if voting for Rodney.

For Six Long Years I've Been Bossed Round by Helen

This song at David Farrar's is one of the best skits of the election. The great thing about it is I can actually see the day it is all coming true. It is tomorrow.

Sing along and enjoy.

Elections Calculator Down All Day

I have been trying to get the calculator to work all afternoon - to no avail. Presume it is either totally down or overloaded. Can't check my latest assumptions...

Oh well all will be revealed tomorrow. My plans are - Go Helen Go and Don't Come Back

National's absent Voters are Returning

In an interesting article the NZ Herald's Garth George reveals he is returning to his roots and voting for National's Bob Clarkson in the electorate and National for the party vote. My guess is he has voted for Winnie the past couple of times - certainly not National. I suspect what George is doing is what many of his ilk are doing. On top of that the National and Act hardcore will get out and vote.

I feel as strong as ever - a National landslide is building

Why the post-Katrina Shambles is Bush's Fault

New Orleans has a Democrat Mayor, a Democrat City Council, and a Democrat Chief of Police.
Louisiana has a Democrat Governor, a Democrat Lt. Governor and a Democrat Attorney General
24 of 39 Louisiana State Senators are Democrat
67 of 105 Louisiana State House Representatives are Democrat
there is a Democrat Representative in the House from New Orleans
and one of the two Senators in the US Senate is a Democrat.

Hmmm.

National Shows Smart Politics Reducing Taxation on Petrol

In a clever move that can only make Labour look mean and churlish National has said, in Government, it will reduce the excise tax on petrol from October 1. This is smart politics - National knows it has room to manoevre with the windfall from increased GST on rising fuel prices and as with its income tax cut programme is offering immediate relief.

Cullen can hardly say the windfall should not be returned to the hard pressed motorist.

Green's Linked to Baader Meinhof Gang

In an extra-ordinary column - the flaming pot from the Greens' trebuchet goes straight up as the Herald lands a direct hit on the firer (Greens). Publishing "evidence" the Ex. Brethren brochure is copied from an Australian sourced document; a cursory scan simply confirms the electorate in Australia is worried about exactly the same Green policy settings as New Zealand. That is the story. The Herald published it but missed it.

Inviting further investigation, and tipped by Adolf Fiinkensein, I went looking for the Greens' heritage. Greens in New Zealand and Australia are inextricably linked to the German Green Party - whose roots are the BaaderMeinhof gang of 1970's infamy. The gang website has the time line and the story

...a decade later many of these former radical students were the main force behind the Greens party...the radicals had no time for any nebulous march -- they wanted Revolution now, and sought to kickstart the cause through terrorism...

This group travelled as the Red Army Faction

The remnants of the descendants to the Red Army Faction only disbanded in 1998.

Will those middle class voters vote Green when the linkages are revealed?
Update: Greens' Donald confirms again the secret global linkages behind Green parties.

Challenge to Rod Donald to prove that the Greens' "Peak Oil" campaign was not dreamed up off shore?

Who The hell is Jonathan Pontell?

And does anyone care?

I sat bemusedly listening to Jonathan Pontell rave on Ninetonoon. Then I got rapidly bored. Apparently someone has tried to link him to the National Party - who have said of him - He is not working for the National Party and anyway we think he is probably a hoaxer.

Pontell raved in faux legalese and faux PR speak about how important his name is (if that were so, I doubt he would successfully pitch for National's business given his prior contacts with The Guardian and The Independent on Sunday).

His rants seemed to be that he could not say who he was consulting for but in any event his professionalism meant that he would stick by any non disclosure agreement he signed. I suspect he is working for no-one but himself.

He was either a very cunning Labour stooge or angrily deluded. I suspect the latter.

My take on this - Pontell seems to have a following in other countries with the 'Generation Jones' demographic he claims to have identified. Pontell and National somehow got talking. He has a brand and an idea afterall. I suspect Pontell made the running, but it came to nothing.

Despite it coming to nothing - National to protect itself from exactly what Pontell is doing now, required Pontell to sign a non disclosure agreement - ensuring there is a firebreak between Pontell and National.

Pontell seems especially pained that he was labelled a hoaxter (sic) and that an article in The Press over the weekend (I cannot find said article online) casts aspersions on his legitimacy to founding Generation Jones by quoting Pontell's claims in "quotes".

Stranger and stranger.

Hell hath no fury like a broadcaster spurned?

Labour's Roll of (Dis)Honour

Over at Sir Humphrey's they have a comprehensive summary of the lies, misfeasances, half-truths, untruths and scandals that are Labour of Heren Crark's watch.

Remember Ruth Dyson , ACC Minister convicted of drunk driving, Crark herself signing a painting she did not paint - Police Summary of facts stated there was a prima facie case of fraud.

Sir Humphrey's also has a good summary of the Doone assassination - Newly released papers prove Crark smeared Doone and she lied to the SST about the 'facts'. While many think this is a fish and chip paper issue - what is news is that here is the proof Crark lied. She set out to get Doone and install her own stooge - Robinson(hasn't he been a find).

National Launches Policing Policy in South Canterbury

In a delicious piece of irony National Party Leader Don Brash launched National's Policing policy in Timaru - the town where Helen Clark's bodyguards were recently convicted of criminal charges that arose in the course of serving her.

Highlights of the Policy include sensible stuff like:

*Boost the police front line to Australian police-to-population levels

*Restore confidence in the 111 system with experienced, retired staff to join the communications centres in the meantime and ensure traffic patrols are diverted to respond to 111.

*Abolish parole for all repeat and violent criminals

*Scrap quota ticketing and the emphasis on revenue gathering.

etc

Hat-Tip: Aaron B

Clark on Back Foot - Government has Secret Deal to Sell Skyhawks and She Didn't Know!

In a delightful piece of TV, at 6 One News had Clark gawping like a goldfish as she was forced to utter that she was unbriefed on the pending sale of the Skyhawks to American interests. The best bit? Clark then turning on the Reporter, Guyon Espiner - with her back to the camera - Pot, Kettle Black, Ostrich.

Ha friggin ha. Popular and competent one bleeds like the rest of us.

Dead Wood Finishes by Reading out Emails to TVNZ - 100% in favour of Brash - all kicking Wood and TVNZ News Bias

Is this an attempt to crawl back? Is this her attempt at an apology or was there really only emails in support of Brash. I hope so; her performance last night was a shocker.

Another Unbalanced Interview with (dead)Wood on Closeup

Dead Wood chatted with Deborah Pead (Pead PR) and David Slack (former Labour speech writer? - Palmer I think) and someone from McCann Erikson to discuss Don Brash.

First up I will stop using Pead PR - all she could spout was Don needed media training asap. Deborah is a fool getting her profile onto this programme - all her clients would be National voters - sorry Deborah - National needs help not handbrakes. Get your kicks elsewhere please.

The shocker of the night - Wood showed the EPMU leaflet about Brash as an example of one National said had lies in it. She absolutely missed the key fact - EPMU leaflets do not form part of Labour's Election expenses.

Brownlee Staunch on Nine to Noon

National's Gerry Brownlee got under Linda Clark's skin this morning on Nine to Noon where she tried carry the attack on the Brethren leaflets. She tried to ask that Brash's handling of the issue somehow raises questions about his ability to be PM...

Brownlee managed to divert the point of attack onto Helen Clark - "If the subject is lying, [was his nicely taken entre], we should talk about her performance since the campaign began, 5 police convicted of criminal charges, air nz pilots suspended, etc etc "(and he also got a serve or two onto Radio Labour Party for good measure, which got a great rise!)

One can't help thinking this is a media beat-up and Jack and Jill voter are unimpressed by Labour's antics.

As I got out my car Mike Williams was trying to ressurrect the Brethren story but Linda Clark was over it - he got a serve as well.

Susan Wood was Appalling Tonight

In a disgraceful display Wood hectored and smirked her way into the gutter on Closeup, interviewing Brash this evening. Trying to extract an apology "to the Nation" Wood made a dick of herself (possible?) flogging the wrong issue. Classic Left wing bias. First try to put words in your opponent's mouth. Then thump them because you think that is what they said...

Brash was very civil and smiled through out, He came across as truthful.

When challenged by Woods "you only came on the programme tonight to clear your name" - Brash said "yes I did, because Helen Clark said I lied and I did not lie" Nice riposte.

How Clark gets away with continual lying and dissembling I do not know. Doone, Paintings, Speeding - all lies or half truths. Her 'photo album must be a sight to behold.

Labour Ministers Sought Advice of Business Round Table

In a classic Pot Kettle Black, news tonight that John Tamihere met with the Business Roundtable and spoke in support of privatisation and against Labour policy. More details at (TVNZ).

Ha frigging ha. Sneak out of this one Left Wing Death Bitch.

I am picking she will say it is good to see Labour Ministers are open and inclusive and consult widely.
(Roger) "Kerr said he asked Tamihere why Labour opposed letting private companies manage prisons when they could do a better job than the state. "Tamihere agreed, he was clearly against the decision..." Kerr said.

Be nice to see the MSM run with this.

Pete (Tugger) Hodgson AWOL when needed

In an unfortunate incident Teletubby Booboo Hobbs was hit with a custard pie after the Aro Street political meeting. I guess the thrower went for the biggest target.

Unfortunately for Booboo, Tugger Hodgson was on DPS duties in Dunedin protecting the PM - in the outside screen (20m from the PM).

Fortunately for Booboo the Right's own DPF was able to mount a spirited chase of the culprit.

Sean Plunket was not Suspended for His Interview with Fitzsimons

Over at Sir Humphrey's they have called RNZ where a spokesman has said Plunket's suspension is not in any way because of the interview with the Green witch - apparently it relates to an off air incident after it...

This just gets stranger and stranger.

How incompetent of RNZ management to let this story run as it has. Employment lawyers will be salivating.

The palpable silence - punctuated by air hissing from the green valve this morning as Frog visited the right wing blogs to post comments the suspension was not a result of a green complaint (why they didn't post on this heaven knows) - just gets heavier.

What is going on at Frog Station Moscow 101.4?

How Can the Brethren be a Secret Sect When they Front the Cameras for National TV?

This is getting too sad for words. Clark says of the Brethren:

"They put a name on a leaflet and made it look like an ordinary citizen."

Yup, well they are - ordinary citizens. So they attend the same church - Has Clark become so Stalinist that attending the same church is an unlawful assembly? Is a group with similar views (not unusual in a church) not allowed to hold and publish the view Labour have got to go?

I am more interested in hearing Labour refute the comments in the pamphlets - seems the real problem is Labour don't like the message in the pamphlet and are using the Electoral Act to restrain it. ie Dry it up on the funding side - that is a gross abuse of freedom of speech.

Still Labour have form on that front - tax payer paid political advertising only allowed; Pete (Tugger) Hodgson and the mob stiffing protestors at Otago campus meetings; etc.

TV One Continue the Smear on the Exclusive Brethren and National

Not content with the explanantions from the men behind the pamphlets that it was their own initiative and not a church initiative, TV journo Robyn Janes continued to describe the project as from a "secretive church" and that "the smear was set to continue".

How can it be secretive when the men concerned cheerfully appear on national TV and publish their names and addresses on the pamphlets.

That appallingly subjective journalism was capped by old file footage of Key allegedly meeting two Brethren one day when out campaigning. Whoooo! Big effing deal. Then the piece was tied to the evil one spouting about an "extreme right wing organisation" being behind the pamphlets. What the press conference showed was a group of normal looking gents saying they were concerned with what Labour was doing to the country and felt concerned enough about it to tell it like it is. Seems that is now a crime.

Sean Plunket Suspended?

OneNews reports tonight that Plunket has been suspended because of a "fiery interview" with Jeanette Fitzsimons this morning.

Well, well, well. I heard that interview and I thought that for once Plunket was not letting a Leftie avoid answering questions or get away with disengenuous or mendacious answers.

Seems his objectivity is shortlived - Radio Left Wing has cut him down.

Democracy and Freedom of Speech are under real attack. With Ministers assaulting placard holders who may stray into the range of TV cameras on the Beloved Leader and Plunket straying off message the world is changing.

Update: Listen to the mpeg of the interview and form your own judgement on objectivity. For the record Fitzsimons was being very evasive and disengenuous in her expostulations which Plunket (reasonably in my view) asked her to back up - she didn't. That is why Plunket pursued her. Brownlee by contrast did not make outrageous and or unsubstantiated statements. He was able to get his point across - truthfully. His point - Labour is hypocritical in complaining about the Brethren support for National given the vast resources the Unions deploy to get Labour re-elected - expenditure that is not (and not required to be) accounted for under the electoral act. Hat Tip: Berend

Labour Has No Ambition and No Aspirational Goals

Likening his version of politics to a Honda Accord and National's to a Ferrari show how far off the pace Cullen and Clark are.

What New Zealand needs are Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Wanting a Ferrari would be a great start.
Cullen has completely lost the plot.

Not too worry - it won't be long Michael before the pain is over.

What's in the Dunedin Water?

Following on from David Benson-Pope's unresolved assaults on students we now have another Dunedin Cabinet Minister involved in an alleged nasty assault.

The comments at DPF are illuminating - seems Clarks minders were acting in a very heavy fashion. Eliminating any freedom of expression. Stalinist - that's what it is.

Labour Wrong Again

How many more stuff ups will we see from Labour?

One News tonight that the pamphlets that got Labour all hot and bothered are the work of the non-political (till now anyway) Exclusive Brethern must have Labour sweating blood.

What a laugh. After Clark, Cullen and Williams assured us this morning this was an evil National front organisation (and don't tell me Clark's semantics were accidental - the Left is all about word association) One News finds it is not National at all but a group ostensibly apolitical.

Well, well, well, where do they go now? Interesting isn't it when a very closed Christian organisation will spend their own money to ensure Labour does not get up. Explain that away Labour Leadership. Destiny NZ must be spinning that this money passed them by.

This just goes to show how pissed off the electorate, of all colours, is with Clark and Co. The only colours heading their way are their rainbow lunatic fringe social destructors - Carter, Kaiser, Tizard, Simpson, Beyer blah blah lot, the Greens and the Red Flag singers - Wood-Bargolias et al see Insolent Prick for a full list of the Labour unionists and others sucking on the public tit.

My predictions of a landslide - they just got better.

I was going to wonder what the Master Strategist Pete Hodgson was going to do now - but he is probably on the way to the cells he he. More on that later.

Focus on MMP May be Misguided

The election is looking very interesting and I think the Brash discussion about it being a Two Horse race is proving either prophetic or prescient.

Think about this:
Not unreasonable assumption:
NZ First and Greens only get 4.99% each and no electorate seats
Act is the only minor party to get an electorate seat.

The results will be:
Election result Seats in the House
ACT 1 Seat Party 1% 1
Labour 38% 51
Maori 3 3% 4
National 46% 62
Progressive 1 0.5% 1
United Future 1 1.5% 1
Total 121

Result
National 62 seats - Govern alone!

If Act fail to get an electorate seat - redistributing their vote causes Labour to gain a seat and the Maori Party overhang is eliminated.
National still with 62 seats

Tell me the electorate are not conspiring to make this happen!!!

Apologies for layout - cannot get tabs with Blogger

Pot Kettle Black

Labour's latest attempt to charge National's account with additional election expenditure is interesting on two counts.

1. Labour has been unable to refute the claims made in the pamphlets - and not liking the contents seek to kill the messenger. The vigour of Labour's attack - rousing grumpy dog Williams from his spot in front of the fire - is intriguing - sore point is it Mike? Labour's results in Health are risible.

2. Labour's sheer and breathtaking hypocrisy. Labour has a vast army of lackeys in the trade union movement actively working the Labour treadmill - letter drops, pamphlets on how to fill out a ballot paper (the Labour way of course) - none of that expendiutre is against Labour election returns. See my earlier blog on this

National yesterday distributed a wad of union literature which urges members to vote Labour and instructs voters how to fill in ballot papers to support a Labour-led centre-left government.

It included newsletters from the Council of Trade Unions, the Public Service Association, the Amalgamated Workers Union, the Educational Institute and the Service and Food Workers Union - which was authorised by its national secretary Darien Fenton, who is a Labour candidate.
NZ Herald 6/9/05

As I opened - Pot Kettle Black

Pledge card funding questioned

In the wake of Labour trying to trip National, with memos allegedly written 12 months ago - Brash has turned the gun onto his accusers.

Brash questioned why taxpayers have funded Labour's wallet-sized pledge card. The budget for these cards comes from Clark's leaders fund, as confirmed by the Prime Minister's office - who confirmed Labour's pledge card was paid for by the party's "taxpayer funded" leaders' fund.

Cullen says the use is within the rules, despite electoral law prohibiting money being used for electioneering. I'll bet it is not. Cullen/Clark don't have misery guts Wilson to run interference this time around.

Momentum is With National

Tonight's One News poll has National at 46% and Labour at 38%

TV's Sainsbury could only suggest it was "Race" because of the gaffs, BRT emails etc. on the trail this week. Boy oh boy the MSM is struggling.

What about suggesting the reasons momentum is building for National - "Whatever it is we don't want another minute of her".

The electorate is in "Go Helen Go - and don't come back" mode.

Sainsbury did note in his postscript that the electorate don't have to see Don Brash as a seasoned politician. They like what they see and they see things differently from the media...

Too Right we do.

More convinced now a landslide is coming on.

Update: David Farrar has the detailed poll
Interestingly - the poll is partly before National's treaty policy announcement - stick that in your pipe Sainsbury - and prior to Clark stiffing an Air NZ pilot for voicing an (seems correct now) opinion

Labour Losing the Battles of the Malls

Last week we had Michael Wood-Bargolias moaning that he made no impact at Pakuranga Mall because Williamson and a whole lot of Nats were meeting there.

Today I read a great blog at Aaron's about National in West Auckland out pointing Clark and her red tide at another Westfield Mall. As usual Clark uses her praetorian guard (DPS) to attempt to have the interlopers removed from the Mall. So much for freedom of speech. In a cunning execution the Nat supporters agreed to stop giving out leaflets (Labour carried on) but formed in the van (ahead) of the Clark mob asking for a National Party vote and letting the mall goers know that Cunliffe and Clark were trying to get them silenced and removed.

Clark now knows the electorate in general has grown sick of her imperiousness - I feel a landslide coming on.

Diddums

Clark after a poor week on the stump has got her mates at the SST to headline a (non) smear on Brash. One week after the debate Clark grizzles to the SST that people in the audience were shouting "no kids lesbo and liar" at Helen Clark.

I dunno about you dear reader but I understand at least two of the statements are true...

In an entirely artless piece of guileful and shameless (ful) sub-editing the SST puts the accusations on Brash's tongue. This is wrong - Brash had nothing to do with any comments from the floor. Anymore than Clark was responsible for the ravings of her own acolytes.

This is trash journalism and Political Editor Helen Bains seems to be 'batting on a 1000' for subjectivity this campaign. Her objectivity has completely disappeared.

Labour Proves No Understanding of Benefits of Competition
In her rants about ACC Clark says there is a secret agenda at the Insurance Council that will see workers compensation (ed:Oh dear such emotion laden terms, workers, compensation ??) privatised and she wants to know what the insurance companies gain and the workers lose.

Well she only needs go back to the late 1990's when the ACC was opened up to competition; premiums reduced, work place injuries dropped and employers were incentivised to reduce premiums by reducing the risks in their businesses. What could be simpler than that.

She might also look across the ditch each day where her fabulous? investment in the Koru (as she termed it this morning (many hundred's of millions)) is bleeding as a result of competition - no problem with the product; just pricing is in the hands of consumers not producers ....

Simple shit really Helen.

After ACC was opened up, Labour's ideologic policies axed the competitive organisations and despite trying to introduce the best of the best ideas they nicked off the private sector ACC's premiums outstrip CPI and benefits are cut back - ACC is a monster that cannot get out of its own shadow. Put it up against world's best practice and see how it goes.

Clark is farting against thunder on this one. There was no demand for change last time (outside of the ideologues like Drinker Dyson) and there is none this time. Nanny State outta my life.

John Armstrong: PM should have kept out of cockpit

I understood she was out of the cock pit...

More Breathtaking Hypocrisy From Labour

Labour under the weird guise of their law and order policy has released their attack chihuahua Rick Barker to snarl that the rules on Civil Servants standing for Parliament need 'tweaking'.

As I said breathtaking hypocrisy. Labour in a none too subtle slant at the now Maori party's Amokura Panoho and National's Tim Groser seems to forget that the Labour ranks are full of former civil servants. Most notable perhaps being Parekura Horomia a senior Civil Servant who retained his job until the last possible moment.

While we are about it; the tweaking should include all officials in public office including trade unions - that would include vaste swathes of the Labour ranks - Starting with Barker himself, includes Duck Mallard, Pettis I think ....

Labour should take note of what Brash did - immediately resigned.

I think Groser immediately gave notice and sought advice because his particular role was of strategic importance to New Zealand and the other countries he was reprsenting in his wider Ambassadorship on that committee. Of course that does not matter to Labour - they will always go first with the bash.

I think I am right in saying that every one of the Labour MP's (and their wannabe's like Michael Wood-Bargolias) has only ever been on the public tit or trade union bottle. Teachers, lecturers, union officials, parliamentary researchers etc.

They have never had to write a payroll cheque, or more importantly worry where the funds for the payroll were coming from, as the cheques were written.

Finally, the statement of financial position of Labour's lot is worrying for its lack of disclosures - the bastards own bugger all and have precious little to show in an economic sense. Why anyone trusts them with the public purse (and to make investment decisions, Air NZ? On-Track? Kiwibank?...) heaven only knows.

Leaked email proves Hypocrisy of Labour Leadership

The so called scandal with ancient emails between National and ACT is a non-issue.

What needs visibility is the lengths the Union movement are working in concert with Labour in this election.

Rodney Hide has an email from the Public Service Association exhorting their membership to join the cause and stuff envelopes for Labour.

The organisation even has a name - Labour Letters Factory.

This makes the excoriating cries from Clark about a secret hard right agenda sound pathetic. She is the one with the secret agenda and a secret army - funded unwittingly by the workers.

Follow Cathy Odgers suggestions... I'll refund the cost of the Hell pizza's if you send photo's of the intercept.

Another idea - if in WLG put a looped fax through the office fax with a Hell order - fax it to (04) 917 2051

Herewith the whole email.

From: Michael Gibbs (michael.gibbs@psa.org.nz)

The Labour Letters Factory is nearly all done.

Only 45,000 letters remain (about 3 hours work with a full room of volunteers).

If you can spare a couple of hours tonight that would be great.

Remember this is an ambitious, never-been-done-before, project to get the 600,000 New Zealanders who did not vote at the last election to turn out in two weeks time as if their life depended on it (because it does!).

Where: St John’s Conference Centre, cnr Willis St and MacDonald Crescent
When: until we’re finished (probably around 8pm)
What’s the perks: Hell pizzas, wine/beer/etc, a Labour-led government on the
18 September

Michael Gibbs
Media Advisor
Public Service Association | Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi
phone: (04) 917 2066 or (027) 277 8136 fax: (04) 917 2051
PO Box 3817, Wellington
http://www.psa.org.nz

Publish your own bill board

This is a great little toy to while away the afternoon.

Hat-Tip: Mr J Nilsson

Kim Hill Had The Measure of Clark on Face to Face

For once I thought Hill maintained objectivity and developed a level of persistence I had not seen while questioning Clark tonight.

I thought Hill addressed the U-turns by Labour well and pretty much got them all out there. Clark was not amused and left to trot out tired old policy and slag National's programme once she overcame the shock of the questions. She was struggling to get on top of the nervous tick that did its worm thing. She had no credible answer to any U-Turn and was made to look her mendacious best.

What did come across was she is no longer her imperious self. Methinks the polling is not what she and her strategists planned/hoped. She is now contemplating a result that at best has her in coalition with the rancid Greens. She will be having palpitations worrying about the meglomaniac Donald and the fragrant(off) Fitzsimons.

Clark was so sure of herself ("and her friend Kim asking easy q's") that she had no ready patsy answer to the "Say you are really sorry to the nice police drivers question". That is haunting her - not because they sped; but because everyone knows she lied to save her own skin - then once the gravity of the situation became known had no gumption to adjust the lies and save the police from convictions.

Now, absolutely every one knows Clark can not be trusted under fire. She fails every precept of kiwi mateship.

Tale of Two Couples

I arrived late after a long day at work to catch the last half of the Davis' talking with Holmes and the Brash's at home.

I was struck by the contrasts - Brash couple came across as a close and loving couple. Davis couple seemed ill at ease in the role Holmes tried to cast them - lovers(ing) - at best they seemed two close flatmates who had been together a long time; with all the attendant eccentricities.

Sadly, even in her own home Miss Clark was on message.

Good Old Fashioned Fisking by Aaron

Readers on this blog will recall my fiskings of Mr Wood-Bargolias.

Bertrand Bargolias (aka Labour Candidate for Pakuranga) has out dicked himself this time. Aaron has him on the spit, turning left slowly. Insolent Prick ups the ante to finish.

Who Cares that the BRT and or Act have emailed advice to Brash and the Nats

This story should just be ignored. Simply agree that as a party National consults widely, as opposed to the narrow bigoted approach of the Greens and Labour who only consult and take advice from a tiny sliver of left wing opinion makers who have a very liberal social agenda waiting to be released post election. This will include opening private property to all comers and continuing to reward interest groups who vote for Labour.

Aaron Bhatnagar concerned where Hide spends his time

I think the more interesting points in the National Act email saga were made by Roger Douglas this morning on Moaning Report where he said that following an enquiry from Helen Bain (reporter at the SST) regarding emails he is alleged to have sent he would investigate his emails and come back to her. He did that - unable to find the emails she claims he sent. She would not send what said she had to him either. No record and no recollection of them either. Maybe they don't exist.

No worries she seems to have said - I won't let the facts get in the way of a good story...

I thought Bain was better than that.

State Radio at sea with Brash emails

This morning's piece on the Brash Act email (non) saga was a failed beat up by the Left's acolytes at State Radio on Moaning Report. This station is totally inept - unable to come up with original reportage they were comfortable to cite the SST story as their source. That was their sole source. Plus of course giving Helengrad a vox pop to rant that Brash was being manoevered by the "Hard Right".

I must say I do enjoy those mornings State Radio is on strike.

Labour Candidates Feeling the Heat

Michael Wood a Labour candidate who blogs as Bertrand Bargolias has blogged he is finding a hostile reaction to his party's presence campaigning...

...After 15 minutes of leafleting however, we were feeling distinctly unloved. Aside from malevolent stares and snarls of disdain we encountered muttered comments about "communists" and one woman actually physically pulled her child away from us as if to avoid contamination. It look set to be a very long afternoon....

Wood must be gutted with the reaction to his message. His explanation for the hostility was the mall where he set out his stall was near a National party meeting being held by the local National MP.

I don't think that mall is a National party stronghold - What he experienced is what is happening everywhere in C-L C and C-R electorates. Peeps are sick of Helen's hegemony, hectoring and mendacity - and Cullen's stealthy and not so stealthy taxes.

They are not going to accept being bribed with their own money - they are looking forward to keeping more of their own pay and having choices about what to do with it.

I suspect the mall experience speaks volumes for Labour's chance of success come September 17. It was not campaigns colliding - the tide is simply running out.

Good to see the Ref's have changed their shorts

Just back from Eden Park after watching an absorbing NPC game between Auckland and Southland (Akl 38 -37!)

I note the referees and touch judges have shed their metallic grey stubbies and turned out in black shorts. Big improvement - no longer looking like bit players waiting to sing Y-M-C-A.

Michael Wood Labour Candidate for Pakuranga says he will be better off with National's Tax Cuts

Wood on his blog Bertrand Bargolias has conceded "...I would personally receive quite a good tax cut under National..."

Yay, finally some honesty from Labour.

New Poll Added

Hide significantly ahead

I have added a new poll to check the firmness of Rodney Hide's electorate vote. The first poll I did shows support for the Hide/Act combo at 59% and Hide/National at 17%.

Seems like Rodders is getting over the line in the blogosphere at least.

Please help yourself to the new poll - adjacent

Smart Politics from National

Giving Police back their discretion regarding speeding infringements is smart politics.

This issue has always niggled all New Zealander's - who cannot accept the distinction between 109 and 111km per hour as regards road safety. Or better, between the road holding of a 5series BMW at 111 and a hotted up Impreza lowered in the mate's garage, with no shocks and poor brakes at 99 km per hour.

This speeding issue always looked like nanny state nitpicking and revenue gathering by Labour.

Then for the triple whammy the recent indiscretions in Ministerial limousines for Clark and the GG demolish the slogans from the simpletons at the LTSA that "Speed kills".

Clark's Cavalcade Causes Cabinet to Cough

In an extraordinary move Cabinet Ministers are having a "whip round" to pony up the fines for the convicted Police and civilian drivers.

What on earth is going on? Clark's Cabinet's tokenism is a lame and hamfisted attempt to obfuscate the real reasons there are fines to pay at all.

If Clark had said the simple phrase "they were speeding to meet my schedule" the Crown case against the poor Police would have failed on the grounds of no case to answer.

Instead we have a ritual disembowelling by her Cabinet.

This will be of little consequence to the convicted drivers. National's tax cuts will put enough in the hand to pay the fines - what is not addressed is the driving conviction. That will stain each man's record for life.

This an unedifying spectace for Clark who holds all the cards.

Hide Giving Good Show on Face to Face

Rodney Hide tonight on F2F scoring heavily against the socratic irony posed by Kim Hill.

Hill gave Tariana Turia a much easier ride first up - (because she is a woman? haha.) than she appears to be giving Hide. Anyway, Rodney is easily parrying her questions and at the same time making telling points about Labour and to a lesser extent National.

Hill resorted to tired 80's and 90's rhetoric and slogans - ""When we come back is it the end of right wing extremist economics?"" was the sign off to one ad break.

It seems the MSM is caught in a last century timewarp. No MSM commentator seems able to grasp that all parties (except NZone) are for tax cuts.

Particularly clearly Hide made the case for National + Act as the only logical grouping if you want to get rid of Clark and her government.

Poll update:

Hide + Act	67%	8
Hide + National	17%	2
Worth + National	17%	2

School Fees in Next Labour BackFlip?

The breathtaking backflip by Labour to fund private child care is another sign of the desperation in Labour's ranks. Once described by Duck Mallard as Kentucky Fried Childcare, the 180 must be a real kick in the guts for Mallard.

It marks a significant shift in Labour's policy, which has previously avoided using taxpayers' money to fund private centres. Great to see Labour grudgingly acknowledge the worth of the private education model in the early vulnerable years.

Now what is the chance that private schools will be addressed by Labour in a similar vein. Nil? Nada? Zilch?

Another Labour Leak Backfires

It points to a Labour scam to leak the GG's driver was recently ticketed for speeding with the GG in the back seat (she of all officials I would believe when/if she says "I had no idea how fast we were travelling ", talk about a woman out of touch, but I digress).

Having Harry the Luckiest (Non) MP in Parliament and Minister for Transport SAFETY say "it's just one of those things which happens" when commenting on the GG ticket is just way too little.

I am sure this was an attempt by Labour to take the heat off the Prime Minister for her crazy canterbury cavalcade. It has backfired. All we citizens see is a group who think they are above the law. Paintings, beating pupils, etc

What got Clark in the crap over the crazy canterbury cavalcade was first up her denial there was an issue then her lying as to what she knew was going on then to let her drivers take the bullet when a simple "they were speeding to achieve my timetable" would have stopped the court dead in its tracks.

Speed was not the problem, lying, dissembling, sophistry and mendaciousness from the Prime Minister is the problem.

Cullen You da Man - Yeah Right

More from Brash's excellent speech today:

"...at the peak of the economic cycle, we have 300,000 working age New Zealanders on a full time benefit – 110,000 of whom have been on a benefit for at least four years.

The waste of taxpayers’ money – at a cost of $14 million every day – is bad enough..."

$14Million per day on benefits - a third of those on benefits have been there for four hard Labour years. At the peak of the economic cycle...Cullen you are a disgrace. Maharey you deserve to be first against the wall.

Early Hint on Tax Cuts

Don Brash has said his Government will change significantly the way second jobs are taxed.

..."we will change the way in which tax is collected on secondary employment. We will collect that tax. at a rate below 20 cents in the dollar, unless the taxpayer asks, in anticipation of a higher tax obligation, for collection to be at a nominated higher rate..."

This is a smart move as it highlights an area of the economy - kiwi battlers if you will - where the hurdles are too high for many to take another job; so they don't.

In my generation many of us had two or three jobs so as to get the capital to get ahead. At that stage of your life you have the time, energy and incentive to have a go. The incentives are not there now. Worse still with the abatement regime under WFF. (actually it is an interesting acronym - is it Working For Fucks sake? seems like it eh! just the sort of mis-incentive we have come to expect under Labour - why work if someone else works for you...see my earlier blog on the ant and the grasshopper)

Four Standout Promises from Brash

If my ministerial limousine is travelling at 160 kilometres an hour, I promise I will notice.

And if I sign a painting, it will be because I painted it.

I promise an end to the creeping, some would say galloping, political correctness which has overrun our ship of state.

And I promise that when something goes wrong, it won’t always have been the officials’ or the driver’s fault

This is a great start - to the final three weeks of Helengrads' siege.

Hat tip: David Farrar

Smoking Your Own Exhaust

Autocue reader Judy Bailey said today sacked TV One News head Melanie Jones ..."brought intellectual rigour to the news bulletins". "She asked the questions that needed asking..."

Yeah Right

Looks like Bill asked the last question and is still waiting on an answer

Fine Fodder For Fisking Over at Michael Bargolias'

This guy either publishes a press release from the beehive or rambles off on his own making facile and febrile remarks to something in the blogosphere.

There are always good opportunities for a good old fashioned fisking with Michael. His wet behind the ears analysis must have Maurice Wiiliamson sleepwalking back to Wellington.

See for example, Michael wittering:

"Our hard won surpluses can be frittered away on the electoral bribe of tax cuts" is a good example - see the language OUR hard won surpluses.....WTF, tax is always an expropriation. When there is a surplus you took too much.

I understood National delayed its tax announcement out of deference to David Lange.

Cullen couldn't bring himself to show the same respect eh? Smarty pants tried to gazzump the Nats.

Good thing is Cullen has now shot his bolt. There is plenty of money to hand back to those it was nicked from and government services will still be maintained.

Cullen's calculated cynical bribe is going to be his second strategic mistake. His credibility as a careful hand on the tiler is shot to pieces.

Hardin's Essay provides a backdrop to the student reaction to the loan bribe

The reaction of students to the Labour bribe echoes somewhat Hardin's classic 1968 essay (interestingly Hardin was thinking about nuclear weapons) - the tragedy of the commons -

"The "logic of the commons" is as follows:

Each household has the right to take resources from and put wastes into the commons. To accumulate wealth, each household believes that it can acquire one unit of resources or dump one unit of waste while distributing one unit of cost across all of the households with whom the commons is shared.

The fallacy in the logic of the commons lies in the failure to recognize that all households are attempting to do the same thing. Thus, on average, one unit of gain for a household actually produces a net one unit of cost for each household.

However, selfish households accumulate wealth from the commons by acquiring more than their fair share of the resources and paying less than their fair share of the total costs.

Thus with the Labour bribe, Students know it is a bribe and unsustainable but selfishness forces them to partake and that same driver will encourage them to go to the max. Else another habitant of the commons will take their share.

"I know it's a bribe," "but I'll take it anyway."

So claims a debt laden student reacting to Labour's craven student loan bribe. Brian Fallow in today's Herald has a thoughtful article on Labour's massive electoral bribe.

Fallow reveals the huge gap of $1.7Billion between fair value for the current loan portfolio and what is in the country's balance sheet. This sum will consume Cullen's 2007 forecast when a more transparent reporting standard is introduced and the portfolio is written down to fair value.

Shows what a dork Cullen is - this will really upset your OPERDA or WTF acronym you try to bamboozle people with. Real issue Michael - we are going backwards and you are not being honest. Your bribe will worsen the situation.

But I guess you don't give a toss - your sole objective this time is to get Helen back in power for a record third term. end, justify, means...

The size of the writedown estimated here is before any increased uptake in loans as a result of the free interest rate under Labour. Labour in their craven, cynical, calculated pledge have taken today's opportunity for power against tomorrow's opportunity to pay.

Another Labour "fact" is destroyed in the analysis as well. Much was made by Labour of the impact of student debt on the brain drain.

The reality, only 25,000 of the 445,000 people (5.6%) with student loans are overseas.

Again. spin, end, justify, means.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

The original story of the ant and the grasshopper

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter,the ant is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

The modern New Zealand version.

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he's a fool, and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others less fortunate like him are cold and starving. TV1 and TV3 show up to provide live coverage of the shivering grasshopper, with cuts to a video of the ant in his comfortable warm home with a table filled with food.

Kiwis are stunned that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so while others have plenty. LABOUR supporters, the Greens and the Maori Party demonstrate in front of the ant's house. TV1, interrupting a Maori cultural festival special from the Waikato with breaking news, broadcasts them singing "We Shall Overcome."

Helen Clark and Ruth Dyson rant in an interview with Paul Holmes that the ant has gotten rich off the backs of grasshoppers, and call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his "fair share."

In response to polls, the Labour Government drafts the Economic Equity and Grasshopper Anti-Discrimination Act, retrospective to the beginning of the summer. It is quickly passed through Parliament.

The ant's taxes are reassessed and he is also fined for failing to hire grass hoppers as helpers. Without enough money to pay both the fine and his newly imposed retrospective taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government.

The ant moves to Australia, and starts a successful agribiz company.

The TV stations later show the now fat grasshopper finishing up the last of the ant's food though Spring is still months away, while the government owned house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house crumbles around him because he hadn't maintained it. Inadequate government funding is blamed, retired Prime Minister Dame Helen Clark (also known as Sir Helen) travels back from the UN and is appointed to head a commission of inquiry that will ultimately cost $10,000,000.

Meanwhile the abandoned house is taken over by a gang of immigrant spiders, praised by the government for enriching New Zealand's multicultural diversity, who promptly terrorize the community. The grasshopper is found dead of a drug overdose. The New Zealand Herald blames it on an obvious failure of government to address the root causes of despair arising from social inequity.

The Spiders await a Legal Aide cheque to assist them to bring their 20,000 brothers and sisters to New Zealand, and to sue Social Welfare and Family Support citing the $2,000 weekly benefit as being inadequate.

Hat-tip: Tom and Lisa (who have moved to Australia)

Don't you wish Jordan's Blog was an adverb and a past participle of leave: "Just" and "Left" and he took his own advice

I think he thinks it is an adverb and an adjective.

Although, sadly, he may also think it is two adjectives.

On the evidence of his blog he ain't just.

Dickhead Jordan Proves He's a Tit

In a classic case of opening mouth to change feet the self declared left wing Labour party activist, Jordan Carter today, proved beyond doubt he is a plonker.

First up he accused right wingers of being rascist and xenophobic.

The heading on his blog

"A classy example of right wing racism/xenophobia"

"Such nice people, these right wingers. Obviously one is not welcome in Fatherland Fortress New Zealand unless one is born here."

Then the hunt started - as the baying pack got close the fox went to earth and sent out a signal -"This post was a pisstake" - It was an experiment to "show how sanctimonious and self-righteous the blogosphere in New Zealand can be"...etc

All he has done is prove what a bonehead he is - how lame; the sooner he shoots through to Canada as he threatens the better.

PM back in the frame in a new Tamihere Investigation

Investigate magazine following up an email (anonymously sent and probably from disgruntled Police sources) has looked deeper into the Tamihere issues at and around the Waipareira Trust.

The artice notes (correctly in my view) that the $195,000 golden handshake was always a red herring and probably a beat up to take the eyes from far more dodgy dealing.

The email has picqued Investigate's interest. It would appear the SFO remains on the case, and here is the interesting point; because SFO overview means Helengrad can keep an eye on developments - something she cannot do if it becomes a standard Police enquiry.

This is classic Clark. Bury the bone somewhere close where she can watch it.

The allegations against Waipareira Trust and Tamihere do not appear to get anywhere near the usual $1Million hurdle for SFO interest. Hence the suspicion the SFO's continuing involvement has a political dimension.

Interestingly, Tamihere himself started this latest enquiry when he sent a letter to the Waipareira Trust calling for an independent audit:

“It seems to me on the information to hand that the situation involves incompetence, negligence or corruption, and an independent audit and review from people with some capacity and integrity is long overdue.”

I get a sense that the audit may have started the goose cooking...

Back to the bone, Tamihere is presumably dog tucker - either in the election or later if returned and a bigger scandal breaks.

To avoid the paradox that the fact the SFO is handling this particular case makes it political, the SFO should be told to hand this case over to the Police.

We wouldn't want any suggestion Helen was able to monitor enquiries into a rival now would we?

WTF chose the new Refs uniform for the NPC?

The referees are in silver stubbies, a white shirt with red trim and red knee highs. The whole look is out of International Rescue.

The ref has no authority and looks like he missed the cue to come off after the pre-match entertainment.

It has to go.

Update: I think Lyndon Bray and co did not get the 'how to wear page'. Seems he was wearing the Touchies kit.

The Refs kit is Sunderland strip - actually looks authoritative. Still not sure about the metallic stubbies!

Oyster Season Over

All good things come to an end. I have just received a call from my supplier to tell me the three dozen Bluffies he delivers tonight will be the last for the season.

There are many sacrifices I make in living in New Zealand. Bluff oysters are one of the absolute highlights. Having managed three dozen every weekend since the season began, next weekend will be a little low I hazard.

A related highlight has been introducing my 16 year old son to the delicacy.