Liarbour, the party of hypocrisy!

Liarbour and New Zealand First are truly made for each other.

Dear Leader and Winston Peters are such fine bedfellows.

Winnie rails against dodgy financing of political parties and indulges in it himself by not declaring various donations.

Michael Cullen and Trevor Mallard slam John Boy for hongi-ing Tame Iti and Mikey boy gives him one today!

Hip,hip,hipocrisy! We have a Liarbour-led government.

When it comes to lies and hipocracy, the 'Liarbour led' government shows that Liarbour leads and others follow. Winnie has just picked up bad habits from Clark, Cullen and co.

David Farrar and Keeping Stock reveal the hypocrital quotes.

UPDATE: Friday's NZ Herald notes the ironies. Liabour lapblog the Standard also joined in as Whale Oil notes.

Jeremy Waldron

I missed Jeremy Waldron's speech put on by the Maxim Institute on Monday. Bummer.

Waldron is a serious intellectual and gave a guest lecture at Auckland University when I studied there.

His speech on Monday touched on a topic dear to my heart: bad law-making and lack of constitutional safeguards.

We defend the stripping away of each safeguard by pointing to some other system that doesn't have it. But we only ever consider them one by one, without considering how many of these safeguards we have stripped away and how anomalous it is in the world to have a legislature with such untrammelled powers," says Professor Waldron.

"No quorum, no second chamber, no requirement to attend in order to vote, no judicial review, no real independence from the executive and constant recourse to urgency. It may be possible to justify each of these features considered in itself, but we must consider their cumulative effect on the quality of public debate."

"I worry that in New Zealand, we have moved to the idea of dispensable debate, where debate is seen simply as an embarrassing ritual that needs to be gone through as quickly and with as little cost to the public as possible. Parliament is not a place of genuine engagement anymore," Professor Waldron argues.

"New Zealand's Parliament has become a place where preordained positions are stated, with hopefully as little fuss and as little public expense as possible. Parliament—the one forum dedicated to public debate—is becoming the one place where public debate has become perfunctory—a simple matter of political posturing."

"I am afraid that a society which has allowed its tradition of parliamentary debate to atrophy is also in danger of allowing its traditions of more informal public debate to atrophy. As Parliament becomes a place where people simply state preordained opinions, maybe civil society at large is in danger of becoming a place where people simply state preordained opinions.

Parliament becomes a place where no one listens and society too becomes a place
where people deafen themselves to the opinions of others."

Hear hear.

If I find the speech somewhere I'll comment on it.

Did anyone from this readership attend, and if so how was it?

Question for today

Is Winston Peters the only man on the planet who can suck and blow at the same time?

Spot the 'lying wanker!'

How can he continue?

How can New Zealand allow him top continue?

Dear Leader daren't sack him but that just reflects the corruption ofher regime and the system of government Dear Leader, Liarbour and MMP delivered.

There are more anonymous undeclared donations, fresh controversy from the answers Winnie has provided, who lashes out at his accusers, not just the media.

And while we enjoy Winnie in Wonderland, , look at how Winnie responds to journalist Phil Kitchen.

But it's not Phil Kitchen who is the 'lying wanker' for revealing his exposes.

Since Winnie associates so much with the Liarbour government, with Dear Leader his bosom buddy, it is hard to tell them apart. Perhaps there is more than one lying wanker in government.

Oh, and don't forget Michael Basset' commentary posted earlier by Adolf on Winnie's links to the racing industry, as written by Tony Wall in the Sunday Star-Times.

Sick of the Nanny State and MMP

While Winston swims in scandals, Garth George at the Herald reminds us of other reasons to dump Dear Leader and her government.

He thinks thecall is so strong from the wider populace that tis explains why MMP may deliver an FPP result, with National getting over 50% of the vote, as shown in so many recent polls.

New Zealanders have had a gutsful of Labour's socialist nanny state, but because we've also had a gutsful of MMP.
We gag at the obnoxious wheeling and dealing that goes into forming minority government coalitions; and we cringe when we see the compromises which such coalitions entail, and the paucity of decisive governance.
What makes it worse is that this constant political expediency is not employed for the good of the country, but so that politicians can keep their greedy fingers on the levers of power.

And he continues:

The most outrageous example of this, of course, was the appointment of Winston Peters as Treasurer (albeit briefly) by Jim Bolger's minority National Government and this minority Labour Government's appointment of him as outside-Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs.

George then noted various promises from Key.

However, of all the valid reasons given by Mr Key for us to elect a National government, this was the clincher: "The only time we've won the rugby World Cup we had a male Prime Minister."

What's In A Name?

Remember the hullabaloo about the Department For Social Welfare (terribly sorry, I should have said MSD) and its use of outside consultants for policy advice?

Adolf launched an OIA request amid general derision from the commentariat, most of whom declared the request would be ignored..

The answer came in last night and it includes one interesting name.

Back in the days of Sir Humphries, Adolf became an interested by-stander and mediator in a bun fight between then TVNZ journo Chris Harrington and blogger Jason Watson of Keablog. (Mr Harrington said some unkind things on a Radio Left Wing programme about bloggers in general and about Keablog in particular prompting Watson to threaten legal action.)

Adolf is interested to see one Chris Harrington appears three times in the list of consultants to the Ministry, scoring a total of just over $77,000 from three separate contracts in nine months. I wonder if these went to tender?

Could it be the same bloke?

Possibly not, as I wouldn't have thought an ex TVNZ journo would have particular expertise in the field of enduring powers of attorney.

The total spend on consultants over nine months was said to be in the order of $762k.

"a scandal that dwarfs the Winebox."

...

A reader has forwarded to me a copy of Michael Basset's commentary. It confirms Adolf's suspicion that the Vela contribution to Peters' slush fund is only a pimple on an elephant's arse.

Buying Political Influence?

Michael Bassett - 27 July 2008

The Sunday Star Times’ Tony Wall appears today to have uncovered a major political scandal in this country. He tells how a collection of big players in New Zealand’s racing industry bought political influence starting with funding for Winston Peters and New Zealand First in the 2002 and then the 2005 election campaigns. Wall explains the payoff the racing industry received once Winston Peters managed to wring the position of Minister of Racing out of Helen Clark after the nail-biting finish to the 2005 election. It’s a perfect example of the way in which special interests in this country can turn MMP to their advantage; under the current system election outcomes are always close. In effect, the horse-racing industry, known for its interest in betting, took a punt on a political player and appears to have been paid out tens of millions of dollars from the great electoral totalisator known as the Consolidated Fund.

Winston Peters made a name for himself in the 1990s with his crusade against some businessmen who used tax avoidance schemes to benefit themselves. He tried to paint himself as the “Mr Clean” of New Zealand politics. Many believed him. At the 1996 election he won 17 seats for New Zealand First, and became Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer in a coalition government with National. However, New Zealand First was never more than a front for a lazy, self-obsessed showman. It had no substantial core of supporters except for a disparate collection of the discombobulated and the edentulous. Winston has twisted and turned, always looking for some kind of financial saviour and new political supporters. In 1999 his party almost disappeared, surviving the election with only 5 seats because he hung on to Tauranga by the slender margin of 63 votes. New Zealand First appeared to be in its death throes.

This was the point where the racing industry came galloping over the hill. Thanks to generous financial support from several major industry players, New Zealand First clawed its way back to more than 10% of the party vote and 13 parliamentary seats in 2002. According to Tony Wall, the popular Sir Patrick Hogan, unbeknown to most New Zealanders, paid for a lot of Winston’s election advertising and rounded up votes for New Zealand First. They formed a mutual admiration society that survived through the 2005 election by which time Winston’s party was suffering another attack of electoral anorexia. Indeed, it almost died. Winston finally lost the Tauranga seat that he’d held since 1984, and his party only just got above the 5% MMP threshold. It’s not too much to say that the money paid for New Zealand First’s campaign by the racing industry got the party back into Parliament. Then the racing industry’s investment paid a dividend in the form of a gusher from the government, a bigger return it seems, than any punter will ever receive either on course or through the TAB. Tens of millions of dollars, by the look of it, much of it taxpayers’ money has flowed into the racing industry over the last three years.

How much of all this has been known to Helen Clark and her government, and for how long? When she gave the ministry of racing to Winston Peters did she know the extent to which New Zealand First had become beholden to the racing industry? Did she realize when her ministry agreed to the reduced totalisator duty from 20% to 4%, said to be worth $32 million per annum to the racing industry, that it could be seen as payback to her racing minister’s big backers? The same with the new tax write-down periods for race horses, and this year’s budgetary $9 million for co-sponsorship schemes? Has Helen Clark kept an eye on Peters’ appointments to the New Zealand Racing Board to which, according to Wall, he’s appointed people with the backing of the big racing industry players?

No wonder top racing figures in the country regard Winston Peters as the best racing minister they’ve had. I was once Minister of Racing myself. I was subjected to arguments for tax changes, just as other ministers have been over the years. But like them, I couldn’t see any fairness in screwing the taxation scrum in a manner that specifically favoured one group within the community. And under First Past the Post, the government I served in was never likely to be subjected to the sorts of pressures that can develop when election outcomes are usually cliff-hangers.

The industry’s moment came under MMP, especially when in 2005 the election outcome was unclear. The industry got their man into a position of influence. So eager was Labour to retain office that ministers appear to have looked at the wall ever since they took office for a third time while payouts have been made to Winston’s backers. On the face of it, this looks like a scandal that dwarfs the Winebox. It’s time Tony Wall received a bit more encouragement from the mainstream media. He must surely be the best investigative journalist in the country. What he has told us appears to amount to corruption on a grand scale.

Gang patches

A former top cop and gang expert has come out and said what most of us know: banning gang patches won’t work. He claims Michael Laws is ‘grandstanding’. Surely not!

A more worrying revelation is that he believes cops will get injured enforcing the ban.

But no surprises that Parliament voted 106-13 in favour of the ban at the bill’s first hearing.

You see it’s all about doing something, or anything, rather than the right thing.

Especially in election year.

Rodney The Bauble Buster

Radio LeftWing News this morning features Rodney Hide's complaint to the SFO concerning the Winston First party's alleged fraudulent fund raising.


Of significant interest is the SFO's failure to dismiss the complaint out of hand and it's strong inference that if it does not investigate, then other authorities should.

Clark and Williams will be mightily displeased. Adolf understands the SFO has power to subpoena records and to require witnesses to testify under oath.

Rodney was asking all the right questions in the house yesterday. Namely, who put Owen Glenn up to the whole show in the first place?

More fuel is added to the fire this morning with the emergence of yet another donation of $20,000 to NZ first, not disclosed in its electoral return.

Adolf will wager a good bottle of shiraz that Peters did not sign off the declaration even though it could not be completed in his absense.

Liarbour breaches its bill 13,600 times

There's nothing Liarbour likes better than using taxpayer funds to spread its message.
The State Services Commission has had to remove the words 'Labour-led government' 13,600 from government websites to avoid breaching the Electoral Finance Act.
Meanwhile, as civil servants remove such party spin, Liarbour MP Lynne Pillay has been dishing out stickers with the words 'Labour led' and without any party authorisation messages on.
Just how corrupt can you get?
No wonder Winnie is in bed with Liarbour and Dear Leader stands by her man implicitly.
Hypocrisy, corruption, they go so well together, just like Old Hell and Captain Baubles!

Hopefully this will be the scene at the next Big Gay Out!

'Forces of Darkness' afoot in New Zealand

Winston Peters says 'the forces of darkness' are out to stop him defending the New Zealand public from privatisation.

After his barmy performances with the media yesterday, we seem to see more evidence of the poodle losing his marbles.

I would say the 'forces of darkness' are standing by him. The chief troll on the ninth floor is believing his every word.

And no doubt while she remains in power, despite the best efforts of Rodney Hide, while there may well be a prima facie case against Peters, it will surely be not in the public interest to prosecute him!

A Liarbour scandal swept under the carpet until after the election

How very convenient!

But what a handy reminder of the corruption at the heart of Helengrad.

As Winston fends off the 'dark forces' of the Media and Bob Jones, Taito Philip Field has been told he will finally be tried in April.

The former Associate Immigration Minister Taito Philip Field had wanted to 'clear his name' before the election.

But as I said before. We cannot have an eight-week long spectacle, featuring 50 witnesses, detailing all kinds of allegations, plus the potential for more that might embrace alleged corrupt electoral practices in South Auckland.

With the judiciary once more doing Liarbour's bidding, Dear Leader will be pleased.

Yet, another job for the Anti-Corruption Commission once National assumes office.

The Christ Child needs Dear Leader

Now, you know Dear Leader's presence is often the kiss of death to any Kiwi sporting team she calls upon.

Witness the netball team, Team New Zealand, etc, etc.

Over in Britain, PM Gordon Brown has a similar effect.

The 'Christ Child' Barack Obama is the latest to suffer from ths, with John McCain leading in the latest Gallup Poll.

Did you hear that MSM, John McCain is winning! McCain is winning!!!!

But just as I'm sure another poll will come along putting the ObamaMessiah back in front, I feel we need to seal McCain's success.

Go on Helen, go to Washington, and worship at the feet of the ObamaMessiah!

The Free World depends on it!

Hat tip: Guido Fawkes

What happens when you have nothing better to do.

I was looking at Act's 20 point plan the other day and the last bit was similar to the above chart outlining a potential balance of power scenario. It seemed to me a bit strange, as this represented left and right parties, but reality is every man and his dog wants to be in the centre now. So I thought I would come up with a more realistic chart.


Now I am a great fan of ACT policies, but fear that they are not going to generate much traction in the forthcoming election even though their policies are exactly what we need as a country.

Personally if I was ACT I would drop the Liberal/hard right tag and canvass as the party for the Intelligent/smart voter. Get in first and by default voters for other parties will be 'Dumb". Intelligence also knows no demographic boundaries and ACT only need to appeal to 5% of the voters of any age and race that think they are smart..

The days of Left and Right are over. The future is going to be fought over smart policy versus dumb policy, especially in light of the economic conditions that will in all likelihood hang around like a bad smell for a few years yet.

So here is the new look..Note that NZF and United Future are really only there because of the sucking force of the main players.

Hear Willy's message

I have always enjoyed Willie Jackson on television so it is a shame to hear he has needed life-saving heart surgery.
But he won't be alone. Heart disease, blood pressure affect many men and not all of them are old.
Earlier this month, a good mate of mine was told by his doctor that he has high blood pressure and high cholestoral. He was at risk of stroke and heart attack and he's only 31!
Now, he is on beta blocker tablets for the rest of his life and he's been told to eat healthily.
And since the tablets don't respond well to alcohol, he's had to give up the booze too.
However, my mate, a maori, has perhaps had enough booze to last several life times and that's before we get onto the drugs, the weed and the cigarettes.
Now, the cigs will soon be the for the chop too, but he might allow himself a little pot as an only pleasure.
Of course, I guess its what happens when you have abused your body for so long.
But there are benefits.
Now, when I go out, my mate won't want to down several pints like he used to, and he won't get arrested for drink driving while borrowing my car, getting it impounded. He can now be my sober driver and all for the price of a coke! I guess there's an element of karma there.
But before I crow, I'm a little overweight and at 40 will need to start taking care of myself too.
Indeed, my dad had his own heart attack (and lived) about five years ago and such ailments do run in the family.
So we should all heed Willy's message and look after ourselves.

Let them have ovens!

Last night I visited a mate who has moved into a house in Devonport.

Well, you might remember some months back I commented on the Kiwi curiousities of shared driveways and houses on our back lawns, well, I have confimed another.

Those little granny flats, sleep-outs, or whatever we want to call them, don't always have proper ovens and kitchen sinks.

I remember when I was looking for a place to live, the owner of one such 'sleepout' said the council would not approve a proper oven being in the building, even though it contained everything else you would find in a proper house.

Now, my mate has found a nice self-contained place for $250pw, but it would annoy me considerably not to have a kitchen sink (there is one in the washroom) or a proper full oven (do mini ovens cut it?).

My mate too commented on their being some rule preventing their installation.

But come on. When homeowners build such large 'sleep-outs' it is obviously they will be used for living in, permanently.

So come one, for the sake of their tenants, let them be able to have a proper kitchen sink and an oven!

Liarbour lapblogs tread on thin ice

The lefty blogs have been having some fun today- and why not?

Simon Pound guested over at Public Address with a witty piece on John Key having a sex change to help get elected.

Our good friends over at The Standard also joined in the fun.

I guess, for once, they were inspired by the wonderful Fran O'Sullivan, whose comments on John Boy being like 'Helen Clark in drag' were picked up by The Hive.

Are they saying John Boy has no balls?

Considering Dear Leader is widely seen as a less than feminine specimen of womenhood, I feel such comments from the left are perhaps less than wise.

By coincidence, a businessman I interviewed yesterday referred to the PM as 'Uncle Helen.'

But if the left want to cast aspersions on the manliness of John Key, then there is obvously nothing to stop people commenting on the masculinity of Helen Elizabeth Clark!

Can Cullen afford HIS spending promises?

Echoeing the debate we had yestrday, Fran O'Sullivan wonder with National adopting so many Liarbour policies "it's tempting to wonder if John Key is auditioning to be Helen Clark in drag."

Fran notes the country's declining finances and deepening recssion which may make it unaffordable for us to have National taxcuts AND Liarbour spending policies.

Even before the recession was confirmed, Cullen was warning that whichever party becomes Government later this year, they will still be forced to reprioritise government spending in light of the less clement economic conditions.
That was then.
Yesterday, Cullen confirmed that tax receipts for the year ended June 30 were $700 million down on forecast due to lower economic growth.
Cullen's own $10.6 billion programme of personal tax cuts was forecast in the May Budget to push the cash deficit to $3.48 billion in the year to June 30, 2009 with similar deficits forecasts for the three following years. Two weeks ago, the Finance Minister was quietly warning business circles that the Government's accounts were coming under pressure. Yesterday he confirmed that the pre-election economic and fiscal update would (likely) show an increase in the cash deficits.
Reuters takes up the story:

The budget forecast a cash surplus of $908 million for the current fiscal year, declining to a deficit of nearly $3.5 billion in 2009, amid a slowing economy and cuts to income tax, which will reduce revenue.
The Government must publish a special updated fiscal report ahead of this year's general election, which is due by mid-November.

Indeed, thank heavens that after Liarbour left a huge hole in the country's finances in 1990, which led to the 'Mother of All Budgets' , and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, we should be spared no nasty surprises this time should/when Bill English opens the books post election.

But it certainly seems the rapidly deteriorating eonomic situation may mean Liarbour cannot afford its programmes either, and that too should be a focus of media questioning, rather than simpling sticking it to National in a desperate bid to keep Liarbour in the game.

We may be becoming an 'economic desert' but look at our mirage!

New Zealand is at risk of becoming an 'economic desert' and needsto do more to help small and medium-sized businesses.

Mr O'Reilly said that since 1999, the Government had passed more than 2000 new laws and regulations with little cost-benefit analysis [for the SME sector]. Compliance costs had now reached $2400 per employee a year in SMEs.

The inaugural Small Business Summitt also heard:

Claire Massey, Massey University's director of research into SMEs, said New Zealand was littered with contradictory perceptions of the sector's importance. On one hand, SMEs were the beating heart of the economy. On the other, the sector was dragging back the economy.
"If we don't get our act together collectively we will end with an economic desert," she said. "... We can't survive without the small-business owner: the shoe mender, the Indian restaurant, the clothes shop."

But from Dannevirke to Downtown Auckland , there is one industry that appears to be blossoming.

And apparantly, we are very good at it. So if times get hard, you know what the missus can do? Or maybe you could earn a few bob yourself in this enlightened industry of equal opportunities!

Third World

There was a severe storm in the Auckland region last Saturday.



Thousands of homes on the North Shore lost power for one or two days.

Five days later, thousands of homes on the North Shore still do not have hot water restored.

Adolf is unable to extract from Empower or Contact Energy any explanation as to why after five days, full service has not been restored.

It impossible not to think wistfully about that highly civilized country Fiji, where citizens enjoy a standard of living which currently far exceeds that experienced by the citizens of New Zealand.

Everybody can have a warm shower in the morning, get to work within a few minutes and have confidence in the moral fortitude of the people charged with running the country

The Electoral Finance Act: law for thee but not for me

The Leftist version of the transparent and 'fair' Electoral Finance Act:

Let's register the EPMU as a third party and therefore along with four running mates will be able to spend $600K calling John Key "slippery". This is despite the fact the real slippery one is our mate Winston Peters.

Maybe some journalists could 'promote the issues' via the leftist Sunday Star Times. This might not be so successful though as evidenced by the 2007 local body elections.

Hang on! Why don't we set up a blog and ensure the material for it comes from the Ninth Floor?

If that fails, perhaps we could get the taxpayer to pay for government material that can be distributed without it being declared an election expense?

Or maybe we can get our overseas bagman to give $100K to a trust that pays legal bills for electoral petition lawsuits against our enemy?

Ladies and Gentlemen: Labour gives you electoral law that it says is transparent and 'fair'.

Proudly brought to the Sheeple of Aotearoa by the Coalition for Open Government which has amongst it members the lawyer for the man who spies on people and uses parliamentary information 'owned' by a MP who was a hairs breadth away from becoming Prime Minister, thereby almost creating a massive security breach the likes of which this country has never seen.

Does anything else need to be said?

Winston's Invesment Advice Ltd

Roll up folks. Here we have just the investment for Winston's morons. Put your life's savings into the Spencer Trust.


(Table ex NZ Herald)

Yes Sir! These are the same folk who will vote for Winston. All thirty three of them.

Fortunately for New Zealand the nation, they only represent one percent of the party vote.

Guardian Trust Calls A Temporary Halt

Guardian Trust is not a finance company. It is one of New Zealand' oldest, most conservative and respected institutions and one with which Adolf has had a cordial business relationship for over ten years.



Established in 1882 under an act of Parliament, GT today is a wholly owned subsidiary of Suncorp-Metway, a major Australian bank. It's mortgage portfolio is relatively small and managed in an extremely cautious way.

New lending stopped about three months ago. You will not find here any of the shonky loans and deals associated with Bridgecorp and Hanover.

Most loans are lent on a five year term and I expect as current loans mature, investors who want out will be paid.

It is a sorry state indeed when investors are so scared they will not put their funds into a firm of this quality and reputation.

Question Time

Not quite a waste of time, Grant.

Interesting to see Clark admit she has not received any substantive answers from Peters; just his 'word' that all is well. Now, all that remains for the coup de grace to be delivered is for an astute journalist to actually find out on what the Spencer Trust money was actually spent and then match that with the party's electoral non disclosures

Also fascinating to see Clark appears to have joined the ACT party, wearing an outfit in Rodney's colours.

What a bloody waste of time.

Have just been watching question time on TV and have decided that from here on I will consider Parliament and ALL its inhabitants to be complete irrelevancies.

Puffed up and pompous, they screech and preen, hurling inanities and invective at one another, all the while achieving very little of substance except the cultivation of the scorn of all thinking, and working Kiwis.

That these individuals think they are representative of the majority of New Zealanders, and that they also feel that they are our leaders, just highlights who far out of touch with reality they are.

A plague on the lot of them.

G

More Sunlight, Please!

At last someone in the MSM is making the connection between the Vela donation to Winston Peters and the $9 million gift to the racing industry in Labour's 2008 budget. One is left gasping at the return on the Vela investment. $175k gets you $9m. Did the Vela family take the hat around the country's thoroughbred industry to raise the stake money? What other donations were received by Peters and his dubious connections from as yet undisclosed sources within the racing industry?

There is much more to this dirty little sleazy deal than meets the eye.





Duncan Webb asks all the right questions in his new blog. He rightly points out that the $9mil goes pretty quickly to race horse owners.

I hope he will look closely at every piece of government policy with which Peters has exerted influence and then examines the potential connections to NZ1 supporters and their cronies..

At Last They've Grabbed His Passport

Bridgecorp's Rod Petricevic will struggle to do a Christoper Skase now that the authorities have done the intelligent thing and confiscated his passport. (It's well past time the same treatment was dished out to BlueChip's Mark Bryers.)

(Picture ex NZ Herald)

Interesting to note his lawyer has indicated no decision yet as to whether the charges will be defended. On the available evidence it is difficult to see what defense there might be.

Adolf recalls when Bridgecorp fell over there was a piece in the Herald at the time alleging Petricevic in the previous year paid himself a salary of something around a million dollars and had his fellow directors sign off on a $9.0 million dollar unsecured personal loan. Adolf phoned the liquidators to inquire as to the fate of the loan proceeds and was somewhat surprised to find the liquidator was unaware of the Herald report. Of course the link to the report was supplied.

Strangely, there has been no reference to it since. Was it true or was it not?

If true, it's a hell of a good way to avoid paying tax. You simply get your boss to give you a loan which you never intend to repay.

Even The Greens Are In For The Kill

The vultures are circling.

Radio Left Wing News at 0900 carried some commentary from Green co-leader Russel Normal on on the Peters affair. It was not flattering or supportive but I haven't yet got hold of a transcript.

As an aside, Adolf is wondering whether Bob Jones, Owen Glenn, the Vela family and donors yet unidentified have been funding Winston's booze account, coiffure and tailor's bills. The real question which seems not to have been asked or answered is where did all the money go?

No wonder the party secretary had to wait for Winston to get home before he could sign a late electoral declaration.

It's hard to see a million dollars worth of NZ First advertising over the last ten years.

The perils of pragmatism

After yesterday's all-round condemnation of National for adopting yet another Liarbour policy- Working for Other People's Families- we see criticism of too much 'me too' from Granny Herald, that supposed 'Tory Rag.'

Its editorial notes of the parties are too alike, 'why change the government.' And adoping Liarbour's welfare policy reduces the room for taxcuts and risks painting National into a corner.

Granny notes National's strong lead which should allow for some bold policy, but instead, Key is too anxious to nullify any policy that maybe unpopular, making National indistinguishable from Liarbour.

He is making a rod for his own back if he is elected and wants to move the country in a more enterprising direction. These reassuring noises will not be forgotten, and breaches will not be forgiven. He should already be looking beyond election day.

Colin James also raises risks in Key's 'bland ambition'.

James notes contradictions between Key promising to close the wealth gap with Australia on the same policy settings as Liarbour. Expectations may have been raised and if Key doesn't deliver, a disappointed public will inflict their punishment.

James concludes:

The economy is seriously unbalanced. Rebalancing will be painful. We have only just started. Large tax cuts might ease households' pain but will not make it go away. National's acceptance of most Labour programmes adds to the difficulty of dealing with the pain, let alone generating economic step-change.
And though English is proving tough in the shadow cabinet on spending promises, if that discipline didn't hold in government - perhaps even if it did - there would be a risk of slipping into a structural budget deficit, with attendant economic headaches.
In short, the risk in combining blandness with step-change rhetoric is that voters will fill in the gaps in hard policy with their own too-high expectations and then punish National in 2011 if it flunks those expectations - the very spectre of 1978 and 1993 English is desperate to avoid.
Food for thought for longer-sighted delegates to National's buoyant, expectant and tightly drilled conference this weekend.

Hat tip: Clint Heine for the graphic.

More economic woe Michael!

There's barely an economic indicator Liarbour can take any comfort from.
Yesteray's trade figures show we are in a huge mess being saved by our oil exports and dairy.
And the greenies want to strangle both sectors through their global warming hysteria!
Liarbour also plans to be a willing accomplice thrugh its emissions trading scheme.
The Banks are reporting troubles and confirm a 'contracting economy.'
And the bleak trade picture will continue, with rising inflation and a stagnat economy, notes another bank.
Well done Michael Cullen!

Dithering Damsel in Distress Dishes the Dirt

How rich. As National announces its campaigner Steven Joyce will be on the party list, Dear Leader raises the ghost of the discredited Nicky Hagar with her talk of 'Hollow Men.'
What wonderful timing, her comments serving to remind us of her own Hollow Men, her own funding scandal and the 'inconsistencies' and hypocracies of Winston Raymond Peters.
Here she is one minute talking of the court of public opinion, then its much a do about nothing. Will she, won't she will she, won't she? She cannot make up her mind.
Though as Adolf notes, today's Herald Digipoll might help her.
Indeed, so enmeshed in sleaze is Winston Peters, and through association with him, the Liarbour government, it is all getting a little complicated.
Vela family, Owen Glenn, Bob Jones, whatever next? Whoever next?
Thankfully, Bomber over at Tumeke! has a produced nice little diagram to help explain how Winnie's slush funds appear to work.
I am sure such a fine effort is well worthy of copying by the MSM just to help explain it all to the wider populace and hlp us all reveal who truly are the hollow men and women at the moment.
Hat tip: Tumeke! Keeping Stock.

New Zealand's problem

http://dynamic.nzherald.co.nz/poll/pub/polls/index.cfm?action=results&pollid=66D011A9-DC7D-DDDF-1EC5E022952A61DC

10% believe Peters over Jones. Peters only needs half of those to vote for him.

Flip Flop

Yesterday Adolf thought there was no chance.

I've changed my mind - thanks to Herald-Digipoll.

Today may well be the day that the Bilious airbrushed Bitch finally kicks the Dummy in the baubles.



This morning's Herald Digipoll clearly shows the effect on Labour's fortunes of Winston's shenanigans; reversing the temporary burp of last week's polls and putting Labour back on the cusp of the dreaded thirty percent.

Yesterday, someone predicted she would have Winston step aside, pending a hard hitting inquiry which would report within a matter of weeks whereupon she would sack Peters and call an election, hoping to ride on to victory on the back of her 'personal leadership.'

Parliament will be entertaining this afternoon. Looks like a two o'clock lunch hour for Adolf.

The Shame of the New York Times

Potential Obama running-mate John Edwards has fathered a love child while his wife battles with cancer.
But the New York Times won't touch the story. Though the National Enquirer has.
But the Old Gray Lady was happy to run unfounded gossip about John McCain's supposed liaisons with lobbyist.
Meanwhile, one the issues that matter, say Iraq. Obama is give a free rein in the New York Time, while John McCain has his article spiked.
Double standards? Of course!
No wonder the New York Times is racing towards oblivion.
Hat tip: Andrew Bolt.

Global Warming WILL happen

But not for a while yet!!

Hat tip: Theo Spark

A fat centre

Gooner was doing some thinking below about National's move to reclaim the centre by stealing Labour policies. This gives Act a bit more breathing space on the right and they are probably thankful for it.

Here is my problem. Have we as a people become so complacent, so wrapped up in a comfort zone, that we now lack the courage to question how New Zealand is governed and the type of policies we need to ensure our economic and social well being. What has happened to people standing up and saying what they really think.

Do NZers really believe that WFF is the answer to their prayers? Have we become a society of people hanging around not wishing to offend, not wanting to upset the apple cart, accepting the crumbs our leaders throw our way.

The world has changed but we haven't. The centre is now a big fat, happy place where we are dooming ourselves to a very mediocre future.

And you wondered why there have been no blogs?

$2.40 connection fee, $0.40 per minute for dial up about a mile's walk from Adolf's tropical haven.

Arrived home from Fiji last night and crashed. Woken at 0630 by oldest daughter phoning to tell The Cook that contractions had started.

Found The Cook's car had immobilized itself due to the handbrake being on for ten days. The discs had rusted onto the drums for God's sake!! Can you believe it? Do they tell you when you buy a new car "Now whatever you do, don't leave this little marvel of mechanical perfection sitting around with the hand brake on or you'll have to get it towed to the dealership so that they can dismantle the brake assembly."

I kid you not!

Oh yeah, and the 91 year old aunt died while Adolf was away.

What's the betting the Bilious Bitch drops the axe tomorrow?

Naaaah. Don't think so.

John Key: Behind the mask

For months, if not years, the left have demonised John Key.

They say that behind the mask lies Roger Douglas, Ruth Richardson, or even Don Brash.

And they have tried to put the fear of God into the voting public about supposed right-wing agendas.

Now, we have the left crowing about National 'securing Liarbour's legacy.'

Indeed, judging by National's recent policy announcements, its not Roger, Ruth or Don hiding behind Key's mask, but a truly more horrifying figure!

Hat tip: Dave at Big News

National v ACT

I’ve given some thought over the weekend on why us ‘ACToids’ should be so concerned about National’s move to the centre, or even to the left.

I mean in 2005 we were in despair that the Nats were campaigning in ‘our’ turf and gobbling up ‘our’ vote and we complained bitterly when Hurricane Brash hit.

Now we are all complaining that the Nats aren’t in that space and are giving ACT the room to campaign in it!

Whether this is intentional or not I don’t know. But I think us in ACT have a little soul searching to do if we constantly criticise National for campaigning in the centre!!!

After all, we have wanted this for four years!

This is why I won’t be bagging the Nats for their centrist positions any more. We should be more encouraging of it if we want a strong centre right government.

So no more "me too" criticism from me.

Dumping the fool?

Is Dear Leader about to dump Winston Peters?

According to her comments on Breakfast tv, which noted the 'court of public opinion', it appears she might.

But then, as Gooner noted, her radio interview comments, and its all a fuss over nothing.

Does Dear Leader, who was once noted for strong leadership, know whether she is coming or going?

This is ultimately one of those great tests of her leadership and so far, she is failing.

It is no good Guyon Espiner trying to pin down John Key on an answer over the Winston issue, as he tried on Agenda yesterday, if Dear Leader cannot give one either.

Interesting how 'public opinion' only gets a mention when you are 20% down in the polls. It never seemed to matter on issues like the anti-smacking bill, electoral finance bill, etc, etc.

And just one other thing. Interesting how Wayne Peters shows the same evasion tactics as his brother. It must be a Peters family trait.

$3 billion bill comes in for Liarbour's energy failure

As the power savings campaigns end, the bill paid by business, and ultimately us all, has come in for Liarbour's energy failure- a whopping $3 billion.

The extra costs come in lost production and higher spot charges.

As one businessman notes, the market works, but surely not by closing industry down!

The NZ Herald notes power shortages have happened for decades but they do seem to be occurring with growing regularity.

A failure of the government, who owns much of the energy sector anyway, to allow sufficient extra generation.

As this blog has noted before, Liarbour has rorted the energy user in higher charges and low investment.

The planning system, a ten year moratorium on coal powered stations won't help either, though extra capacity is said to be on its way, but not in time for next year.

But it's not all bad. With that extra revenue going to the state owned energy enterprises, the Treasury will get a handy windfall, so maybe Working for Other People's Families AND large taxcuts will be affordable after all!

Plan B needed soon

Looks like the All Blacks are in need of one of these.

We need one as well as National are well on the way to becoming the next Labour government in NZ.

I just hope that there will be some people, outside of the primary production area, left in NZ to govern.

In the mean time we are left with the bill for Labour's mess.

All in all a great start to the week.

It's the growth of government Dear Boy!

A story concerning a Trade Me pay survey gives the usual leftist 'rich getting richer, poor getting poorer' angle on a story about salaries.

The website Trade Me notes skilled jobs are paying more and unskilled jobs paying less, which is a fair comment. Upskill yourselves is my suggestion.

But nothing said about the underlying causes why Wellington pays the most and Auckland second.

Well, Wellington has shot up in recent years thanks to the growth of government.

Auckland has always been a reasonable payer.

Indeed, in another story, the Dom-Post also notes life is tough for those who actually add to the Nation's wealth rather than those who feed off it.

Of course, those in Wellington and Auckland may need more money.

For Wellington, for the awful weather and Auckland for its expense and traffic!

Quote of the day

Helen Clark on Winston, his big business donors, the Spencer Trust and all the murky dealings (via Paul Holmes interview on Newstalk ZB):

"I’m hard pressed to see what the issue is really”.

Wow!

John Key and the money tree

Gooner is right in highlighting National's U-Turn on Working For Families.

The policy of middle-class welfare is highly damaging as welfare experts like Lindsay Mitchell point out, and a betrayal of National Party values.

Indeed, even National Party supporters are unhappy, such as Whale Oil and David Farrar.

I dread to think what libertarian Peter Creswell will say.

But while not frightening the horses, will John Boy get many thanks. Is it still damned if he do, damned if he doesnt? Of course it is. So there is little to be gained for National by selling out on key policies.

Dear Leader has suddenly rediscovered fiscal prudence in wondering how National can afford Working for Families AND taxcuts that will be bigger than Larbour's. Though I'm sure her outrage would be far worse if National were scapping a Liarbour policy rathe than keeping it. We saw on early childcare and employment Liarbour likes to have its cake and eat it. John Boy is flip flop boy in one sentence and an evil heartless privatiser in the next.

But yet another adoption of a costly Liarbour policy does raise questions on affordability, as the Herald also notes. Bomber over at Tumeke! may not be the most sophisticated of economics experts but if he raises affordability, it makes you wonder that fears over the credibility of National policies could become more widespread.

John Boy and Bill English certainly have some explaining to do.

Hat Tip: Tumeke! for the title

Working for Families under a National led Government

No change.

That's a bloody shame. WFF will destroy enterprise and hard work ethics in this country.

GUYON They're big gains. At that upper end of the income level you’ve been talking about something of a trade off between Working for Families perhaps and tax cuts, are you going to make any changes to the Working for Families scheme.

JOHN Well National's considered Working for Families very carefully and the conclusion that we've reached is that there will be no changes at all to Working for Families under an incoming National government and the reason for that is we want to ensure that there is certainty and there's not greater complexity in the system.

GUYON That’s a big change for the party though because you’ve previously described it as middle class welfare, what's changed your mind on that?

JOHN A couple of things, you see we went away and had a look at the system in great detail. Now we could make changes to it at the upper end if we wanted to, it reaches right up to you know north of $150,000 a year people can still get Working for Families, but there's a lot of complexity in the system. Firstly Working for Families is based on the family income and you know personal taxes are based on individual income, secondly the numbers of people receiving Working for Families above $100,000 are very small.

To put it crudely, it's time to stop oiling the wheels of terror

The campaign for the US to become more self reliant on oil has gained a boost as the country increasingly realises much of the revenue goes towards undesitable things.
In Saudia Arabia this include the funding of Madrassas , or 85% of government revenue in Iraq, and Hugo Chavez would be of no significance without the black gold.
US Oilman T Boone Pickens says the issue is about more tan just national security but a huge transfer of wealth that threatens America.
Barring price shifts, Pickens says, Americans will send $700 billion abroad this year. In 10 years, this could total $10 trillion - "the greatest transfer of wealth" in history.
Analyst Gal Luft notes that "at current oil prices, it would take OPEC just six days to buy GM and three years to buy a 20 percent voting block in every S&P company. It is hard to see how such buying power amassed by oil producers would not upset the West's economic and political sovereignty."
The Greens are pushing for more renewable enegy and Bush is allowing more exploration for oil in the Arctic and off the coast. Backing for pro-drilling groups is rocketing along with the price of gas.
For years, some thought OPEC kept supplies up and prices down to keep the world hooked on its oil. Today, with roaring demand from Asia, supplies are lagging - and tectonic economic shifts are afoot.
It's not clear where all this will lead, but surely things are headed in the right direction: i.e., toward less US dependence on foreign oil.
As the US commentator notes:
Just fantasize the possibilities: Terror, bankrupt. Iran, shriveled. Chavez, history. Gore shuts up.
And SUVs rule.
All without firing a single bullet.
Oil's well that ends well? Here's hoping.
UPDATE: I have removed the Nozzle Rage ad which plays by itself. But the link is here. It is pretty good.
Hat tip: The Religion of Peace

Be nice to Muslims or else!

It wasn't that long ago when muslims set off bombs in London buses and tube stations.
There have been quite a few attempted bombings since, resulting in arrests and trials.
Yet, the UK government declares such terror threats, even though committed by muslims, who usually cite Allah in their deeds, as 'un-islamic activity.'
For it believes Islam is a Religion of Peace.
Brown's government is even funding Islamic organisations to try and foster a less radical religion, though to mixed results.
And what does such politically correct pussy-footing achieve?
Not much. The United Nations has just told the UK government to be nicer to Muslims!
But do Muslims want to be nice to Britain?
It seems not. The Sunday Times today revealed a poll saying almost a third of muslim students support killing in he name of Islam and 40% want to see UK law adopting sharia codes. And these are meant to be the educated muslims!
It is good to see other bloggers like Adam Smith of the Inquiring Mind noting the great problem Britain has with this most intolerant of religions.
Such fears of Islam, it seems are growing ever more widespread. But the UK government is indeed cracking down on those who speak out agains Islam, as the UN instructs.
UK blogger Lionheart is taking a break from blogging after being arrested for his blog allegedly spreading racial hatred. Thanks to Crusader Rabbit, you can read his story.
Well, some other bloggers out there think I'm a little obsessed about Islam. But it's a battle for freedom too. A battle to protect our own way of life. A battle even to safeguard our own lives.
Hat tip: The Inquiring Mind, Crusader Rabbit.

The Greatest Story Ever told...Kind of..

When it first appeared in the Times Online, many bloggers enjoyed the yarn, most notably Not PC, The Briefing Room and Little Green Footballs.
But the spoken word is far more powerful. So watch Times columnist GerardBaker narrate his passage about the Christ Child, the ObamaMessiah.
“The anointed one’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a miracle in action - and a blessing to all his faithful followers…”

Hat tip: Gates of Vienna

Key v Peters

A very short post explaining in a few words why John Key won't attack Peters over his shady practices.

The last thing Key needs is for the anti-National, anti-big business brigade to jump in behind Peters and railroad him to either Tauranga or 5%.

If Key went hard over Peters, Peters would attack Key and National, and all the diatribe that Peters can exhale from his lungs will come out about big business rallying against him etc, and it would be a bloody disaster for the Nats and for NZ.

That is why Key and National will stay soft on him and in my view rightly so.

The public will decide on election day if the Poodle is in the Doghouse.

Kiwiblog turns 5

David Farrar modestly mentions that Kiwiblog turns 5 today.
We should sit back and realise what an impact Kiwiblog has had on the blogging and political scene today.
Like David admits, he is not the first.
I don't recall NZPundit but as a former full-time technology journalist, Russell Brown was seen as the pioneer of such online commentary in those days.
But time has moved on and David has took the lead with Kiwiblog bestriding the blogging stage like a huge colossos and his blog having a readership akin to a mid-size newspaper and a very influential readership to boot.
David has influenced other blogs to start up, who in turn will have influenced others. Now he is the country's most popular political blogger, judging by the ratings and rankings.
David is also impacting on media coverge and his news, commentary and questioingis increasingly picked up by the mainstream.
Looking back at the Electoral Finance Act it was indeed a campaign led by David Farrar, along with Whale Oil and others that led to the New Zealand Herald to tke its vocal stance and for thousands to take to the streets in protest.
There will be other instances too where Kiwiblog will have led and others followed. Just last week, we saw David offering the questions for the media to ask over Winniegate.
Such impact is also confirmed with David becoming a nationwide figure, a regular face on television and in our newspapers. He is part of the fabric, and now the mainstream of New Zealand.
Indeed, further confirmation cames from imitators, like Kiwiblogblog, a naked attempt to undermine what has been an essential part of media life.
And, finally, much as he won't thank me, I am sure David can also take credit for the formation of The Standard, whose public funding and party/government links David helped expose.
Liarbour, the unions and the left have seen the success of Kiwiblog in helping shape debate, so they had to try and have their own equivalent.
So happy Birthday Kiwiblog and well done David Farrar!

Time to move on now, NZ-US relations must change

Much has been written about the significance of Condileeeza Rice calling New Zealand an 'ally' of the United States.

I was watching Agenda on tv this morning and some US official praised Winston Peters for his role in helping to thaw relations between the US and New Zealand.

There was priase for our help in Afghanistan, etc, etc.

John Key was quizzed on it too and chose his words carefully.

Now, while Winston has obviously helped, doing more to mend relations than any Liarbour figure could, as David Farrar believes, I feel some credit must also go to the United States.

Now, contrary to public belief, George Bush is not stupid. He's even brighter than Al Gore.

The Bush government realises time is passing by.

It is 23 years, yes, 23 years since the nuclear ships issue that led to New Zealand being kicked out of ANZUS. Since 1985, the world has moved on and changed now.

There was a Cold War then, there was an 'evil empire' called the Soviet Union. Eastern Europe was under the Communist Yolk. The World feared Worth War Three.

Now, there is no Cold War, though Putin's Russia is very dodgy, there is no Soviet Union. Eastern Europe is largely capitalist now and part of the European Union.

We now have a 'War on Terror' and instead of the menace of communist expansionism, we have the menace of Islamist extremism which has similar goals of world domination.

China in 1985 was a poor communist backwater, not the prospering capitalist and military global superpower it is today, with a economy that could soon outgrow America's.

New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy is a relic of a former age, and as we now know, a policy written in Moscow. It is passe, so last century. A policy for the 20th century (though wrong then). It is not a policy for today and the realities of the 21st Century.

This is why it is time to move on. To dump the policy of the past. It is irrelevent. New Zealand needs to take its place back into fold with its old friends and allies, the US and Australia.

The threats of the 21st century, an omnipotent China, overpopulation in Asia, future possible resource shortages, the proliferation of nuclear weapons and the War on Terror affect us too. They are also our battles, especially for a small, low poplulated and vulnerable, poor country like ours. We can no longer have our heads in the sand.

That is why America is changing its views on New Zealand, calling us allies now, and we must change too and dump our anti-nuclear stupidity.

Winston Peter's has realised our shared values, democracy, freedom, human rights. That we have more in common with the US and Australia than we have with China. This is why he deserves some credit.

Indeed, what a symbol of the Helengrad Years and the priorities of Dear Leader's government that Liarbour can negotiate a free trade agreement with the Butchers of Beijing but not the Leader of the Free World.

But this is where John Key and National come in. The US knows Clark is on its way out. Helengrad is about to fall and a friendlier regime will be installed, so it has offered its praise, its olive branch.

Now, John Key has said he will keep existing foreign policy, the anti-nuclear policy. But Key is a pragmatic man. He knows times change, which is why he has adopted so much Liarbour policy. He is not wedded to dogma, and will, could and should dump the anti-nuclear dogma of the past.

Grasp the nettle National, move our foreign policy into the realites of the 21st century, negotiate that Free Trade deal John Boy; and earn your place in history as the New Zealand prime minister that took New Zealand back onto the road to prosperity and made the Pacific and Australasia a much freer and safer place.

Much a do about nothing as Liarbour prepares for defeat

Bill Ralston thinks Liarbour is preparing to lose.

He notes the increasing demonisation of John Key and every policy announcement by National is viciously attacked as if the party will sell us all into slavery.

Yet, there is scarely an inch between the two parties on so many issues.

"Trapped in the mentality of the 90s, Labour portrays Key as a nasty neo-con Ruth Richardson in a tie. In fact, the National Party of the new millennium is really National-lite.
If Key has a brand it is "Diet Tory". A little bit of free enterprise mixed with a few milligrams of less government spending, but heavily diluted with a commitment to much the same social policies we have become used to over the past decade or so."

Noting National's more positive approach, Ralston concludes:

It is like Labour has looked six months ahead and has already decided it's the opposition - and maybe it is right.

Homepaddock also believes Liarbour is peparing for defeat. Not only is it filling various appointments with its own stooges at the new NZTA, as we reported yesterday, some 96 similar appointments have also been made over the past month.

Hat tip: Homepaddock

More evidence of our economic decline- number 782

While Tony Milne parrots the Beehive line on Liarbour 'achievement' , an irregular seres of mine seems to be tallying up the stories even faster.
Families are getting creative to make ends meet. Yes, rent out the spare room, take in other people's washing, etc, etc, just like our grandparents might have.
Cheap little scooters are back in fashion.
But if you still want pampering, get trainee students to do it.
Now, what was that slogal again: 'You're better of with Labour!'
Yeh, right!

Bloggers help tighten noose on Winnie

The Winston Peters funding scandal continues with former NZ First staffer Rex Wilderstrom saying despite what he says, Peters knew about the workings of the Spencer Trust.

And with Bob Jones sticking to his guns, Winnie's recollections once more seem different to everyone else.

Now, last night I happened to be reading the June issue of Investigate, which featured a column from Chris Carter.

If memory serves me right, he was praising bloggers for us looking at news differently from the MSM, making it harder for 'scandals' to be covered up.

Carter wondered if the relationship between the Press Gallery and the politicians was too close and suggested the appearance of bloggers had led this government to be enmeshed more in sleaze than earlier governments, because it can no longer be hidden.

He also noted bloggers contributing original research and their specialist knowledge to political coverage being taken up by the maintream journos.

Indeed, only this week, David Farrar presented a raft of questions for the media to ask Winston Peters. I'm not sure if they did ask him those questions but I am sure they will have found his advice helpful, making Winnie's verbal gymnastics all the more tortuous.

Then the bloggers can check Winnie's other statements and find more evidence of Winnie's , shall we say, inconsistencies.

Today, Cactus Kate offers some impertinent question someone might want to put to Winnie. Now, Cactus is an expert in trusts, so she can put foward questions, that hopefully will be asked by the media, putting Winnieunder greater pressure. It appears Cactus has caught Winnie out again, so let us this leaders to follow-up questions from the journos.

In the meantime, while John Key firmly refuses to rule out Winnie in a future National government, though deploring his behaviour, Winston could well find himself tried by the court of public opinion, as Tony Veith was.

So, thanks to Whale Oil, for this little video, which might help gird the loins of John Boy and Dear Leader in dealing with Winnie, not to mention undermine his position so much, that the voters decide not to put Peters in any position of power ever again.

Hat tip: Kiwiblog, Cactus Kate.

Seems like a nice boy!

New Zealand's youngest killer Bailey Jr Kuariki is back behind bars on suspicion of drug use.

I always thought he was let out too soon. Obviously it appears his rehabilitation has failed and he is not yet ready to be free among the wider community.

Michael Choy's mum Rita Croskery says Kuariki still seems too immature.

The Herald on Sunday notes Kuariki has turned to God and Maori culture.

Well, judging by my Maori friends; plus the relatives of my ex, where I could see how drugs had damaged many of their lives, they've certainly got that bit right!

All quiet on the leftist front

Maybe the stories are true.
The Standard is funded by the taxpayer.
It is run from Dear Leader's ninth floor!
Either way, it certainly seems a 9-5 operation, Monday to Friday.
They haven't posted today.
Talk about 'Gliding On.'
Neither have many on the left.
On our blogroll just the Dim-Post and the Hand Mirror have had something to say today, as of 6pm.
So unlike those bloggers on the right, who have found it hard to shut up.
Now, I've just checked with Frogblog and Frog came out of hibernation at 4.42pm, which must merit their inclusion on our blogroll, PM.
Of course, before I say lazy, lazy lefties!, maybe the left are nocturnal creatures.
They might start posting this evening.
I wonder if they will still be asleep tomorrow!

O-bloody hell! Look at the reality of the ObamaMessiah!

The travels of the ObamaMessiah and how it is covered really is exposing the media for the accusations of being nothing but Democratic shills.
But of course, while the media may lap up his every word, I do wonder how the adulation of the Europeans might go down in mainstreet America.
Surely, even the most loyal Democrat must realise Barack Obama is no JFK and doesn't the Berlin Wall remind us of other times, when it was a Republican President- Ronald Reagan- whom Obama didn't name, who delivered the goods in the wall coming down.
I certainly doubt the defeatest Democrats, lovers of detente, would have brought the Cold War to the successful conclusion that the Republicans did, together with Margaret Thatcher in the UK.
I also wonder how visiting Iraq and Afghanistan might have helped when it serves to remind the ObamaMessia of his great failing- foreign policy.
Had the ObamaMessaiah had his own way, there would not have been 'the surge,' the US troops would have departed Iraq, and there would probably be much bloodshed and Al Queada fuelled terrorism, not just for Iraq but for the rest of us, with the extremists feeling cocky at having defeated 'the Great Satan.' Armed DinnerJacket in Iran would be priming his nukes already!
Of course, while it has not yet been picked up by the MSM, Obama is not realy into things military, unless he can exploit it for campaigning purposes.
How can he be a president when he cancels a visit to see sick US troops in Germany because he cannot bring the cameras with him? Any real president would have gone all the same. I'm sure John McCain would.
It appears the ObamaMessiah did not hang around too long when visiting the troops oin Afghanistan either, who accuse the candidate of 'blowing them off.'
And this from a would-be Commander-inChief!
No wonder, even the New York Times is noting Americans are increasingly frightened at such a prospect.
But back to Berlin, where the ObamaMessiah talked of 'climate change' of droughts in Kansas, and rising seas.
Apparantly this is not the case. Sea levels have fallen for two years and Kansas is currently 'moist'. His knowledge of the Berlin Wall is not that hot either.
Never mind, you cannot fault him for his chutzpah! In Europe, he talked of the world leaders he will be dealing with for the next 10-12 years. So modestly he expects re-relection not to mention winning a third term, which currently isn't allowed under the US constition. There again, Maybe the USA really will have 57 states in a few years, as the ObamaMessiah currently believes.

Media bias: Follow the money

Interesting editorial from Investors Business Daily.
It helps explain the orgy of psychophancy concerning Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama.
It's something No Minister has covered before and it is reflected again this year.
The mainstream media is overwhelmingly Liberal.
This US story notes donations in cash terms to parties, to candidates from journalists.
And the Democrats win by a landslide.
Does this explain how they cover the news?
I wonder how much is similar in New Zealand.
Certainly, as a rightie, I tended to be in a small minority in the newsroom, sometimes a minority of one.
But if the journos, who are meant to be in touch with their readert, to serve them best, to protect and enhance newspaper sales, are overwhelmingly left, doesn't this mean they cannot reflect the interests, wishes and concerns of their readers.
And ultimately, we all suffer, from a media not doing its job, being out of touch and not serving their readers, and ultimately losing sales.
How else is the New York Times losing thes by the thousand, or indeed, our own Sunday Star -Times.
Disclosure: I am not a member of any political party, though I was a member of the UK Conservatives many years ago.

John Boy's up to the job!

The Weekend Herald presents part two of its unauthorised biography of John Key, just putting it online.
Again, I can't say I have read it yet, but what I have seen looks good.
How refreshing to have a would be prime minister who is bright, intelligent and has worked his way up from a state house to being a millionaire.
What a contrast to the dour farmer's daughter from the Waikato who has lived all her life in the public sector.
If John Key can make millions for himself, what can he do for a poor, inpoverished country?
When I had lunch with my mate who worked in public relations yesterday, he commented the Weekend Herald articles will have been all good publicity for John Key and National.
Key will have shown that anyone can make it too, and Key has had 'proper jobs' not living off the public tiot all his life. He too noted Liarbour did not contain anyone who had experience of the private sector.
Whale Oil offers a similar compare and contrast by looking at nine National Party candidates with nine from Liarbour.
It's the same old story. National's men and women, brown, black or white represent a much more diverse New Zealand, capable of understanding the feelings of New Zealand, respresenting the wishes of its voters, because they have experienced it.
The Liarbour lot are mainly white faces from the public sector. Do they know what's its like out there or have they become too cushioned for long?
Of course, life on the public tit can be lucrative. Helen Clark herself, is a millionairess, a landlord and owner of several properties. Hardly the working class sister Liarbour might have us believe!

Today's shocking nature report!

Shorter blustering peterus facing extinction?

The zoological community is finding increasing evidence that the shorter blustering peterus may be facing extinction.

Characterised by its immaculate pinstriped plumage and animal cunning, the peterus has defied previous predictions of its imminent demise because of its cameleon-like propensity for taking on the characteristics of former enemies when coalescing with other species.

Experts put this ability down to a lust for power which blinds the peterus to the contradictions in its easy assimilation into communities on which it has previously poured scorn.

The peterus has a parasitic relationship with the taxpayer which is aggravatged by a predisposition to pork barrel politics. It has several natural enemies including the media and anyone who thinks. It likes to give the appearance of integrity but has a weakness for baubles and while it would strongly deny this, it also has a history of hypocrisy.

Experts have not been able to explain the contradiction in the peterus’s predilection for gazing at its own image and its total lack of personal insight but many put it down to an unfortunate belief in its own superiority.

The species is semi nocturnal. Its natural habitat is late night bars but the peterus can also be found braying in the chamber. While it has a tendency towards ranging alone, the peterus can be charming and appears to be comfortable in crowds of sycophants like those found at Grey Power meetings.

It preys on the fears and prejudices of the insecure and the bewildered and has a symbiotic relationship with the blue-rinsed sub species of voter.

Scientists admit to several gaps in their knowledge of the species because of the difficulty in pinning it down and its inability to give a straight answer. They also display some wariness in approaching it because of its predisposition to rabid attacks when cornered.

The peterus has often displayed irrational behaviour and has been noticed recently digging furiously in a hole of its own making. Long time observers of the species admit to a grudging admiration for its ability to get out of tight spots in the past but believe that it may be too difficult for the peterus to extricate itself from this hole when it is so deep and becoming increasingly muddy.

Hat Tip: Homepaddock