TV3 Leaders Debate, Monday 3 November 7.00pm

DECISION 08 - THE DEFINING DEBATE, Monday 7.00pm, TV3 Watch full TV3 debate

It's decision time. 3 NEWS goes live with the 'defining debate' between Prime Minister Helen Clark and National Leader John Key. Just days from the election, John Campbell will pose all the questions you want answered, so you can decide for yourself.

This TV3 debate is the second to last leaders debate before the November 8 Election. 

The last debate before the election is on TV One Wednesday, 7.00pm, November 5.

John Key won the first leaders debate screened on TV One 14 October 2008.

Related Video

Ist TV One leaders debate

Watch full TV3 debate

c Political Animal 2008

Tell those bastards I need a helicopter

Photo from Whaleoil

"...tell those bastards I need a helicopter. Don't give me this crap about the machine needing repairs" Winston Peters talking about the Vela Brothers.

He denied using a helicopter for election campaigning on Agenda yesterday. Either this is Peters Doppelganger again or it is Peters himself.

c Political Animal 2008

Dont vote Labour because: Shower head restrictions

A series of advertising messages urging you not to vote Labour this Saturday 8 November.

Labour will restrict the water flow in your shower should we be unlucky enough to have them back again in November.

Baths will be next on the list and a whole series of other related household interference looks set to follow.

They have already banned regular lightbulbs and open fireplaces that use renewable wood, dont let your flow be resticted to a trickle.

Vote against nanny statism, dont vote Labour this November 8.

c Political Animal 2008

Sky City quarter results good by half

My reasons for praising Sky City Entertainment [SKC.NZ] management a few months back have been vindicated.

The most recent quarters results have been mildly pleasing, given the recession New Zealand has been operating under for most of 2008 and the associated drain on revenue from lower discretionary spending.

That has had an affect on New Zealand casino operations and especially the Auckland casino, currently the company's main profit driver and revenue earner.

It is difficult to be hard on the Auckland casino result because current economic conditions make like for like comparisons hard but the 2% revenue drop is reasonably acceptable to this shareholder.

Much more encouraging however are the quarters results from Australia.

Given that the Adelaide casino have recently introduced a smoking ban, its flat revenue results are very pleasing to me.

When introduced in New Zealand, revenues were crimped by more than 5% and the previous strong revenue growth up to that point stopped when the smoking bans were introduced .

I have banged on strongly about Sky City's Darwin casino and it has delivered the goods to the tune of a 7% rise in revenue for the latest quarter. A spectacular rise, but shareholders should note it could be pegged back with recent falls in commodity prices, the booming mining industry the main reason behind the historical revenue increases.

Long-term that should settle back into strong growth though and I pick the Darwin casino to be the main revenue earner within 5 years.

A good buy when it was purchased off MGM Grand, and I was one of the only positive commentators about that purchase at the time.

You have been told!

Nigel Morrison's appointment at the beginning of this financial year turned out to be a turning point for the company and his decisions so far have paid off. The next year- as it will be for most New Zealand companies-will be the true test of his management abilities. He needs to balance possible revenue slowdowns with increasing business costs and that will not be easy as gamblers put their purses away.

Once again the recent quarters results have found Sky City Cinemas results disappointing and things are likely to get worse over the next twelve months.

Sky City shares were up 10c on the news in an overall positive market.

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Sky City @ Share Investor

Sky City Entertainment: 2008 Profit Analysis
Sky City Entertainment 2008 Full Year profit results , NZX release, 2008 full year presentation, result briefing webcast, financial statements
Sky City 2008 profit preamble
Sky City outlines a clear future plan
As recession bites Sky City bites back
Sky City Assets: Buy, sell and hold
Why did you buy that stock? [Sky City Entertainment]
Sky City Share Volumes set tongues wagging
Sky City half year exceptional on cost cutting
NZX Press release: Sky City profit to HY end Dec 2007
Sky City Cinemas no Blockbuster
Sky City Entertainment share price drop
New Broom set to sweep
Sky City Management: Blind, deaf and numb
Sky City sale could be off
Opposition to takeover
Premium for control
Sky City receives takeover bid
Sky City Casino Full Year Profit to June 30 2007
Setting the record straight
Sky City CEO resigns
Sky City Casino: Underperforming
Sky City Casino 2007 HY Profit(analysis)
Sky City Casino 2007 HY Profit

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