Clark passes the buck on parenting

PHIL DOYLE/Sunday Star Times

It seems it is never too early in election year for the great
leader to be kissing babies.


If the photograph isn't scary enough, the fact that Clark is whispering around the traps that she may extend the pointless maternity leave to 13 months should put the fear of Allah into employers around the country.

It is hard enough for employers at present, given the extra expense laden on them by this welfare scheme.

They are seriously expected to keep a job open for 13 months? There is also talk of it applying after no minimum time at the applicant's job.

Not a good incentive to employ women dear Helen.


c Political Animal 2008

Auckland Electoral Finance Act protest 2008

Bob Clarke, WW2 Hero.


I shook this mans hand, Colonel Bob Clarke, a Veteran of WW2. He had large calloused old hands but it was a reasonably firm shake.

I thanked Bob for his efforts more than 60 years ago, to fight and possibly die for my right to freedom of speech. I was truly humbled in his presence.

He was too frail to march down Queen Street, but he was there at Britomart to listen to John Boscawen and others fight against the anti democratic and anti free speech Electoral Finance Act.


Part of the 500 strong protest down Auckland's Queen St today in protest
over the anti free speech Electoral Finance Act.


Well, there was a small group of around 500 protesters who silently marched up the main Street of Auckland to protest this act.

I only heard about it myself on Thursday so it was a bit of a push for me to get there myself but myself and my good wife did.

No politicians were invited, but Jackie Blue, a Minister from the National party opposition was there at the front. Big balls Jackie! Shame your leader was too gutless to come down.

The march took about 20 mins to finish and there were speeches at Britomart when the crowd assembled with their placards and tape across their mouths, symbolising the right to free speech that the Electoral Finance act has now taken away.



Your's truly strangely quiet for a change. My
wife loved it!


Once again John Boscawen should be given much thanks for his efforts. He is organising more protests in the coming weeks all around the country.

The next march will be in Winston "Baubles" Peter's former seat, the sunny seaside village of Tauranga. I will keep you all informed here about times and details.


Related Political Animal reading

Electoral Finance Act March Mar 9, 2008
Electoral Finance Bill Vote
NZ losses democratic freedom
Mike Moore turns the knife
List of MPs who voted for Act
Cartoon and comment
Auckland Protest against EFB
The purpose of the Bill is clear


Images & Content c Political Animal 2008

Electoral Finance Act protest Sunday 2.00pm, Mar 9, Auckland

If you don't know already, there is a silent march against the anti democratic Electoral Finance Act to be led by John Boscowan, up Auckland's Queen Street today, March 9 2008.

Meet at 2.00pm outside the Town Hall and the march kicks off at 2.30pm and continues to Britomart.

I was questioning my participation earlier this week but speaking to Winston Peters on Thursday made up my mind.

He asked himself if anyone's free speech had been affected by this Act and answered himself in the negative-a typical Winston "conversation".

Id like to remind readers that 21 year old Andrew Moore's website was shut down by the Electoral Commission because of it and even the Labour party were hoisted by their own petard this week when a DVD they produced and released recently breached the Act.

Please get out there and show you care about democracy. My wife and I will be there and are willing to be branded "obscure" and "extreme" by the great dictator on Monday morning.

I was excited on my first march in November but now I'm just pissed off.

Pictures and story to follow here latter.


Related Political Animal reading

Electoral Finance Act March Mar 9, 2008
Electoral Finance Bill Vote
NZ losses democratic freedom
Mike Moore turns the knife
List of MPs who voted for Act
Cartoon and comment
Auckland Protest against EFB
The purpose of the Bill is clear


C Political Animal 2008

Michael Cullen speaks with forked tongue

c Emmerson 2008



Some days it is hard to take Dr Cullen seriously. Today is one of those days.

While commenting about his tax cuts this year, engineered to buy the 2008 general election he let a sly one past.

I had a loud chortle to myself when listening to a Newstalk ZB audio clip live from the exciting port metropolis of Napier, that the main reason for New Zealand's record high interest rates was the current "credit crunch" that the world was facing and we would also be facing higher food and energy prices.

It slipped his mind(who's slippery now Mike), perhaps after a chardonnay or three, that the reasons for high interest rates and other rising prices was the fault of himself only.

Let me dispel the myths Dr Cullen!

Record high government spending by Labour on wasteful social engineering schemes has pushed up our official interest rates to 8.5% up from half that before Labour began its sentence on its citizens back in 1999.

A plethora of extra taxes including : employment, ACC, fiscal drag, electricity and gas taxes has led to higher inflation and therefore increased food prices.

What is really scary though is that Cullen is set to add even more taxes onto our already burdened and beaten economy in the form of a whole host of nonsense global warming taxes.

Up to 20c a litre of petrol will be added by local and state government this year and carbon credit trading will add additional cost to everything we buy, be it a service or product. In effect it is like another GST, except we don't know how much that extra cost will be.

Allan Bollard mentioned the added inflationary costs of these GW taxes but our mainstream media seemed to have collective ignorance over these basic economics.

Cullen has strangled the economy so hard with his overburdened taxes and spending, last month taxes actually dropped by over $700 million.

Don't be fooled, Dr Cullen is a bright man, regardless of his mis management of the economy over the last 9 years.

He has a philosophically socialist agenda though, with all its attendant consequences(and expenses) and he is clearly sticking to it come hell or high water.

More than ever now we need tax cuts, they stimulate economies, especially during dark times like these.

Dr Cullen's track record is poor, his handling of the economy during economic conditions the best we have had in generations borders on the slippery. He has crowed for the last 9 years about his results, given these conditions, which he had no influence on, but now abdicates that responsibility now that the brown stuff has hit the you know what.

Hang on, if you are a socialist you can take the plaudits for something you didn't do and abdicate responsibility for your failures, all at the same time keeping a straight face.

You cant have it both ways Dr Cullen.


Related Political Animal reading

Cullen's history on tax cuts comes back to haunt him
Global Warning: Tax iceberg ahead
Carbon credit trading puts global markets at extreme risk
Global Warming: Power to the people
Wednesday Political Soup: Edition 3 2nd story down - Let them eat cake



c Political Animal 2008