John Key's pledge to wage war on gangs and in particular the very addictive drug known as 'P' (pure methametaphine) is fraught with difficulty.

Last week Meteria Turei was quizzed on TV One's Q and A about two Green MP's claiming the same parliamentary accomodation perk that has gotten Bill English (or the 'Double Dipper from Dipton' as Winston Peters has labelled him) into heaps of trouble.

The tragedy of last week's tsunami in Samoa and this week's earthquake in the Solomon Islands/Vanuatu region shows that Civil Defence needs to lift it's game.

The expenses row which has embroiled Bill English these past few weeks has raised one pertinent question - is he really from Dipton? Or is he a good ol' country boy who merely has settled in Wellington but yet claims to be from Dipton for official purposes?

This week John Key introduced himself to the American people by appearing on the popular NBC TV 'The Late Show With David Letterman.'

Sue Bradford's resignation bombshell has shocked many members of not only the Green Party but all those who wish for a better and more socially just society too.

About two weeks ago, I blogged about Michael Laws and his insulting words to a kura kaupapa Maori immersion class at Otaki Primary School who wrote to him regarding the use of the 'h' word in Whanganui's name.

Yesterday, Larry Baldock presented his latest citizens initiated referendum petition wording for approval by the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Last week I was not able to blog due to the fact that I have had a problem in changing over to a new internet service provider and consequently I missed the September 11th anniversary and the chance to blog about my views surrounding it on that very date.

Last week John Key said that New Zealanders could now kick the tyres of MMP at the upcoming referendum on the system to be held in conjunction with the 2011 election.

As a mature student at the University of Otago, I just have to make comment on the events which transpired around the Undie 500 at the weekend.

The 70th anniversary of the commencement of the Second World War should make us think of the sacrifices made long ago and yet how all unnecessary they were from an historical perspective.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Report into the economic and social status of children across thirty countries shows that the fall out from the New Right reforms of the 1980s and 1990s continues.

Today, it was revealed that Michael Laws had written a rude and dismissive letter to the mainly Maori pupils of Otaki Primary School in the Whanganui district (dare I add the 'h' word here for effect).

Recently, the Campaign Against Foreign Control Of Aotearoa (CAFCA) opened nominations for the Roger Awards, the annual award saluting the multinational company or state agency that has done the most to roger the New Zealand economy.

The recent spat over proposals to create Maori seats on the new Auckland 'super city' council between National's support partners, Act and the Maori Party, shows the real racist side of Act.

Finally, the last of the Kennedy brothers, Senator Edward (Ted) Kennedy has died at the age of 77.

This past Friday night, I enjoyed a few beers with one of New Zealand's pre-eminent political commentators, Chris Trotter.

Last week Gerry Brownlee released the long awaited ministerial review of the electricity sector. Once again it gave us the same old, same old....more market-driven competition and even less state involvement in electricity policy.

Late last week, Tony Ryall released the report of the Ministerial Review Group 'Meeting the Challenge' on the cost and other structural issues facing the health sector.

'Bad boys, bad boys, what 'ya gonna do? What ya gonna do when they come for you?'

That is the well known reggae-style theme to the popular reality trash TV show 'Cops'. Perhaps it could be better applied to our current Parliament where bad boy behaviour has come to the fore again lately.

This week John Key signalled that he was seriously mulling over whether or not to send the NZ Special Air Services (SAS) to Afghanistan to assist NATO and US troops in their fight against a resurgent Taliban. I say that the Government shouldn't do so.

Why?

Today, August 6th, marks the 64th anniversary of the dropping of the first nuclear weapon, in wartime, over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

One of the biggest opinion polls in New Zealand, the TV One-Colmar Brunton poll has just delivered another savage blow to Labour and its leader Phil Goff.

This week the Law Commission released a discussion paper recommending a number of changes to our liqour laws in the wake of growing evidence that we are a country which has a terrible binge drinking culture.

The release on Thursday of MPs travel, accomodation and expense claims makes interesting reading. In the wake of this year's jaw dropping expenses scandal in Britain, our politicians have been forced to follow suit and declare how they spend their taxpayer allocated funds.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett's decision to release information regarding the total benefit entitlements being paid to two Auckland Training Incentive Allowance (TIA) recipients, Natasha Fuller and Jennifer Johnston smacks of nothing short of fascist tactics.

Over the weekend, Climate Change Minister Nick Smith told TVNZ's 'Q and A' programme that he thought that the 40 percent carbon emissions reduction target was not achievable and far too expensive. Instead he wants New Zealand to sign onto a lesser target of around 25% by the year 2050.

Over the weekend few people may have noticed that the Progressive Party released a statement stating that it would not contest any future elections.

Justice Minister Simon Power's decision to effectively repeal the partial provocation defence in murder cases is a welcome one in the wake of the trial by ordeal that Clayton Weatherston subjected his victim Sophie Elliott's family to in the Christchurch High Court these past three weeks.