Latest FromJohn Armstrong on politics
![<i>John Armstrong</i>: After the disaster comes the politics](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong</i>: After the disaster comes the politics
Jim Anderton seems to have made it his personal mission to end the life-and-death lottery that working in underground mines has entailed.
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Key becoming more of a player in trade diplomacy](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Key becoming more of a player in trade diplomacy
The TPP was the only game in town during the APEC summit. That put John Key right in the thick of it.
![<i>John Armstrong</i>: Military cuts robbing Peter to pay Peter](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong</i>: Military cuts robbing Peter to pay Peter
The joke doing the rounds is that there seems to be no spare cash for anything more than hiring consultants to squeeze more money out of the Defence Force's budget to hire even more expensive consultants...
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Declaration featherlight but rich in symbolism](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Declaration featherlight but rich in symbolism
The declaration is so light on where the NZ-US relationship goes from here that it could have floated out of the Beehive on hot air.
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Labour rediscovers the joys of the good old ways](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Labour rediscovers the joys of the good old ways
Labour's annual conference proclaimed the neo-liberal economic experiment to be well and truly over - the biggest shift in that sphere since the Rogernomics revolution.
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Carter a loose cannon](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Carter a loose cannon
Chris Carter's warnings at Labour's hearing last night would have shown national council members he could no longer be trusted.
![<i>John Armstrong</i>: Sorry, Your Majesty, my country needs me](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong</i>: Sorry, Your Majesty, my country needs me
Cabinet ministers know they have to work miracles in the limited window they have before those affected by the quake tire of their plight and the Government becomes the target of blame for things not being fixed
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Politics permeate post quake actions](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Politics permeate post quake actions
The political stakes have suddenly become very high as the enormity of the earthquake's impact becomes more and more apparent.
![<i>John Armstrong</i>: A textbook example of crisis management](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong</i>: A textbook example of crisis management
Watching John Key and Bill English dispose of South Canterbury Finance was a bit like watching a python swallowing an antelope.
![<i>John Armstrong:</i> Key walks a tightrope over ailing finance firm](/pf/resources/images/placeholders/placeholder_l.png?d=791)
<i>John Armstrong:</i> Key walks a tightrope over ailing finance firm
John Armstrong writes that John Key must reassure investors that their cash is safe, while minimising the taxpayers' burden.