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In May, they were promising growth would be 4.2% in 2012. By October, it was 3.3%. November, 2.5%. December, 1.5% .... with 'downside risks' aplenty. Looks like we're going to be waiting on that brighter future a while longer. Vernon Small points out there's no…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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David Parker has withdrawn from the leadership race of the Labour party according to Stuff. Predictably Kiwiblog, Stuff, and probably the other right-wing media fools are using this as an opportunity to hype up David Shearer as an easier opponent for John Key. It is…
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It worries me that the media and right wing are trying to take control of the Labour Leadership contest. There's no great hurry with Christmas around the corner (no new leader is going to get a lot of traction over the summer holidays), but the…
david cunliffe david parker democratic participation labour leadership Media Shane Jones
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Ubiquitous Tory blonde #5 (Jo Goodhew?) was on Backbenches last night. At the factory where these Nat backbenchers are stamped out, they're programmed to say 'John Key' whenever possible. It went wrong, though, when Goodhew said she was proud to be a reelected member of…
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Law firm Chapman Tripp has taken it upon itself to summarise the business community's expectations for National's second term. From a summary in the NBR: 80% 'starting out' wage on the way Further labour market deregulation will be among the 'new' government's policy priorities, according…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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If Phil has had enough of the sh!# thrown at him and wants to get out of the way and relax back into a mere 60 hour week working for his constituents, fair enough. But Labour would still be better off with a protracted positive…
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Plenty has already been written on the shamefully low turnout in the election. This editorial is typical: Low voting turnout a product of many factors Until 30 or so years ago, it was customary for 85 to 90 per cent of those New Zealanders eligible…
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In the Budget, we were told to expect 4.2% growth in 2012, which would make getting back into surplus and creating jobs possible. The Pre-election Update reduced it to 3%. Now, the OECD says '2.5%, providing Europe doesn't go to crap .. oh, and Europe's…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Wow! In what must be a record for broken promises, National have on Day 1 of government delivered a letter to Forest and Bird that they will renege on their promise of public consultation before allowing mining on public conservation land. Denniston will be mined,…
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Have just received an email from Labour's President Moira Coatsworth. Phil Goff and Annette King to resign effective December 13. Moira Coatsworth urging all Party members to make their views known to their MPs about the new leadership.The caucus will make the decision but members…
Annette King david cunliffe david parker labour leadership phil goff
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In trivia news over in the US at present, there is the unedifying sight of the right trying to portray themselves as victims. From the Economist blog "Democracy in America" on Mitt Romney's political ad: The ad, as we all know by now, shows Barack Obama…
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No Right Turn takes Key to task on his perception of a "large majority": So, John Key thinks MMP is "weird": Prime Minister John Key says MMP is a "weird" system when National can win a large majority but Parliament remains tightly balanced.[...] "But it's…
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I'm calling it right now. This is last election where the Maori Party will return MPs. It has gone from 5 to 3 MPs, 2 of whom are retiring this term, and the survivors have had their majorities slashed (on the back of scandalously low turnouts).…
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Looks like Labour will have a proper leadership comp with Goff as caretaker till early next year. Good. Let's get to know the options. Labour needs to get this right. Because the next Labour leader needs to be the next PM in 2014. Needs to…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The media are all telling us Phil Goff will tell us he intends to stand down as leader tomorrow. It seems John Key has already picked his replacement, despite not actually being a member of the Labour Party (although at one point he did think…
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Doing the rounds. If anyone knows the original source post in comments and we'll link to it. Update: From Brian Edwards in comments - these appeared first on his site, from an anonymous friend. Check it out - there are other examples.
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Not wanting to get into a fight with my fellow lefties (and authors!) who advocated a vote for NZ First, but did you want an 8th NZ First MP instead of the excellent Raymond Huo? The dangers of voting strategically... (and a reason to lower…
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There can be no clearer message about what type of campaigning pays dividends for Labour than the images from Keith Ng's party vote page. [Upate: I misunderstood this graphic at first - it is of electorates where Labour's Party vote exceeded National's. r0b] The islands…
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One can understand why John Key is 'speed dating" to form a one-seat majority in the upcoming Parliament. His honeymoon is likely to be a lot shorter in the next term of government, given the state of the world economy. It is quite different for…
Annette King greens labour leadership Left nz first phil goff politicans
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Do polls reflect public opinion or do they shape it? Bit of both of course, but my guess is there's more of the shaping effect than is really good for us. I think NZ is way over-polled, and consequently polls are way over-discussed. For the…
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The Greens can be very proud of their achievement this election. With 13, probably to become 14, seats, they have achieved the second-best ever result for a minor party under MMP. They have succeeded in becoming credible to mainstream New Zealand and, in doing so,…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The specials are going to be crucial in a number of seats, and to determine whether National can form a majority without needing the Maori Party or the Greens. National could easily lose 2 seats on specials, leaving 58. Banks and Dunne bring 1 each,…
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I'm just back from cleaning up our election day HQ after last night's party. With apologies to lefties who aren't feeling too flash today, and with particular sympathies to Labour MPs who didn't make it back, I had a good election night. We (Dunedin North) won…
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I agree with Anthony Hubbard in today's SST "Turning the spin around" - not yet on-line. The most outrageous piece of spin in the election was Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem's justification for allowing the Treasury to refuse to release documents relating to asset sales as…
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Firstly, congratulations to all those who won and condolences to those who didn't (political friend and enemy alike). Some thoughts, in no particular order: John Key says he doesn't need the Maori Party but if the specials come in like they did in 2008 he…