Solidarity forever …
Labour activists want a united Labour Caucus that focusses on the issues that matter. For the sake of the party we need to have a good humored leadership contest and then unity.
mickysavage
Eligibility to vote in Labour’s leadership election process
Has your Labour Party membership lapsed because you forgot to pay your membership fee or were upset? Do not despair. You may still be able to rejoin and have a vote in the leadership election process if you meet the criteria.
Big announcement at 1:30 … Shearer stands down as leader
It is confirmed that David Shearer has announced that he will stand down as Labour’s leader after a new leader is selected. The leadership will now be decided under the Party’s constitution.
Disgusting
Chris Finalyson’s contribution to the GCSB debate yesterday was a strong reminder that the job description for National MPs includes a requirement that they be rude and arrogant and a belief that they are somehow superior to the rest of us.
Is this a question buddy?
Yesterday Scoop’s Alastair Thompson started to ask John Key a really difficult question essentially about the unprecedented powers that Key is giving to the GCSB. Key responded by walking out of the post cabinet press conference. So much for being on top of his game. And last night’s Auckland Town Hall was a stunner. The Bill is due to be debated again today. If only a Government MP or Peter Dunne would develop some principles …
Paula Bennett plans legislative witch hunt
Paula Bennett’s latest idea is to remove the rights of natural justice for state employees who do not take the proposed child abuser vetting test, even though the test has not even been designed. Even for Paula the stupidity of this idea is extreme …
Auckland Council Elections out west
Some thoughts on the battles out west for seats on the Auckland Council.
Auckland Council Elections
Nominations are closed and Auckland Super City’s candidate lists have been published. Following are some comments on the Mayoral candidates. I also hope to post on the Councillor contests, where interest will be greatest.
Paula is abusing Child Abuse Prevention Orders
Paula Bennett has recently announced for the second time, although with a new name, the Government proposal for the introduction of Child Abuse Prevention Orders. These could result in people who have been acquitted of serious criminal allegations nevertheless being under effective house arrest for an extended period. How can a party that supposedly believes in the Rule of Law trash the Bill of Rights?
GCSB diversions and won’t anyone think of the kids?
When National is on the defensive it engages in acts of mass diversion. So under further pressure about its GCSB reforms it plans an increase in Ministerial Inquiry powers that would have Andrea Vance worried, and it is proposing that people acquitted of offences involving children are nevertheless subject to draconian restrictions on their liberty.
The Failed Estate – An Australian Blog to follow
With Australian elections just around the corner quality Australian political blogs will be in demand. If you want to read a refreshingly progressive and sophisticated analysis of Australian Politics I recommend Jim Parker’s blog Failed Estate. He writes with precision on issues such as the state of Australia’s media, the undermining of Julia Gillard, and the festering sore that is the boat people issue.
National attacks environmental protection … again …
National has announced further changes to the Resource Management Act. Predictably the proposals are designed to allow the Government to say that it is doing something about affordable housing but in reality they will, if enacted, further undermine and damage existing environmental protection.
Have Winston’s rights of privacy been breached?
Winston Peters has claimed in Parliament that the Police wanted to seize his telephone records because someone with a NZ First tshirt was outside the venue of the infamous Teapot tape incident. And Key’s office wanted to be kept in the loop. If true this another worrying attack on our rights of privacy by the state.
GCSB Bill to be debated today
The GCSB bill is due to be debated in Parliament this afternoon. It appears that the Government will have the numbers to pass the Bill but what will be of interest will be the linguistic somersaults Key will engage in to show why he should be allowed to strongly defend his own rights of privacy but trash Andrea Vance’s rights and Dunne will engage in to show that there is a principle at stake when he protects his rights of privacy but there is no need to protect our rights of privacy if the price is right.
The teapot tapes and Andrea Vance’s emails
The Herald reported this morning that the police had previously obtained a warrant to seize Bradley Ambrose text messages. It seems that in New Zealand a journalist’s rights of privacy do not count for much. And John Key’s actions to protect his privacy using extreme measures but more recently in trashing Andrea Vance’s privacy again with extreme measures are jarring.
Andrea Vance’s privacy breach is going to the Privacy Commissioner
In the latest episode of Kim Dotcom inspired craziness it appears that Parliamentary Services collated and sent Peter Dunne’s emails to David Henry clearly without Dunne’s permission. Dunne and Andrea Vance are understandably apopletic about this. Because this sort of stuff only happens in banana republics …
John Key trashes the Constitution
John Key is getting into the habit of trashing important constitutional principles. The freedom of the press, the independence of Parliamentary Services and the principle that even the Prime Minister is subject to Parliament and the Privileges Committee have all been attacked recently. What next?
How did Peters know that Dunne was gone?
Winston Peters knew before the Vance telephone use report was prepared that Peter Dunne was the leaker of the Kitteridge report. Either John Key has not disclosed all the information about the collection of Ministerial telephone records or Peters has a source within Parliamentary Services.
The end of the media honeymoon for John Key
The Andrea Vance telephone record debacle is extraordinarily badly timed for the Government. At a time when they are trying to give to the GCSB huge powers to spy on all of us this particular incident shows us what is at stake. It has incensed the fourth estate. Key’s relationship with the press will never be the same.
Andrea Vance’s phone records were handed to Henry by Parliamentary Services
David Henry did but didn’t get Andrea Vance’s phone records from Parliamentary Services and Speaker David Carter said that the information had not been disclosed but had been disclosed. And they expect us to believe that Henry did not look at the phone records despite asking for them.
Confused?
The Auckland Protest
Some photos from today’s Auckland protest. It was a great occasion. The question needs to be though, where to from here? This momentum needs to be built on.
GCSB Bill opposition heats up
The stop the GCSB Bill meeting in Auckland last night was well attended and had a series of high quality presentations made. A series of protests are planned for this weekend. Momentum is building …
Winston Peters, King Maker
Winston Peters may be the king maker after the next election. No wonder that John Key has started to court the person he said as a matter of principle he would never have in his Government.
GCSB law changes are a Dunne deal
I was hoping that Peter Dunne was going to make a stand on Kiwi’s rights of privacy. Looks like I was wrong …
Fairness at work and a living wage
The Government has been warned that the Employment Relations Amendment Bill is likely to breach ILO conventions. Bridges has responded by saying that the breaches “may not be significant”. Why is it that the Government gets all hard core when dealing with beneficiaries legal obligations but is so casual when it deals with its own obligations?
Kevin Rudd and the boat people
Kevin Rudd announced yesterday that boat people will not be allowed to apply for refugee status in Australia and instead will be shipped to Papua New Guinea and they will have to try their luck there. Tony Abbott thinks that the proposal is promising, Greens leader Christine Milne thinks it is ruthless and repugnant. It seems that Rudd will do and promise anything for power.
Peter Dunne’s chance to shine
Peter Dunne may be the best chance that we have of defeating the GCSB amending legislation. He has said that there is a principle at stake in that his rights of privacy have been breached and I believe that he is right. Time to seek his support?
Len is standing again
Len Brown has announced that he will again seek Auckland Super City’s mayoralty. I know this will provoke a mixture of views but style wise I think he is great and substance wise he has had successes but should have done more with MUNZ, the living wage project and Sky City.
Malala Yousafzei Respect
Malala Yousafzei must be one of the bravest young women in the world. She was shot by the Taliban for advocating for education of young women but refuses to be silenced. She recently had the opportunity to speak to the United Nations.
John Key threatens Human Rights Commission funding
John Key has criticised the Human Rights Commission for not submitting on time about the GCSB bill. But he fails to understand that the HRC has the obligation to report to him any time a bill may affect human rights. And to compound things he has made a veiled threat about the HRC’s funding.
If we do not sell our laws Sky City will gather all its toys and go home
Our MPs have been warned that if they do not pass the New Zealand International Convention Centre Bill Sky City will take its money and go overseas. With such PR it is amazing they are still in business …
John Key – Economic Miracle Maker
Our wonderful leader John Key is able to sell our assets, spend all the money and then some on his favourite projects, pay down debt and maintain our credit rating all at the one time. If you believe this there is a bridge that I would like to show you …
Is the Government bailing out Solid Energy using the Future Investment Fund or not?
The Government is planning to spend up to $100 million from the sale of one SOE, Mighty River Power, to prop up another SOE, Solid Energy. And the Prime Minister thinks one day that it definitely isn’t and the next day it may but it probably won’t and it is all too complex. Confused?
Pike River Compensation must be paid
Judge Jane Farish has ordered Pike River to pay $110,000 compensation for each of the families who suffered the loss of a loved one. But the various parties are not committing as yet to making sure that the compensation is paid. Justice demands that every cent is paid.
Bob Parker is gone …
Bob Parker has announced that he is not going to seek re-election to Christchurch’s Mayoralty. Given that the Council has lost the power to issue Building Consents, that its Chief Executive is on Gardening Leave and that insurance for its building consents has been withdrawn this is not surprising. There clearly is something wrong with the City’s governance. And you have to wonder why it took the Government so long to respond.
Outlawing Begging
Ironically during the week of Auckland’s big sleep out there has been a proposal to change Auckland Council’s by laws to provide for […]