Mike Smith

Mike Smith

Mike Smith

Strikes: One Law for All

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 28 comments

National’s  Labour laws announced today have new sanctions on workers’ strikes: parties will have to provide notice of a strike, and employers will have a new right to fine workers for “partial strikes.” Also today the Herald’s Insider  reports business reaction to Labour’s NZPower and invokes the threat of capital strike,  posed as a threat to an elected government’s right to govern. If Simon Bridges wants to see fairness,  then capital strikes by business should surely face the same constraints as worker strikes.

Axe-grinders of the world unite…

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 26 comments

Brokers and analysts, you’ve nothing to lose but your fees. (although there’s already been $200million from the taxpayer). Now Steven Joyce has turned to the axe-grinders for support. There couldn’t be a clearer indication that Joyce and National are on the side of investors with money to burn, while Labour and the Greens with are on the side of the consumers who worry about turning on the heater.

Power profits and the consumer

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 16 comments

New Zealand’s energy pricing over the last twenty years was thoroughly canvassed by Dr Geoff Bertram last year in a paper presented to the Fabian Society as part of its “Light-handed Regulation” series.  In the light of the Labour/Greens’ announcement last week about NZ Power his paper is well worth a read.

Exhuming the Dancing Cossacks

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 24 comments

Some commenters on PowerCo have said Labour/Greens will once again be devastated by ad’s like National’s famous “dancing cossacks.” I don’t think so. That ad attacked 1975 Labour’s compulsory superannuation plan. If  voters hadn’t been seduced by Muldoon then we would now have a sovereign wealth fund that would be in advance of Australia’s. Key and Joyce are like Muldoon – shysters.

Nats 40.5% in Roy Morgan

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 61 comments

I don’t think this is a rogue poll – and it came before the Powerco announcement! The trend line is certainly clear now and should reassure Eddie. John Key better get his knighthood sorted.

Clueless hicks?

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 31 comments

I live in Wellington and like it. I’ve just visited Auckland for a party, and it was fun for a day and a half. Separately, I  met some Aucklanders unusually riled up about the Government, and then read Matt McCarten in today’s Herald re Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith on Auckland’s gridlock! One does feel sorry for the northeners. Good billboard too.

Key shoots back(wards)

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 82 comments

John Key is under real pressure over the Solid Energy debacle. He got out the six-shooter – aiming at a 2007 speech by Trevor Mallard to try to blame Labour. Trouble is he’s shot himself. In 2011 he said  he “supported Solid Energy’s plan to dig up lignite and turn it into briquettes, saying the Government wanted companies such as Solid Energy, which is Government-owned, to expand.” Expect more shots from the lip.

Fabian “Voyage” comes to Christchurch

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 3 comments

Christchurch readers please open here InvitationA5_Mar2013_1 to find your invitation to this free “economic revue” at the Court Theatre, Sunday March 3, 1pm for 1:30. Speakers Bernard Hickey, John Walley, Rick Boven, Sel Pellett and Bronwyn Hayward; with Michele A’Court starting them off. Titanic-themed, how New Zealand can avoid the iceberg is the topic. All welcome.

Mr Answerer

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 70 comments

Oh dear. Lockwood Smith was by common consent one of the best Speakers we’ve had. David Carter seems to be heading in a different direction. Lockwood required Ministers to give direct answers. Today in the House Carter gave the answer for Hekia Parata, interpreting her words to  get her off the hook. He may well have put himself on one though, if that is the way he is going to go.

Bully Banks

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 25 comments

Good for Damien O’Connor. He’s calling for an enquiry into possible mis-selling of interest rate swaps to farmers. Good for Fairfax’s Rob Stock too, who has written extensively about this issue in the Sunday Star-Times. In Britain, it’s a huge story; their Financial Services Authority has said that more than 90% of these interest rate derivatives could have been mis-sold. Compensation is going to be paid; the only question is whether it will be in the millions or billions.

Reserve Bank admits problem, sits on hands

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 14 comments

Inflation is still below the Reserve Bank’s  target band of 1-3%. It says: “ This mainly reflects the impact of the overvalued New Zealand dollar.” The high and overvalued dollar keeps import prices down , but kills exporters who must provide for our economy’s future. The Reserve Bank’s obsession with the very different problems of the 1980’s means that as a country we are eating our seed corn.

Minister Tin-Ears

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 65 comments

New Zealand’s remaining world-class manufacturers are saying today they are sick of being told by politicians that they need to work harder when they have been doing that for years, but face a huge headwind from an over-valued dollar. Not a good time for Minister Tin-Ears, Steven Joyce, to give them that message.

And now from the real Labour Party…

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 143 comments

It’s been a good few days. Ratana on Thursday and Friday, and Young Labour Summer School today and tomorrow. And then there is David Shearer’s speech to come on Sunday, at the end of the Summer School.

Tell the truth

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 254 comments

Zetetic’s telling porkies. His talk of a rift in the Labour Party is crap. He hasn’t got a clue about  what went on the Party conference – the idea that there should be a membership-wide vote on the leadership was voted down in November by a large majority of the 600-700 delegates present.

Labour’s popular housing policy

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 122 comments

I’m delighted to see that over 70% of respondents to a recent Herald poll, published today, think Labour’s 100,000 houses plan is “a winner for Labour”. The plan was announced by David Shearer at Labour’s November conference. I’d also like to thank Olwyn for asking some questions about Labour’s policy on housing in response to Zetetic’s post – they deserve an answer.

Mud-slinging

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 232 comments

Khandallaviper asked today in Open Mike “What is characterising and feeding the ongoing divide?” when I said  our aim in setting up the Standard was not to “join Farrar in making the prospect of a Labour government the principal target for attack.” Links to Chris Trotter’s latest post on Bowalley Road, titled “Who is David Shearer?” provide a good example. Farrar slung the same mud three years ago.

Amidst th’encircling gloom…

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 227 comments

I was going to do a retrospective, but changed my mind – the message of Christmas is one of hope. Some indicators of better times in 2013: long-time leftie Matt McCarten makes Shearer his politician of the year, long-time righties Bob Jones and Rodney Hide go hard at Judith Collins for her unconscionable treatment of Justice Binnie, and in the middle Kerre Woodham winds up on Key’s failure to deliver. Time to balance things up a bit, I think..

Kia Ora Tariana

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 27 comments

Hon Tariana Turia has announced today that she will step down at the next election. She has served as a Minister in various portfolios in two different governments. We had our moments in the past, but it was very good to be able to thank her personally and profoundly ten days ago for what she has done as the Minister for Disability Issues at the recent Be.Leadership awards in the Grand Hall in Parliament. I’m glad she’s staying on as Minister; as she said on RadioNZ this morning, she can put her hand on her heart and say that what she did she did for the people.

Labour’s housing policy a winner

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 113 comments

Re Labour’s housing policy, announced by David Shearer at the Labour Party conference, John Armstrong says: “For the first time in a very long time, Labour has come up with something radical on the policy front which may grab the public’s attention, if not imagination – and which National cannot really get away with copying.”

Explaining is losing

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 73 comments

David Shearer had Key on the back foot today in the House over Labour’s housing policy. Even Speaker Lockwood Smith sat Key down for going on too long and off the point. He had to be rescued by Chief Whip Michael Woodhouse with a patsy question, but the leadership crack it was designed to bring out fell flat too.

Hager and Price on OIA 30 years on

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 4 comments

On the 30th anniversary of the Official Information Act, it’s worth pausing to ask: is it fit for service? Was it ever? Will the government pick up on the Law Commission’s recent recommendations? Will these make things better or worse? Author and investigative journalist Nicky Hager and media lawyer Steven Price will discuss these issues at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington on Monday 26 November at 5:30pm. All Welcome.

Keystone coups Mark 2

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 262 comments

David Cunliffe’s supporters have done him no good. I warned him about this months ago. The latest evidence comes from Greg Presland, spokesman for his electorate committee, going on Morning Report today. There may be a complaint made to the Party, although they haven’t decided yet, and they haven’t yet thought about what grounds there may be. Doesn’t sound that solid to me – I’m not sure they have a toe to stand on let alone a foot. Response to comments added.

Keystone coups

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 92 comments

I’m reading “The Life and Times of Lyndon Johnson.”  It’s fascinating, beautifully written, a must-read for anyone with an interest in politics. I recommended it recently to David Cunliffe, and he told me soon after he had got it. But he obviously hasn’t read it yet. His supporters’ clumsy attempt to make the Party leadership the focus of last weekend’s Conference backfired badly on him.

3 out of 3

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 39 comments

First Gillard, then Miliband, now Shearer – three Labour leaders who have completely turned things round with one speech. The result for Shearer – an energised Labour Party ready to work for victory in 2014, and plenty for kiwis to talk about over the Christmas break.

Don’t panic

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 77 comments

Twice this year we have seen Labour leaders  turn around perceptions of them and their party with one speech; Ed Miliband at the UK Party conference in November and Julia Gillard  in the Australian parliament in October. I think that calling for David Shearer’s head in the week before the Labour party conference is a sign of panic.

Australia yes, NZ No to Kyoto 2

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 45 comments

According to the Sydney Morning Herald “New Zealand has broken ranks with Australia and refused to sign up to a second round of the Kyoto Protocol. Australia joins the EU and a handful of other major greenhouse gas emitters in recommitting to the world’s only climate treaty. New Zealand joins other wealthy and high greenhouse gas emitting countries Japan, Canada, Russia and the USA in not signing up.”

Community Organiser beats Money-market Man

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 45 comments

Donald Trump says it’s not democracy, but that is essentially the story of the US election campaign. In the end, Democrat on-the-ground organisation beat Republican billion-dollar PACs. Obama’s background as a community organiser was crucial, while the Republican money came from the old economy. A good win, and much food for thought for us.

The Kirk years

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 12 comments

And now for something completely different – The Fabians are hosting an all-day seminar on the Kirk years in Auckland tomorrow at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls Grammar, starting at 9:30am. Click through to see a great line-up of speakers and registration information. All welcome.

US Justice and Dotcom’s birthday

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 9 comments

Judith Collins is going to the US and isn’t going to raise the Dotcom case we are told. I’ll bet the US Justice Department is though. They knew for a year Dotcom was going to be arrested on his birthday.

Spreading privilege

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 10 comments

This week I’ve been to see the surrealists at the Tate Modern in London, and read about the surrealists at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham. God knows what Cameron was talking about, with his  line about spreading privilege – Knighthoods for all? Everybody off to Eton and Oxbridge?

Fabian seminar – LHR & Work Safety

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: -

Hazel Armstrong will deliver the second presentation in the Fabian Light-handed regulation series on Monday night 8 October in Connolly Hall in Wellington at 5:30pm. It is very timely in the light of the current review of work safety. Hazel’s presentation will use deregulation in rail as a case study.  Its a salutary story. All are welcome to attend.

Political intelligence

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 10 comments

Ed Miliband’s speech was splendid. No lectern, no notes, no teleprompter for 65 minutes. Fluent, self-deprecating, funny at times, “One Nation Labour” wasn’t any timid move to the centre. Claiming the 99% for Labour’s project, Miliband at one stroke shifted the centre ground of British politics to the left, and the divide between Labour and the Conservatives to the 1% line. Brilliant.

Labour leadership

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 33 comments

I’ll be in Manchester tomorrow to hear Ed Miliband speak at the UK Labour Party conference. Labour are ahead in the polls, and Miliband’s leadership is more secure than Cameron’s or Clegg’s. Ed Miliband has surprised those who thought Labour chose the wrong brother. Ed is receiving plenty of free advice about what he should say; I suspect he will continue to be himself. Interesting parallels to New Zealand; I’m looking forward to it.

Implausible deniability

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 16 comments

There’s a lot of it about in right-wing parties at the moment. For John Key, John Banks and David Cameron it appears to be becoming the strategy of choice. It’s not working very well for any of them.