Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, October 17th, 2017 - 56 comments
“Once upon a time, in a world far away” we had these people called “reporters”.
An honourable profession, who considered it their job to keep the public accurately and completely informed.
Written By: - Date published: 2:07 pm, October 16th, 2017 - 20 comments
Europe is showing a worrying trend to the right as anti immigration parties are voted into office. Austria provides the latest example.
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, October 16th, 2017 - 27 comments
A long and interesting read in The Atlantic. “The very roots of the electoral system had been destabilized.”
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, October 13th, 2017 - 64 comments
It’s starting to feel a lot like 1996 all over again. Another term of the Nats would be bad news for the institutions of democracy. We’ve had recent warnings on the state of the justice system, press freedom, and the public service.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, October 4th, 2017 - 22 comments
Anarchism and democracy.
Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, October 1st, 2017 - 132 comments
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, September 22nd, 2017 - 34 comments
Today is the last day you can enroll to vote in the election. Historically far too many people in the 18-24 age group have not enrolled. The same again would suit the Nats very well indeed.
Update: Newsroom: “A record turnout of early voters suggests a youthquake in action – and the polls might be wrong.”
Update: If you are trying to enrol and the queues are long, here are the other ways you can do it, including online!
Update: you can enrol up until midnight Friday online, and then vote at a polling station on Saturday. Details here.
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, September 17th, 2017 - 23 comments
“This continues National’s desperation to see a TPPA at any cost”
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 84 comments
National up, NZ Labour down, Greens dead? Really!?
Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 32 comments
For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.
Written By: - Date published: 12:58 pm, September 9th, 2017 - 63 comments
A strong Green Party presence in government is the best way to prevent the TPPA, and is critical in protecting NZ’s environment and social and political sovereignty.
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, September 8th, 2017 - 27 comments
National has tried to divert attention from the budget hole fiasco by promising to get even tougher on beneficiaries.
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, September 5th, 2017 - 23 comments
The Nats are not backing down from their $11.7bn lie. The media need to call it loudly for the big lie that it is. This is now a test for NZ’s democracy.
Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, September 4th, 2017 - 42 comments
National is panicking and Paula Bennett has gone full dog whistle in claiming that gang members should have less rights than others.
Written By: - Date published: 2:47 pm, August 30th, 2017 - 50 comments
“Our integrity and our role as Ministers in holding confidential information is absolutely pivotal to our role” Bennett 2017
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, August 28th, 2017 - 47 comments
Bomber Bradbury has succeeded in getting the Privacy Commissioner to rule that Police accessing his bank records without a search warrant was illegal.
Written By: - Date published: 6:17 pm, August 9th, 2017 - 13 comments
This post was written and ready to go and then news of Metiria Turei stepping down hit. Some of it might read a little strangely because of that. I’ve changed some of the tenses used.
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, August 9th, 2017 - 5 comments
“Here’s a new idea for the Tories: Why not ask a simple question every time you propose a course of action: Is this morally just?”
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, July 30th, 2017 - 22 comments
Social media offers a rich tool for profiling voters and targeting election advertising or informal messaging. There’s a good piece on RNZ today looking at the issue. How long before we see the methods used by Brexit and Trump campaigns employed in NZ?
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, July 12th, 2017 - 52 comments
Forest and Bird: ““The Government is seeking to give themselves the powers to push through controversial and damaging projects that would otherwise fail because they breach environmental limits.”
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, July 10th, 2017 - 19 comments
Thirty two years ago today the French Government committed an act of Terrorism on New Zealand soil on a peaceful organisation dedicated to protecting our environment.
Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, June 8th, 2017 - 27 comments
Latest polls and some anecdotal evidence from the doorstep are showing a move back to the Tories in Britain. If so it may in part be due to last-minute dark and dirty personally targeted Facebook advertising to voters in marginal seats. They cost so will need to be watched later on here.
Written By: - Date published: 2:19 pm, May 23rd, 2017 - 242 comments
Terrible news from Manchester where two explosions have killed at least 19 people and injured many more. This post will be updated as more news comes in.
Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, May 21st, 2017 - 22 comments
The High Court this week has been asked to dissect the decline of the Conservative Party and of the 2014 form of dirty politics.
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 am, May 15th, 2017 - 53 comments
Alfred Ngaro has apologised to the Prime Minister for threatening the funding of voluntary organisations critical of the Government, not for expressing the views or even thinking them but for being naïve.
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, May 14th, 2017 - 78 comments
Alfred Ngaro has told a National Conference that critics of the Government can expect to lose Government support for proposed contracts. And that Labour prompted concern about families living in cars.
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, April 28th, 2017 - 14 comments
Discussions of the MfE Our Fresh Water 2017 report to be held in workshop that excludes the public and the media.
Written By: - Date published: 2:11 pm, April 27th, 2017 - 59 comments
Probably not, but after 9 years of Brighter Future / Dirty Politics it certainly can feel that way.
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, April 26th, 2017 - 79 comments
The French Presidential run off presents worrying signs for progressives. Why is the electorate sliding to the right?
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, March 10th, 2017 - 32 comments
A couple of racist groups seem to be hawking their wares recently. Unfortunately this may herald the start of a dirty election, dragged down by well funded and unaccountable pressure groups.
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, March 2nd, 2017 - 34 comments
Radio New Zealand has reported on a review of the Government’s housing policy which described it as fragmented and lacking a robust plan but it took intervention by the Ombudsman to have the review released.
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