Nationalism or patriotism?
Winston Peters appeals to the former but is the latter now a more important concept?
political parties
nz first
Marama Fox to Richard Prosser: how much more do we have to be dicked around?
The New Zealand First MP had no answers for the Māori Party co-leader after NZF pulled their support for five major Treaty settlements at the eleventh hour.
The trouble with polls
Labour has released its latest UMR polling which shows a dramatically different result to that of the latest Colmar Brunton poll.
Will Shane Jones stand for NZ First in Whangarei?
Rumours suggesting that Shane Jones will stand for New Zealand First in Whangarei at the next election have resurfaced.
Only unsustainable net migration fuels “growth”
Our National dipshit ministers have decided to start a new growth industry. They importing low-skilled to extract their savings, using them to generate artificial heat in the service economy and to slow wage growth. On the way through they’re also screwing the housing market. Our current net permanent long-term migration is completely unsustainable. Perhaps it is time to vote NZ First?
Roy Morgan August; Nat’s Down 7%
The latest Roy Morgan is out. A solid 7% drop for National.
RM: National Party support falls 2.5% to 43%
National support is down 2.5% to 43% in the latest Roy Morgan, just ahead of LAB/GR at 42.5% (up 1%).
Kiwi Values
Epsom hologram David Seymour reckons we need to force refugees to pledge allegiance to what he calls ‘values’. Of course, ACT don’t know value, they only know price. And haven’t we heard this sort of thing from another party in years gone by?
Labour Green MOU well received in poll
A modest bump for the Labour Green block in the latest Colmar Brunton. And what appears to be a shift from NZF to Labour after the MOU announcement. That might wipe the smile off Winston’s dial.
Boots Theory: On the M.O.U.
Will National agree to make Peters PM?
Just a little thought experiment.
Why is it that?
Why is it that elements of the media always claim that any sort of cooperation between Labour and the Greens will be disastrous for both parties?
Latest Roy Morgan Poll
The Latest Roy Morgan poll result has been released with both National and Labour recording a significant improvement in support. But Winston is still the king maker …
The poll shift and the flag fiasco
A straight 3.5% swap National to NZF looks to me like the impact of the flag fiasco.
Latest Roy Morgan poll result: National support plunges
The latest Roy Morgan poll results and National’s support has plunged.
Building a government in waiting
Good to see Andrew Little working on the practical politics of building a government in waiting.
Can We Trust Winston Peters?
Recent polling makes it clear that neither National or Labour can win power without the support of NZ First. So should the left be worried that Winston Peters will take his party back over to the blue team?
Fear is a Man’s Best Friend
It’s been an intense day or two for Andrew Little. But he’s still feeling better than John Key. Why? Because Key’s got the fear.
Could National lose Whangarei?
National are nervous about losing the safe electorate seat of Whangarei. Something tells me that the NATs will be fighting back hard come 2017.
Bridges to Nowhere
Lying, incompetent or duped. One of these descriptions applies to Transport Minister Simon Bridges. He’s been sprung allowing Kiwirail to mothball a rail line he has repeatedly said was not under threat. What did he know and when? If he didn’t know, why the hell didn’t he know?
Common ground at Abel Tasman National Park
The desire of many New Zealanders to put a beach in the South Island under public control presents the opposition parties with a great opportunity to identify and defend common ground.
Northland Fishing Competition
Winston Peters has stitched John Key up again, this time hook, line and sinker. When Key lied in Parliament about the Northland MP’s supposedly leisurely lifestyle, Peters offered a challenge: provide some evidence or donate $100k to charity. Will cowardly Key take the bait?
Little: Labour to Defy TPPA
Labour Leader Andrew Little has announced that the next Labour led Government will defy the TPPA’s attack on our sovereignty. Good on Labour – that’s the leadership we need.
TVOne’s reporting of the latest Colmar Brunton Poll result
The latest Colmar Brunton poll shows that the opposition block is solidly ahead of National. Yet One News chose to concentrate only on the preferred Prime Minister result and attack Andrew Little because of marginal change.
Lost the Plot
Winston’s solution to war and refugees.
A silly act: it begins
When Parliament passed the Harmful Digital Communications Act, many people warned that it would be abused to stifle political speech. And it has, with NZ First MP Tracey Martin incorrectly accusing a political blogger (who supported a rival NZ First MP) of violating the Act. A bad first start. But it figures, the act is silly, slow and unworkable.
NZ First’s long predicted demise isn’t going to happen
I am getting a bit bored with pundits proclaiming the imminent demise of NZ First. Over it’s 25 year life this has been the constant refrain from the likes of John Armstrong. The reality is that they appeal to a conservative mindset that traditionally had been part of the National parties internal coalition. They will keep eating at it.
Kia kaha New Zealand First
Winston Peters was thrown out of Parliament yesterday and New Zealand First MPs walked out in sympathy for raising points of order following a personal explanation from Anne Tolley where she corrected an answer to a parliamentary question that was clearly wrong.
The Fighting Foreign Corporate Control Bill
With support from Labour, the Greens and the Maori Party NZ First is promoting the Fighting Foreign Corporate Control Bill. The support of one more MP will be sufficient to sent the Bill to select committee for consideration.
TV One Colmar Brunton Poll
The latest One News Colmar Brunton poll is out. National drop one to 47%, Labour gain that point to lift to 32% , the Greens rise to 13% and NZ First are steady on 7 %. Consumer confidence plummets 9% points to just 36%.
China Crisis
Good on Labour for saying what needed to be said. Can they, the Greens and NZ First save the next generation of Kiwis from being tenants in our own land?
Includes Bonus Seinfeld reference!
A NZ First First; Winston outvoted in Caucus
The extraordinary battle for the Deputy Leadership of NZ First is over. Winston’s pick has been rejected by the NZF caucus and his grip on the party has loosened significantly. But what does this mean for Labour, the Greens and the prospects of a better Government?
Guest Post – What is Little’s vision for New Zealand?
A guest post from Ad following up from Mandy Hager’s recent post on Andrew Little exploring the question on what should be Labour’s, the Green’s and New Zealand First’s vision for New Zealand’s future.
Political Strategy for a Progressive Majority
Sir Michael Cullen discussed political strategy at the “Destination- Next Progressive Majority” seminars held recently by the Fabian Society in Auckland and Wellington. He started by sharing what he used to say to his students when they were facing a test – “never forget to state the obvious.” For a progressive majority that means “get more votes than the others” – he had some good ideas how.
The implications of Winston Peters’ Northland win
John Armstrong in the Herald and Tracy Watkins in the Dominion Post have both written opinion pieces on the implications of Winston Peters’ win in Northland which reach very similar conclusions.
Unintended Consequences
Winston Peters is poised to announce who will replace him on the NZ First list. It may even be someone who can lead the party after he retires. There’s one really obvious candidate; an ex MP suffering from relevancy deficit syndrome and keen to get back in the political spotlight. It’s ….