political parties

nz first

Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government: Style over substance or a guiding light for progressive politics?

Written By: nickkelly
Date published: - 33 comments

Critics have dismissed the Jacinda Ardern government as being one of style over substance. This is unfair given the challenges this government has faced and the policy achievements it has had. However, it is a government that has much work to do if it wins a second term. And its over-reliance on Jacinda as party leader is a huge strategic risk, especially when the governments front bench is perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be lightweight.

The test of MMP

Written By: weka
Date published: - 123 comments

With the left’s political fortunes having changed greatly in the past three years, and with more change on the way, does the left still want MMP?

One News CB Poll July 2020

Written By: te reo putake
Date published: - 132 comments

The July One News Colmar Brunton poll is out at 6PM. Has Judith Collins worked the oracle? Or is it another of Gerry Brownlee’s rogue polls?

Stay tuned …

UPDATE: Labour in the 50’s, National 32

Things that will die

Written By: advantage
Date published: - 90 comments

For three decades tourism has been the great tidal surge that has made many otherwise spiralling towns stablise, and in some cases expand.  Post Covid we are going to see some of these towns die.

Angry Ardern

Written By: advantage
Date published: - 86 comments

A challenging post where Ad challenges Jacinda Ardern and the Labour Government to do more.

What the Greens did

Written By: weka
Date published: - 39 comments

A round up of the Green Party’s achievements in the 2020 Budget: funding for nature, the commitment to ending violence, and public housing and insulation. And a look at the pragmatics of what the Greens can currently accomplish.

Winston’s Worries

Written By: te reo putake
Date published: - 30 comments

The Deputy PM has had a bad start to the week. His privacy court case has failed and now the SFO have said the outcome of their investigation into NZ First funding will be out before the election. Has Winston Peters finally run out of puff?

Covid-19 decision day

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 172 comments

Decision day for the Covid-19 lockdown and my personal view is that although the country has done well it is not quite in a position to ease the lockdown.

Matthew’s Magic Numbers

Written By: te reo putake
Date published: - 43 comments

Matthew Hooton has tweeted a series of numbers. They add up to good news for the Government.

UPDATE: Curia Polling reckons it’s even better for Labour!

The politics of gun control

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 180 comments

National and NZ First are frustrating the passage of the Arms Legislation Bill by raising issues that may appeal to extremists but will not make the country a safer place after the Christchurch massacre.

The trouble with MMP

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 93 comments

The trouble with MMP is that sometimes members of minority parties court media attention by being overtly racist.

WTAF NZ First?

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 148 comments

It has been reported that NZ First will oppose the Green’s attempt to make the country’s car fleet more sustainable and that it may hold up proposed gun law changes designed to address the problems clearly shown by the Christchurch massacre.

Pure clear water

Written By: advantage
Date published: - 44 comments

It’s probably time to notice why Jones’ Provincial Growth Fund had to step in and provide several million of funding to patch up the water supply emergency in Northland.

National’s donation reporting problem

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 25 comments

National’s recent donations returns suggest that a large total of their donations are made in the under $15,000 category, the benefit of which is that the donor’s identity does not have to be disclosed.  Update: The four accused have been named.

What was Winston thinking?

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 120 comments

It has been revealed that NZ First acquired photographs of its former President and two reporters emerged on the Whaleoil mark 2 site, raising the concerning possibility that Simon Lusk may be involved in helping NZ First.

The problem with opinion polls

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 77 comments

This week the Reid Research Poll predicted a Labour Green government and the Colmar Brunton poll predicted a National ACT government.  Which one will be proved correct?

The MPs go to Waitangi

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 93 comments

Yesterday the political parties were welcomed onto the upper Marae at Waitangi.  Jacinda Ardern took the occasion to give a stock take of what the Government was doing to address Iwi concerns, Andrew Little gave his speech totally in te reo, and Simon Bridges chose to use the opportunity to politic.

Bridges’ biggest gamble

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 103 comments

Simon Bridges has mimicked John Key and ruled out National working with NZ First after the election.  The difference is however that back then Key ruled out working with NZ First because NZ First was involved in a SFO investigation about the hiding of a $100,000 donation.  This time it is National.