Broadcasting Standards Authority finds Mike Hosking’s election comments about the Māori Party inaccurate and misleading
“Further, his comments the following evening were confusing and insufficient to correct the inaccurate information for viewers.”
Politics
democracy under attack
The Herald thinks Jacinda Ardern is a Marxist
The Herald has equated Jacinda Ardern’s desire to temper the worst excesses of capitalism with the full embrace of marxist communism.
Making official Information flow again
“Ministers realised they had a device through which they could reduce the surprises they suffered. And, as it went on, the surprises ministers no longer wanted to experience became greater in number and smaller in significance.Increasingly, it placed on the public service a political imperative which it had never had to shoulder. “
Flynn cuts a deal while Trump scrambles
Donald Trump’s response to news of the arrest of Michael Flynn suggests that charges closer to the office of the President may be close.
National spams the Beehive
National has been clogging Parliament’s written question system by asking questions that even David Farrar thinks seem silly and are over the top.
Once again: National lost the election
A rebuttal of Nick Smith’s claim to have “won the 2017 election, but lost the coalition negotiations.”
Doofus of the week – Nick Smith
No competition in this one, Nick Smith for showing that despite the 27 long years he has spent in Parliament he still has no idea how our electoral system works and for claiming there is an electoral convention that simply does not exist.
TPP, Corporate Coup or “Free trade”?
However. TPP ( The trans Pacific partnership) is NOT a “Free trade” agreement. It is an attempt to cement in corporate power, to override inconvenient local Democracy, and collect rents from local communities in perpetuity.
Since when was giving large companies extra rights in law, and rights to extract even more economic rents, “Free trade”?
Jian Yang and his residence application
Just before the election news broke that National MP Jian Yang had previously taught in a Chinese University training spies. A recent OIA release of his immigration application raises further issues.
Catalonia
The predictable reactions of regional and world leaders.
This coming digital war
This is the first Labour Government of the digital age. How progressives respond to social media attacks may be crucial to its success.
“Reporters”.
“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.
Austria and Europe
Europe is showing a worrying trend to the right as anti immigration parties are voted into office. Austria provides the latest example.
Facebook and democracy
A long and interesting read in The Atlantic. “The very roots of the electoral system had been destabilized.”
Another term of Nats bad news for democracy
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.
There is hope
Anarchism and democracy.
The Herald doesn’t want Winston to go with Labour
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.
Today is the last day to enroll – and you should
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.
National pushing through with secret TPP talks before the election
“This continues National’s desperation to see a TPPA at any cost”
The Bullshit
National up, NZ Labour down, Greens dead? Really!?
This is how you change the Government – electorate vote Goldsmith if you are on the Epsom roll
For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.
Reasons to vote Green: the TPPA
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.
National enters panic mode and goes tough on beneficiaries
National has tried to divert attention from the budget hole fiasco by promising to get even tougher on beneficiaries.
A test for NZ media and democracy
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.
National plays the lauranorda card
National is panicking and Paula Bennett has gone full dog whistle in claiming that gang members should have less rights than others.
“All I can do … is tell the Truth”
“Our integrity and our role as Ministers in holding confidential information is absolutely pivotal to our role” Bennett 2017
Bomber Bradbury wins privacy complaint against Police
Bomber Bradbury has succeeded in getting the Privacy Commissioner to rule that Police accessing his bank records without a search warrant was illegal.
Corbyn-esque NZ
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.
NACT
“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?”
Digitally shaping the election
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?
National’s plans for mining and development of conservation land
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.”
The Rainbow Warrior was sunk 32 years ago today
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.
Dirty Politics 2017 style
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.
Oh Manchester …
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.
Slater v Craig – battle of the has beens
The High Court this week has been asked to dissect the decline of the Conservative Party and of the 2014 form of dirty politics.
Alfred Ngaro reprimanded for being “naïve”
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.