Two Bubbles Bridges’ Big Day Out
Simon ‘Two Bubbles’ Bridges feels he’s entitled to flaunt the rules because he’s, ahem, essential.
Politics
democratic participation
Covid-19 and a digital democracy
Government has for the last decade been pushing for as many government services as possible to be primarily accessed digitally rather than face-to face. Funnily enough, the one public service they forgot to push to digital is themselves. Now’s the time Trevor.
Green Party call for national discussion on political party funding and donations reform
It’s clear that Parliament is incapable of meaningful reforms to itself, as some political parties have a vested interest in the status quo, a citizens’ assembly would remove bias around these important decisions.
– NZ Green Party
Bridges’ biggest gamble
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.
Democratisation by Social Media and the Internet Is Just Meaningless Waffle
Social Media and the Internet are literally in our faces 24/7 but our political engagement is diminishing.
The British Election result 2019
Democracy is a precious thing, and not something that can be taken for granted. Having an electoral system where every vote matters is crucial to creating a decent society. It is time that the UK started seriously debating electoral reform and how to improve its democratic systems.
How to counter angry boomer campaigns
The UK election was won not by Russian bots but by older voters with limited technical skills circulating poorly designed ads. What can be done in New Zealand to counter what is clearly a right wing campaign tactic?
Listening to left wing dissent
What stands out for me are the voices of the people who are saying actually, there were solid reasons for abandoning Labour, this is why I did. There’s something important here about really listening to dissent and being willing to engage with views that don’t make sense in the context of our own personal ideologies.
Bouganville and Brexit
The island of Bouganville has just had a vote towards independence from Papua New Guinea. The result has interesting similarities with the Brexit vote.
Protecting democracy
We need to normalise a political culture based on real relationships, where people can work through their beliefs and thinking about how they want society to be without being constantly bombarded with information and processes that are deeply anti-human.
Government to ban foreign donations to political parties
The Government has announced that it will pass under urgency changes to the Electoral Law to ban overseas donations.
Two Referendums Too Many
The referendums on two contentious issues could cloud and crowd out the General Election.
Brittle cities
It is pretty hard to miss a variety of cities around the world going nuts for apparently minor offences.
NZ First Youth drags party screaming and kicking into 20th century
At New Zealand First’s weekend conference the party’s youth wing has forced the party to rethink its ultra conservative view on pill testing services being offered at festivals.
2019 local body election results
Discussion post for live election results and turnout stats.
Will online voting solve the turnout problem
Auckland Council voting returns are very low. But is the problem voter apathy or is our postal system not up to scratch? And will digital voting be a panacea?
Strike for Climate today
Countrywide events for today’s Strike for Climate.
Local government: who to vote for?
Resources for progressive voters, on candidates in the 2019 local body elections.
National gather fuel for their political dumpster fires
Not so much Zero Carbon as Zero Shits. While National look set to monkey-wrench our climate legislation, we can remember that the real power in addressing the climate crisis lies outside of parliament.
The strange case of the missing Oregon Republican State senators
Republican State Senators in the state of Oregon have headed for the hills and are being protected by a local nut job militia in an effort to thwart the democratically elected majority from doing passing a law to address climate change.
Tiananmen Square’s Failed Revolution
Right now we could be dealing with a China with a similar mixed model to Vietnam, or a re-unified country like Germany. What happened to change this?
Reflections on Free Speech and Public Discourse
Silencing dissonant voices only leads to more and stronger dissonant voices and further radicalisation.
MSSA Bill reported back
The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee has reported back the Arms Amendment Bill which will ban the general availability of military style semi automatic weapons with only modest changes.
David is delayed
David Seymour has done something even more embarrassing than twerking on Dancing with the Stars.
James Casson and why YOU should Stand for Council
Hamilton City Councillor James Casson has been exposed as a bigot. You can help rid NZ of people like him in just a few months. Time to put your best foot forward, Standarnistas!
Did Hanson’s One Nation Party seek funding from the NRA and the Koch Brothers?
Pauline Hanson’s One Australia party is trying to defend claims that it should funding to oppose gun restrictions from the NRA and the Koch Brothers by stating that its chief of staff was drunk.
Ardern backs students striking for climate change
Jacinda Ardern has publicly supported the School students strike about climate change and urged them not to underestimate the power of their voices.
Landlord advocates threatening rent increases if Labour wins next election
A landlord has advocated that all landlords should threaten to increase tenant’s rentals if Labour wins the next election.
The Green’s electoral law reform petition
The Green Party’s launching of a petition to seek changes to the electoral system has met with some Trumpian style rhetoric from the right.
Legalize it!
A new poll shows solid support for legalising cannabis. Is the 2020 referendum a done deal?
The Race To Replace Trump has Started
Elizabeth Warren has announced that she will be seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination to be the 46th President of the USA. With the Republicans unsure about whether Trump will run again due to the difficulties of campaigning from Federal prison, the Presidential election should be a shoo in for the Dems. Warren is just the first; there will be many more candidates who will see this as the opportunity of a lifetime.
Go Democracy Go!
It’s going to be a strong year for democratic politics.
We’re All Penguins Now.
To jump or not to jump? Is “not jumping” about to mean “left behind”?
My civics – the New Zealand civil war
While looking at a missing post on Briefing Papers, I ran across some material on deficiencies in our current education regime looking at our civil war in the 19th century. So I wrote this post about why I personally think that it matters.
Auckland’s got a Bridge.
London’s bridges were closing down.
All that is wrong with America’s democracy
In Georgia, despite the Repbublican candidate who oversaw the election process engaging in the mass disenfranchisement of Democrat voters, the removal of voting machines to make voting in Democrat areas more difficult and baseless smearing of the Democrat candidate, the result is on a knife edge and a second vote is a possibility.