So NZ Labour wanted the Headlines.
Well, now they have them. But…
elections
election 2017
Greens and the Māori Party on the new Labour leaders
Coalition partners in the wings, game on for the left.
Labour leadership announcement – livestream
The livestream is over. A very impressive performance from Jacinda Ardern.
Thank you Andrew – go well Jacinda!
Unlike lprent I am not discouraged by Little stepping down. New leadership is a real opportunity for Labour. Little: “As leader, I must take responsibility for these results. I do take responsibility and believe that Labour must have an opportunity to perform better under new leadership through to the election.”
Little gone
Andrew Little has stepped down – expects Jacinda to replace him.
ACT in blue – gives up all pretense
NZF members are lefties – will they get a say in choosing government?
Current polls leave National/minor and Labour/Green both short of majority. The chances of NZF determining the shape of the next government are increasing. I’ve always assumed that Peters would go with National, but maybe not, if NZF members get a say.
Caution: Taking polling at face value may induce political whiplash
With all the speculation about polls, it’s time to have a discussion about polling and the cold, hard facts around it. Is it good news for the left?
#LeftwithEnough
Mary St George writes about participatory democracy in this year’s election and the new twitter chat #LeftwithEnough.
Metiria’s gamble pays off in latest poll
To what must be intense annoyance from angry right-wing pundits, Metiria Turei’s gamble seems to have paid off for The Greens, an indication (though mind that margin of error) that there could be a real appetite for a Corbyn-style political revolution this election.
This is no ordinary election (f*ck the polls)
This isn’t a set in stone election, it’s one that is in the midst of change, quite possibly big change. The Greens opened a door, what can we do to step through?
National’s 2017 election list
National’s 2017 list has been announced and it has a very same old same old feel about it.
Raging at Metiria is not about the fraud – it’s that she sided with the lepers
Graham Cameron cuts through the obsession over fraud to the cultural values of the last 30 years and the fear beneath.
Let’s get rid of these clowns
The Government’s failure to do anything about the housing crisis or about zombie cannabis is evidence they should be removed from office.
Greens: Grandparents and children deserve better than National’s ‘penal welfare’
National’s ‘penal welfare’ approach is failing kids, failing caregivers and failing New Zealand.
The MoU and social intelligence
The deputy leader of the Labour Party wants to be the Minister for Children and to put a progressive government ahead of her own career. This is the kind of politician we need in government.
Willie Jackson: The Orewa Speech
Details of a fundraiser for Rodney Labour and Willie Jackson will give his take on Don Brash’s infamous Orewa speech.
Delivering pizza for NZ
Full marks to Nathaniel Watson for what Newshub called “an incredible work of graphic design satire”:
Billboards at dawn
Let the campaign begin.
The language of electioneering
Turns out TOP might help form a 4th National government.
The Catholic Church is urging its parishoners to vote
The catholic bishops of Aotearoa have released a pamphlet urging parishoners to vote. And apart from conservative positions on euthenasia and drug liberalisation the policies they support have a decidedly progressive bent.
Tax cuts or fix this…
Auckland City Councilor Richard Hills yesterday tweeted some of the things we would like to see fixed before a tax cut. You might want to add to the list. Good thing Labour is promising to cancel the cuts and spend billions more on health and education.
Break Left!
A simple and obvious message to the Green Party that others have ignored to their cost. Please don’t join that list.
#IamMetiria
If you know that feeling of dread when you get a WINZ letter, or if you’ve had roiling anxiety from being ‘called in’ for a WINZ interview, or sighed with relief when the letter from WINZ turns out to be a replacement community services card, then follow #IamMetiria. And if you just don’t recognise those, then you might want to follow #IamMetiria to find out why others do…
Winston back flips on his abolish Maori seats bottom line
In the space of two days Winston has announced that a referendum on Maori seats would be a bottom line for a coalition but then it should be up to Maori if a change should occur. Update – make that a double backflip …
Labour’s plan – billions for health and education
Labour has just released costed details of its comprehensive plan to put $8b more over four years into health and $4b into education. Excellent.
Labour’s first campaign ad
Election 2017: the battle lines are drawn
The 2017 election campaign has been set alight by the Greens adopting brave policies that Jeremy Corbyn would be proud of and NZ First adopting policies that would meet with Donald Trump’s approval.
The Greens’ new welfare policy
“Green co-leader Metiria Turei described it as one of the most important Green policies in her 15 years in Parliament.”
The Greens rock their AGM
Greening the economy not for the sake of the economy but for the wellbeing of the people, the Green Party want us to be an exemplar to the world and lead the way.
Who are the real enemies of the centre left?
Simon Wilson recently claimed that left wingers and party members are problems for and enemies of Labour and the Greens. This is why I think he is wrong.
Two polls
Two recent polls, both suggestion that Labour+Green is within touching distance of National.
A clear choice for voters
Herald editorial: “Credit where it is due. It takes courage to say that if elected, you will cancel a tax cut. … In doing so it has presented the voters with a clear choice which, for those without young families or earning above the income limits, will mean deciding whether to take the tax cut or give the benefit to children of the less well off.”
Good message – good messaging
Non-news News and News Non-news
A politician said their party would insist on being a part of government depending on the vote falls in September, while another gets called out for his habitual stirring at the pot of ethnic division. In a place like the South Africa of old, we all know which one would be the story. But this is New Zealand and this is now.
Nats’ poll fall 2014 2017
Toby Manhire on The Spinoff has an interesting analysis of the recent Colmar Brunton poll. Comapred to the same poll in 2014 National are 5% down, with the Labour/Green alliance unchanged. The fall in the preferred PM rating from Key to English is huge. The Nats are highly vulnerable.