Facebook Bullshit
A very cursory glance at Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Cambridge Analytica, AggregateIQ, click bait, targeted ads…and what the hell is the FBI playing at?
Politics
elections
The 2017 General Election electorate expense returns
Last year’s electorate expense returns have now been made public.
Ideological issues more than leadership are Nat’s problem
Changing National’s leadership will not help the conservatives regain power if they fail to address questions of why they lost the 2017 election. National may be the biggest single party but it is unlikely to stay that. And they have no remaining parliamentary partners.You can’t form a MMP government from that…
Auckland Council by election hypocrisy alert
The National candidate for the Maungakiekie Tamaki Auckland Council by election is complaining that if the Labour candidate wins it will trigger a costly by election. But he is ignoring the fact that the three current by elections have all been caused by National endorsed local government representatives resigning.
What will 2018 bring for National?
What are National’s prospects this year? Will Bill English survive as leader? Will there be resignations and a clean out of the front bench? Stay tuned …
Another middle finger?
With just over half the votes counted, it looks like Catalonia has opted to ditch Spanish central rule.
National needs a friend
National is pondering one of the realities of MMP. Without friends its chances of becoming Government are very limited.
English still whining
Surprise surprise – Bill English is still whining that 44.4% should really be counted as 50.1% – and other snippets from Parliament’s post election conference.
Progress from the Labour led government
Just over one month in the new Labour led Government and it is time to measure progress.
Can a Labour led Government win the tax debate?
Why National is currently winning the debate about tax and what Labour needs to do to change this.
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.
The UK Social media political arms race
Robert Peston in the Spectator has analysed the social media performance of the two big parties in the United Kingdom and has concluded that Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour had a significant advantage over Theresa May’s conservatives.
The Yellow Peril?
What’s with the academic panic epidemic about China? Two in our media in the same week, referencing each other with vague warnings about the Chinese bogey. It’s not quite Lionel Terry in Haining Street again; more likely in my view a case of singing to someones else’s geopolitical tune. No prizes for guessing whose.
The Missing Noun.
When they said they wanted to eradicate poverty, I didn’t suspect they simply meant to expunge the word.
Labour and rural voters
In recent years Labour has allowed National to dominate rural politics. Maybe it is time for Labour to think about reaching out to rural voters and suggest to them that a progressive vote is in their interests.
Who are the most influential in Wellington now?
With the change in Government who will be the new movers and shakers in Wellington and who will have their influence diminished?
Critiquing A Modest National Party Proposal
Some National supporters are proposing the Governor General direct coalition talks in the future. How would that actually work out?
The new cabinet
Details of the new cabinet have been announced.
Labour Green confidence and supply agreement released
The text of the Labour Green confidence and supply agreement has been reached.
Labour – NZFirst deal details announced
Details of the Labour – NZ First coalition agreement have just been announced.
The new cabinet
Details about how the next Cabinet may be made up are emerging. Winston Peters may regain the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as being Deputy Prime Minister.
Turns out voters were pretty chill about it
The government’s mandate
Where this government ranks in terms of proportion of the vote compared to the historical record. Useful analysis.
DPF personifies why the Nats lost and why they will lose again
National CRUSH puny parties! Why National no mates?
Small on how it went down and Nats’ bidding war myth
Vernon Small has the best account of the events of “D-Day”. Nat supporters are trying to pedal the myth that English lost a baubles bidding war because of his principles (hah!), the fact is it was all about policy match.
Lefties on The Standard – 2017 government edition
A dedicated space on The Standard for left-wing and progressive people.
Jacinda Ardern’s speech
If you missed it last night – Jacinda Ardern’s first speech as PM elect is everything that we could want and expect. But the take-home line of the drama belongs to Winston Peters.
James Shaw: “This is an historic moment”
While the Green Party delegates are debating a Confidence and Supply agreement in support of a Labour-led government, James Shaw made a speech to the press at parliament on Thurs night outlining the Greens’ response to the new Labour government and where the Greens might fit into that. UPDATE: the membership have endorsed the deal.
We have a Government
NZ First have chosen to support Labour to form the next government of NZ and have secured a coalition deal. The Greens are in the process of making a decision about a Confidence and Supply deal before they make an announcement. Matthew Whitehead writes about what the options are and how Confidence and Supply agreements can work.
The next Prime Minister is …
Winston Peters has announced that he will be going into coalition with Labour and Jacinda Ardern will be the next Prime Minister. Let the attacks from the right about how unfair it is that a minority party did not ascend into Government and how MMP needs to be reformed begin. For the rest of us – this is a time of hope…
Down to the wire
Lots of chatter going on at the moment. The Herald reports that NZF prefers Labour. Will it come down to the baubles in the end?
Livestream: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/livestream-winston-peters-makes-announcement.html
Updated: He has arrived – join the livestreams. And…. Jacinda
Today is a win-win with Winston
It appears that Winston is about to announce the decision of the NZ First party about their coalition partner today. For those who seem to think that coalitions should be formed with rapidity, they simply shouldn’t. That is the path to making stupid decisions, and I am yet to hear a single good reason to do it.
Site down this afternoon
The site will be down this afternoon for a few hours for scheduled maintenance.
Green Party makes important announcement …
Breaking news from Parliament …
Peters’ greatest hits
Lloyd Burr at Newshub rounded up 23 of Peters’ most quotable attacks on the Nats and their failed government. Add them to the collection of issues that Peters will have to disown if he goes wrong and picks Right.