Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
With socialist governments in rapid decline right across the world, and just a very few social democrat governments re-emerging after many years out of power, it’s useful to remind ourselves of what governmental combinations are working well.
Helen Kelly blogged four years ago why the deal that allowed Peter Whittall to walk free following the Pike River disaster was unjust and flawed. Yesterday the Supreme Court agreed.
Frigate. Send one. Now.
Statistics NZ has released the latest nett permanent and long term migration figures for the year to date at October 2017. There is a slight fall from a few months previously. But it remains a sustained high putting major pressure on infrastructure and resources – especially in Auckland. We need to massively cut any new migration here for years to catch up with the work.
The first post election Roy Morgan poll result has been released. Labour and the Greens have surged and National has gone backwards.
Gerry Brownlee has surfaced on Radio New Zealand to criticise Labour’s handling of the Manus Island refugee issue. But he seems to have forgotten that the proposal offered by Labour is the proposal originally offered by National.
The best state for human nature…
National is trying to spin that Labour has adopted its position on re-entry of the Pike River mine. But the Pike River families are having nothing of this.
I suspect I’m in the same boat as most when I say my knowledge of Zimbabwe is neither broad nor particularly deep. But anyway. Here’s some initial thoughts on current developments.
Despite expectations to the contrary Robert Mugabe has refused to resign as leader of Zimbabwe.
Scottish Labour leadership election concludes. And kangaroos.
Heather Du Plessis-Allan has shown herself to be a radical progressive in her latest Herald column.
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 Australian Government has this week been attempting to undermine Jacinda Ardern’s humanitarian request that the refugees on Nauru Island should be treated humanely.
RadioNZ seems to be diversifying its pool of political commentators.
Writer Sarah Wilson blogged about her experience of the recent Nethui event, looking at Nethui itself, corporate control and the internet, safety for kids, sex worker access to the net, disability access, the importance of digital inclusion and literacy, and the social/cultural consequences of the internet.
There are major similarities between Helen Clark’s decision to accept into New Zealand refugees from the Tampa boat and Jacinda Ardern’s pushing for New Zealand to accept refugees based on Manus Island.
Green backbenchers Chlöe Swarbrick and Golriz Ghahraman just gave their maiden speeches recently.
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.
Australian electors have voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing same sex marriages.
A guest post by Christine Rose on Fishing Minister Stuart Nash’s strange decision to delay the implementation of video surveillance on fishing ships and the implications for endangered Maui’s dolphins.
What does it mean to look beyond capitalism? We do not yet know what it will look like because we have not yet ventured out from our caves.
Idiot/Savant at No Right Turn looks at the Paid Parental Leave Bill and how National are trying to wreck it.
United Future has announced that it will be wound up.
One of the things that I like about the Horizon poll is that it is unashamedly qualitative and highlights data beyond what is required for idiot talking heads needing a soundbite. Horizon breaks down some of the demographics to look at who is giving the government their honeymoon.
Greg O’Connor talks about how his time with police led him to Labour.
The Green Party will vote against the TPPA.
US democratic activists have conducted a number of reviews on what went wrong at the last election. The conclusions they have reached could helpfully inform New Zealand political activists on what to do in 2020.
Fortunately the TPP is still the dead walking. Now that the immediate rush for ‘momentum’ is over (a scam phrase), it is time to do some real analysis of the project. This government, if it wants to convince its own supporters to support it, needs to discard that hucksterism fostered by the John Key government. Because to me TPP is a still a crock.
Jacinda Ardern has publicly criticised Donald Trump for idiot treating and Malcolm Turnbull for unacceptable handling of the Manus crisis.
“It means protecting and growing our rights as people, not just as economic units, health clients, “clients” of any kind.”
A strong start by Willow-Jean Prime.
David Parker has confirmed that the TPP11 negotiations have resulted in a considerable minimising of the ISDS provisions. But will this be enough?
Herald lifestyle columnist has published two recent opinion pieces, the first wondering if Jacinda Ardern will be able to address the many and varied problems the country faces and the second suggesting that the Government is under the control of the extreme right. Can he please make up his mind.
How is Trevor Mallard doing as speaker? Early signs are good.
Did the TPPA-11 negotiations just collapse? A breathing space to look at global economics in the context of sovereignty, democracy, fairness, social justice and ecological limits.
The award for doofus of the week this week goes to David Bennett for one of the most nonsensical speeches Parliament has ever seen.
