Labour clarifies position on irrigation and bottled water
“We remain committed to setting a resource rental for large water take for irrigation at a fair and affordable price.”
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
National’s conference – no policy – drowns in Billshit
National’s conference was supposed to be a tour de force, setting them up for the home stretch to the election. Instead it was empty of policy or vision, and coverage was drowned in a rising tide of Billshit.
The left bites back
A little bit of feel good for a Sunday morning (plus a very clever cat!).
Corbyn speech at Glastonbury
Jeremy Corbyn’s full speech to Glastonbury 2017. “Another world is possible…”
HDPA on the rot that goes to the top
Heather du Plessis-Allan asks why Barclay is taking the fall alone, when – just as with dirty politics – the rot goes to the top of the National Party.
Racist attack on marae living
Herald columnist Lizzie Marvelly: “Come election time, there are people who will stop at nothing to land a blow on the party they most hate. And somehow, inevitably, someone will aim a kick at Māori. Insinuating that the conditions at a marae are “slum-like” is both deeply offensive and staggeringly privileged.”
New Zealand First
New Zealand First could have a pivotal role in the next Government. What are their principles and what are they committed to?
Over egging the scandal soufflee
Team Nat were desperate to try and divert some attention from their floundering leader, and to a certain extent they succeeded. But compare and contrast Labour and National’s handling of the issues, front up and fix vs lie harder.
English still digging
Burying the last shred of his credibility in a deep hole forever, Bill claims that nobody realised Todd Barclay recording of secretary might be a crime. It’s like the events of 2008 and 2011 never happened.
Greens to contest Nick Smith’s seat in Nelson
Nelson city councillor Matt Lawrey is to run a two tick campaign with the full backing of the party.
Creative uses for Brash’s “Hobson’s pledge” pamphlets
Ex Nat leader Don Brash, of racist Orewa speech and Iwi/Kiwi fame, is still out there fanning the flames of division in NZ.
So English lied to Parliament too
Labour and Peters have both made complaints over English’s lie to Parliament. Peters is calling on English to step down. That’s going to make any post-election NZF/Nat coalition a bit tricky.
Follow the money
Bill English’s texted electorate chair Stuart Davie on 21st February 2016 saying Glenys Dickson was given an extra payout from the Leader’s fund “to avoid potential legal action.” It was the only source available for an extra payout for confidentiality. English said today no-one in February knew there was any issue of illegality. Then what legal action and why an extra payment?
Labour to invest in public transport for Greater Christchurch
A 21st century city simply has to have integrated, multi-modal public transport at its heart.
Bill English is no John Key
During Dirty Politics John Key was able to stand in front of a group of reporters and with complete confidence make a series of statements the veracity of which was dubious. Bill English has shown this week that he does not have that ability.
Barclay/English cartooned
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Later Todd
- Todd Barclay has announced that he will not stand at the next General Election as National’s Clutha Southland candidate.
Why is Whaleoil being pathetic or paid on Toddy?
We may never know if Todd Barclay was one of the Simon Lusk / Cameron Slater Dirty Politics ‘clients’. However if you read the Whaleoil today, he has finally received instructions (umm) figured out the spin line … Whatever…
Should The Left Do Authoritarian Populism Like The Right Does?
What if the left had an authoritarian populist in power and got some stuff done?
Meanwhile – Winston waits…
‘Tis the time in the electoral cycle when Winston Peters bestirs himself to life. And tweets thus…
Bill English is a liar not a leader
Bill English lied and he tried to coverup what may well be a crime. He has blown his brand big-time.
Barclay debacle recap
From twitter, Holy shit, someone in NZ did some journalism and all hell breaks loose.
Oil and Water Mix.
Our economic paradigm (market capitalism) and oil don’t mix. False hope (BECCS) and survival doesn’t mix. Current political settings (Paris pledges produce 3- 4 degrees C warming with the US on board) and intelligent action don’t mix. Incrementalism (time is not on our side) and AGW doesn’t mix. Whatever can’t be mixed into some AGW solution needs to be flushed.
Scary, huh? Well, yes and no…
National’s Todd Barclay problem
Newsroom has released details about how National handled the police investigation into Todd Barclay’s alleged illegal wiretapping suggesting that Bill English thought it had occurred and that the complaint was dealt with in part by a payment from John Key’s Prime Minister’s fund.
Party donations analysis
Max Rasbrooke has done an analysis of donations to political parties, and raises the concern that donations buy influence. There is a solution to this problem.
Lies, damn lies, and National’s housing affordability statistics
RNZ: The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment ignored advice from the Reserve Bank over its new housing affordability measure, and made houses appear to be more affordable than they actually were.
National release their Social Media Policy
How not to be a twit.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is harming public transport
The Wellington Regional Council has contracted its bus services but not protected its drivers’ incomes. They stand to lose an average of $200 a week.
And Wellington risks losing the great public transport system it is so proud of.
National’s view of disability
The Minister for Disability Issues would rather be sailing.
The Nation on housing
The Nation did good work on the housing crisis yesterday. This is the Brighter Future that Bill English warned of in 2010.
Bridges and flouting the OIA
Simon Bridges tried to block the release of a report on a Kiwirail proposal. The Ombudsman warns against flouting the Official Information Act. But it’s a well established pattern of behaviour with this government.
Homeless Housing.
Did Jeremy Corbyn just cut through a whole pile of smash?
Health budget stuff up – incompetent
I guess English can’t be too angry at Coleman – just last year he stuffed up his own numbers to the tune of $160m per year when “explaining” why he was vetoing an extension to paid parental leave.
Our brilliant economy
We need new thinking on the economy – zero emissions, sustainable, a big redistribution from rich to poor. But the list of current economic woe shows that even on their own old conventional terms the Nats are useless economic managers.
UNICEF on our appalling child welfare record – but apparently we don’t care
UNICEF has another major report ranking the wellbeing of NZ kids 34th out of 41 developed countries. This is not new news, and apparently a lot of voters just don’t give a damn.
Signals
The politics of the Grenfell Tower fire.