100 Days
It’s 100 days to the election!
Young voters have the power…
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Debt to Income Loan Limits
The possible introduction of debt to income lending ratios will potentially have an enormous effect on New Zealand’s housing market.
New Zealand folds and apologises to Israel
New Zealand has completely backed down from its original position of opposing the illegal occupation by Israel of Palestinian land and apologised to Israel for damaging the relationship.
Immigration and economic growth
English’s scaremongering about Labour’s immigration policy does nothing but highlight the fundamental weakness of our economy. Just how anemic are we after 9 long years?
Green perspectives on the Point England land appropriation
Modern Day Land Grab or Treaty Settlement?
Panama Papers fallout – trusts leaving NZ
Herald: “More than 1800 foreign trusts have told Inland Revenue they don’t want to register under new rules that require them to reveal financial information and their ultimate owners.”
Labour oppose visa scams – Nats would rather have the quick bucks
Labour is right to stress the many advantages that immigration brings to NZ, and right to address the major way in which it is being abused – student visa scams. Bill English has made National’s position clear, they would rather have the quick bucks.
Labour’s immigration policy
On first impressions Labour has done a good job of trying to balance the needs: to acknowledge the positive role of immigration in NZ, slow down immigration while infrastructure catches up, and target immigration effectively.
Act’s Euthanasia Bill
Following the selection of David Seymour’s private member’s bill euthanasia will be debated this year in Parliament.
How to make medicinal cannabis laws based on the needs of ill and disabled people
The Greens’ bill would make medicinal cannabis easily accessible to those in need without hoop jumping or financial barriers.
Ratepayers vs affordable housing
The mess surrounding and “affordable” housing development in Manukau highlights a dilemma that sets ratepayers against those in need of a home. This needs leadership from central government. I won’t hold my breath.
Brownlee lying to the UN over Operation Burnham
The UN called for an investigation into Operation Burnham. Very inconvenient for the Nats who would rather sweep any dead civilians under the carpet and forget them. So naturally Gerry Brownlee responds with a lie.
Owen Jones’ and the Guardian’s Corbyn mea culpa
Owen Jones of the Guardian has posted a mea culpa about his pessimism that Jeremy Corbyn would succeed as Labour leader. But meanwhile blairites are claiming that Corbyn missed an open goal while at the same time calling for unity.
Northern Ireland
In the wake of the UK election hung parliament, issues are emerging with the Conservatives/DUP coalition and its effect the Northern Ireland peace process, that bring into question the Tories’ ability to govern.
Getting Corbyn
“An extremely large portion of the British people, particularly the young, are utterly disenchanted by the sclerotic and self-perpetuating political class that governs them”
Jonathan Pie on the UK Election
Jonathan Pie celebrates the UK election result.
The Freshwater Rescue Plan
Seven steps to reclaiming our lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers.
Lessons for NZ Labour?
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour just reshaped the political landscape of the UK.
Lessons for NZ?
Labour excels in the UK
Labour’s performance in the United Kingdom is phenomenal compared to expectations from even three weeks ago. What are the lessons for New Zealand Labour?
Tertiary education: keep it public
Two public meetings are being held next week to shine a light on the government’s Education (Tertiary Education and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. […]
$2.3b Health funding shortfall
The Nats are under-funding the health sector to the tune of $2.3b. That’s a lot of real people not getting the care that they need.
UK General Election discussion post
General discussion thread for the UK election.
We’ll see.
There’s the heel of a boot, and then there’s the lifting of it.
Dirty Politics 2017 style
Latest polls and some anecdotal evidence from the doorstep are showing a move back to the Tories in Britain. If so it may in part be due to last-minute dark and dirty personally targeted Facebook advertising to voters in marginal seats. They cost so will need to be watched later on here.
30 Years nuclear free!
Two faced English warned of the housing crisis in 2010
PM Bill English denies there is a housing crisis.
In 2010 he knew about and warned of the housing crisis.
Slum rentals in the brighter future
The Sunday Star Times had some gut wrenching coverage of the conditions in some of Auckland’s slum boarding houses. How can anyone vote for three more years of this?
Pre-UK election discussion
“It’s election week, I f*cking love it…” – Jonathan Pie.
Kiwis send a message to Tillerson
As Patrick Gower puts it, “English tries to hide from the reality of Trump’s America”. Fortunately ordinary Kiwis were not so supine.
Is Donald Trump helping Jeremy Corbyn get elected?
Donald Trump’s closeness to Theresa May and his boorish behaviour over London’s recent attack may be helping Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to win this week’s general election.
Trying to wedge the Greens
The political right try it on every election year, in an attempt to sow a bit of discord. I expect this sort of obvious and clumsy wedge politics from Hooton and the like, but I was a bit surprised to see Duncan Garner having a go.
Best tweet on “honours”
Helen Clark is as succinct as ever.
Catherine Delahunty: My Mataura River visit
Green Party Spokesperson for Water, Catherine Delahunty, has been down South as part of the Greens’ Swimmable Rivers Tour. She reports on restoration of the Mataura River, farmers doing the right thing, and the community being further ahead than the government on water.
Breaking news consumer’s handbook
When the news comes hard, let’s stop and think about what we are doing.
Hager Hit & Run and NZ’s Asian wars
Nicky Hager will talk about his book Hit and Run, and the issues it raises about New Zealand’s values and role in the world at 5:30pm on Wednesday 7th June at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington. The book is about important events and the incoherence of New Zealand fighting it’s longest ever war in Central Asia. This talk is particularly timely in view of this week’s visit of the American Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson.
UK election goes down to the wire
In the United Kingdom the polls continue to narrow and Jeremy Corbyn continues to perform outstandingly well. Is the upset of all upsets possible?