Court of Appeal rules against Chhour

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the summons issued to Children’s Minister Karen Chhour was valid but decline to enforce it as the date has passed. And the Government has hastily introduced the bill to stop any further action being taken by the Tribunal.

A one term Government?

The Government is less than 12 months away from a change in the Deputy Prime Ministership and the transition will be a smooth one. Labour needs to be getting ready now. Because for the first time in this Country’s history this could be a one term National led Government.

In defence of Julie Anne Genter

Yesterday in Parliament Julie Anne Genter lost her cool when Matt Doocey misrepresented what the last Government’s NLTP priorities were. Should she be sanctioned? Or should she get a medal for pointing out that Doocey was totally wrong?

MPs pay increases

The Remuneration Authority has announced that MPs will be getting a 10% increase in their salaries during the course of this Parliament.

The Treaty of Waitangi and Oranga Tamariki

Minister for Children Karen Chhour has resisted attempts by the Waitangi Tribunal to get her to explain how removing requirements to improve outcomes for Māori children is not a breach of the Treaty.

This is fine

There is absolutely nothing to worry about if the Fast-track Approvals Bill gets passed into law and Shane Jones gets extraordinary powers to decide on consent applications which normally would be subject to enormous rigour and oversight.

Goneburger

As predicted 10 days ago the first Ministerial goneburger has occurred and it is Melissa Lee.

What does this Government have against the environment

It is almost as if the environment was really cruel to senior members of the Government when they were kids. But whatever the reason this Government appears to be intent on wrecking the local environment with a degree of vengeance and stupidity not seen before.

The list

Making a major infrastructure deal happen takes years of planning, exceptionally qualified people on all sides, and in New Zealand it takes about ten years of your life. Until now.

The Liz Truss of the South Seas

Liz Truss’s short reign as UK Prime Minister foundered after her budget requiring borrowing to fund tax cuts was released. The budget tanked the UK economy and caused Truss’s resignation. This week amongst announcements of massive cuts it has emerged that the Government is also planning borrowing for tax cuts.

Towards Banana Republic Status

There is a bill before Parliament right now that has the potential of blowing a rather big hole in our reputation as an open and transparent democracy.

On Newshub and economic voice

Nigel Haworth writes on some of the historic implications and strategy of the worker plans for companies in the context of the worker initiated initiatives for allowing Newshub to survive.

A sustainable environment should be a human right

James Shaw’s attempt to create a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is expected to be voted down soon by Parliament. But the New Zealand Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights have shown a willingness to recognise a right to a sustainable environment that some politicians refuse to.

Back on Track?

National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?

The future of UK Labour and what it means for Aotearoa

It appears almost inevitable that Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But his taking the party to the right and an active drive to rid the party of left wingers raises the spectre that his Goverment would be a pale immitation of its predecessors.

The Culture War Coalition

We have just had yet another week of the Government manufacturing culture wars and picking fights while ignoring the big issues. Like dealing with climate change, child poverty and homelessness.

The GCSB revelations

RNZ has reported that a foreign agency collected signals intelligence out of the GCSB for years without ministers knowing. And the collection only stopped after the equipment broke down.