Who will be National’s Tauranga candidate
National is opening up nominations for the Tauranga by election today. The Standard reviews some potential candidates for the seat.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Should We Just Settle?
New Zealand does not have to settle for being small, quiet, and weak.
Covid and political capital
Jacinda Ardern has burned significant political capital on dealing with Covid. But it is something that a responsible Political leader, of which there are few, would do.
Act’s generous donors and its anti Treaty campaign
This has not had the media attention that it deserves but Act has raised, to use the technical term, a shit load of money recently. And it is using this money to engage in some good old fashioned racist dog whistling.
Can This Government Be Saved?
Can Labour win a third term? Here are some pathways up, and some pathways down.
The Peace Settlement Must Start
Pressure for a Ukraine war settlement starting with a ceasefire will continue to mount. If this does drag out, there’s more chance of […]
Government announces significant changes to traffic light settings and mandates
The Government has announced changes to Covid policies relating to traffic light settings and mandates.
Luxon thinks helping poor people is Bottom Feeding
Chris Luxon has admitted in National media that provision of assistance to the poor is “bottom feeding”.
Crisis, What Crisis?
There is only so much New Zealand and its government can do to soften the blows of the instability that are besetting the world. And the problem is without dramatic change New Zealand will remain one of the most car-addicted, petrol reliant societies on earth for several decades to come.
The right to protest Christchurch version
Christchurch Council has billed Destiny Church for traffic management fees relating to recent protests. For once I am firmly if reluctantly on the side of Destiny Church. Exercising the right to protest should not attract Council bills.
National’s politicisation of Covid over the past two years
A slightly deeper review of National’s response to the Covid epidemic over the past two years. The overwhelming impression is that they have always complained about supposed Government incompetence in handling the pandemic and have always argued for the loosening of restrictions no matter how justifiable.
Climate Action Mondays
It’s time to act as if our lives depend on it.
Who Pays the Price of Sanctions
New Zealand’s sanctions on Russia have not stopped the war in Ukraine. They may have made our parliamentarians feel better, and Tony Blinken was quick to congratulate us on falling into line with the US “high-impact sanctions.” The language is combative, but the evidence shows sanctions do not work. They can have significant blow-back effects, particularly if not combined with effective diplomacy.
The difference between Labour and National
There has been the occasional criticism of Labour for not achieving enough progressive change by people who then propose supporting National. What are they thinking?
Pick a side
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelinsky has made a direct appeal broadcast to the United States Congress. That will sort out the Putin supporters from the rest. And with climate change beckoning it is time to pick a side.
The Tauranga by election
By elections are at the best of times dramatic events. Given current circumstances and a well funded although deeply unpopular anti vaccine movement and the likely candidacy of Winston Peters the Tauranga by election is likely to be a circus.
See you later Simon
Simon Bridges has just announced that he is retiring from politics.
The world in 6 months
In six months time the world could be in a very precarious position.
The empire strikes back
Labour’s announcement of a temporary reduction in fuel excise duties and a halving of public transport fares ups the ante on the debate on how to alleviate hardship caused by overseas induced inflation.
National’s advice to the poor – you are on your own
To help the poorest amongst us during the current times of International hyper inflation National has come up with a list of tips to help them. But no money.
“Labour… stop playing by this tired, neoliberal playbook”
Chloe Swarbrick, the cost of living crisis, and what the economy is for.
The latest poll
National/Act (47%) would beat Labour/Greens (46%) if there were an election held tomorrow, according to the latest One News Kantar poll.
National stuffs up its financial analysis – again
For so called economic geniuses National sure struggles to understand how to properly cost fiscal policy. Its latest response to news that it proposed tax cuts would wipe out all discretionary spending in its first budget is to fudge the dates on which the cuts would be made.
Women who challenged the male domination of sport
History PhD student @LottieHistory wrote a twitter thread recently on the work women have done to participate in sport.
National’s tax policy
National has proposed to reverse all tax changes implemented by Labour and claims that the cuts can be managed without damage to the state. But the figure it uses, $1.7 billion a year, includes income tax adjustments only and not the cost of the removal of other taxes.
This is awkward
Chris Luxon’s public commitment not to negotiate with the Wellington protestors has been called into question by a Facebook from Maureen Pugh claiming that members of the National Party were talking to the protesters on an almost daily basis.
Real protestors do not burn kids playgrounds
Wellington protestors recent activities in torching a 100 year old Pohutukawa, burning a kid’s playground and threatening to occupy Wainuiomata Marae suggests they are being given PR advice by Vladimir Putin.
Russian atrocity time
The Russian armed forces obviously didn’t expect much resistance. I get the distinct impression that they had believed their own ridiculous propaganda (always a characteristic of dumb-arse dictatorships) and expected the Ukrainians to fall weeping in gratitude at their liberation. That clearly didn’t happen. What next…
Remarkably Hopeful
We will probably never get over the feeling that somehow, if enough people just banded together, it would all get better again, like we did when the United Nations charter was struck.
Free public transport for Auckland is a very good idea
Efeso Collins has announced his first Mayoral campaign policy and it is a biggie, free public transport for Auckland.
Everyone is over Covid
Jacinda Ardern said yesterday that everyone is over Covid. She is right. We all want this to end.
Why negotiating with the Wellington protesters is a waste of time
There is something of a manufactured chorus of calls for the Government to sit down and negotiate with the protesters. Here are four reasons why negotiations would be a complete waste of time.
Why the Wellington protestors are wrong
The Wellington protest has exceeded any moral mandate to protest.
They Are Us
The people camping outside Parliament are also us.
We are better than this
Trying to remember the numbers of protestors in Wellington are small in number compared to the rest of us
Why haven’t the police acted?
It is day 10 of the Anti vax protest on Parliament’s grounds. More cars are being parked illegally and despite considerable disruption to Wellington’s roading network so far not one car has been towed by the police.