The America’s Cup is just another spinoff
We need less presumed hold over Team New Zealand, and more encouragement of more spinoff businesses that make their way in the world.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Fear and loathing in cycleland
I am pleased the right have moved on from overtly racist attacks on minorities. But I am bemused by the current level of vitriol that has been thrown at a group who apart from wearing lycra is doing nothing wrong.
Government to issue an apology for the dawn raids
The Government has announced it will publicly apologise for the treatment of Pacific people in the 1970s when they were harassed and discriminated against by the Police because of the place of their birth and the colour of their skin.
The Government’s Feebate scheme
Labour and the Greens have announced the establishment of a Feebate scheme to incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles and disincentivise the purchase of gas guzzlers.
Auckland’s Northern Pathway
Last week’s announcement of major changes to the New Zealand Upgrade program in my view was welcome.
The Climate Commission Report
As they said they would, the Government has today released the full advice from the Climate Commission, taking into account all the submissions and all the big fat evidence.
Colonisation and widespread theft of Maori land is apparently good for them
Paora Goldsmith, who last hit National headlines for botching up National’s alternative budget, has again hit the headlines and for the wrong reasons. And this time members of his caucus publicly disagree with him.
Openness and transparency
On the weekend Andrea Vance gave the Government a bit of a serve about its record on openness and transparency. But a deeper dig into the issue suggests that the cause may have nothing to do with the Government’s preferences and everything to do with the volume of information requests made by the opposition.
The week when Scomo came to visit
This week has seen the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to suggest that Australia is adopting a principled stand and New Zealand has sold its soul to China for trade. But the comments by Morrison and Ardern made after their Queenstown meeting suggests the opposite.
RIP Don Clark
A guest post about West Auckland Labour stalwart Don Clark who died recently.
National’s culture problem
National’s week from hell is further evidence of a culture problem that will not be easily solved.
Nick Smith rejoices as Jake Bezzant takes public spotlight off him
Jake Bezzant was meant to be one of National’s bright new things, having last year been selected in then safe Upper Harbour. If things were normal he would be in Parliament right now. Instead an internal leaking campaign destroyed his chances and it now transpires that he has engaged in behaviour that is certainly immoral and should be illegal.
The National Party Caucus knew nuffink about Nick Smith’s problems
Last night the story about Nick Smith’s issues that caused his resignation finally broke, or did it?
Why did ACT reject Lisa Lewis’s membership application?
Two political blogs have asked why ACT turned down Sex worker Lisa Lewis’s application for membership of the party. Here at the Standard we have what we believe is the best answer.
Later Nick
Nick Smith is leaving Parliament not only to spend more time with his family but also because details of an employment dispute started after he yelled at a junior staffer were leaked.
Bryce Edwards: The State of the political left (in the Age of Outrage)
What role has the political left played in helping create some of the changes to the current way politics is debated?
Cycling Politics is Winnable Politics
This Sunday Aucklanders have an opportunity to protest the catastrophic failure of NZTA to generate a cycleway from the North Shore to the CBD, and to promote a practical proposal to “liberate a lane” on the Harbour Bridge which would do the job in the meantime.
Latest Colmar Brunton poll – people disapprove of Judith
In the latest Colmar Brunton poll although National’s result and Judith Collins’ result as preferred Prime Minister went up slightly her approval rating for her job performance has plunged deep into negative figures.
Cummings: Boris is unfit for the job
Former top aide Dominic Cummings has accused UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being unfit for the job, and of making constant U-turns, “like a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other”.
Chris Bishop is tilting at Covid windmills
Right now, in terms of our Covid response, New Zealand is in a unique position. It has no community spread of Covid and its level of restrictions is the most permissive in the world. But this does not stop Chris Bishop from trying to double guess the handling of the pandemic.
Cycling Politics Is Damn Serious Business
Don’t knock local politics until you’ve had to stand up and defend a cycleway in public.
The right bring out the big guns
This is day five of the post Ruthenasia era and the response from the right is really underwhelming. The most notable response is a comment by Peter Dunne questioning whether 11 year olds are ever interested in politics.
A very Samoan coup
In overnight news the Samoan head of state Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II has suspended the recalling of Parliament due to occur on Monday throwing Samoa’s democracy into turmoil.
The Non-Partisan Populism of Popper’s Paradox
When democracy and free speech are hijacked to silence others, they can no longer support their principles and become a contradictio in terminis.
Taxpayer’s Union comrades celebrate glorious Socialist revolution
It is good to see our comrades in the Taxpayers Union celebrate the glorious Socialist revolution that is currently engulfing Aotearoa.
Where Did Business Go?
Back in the day when we had useful Opposition, business leadership could be relied upon to think as if they had interests in common as business. This budget, their ability to think let alone lead has deserted them.
The end of Ruthenasia
National presented a particularly glum picture in Parliament yesterday. And it was not only the realisation that Judith Collins is out of her depth. It was because this budget spells the end of Ruthenasia.
Will the real leader of the Opposition please stand up
Today’s budget debate suggests that the effective leader of the opposition may not be the leader of the National Party.
Budget 2021
Headline change, budget is lifting weekly main benefit rates by between $32 and $55 per adult to tackle inequality and child poverty, as well as reinstating the Training Incentive Allowance.
Reality has a left wing bias
Fresh from a claim that the Ministry of Education is trying to persuade kids not to eat home made lunches, David Seymour has taken aim at a new target, a radical education policy that intends to teach our kids about racism and inequality and what has happened in the country’s past.
What the recent elections tell us about British society
Originally posted on Nick Kelly’s Blog In a nation that has suffered over 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, one may be somewhat taken aback to […]
C’mon National!
Forlorn for now though they may be, this is the advice National MPs need right now.
Will we rebuild better?
There’s a question Covid19 allows us to ask that we haven’t been able to ask since the end of World War 2: can we all just co-operate to get along – as a species?
Latest poll – Collins dog whistling is not working
The latest TV 3 Reid Research Poll has Judith Collins’ preferred leadership rating cut by two thirds. Judith’s racist dog whistling is clearly not working.
How Covid may work out from here
The world may never get back to a pre covid state. Until herd immunity is achieved throughout large swathes of the world as well as in Aotearoa New Zealand our borders need to continue to be closely monitored. The anti vaccination movement and the failure to ensure equitable vaccine distribution may mean that our current messy dread filled reality will continue.
The Māori Party and the National Party
There were dramatic scenes in Parliament yesterday. Judith Collins chose to again attack Jacinda Ardern about the He Puapua report. And Māori Party Co leader Rawiri Waititi expressed his disgust at her race baiting in a uniquely New Zealand way.