Clusterfuck
Hamish Walker and Michelle Boag have admitted leaking private information about covid sufferers for political gain.
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
National’s dilemma – business as usual is failing them.
Audrey Young’s take in Granny Herald was interesting. “No ordinary Labour speech by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern”. That is because the political ‘business as usual’ approach by the business orientation of National campaigning using the politics of fear and envy doesn’t work well in times of crisis. Business simply has too short a viewpoint to be acceptable in government at present – or increasingly in our uncertain future.
Does National actually have any policy?
National has recently been upping the campaign rhetoric but there is a disturbing lack of policy detail.
White Riot
Love Music, Hate Racism? Here’s the film for you!
Jacinda’s address to the Labour Congress
The text of Jacinda’s address delivered to the Labour Congress this afternoon.
National’s “intelligence unit” kicks into gear
A month ago a leak from National’s caucus said that they had set up an intelligence unit designed to dig up dirt on opponents. Yesterday Newshub ran a story based on a candidate’s seven year old tweets. It looks like the intelligence unit has been busy.
Re-open New Zealand
It is great to see former Prime Minister Helen Clark join the debate about re-opening New Zealand’s borders. We need it. There is no better time for New Zealand to re-launch itself to the world.
National wants to open up our borders, unless you are Indian, Pakistani or Korean
National Backbench MP Hamish Walker has claimed that Queenstown is to be invaded by people from India, Pakistan and Korea when the reality is the Government is considering using empty Hotels for quarantining returning kiwis.
Green Party and No Right Turn on the RMA fast-track bill
No Right turn on the undemocratic and Muldoonist nature of the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, and the Greens on why they opposed it and what they managed to get changed.
The 2008 Go Wellington Bus Lockout
20 days after being elected President of the Wellington Tramways and Public Passenger Transport Employees Union (we just called it Tramways), drivers at Go Wellington were locked out. The City nearly ground to a halt with thousands unable to get to work and traffic congestion a nightmare. Certain journalists were quick to call this a communist conspiracy.
Minister Clark resigns
David Clark has announced his resignation as Health Minister.
David Clark Resigns
Health Minister David Clark has resigned.
Looking the wrong way? The SIS in New Zealand
Richard Northey and Nicky Hager will discuss their experiences with the SIS over the past thirty-five years, what they reveal about the agency’s values and culture, and what we might want to see in the forthcoming review of the intelligence and security agencies post the Christchurch mosque massacre. St Andrews Church, The Terrace, Wellington, Friday 3 July 5:30pm. All welcome, register here.
Muller is floundering
Todd Muller had a bad day yesterday with adverse confidential National polling leaked to the media and with Grant Robertson and Winston Peters showing in the house that Muller’s denial that he had proposed opening up the border with China was simply not correct.
National’s Internal Polling Leaked
The good ship Muller has sprung a leak. NewsHub are reporting that the National caucus has been told today that they are polling worse than under Simon Bridges.
The many and varied Covid reckons of Mike Hosking
A review of recent opinion pieces by Mike Hosking shows that he has adopted a series of contradictory positions with the one common feature that they are critical of the Government’s actions.
Bye bye Paula
Paula Bennett has announced that she is standing down from politics and will not seek re-election on National’s list at this year’s election.
Paora Goldsmith in fake news scandal
Paora Goldsmith has shown either that he is lacking in basic numeracy and literacy skills or that he is prepared to tell porkies for political advantage.
Green Party rocks their new Guaranteed Minimum Income policy
The Greens’ audacious new social security policy, the Poverty Action Plan, places manaakitangi and compassion at the centre. It includes guaranteed income across the board for those in need, reorientating ACC to include illness and prioritise care, support for children and single and double parented families, and it pays for it all by taxing some of the assets and income of the wealthy.
The new successful revolution we are seeing
A really successful and very modern revolution has already started in just the last few weeks. It’s not the revolution we expected.
Judith Collins – dirty politics hypocrite.
I’ve just been reading Andrea Vance’s review of Judith Collin’s released biography. One thing that usually infuriates me is whining arseholes. I have always thought Judith Collins has always been one of them. Vindictive, small-minded, and ignorant. She whines even through a review that merely quotes her.
Green Party win: RMA amended to include climate change
“In my view, this is one of the most significant policy changes to address climate change that we have done this term” – James Shaw
We say we want a revolution…
Destroy capitalism, right? But what’s the replacement?
Colmar Brunton poll – Labour can still form majority Government
The latest Colmar Brunton poll results have been released and Labour is still remarkably in a position to rule on its own.
One News/CB Poll June
The latest One News/Colmar Brunton poll continues to show Labour are the favourites to lead the next Government.
The light rail delay is good
There is a solid silver lining to the delay in the Auckland light rail to the airport project.
We don’t have time for this shit
the government can’t agree is a euphemism for NZ First blocking climate action.
We don’t know how lucky we are
Looking at the rises in covid-19 infections worldwide is just damn depressing. Looking at the media and Nat supporters, the world, and covid-19 -ll I can say is thank you for the internet. And the kiwis who aren’t listening to the whining about here because they can see the slow disaster unfolding elsewhere with incompetent governments.
National is relentlessly negative about the country’s Covid response
You would think in the midst of a world pandemic that is threatening established countries everywhere that National would do the responsible thing and work constructively to resolve all of government issues. If you do think this you are wrong.
In defence of Ashley Bloomfield
National and elements of the media have gone full on attack on the Government’s and Ashley Bloomfield’s Covid 19 performance. Which is unusual given that there is still no examples of community transmission and all recent infections have been picked up through the quarantine system.
Aroha Ardern Poster Banned?
A piece of street art has got the right’s knickers in a twist. But Love conquers all.
Protesters, Anarchists, Agitators and Lowlifes
Donald Trump has planned to hold a political rally on the day used to celebrate the abolition of slavery at a place where one of the worst examples of white brutality on black people using advertising material containing nazi symbols. All in the middle of a global pandemic.
West Auckland Shooting
Two police officers have been shot in West Auckland. Is it time to arm the Police?
Things that will live
Despite downbeat economic predictions and an imminent global recession, the New Zealand recovery offers opportunities for entrepreneurial success that exceed anything we’ve seen for decades.
Todd Muller and the strange tale of the Leader’s Safe
The Herald has reported that Todd Muller’s staff used a safe cracker to open up a safe previously used by Simon Bridges, even though they had the access codes.
Responsible politics verses Gotcha politics
Michael Woodhouse has recently had a difficult ethical dilemma. He received information suggesting that there were major weaknesses in the Covid quarantine system. Should he do the responsible thing and point out these weaknesses to the authorities or should he play Gotcha politics?