Facing Meka
How should Labour react to the loss of two Ministers in a week? And what would John Key have done?
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
Simon Bridges says the weirdest things – petrol prices
Simon Bridges has been trying to create a narrative about increasing petrol prices being the fault of the current government. But he has been tweeting an incorrect price and his claims about responsibility have been contradicted by BP.
What’s wrong with asking people for their ideas?
Guest post from Darien Fenton questioning National’s obsession with Government working groups.
Let Chelsea Manning speak
Chelsea Manning wants to visit New Zealand and talk about how evil war is and what should be done to stop it. We should let her.
Simon’s first six months
Simon Bridges has now been leader of the Opposition for six months. What has he to show for his time? People are questioning his judgment over his fixation on who leaked his travel information early.
Litigation and equal pay – a history of the 1950’s equal pay campaign
Forward In 2016 I wrote the below dissertation as part of my History Honours degree at Victoria University. This dissertation explores the 1950s […]
Rental Rights Review
The Labour led Government has announced a review into tenancy laws. It’s about time we balanced the rental market, which has for too long let renters down.
National plans to breach privacy rights of all of its MPs to find leaker
National intends to continue with its investigation into who the leaker of Simon Bridges’s travel expense information was
Remembering Chris Morley
On Friday 27 July 2018, Wellington Tramways Union Vice President Chris Morley passed away after a short battle with Cancer, aged 62. Chris had been […]
Bridges and National keep digging further on Leakgate
A review of events over the past two weeks about the strange case of the leaked travel expense information, the expensive inquiry and the depressed MP.
Period. End. Done.
The Scottish government has just taken a massive step to eradicate period poverty. Why not here?
Australia, New Zealand, and Climate Change Politics
What are the implications for New Zealand’s climate change policies of Australia’s change of Prime Minister?
Clare Curran Demoted
Clare Curran has been demoted after failing to properly account for a meeting with entrepreneur Derek Handley.
Which National MP leaked Bridges’ expense details?
Radio New Zealand has stated that a National MP has confessed via anonymous texts to be the leaker of Simon Bridges’ travel expenses. And the information was provided by way of a leak.
Turnbull out, Morrison In?
Turnbull out, Morrison or Dutton in? The Australian Liberal Party self flagellation continues in Canberra. Updates as they roll in, cobbers.
UPDATE: Malcolm Turnbull calls press conference at 1PM AEST (3PM in NZ)
UPDATE: Turnbull to quit tomorrow, if ballot called.
UPDATE: Julie Bishop prepares bid.
UPDATE: Scott Morrison wins, Dutton defeated 45-40.
Censorship
It seems that if you’re the right person, harbour the correct thoughts, have the right connections, and you don’t like whatever the political opinion, news or information that’s floating about is, then you can get it banned.
New Zealand’s offer to accept some of Nauru’s refugees
Jacinda Ardern is looking to repeat Helen Clark’s example of proposing to take refugees that Australia is refusing to take.
Manafort convicted and Cohen takes deal
In Trump’s America Paul Manafort has been convicted on eight counts and Michael Cohen has entered into a deal with prosecutors admitting campaign finance breaches at the behest of “the candidate”.
The Pope’s Letter to All Believers
The pope missed a great recent chance to state that accused abusers should be walked to the nearest Police station, make written statements, face trial, hopefully jailed, then defrocked, and excommunicated.
Judith Collins tweets more fake news
Judith Collins has been caught tweeting more fake news. And repeating it just in case we missed it.
Elizabeth Warren and Accountable Capitalism
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is proposing a law change that would require US corporations to consider its workers and community in company decisions and prevent political donations from being made unless 75% of shareholders agreed.
The Greens. Do We Need ’em?
What’s the point of the Green party? Do we really need them? Really?
Ardern announces salary freeze for MPs
Jacinda Ardern has announced a freeze of MP’s salaries while a review of the salary setting system is carried out.
Good luck Julie Anne Genter
Julie Anne Genter outdid Jacinda Ardern’s trip to hospital in her private car by riding to hospital to be induced on her bike.
Finkelstein on Dame Hodge
“…if any – if any – of the rules that are now being implemented in the Labour Party have any meaning whatsoever… the first person who should be booted out of the Labour Party is Dame Hodge.” – Finkelstein.
The week of Limogate
Tracy Watkins and Tova O’Brien have both written articles criticising Simon Bridges’ handling of Limogate.
No Waimea dam
With the change in Government and ever increasing costs of construction it appears that the Waimea dam project in Tasman District is going to be scuppered.
Is Tova O’Brien really a closet leftie?
Matthew Hooton has claimed that Tova O’Brien is an extreme left-wing, anti-National Party journalist intent in bringing Simon Bridges down. Hyperbole much?
Building Nations
This Government has probably one term to show progress in dealing with the country’s infrastructure deficit.
What is the RCEP?
It’s time we paid attention to RCEP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Memo from Crosby Textor – Simon Bridges limo expenses
The Standard has unearthed advice provided by Crosby Textor to the National Party concerning the leak of Simon Bridges’ travel information.
Racial bias in RNZ world reportage, or just giving people what they want?
GUEST POST:
Is Radio NZ meeting its obligations to report the news of the world fairly or is it just once over lightly at the public broadcaster? Some thoughts from regular TS contributor Adrian Thornton.
Simon says it’s all Labour’s fault
Simon Bridges has kept the story about his over the top spending on limos and hotels alive by making contradictory statements and by suggesting without proof that the leak of the information is all Labour’s fault.
Bludger Bridges
Simon Bridges has blown over $100k of your money in just three months, tiki touring around the country at the taxpayers expense. Nice work if you can get it!
Update: A Shark Jumps Matthew Hooton. Live on Twitter!
What should ACT’s new name be?
The authors at the Standard are proposing that readers suggest what ACT’s new name should be. Keep it seemly.
The end of ACT
With his proposal to reduce the effectiveness of Parliament David Seymour is clearly looking for relevance.