political parties

greens

The Christchurch East by election gets weird

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 60 comments

The Christchurch East by election is getting really weird.  We have a National candidate who does not turn up to possibly the most important public meeting of the campaign, a spot of petty vandalism committed using a National MP’s van, a conservative party candidate who implies that legs on a billboard are his when they are not, a conservative party leader who does not rule out the possibility of chemtrails existing despite there being no supporting evidence while denying anthropogenic climate change when there is an abundance of evidence in support and Labour and the Greens contesting kindred votes when strategic voting could produce a positive result.

Confused?

The Christchurch East by election

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 45 comments

This Saturday the voters of Christchurch East vote for their next MP.  Labour’s hopes are pinned on Poto Williams.  But even though the seat has been Labour’s for a considerable period of time anything is possible.  And turnout will be vital.

The democracy challenge

Written By: Jenny Michie
Date published: - 101 comments

I’ve been thinking about what next years’ election is going to be like. Not like 2011 that’s for sure. Labour was in the doldrums and ran a largely negative campaign. Let’s assume that Labour has learnt its lesson about running an effective campaign and ticks all the boxes. The secret weapon that Labour and the Greens have eschewed for as many elections as I can remember is actually working together.

Coat-tail of Many Colours

Written By: Guest post
Date published: - 72 comments

Te Reo Putake speculates on exactly what plan that National and John Key have to distort the MMP review and Iain Lee Galloway’s private members bill so that it allows them to stay in power. Most probably by gifting Crazy Colin and the Conservatives with several chances to get several partners into parliament while discarding the husks of their former coalition partners.

Nats’ demolition derby

Written By: karol
Date published: - 107 comments

John Key’s government is going full tilt at dismantling everything of value in NZ, and selling as much as possible to the overseas investors.  It’s the government of Drill It, Mine it, Sell it.  Find out about the asset sales referendum & how to vote.

KiwiFund: nationalisation or competition?

Written By: karol
Date published: - 61 comments

Winston Peters’ KiwiFund proposal would nationalise KiwiSaver.  Russel Norman supports it, but in competition with private schemes.  Cunliffe is open to negotiation.  Key is dismissive, but says Peters is so untrustworthy he is likely to back down & form an alliance with National anyway.

Stopping casinos hurting our communities

Written By: James Henderson
Date published: - 97 comments

Imagine if cigarette makers gave out free packs to target groups to get them hooked and if you were trying to quit smoking and you had a ‘loyalty’ card with your cigarette maker then, when they noticed you had stopped making purchases, they sent you a free pack. That’s what casinos do. Freebies are used to hook people into gambling and keep them hooked. The Greens will stop them.

Roy Morgan – easy win for Labour/Greens?

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 104 comments

The latest Roy Morgan poll has Labour 37%, Green 12.5%, and National down to 41.5%. As Roy Morgan says, this is the closest Labour has been since 2008.  Morgan’s comment: “If a National Election were held now the latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows that a Labour/ Greens alliance would win easily.” The Conservatives have dropped from 2% to 0.5% – no help there.

Point of order, Mr Speaker!

Written By: karol
Date published: - 35 comments

The Speaker’s ability to do his job is being questioned strongly after Metiria Turei was thrown out of the debating Chamber after calling the SkyCity deal “sleazy”.  How can John Banks provide an impartial vote on the SkyCity Bill?  It should be delayed! [Update: Video]

Well done Greens!

Written By: karol
Date published: - 115 comments

Yesterday was a very good day for the Greens (and the left).  Congratulations!  It’s hard to predict outcomes for next year’s parliamentary elections based on local elections, especially when the voter turnout is so low.  But the left does get a boost from the results.  Local councils need to be improved so that are more democratic. [Update: Clow (Labour) for Whau- preliminary result. Waitakere Ranges Board]

Our boat is faster than theirs

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 27 comments

In the wake of the astounding victory of the NZ team in San Diego, Scott at Imperator Fish offers these words of sage advice to those on the left looking at recent polling. For those of you convinced by the current winning trend, some of us hope that you will take his advice (so the rest of us can carry on with the work that needs to be done).

(Un)affordable rents in Berm City

Written By: karol
Date published: - 43 comments

Central Auckland, gated city candidates get cosy about their grass verges. The west has a crisis in affordable rents & homelessness. Labour & Nats housing policies bow to the middle class home ownership agenda.  Greens & Mana look to state & council housing.

Kennedy Graham: Key’s UN speech “B-“

Written By: karol
Date published: - 39 comments

Good on Kennedy Graham for posting a good critique of Key’s UN speech, while the MSM largely report the speech in uncritical and glowing terms., Graham focuses on Errors of Omission. [Update: Key’s Omission of Kampala non-aggression Agreement, implicitly supports Obama’s UN speech for US military aggression.]

“Dark, dirty and heartless” – Nats & Nick Smith

Written By: karol
Date published: - 52 comments

Two very good speeches in the General Debate in the House  from opposition leaders.  They highlight Nick Smith’s dodgy record, & why he should be stood down as a Minister in Key’s “Dark, dirty & heartless” government. [Update: Key – on (dis)honesty]

Key loses his “Centre”, Herald spins right, Smith on the ropes

Written By: karol
Date published: - 35 comments

Cunliffe’s moderate, centre left Labour is on the rise; MSM-supported, NAct smears & negative spin is in over-drive.  John Key and the NZ Herald editorial  spin from the radical “neoliberal” right.  Slippery Nick Smith, a NAct weak point, is under concerted pressure. [Updated]

Cunliffe makes space for the Greens

Written By: Eddie
Date published: - 58 comments

The cleverness of David Cunliffe’s reshuffle extends beyond how he has united Labour by keeping worthy MPs who opposed him in senior positions while demoting no-hopers like Curran. He’s also left space for the Greens to move into both in opposition and in government. That acknowledges the reality that Labour and the Greens need each other.

NRT: More lies from Smith

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 11 comments

Yesterday in Question Time Nick Smith continued to pretend that he had not forced DoC to shitcan its submission on the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme. He even went so far as to claim that he had no idea that the submission even existed until this week. But it was just more lies

Vulnerable Children: The big picture

Written By: karol
Date published: - 43 comments

Yesterday Paula Bennett introduced the First Reading of the Vulnerable Children Bill.  Nat MPs separated child abuse from issues of poverty and income inequality.  Opposition MPs from Mana, Labour & The Greens called the Nats on it, arguing for the bigger picture.

John Key’s anti-democratic government

Written By: karol
Date published: - 48 comments

John Key tries to smear the winner of Labour’s democratic leadership contest as “far left”, while his government continues in its anti-democratic, plutocratic ways: sale of Meridian to avoid referendum; Joyce’s Broadband pricing “arm twisting”.

Housing: the options, the new left narrative?

Written By: karol
Date published: - 75 comments

The response to Metiria Turei’s sttements about affordable housing on The Vote, raises questions about political narratives are told to the general electorate? The Greens, Mana and Cunliffe have stressed their “vision“.  How to tell it so it reaches the hearts of New Zealanders?

This week’s Jonolist award goes to….

Written By: karol
Date published: - 86 comments

Jonolist award to Patrick Gower for slanted reporting of a non-poll result, continuing his anti-Cunliffe lines.  Special mention to 3 News report on The Vote bovver boys, against affordable housing for those in need, forcing a “back-down” from Turei on lowering house prices. Need better MSM.

‘Mind the Gap” – the way forward

Written By: karol
Date published: - 77 comments

TV3’s Mind the Gap documentary (Bryan Bruce) is very important because it put before the general population the damaging impact of income inequality in a clear and and straightforward manner.  The solutions?  Ideas from academics, journalists, campaigners & opposition politicians/parties.

Smell the fear

Written By: karol
Date published: - 236 comments

John Key claims he doesn’t care who becomes the next parliamentary Labour leader, while trying to drive a wedge between candidates. As Cunliffe gains momentum, Key turns negative on Cunliffe & throws some stones in his glass house. Gordon Campbell puts things in perspective.

This is/is not democracy

Written By: karol
Date published: - 106 comments

The Nats’ PR-managed conference stifled democratic debate & bright ideas, and diverted from significant issues.  Armstrong attempts to talk it up, while exposing Key’s win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Meanwhile: speakers announced for democratic meeting to Kill the GCSB Bill [Updated – Hagar also speaking]. [Update: Gordon Campbell – ‘Nanny National‘]

“The Big Issue”: councils & transport

Written By: karol
Date published: - 16 comments

Campbell Live last Wednesday focused on transport: funding & Auckland versus the regions; public transport & roads; the revolutionary Congestion Free Network plan.  City Vision (supported by Labour & the Green Party – with a major focus on transport) & 2 Future West candidates launch their Auckland council campaigns.

The end of the media honeymoon for John Key

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 98 comments

john key sucksThe Andrea Vance telephone record debacle is extraordinarily badly timed for the Government.  At a time when they are trying to give to the GCSB huge powers to spy on all of us this particular incident shows us what is at stake.  It has incensed the fourth estate.  Key’s relationship with the press will never be the same.

The Auckland Protest

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 49 comments

GCSB protest-15Some photos from today’s Auckland protest.  It was a great occasion.  The question needs to be though, where to from here?  This momentum needs to be built on.

GCSB – independent inquiry needed

Written By: karol
Date published: - 32 comments

A full, independent inquiry of the GCSB is needed , as argued by the Green & Labour Parties, and politics lecturer Damien Rogers.  NZ First & Dunne – don’t support Key’s dodgy law changes! Key is masking political motives with spin and secrecy. [update]  Campbell Live tonight – must see viewing.

The flat patch

Written By: James Henderson
Date published: - 17 comments

I’ve been having a look at the Roy Morgan trend. Oddly, I don’t see this Labour ‘flat patch’ that people are claiming is happening. What is happening is that the Greens are trending slightly down (as it usually does mid-term) and Labour isn’t rising fast enough to offset that. We’re still some way off the safe-zone for Labour+Greens, and the question is whether we’ll get there.

John Key’s disdain for democracy

Written By: karol
Date published: - 43 comments

Norman criticises John Key for showing complete disdain for democracy at yesterday’s public hearing on the GCSB Bill.  Kim Dotcom is expected to provide a challenge today. Paul Buchanan is critical and argues for a full inquiry.  Gordon Campbell proposes some questions. [update]: TV3 Livestream 3.30 pm [update] Dotcom -Key knew about him prior to GCSB spying on him TV3.