Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, February 27th, 2014 - 17 comments
The Government has effectively conceded that the Genesis share float will not meet expectations and is softening New Zealand up to the prospect that only 30% of the shares may be sold. It makes you wonder why they are still going a head with the sale.
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, February 26th, 2014 - 376 comments
David Cunliffe has announced his new chief of staff following Wendy Brandon’s resignation because of ill health. It is veteran strategist Matt McCarten.
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, February 25th, 2014 - 106 comments
The periodic agony and ecstasy attached to opinion poll results has kicked in with a pessimistic TVOne poll result being released on the weekend. But how accurate are they and are we in danger of damaging an election campaign by focussing too much on them?
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, February 24th, 2014 - 142 comments
There’s no skating around it – Labour didn’t have a good last week. And the biggest shame is that beltway errors have been allowed to eclipse real progress on issues that actually matter to New Zealand families. The lack of direct relevance in the errors does not matter, because these issues matter for perceptions. If Labour is perceived as bumbling, or as lacking self-awareness, that will certainly be reflected at the ballot box. But there were a few bright spots.
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, February 22nd, 2014 - 42 comments
Today the Labour Party selects its candidate for the Manukau East seat. The seat is one of the safest Labour seats in the country and whoever wins could be in Parliament for a long time. There is a strong lineup of candidates and the selection is a wide open one. Update: and Jenny Selesa has been selected.
Written By: - Date published: 7:19 pm, February 20th, 2014 - 55 comments
Porirua mayor Nick Leggett has put up a couple interesting posts about Labour’s prospects in the upcoming election in progressonline. I think his political message is timely and true: Labour’s approach to this election cannot be “just a list of things that you’re against,” rather it should focus on what it’s for, and what it will do for New Zealanders. That could be very popular with voters.
Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, February 20th, 2014 - 227 comments
National is now targeting David Cunliffe and his family. Metiria Turei was attacked for living in a castle and wearing designer jackets, and now David Cunliffe is being attacked for being wealthy. The criticisms miss the point. There is nothing inherently wrong with being wealthy. But there is everything wrong in setting fire to the ladder of social support after you have had the opportunity to climb it.
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, February 19th, 2014 - 81 comments
The documentary ‘Mind the Gap’ and an interview with a UNICEF advocacy manager focus on poverty and inequality. Zombie “neoliberal” policies have increased poverty & inequality, damaging the futures of too many children. We will all benefit from good government policies underpinned by a commitment to collective approaches and responsibility.
Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, February 16th, 2014 - 30 comments
Fairfax posted an article recently where three businessmen were interviewed on what they thought the political parties should be discussing this election year. The comments from the first interviewee were basically a John Key love in so I thought we should try and provide some balance …
Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, February 15th, 2014 - 170 comments
This week has seen how sophisticated the publicity campaign against Kim Dotcom has been. The surprising detail that a Herald Socialite columnist has published with political implications potentially represents a new tactic by National. And the confirmation that Key is regularly in contact with Cameron Slater shows how deep the relationship is between National and the Sewer is. And there was the use of, as Key calls them, blogsters to smear opposition MPs with hints of corruption. This is going to be an interesting year …
Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, February 12th, 2014 - 94 comments
In further news about Dotcom he has said that if the Internet Party has not reached 5% in the polls before the printing of the ballot papers he will endorse another party. An endorsement could be the difference between the left winning and losing the next election. And the Greens have raised the prospect of a Ministerial Veto of any extradition order.
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 am, February 12th, 2014 - 56 comments
Yesterday Labour tried to put forward a Parliamentary motion calling on the government to release the draft text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement before signing it, on the simple democratic grounds that the public deserved to know what agreements were being made in our name. National refused to. The upshot: National hates transparency. It also hates democracy.
Written By: - Date published: 1:53 pm, February 8th, 2014 - 35 comments
After David Cunliffe’s state of the nation speech at the end of January, the spotlight was, appropriately, on the big policy announcement he made: the Best Start package for Kiwi kids. (It wasn’t the friendliest spotlight, unfortunately.) But there was a sentence at the end which hasn’t had a lot of pickup, and which could […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:50 am, February 7th, 2014 - 146 comments
The NZ Herald has a long history of opposing Maori resistance and supporting colonisation. It has always been right wing with a strong commercial focus & MO. Yesterday it censored news of Waitangi Day protests. Today an editorial spins in slippery style, for the Govt’s failing PowerCo sales.
Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, February 6th, 2014 - 147 comments
Some thoughts on the nature of the Treaty of Waitangi and the need to continue with the treaty settlement process.
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, February 3rd, 2014 - 150 comments
Radio New Zealand this morning keeps saying that National could “win” the election but struggle to form a Government. This statement suggests that the Country’s foremost current affairs radio station may be struggling with the concept of MMP.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 2nd, 2014 - 111 comments
National’s attacks on Metiria Turei appear to me as being deliberate and programmed rather than an inconsequential argument on the cost of designer jackets.
Written By: - Date published: 1:17 pm, January 31st, 2014 - 175 comments
Blue has a look at the the gallery hacks and what they’re looking for from a politician. The answer is – not much. Political journalists do not require any special qualifications. They go to journalism school to learn how to structure an article and avoid being sued. There is no test you must pass to become a Gallery hack proving that you understand policy, economics or statistics. Their job is write ‘colour’ pieces about the ‘cut and thrust’ of politics….
Written By: - Date published: 11:42 am, January 31st, 2014 - 9 comments
John Key revealed that he was not ruling out going into coalition with Labour after the next election. He is rather bored and this party may make life a bit less boring. Besides this way he can take credit for having made the Best Start.
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, January 31st, 2014 - 168 comments
Media bias has been a topic of discussion this week and such simple things as the choice of photos can be evidence of this. The Herald has been publishing very unflattering photos of David Cunliffe. You would think that with all of their resources they would have slightly more natural photos than the ones they are running …
Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, January 30th, 2014 - 56 comments
The ratings/sales driven ethos of the corporate MSM skews the coverage of the election campaigns of parties of the “left” and the “right”. Focus on individuals, implying they represent large sections of the population. The left are leading the agenda on inequality.
Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, January 30th, 2014 - 3 comments
Video of Poto Williams’ maiden speech given yesterday in Parliament. Congratulations Poto.
Written By: - Date published: 12:55 pm, January 29th, 2014 - 202 comments
Sometimes I despair for our media. I mean, the latest parroting of Key’s line on Best Start is the stuff of black comedy. Apparently Key’s claiming David Cunliffe misled people about eligibility because they don’t get the payment while they also get paid parental leave. And the media are trumpeting it all over the place. […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 pm, January 28th, 2014 - 18 comments
The PMs’ statement todaywas a bit of a fizzer: lacking ideas, a lot of waffle. Some opposition speeches were more inspiring, & laid out some real alternatives: like the speeches from Cunliffe (on fire), Norman (inspiring), Ardern (animated) & Harawira (real people; real struggles).
Written By: - Date published: 1:16 pm, January 27th, 2014 - 527 comments
The text of David Cunliffe’s state of the nation speech from today’s meeting in Kelston.
Update: youtube of speech added
Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, January 24th, 2014 - 60 comments
John Key presented one great idea in isolation instead of a full election agenda: a desperate attempt to stop the growing discontents with his government. He failed to address underlying problems. Cunliffe will outline a broader political agenda. Turei addresses poverty & income inequalities.
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, January 23rd, 2014 - 23 comments
On the pipers, the dancers and the great unwashed.
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, January 23rd, 2014 - 97 comments
[Updated] Speeches: Key (today ZB Transcript). PM’s speech – untruths, misdirections & corporatisation of education – comment added. Cunliffe on Monday, on greater opportunities for all Kiwis. Metiria Turei’s speech, Sunday – will talk education, environment. Peters responds to Key. Greens response – education. Cunliffe’s Stand-up – audio.
Written By: - Date published: 4:11 pm, January 22nd, 2014 - 185 comments
Following your great response to Micky’s recent post David Cunliffe has got in touch about your comments, his policy, and his big speech on Monday.
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, January 21st, 2014 - 126 comments
Key has refused to rule out the possibility of a National coalition with NZ First after this year’s election. How desperate is that?
Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, January 21st, 2014 - 41 comments
Some say the economy often responds positively to “confidence”, while lack of it can result in some financial nose dives. But whose confidence is being highlighted in reports of NZ’ “rock star” economy? Not that of workers, beneficiaries – the precariat, say Labour, Greens.
Recent Comments