Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, November 3rd, 2013 - 81 comments
Yesterday David Cunliffe told a Tale of Two New Zealands. Today 2 NZ Herald articles show where NZ has gone wrong with its fractured and increasingly unequal society: our ailing state supported TVNZ; a high-living property-buying elite. Will Cunliffe talk about state housing today?
Written By: - Date published: 3:53 pm, November 2nd, 2013 - 11 comments
Reflecting on the generational changes of the Labour party membership, it isn’t hard to see why the more elderly have problems with such large changes. But after all not all of the population are dependent on their daily statins like me. Some of them are interested in if their kids will grow up to have jobs and will stay in this country.
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, November 2nd, 2013 - 142 comments
David Cunliffe’s speech notes for his speech to today’s Labour Party Conference
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, November 2nd, 2013 - 13 comments
Over the last year or two, our prescient oracle Irishbill has been writing posts on need for the Labour party to make themselves relevant. As the number of regular lurkers on this site are somewhat larger than the number of members of the NZLP, I suspect that he has done more than his share in assisting the doubling of the size of the party.
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, November 2nd, 2013 - 30 comments
The social was rather packed last night. Unlike the 2012 conference where I started optimistic and wound up as depressed the following day after an evening where caucus members were chasing voting delegates around a nearly empty social. This was followed by a incredibly silly set of stories from caucus asserting that a vote about how […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, November 2nd, 2013 - 91 comments
John Armstrong’s column in this morning’s Herald is an interesting collection of ideas. Apparently David Cunliffe is too left yet too wishy-washy, a remit that was voted down is offered as evidence that the party is “lurching” to the left, and the party is too boring. And he decries the lack of new material before David Cunliffe has given his keynote speech. Don’t you think you should wait for the speech first John?
Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, November 1st, 2013 - 54 comments
Well I made it down to Christchurch to cover the Labour party conference for The Standard. While I’ll probably run out a few posts while I’m here, I figure that I’ll write a post per day for the more general discussion and impressions. Plus do that actual “blogging” of my experiences.
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, November 1st, 2013 - 114 comments
Fairfax has decided to go a bit mental on Labour and Cunliffe. An endless stream of stories trying to tweak Cunliffe’s nose over every little thing. Part of this is covering the embarrassment of their own rogue poll. More importantly, it’s a test that all new leaders get. The wave of hypercritical stories don’t mean much in themselves, how Cunliffe’s Labour responds does.
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, October 31st, 2013 - 168 comments
At this weekend’s Labour Party Conference there will be a number of interesting constitutional and policy proposals. One of them will try and direct the party’s Moderating Committee to select list candidates who are truly representative of New Zealand society. Some have suggested that this is a radical proposal but you really have to question if this is so …
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 30th, 2013 - 160 comments
Raising the super age is not only unnecessary, it further entrenches intergenerational inequity, reduces community incomes and makes Māori and Pasifika pay too high a price. Conference delegates: make Labour think outside the orthodox economic box and vote it down.
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 pm, October 21st, 2013 - 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.
Written By: - Date published: 12:40 pm, October 20th, 2013 - 333 comments
You can get buried in the minutiae of policy detail, House speeches and daily news cycles, thinking that success there will win an election. Outside the Thorndon Bubble however, nothing is further from the truth. A reconnected Labour Party presenting gutsy alternatives using a narrative quite different to the old neoliberal consensus is starting to get serious voter attention. Now is the time to press ‘turbo boost’.
Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, October 18th, 2013 - 98 comments
In a series of short opinion pieces The Black Rod examines the road to victory for Labour in 2014.
“It may upset some Labour members who position themselves to the Left in the Labour camp, but in broad terms Labour should seek to target and capture the support of those who generally consider themselves centrist. And those who would consider themselves to be an intermittent Labour voter. This is the real ground to be captured in 2014.”
Written By: - Date published: 6:54 pm, October 17th, 2013 - 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.
Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, October 15th, 2013 - 37 comments
This morning Cunliffe shows how to front the media on current issues, and respond to journalists questions clearly and decisively while being informed on the issues. Questions about Kōhanga Reo National Trust, US government debt crisis, affordable housing, need better skills training, Euthanasia Bill.
Written By: - Date published: 1:28 pm, October 14th, 2013 - 130 comments
Red Alert started as a promising foray into social media over four years ago and was very successful for quite a while. But lately it has lost its way. What should Labour do with it?
Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, October 10th, 2013 - 8 comments
Cunliffe’s CTU speech is significant, rousing and inspiring, laying out a shift “from a cost-based to a value-based” strategy- for an inclusive society and one that provides a good life for “all” Kiwis, with opportunities for all. Video of the speech is a must see. And social security? [Update: Gordon Campbell] & Turei’s speech
Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, October 9th, 2013 - 88 comments
NZ’s broadcasting and digital communications policies, provisions and regulations do not provide the capability for widespread democratic engagement. Cunliffe has twigged that broadcasting and digital communications policies need to be inter-linked in the 21st century context. NZ’s policies, provisions & regulations on both need major restructuring.
Written By: - Date published: 2:32 pm, October 3rd, 2013 - 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).
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, October 3rd, 2013 - 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.
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 pm, October 2nd, 2013 - 141 comments
The latest Roy Morgan is out and there has been a surge of support to Labour. The Labour/National gap is now 5%, the smallest gap in many years. The next election is going to be very interesting …
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, October 1st, 2013 - 41 comments
Chris Tremain’s announcement that he will not se re-election to the Napier seat next year creates a real opportunity for Labour to win back a seat it has not held since 2002. Will Stuart Nash become Napier’s next MP?
Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, September 30th, 2013 - 16 comments
On The Nation Kris Faafoi laid out the bare bones of Labour’s policy on public broadcasting: strengthening public broadcasting across a range of platforms; continuing funding for NZOnAir to commercial broadcasters; balancing commercial & public service broadcasting; a new youth oriented public radio station. [Update: boycotting RNZ – you know why]
Written By: - Date published: 1:07 pm, September 29th, 2013 - 35 comments
Which Labour MP has Matt McCarten today described as “Another Cunliffe loyalist rewarded.” and scored 5/10?
Now, which Labour MP got the government on the ropes with a member’s bill to the point that Bill English had to threaten a rarely used and politically damaging financial veto?
Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, September 27th, 2013 - 100 comments
It appears that Duncan Garner has been told about the latest UMR poll results and if they are as tweeted then things are getting very interesting …
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 pm, September 26th, 2013 - 81 comments
The right must be very afraid of David Cunliffe. Because they are coming up with the most extraordinarily crazy conspiracy theories to try and discredit him.
Written By: - Date published: 10:56 pm, September 25th, 2013 - 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]
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, September 25th, 2013 - 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]
Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, September 25th, 2013 - 52 comments
David Cunliffe’s reign as leader of the Labour Party has started with a great deal of promise and this morning’s Herald Digipoll is encouraging. Labour is finally looking united and policy statements are sharp and effective. But we may be no more than 400 days to the next election. And unless we want the instability of a Labour Green NZ First Coalition then support for the left and work by its activists will need to be increased dramatically.
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, September 24th, 2013 - 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.
Written By: - Date published: 3:31 pm, September 23rd, 2013 - 83 comments
Details of the Labour Caucus changes are now appearing in the media. The update is Parker, Robertson and Jones will be the core of the economic team, King retains Health, Shearer gains Foreign Affairs and Cosgrove and Hipkins retain their current responsibilities. Mahuta and Moroney are elevated to the front bench and this will help gender balance.
Updated with full list.
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