Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, July 4th, 2013 - 108 comments
Labour is proposing female-only candidate selection in some cases. Andrew Geddis has indecent fun as he schools DPF on his “man ban” spin. Extracts below but go read the whole thing on Pundit.
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, July 1st, 2013 - 83 comments
Gotta love the reporting of the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by election. This was a boring, predictable win for Labour, a big upset win for Mana, and probably the death knell of the Maori Party.
Update: Native Affairs has unconfirmed reports that Sharples has stood down as leader of the Maori Party.
Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, July 1st, 2013 - 41 comments
John Key’s u-turn on Auckland City Rail is all smoke, mirrors and sleight of hand stealth of the common good. Phil Twyford and the Auckland Transport Blog are skeptical. Funding? Roads over public transport? Asset sales?
Written By: - Date published: 1:15 pm, June 29th, 2013 - 76 comments
Slippery John Key continues with the theft of the common weal, while the Kiwis with the least powerful voices are being neglected. Labour MPs, it’s time to get over your personality politics, your divisions and careerist maneuverings, and step up.
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, June 28th, 2013 - 15 comments
Four contenders with excellent track records. Some important issues for the electorate have been highlighted, especially related to poverty, jobs, education, and affordable housing. Some commentators claim tomorrow’s by-election will be a test of this or that party’s strength.[update: RNZ interviews]
Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, June 19th, 2013 - 26 comments
Lianne Dalziel’s decision to run for the mayoralty of Christchurch will be great for the people of the city. But this means a by-election in Christchurch East: and with National’s 2011 party vote 1000 more than Labour and the Greens combined, it’s going to be a long way from a cake-walk for any Labour candidate.
Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, June 19th, 2013 - 28 comments
As widely anticipated, Lianne Dalziel has confirmed that she will stand for Mayor of Christchurch.
Written By: - Date published: 2:59 pm, June 17th, 2013 - 83 comments
The parliamentary inquiry into the future of manufacturing has released its report today. I’ve not had time to read it, but it’s great to see a report by 4 out of parliament’s 7 or 8* parties, showing a united stance to one of our country’s biggest economic problems. 40,000 lost jobs in 4 years; the worst current account deficit in the developed world (overtaking Greece) – and a government that’s ignoring it. We need some big solutions and a combined force committed to it.
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, June 15th, 2013 - 38 comments
Water is becoming a precious resource, under threat from pollution, over use, population growth, & commercial profiteering. The Green & Labour Parties are very critical of Key’s government weakening the RMA in favour of commercial gains, while over-riding local government plans.
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, June 14th, 2013 - 85 comments
Key’s government is continuing its attack on workers’ rights, pay, conditions & collective bargaining with Jami-Lee Ross’s ‘Strike Breaking’ Bill. Darien Fenton, the CTU & EPMU say why it is wrong. All parties and MPs should oppose this and other proposed changes to employment law.
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, June 14th, 2013 - 214 comments
While it was stupid of Labour MPs to muddy the waters, the real scandal goes unremarked.
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, June 10th, 2013 - 72 comments
There’s a lot of talk at the moment about whether Labour is too close to the Greens. Lately, we’ve seen spin coming out that Labour might be able to govern without the Greens, favouring NZF instead. Meanwhile, the Greens seem happy to talk about a future Greens-Labour government. National’s leaking to Peters and Peters is playing the race card. What’s going on?
Written By: - Date published: 12:02 pm, June 6th, 2013 - 38 comments
I was impressed by this press statement from the Mana Party on the ground in the Ikaroa Rawhiti by-election reporting that they door-knocked over 1000 houses over the weekend and found that support for their candidate was over 70%. As a political campaigner of many years experience, and I’m now running Labour’s by-election HQ in […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, June 5th, 2013 - 24 comments
Both sides of the political spectrum will draw some comfort from the recent OECD report on our economy, but overall the report is much better aligned with Labour / Green policy.
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, June 5th, 2013 - 68 comments
The charter schools legislation passed its final reading last night. Labour and the Greens declare that charter schools have no future in this country…
Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, June 4th, 2013 - 51 comments
If the left had to pick one word to describe the essence of its political philosophy, that word might be “fairness”. If the right had to do the same that word might be “freedom”. Labour MP David Clark considers the balance.
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 2nd, 2013 - 14 comments
A Fairfax poll shows an NZ divided by income inequalities & political allegiances. Little unemployment for National voters & more for opposition voters: a precariat with a high proportion of Maori & Pacific people. The right time for Russel Norman’s speech and blockupy?
Written By: - Date published: 9:47 pm, May 29th, 2013 - 8 comments
“The Auckland that never was” in my view is the most interesting chapter in Chris Trotter’s “NO LEFT TURN”. It details the Ministry of Works’ post-war plan outlined in a document The Shape of Things to Come that was scrapped by the Sid Holland National party. Now we see history repeating itself. In what Labour accurately describes as a “War on Auckland” Key, Joyce and Brownlie are following in the footsteps of the much unloved Sid Holland.
Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, May 28th, 2013 - 89 comments
John Key and David Shearer have made similar (inaccurate) statements about who has ultimate responsibility for feeding the kids.
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, May 27th, 2013 - 35 comments
Good to see a case where Labour is clear about repealing some of National’s damaging law changes.
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, May 27th, 2013 - 123 comments
National has set out its narrative for the 2014 election. Time for the Left to do the same.
Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, May 27th, 2013 - 161 comments
John Key has been shamed by Hone Harawira’s “feed the kids” private members Bill. Key’s approach to child hunger is a sly use of Dickensian-type PPPs & charities to absolve the government of responsibility, while falsely presenting a caring face.
Written By: - Date published: 10:17 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 69 comments
Once again the MSM reports John Key’s assessment of his party’s place on the political spectrum without any critique. The NZ Herald has repeated Key’s line about his government being “centre right” and the Greens being “far left”. Key’s government’s continuing abuse of democracy is a long way from the centre of the “right”.
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 3 comments
I’ve always been in favour of contested selection for parliamentary candidates. Being a Member of Parliament requires commitment, energy and above all a robust mental and physical constitution – clear values and strong bodies.When Parekura Horomia was selected in 1998 there were a little over 20 Labour party members in the electorate. This time its different. Media reports have party membership at 850, and the three selection meetings in the huge electorate attracted 180 in the Hutt, 110 in Tolaga Bay, and 430 in Napier. That’s the base from which Meka Whaitiri, Labour’s chosen candidate comes.
Written By: - Date published: 7:43 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 12 comments
The Green candidate for the Ikaroa-Rahiti by-election, Marama Davidson is someone to watch. However, Labour’s Meka Whaitiri is the front runner and a very strong candidate. Mana’s Te Hamua Nikora and the Maori Party’s Na Raihania also have the opportunity to make their mark.
Written By: - Date published: 6:13 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 51 comments
Meka Whaitiri and been selected as Labour’s candidate for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.
Congratulations, Meka. Now it’s time to start the campaign.
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, May 25th, 2013 - 11 comments
A surveillance device, Thin Thread, was probably sent from the US to NZ’s GCSB in 2000-2001 for testing. ThinThread collects local meta data, and can pass it on to foreign agencies. This raises fresh calls for an inquiry into GCSB activities.
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, May 24th, 2013 - 31 comments
Nick Smith has a long history of slippery dealings. He apologises but accepts no blame, then is resurrected: contempt of court, a defamation case, the Pullar-ACC “conflict of interest”, bad faith negotiations with Auckland Council, the Denniston Plateau deal. Yesterday on RNZ, Smith exposed the government’s agenda on mining conservation land.
Written By: - Date published: 3:37 pm, May 23rd, 2013 - 22 comments
Labour will hold three selection meetings in the very large electorate, in Seaview, in Tolaga Bay, and the final one in Napier on Sunday. Labour has a very strong slate of six high-calibre candidates. New members are flocking to the party, and with over 500 electorate members having a say this time the meetings will be full on as well as full. All Party members can attend; anyone can register to get the result.
Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 17th, 2013 - 130 comments
Yesterday’s budget is a sop to affordable housing & aims to privatise state housing. Penny Hulse says the government’s related “housing accord” Bill is at odds with the agreement her council has not yet ratified. It overrides local democracy & endangers the AKL “agreement”. [Update] Waitakere News analysis
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