Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, October 28th, 2011 - 44 comments
On RNZ today: Mr Goff said Prime Minister John Key did not have the “guts” to debate him. “It’s time to make a decision that will build a stronger future for New Zealand. We’ve got the balls to do that. John Key doesn’t.”
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, October 28th, 2011 - 27 comments
Labour has once again broken the mould and chosen to focus its election campaign on policy. As a country we’ve been saying for a long time that elections should be about policies and not personalities. Now we’ve got a chance to try it. If the media is up to the challenge, of course.
Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, October 27th, 2011 - 37 comments
It’s not surprising that National are trying to run a presidential, personality based election campaign – after all, their policies aren’t going to win many votes from those middle and lower income kiwis who understand them. And up till now, presidentialism has worked very well for National. But it’s also starting to become apparent to […]
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 am, October 27th, 2011 - 135 comments
Labour’s cleverly wrong-footed Brand Key with a policy-based campaign launch. Key will look out of touch playing messiah at his campaign launch while the economy burns. Labour’s ads are great. The Tories are in panic mode: they don’t feature Goff enough moans Key; they feature Goff too much cries Clare Robinson; the lighting’s wrong whines Hoots. They’re afraid to take on the message.
Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, October 25th, 2011 - 87 comments
National’s new online ad campaign shows a roadworker with a stop sign, supposedly representing Labour (he has a red hat and red swandry so you get the point) and another roadworker with a go sign meant to represent National (although his sign is green … searching for a support partner?). It’s pretty bare-faced cheek from the party with the worst economic record in this country’s history.
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, October 24th, 2011 - 16 comments
On this Labour Day it is good to see that the Labour Party is staying true to its roots, and is out there working for a labour policy to lift the wages and conditions of the workers of New Zealand.
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, October 19th, 2011 - 10 comments
Just a quick plug from your local Labour candidate…
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 am, October 19th, 2011 - 81 comments
St. Augustine said “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet”. Was reminded of that reading the Tories’ reaction to Labour’s work and wages policy. Tories say they want you to have higher wages. But not yet. It’s always later. Once you’ve earned it. In the ‘brighter future’. And they’ll scream blue murder any time you demand what you deserve today.
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, October 18th, 2011 - 38 comments
Last election it was “Time for a change”. After three years of incompetence and inaction, our priorities should be different this time…
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, October 16th, 2011 - 88 comments
Two weeks ago I thought that Goff and Labour did not have a chance in this election. National’s lead in the polls seemed too big, the country still seemed to be in love with John Key and Goff just was not getting the media cut through necessary to change hearts and minds. Then something happened. The wheels started to fall off National’s well honed machine.
Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, October 5th, 2011 - 97 comments
Once again, the Greens have the best billboards and a great policy platform. But the really clever bit is their positioning. A lot of people don’t like National’s policies and don’t want them having a majority. They like Labour’s policies but not the personnel. Enter the Greens: good policies, nice people, and, officially, willing to work with and counterbalance National.
Written By: - Date published: 10:32 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 30 comments
Ever seen one of those celebrity fundraiser dinners and wondered how much money was going on the fancy food that could have been going to the cause? Well, Labour’s latest offer is gives you the chance to cut through the middleman with the ‘no-dinner dinner’. The tongue in cheek menu is a bit of a laugh.
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, September 28th, 2011 - 56 comments
The latest Fairfax poll has the Labour – National gap closing a bit.
Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, September 21st, 2011 - 29 comments
A guest post from Jarm Ohnstrong: I want to start this article with an apology. A couple of weeks ago, I attacked Labour for its criticism of National’s performance on the Christchurch rebuild while not having released its own recovery policy. That was unfair and petty. Now, Labour has released its policy. It’s deserving of the highest praise.
Written By: - Date published: 4:15 pm, September 19th, 2011 - 15 comments
118 years to the day when NZ became the first country in the world to give women the vote. You can imagine how incredibly proud Kate and the sisterhood must have been. You can imagine them lifting their eyes to the future and seeing women standing shoulder to shoulder with their brothers, equal in political rights (and determined to […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, September 19th, 2011 - 109 comments
Today Labour released another substantial policy, a plan for recovery in Christchurch. It’s a policy that works for ordinary people, and a much needed helping hand for displaced red-zone residents.
Written By: - Date published: 5:38 pm, September 10th, 2011 - 67 comments
John Armstrong wants Labour to come out radically different after the Cup. Having refused to cover Labour’s skills package or its mining policy, he’s suddenly interested in policy. He wants Labour to suddenly adopt league tables and forget the 39% tax rate. Armstrong genuinely doesn’t seem to get it. Parties of the Left don’t pick and swap policies on a whim.
Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, September 8th, 2011 - 23 comments
Chris Carter’s egocentric valedictory earlier this week didn’t exactly cover him in glory. Whether it should ever have gotten to this point is another matter. It’s interesting to review the evolving views of Standard authors on the issue. Did Carter do this to himself or did mismanagement from the leadership escalate the situation?This guest post takes the second view.
Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, September 3rd, 2011 - 48 comments
Remember those thundering editorials and opinion pieces chastising Labour for focusing on trivia instead of the substantive issues?
Written By: - Date published: 1:33 pm, September 1st, 2011 - 92 comments
This afternoon Labour released a substantial policy package targeting youth unemployment. Once again the public is being offered a choice between Labour’s realistic response to a significant problem, and more do-nothing smile and wave.
Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, August 31st, 2011 - 49 comments
Tracy Watkins admits today’s Fairfax poll is pretty out of whack but there’s no denying the trend has turned against Labour in the past few months. People back the policy. That’s not the problem. Labour will still be hoping to close up 5% or so in the campaign. On the positive side: what a result for the Greens!
Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, August 30th, 2011 - 51 comments
The estimate of the liability for costs of the Christchurch quakes has just been more than doubled. Thank goodness or the foresight of the first Labour government who set up the EQC in 1947.
Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, August 24th, 2011 - 75 comments
A couple of polls have now confirmed that on key issues voters prefer Labour policy over National. When push comes to shove in November, will Kiwis vote for the style that they like, or the substance that they want?
Written By: - Date published: 12:44 pm, August 23rd, 2011 - 33 comments
Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, August 23rd, 2011 - 109 comments
90% of Labour’s MPs are hardworking, principled, and bloody good at what they do. Cunliffe, Fenton, Parker, Nash, Moroney, Ardern, King, O’Connor, Shearer, Twyford, Davis, Mahuta. The list goes on. It’s the quality of these people and what they believe in that makes me support Labour. A pity, then, that loudmouths like Clare Curran taint their public image.
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, August 23rd, 2011 - 55 comments
According to one poll 56 percent of Labour voters say Labour won’t win. Good on them I say.
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 am, August 22nd, 2011 - 43 comments
Pike River had lax safety systems. Profits came first. The workforce was highly casualised to weaken the bargaining power of the union. The boss, Peter Whittall, will end up getting the blame. Labour says it will restore miners’ power over their safety by bringing back check inspectors. It’s now up to the Nats to explain why they won’t.
Written By: - Date published: 3:55 pm, August 20th, 2011 - 15 comments
Today Part 2 of The Herald’s profile of Phil Goff is out, and once again it’s a very interesting read. It debunks some of the spin surrounding Goff’s ideology and the Lange / Douglas government.
Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, August 13th, 2011 - 115 comments
A few weeks back, I wrote that Labour’s policies are popular but it hasn’t secured the trust it needs to sway swing voters, partly people don’t feel they really know Phil Goff. Today’s Herald piece, reminiscent of one on Key in 2008 (except we get a lot more of the substance of Goff, not just carefully targeted anecdotes), should go a long way to fixing that.
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