Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, February 19th, 2008 - 10 comments
The Press reports that “Christchurch Central MP Tim Barnett has announced he will not stand as a candidate for any seat in the general election.” At the end of October, Labour MP Barnett announced he would not stand for the Christchurch Central seat again. Now he has withdrawn entirely, saying he will not put himself […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:57 pm, February 12th, 2008 - 24 comments
In her speech today, the Prime Minister announced a slate of government plans on housing affordability. New land will be freed up for housing but it will not a National-style free-for-all where land would be gobbled up by wealthy individuals and private developers for over-priced, up-scale housing that will exclude most people. Rather, areas will […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, February 8th, 2008 - 61 comments
Larger (but still small) numbers of kiwis are leaving for Australia and higher incomes are part of the attraction. At the same time unemployment here is at a record low, which is good but employers are complaining about a lack of workers. To keep skilled workers in New Zealand higher wages are needed. The government […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, February 7th, 2008 - 53 comments
In a speech today to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce Cullen has further differentiated the role of tax cuts under National and Labour. What was interesting about Cullen’s speech is that it wasn’t really a speech about tax cuts. It was a speech about (much broader) economic sustainability. Essentially it pitted National’s vaporware ‘tax cuts’ […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:01 pm, February 2nd, 2008 - 39 comments
News just in reports that Clare Curran has won the Labour nomination in Dunedin South over former cabinet minister David Benson-Pope, Don Pryde, president of the Engineers Union and Keith McFadyen of the PSA. More as it comes to hand.
Written By: - Date published: 1:37 pm, January 31st, 2008 - 46 comments
I don’t know if this is breaking some cyber protocol (oh, but I don’t much care if I am) but I want to put Jordan Carter‘s post on Helen Clark’s speech up here on The Standard. The reason is that while I agree with a lot of what IrishBill said – mainly that her speech […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, January 30th, 2008 - 78 comments
I haven’t had time to do a thorough analysis of Clark’s speech but from a quick once-over I can say with certainty that it is underwhelming. Let’s face it, this was her chance to take the front foot and show the government had a policy agenda fit for a new term. Instead her speech is […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:50 pm, December 21st, 2007 - 45 comments
I have glimpsed the future. I know how Election 08 will play out. It will be a thriller, going down to the wire. The election home straight, like that at Flemington in Melbourne, is a test of champions. In the end it is about class and staying ability. Helen Clark starts the year well off […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:47 pm, December 18th, 2007 - 6 comments
The Dom reports that: Cabinet minister Trevor Mallard has escaped an assault charge over his altercation with National MP Tau Henare by pleading guilty to the lesser charge of fighting in a public place. Appearing in Wellington District Court this afternoon, the Environment Minister was convicted and agreed to pay $500 to a Salvation Army […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:03 pm, December 16th, 2007 - 22 comments
Today the hotly contested four horse race to become the candidate for Palmerston North (the position being left vacant by the tenth hottest man in NZ – Steve Maharey – can’t remember who ran that poll, a late night TV show no doubt) was won by Iain Lees-Galloway, the Campaigns and Media Advisor for the […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:47 pm, December 15th, 2007 - 9 comments
Yesterday two more bright young things were confirmed as Labour candidates for the 2008 general election: Kate Sutton in Epsom and Hamish McDouall in Whanganui. Twenty six year old Kate Sutton is already a proven political player – she’s a two term Tamaki Community Board Chair, she’s on the University of Auckland’s ruling council and […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, December 11th, 2007 - 32 comments
From the Beehive site: Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson said that in December 1999, when Labour came to power, there were 161,000 people receiving an unemployment benefit. “Over 141,000 have come off this benefit since then, with just over 20,000 people receiving it now,” she said. “These numbers haven’t been this low since 1979. In […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:46 pm, December 10th, 2007 - 23 comments
I wonder if the Nats still want to bin it? Remember it was only last May that John Key told Morning Report “Oh, no. No guarantees over KiwiSaver Mark II.” Here’s the press release.
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, December 10th, 2007 - 76 comments
So DPF’s given his predictable take on this year’s Trans-Tasman MP rankings (PDF – 150K). Now averages are one thing but more interesting is a trend that DPF conveniently ignores – While many of National’s high profile MPs are static or slipping in the rankings, Labour’s heavy-hitters seem to be lifting their game. LABOUR Clark […]
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 pm, December 9th, 2007 - 40 comments
Two more electorates have confirmed Labour candidates. Rimutaka was on Saturday – Chris Hipkins was selected. Christchurch Central was today – Brendon Burns was selected. I’ll post some biographical details tomorrow. UPDATE: Here’s a story from The Press on Brendon Burns. Here’s Chris Hipkins’ blog with selection speech and some personal details.
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, November 14th, 2007 - 10 comments
The other day we published an extract from Evan Thornley’s speech to the Labour Party conference. We’ve finally managed to get hold of a digital copy, so here it is in full. It’s quite long, but well worth a read: LABOUR IS THE PARTY OF IDEAS NZLP National Conference Keynote Speech – Auckland 4 Nov., […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 pm, November 11th, 2007 - 74 comments
Charles Chauvel has withdrawn his nomination for Wellington Central. This leaves Grant Robertson the uncontested Labour candidate, likely to be confirmed on November 17th. Chauvel will instead seek to re-enter Parliament by means of the Party list.
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, November 11th, 2007 - 3 comments
The Herald reports that “Dunedin South MP David Benson-Pope says he will not stand as an independent if he is not selected as the Labour Party’s candidate in the seat.” There was speculation following the nominations of Clare Curran, Olivier Lequeux, Don Pryde, and Keith McFadyen that if B-P failed to gain the candidacy he […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, November 10th, 2007 - 19 comments
DPF and the National Party have made much of a Helen Clark quote unearthed from her conference speech in 2000 on tax cuts. I’ve just read it on Kiwiblog and was puzzled by the elipsis in the middle. DPF writes: “Tax cuts are a path to inequality… They are the promises of visionless and intellectually […]
Written By: - Date published: 3:09 am, November 10th, 2007 - 3 comments
From Ruth Dyson’s press release: The latest Household Labour Force Survey quarterly results from Statistics NZ confirm the Labour-led government’s employment policies and responsible economic management, says Social Development and Employment Minister Ruth Dyson. “The record low level of unemployment of 3.5 per cent is the lowest rate since the Survey began.”
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, November 8th, 2007 - 19 comments
Chris Knox had a good piece in the Dom Post today explaining why he wrote Labour’s new campaign song. Here’s an extract: Good grief! I’ve gone and written a campaign song for a mainstream political party! Could I possibly be the same Chris Knox who has consistently railed against all forms of conformity, intellectual blandness […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, November 8th, 2007 - 1 comment
Watching party conference made me think of this old ad – when it all lines up great things can happen. Fortunately for Honda they didn’t have to contend with Len Richards on the set…
Written By: - Date published: 3:59 pm, November 5th, 2007 - 35 comments
powered by ODEO Written by Chris Knox, the song should come with a warning. Having heard it once, you’re unlikely to be able to forget it. Download it here (MP3 – 2Mb). Lyrics below. It’s a Better Way with Labour Chris Knox We’re a part of the Pacific Independent, proud and free And no power […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, November 5th, 2007 - 2 comments
A mate just sent through this pic from the Labour Party conference. That’s EPMU president Don Pryde on the left and fellow Dunedinite Chris Trotter on the right, apparently caught as they were heading for the bar. The resemblance is uncanny.
Written By: - Date published: 4:48 pm, November 1st, 2007 - 14 comments
Newstalk ZB reports that failed Dunedin Mayoral candidate Olivier Lequeux has put his name forward to challenge the Labour selection in Dunedin South. According to ZB: Mr Lequeux says Labour approached him to put his name forward. He is now in Auckland meeting with party officials. This strikes me as highly unlikely. My sources tell […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, October 31st, 2007 - 2 comments
Latest reports suggest that Tim Barnett will not be standing for Christchurch Central in next year’s election but may still stand on Labour’s list.
Written By: - Date published: 12:39 pm, October 31st, 2007 - 28 comments
Three new cabinet ministers (Maharey’s retiring, Burton’s returned to the backbench, and Benson-Pope’s old place was still open): Steve Chadwick becomes Minister of Conservation, Women’s Affairs, and Associate Health Maryan Street becomes Minister of Housing, Minister for ACC, along with Associate Minister for Economic Development and Associate Tertiary Education Shane Jones becomes Minister for Building […]
Written By: - Date published: 2:33 pm, October 30th, 2007 - 22 comments
Interesting to see EPMU President Don Pryde has thrown his hat in the ring for the Dunedin South seat and has the full backing of his union. Having met Don at a conference a few years ago I’ve got to say I was taken by his level-headedness and the way he’d think before passing comment […]
Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, October 29th, 2007 - 51 comments
Pol science lecturer and commentator Jon Johansson has given a lucid and scholarly account of the inexorable decline of John Key and National’s prospects. In a speech to the NZ First conference at the weekend. Johansson told delegates that after a promising beginning, Key has started to “unevenly walk the new generation walk…” An excerpt: […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:35 am, October 25th, 2007 - 31 comments
The Press reports that Trevor Mallard allegedly slapped or hit Tau Henare after the National MP made references to Mallard’s personal life in the Debating Chamber. Henare yesterday wouldn’t say whether he had been struck or not. The PM was reportedly unimpressed and commented “both men should look in the mirror”. Apparently an apology was […]
Written By: - Date published: 5:18 pm, October 19th, 2007 - 3 comments
The Ministry of Social Development’s Annual Social Report is worth a read. It shows good progress across a range of social indicators, but also that there’s still more to do. If memory serves me correctly, the importance of an Annual Social Report was a cause championed by Steve Maharey back in 2001 – it’s now […]
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