Aotearoa the way you want it?
The new Government’s policies give the impression they were formulated by members of a Workingman’s club in the 1970s and negotiated over a few beers.
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Highlights quoted out of the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement
Some of the more unusual policies from the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement.
The long wait still continues
On Friday, three parties finally signed agreements to gain a slim majority in parliament. What this means is that some time on Monday Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro will be able to swear in the new ministers of the Executive Council. On Monday Labour and the Greens will have their constitutional muzzle removed. On December 5th parliament will lumber back into work. Then the fun begins for this political blogger.
Strong stable Government?
Today may be the day we have a new Government, that is as long as Act and NZ First can resolve their fight over who is to be Deputy Prime Minister.
The baubles of office
Now that the policy negotiations between Act National and NZ First have been concluded talks have progressed to the most sensitive and difficult area, who will get the baubles of office.
Mergers and acquisitions
Christopher Luxon has always talked the big talk about his corporate experience with mergers and acquisitions. But the media are starting to ask questions and his positive rhetoric may not be well placed.
Negotiation of chaos
So the coalition negotiations are going as well as I thought they would.
What will National do about special voting rights?
One of the most democratic changes that Labour made to the electoral system was to allow people to enroll and vote on election day. The right hate it. And may be planning to change it.
Nu phone who dis?
It is very early days and already, in what appears to be a finely calibrated insult to make David Seymour appear weak, Winston Peters has responded to the first overture from the Act leader for talks by ignoring him.
What happened in the Maori seats
The final results in the Māori electorates clearly indicate that there was a great deal of strategic voting taking place.
Greenpeace: Luxon’s threat to roll back climate action at odds with emissions targets
Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling on Prime Minister-elect Christopher Luxon to commit to real climate action, as reports reveal New Zealand is now at risk of not meeting its Paris Agreement emissions reduction targets.
A point on the long wait
Today we will get the final election counts. It will now include the estimated specials of 20.2% of the vote. This can change the precise balance in parliament. A NAct coalition will probably require a partner party to secure a reliable majority. Unfortunately past political history is going to make that awkward. The chaos will be great for a political blog of the left. Not so good for the country.
National’s gang policy has no foundation
National’s Mark Mitchell has proposed a law that will require Gang Members to apply foundation to any gang insignia tattoos before they can go out into the public.
Don’t get angry, get organised
Labour day is a good day for all progressives to start getting organised for the next three years and working on the election of the next progressive Government.
How the special votes may work out
Special vote counts may see Labour win back some important electorate seats and see the National/Act majority vanish.
NZ Election result
In parliamentary politics, there are no final victories. After losing the 2023 election, Labour must now immediately focus on winning in 2026.
That was not as good as was hoped for
Last night was not a good night for the Labour Party …
Neck and neck
Last post before election day but the big mo is on and the election is getting closer and closer.
About last night’s debate
It is very clear now why National did not agree to a further debate between the leaders. Last night’s debate between Chris Hipkins and Christopher Luzon was totally one sided.
Down to the wire
Two new polls were released last night and they both confirm a tightening of the race with the right slumping and the left improving.
Multimillionaire landlords are the real squeezed middle according to National
Craig Rennie of the CTU has continued his excellent work analysing National’s proposed tax cuts and has come up with a doozie. Landlords who own multiple properties will get huge tax cuts if National’s policy is put in place.
Labour surges in latest poll
A new poll has Labour surging into the 30s, Act continuing its decline and National going backward. This election is not over.
Managing Expectations: Community transmission of coronavirus in NZ was inevitable
The sad thing about the NZ COVID response is that overall it did deliver in that it protected the public health system and saved lives. But expectations about stopping all community transmission were set too high, and walking back from that politically has been challenging for Labour.
Winston Peters? I barely know him
National has over the past couple of weeks indicated that it will ring Winston if it needs his votes, then saying that if he negotiates too hard it will seek a further election. This is real coalition of chaos stuff.
The Big Mo
Recent polls suggest that National and Act is going backward while Labour has stabilised. A win for the left is possible but this last week will be all important.
Like two cats in a sack
The minor leader’s debate last night confirmed the fact that David Seymour and Winston Peters hate each other.
National’s credibility problem
National has suffered further damage to its credibility with its promise of a $250 tax cut per fortnight for an average family only being realised if that family spent at least $300 per week on childcare and was a two income family with each adult earning between $53,500 and $66,000.
Managing Expectations – the NZ Housing crisis and Labour’s response.
Watching the 2023 election campaign in New Zealand, one of Labour’s challenges appears to be that it has failed to manage voters’ expectations over the last six years. Recalling the election campaign in 2017, Jacinda Ardern gave people hope that politics could be different. However government is about handling problems – like building at scale and pandemics.
Why can’t National answer straight forward questions about the Council of Trade Union’s critique of their tax policy?
National’s tax policy doesn’t add up, and they’re trashing election and media conventions to avoid accountability. UPDATED.
National set to renege on Paris Agreement
National says it is not interested in meeting its financial obligations under the international Paris Agreement on climate change, signed by the previous National government. Reneging on the accord will have huge trade, diplomatic and reputational damage implications.
Even Capitalists think that too much Capitalism is a bad thing
In recent times Goldman Sax has warned National that its policies will hurt the economy. And S&P has praised Labour’s handling of the economy and expressed a high assessment of various factors relating to the country.
The weird and wacky 2023 election campaign
In a week of weird events National’s decision not to debate Labour in the Press’s leader’s debate has been a massive own goal because the country will be able to see how toxic David Seymour’s and Winston Peters’ relationship is.
Should you be more worried about co-governance or the top 1%?
To the those voting ACT or NZF or National this year because you are worried about co-governance. I have a secret for you. You have been co-governed by the richest 1% for decades.
Skyfall comes to Wellington
Skyfall was 10 years ago but it has a message for all public servants local or central as you choose your vote.
What really matters this election – poverty
National has shown its real priorities with proposals to cut benefits that will pay for increased tax concessions for landlords and increasing prison resources in anticipation of the crime wave the increased poverty will cause.
Hipkins goes on the offensive
Chris Hipkins has upped the ante in the election campaign by directly calling out the right’s use of dog whistle racism.