Audrey Young on the coalition dance: “Labour would probably have an advantage because of the greater policy overlap”, “Keeping deputy leader Paula Bennett out of the first pro-forma courtesy meeting was an appalling decision by English that simply says he was desperate to please Peters at any cost”.
The right wing clobbering machine is already calling a possible Labour Green NZF a “coalition of losers”. Well under MMP a coalition of losers can be the winners. But however you cut it a coalition of liars will always be liars.
A tongue in cheek list of reasons why it may be best for National to form the next Government.
Outspoken sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert on the “tribalists” who continued to back the Nats despite their brazen lies – “if Labour had made the same accusation against National and not a single economist supported it, would you have reacted the same way? No. Of course not. And that’s what defines you as a moron.”
I suspect that ETS has become a political football in the next parliament, but probably not part of a coalition agreement with either National or Labour. My guess is that both NZ First and the Greens will want it off the table unless it is agreed that it will go. That leaves them able to vote against further stupid patches being added to it.
The Nats are desperate to make big concessions for a coalition with the Greens. The establishment is lining up in The Herald to beg for this to happen. Promises to strengthen environmental and social policies in order to cling to power – but not for the last nine long years when it was simply the right thing to do…
In a sign of desperation Bill English rang Winston Peters on the weekend but the call was not answered. Clearly National realises that waiting for the special votes to be released will significantly weaken its bargaining position.
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
This might look like smart politics for National to draw the Greens in with National but a more primary motivation might be that English/Joyce and co. are desperate to form a coalition with anyone, otherwise as individuals, they’ll certainly lose their power within the party in the inevitable shakeup.
You know that old saying about how generals always prepare to fight the last war? That’s National and their FPP election campaign (hello creepy joggers). There will be a certain poetic justice played out if Labour’s MMP campaign is the winner in the end.
A possible National/Green coalition deal? Matthew Whitehead discusses why and why not from a Green perspective.
The Winston Peters interregnum provides New Zealand with the opportunity to work out what are core values and what can be the subject of compromise.
You can stop the silly chat now media – the Greens can’t go into coalition with National because of their members, their social polices… but mainly because of their environmental policies.
During the election campaign elements of the farming community protested the possibility of a water tax and of farming being in the ETS on the basis the sector could not afford it. In awkward news it has since come to light that the Chief Executive of Fonterra and senior executives are being paid huge salaries.
Peters campaigned hard against the Nats, and for a change in government (check out the speech and video). To keep faith with democracy and with his party members he has to go with Labour Green (check out the feedback and polls). If Peters goes the other way NZF will implode.
A plan for how the Greens could save the election.
National have maintained their own vote but killed off all their political friends. Which is why their only route to power is now in the hands of an enemy, and why that enemy should be very wary of hitching his wagon to their fading star.
Labour didn’t deserve to win on Saturday because, firstly, because it failed to bring a fully-fleshed tax policy to voters, and, secondly, it never attempted to win the ideological battle over tax. To succeed at the next election, Labour must begin work today to frame this debate.
David Seymour and the ACT Party are back in Parliament but their role this term will be nothing other than nodding lap dog.
Some thoughts on the morning after a bitter sweet election result for Labour and the Greens.
Election night post for discussion. Updates during the evening.
National do a last ditch dirty politics effort. A few hours before it becomes impossible for anyone to refute this, Tracey Watkins publishes an opinion piece which sounds like the usual National BillShit. Another cynical lie designed to stop the horses from thinking rationally when they vote. This time it is a lie about things that the Greens can’t do – not without going to members. Who aren’t going to go for it.
You just have to hold your nose and electorate vote Goldsmith …
Who I am going to vote for and why.
National has created the perception that it is a better manager of Government than Labour and is suggesting that it is more compassionate. Neither claim is true.
Bill English and the Nats are now running firmly on a platform of lies – Gower calls them on this for a second time this week. Should the political left get down in the gutter too? Is NZ doomed to lying politics now?
Ardern’s jab that English “discovered poverty last week” was the line of the debate. After the election National will forget it again just as quickly, if the record of the last nine years is anything to go by. Do you want to vote for that?
Sure would be good if some other media called the Nats out on this too.
Stunningly depressing piece by Kirsty Johnston in The Herald yesterday – Number of New Zealand children hospitalised with malnutrition doubles as food costs bite.
Proud of your legacy, National?
Event at Auckland Uni and live streamed, the major political parties debate the climate with Rod Oram as MC.
Gordon Campbell sets out ten reasons not to vote National. Well referenced and compelling. Standardistas may wish to add their own entries to the list.
It is difficult to understand National’s election campaign. Instead of campaigning on what they have achieved and what they plan to do they are using fear of Labour to try and win the election. And saying some palpably untrue things on the way.
According to English, in a revealing Q+A interview, Labour wants to “slaughter the dairy herd” and “depopulate the cities”. Why is he such a scared little man? Why doesn’t National have the confidence to run a positive campaign on its policies?
Rod Oram at Newsroom: “More of the same won’t deliver for New Zealand. Hopefully, new leaders and policies will.”
A guest post by @invisiphilia on the recent Mahinarangi Forbes interview on the Hui on the abuse of children in foster care and why the Government is wrong in refusing to have a proper independent inquiry into what went wrong.
