NRT: Not even pretending anymore
I/S at No Right Turn on the Nats’ contempt for democracy in Canterbury. Elections remain on hold so that the commissioners’ agenda can be completed without unwelcome input from urban representation.
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If these trends continue
Key’s government is falling apart, yet one fact remains stubbornly true: walk down the street and nearly 1 in every 2 people you see supports National, while less than 1 in 3 supports Labour (and the 1 in 8 who support the Greens don’t quite make up the difference). When tonight’s Roy Morgan came out I put down my whisky and pulled by my Roy Morgan excel doc. It’s some grim reading.
Doubling down on Parata disaster
Protecting the incompetent Parata is a further sign that Key’s government is well in to sclerotic middle age.
Charter Schools: A failed idea
Submissions for the Education Amendment Bill 2012 (includes Charter Schools) close on 24 January. The PPTA reminds us that Charter Schools are a failed idea. Even Treasury documents show they are a bad idea.
Where is National on house prices?
With a 10% increase in the median house price last year, we’re firmly back on a damaging house price binge. Labour has policies that address the issue. Where is National?
Ear treatment cuts another attack on the poor
The Nats want to cut the budget for surgery to install grommets, a technique for treating persistent ear infection (especially in children). Naturally those most effected by this ill-considered move will be children from poor families.
Deja vu all over again: Labour in 2014 edition
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here: a Labour victory in 2014 isn’t necessarily better than a National victory in 2014.
2012 cabinet report card
After Eddie dissed the usual beltway year in review style of column/post I was a little chary about doing this one. And then I realised the good thing about The Standard is we do real world and beltway issues. So here goes my once-over assessment of the 2012 cabinet performance and what it’s likely to mean for the future.
John Key’s Summer
While John Key spends the summer in Hawaii, he will need to make some decisions about the future of his cabinet. Parata’s future is poised in the balance, and he is looking to move Tim Groser on later next year.
How to mess up “good” news
Trying to distract attention from the increased taxes required to maybe balance the budget one day, Key was pushing supposedly good news on health. Instead he scored a social media own goal. Ooops.
The spinmeister of Planet Key: Retrospective
On TV3 this morning, John Key was soothing and slick. All is well on Planet Key, and critics are delusional. He reeled of numbers and facts, but material realities of daily lives, and the suffering of people on low incomes aren’t mentioned. And asset sales?
Don’t blame MMP for Nat stupidity
Recent pieces by Bernard Hickey and John Armstrong both highlighted the problem of our aging population and the unsustainability of super – in Hickey’s memorable words we are “consuming our future”. Armstrong tries to balme MMP, but that won’t wash, it’s just the usual short-sighted Nat stupidity…
The dark side
Fran O’Sullivan & Audrey Young are awestruck by Judith Collins as ruthless Force. FO’S does a fan-girl rave, slipping into fanfic mode.Was the Binnie episode a daring bid to become the next Nat leader? Will English & Joyce respond with callous, socially-destructive manoeuvres?
Poverty Watch 16
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, two damning reports on child poverty, and the Nats refuse to act.
National’s 12 days of Christmas
Grant Robertson in the Christmas adjournment speeches yesterday gave a great list of National’s terrible 2012 gifts to Aotearoa. For the twelfth day […]
NRT: Reported back
The Transport and Industrial Relations Committee has reported back on David Clark’s Holidays (Full Recognition of Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day) Amendment Bill, with the National majority recommending it not be passed. The bill will now go back before the House, where its fate will be in the hands of Peter Dunne. Will he vote for it or not?
Will the Maori Party make a stand for kids?
The Maori Party has publicly called on National to act on the child poverty report. Was this a token protest for form’s sake, or will the Maori Party actually make a stand for kids?
Judicial review of water ownership rejected
A win for the Nats, a loss for the country. The Maori Council’s request for a judicial review of water rights has been rejected.
Doha blah blah blah
The climate change talks still grind on every year, but nothing useful seems to happen as a result. The recently concluded Doha talks are no exception. By the time the Power Shift generation takes over they will be facing a near impossible task.
Poverty Watch 15
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, poverty and eduction, and a special edition of Poverty Watch coming up…
Merry Christmas Hillside
Another sad chapter in the ongoing collapse of manufacturing in NZ. A particularly bitter chapter, because it didn’t have to be this way.
Ahead of the curve on climate change
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has defended the Nats’ decision to drop out of the Kyoto treaty, describing the move as “ahead of the curve”. Quite apart from being absolutely stupid short-term thinking and a pathetic abdication of leadership, the idea that this retreat is “ahead of the curve” is a rather unfortunate turn of phrase.
Poverty Watch 14
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the return of Inside Child Poverty, and the view from Planet Key…
Cronyism
It appears that Murray McCully is up to his clique-ish ways again. He’s appointed his old mate, and Sky political lobbyist Tony O’Brien to the board of Antarctic New Zealand. What’s that you say? Lobbying doesn’t have much to do with our interests on the white continent and its surrounding waters? Neither does Pay TV?
NRT: Taking on our local tax cheats
I/S at No Right Turn asks why the government is letting rich multinational companies get away with exploiting tax loopholes. Here’s an idea – close the loopholes and spend the revenue on schools.
A solution to the Novopay fiasco
I have a suggestion.
A National attack on the environment
Anthony has already mentioned the amazing record of us winning both first and second prize in the first Fossil of the Day awards […]
The elective surgery “success story”
In August we were sold a “success story” – the number of elective surgeries was up and waiting times were down. Last night we learned the untold backstory, with reports of complex procedures being dropped to focus on making the numbers look good. Yet another example of the Nats’ micro-management gone wrong.
I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander
With its head deep in the rapidly warming sands, John Key and the National government have been rolling back climate change measures. We are not even “fast followers”, we are stand-out obstacles to progress, and subject to international ridicule. On climate change they have made me ashamed to be a New Zealander. They shame us all as a nation.
A new house every 13 minutes
KiwiBuild has the Nats rattled. It’s difficult to oppose a program that creates both affordable housing and jobs, but they’re doing their best. One of their lines is that NZ can’t build houses that quickly. They’re wrong – here’s why.
The Auckland property market
The Auckland property market is back through the roof again, as well covered in The Herald this weekend. Labour’s solution is to build more houses. National’s “solution” is to complain about Labour’s solution.
Poverty Watch 13
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, while National sits on its hands, Labour set out a policy that addresses poverty, housing and health…
NRT: More dictatorship from Brownlee
No Right Turn on the Nats’ contemplating yet another way to trample on democracy in Christchurch.
In other news: the failings of Key’s government
John Key’s crony-capitalist, neoliberal government is failing NZ on the environment, affordable housing, and a living wage. Mana and the Greens are leading the way on affordable housing and anti-poverty campaigns. The Greens still lead the way on pressing environmental issues.
Poverty Watch 12
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, children bear the brunt of the Nats beneficiary bashing, and Peter Dunne challenged to make good on his promises and big words…
Towards an inclusive, democratic left
The left needs to develop a new direction, not merely react to the ruling neoliberal discourses and policies. Under NAct there has been a resurgent masculinisation of politics, and the undermining of democratic processes. How do we work towards a more inclusive, diverse participatory democracy?