A quiet shift in a dodgy Key govt-SkyCity deal: TVNZ land, sold to SkyCity for its convention centre, is to be used for a new hotel. Plus: non-mandated deal between Auckland Transport Authority & a US corporate – intense surveillance of Aucklanders’ diverse activities.
A request for a civilised leadership campaign by Labour President Moira Coatsworth has been described as “Orwellian” by Phil Quin. This is a remarkable choice of words to use.
The early election has meant that National has avoided the bad news of the collapse in international milk prices during the campaign period. And the Reserve Bank has finally taken action to drive down the value of New Zealand’s currency. It may be that the brighter future promised by National is not going to be so bright.
Every election Key is confronted with the issue of poverty. His response is always pure politics with no effective action, and this election has been no different. We will be here again in 2017.
Labour has announced details of the leadership contest including timing, closing of nominations, and the dates of hustings meetings.
One of the few bright spots for Labour in the election was the renewed support of Maori. What now for the Maori Party?
According to early reports (Twitter) David Parker is interim leader of the Labour Party, with Annette King as deputy.
The Act party, well known for rorts, dodgy deals, general corruption, and the poor calibre of their candidates, is doing it again. National gave their single novice MP an “under-secretary” position to allow Act to rort extra money from taxpayers. It also provides him with a position that is wholly unaccountable to parliament or the public via OIA.
Key is grooming Bennett for a finance role and eventual succession. No point in Nat members making a fuss, they don’t get a say in who leads them.
Labour’s leadership rules state that if you want to have a vote in this leadership election you need to be a paid-up member by Wednesday 1 October, 11.59pm.
Some thoughts from a different angle on ‘what went wrong’, or maybe just saying stuff along the lines of what plenty of other people are thinking
Labour is being criticised for leadership divisions. If the party had not examined its leadership it would be being criticised for ignoring the message of the voters. So never mind the media frenzy, concentrate on running (like last time) a positive and constructive selection process and review.
Our guest poster has a look at the Employment relations Amendment Bill that National will attempt to sneak through during Labour’s leadership primary. This bill is clearly targeted at those employees who are most vulnerable. It reinforces the Nat’s slow and steady but effective chipping away of employee’s rights and will really resonate with its core constituency
In the spirit of new badly needed Left Unity. The Left opposition needs to start setting the agenda. First “feed the kids” needs to be picked up. Second the corporate welfare for Solid Energy needs a lot of scrutiny. So does the the state funding of oil exploration.
Grant Robertson is the second Labour MP to announce that he wishes to seek the party’s leadership.
MP for Dunedin North David Clark has been reflecting on the very successful result in the electorate.
David Cunliffe has announced that he has resigned as leader of the Labour Party but will stand again to seek a mandate for change.
Labour’s Council is currently meeting. David Cunliffe is expected to make a statement today at 2:30. It will be covered live by RNZ, 3 News and other outlets. Update: David Cunliffe has announced his resignation from the leader’s position but will contest the vacant leadership. Get ready for a leadership contest …
Nice to see one Journalist speaking up about National’s vicious personal attacks on Kim Dotcom. What will Dotcom do next? My guess is that he will stay out of NZ politics from now on.
So National will continue their rorts by giving ministries to their tame poodles, Rimmer and the Hair. Despite each making the Aotearoa Legalise […]
National wants to permit deep sea oil drilling. Last time there was huge opposition and the opposition is starting again. The hikoi is under way.
bspout at Local Bodies was well up on the Greens list, but as the Greens only got 10%, he didn’t get into parliament. But as he says, with Labour navel gazing and NZ First lacking experience, the greens are currently the only effective opposition at present.
With Lynn, which according to the trolls should see me banned 😈
I think the Labour results show voters understand MMP, not that Labour doesn’t.
Perhaps it is time for activists to have two parties. The one that specialises in electorates and the one that focuses on party vote. Because it is becoming evident that Labour is unlikely to ever manage to make the transition to being a MMP party. Their MPs clearly don’t care for the party or the brand.
There is a rort being negotiated in Parliament that will cost the thick edge of $1 million a year. Where is the Taxpayer’s union on this?
An accident… Then an odd thing starts to happen. Instead of helping the survivors and securing the scene, the rescue crew start fighting amongst themselves. How did the crash happen? Was it was the driver’s fault? What was the main cause of the accident?
Labours choice.
It’s great to see John Key taking a sudden interest in addressing child poverty in New Zealand. But why the change of heart?
It’s up to all of us.
No one should begrudge John Key and the National party the right to celebrate an impressive election victory. It is little consolation to […]
Our Labour MPs seem to be in disarray. Somehow the party that teaches solidarity keeps on being fractured, while the party that teaches individualism is a strong union.
Why are they talking to each other through the media instead of picking up the phone?
David Cunliffe has just announced that he will seek to continue as leader of the Labour Party and will let the party decide. A contest for the leadership is almost inevitable.
I’m pretty sure that David Cunliffe would win a members and affiliates vote. So suck it up MPs, stop playing your silly caucus games and do some frigging work this term rather than the self-indulgent posturing you wasted time with last term. We have to start building campaigning machinery as soon as possible. You are getting in the way.
No Right Turn points out the underlying truth of voting in an MMP environment. For the party electorate seats don’t matter much. Running electorate only campaigns are not productive. He is wrong in ascribing them no value. They provide a base for campaigning.
Nationals promises to you. #1.
Expect to see a lot of drastic rightwing policies this term as John Key redefines the term “centre ground.”
