A New Zealand for 100% of New Zealanders
The text of a very personal straight from the heart speech given by David Cunliffe today to Labour Youth.
Politics
political parties
Judith Collins: fudging evidence
Judith Colllins & the PM are probably toasting Shane Jones (and Murray McCully) right now: the heat around the Oravida controversy has been pushed off the front pages. Information and marginalised news don’t easily disappear off the web – or Wikipedia. Collins quietly slipped out a press release on the delay of her decision on alcohol pricing – media shy suddenly?
Key Govt asset stripping state housing
Phil Twyford has exposed the government’s asset-stripping approach to running down state housing, while favouring of private & overseas entities. The Greens & Mana have strong policies for increasing the amount of state housing. Still waiting for a commitment from Labour.
Politics bruises even Shane Jones
While I know many on here aren’t sad to see Shane go, I think he’s a lost voice for Labour – and we’ll need others to step up into his place. I also think we might be a little less visceral and personal in our attacks on politicians if we were a little quicker to realise they are human.
Also: Shane Jones Media Watch
Labour and the working class
Shane Jones’ retirement has made some say that it is evidence that Labour is becoming less relevant to the working class. Josie Pagani says that the party should be concentrating more on jobs, better pay, and on celebrating opportunities for all of us to do better in life. She should read the party’s policy platform before she makes this criticism because it talks about nothing but job creation, better pay and improving our quality of life.
Polity: Shane Jones speaks out
If you are going to demand that everyone else be a team player within Labour, accommodating in the caucus views they do not agree with, you can’t then turn around and refuse to be a team player in a Labour-led government with another party whose views you may not agree with. Either everyone is a team player, or nobody is. Shane Jones included.
NRT: The Greens’ “internet bill of rights”
No Right Turn is critical of the implementation aspects of the Greens’ internet bill of rights. Looking at his points about its flaws, it does appear that it has few real teeth. “…if you want to outlaw ISPS shaping customer traffic for anti-competitive reasons” … “then amend the Telecommunications Act to outlaw it. It wouldn’t sound as great as an “internet bill of rights”, but it would do the job better, and with more certainty of the outcome. Trying to use a general law to do it, without checking the underlying policy details, doesn’t just risk failure – it also comes across as lazy.”
Stepping up: new energy from Kelvin Davis
Labour has swung positively behind the change from Jones to Kelvin Davis. In his interview on TV3’s First Line this morning, Davis was confident, down-to-earth, & energetic. Hone Harawira & Davis are strong candidates for Te Tai Tokerau and those struggling on low incomes. Both would be assets for a Labour-led government.
Russel & Metiria – or Winston?
Yesterday Rob Salmond commented on Labour’s two likeliest options for coalition partners after the 2014 election, and had some interesting things to say […]
Shane Jones standing down as MP
Breaking. Just on One News – Shane Jones will not be standing in the elections for Labour or any other party. More as it comes to hand. NZ Herald – Jones to leave politics at the end of next month. Stuff – Kelvin Davis next on list. Davis – a very good replacement.
Polity: I am still holding out for a three-way
I think the pundits misjudge Peters. I think he wants a major, polity-based legacy in the 2014-2017 term, as well as baubles. Only the left can offer this. With the left, Peters can be The Man who Saved the Power Companies. National cannot compete with that. Which gives everyone on the left, including the Greens, some leverage. So count me out of the consensus that Winston in Cabinet means no Greens in Cabinet. I see a feasible three-way deal on the horizon.
It’s the little things …
Another day and another hole in Judith Collins’ description of events surrounding the dinner that she had with senior Oravida figures and a Chinese Official who may or may not have been able to sort out importation problems for Oravida, a company who her husband is a Director of and who has made large donations to the National Party.
The drone strike killing of a Kiwi
The Government is completely indifferent to the killing of innocent children and New Zealand citizens because it is part of the war against terrorism. But the extra judicial killing of innocent adults and children is by definition a terrorist act.
The housing bubble
Another week and another report suggesting that New Zealand’s housing market is heading towards a potential crisis. The Government’s primary response is to blame Labour. The Greens and Labour have a collection of policies which would improve matters significantly. But the politics are difficult because who would want to threaten the value of the family home?
The right wing only want to help us
Kiwi in America over at Kiwiblog has offered some no doubt heart felt advice to Labour on what it should be doing. But the advice appears to be based on a misunderstanding of the Party’s history and a wish that the Party becomes more like ACT. Why do right wingers think they can tell Labour what to do and is their advice sound?
The week that was
The highs and lows and the good and bad of what was a fascinating week in Politics.
Polity: Labour’s manufacturing plan
This is very good stuff. Having a tax break for R&D work has always been a no-brainer, and it is great to see it reconfirmed. Adding an accelerated depreciation scheme for new plant is a helpful addition. And partnering with more local firms for more locally-sourced government procurement makes perfect sense, too. Another no brainer for parties – like Labour – that actually care about local employment.
Labour’s pro Kiwi Manufacturing Policy
The text of a speech delivered this morning by David Cunliffe outlining Labour’s manufacturing policy. Update – includes a short video.
LB: EDUCANZ, Professionalism and Politics
We now have a Ministry of Education that is under the beck and call of the Minister, and where political ideology determines policy, and shortly we will have a new Teachers Council that will be governed only by political appointees. Under a National led Government, teachers will lose any professional independence and become classroom technicians that have to support politically prescribed programmes and data collection. Anyone want a career in teaching?
Tell the police, New Zealand has been robbed …
Genesis Energy’s shares have been sold at a price well below their value. And despite considerable demand from local mum and dad investors one in four of the shares has been sold to overseas institutions.
NRT: The PCE on the Environmental Reporting Bill
No Right Turn on the Environmental Reporting Bill that has the watchdogs up in arms. Listening to Amy Adams last night going on about how transparent and open to public scrutiny regulations are made me wonder what bloody universe she lived in – bizarro world perhaps?. Submissions on the Environmental Reporting Bill are due on Thursday.
Collins under fire
Judith Collins, once one of National’s most assured performers, is facing increasing pressure. Her handling of the ACC privacy release form scandal is under scrutiny. And the release of a letter from Oravida to the Government asking for help in handling reputational risk focusses even more attention on the “private dinner” and the identity of the mysterious Chinese Government Official.
Father & son: Dunne deals?
TV One’s Seven Sharp has raised questions about whether there has been a conflict of interest for Peter Dunne. This is with respect to his son James Dunne’s legal representation of advocates for the recreational synthetic drug industry. What is the evidence for and against? [Update: Live chat with Peter Dunne, Stuff midday]
Polity: Maori Party / Key fundraiser
The Political Anorak News is full of the $5,000-a-plate fundraiser for the Maori Party hosted by John Key at the Northern Club in Auckland… Nothing illegal about this at all, or really anything immoral either. Key wants to help the Maori Party help Key, so he’s putting in an appearance. No problem. These kinds of events make it crystal clear that a vote for the Maori Party is a vote for a National government.
Politics by numbers
The first rule of politics is learn how to count. And, as much as we would all like to see Labour and the Greens govern by themselves, 13 and 32 don’t add up to 50
That’ll be why, when the Greens came to Labour with a plan to campaign together, Labour said no.
Labour wants to save the Kauri
David Cunliffe today announced that Labour would fund research into Kauri Dieback disease to the tune of $20 million dollars over ten years if elected, in stark contrast to the current Government’s position which is to discontinue funding.
From slum-house to mega-man: Mana-TIP connections
There’s a lot of media attention on the negotiations between Mana & The Internet Party (TIP). Mana aims to link with some other parties. Some high profile people are scheduled to speak to Mana. Is Dotcom’s focus on his poor childhood genuine or a PR strategy? [Update#2: Sunday, NZ Herald – green light for negotiations]
Tau Henare and the baubles of retirement
Tau Henare is leaving politics and is rumoured to be the next chair of Maori Television. Makes you wonder what offers were made to persuade the many other National MPs who are retiring to go so meekly.
Inequalities of the 10 percenters
All inequality measures are not equal. The GINI Coefficient is widely used but it doesn’t show the impact of vast increases in inequality between the richest and poorest Kiwis; it doesn’t show increasing experiences of hardship: it can mask vast inequalities in wealth & asset ownership.
Labour and the Greens
It’s not that complicated.
iPredict needs “Next National Minister Resignation”
Who will it be? Judith? Simon? Hekia? Amy? Or a surprise?
Random impertinent questions for Judith Collins
National must be hoping that Judith Collins can answer questions in Parliament better than she did today when questioned about Oravida. Because today she had a shocker.
NRT: Unsurprising
But on any realistic numbers, its unthinkable for a future Labour government not to include the Greens, and as Gordon Campbell points out, by refusing to define their relationship themselves, Labour has given National a free hand to do it for them – and in undoubtedly negative terms. That won’t do the Greens any harm. But its unlikely to be good for Labour.
Polity: The Greens’ proposed pre-election deal
Last night, via One News, the public became aware that the Greens had proposed a pre-election coalition with Labour, but Labour had rejected it. While the Greens’ offer is nothing unusual internationally, New Zealand’s comparatively fair electoral system doesn’t provide Labour much incentive to accept it. Which, I think, makes Labour’s rejection of the proposal much less noteworthy.
Hollow Men redux
Don Brash has published an autobiography and his comments about and presentation of John Key is less than complimentary.
Bridges is rattled, and confused
Simon Bridges has not had a good week. His knowledge of the whereabouts of pristine natural areas is as reliable as his knowledge of Russel Norman’s ministerial career.