National’s weird tenancy policy announcement
This week Chris Bishop announced National’s landlord policy and made the extraordinary claim that making evictions of tenants easier was a progressive pro tenant policy.
Politics
political parties
Poor Regulation Is Burning This Government Down
This government has within its power the ability to alter the crippling cost of living increases we now face. If they don’t do the political job they can do with prices, they will lose power at the election.
Why a Capital Gains tax is necessary
With the release by David Parker of a report showing that the wealthiest New Zealanders pay tax at much less than half the rate of other Kiwis is it time to again debate the virtue of a comprehensive Capital Gains Tax.
Debate of the Day: should farms be regulated to centre climate action and nature?
In election year, National’s farming regulations bonfire flies in the face of climate action and ecological restoration.
Much ado about nothing
Right wing twitter thought it was onto something big yesterday after there were revelations that Human Rights Commissioner Meng Foon had donated funds and cheap premises to Kiri Allan’s election campaign in 2020. But there was one rather significant problem with this expose, he had also donated to the National candidate in the same election.
National despairs as inflation rate drops
Yesterday Statistics New Zealand dealt a rather large blow to National’s election chances when it announced that the latest rate of inflation was 6.7%, a significant drop below the previous rate.
Stephen Jack is cancelled by the National Party
So National has yet another candidate problem. His name is Stephen Jack and he clearly has difficulties in negotiating reality.
National’s problem with its candidates
Another day, and yet another report a National candidate has done something really stupid.
Three Waters becomes Affordable Water
Three Waters mark two has been announced. And Kieran McAnulty has given a text book example of clarity in political speak when making the announcement.
Greens: Three waters rebrand insufficient
Today the Government adopted a long held Green Party position to increase the number of water entities to ensure a closer connection with communities they serve. However, despite the rebrand, significant concerns remain.
Labour’s new water infrastructure policy
We’ve listened to the feedback from Local Government and today we’re announcing our new regionally-led plan to guarantee New Zealanders affordable water, for generations to come. – Labour
What does Luxon think about minimum wage increases and holidays?
It is hard to reconcile Christopher Luxon’s deep christian beliefs with his desire to trash Easter Sunday as a holiday or to refuse to support increases in the minimum wage.
Go well Jacinda
Today is Jacinda’s official last day on the job as a member of Parliament.
RMA reform will not solve the climate crisis
National has proposed RMA reform as the basis for accelerating the roll out of renewable energy generation. It appears that it has never met a problem for which the solution is either a tax cut or RMA reform.
Nash is goneburger
Stuart Nash has been summarily sacked from Cabinet after an email to donors emerged indicating he had told them about sensitive Cabinet discussions on issues concerning them.
The real reason New Zealand’s literacy standards are tanking *
* the answer is National Standards, the effects of which are still being felt.
Climate change – the final final warning
The latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change has synthesised reports on the climate crisis from hundreds of scientists over the past eight years and has boiled it down to one message: act now, or it will be too late.
The great policy bonfire
Chris Hipkins continues with his shock and awe campaign and has torched a number of policies that National and Act were using to foment unrest.
Luxon slumps in latest Colmar Brunton poll
The latest One News Kantar Poll result has been released and it is a doozie.
Helen White wins Mount Albert selection
In breaking news Helen White has won the selection for the Mt Albert seat over Camilla Belich. This is something of an upset as Belich was rumoured to have head office support.
Triangulating climate change
Yesterday morning there were suggestions that the Government would properly address climate change by placing greater emphasis on public transport and walking and cycling. But by the afternoon the proposition had been watered down.
National’s childcare announcement
National’s proposed child care subsidy policy is essentially an increase to existing grants that will fuel inflation and costs increases in the child care sector.
How Activism Dies
If anything progressive is to come out of this current government other than disaster recovery, really focused protest must prevail. It isn’t.
Mt Albert Labour selection
The candidates for the Mt Albert Labour selection to replace Jacinda Ardern are Helen White MP and Camilla Belich MP. The selection meeting is on Saturday 11th March at 10am in the Western Springs School Hall. This is an important electorate for Labour which has held it since 1947 through changing demographics. I have my preference.
Greens: Tax the banks
Instead of creating an appeal fund and one-off lotto draw, the Labour Government could tax the billions of dollars banks have made in unearned, excess profits and use the money to support people.
Where is the Free Speech Union when you need it?
Rob Campbell is under some pressure from National and Act for calling out publicly the right’s dog whistle attacks on co governance. But so far self appointed protector of the right to freedom of speech, the Free Speech Union, has been very quiet. Why is this?
National’s three waters policy
National has announced its alternative to the Three Waters Policy with the standout feature being greater central control of asset management and investment plans than offered by Three Waters and even greater loss of local control.
Climate change – do we mitigate or do we adapt?
The political debate about climate change is coming to an end as the North Island is battered by the third huge climate change induced storm in a month. The focus will not be on what to do? Do we still mitigate the effects by reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Or do we dig in and adapt?
Is Labour heading for Muriwai-scale landslide win?
Here’s my prediction: Labour will not just win the October election, but it will complete a landslide of similar proportions to the 2020 election. It has been Labour’s response to the cyclones that will be the decisive factor in October. Luxon’s low energy performance helps.
This is really awkward
National MP Maureen Pugh has questioned the existence of human induced climate change.
Towards National Recovery
Just over seven months from the election the Labour government has been granted as great a political momentum as that leading into the 2020 election.
Natural disasters test new leaders in New Zealand – some did better than others.
After the Auckland flood, Wayne Brown’s election will now be viewed as a cautionary tale. What can happen when someone who is inexperienced and unsuited to political office is elected to important political leadership roles. The blowback of this on the New Zealand right should not be understated, it is bad news for them.
Prime Ministerial
Chris Hipkins has so far not put a foot wrong. Since he became PM he has quickly and competently reformed the Cabinet and jettisoned policies that were for one reason or another causing problems. And he has quickly asserted control over two massive storms, the first which pummeled the country’s major city and the second which has caused massive floods to much of the East Coast of the North Island.
Luxon’s little experiment
It is really difficult trying to appear to be Prime Minister material and inclusive and to appeal to racists at the same time. Christopher Luxon this week has shown how difficult it is.
Green Party announces [former Standard contributor] as candidate for Ōhāriu
“This election is a pivotal one. We have a choice between maintaining the status quo or building a bright green future for everyone in our community; between divisiveness or solidarity; between quibbling over the definition of “crisis” or taking real action to address the cost of living, housing, climate change and environmental exploitation.”
The great reset
Chris Hipkins has announced the great policy reset and there are no surprises.