What now for Judith?
The latest Colmar Brunton poll results have been released just in time to get the summer BBQs firing. And the results would not have pleased Judith Collins.
Politics
political parties
Tranquillum
Don’t expect a jellyfish to grow a spine, they just bob along on the current and keep moving, gently, slowly, kindly.
“Beyond Jacinda” – Colin James and Cr Tamatha Paul
Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.
Parliament’s climate change declaration
Parliament has finally declared that the country is in a climate emergency. And it has also told the public service that it has to become carbon neutral within five years.
National’s gonna National
On two issues, pill testing at music festivals and tax changes to address the housing crisis, National yesterday indicated that it will do what conservative parties do and oppose any meaningful change.
The Speech From The Throne
I’m sure one needs a particular depth of political nerdiness to give a flying fig about such things, but since I am one of those, these are my highlights from the speech from the throne to Parliament this week.
Maiden Speech – Ibrahim Omer take a bow
Ibrahim Omer, refugee, trade unionist, and living wage advocate gave his maiden speech today in Parliament. If you want to watch an outstanding speech and shed a tear or two watch this.
Comrade David signals radical rewrite of Act’s living wage policy
Comrade David Seymour has signalled that Act may argue for a minimum wage of $50 per hour.
National announces terms of reference for its election campaign review
National wants to work out what went wrong during the last election.
Sneak preview of a neoliberal UBI
Giving migrant workers access to insufficient welfare is a financial coercion tool of right wing and centrist economics.
National’s annual conference
National has heeded the calls for change and rejuvination by returning Peter Goodfellow as its president.
Time’s up Labour
It’s not possible to resolve New Zealand’s housing and poverty crises from within a neoliberal frame. Change is going to have to be driven from outside of parliament.
C’mon Grant
This government must demonstrate that it has the ability to lead the New Zealand economy where it has stated it wants it to go. It does not want more headlines like the average house in Auckland now being priced at $1 million.
They Are Not Morons
Donald Trump will be back for another go at the Presidency in 2024. Progressives should underestimate the possibility of his winning. Unless the remaining centre-left generates strategies that are executed so well that people feel the difference good politics makes, the elements of populism arising again will stay ready like the elements of a bomb.
Capitalism’s end game
In Aotearoa New Zealand we are facing a new crisis. Not Covid, although the recent case of community spread is deeply concerning. The crisis is the value of houses.
Final election result – Labour ascendant National down and out
The Electoral Commission has released the final results of the 2020 election and if election night was a shocker for National the final result is even worse.
In support of Nanaia Mahuta
Some elements of the right as well as Comrade Chris Trotter have decided to attack Nanaia Mahuta’s appointment as Foreign Affairs minister. In my view they could not be more wrong and I believe she will be an outstanding Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Labour’s cabinet
Some details of the new Cabinet announced today by Jacinda Ardern.
Less buzz and more cooperative governing
I liked the process for the Greens and Labour agreement. From Labour’s side after this election it was logically completely unnecessary, except maybe under some weird scenarios. But it is cooperative and that is clearly something that voters reward these days. Politics isn’t about buzz. It is about effective governance.
The Green Party’s decision on government
Which way are the Greens going to jump?
Business Develops Practical Plan for New Zealand Climate Response
The Sustainable Business Council has released a list of priorities for the new government. And they are pretty good.
Its all just manure – mix it in and avoid the river.
There has been a rather patronising meme running in recent weeks that voters who previously voted National did so because they wanted to make sure Labour didn’t want the Greens to be in government. Just complete bullshit. As far as I can see most voters and their MPs vote for our collective future like I do and expect the political mixing to provide good outcomes for us all.
Could the real Labour Party please stand up
We need to get the Labour government to focus on decreasing inequality and poverty in all its forms and effects. The new government needs to show that Labour has changed the country for good. Otherwise there’s no reason to vote for them in 2023.
The boy from Matamata
Trump deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, who is also a Kiwi, has announced his candidacy to be head of the OECD. The Greens have announced their opposition because he has been part of inhumane decisions and also decisions that undermine international institutions. The right back him because he is a kiwi. What should Labour do?
Labour day
Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!
Large caucuses can be devilishly dangerous as National showed
A post mortem of the 2017-2020 parliament shows that far from being the “opposition from hell” as they had threatened, National’s caucus was as ineffective as Donald Trump dealing to Covid 19. It is a salutary lesson for the new Labour caucus which has won 64 seats in the new parliament. There may be many backbench MPs who are underemployed.
What should Labour do in the next three years?
With the hand brake gone and the Government’s policy platform already complete what should the Labour Government set out to achieve this term?
Kelvin for DPM
Some thoughts on who the country’s Deputy Prime Minister should be.
Rangitata and the Future of the National Party
As National reels from the disastrous 2020 election result could a policy based on high tech agriculture represent a way back?
Why Can’t The Ministry of Works Just Build Houses Like 1935?
We don’t have a government like the Labour government that formed in 1935.
Show us the plan Labour
Labour want to govern based in stability for all New Zealanders, but how does that work when your grand narrative has massive plot holes around ending poverty?
Some consequences of Chloe Swarbrick’s win
What are the lessons to be learned from Chloe Swarbrick’s election night win of Auckland Central.
Will Labour go it alone?
Tova O’Brien has suggested that a Labour Green joined at the hip coalition is not going to happen. So what will the next Government look like?
Will consensus building paralyse Ardern?
Jacinda Ardern aims to bet both ways on our future – transforming Aotearoa to rid us of inequality and poverty, and building consensus. She has won a mandate with her historic, landslide victory but can she do both? My question is whether Labour are willing to do that because of her desire to maintain consensus and not rock the waka.
NZ election 2020: Labour win is a watershed moment in the country’s history
The 2020 election was more than just a victory for Labour and more than a crushing defeat for the National Party (New Zealand’s main centre-right political party). This result marks a significant watershed in New Zealand politics which will likely have implications long after this parliamentary term.
Left/Green/Indigenous
What kind of government might New Zealand have?