Why there should be work and drug test obligations for National MPs
Todd Barclay has not been seen at work lately but has been seen at a Queenstown pub. And is still being paid $3,000 a week to represent the people of Clutha Southland.
Politics
political parties
National’s brighter future
The homeless crisis is getting that bad in Auckland that people are dying because they have nowhere to live.
The Greens rock their AGM
Greening the economy not for the sake of the economy but for the wellbeing of the people, the Green Party want us to be an exemplar to the world and lead the way.
The Green Infrastructure Fund
The Greens commit to making NZ carbon-neutral by 2050.
James Shaw Speech to the Green’s conference – Greening the Government
The text of James Shaw’s speech to the Greens Conference focussing on the Green’s policy response to Climate Change.
Who are the real enemies of the centre left?
Simon Wilson recently claimed that left wingers and party members are problems for and enemies of Labour and the Greens. This is why I think he is wrong.
Nats panic over climbing prison population – I have some advice
The government is “seeking advice” over the skyrocketing prison population. I’m happy to oblige – but they aren’t going to like it…
Two polls
Two recent polls, both suggestion that Labour+Green is within touching distance of National.
Breeding for a business
It looks like ACT the party of less government will be focussing on pregnant beneficiaries this election.
A clear choice for voters
Herald editorial: “Credit where it is due. It takes courage to say that if elected, you will cancel a tax cut. … In doing so it has presented the voters with a clear choice which, for those without young families or earning above the income limits, will mean deciding whether to take the tax cut or give the benefit to children of the less well off.”
Waimea a good dam?
The proposed Waimea Dam in Nelson is attracting opposition from the Green Party but support from the Labour Party. Is there such a thing as a good dam project?
Good message – good messaging
Non-news News and News Non-news
A politician said their party would insist on being a part of government depending on the vote falls in September, while another gets called out for his habitual stirring at the pot of ethnic division. In a place like the South Africa of old, we all know which one would be the story. But this is New Zealand and this is now.
Labour coming in from the cold
Amongst all the hooha of the political week, Labour did something pretty cool with its winter heating announcement. They made a policy for all beneficiaries. We should be paying attention to what underpins that because there is potential here.
NRT: National’s new Muldoonism
I/S at No Right Turn: “at its core, the National Party is an anti-environment party, dedicated to destroying our natural heritage and impoverishing future generations for the profit of their cronies”.
Nat / ACT don’t think poor people should have kids
ACT’s David Seymour thinks that poor people shouldn’t be allowed to have kids. If that sounds familiar it should – the Nats have said more or less the same thing over the years.
Nats’ poll fall 2014 2017
Toby Manhire on The Spinoff has an interesting analysis of the recent Colmar Brunton poll. Comapred to the same poll in 2014 National are 5% down, with the Labour/Green alliance unchanged. The fall in the preferred PM rating from Key to English is huge. The Nats are highly vulnerable.
Labour’s Targeted Families Package
As covered by Vernon Small on Stuff: “Labour is promising to scrap National’s Budget tax cut plan. Instead it will funnel the cash into higher Working for Families payments and extra help for those with young children. It’s a package it says will deliver up to $48 a week extra to middle income families.”
Peters posturing
As usual in election year, Peters is posturing left and right.
Green Party announcement: charging on water bottling and a moratorium on new plants
As part of their water policy the Greens intend to charge bottling companies for water take, and to put a moratorium on new bottling plants until NZ decides what is the best way to protect our water. They also want to improve regulations across the board to make drinking water safe.
The Government is misrepresenting the effect of the Ruataniwha Dam decision
The Government has responded to the Supreme Court decision which puts a halt on the Ruataniwha Dam by claiming wrongly that the protected land was of low quality and by stating that a law change, possibly retrospective, will occur.
What happened to the Newshub article about Nick Smith and the Pike River film?
A Newshub article where Nick Smith contradicts the Police and Solid Energy about the existence of video showing a body in Pike River has disappeared …
Barclay goes to ground as police investigation widens to include Nat board member
Updates from the #debarclay – Under-investigation MP Todd Barclay has dropped off the public radar and Police to investigate board member over Todd Barclay saga.
This Bloody Vote.
Disentangling the veritable plate of spaghetti that’s been set before us this election.
Does the left do more of the same or does it get radical this election?
Andrew Dean has written an opinion piece for Stuff where he suggests that to win this election Labour and the Greens have to become more radical.
Why no inquiry into abuse in state care?
As we celebrate Parliament’s apology for historical convictions for homosexuality, it surely raises the question of why the government is so hardheartedly against an inquiry into historical abuse.
Labour and National government spending
The magical disappearing Foreign Trust industry
National’s original claims that New Zealand was not a tax haven are in tatters as the Sherwan rule changes have resulted in the mass exodus of Foreign Trusts from New Zealand.
The great Auckland housing crash of 2017
Two indicators both agree that the Auckland property market has started trending downwards. Over leveraged buyers are going to get burned, and first time buyers are still shut out. Perfect.
We paid for the Barclay lawyers too
Turns out that in the Barclay scandal we the taxpayer paid for not only the hush money payout, but also the lawyers fees.
Bill English reckons that landlords can’t raise rents
The last budget raised accommodation supplement – against the advice of Treasury who said that landlords would capture the cash. Not to fear though, because Bill English reckons that landlords can’t raise rents…
Government’s cruelty on Christchurch’s mental health
Christchurch’s mental health services are overwhelmed and verging on collapse. Canterbury has the most suicides in NZ. And yet the government has just declined a request for further funding. National – delivering misery for Canterbury.
NRT: National’s failure on rheumatic fever
I/S at No Right Turn writes: “Five years ago, National set itself a target as part of its “Better Public Services” targets to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever by two-thirds. They failed.”
Special Housing Area provisions are failing but Nick Smith thinks everything is fine
Nick Smith is attempting to rewrite history by claiming that the Government never thought the special housing area affordable housing provisions would work and that the housing crisis is improving.
Official complaint over police handling of Barclay case
With so much evidence available, why was the first police investigation into the Todd Barclay scandal dropped so quickly? This is now the subject of a complaint to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
The Green Party clarify their position on immigration
We stand for an Aotearoa that stands up to racism and scapegoating and xenophobia.