National’s problem with its candidates
Another day, and yet another report a National candidate has done something really stupid.
Politics
politicans
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.
Jacinda’s Valedictory Speech
Video of Jacinda Ardern’s Valedictory speech given today in Parliament.
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.
Trump indicted
Breaking news that Donald J Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury. More details to follow …
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 Drums of War – Again
On 20 March 2003 the US invaded Iraq, on the basis that it had and could use weapons of mass destruction. That was a lie. Australia joined President Bush ‘coalition of the willing’, New Zealand did not. The drums of war beat strong then, they are doing so again now. This time China is the target.
Gender recognition: woke-ism or human rights?
This debate is about every teenager, anywhere in the world, questioning their gender and sexual identity. This is about the person who after years of suffering, at some point in their lives decides they wish to identify as having a gender identity different to that of their birth.
Wailing and Nashing of teeth
It is pretty clear to me that leaders acting tough and beating up on members of their team leads to political advantage. I […]
Making s%*t up
Is it just me or is Mike Hosking becoming more unbalanced? The recent misrepresentation of a speech from Deborah Russell would suggest that he is getting worse.
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.
Saudi/Iran peace deal brokered by China
Veteran Indian diplomat MK Bhadrakumar describes the resumption of diplomatic relations between Shi’ite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia brokered by China as a “Suez moment” in the history of the Middle East. Peace in Yemen is only one of the possible benefits.
Chloe Swarbrick: We don’t live in a game of Monopoly
The case for redistribution of wealth in New Zealand.
The government needs to understand that climate mitigation and adaptation are twins
James Shaw and Greenpeace on why mitigation and adaptation need to be paired.
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.
But How Do You Pay For It?
To pay for recent flood damage Grant Robertson has to decide on what proportion of this will be paid by new debt, what proportion by reallocation of expenditure, and what proportion by special tax levies. Is an Australian style levy under consideration?
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?
A Lone Voice of Sanity on Ukraine
Historian Malcolm McKinnon in Thursday’s DominionPost states that “caution is needed when crafting victory over Russia as the primary war aim in Ukraine.” Truer words were never spoken, as western hysteria rejects calls for peace and escalates to wider war.
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.
Sturgeon, like Ardern, a casualty of online abuse
Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation as Scotland’s First Minister was something of a replay of Jacinda Ardern’s resignation. While subject to widespread abuse, both were reluctant to cite this as their main reason for quitting. But the abuse undoubtedly played a major role. But the misogynist trend is endemic and needs to be quelled.
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.
Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation and Scottish Independence.
While Sturgeon’s strong leadership and vision have helped build support for Scottish Independence, the Conservative and Unionist Party’s arrogance and self-serving incompetence in government have greatly aided her in this.
Climate Minister James Shaw: If we do not act, it will get worse
“There will be a certain crowd who say … let’s give up on stopping climate change and its focus entirely on responding to the effects of climate change and I cannot state enough what a catastrophic mistake that would be, because every tenth of a degree of warming increases the frequency and the severity of these events.”
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.
The great reset
Chris Hipkins has announced the great policy reset and there are no surprises.
National’s Brown problem
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is providing National strategists with a rather large headache.
2023: Year of the Long Grind
There will be no respite for any of us this year; it’s a politics and a society of endurance.
The Cabinet Reshuffle
Chris Hipkins has announced his cabinet reshuffle and there have been some dramatic changes.
UK Labour – can they finally beat the Tories?
The left in the UK needs to accept they alone do not have majority support and need to work with what they term the “soft left” and more centrist factions to win. The current Labour leadership need to ensure that the left still has a stake in Labour winning, and give enough to motivate the left to vote and campaign for Labour. Look at the lessons learnt by the US Democrats.
National is showing its class prejudice
National Deputy Leader Nicola Willis said yesterday that it was a great shame that the minimum wage had increased by so much because it means the Government can’t do it now to help low-income Kiwis make ends meet without stoking inflation.
Can Rishi Sunak save the Conservative Government?
Despite everything that has happened, it would be a serious mistake to underestimate the British Conservative Party which has proven time and again to be an electoral force to be reckoned with. In England, where over 80% of British voters live, Tory is the default option in many parts of the country. The polarisation within Britain is high with tensions from the Brexit debate and ongoing calls for Scottish Independence still simmering. The Tories can certainly play these divisions to their advantage in the hope of winning support