New lineup for Labour Leader’s office
Andrew Little has appointed a new Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary.
Politics
politicans
National 0, Christchurch 1
Did Lianne Dalziel just prove how economically challenged the National Party are? It appears Christchurch will be able to pay its quake bill without flogging off the family silver. Why are the right so wedded to asset sales when they make no financial sense?
TPP – Let it go John
So Key has been trying to explain the TPP to America. Apart from looking ridiculous, what did he think he was going to accomplish?
Paula Bennett improves supply of housing, or does she?
National’s latest plan to do something about the housing crisis is to buy a Motel and kick families who stay there out on the street.
Just vote – Auckland Council version
It is local government election time. If you want to vote for progressive candidates these are some suggestions.
Right-wing mayor candidates try to kneecap themselves
Vic Crone isn’t sure humans are causing climate change, Palino doesn’t think Auckland is all that super, and Mark Thomas just wants people not to vote for Goff… It’s hardly an enticing bunch.
Labour Organising
From the UK. Organising 101.
The trouble with polls
Labour has released its latest UMR polling which shows a dramatically different result to that of the latest Colmar Brunton poll.
The homeless crisis is getting worse
Figures provided by the Government to Labour suggest that providing accommodation for families with chronic housing needs is taking much longer than it did six months ago. But Paula Bennett has replied by suggesting that the figures do not reflect reality.
Lose yourself in the music
While we’re enjoying the popcorn at Williams vs Craig, there’s another enjoyable court case coming next year shortly before the election…
The manipulation of burglary statics
Reporter Eugene Bingham who broke the story on how Papakura police were doctoring crime statistics by recoding burglaries as other offences two years ago has written about how his attempts to get to the truth of the matter has effectively been thwarted by the police.
Chloe King – John Key, I am a low waged worker, and neither “lazy” nor “drug addled”
Blogger and social activist Chloe King, one of the hundreds of thousands of low waged workers in this country was devastated by John Key’s comments suggesting that she and others were lazy and had no work ethic. This is her response.
National loses control of Parliament
It may have been brief and passing but yesterday National lost control of Parliament. And it was all their own fault.
Eileen Brown for CCDHB
Capital Coast DHB candidate Eileen Brown chairs the Newtown Union Health Service Board, a primary care service for people on low incomes. For the last 10 years, Eileen has worked for the Council of Trade Unions as a senior policy analyst; previously she worked in nursing in many areas including mental health and neuro rehabilitation. Eileen is standing as a Labour candidate. She’d be great on the DHB.
Key: Kiwis are lazy drug users
John Key let the mask slip yesterday – as he said that we needed immigrant labour even for unskilled work because of the work ethic and drug use of New Zealand workers. That’s how he sees normal Kiwis, but actually maybe they just need proper pay & conditions.
Little’s Big Parliamentary ‘Member’
Andrew Little fully fronts up.
Will Shane Jones stand for NZ First in Whangarei?
Rumours suggesting that Shane Jones will stand for New Zealand First in Whangarei at the next election have resurfaced.
Nanaia Mahuta: “I refuse to engage in the politics of desperation”
The MP for Hauraki-Waikato has responded strongly to the latest jibes coming from the Māori Party.
Labour’s Auckland Push
Matt McCarten is to head a new Labour party office in Auckland. The party is going to take to fight to National in the city that decides the election. Yet another bold step from Andrew Little, who is looking more and more like the next PM.
Key finally admits there is a housing crisis but says it is all Labour’s fault
John Key has used some very dodgy figures to claim that the housing crisis was worse under Labour than it is now.
Key: Crisis? What me worry?
John Key is defending his handling of Auckland’s housing crisis on the grounds that Auckland’s prices have only risen as much under him as they did under Labour.
So the prices that he said were a crisis in 2007, have risen by as much again, and thus… no problem?
Roy Morgan August; Nat’s Down 7%
The latest Roy Morgan is out. A solid 7% drop for National.
Hekia Parata fabricates a ‘Special Education Association’
Hekia Parata has stooped to a new low. She has lied. Openly and blatantly. I do hope the media and opposition MPs take this further.
Making us proud internationally
Robertson: Lessons from the Future of Work Commission
Robertson: “What is the economic paradigm that will meet the challenge of world of less secure work, more automation?”
Homeless crisis – Nats in full denial
New research on homelessness from Otago University sheds light on the depth and breadth of the problem. Naturally Paula Bennett says she doesn’t believe it, and that she won’t read it. Because of course.
Complaint over Key’s prison rape stunt upheld
Key vs science on water quality
Andrew Little on housing
Andrew Little: “John Key will give you all the excuses you can stomach for his failure to stabilise house prices and boost incomes but the truth is clear: if we want to change the path we’re on, we need to change the government.”
Metro: A government on the ropes
Metro: “The National-led government — with its laissez-faire approach to homelessness, house prices and mass immigration — is sailing into a ferocious storm. A newly critical mainstream media and a resurgent opposition is a powerful mix.”
America bails on private prisons
America is bailing on private prisons because they don’t work. What’s the bet that National is ‘too proud and arrogant’ to follow suit.
Between what we want and what we need
New Zealand is slowly losing faith with this Government and this is why.
Tents warehouses and driveways
Tents and warehouses have been considered as emergency housing. Working people sleeping in cars are looking for driveways to rent. Say – has anyone seen John Key lately?
UNICEF call for action on NZ poverty
Once again this country under National is rightly shamed in the international media.
Grant Robertson on the adjusted unemployment figure
“The sad reality is that while the change in measurement might elicit a lower number or percentage it will not mean one fewer person is unemployed.”
Another Key lie is why this government can’t be trusted with increased spying powers
When caught abusing new powers the response will be the same as when caught out abusing the old – meh, so sue us.