A lot of politics and political blogging is all about the details. This includes National’s pollster David Farrar who falsely asserted yesterday that Winston would have received 7 annual letters about his superannuation status. So why is National trying to irritate their only possible coalition partner?
How many of these did you receive over your 7 years of over-payments?
Peters is enraged by the presumed Nat hit on him over super. Earlier he was calling on Bill English to resign over the Barclay scandal. Given these conflicts, no one can have any confidence in a post-election Nat NZF coalition. They hate each other.
The hit job that has just been performed on Winston Peters is a sign of how desperate National is to divert attention from Jacindamania. But I suspect the attempt will backfire.
Newsroom and Newshub have broken a story about Winston Peters receiving, for the last 7 years, a single person’s super payment that he was not entitled to because he was living with an (undeclared) other person. Peters denies this but has already payed back the excess from an “innocent mistake”.
Current polls leave National/minor and Labour/Green both short of majority. The chances of NZF determining the shape of the next government are increasing. I’ve always assumed that Peters would go with National, but maybe not, if NZF members get a say.
In the space of two days Winston has announced that a referendum on Maori seats would be a bottom line for a coalition but then it should be up to Maori if a change should occur. Update – make that a double backflip …
The 2017 election campaign has been set alight by the Greens adopting brave policies that Jeremy Corbyn would be proud of and NZ First adopting policies that would meet with Donald Trump’s approval.
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.
As usual in election year, Peters is posturing left and right.
Bill English’s texted electorate chair Stuart Davie on 21st February 2016 saying Glenys Dickson was given an extra payout from the Leader’s fund “to avoid potential legal action.” It was the only source available for an extra payout for confidentiality. English said today no-one in February knew there was any issue of illegality. Then what legal action and why an extra payment?
‘Tis the time in the electoral cycle when Winston Peters bestirs himself to life. And tweets thus…
Yesterday Winston Peters chucked a gallon of petrol onto the smouldering immigration debate.
National is about to execute a flip flop on immigration, not for any constructive reason, but to try and head off Winston Peters’ big issue.
Andrew Little has confirmed that the Green Party will be first party Labour looks to for a coalition deal after the election.
The policy wonk, the ambitious change-maker, or the no-bullshit bullshitter – the contenders for National Party Prime Minister set out their stalls yesterday with John Campbell. Just like the Kaikoura quake, their pitches exposed some complex fault-lines. It’ll be a long week in politics.
Winston Peters appeals to the former but is the latter now a more important concept?
Rumours suggesting that Shane Jones will stand for New Zealand First in Whangarei at the next election have resurfaced.
Guardian journalist Owen Jones nails the failure of many to call the Orlando killings what they are; homophobic terrorism. It’s not an excuse for anti-muslim hysteria, as Trump, Seymour and Peters would have it, it’s the worst single attack on LGBT people since the holocaust.
Epsom hologram David Seymour reckons we need to force refugees to pledge allegiance to what he calls ‘values’. Of course, ACT don’t know value, they only know price. And haven’t we heard this sort of thing from another party in years gone by?
Just a little thought experiment.
Why is it that elements of the media always claim that any sort of cooperation between Labour and the Greens will be disastrous for both parties?
Winston Peters is already wielding his kingmaker powers. If National roll over over, I wonder what else Peters can get out of them over the next few months?
A straight 3.5% swap National to NZF looks to me like the impact of the flag fiasco.
The latest Roy Morgan poll results and National’s support has plunged.
Recent polling makes it clear that neither National or Labour can win power without the support of NZ First. So should the left be worried that Winston Peters will take his party back over to the blue team?
Winston Peters has stitched John Key up again, this time hook, line and sinker. When Key lied in Parliament about the Northland MP’s supposedly leisurely lifestyle, Peters offered a challenge: provide some evidence or donate $100k to charity. Will cowardly Key take the bait?
The latest Reid Research/3News poll is out. Key gets nothing from the RWC, and the rapist remarks turn out not to have helped his popularity either. There was a time when talkback radio style outbursts used to make him look strong. Nowadays, not so much. Meanwhile, the opposition are just 1 seat behind …
The latest Colmar Brunton poll shows that the opposition block is solidly ahead of National. Yet One News chose to concentrate only on the preferred Prime Minister result and attack Andrew Little because of marginal change.
Winston’s solution to war and refugees.
John Key made some outlandish claims about TPPA opponents this morning on the Paul Henry show. And in response, as usual, he was not pulled up on his claims by his interviewer.
I am getting a bit bored with pundits proclaiming the imminent demise of NZ First. Over it’s 25 year life this has been the constant refrain from the likes of John Armstrong. The reality is that they appeal to a conservative mindset that traditionally had been part of the National parties internal coalition. They will keep eating at it.
Winston Peters was thrown out of Parliament yesterday and New Zealand First MPs walked out in sympathy for raising points of order following a personal explanation from Anne Tolley where she corrected an answer to a parliamentary question that was clearly wrong.
The latest 3News/Reid Research poll continues the trend of bad results for National. On these numbers, National are knackered. And, surprise, surprise, Kiwis don’t want non-residents buying up our houses. Not a great way to finish a conference weekend, is it?
The extraordinary battle for the Deputy Leadership of NZ First is over. Winston’s pick has been rejected by the NZF caucus and his grip on the party has loosened significantly. But what does this mean for Labour, the Greens and the prospects of a better Government?
A guest post from Ad following up from Mandy Hager’s recent post on Andrew Little exploring the question on what should be Labour’s, the Green’s and New Zealand First’s vision for New Zealand’s future.
