Labour pledges free cervical screening
“Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and regular screening saves lives, so it is critical cost isn’t a barrier to accessing early detection”
Social issues
Greens will demand Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to lead ocean rescue plan
“The Green Party has a rescue plan for the ocean”
The Greens In Real Government in October 2023
What happens if the Green Party gets 10% of the vote and the top 9 get in. And say they get to form a government. What would Greens in Cabinet look like?
Why does National not trust teachers to teach?
National has proposed to direct teachers how and what they should teach to improve literacy standards.
Breathable air in Walthamstow
Back with family in London after Covid’s four years, much has changed. Most notably, the air in Walthamstow is breathable. Thanks to Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan’s emission zone tax, the change is remarkable.
An ACT New Zealand
What will New Zealand look like if Act forms part of the next Government?
This Election we need to talk About China
Yes we could do the next five weeks on teeth and taxes, but actually China is pulling us down and our political parties need to make it an election issue.
Semour is more like Rimmer than Mandela
David Seymour reached more absurd levels of idiocy this week with a suggestion that if he was alive Nelson Mandela would be an Act supporter.
Foreign Interference
New Zealand Parliamentarians are certainly facing foreign-funded political interference from China. It’s just not from the official Communist Party-led nation.
Education policy and the compulsory teaching of subjects
The brains trust of Labour’s leadership have recently released a policy providing for the compulsory teaching of financial literacy in schools. Tacking to the centre and seeking votes from the pro business part of the electorate is an interesting approach to campaigning. Time will tell if it is the correct approach.
Later Stuart
Stuart Nash has given a valedictory speech which could have been delivered by a retiring National MP.
David Seymour should be ashamed
David Seymour yesterday hit a new low in race baiting when he said that “in my fantasy we’d send a guy called Guy Fawkes in [to the ministry of Pacific Peoples] and it’d be all over”.
What is at stake this election – housing
Since 2017 this Government has constructed 12,000 new Kainga Ora houses, overseen record numbers of new housing consents, moved to resolving the housing crisis and stabilised and reduced house prices. All this is at stake if there is a change of Government.
NZ First and Winston seek anti vax vote
Winston Peters clearly hopes that enough of us have short memories. He was an integral part of the 2017 Government whose Covid policies saw our death rate from the disease amongst the lowest in the developed world. But now his party is clearly courting the anti vaccination community.
Labour’s GST and WFF policy announcement
As predicted Labour has announced a policy of taking GST off fresh fruit and vegetables and a significant adjustment to Working for Families In House Tax Credit levels and the Thresholds.
Barbie Will Save The World
Ad believes the Barbie Movie will be a mobilising element in regaining Democrat balance in Congress (maybe not the Senate) and the White House.
Nanny state National wants to ban cell phones at schools
National has this propensity of announcing policies that scratch conservative itches, cost nothing and hog media attention. Yesterday we had a classic example of this as they announced that cell phones would be banned at schools.
Greens: free dental care for all
“Under our plan, everyone will be able to keep their teeth healthy, and access treatment when they need it through a new community-based New Zealand Dental Service.”
A letter to Chris Hipkins
My 2c on what I think Chris Hipkins needs to do to win this year’s election.
Laura norda rides again
This week Labour has announced toughening up of the law dealing with 12 and 13 year olds and National has been playing politics with the shooting incident after earlier saying it was not a day to play politics.
Potholes damned potholes and National Party statistics
National underlined its complete lack of intellectual grunt and its fascination with passing anxieties as well as its intent to forget what it did by recently releasing a pothole policy.
Why a change of Government would be a bad thing – school lunches
Act has declared its class prejudice by advocating for the cancellation of the free lunch in schools programme even though the benefits are clear and recognised and the programme helps poor kids’ nutrition and education.
Act’s dishonest Youth offending policy
Act’s newly released policy that suggests all 17 year olds are dealt with in the Youth Court shows a concerning lack of understand how the Youth Justice system actually works.
The very strange election campaign
With 98 days to go despite large parts of the electorate being very grumpy the polls are neck and neck and Labour can still win. This is what they have to do.
Rules-based cricket disorder
“It isn’t cricket” supposedly set the ethical standard around the British Empire for over a century. Last week saw Lords, the ‘home of cricket,’ validate a damning report about racism, elitism, classism and sexism in British cricket just days after it was issued.
New curriculum: science to be taught in the context of the great challenges of our time
“science would be taught through five contexts – the Earth system, biodiversity, food, energy and water, infectious diseases”
The Green Party’s Pledge to Renters
“Right now, the rental market more closely resembles a game of monopoly than a public good – and it’s landlords who hold all the cards. This didn’t happen by accident. For decades, governments have made rules to prioritise those who own property and failed to protect people who rent.”
The very Kafkaesque attack on Kiritapu Allan
Being subject to allegations of inappropriate behaviour the detail of which has not been released by unnamed public servants must make Kiritapu Allan think that she is living in a Franz Kafka novel.
Greens release rental stories collection
“All four residents came down sick within the week and stayed sick until we moved out. Three of us could not move out until the end of the lease, which took two months. Two of the residents had throat swabs done, both coming back with lung infections of bacteria primarily found in the intestines.”
Proper Race Politics In Your Face
Who has the better take on the Treaty of Waitangi? Julian Batchelor or Sir Apirana Ngata?
Sepuloni 1 Luxon 0
Yesterday in Parliament National attempted to embarrass Carmel Sepuloni in question time by asking her detailed economic questions. But the attempt backfired.
Hipkins in China
A weakened Russia is a Russia made more dependent on China. New Zealand is also deeply reliant on China.
NACT’s Law & Order Policies: Dog Whistle Or Proto-Fascism?
NACT’s Law & Order policies are a dog whistle and signs of proto-fascism.
National releases uncosted corrections policy
National has released a hotch potch policy of changes to Criminal Justice that is uncosted and seeks to achieve that which is already in force or proposed.
Why selling Auckland Port Operations is a particularly silly thing to do
It is a given that the right in power want to sell public assets off and the left want to retain those assets. And it appears that the right’s eyes are on Ports of Auckland.
Why Public Ownership Is Great
In the absence of any political party stating clearly that public ownership of major infrastructure is a very good idea, here’s 10 good things public ownership of infrastructure does that private ownership doesn’t.