Written By: - Date published: 3:04 pm, August 22nd, 2013 - 158 comments
We all knew David Shearer was a good guy and he’s just proved how good – and noble – a man he is by resigning rather than forcing a messy and protracted leadership coup. Let’s hope that caucus, Labour members and the affiliates will be as clear headed. Now is not the time for another […]
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, August 22nd, 2013 - 336 comments
It is confirmed that David Shearer has announced that he will stand down as Labour’s leader after a new leader is selected. The leadership will now be decided under the Party’s constitution.
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, August 22nd, 2013 - 12 comments
They set targets and you meet those targets, so they raise the targets. You meet them again, so they raise them again. If those targets were high jump bars, everyone watching would know you are going to miss the target at some point. That is not a failure. That is just something that is eventually beyond the very limits of your ability. However, if you are a tertiary education teacher we pretend there is no limit.
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 136 comments
So the Key-Dunne spying Bill is now law. The privacy of your electronic communications now depends on the favour of an untrustworthy PM, and the best efforts of a legal system (much derided by said PM) in interpreting a confused mess of a law / Hansard record / letter to The Herald.
Shame shame shame on all those MPs who ignored the concerns of the people who elected them and passed this travesty.
Written By: - Date published: 12:59 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 32 comments
Then it’s a bad law. Who does John Key think is going to interpret the GCSB law other than lawyers from the Law Commission, the Human Rights Tribunal, the Privacy Commissioner etc?
Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, August 21st, 2013 - 29 comments
Grant Robertson & David Cunliffe explain how the GCSB Bill is bad law (especially section 8 & related sections). It doesn’t provide adequate oversight or safeguards against the wholesale spying on New Zealanders. A clarifying statement from the PM is not good law. Andrea Vance demystifies the Bill.
Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, August 21st, 2013 - 28 comments
Groklaw has been an inspirational blog for many with an interest in geekery or the law. I read it daily during the years of the SCO trial. PJ and her team were and are amazing. But now it’s over. Killed by the death of privacy, and the world that the Key-Dunne spying bill is bringing ever closer to NZ.
Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, August 21st, 2013 - 46 comments
John Key (the PM who has on multiple occasions overspent the budget on his own protection staff) really dug himself a hole when he accused opposition leaders of wanting to “run for the hills” in case of a terrorist attack. Not only did David Shearer get to remind him of the occasions that he has been under fire – and run to help – but now some other voices have chimed in too.
Written By: - Date published: 2:47 pm, August 20th, 2013 - 93 comments
John Key’s fear tactics backfired badly when he tried to smear David Shearer…
Written By: - Date published: 2:31 pm, August 20th, 2013 - 58 comments
John Key has been twisting himself out of shape answering questions about spying on New Zelanders by the GCSB under the GCSB amendment Bill that is currently before the House. [Update] Video Qu One & Three [Update] Qu 1 transcript.
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, August 19th, 2013 - 25 comments
As inspired by Toby Manhire…
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 19th, 2013 - 99 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, August 18th, 2013 - 87 comments
Paula Bennett’s latest idea is to remove the rights of natural justice for state employees who do not take the proposed child abuser vetting test, even though the test has not even been designed. Even for Paula the stupidity of this idea is extreme …
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, August 17th, 2013 - 36 comments
Having been burned by the cheapest tender and the leaky building fiasco, the Nats say that they have now worked out that the cheapest tender is not necessarily the best. (Brilliant eh?) If only it was true that they had really learned the lesson…
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, August 16th, 2013 - 142 comments
On Campbell Live, and on other occasions, John Key has claimed that critics of the GCSB spying bill were all wrong. The Human Rights Commission – wrong. The Law Society – wrong. The Privacy Commissioner – wrong. Dame Anne Salmond – wrong. Everyone else wrong – only he – John Key – and his secret advisors were right, and we the sheeple have nothing to fear.
Now in a stunning embarrassment it is Key that has had to admit that he was wrong. Or a liar.
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, August 15th, 2013 - 272 comments
The interview of John Key by John Campbell last night on Campbell Live (on the GCSB Bill), showed what a formidable spin merchant Key can be. It is important to understand Key’s MO. This is a work in progress – transcript of the first 10.44 12.27 mins. completed.
Written By: - Date published: 7:19 am, August 15th, 2013 - 8 comments
Thomas Beagle at Tech Liberty has done a great job at presenting the technicalities of the Key-Dunne GCSB spying bill – see for example: “Does the new GCSB Bill give them the power to spy on New Zealanders?”. (Spoiler Alert! The answer is Yes.)
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, August 14th, 2013 - 54 comments
Paula Bennett has recently announced for the second time, although with a new name, the Government proposal for the introduction of Child Abuse Prevention Orders. These could result in people who have been acquitted of serious criminal allegations nevertheless being under effective house arrest for an extended period. How can a party that supposedly believes in the Rule of Law trash the Bill of Rights?
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, August 14th, 2013 - 46 comments
World incarceration rate: ~130 per 100,000
NZ incarceration rate: 197 per 100,000
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, August 13th, 2013 - 74 comments
Time for another law-and-order-tough-on-crime distraction! Look! Over there!!
Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, August 13th, 2013 - 31 comments
Labour and The Greens are clearly setting the agenda with a strong focus on housing affordability. National are struggling to catch up. But their new policy has been met with a chorus of criticism. They are going to have to do a lot better than this.
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 71 comments
John Key shows contempt for New Zealanders and democracy in refusing to talk about the GCSB Bill and saying New Zealanders care more about snapper quotas. Campbell Live discovers some Kiwis are well informed and have views on the GCSB Bill.
Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 19 comments
Written By: - Date published: 4:07 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 16 comments
Good piece by David Fisher on selling your privacy. Don’t worry citizens consumers, it’s nothing personal. It’s just business.
Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, August 12th, 2013 - 106 comments
The Nats’ PR-managed conference stifled democratic debate & bright ideas, and diverted from significant issues. Armstrong attempts to talk it up, while exposing Key’s win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Meanwhile: speakers announced for democratic meeting to Kill the GCSB Bill [Updated – Hagar also speaking]. [Update: Gordon Campbell – ‘Nanny National‘]
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, August 12th, 2013 - 17 comments
That’s a headline that you won’t see. Because politicising the crimes committed by those released on parole is low politics indeed. Isn’t that right, Mr Key?
Written By: - Date published: 6:56 am, August 12th, 2013 - 142 comments
So, let me see if I have this right: National’s big announcement on affordable housing was the increase the income and house price limits for getting the Kiwisaver First Home Deposit Subsidy. In other words, pour more money into the over-heated housing market. And do that by giving cash to people previously considered too well-off for the subsidy.
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