Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, December 17th, 2012 - 106 comments
Key was wrong about boot camps. He’s wrong about education, the environment, the democratic rights of Canterbury, the miraculous power of cycleways, the economy, New Zealand’s international obligations on climate change, and much more besides. Every year in office this arrogant government does yet more damage.
Written By: - Date published: 10:19 pm, December 16th, 2012 - 14 comments
Looking for Christmas gift ideas? There are plenty of ways to give a gift that will really make a difference. Here’s a small selection.
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, December 16th, 2012 - 82 comments
Political parties tend to target the middle-classes, while those struggling on low incomes have become increasingly disenfranchised. The MSM tends to focus on the impact of the recession on the middle-classes, and not those really suffering. Who can provide support over the holiday period?
Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, December 15th, 2012 - 143 comments
Heartfelt condolences to the family and friends, and the many victims of America’s latest shooting incident. It’s the seventh in 2012, part of a rapidly increasing trend. I don’t think America will ever seriously confront the gun lobby and take steps to end this madness. That’s America’s real gun tragedy.
Written By: - Date published: 1:04 pm, December 14th, 2012 - 27 comments
Hon Tariana Turia has announced today that she will step down at the next election. She has served as a Minister in various portfolios in two different governments. We had our moments in the past, but it was very good to be able to thank her personally and profoundly ten days ago for what she has done as the Minister for Disability Issues at the recent Be.Leadership awards in the Grand Hall in Parliament. I’m glad she’s staying on as Minister; as she said on RadioNZ this morning, she can put her hand on her heart and say that what she did she did for the people.
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, December 14th, 2012 - 17 comments
David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter – on a year to remember.
We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.
Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, December 13th, 2012 - 11 comments
The House went into recess yesterday. Today there is a rush of stories that are bad news for the government. Collins and the Binnie report, unsuccessful boot camps, and counter-productive anti-union and anti-worker policies. What else?
Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, December 13th, 2012 - 63 comments
Gordon Campbell on Judith Collins and the Binnie report (go read the full article on Scoop). “This is banana republic stuff from Collins”…
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, December 13th, 2012 - 59 comments
Key’s government and his MSM cheerleaders, lead the country backwards to increasing inequalities. It’s been a year of the battle of the men. Yesterday, Metiria spoke of an inclusive country to collaboratively fight for, and Jacinda Ardern spoke passionately for children in poverty.
Written By: - Date published: 4:46 pm, December 12th, 2012 - 148 comments
David Shearer was on fine form in this speech yesterday, rounding up the year with thanks to Parliament’s workers, greetings to the opposition “family”, a friendly dig at the Press Gallery, the year of “Partial Recall” and memory dot gone, and finally the serious business of holding the Nats to account on their appalling record. Good work.
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, December 12th, 2012 - 53 comments
What I like about Hekia Parata is that’s she’s proof that image doesn’t always triumph over substance. The Nats thought that as a good-looking Maori woman she ticked all their PR boxes. But, she’s been a PR disaster because she’s arrogant and ignorant. She keeps on making bad, poorly worked-through calls. And the whole government gets dragged through the muck with her.
Written By: - Date published: 5:31 pm, December 11th, 2012 - 25 comments
In these troubling times, it was uplifting to see the flax-roots, practical and collaborative action at the Onehunga Recession Busting rally for beneficiaries today. Volunteers in front of the WINZ office in Onehunga Mall, are giving support and assistance to those most in need.
Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, December 11th, 2012 - 88 comments
As an outsider watching the struggles in the Labour Party unfold, I am becoming increasingly despondent about the state of Left wing politics in NZ. Right now, NZ, and those of us who party vote Green/Mana, require a strong, democratic and solidly left wing Labour Party.
Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, December 11th, 2012 - 36 comments
The hearing into the private prosecution of John Banks over his ‘anonymous’ mayoral donations begins today. That the private prosecution has got this far shows the judge believes there is a prima facie case – which puts the Police to shame for failing to take Banks to court. Banks is trying to avoid taking the stand, but I don’t see how he ultimately can.
Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, December 10th, 2012 - 4 comments
Irish has already covered the appalling statistics from the Children’s Social Health Monitor. What struck me was the paucity of the Government’s response. Tony Ryall – unavailable for comment – merely put out a statement saying the Government was doing plenty as 33% of the budget went on social security and similar things. One might […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, December 10th, 2012 - 6 comments
Kim DotCom has been twittering about his new website that is under development to the amusement of some observers. But for us in NZ we’re probably less interested in the layout of his file manager than what is actually in the screenshot of the file manager. Promises yet more pain for the government and it’s inept police and security services.
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, December 9th, 2012 - 56 comments
After good news for Labour in the most recent TV1 and 3 News polls, the latest Fairfax poll is the third in the set confirming that the party has emerged from the recent media circus in OK shape. As far as I know that’s the last big poll of 2012, and with the Left / Right gap halved since the election, a reasonable place for Labour to be sitting at the end of the year.
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, December 8th, 2012 - 95 comments
It’s pretty clear: the Greens have managed to hold on to the massive gain they made during the last election campaign, largely at Labour’s expense as it imploded. Labour’s back to its pre-campaign level, at National’s expense. Lab+Green=Nat or thereabouts but the Left needs a good 5% more from the Right to feel confident. So, this is not the time to be listening to John Armstrong’s advice.
Written By: - Date published: 5:33 pm, December 7th, 2012 - 40 comments
David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter, this week on the Auckland tornado, and the emergency response.
We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, December 6th, 2012 - 37 comments
Auckland has been hit by tornado’s again (last time was in May 2011). Several people are dead. NZ Herald reports Storm brings death and destruction Three people have been killed and seven injured during a storm, including a tornado, that hit Auckland today, with another tornado hitting near Rotorua later this afternoon. Police have confirmed […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, December 6th, 2012 - 53 comments
The Key government’s sham and failed ideology of freedom and democracy can be seen in two Bills that were before the House this week. This government is increasingly autocratic and anti-democratic, while enabling the powerful to exploit and control the powerless, including children.
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 6th, 2012 - 89 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: 11:25 am, December 5th, 2012 - 20 comments
This year the government departed with a tradition of working closely with polytechnics to establish how best to spend taxpayers’ money and instead made our public institutions compete for taxpayers’ dollars to provide foundation courses. Institutions won money if they were the most competitive in terms of price, though all successful competitors had to meet minimum quality requirements – a true market approach to pricing. So, why is this problematic?
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, December 5th, 2012 - 64 comments
Yesterday Jacinda Ardern questioned Paula Bennett on WINZ paying for beneficiaries to travel to Aussie to get jobs. Did she highlight the government’s poor record on jobs, or inadvertently trigger more MSM bennie-bashing? Do any MPs raise their voices strongly beneficiaries?
Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, December 4th, 2012 - 143 comments
Paddy Gower looked fit to burst with excitement over ‘Greens and Labour fighting over Finance portfolio‘ last night. Of course, the actual quote not so exciting – just Russel Norman saying it was one portfolio that would be the subject of negotiations in the formation of a Lab/Green govt. But it does raise a valid question – who would be ministers in a Lab/Green govt?
Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 16 comments
Dear Jack, It’s been almost a century since your major contribution to NZ . Many still see you as an inspiration for a left wing vision. Unfortunately, we are having to fight the same old battles once again, the poor are being demonised, and we need more state housing.
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 26 comments
Sure, National is still in the mid-40s and Key will back himself to crucify Shearer in the debates, but his own brand is suffering badly. He’s failed on jobs and increasingly being seen as out of touch. So, is making the news for eating a grasshopper really a smart move?
Written By: - Date published: 6:07 pm, December 2nd, 2012 - 122 comments
Individual polls are nothing to get too excited about, it is the trend over time that matters. That said, the TV1 and 3 News polls tonight were both good news for Labour and Shearer.
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 pm, December 1st, 2012 - 113 comments
Re Labour’s housing policy, announced by David Shearer at the Labour Party conference, John Armstrong says: “For the first time in a very long time, Labour has come up with something radical on the policy front which may grab the public’s attention, if not imagination – and which National cannot really get away with copying.”
Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, December 1st, 2012 - 19 comments
It appears that Murray McCully is up to his clique-ish ways again. He’s appointed his old mate, and Sky political lobbyist Tony O’Brien to the board of Antarctic New Zealand. What’s that you say? Lobbying doesn’t have much to do with our interests on the white continent and its surrounding waters? Neither does Pay TV?
Written By: - Date published: 3:24 pm, November 30th, 2012 - 161 comments
David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter, this week on “100% Pure”, climate change and our environmental reputation.
We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.
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