Collins’ really bad take on te Tiriti
Last weekend Judith Collins spoke to the Northern Regional Conference of the National Party and gave as crude an analysis of te Tiriti as you can imagine.
Social issues
Sepuloni: Labour to increase Jobseeker benefit
Some good news from over the weekend. Labour is planning to significantly increase the level of Jobseeker benefit.
The problem with coal
New Zealand is about to enter a transition phase in energy that’s going to affect absolutely everyone.
The Most Blacks
The New Zealand Rugby Union is currently in the process of selling its soul to the devil, in this case a private equity firm called Silver Lake. This made me reflect on what the NZRU is selling.
Biden is serious about climate change
One of the many regretful aspects of the Trump presidency was the United States open hostility to doing anything about climate change. It looks like Joe Biden will do his best to make up for lost time.
Too much too far?
As we lead up to Budget 2021, there’s much more shape to the whole direction of this government.
National’s very bad day
Yesterday was a day where National focussed on dog whistle racism, supported religious extremists and moaned about workers receiving a modest increase in the minimum wage.
DHBs to go
Television New Zealand has reported that Andrew Little is to announce that district health boards are to go
The European Super League – a proposal that has united Britain
There are few issues where UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Labour Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn see eye to eye, yet this proposal has achieved just that. Rarer still to have the Second Heir to the Throne comment on such matters saying it would be “damaging.”
The Problem with Personification in Politics
It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.
Einstein versus Trump*
Einstein tried to explain complex things and understand reality; Trump tried to explain it away and distort reality.
Oh Canada! – let us not follow you.
Looking at the vaccination program in NZ, I feel that many people are focusing on the wrong things. The most dangerous period in pandemic life cycle – gaining a sufficient population immunity fast enough to stop the inevitable complacency that allows another wave of infections. Ontario appears to have managed to get a new wave of infection rising as they are trying to run their vaccination program. That is the last thing we need.
The daily critics whinge
I was just reading a post by Bryan Gould on his current perspective on news media in “The Government v. the people”. It resonated because some news and opinion media are getting tedious. It made me reflect on my current habits because much of what he is discussing is that I remember as something in my rear view mirror. Not what I do today.
National’s housing policy
National has released its housing policy and the proposals are predictable. Free up more land, loosen up the RMA, and require Councils in high growth areas to urgently review their district plans.
Government Control at Air New Zealand
The New Zealand government has just increased its loan to Air New Zealand to a $1.5 billion total, and there’s a catch.
The politics of the Covid vaccination roll out
Poor National. Faced with a Government response to Covid that has been superb it is reduced to criticising the Government for not rolling out the Covid vaccine quickly enough.
The Covid India issue
This is a desperately difficult issue. India is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases. And faced with the prospect of quarantine beds being overrun if current trends continue the Government has taken the step of banning people entering the country if they have been in India during the two weeks prior to travel.
Click bait frenzy
Media has been awash with discussion about Mike Hosking’s recent interaction with Jacinda Ardern. She was invited onto his show, agreed to appear, was grilled on isolation facility beds, and gave responses. End of story you would think.
Bubble bubble toil and trouble
An announcement on the Trans Tasman bubble is expected this afternoon.
The biggest grifter
The New York Times is reporting that the Trump Campaign sucked in a whole lot of republican voters by asking for urgent donations but then treating them as regular rather than one off donations unless donors discovered and clicked on a well hidden check box.
What is Socialism – a primer for idiots
Merchant Banker Troy Bowker has accused the Government of engaging in Socialist wealth redistribution ideology by not extending to landlords a state supported loan guarantee scheme and by implementing relatively modest wealth redistribution measures.
Greta Thunberg is now 18
Greta Thunberg is now aged 18. And her activism is still strong.
National Party leadership spill under way
Credible sources indicate that a Chris Penk-Simeon Brown ticket have the numbers for a National Party leadership spill and have started the process. Stand by for developments.
The SIS is worried about foreign interference – so what’s NATO doing in our back yard?
The SIS can’t help itself – it keeps getting involved in our politics, but stays resolutely one-eyed. As Sam Sachdeva of Newsroom reports, […]
Resistance
Chris Trotter recently asked the question about why there isn’t more resistance to the degree of inequality that we face in New Zealand. He’s partially right, we do spend an awfully amount of time arguing with each other about matters of smaller and smaller moment while inequality slides downhill from glacier to avalanche. But intersectionalism isn’t the primary cause of activist cooling.
Ports of Auckland – time for change
Auckland Council has released the Ports of Auckland Independent Health and Safety Report and the recommendations are damning.
National’s leadership problem
Chris Luxon’s maiden speech last week and another example of multiple leaks of details of a caucus meeting highlight how precarious Judith Collins’ tenure as National Party leader is. But does someone have the numbers to replace her?
About Grant Robertson’s bright line tax statement
Media has been abuzz with comment about how last election Grant Robertson has backtracked on a promise on not extending the bright line test. Should politicians stick to their pronouncements no matter what? Or should they change their minds if circumstances demand a change in course?
Doocey is taking the piss
Private member’s bills are an important feature of Parliament. They give all MPs the chance to change the law to address real or perceived issues and problems. So what does National MP Matt Doocey think is the country’s most pressing problem?
The housing crisis and the Government’s response
The Government’s housing policy announcements have been attacked by the right and landlords as being an attack on rights and business, and by elements of the left for being too timid. Which suggests that the announcements are quite well pitched.
The Australian Parliament and Women
To understand how power and misogyny and democracy all flow from the one stinking head, one need look no further than the Australian Parliament right now.
Government announces plan to help first-home buyers maintain the housing crisis
Labour disappoints again. Individual investment rights trump collective responsibility for people having homes.
Something big but not like that
I am going out on a limb here but I think that Comrade Chris Trotter suggesting that Jacinda Ardern may resign as Prime Minister may be overhashed.
That’s No Moon – It’s A Space Station
Did anyone notice Russia and China signing up to a treaty to form a common base on the moon?
Covid Zeitgeist
NZ politics needs recharging and renewal to move forward. We need more charging stations.
Britain’s tin-ear ’tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific
In its new integrated defence and foreign policy strategy, Britain intends to raise its nuclear warheads on Trident from 180 to 240. What a waste. It also intends to “tilt” to the Indo-Pacific, sending the New HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier here later in the year to give a message to China. It should read its history.