Matthew’s Magic Numbers
Matthew Hooton has tweeted a series of numbers. They add up to good news for the Government.
UPDATE: Curia Polling reckons it’s even better for Labour!
Social issues
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A response from the Rosa Luxemburg wing of the Labour Party
According to Stephen Mills on Nine to Noon yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn’s resignation as Labour leader will only be mourned by “the microscopic Rosa Luxemburg-worshipping far left sect in New Zealand.” His outburst was deliberate, gratuitous and way over the top.
Lockdown 4 – do we stay or do we go?
Over the next few days there will be an intense public debate about whether the lockdown should be continued or loosened.
What Is This Moment Teaching Us?
What is Covid-19 telling us about our response as a nation?
Better footpaths and cycleways are a socialist inspired plot?
National MP Simon O’Connor thinks that making under used streets safer for walkers and cyclers is a Socialist inspired plan for world domination.
New Zealand’s poor in this new crisis
Covid 19 is not some great leveller. To succeed the state has to completely redirect the economy to so that ordinary workers and working families are supported.
National seeks delay to election
Hot on the news that National’s polling has plunged to 35% Paula Bennett has publicly suggested that the election should be delayed. I wonder if they are related?
The end of partisan politics?
Throughout the world there is an increasing consensus emerging that the free market approach is failing and principled intelligent leadership from governments provide the optimum result.
Clark’s calamity
Health Minister David Clark has been demoted but has kept his Health portfolio after he revealed that he had driven 20 kilometers with his family to visit a beach during the lock down.
Beyond mere rescue
It’s time to plan the re-launch the very idea of New Zealand.
What not to do in a pandemic
The Trump regime has this week plunged new depths in the handling of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the United States
It’s the end of main stream media as we know it …
The Covid-19 lock down has and will tip media companies already struggling to survive into closure.
Cabin Fever.
The Government did exactly the right thing, telling everyone they can take outdoor exercise locally within the necessary physical distancing rules.
Trusting people to be sensible about the possibilities of virus spread. To trust that most people will , given the information and criteria, will make the right decisions for themselves and others.
What about Climate Change then?
Shouldn’t this global shock from this COVID-19 virus make us all wake up to the power of collective global action on climate change?
CTU launches online tool for reporting bad employers
The Council of Trade Unions has launched an online tool allowing employees to log complaints against ill treatment by employers during the Covid-19 lockdown.
New Zealand Tourism after 2020
Post Covid-2019 what is going to happen to New Zealand’s tourism market?
Please don’t have to bring out your dead.
Anyone who has read even briefly into written human history is going to be aware that it is as much defined by our epidemics and pandemics as by any of our technical and societal achievements. This post is essentially a quick range over the history of pandemics and epidemics with links and some focus on COVID-19.
How this may play out
Developments on Covid-19 are happening at pace as we enter the make or break stage concerning the virus’s spread.
One Virus to Rule Them All
Trying to make sense of what’s happening is mindboggling.
The Big Chill
A post for the duration: what’s inspiring us or helping us get through? Music, film, books, games, or just sharing what’s keeping us occupied as we hunker down.
No politics, no aggro, no politics.
We are all socialists now
It seems that the pure free market approach is ill equipped to provide the world with the leadership and guidance it requires.
Roll out the plans
Fairly soon every group and their dog are going to come out with recovery plans for New Zealand. First off the block – even before we went into lockdown – is the ten point plan from Infrastructure New Zealand.
This changes everything
What will our future now look like?
This is not the revolution
The Corvid-19 virus is turning us all into cautious conservatives.
On Mike the Moron and handling infectious diseases
Five days ago Mike Hosking was representing his paymasters with his reflection of their basic ignorance of history. Then demanding caution in dealing with covid-19. Yesterday he panicked for immediate action to close the borders which government did anyway later that day. It is just dangerous to give a public platform to a dithering moron who be at home in 1918. Perhaps he should read the pandemic plan?
No disconnections or evictions
Unite’s Joe Carolan has called for a rent, mortgage and bill freeze.
Burning Bridges
One of Simon Bridges’ caucus supporters has raised the possibility of a leadership coup. Let’s hope not, people!
Relentless negativity
Simon Bridges has been criticised for his relentless negativity towards the Government’s urgent Covid-19 budget response and for playing politics as usual at a time when unity is required.
Is this the next GFC?
The Minister of Finance says that we are facing the worst of any of the scenarios that they had been preparing for. In response the government’s rescue package is bigger than anything New Zealand has ever seen.
The right become socialists as Covid-19 bites
The right, elements of which have thought the best thing to do to the state is weaken it that badly that they could then drown it in a bathtub, are rethinking and now realise that a well resourced, active and engaged State is actually a life saver.
Different responses to the Covid virus pandemic
It has been disclosed that Donald Trump has attempted to buy exclusive rights to a German vaccine in development. But only for the use of the American people. Meanwhile in New Zealand there is agreat anticipation about the Government’s announced package due to be released tomorrow.
Covid-19 and a digital democracy
Government has for the last decade been pushing for as many government services as possible to be primarily accessed digitally rather than face-to face. Funnily enough, the one public service they forgot to push to digital is themselves. Now’s the time Trevor.
How does the government handle a pandemic induced world recession?
With the world’s economy in turmoil and infection rates continuing to surge the responses of different countries to the crisis shows markedly different results. And the issue could be the determining issue of this year’s election.
It’s time for Auckland to work
2020 will now be the year that New Zealand will now rely on Auckland to get its shit together.
Before the massacre the State was warned
Through a series of meetings that led all the way to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Head of the State Services Commission Peter Hughes, and the Police, the Islamic Women’s Council repeatedly warned the highest levels of our civil service that their community was under imminent threat. They were ignored.
Red tape bonfire of the vanities
National has promised a bonfire of regulations. Just like conservatives in Australia, the United Kingdom, America and previous National administrations.