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election 2014

Polity: Bye bye, Colin

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 18 comments

National has all-but confirmed today that there no deal for Colin Craig in East Coast Bays, or for any other Conservative. This was the right thing for them to do, for one simple reason. This decision came down to simple maths. If Key thought the Conservatives could muster double the votes that a decision to back the Conservatives would cost National in the centre-ground, then he should do the deal. If not, he should not. All the stuff about Winston running was a bit of a late sideshow, as the decision had likely already been made.

The election campaign is at a delicate stage

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 128 comments

We are at a very sensitive stage of the election campaign.  Labour’s decline in the polls has reversed, membership enthusiasm is high and National is being criticised for its male dominated list as well as facing the problem of its relationship with the Conservatives.

TVNZ’s white male syndrome

Written By: karol
Date published: - 86 comments

The focus of criticism of Mike Hosking as moderator for the TVNZ Leaders has been on his blatant pro-Nat bias. Hosking’s also has a track record of sexism and put-downs of some of the least powerful people in society.  Are only white males eligible for the job?

Thriving children, liveable communities & sustainable resources

Written By: karol
Date published: - 14 comments

The Green Party’s election focus is on reducing poverty & inequalities (highlighting its impact on children), and developing sustainable communities. 2 recently announced policies are under-pinned by 2 crises: poverty/inequality; and the destruction of our environment (climate change, resource depletion).

Everything in moderation …

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers
Date published: - 44 comments

I’m not sure it really warranted being front-page news (Gaza? MH17? Bueller?) but the announcement of Mike Hosking as the anointed moderator for TVNZ’s political leaders’ debates was always going to lead to a bit of head-scratching.

Polity: Mike Hosking

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 232 comments

For TVNZ to say that Mike Hosking is professional and would act in an unbiased fashion in leaders debates is daft. Mike Hosking has made his opinion of Labour quite apparent over the years. Hosking has a reputation around the left of being a ill-prepared moronic dickhead far more concerned about his car than the people of this country. Rob Salmond’s reaction in this post is going to be pretty typical. TVNZ obviously want to the debate to be about Hoskings rather than the debaters.

What will David Cunliffe be accused of next?

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 112 comments

There have been a number of allegations made against David Cunliffe recently and more can be expected.  In an effort to short circuit things I have collected a number of potential claims made by facebook friends.  Knock yourselves out and add to the list but in the interests of a positive campaign keep then funny and non defamatory.

NRT: A circus of self-mutilation

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 104 comments

No Right Turn gets rightfully acerbic about the witless fool “senior” MP in Labour who was trying to sabotage Labour in the Sunday Star Times this weekend, and about the general self-mutilation of Labour by its caucus at present.

Campaigning Avondale Market style

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 37 comments

Every Sunday morning a group of Labour Activists attend the Avondale Market to hand out literature and talk to people. It is refreshing that ordinary people are not affected by beltway issues and are concerned at the basics such as housing, poverty and education.

Tales from the left ground

Written By: karol
Date published: - 26 comments

I was uplifted by seeing Team Carmel Sepuloni out campaigning in Henderson today.  Marama Davidson has been out on the ground in Otara.  The Internet-Mana Party have gone on a Road Trip.  There’s been an on-going left campaign in Ohariu…. what are the tales from the left, campaigning on the ground?!

90 Minutes, Extra Time, Then Penalties.

Written By: Guest post
Date published: - 51 comments

If there is evidence that Key lied about when he first heard of Dotcom, then that strengthens Dotcom’s defence against extradition. He can then rightly say he has not had a fair go; that the parties trying to send him to the States to stand trial do not have clean hands. The potential personal gain for Kim Dotcom is obvious. The effect on the election may not be quite as positive.

Polity: New Polls

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 161 comments

The Roy Morgan and Fairfax/Ipsos polls out overnight are both bad news for the cause of positive change in New Zealand. Labour is below 25% in both polls, which is disaster territory if is solidifies. The potential coalitions of the left look just as bad. This doesn’t look like a change in the left-right split. The effects of the National / NZ Herald /Liu smear campaign feeding through fits the usual polling lag time period of about 4-6 weeks.

NRT: Election 2014: A clear choice on clean rivers

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 6 comments

The National government’s policy for economic growth has been simple: pump up dairy production, export more low-value milk powder, and keep low-value farmers as the “backbone of the economy”. To achieve this, they have dismantled the protections for and then defiled our fresh water on an industrial scale. The Greens want to reverse that and thereby ensure a long-term future for both our farming and peoples. Updated.

Green Party election priorities launch

Written By: karol
Date published: - 107 comments

Today the Green Party launched the first of it’s election priorities in Hamilton at 11. 00 am.  The focus is on building a cleaner, fairer, smarter New Zealand.  The Internet Party is onboard with a new environment policy.  There are differences between these 2 parties and Labour on oil and gas exploration.  Equality continues to be a key priority for the Green Party. [Updated]

Polity: The ENV debate: Some more data

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 14 comments

Rob Salmond presents the David Farrar / Steven Joyce / John Key argument that 2011 non voters are a National-leaning bunch. Then he shows that a better look at their own data undermines their claim. This matters because it helps us understand which bloc has more to gain from voter mobilization efforts in 2014.  This means the left has a lot more to gain than the right from mobilization in 2014.

Clear choices in Labour’s mini-Manifesto

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 35 comments

Kiwi voters are going to be offered clear election choices across a wide range of policies that matter. This is clear from Labour’s mini-Manifesto, released at the weekend Congress. As promised Labour’s offerings are positive and forward-looking.  Besides education, there are policies on work, economy, schools, children, jobs, homes, environment, democracy, health, living costs and budget – put the commitments together and it’s a recipe for positive change.

The education debate

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 58 comments

Education has become a major election issue.  And after Labour’s announcements at this weekend’s congress there is a stark divide, between the enrichment of the few or the advancement of the many.

Polity: National dropped 6% in 2008, 2011 campaigns

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 8 comments

At Rob Salmond’s briefing to Labour’s Congress over the weekend, he made a point about National’s performance in recent campaigns, which was later picked up in David Cunliffe’s speech.

National has dropped six percent each time. For those interested, here is the data that sits beneath this claim.

It is no wonder that John Key is worried when 3 months out from an election they are sitting on less than 50%, with dead and dying coalition partners.

Imperator Fish: In the Beehive today

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 5 comments

This post was put up at Imperator Fish on Sunday evening. It looks like Hekia Parata was following Scott’s script today. 🙂

Sure we need a better class of wingnut commenter, as is frequently suggested here. However surely it is more important that we get a better quality of government minister than ones who think that evidence based policies means only the evidence about how well their party is doing in the polls?

A quick note to John Key

Written By: karol
Date published: - 44 comments

Remember when John Key explained why he sends his children to private schools….. and now the Nats and Parata are saying that such advantages don’t work for all Kiwis.

Polity: Vote Positive

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 11 comments

Rob Salmond got enthused over the Labour congress this weekend. We heard a superb set of politics emerge about education, always a core theme for Labour. We got not one but two treats in the form of speeches from our leadership. Both David Parker and David Cunliffe did great speeches, sending everyone home in exactly the right spirit of both pride and optimism. And we now know the campaign slogan…

Parker’s egalitarian passion

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 51 comments

David Parker’s speech at Labour’s Congress today was passionate, comprehensive, and fully thought through. Respected for his intellect, Parker also said “My political heart lies in what has become something of a quaint  notion these days, the notion of an egalitarian society. Perhaps it’s because of my Southern Presbyterian roots. It’s not just about equality of opportunity. It’s about decent outcomes as well.” Amen to that.

Polity: Who do the “missing million” like?

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 17 comments

National appear to have been indulging in wishful thinking for some time based on dubious analysis of voter turnout.  Their latest round of silliness comes from kiwiblog. Sure there were some National supporters who chose not to vote in 2011 out of complacency. But it is probably a minority, and that most of the new non-voters (who voted up to and including 2008, and then stopped) are lefties. The survey evidence points that way, and so does the E9 evidence when looked at properly.

Rachel who?

Written By: notices and features
Date published: - 69 comments

A guest post from Rachel Jones, who is number 25 of Labour’s list as well as the Labour candidate for the Tauranga seat.

Is Bill English’s ‘big data’, Big Brother & privatisation of govt?

Written By: karol
Date published: - 135 comments

Bill English has stated that a third term Key government would majorly reform the government’s budgeting & spending.  It’s a major move towards privatisation of public services, & full spectrum digitally-enhanced monitoring of individuals’ lives: especially those of the already demonised and harassed single mothers on benefits.

David Cunliffe Q+A

Written By: Guest post
Date published: - 190 comments

David Cunliffe’s question and answer.

Remember this will be fully moderated. Keep your comments short, intelligent, and broadly on topic. David will be here at about 4pm. It’d be good to have your starting comments up by then.

The #teamkey personality cult

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 120 comments

National has unveiled aspects of its 2014 campaign with John Key being a cult like figure and a slogan that makes it sound like National cares for ordinary New Zealanders.