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Metiria Turei and David Shearer have today given their State of the Planet and State of the Nation speeches respectively. There's a lot of commonality, which is good. A critique of the government is solidifying and it's centred on jobs, housing, and the environment. The…
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David Shearer has just made his opening speech of the year at the Labour Party Summer School. There's no new policy to give the speech real heft, but (given the significant policies already out there, the stage of the electoral cycle, and the lack of…
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My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week:…
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I wondered why the Herald had given a column to a barely literate liquidator, until now. They say sunlight is the best disinfectant, and running Damien Grant's hateful, self-centred pieces exposes the ugliness at the heart of the neoliberal capitalist class. The titles alone are…
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Lately I have often disagreed with Matt McCarten. However, certainly agree with one part of his column today. The column is largely about John Key's fail at Ratana, plus his other struggles this week. McCarten then says in contrast it was a good week for Labour and…
child welfare climate change Conservation democratic participation disaster farming greens Maori Issues Metiria Turei poverty sustainability tenants' rights vision
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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...
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It's been a good few days. Ratana on Thursday and Friday, and Young Labour Summer School today and tomorrow. And then there is David Shearer's speech to come on Sunday, at the end of the Summer School. The Ratana Church gathers to celebrate the prophet's…
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As New Zealand collectively rolls its eyes at the paucity of ideas and vision, and surfeit of excuse-making and responsibility denying in Key's state of the nation speech (it was so bad John Armstrong wrote a third piece on how great the reshuffle was, instead…
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Key's opening speech for the year is a dreary, dishonest, and vacuous affair, completely bereft of vision. I haven't seen an enthustastic response reported anywhere yet. At time of writing: 3 News headlines one of National's biggest problems "Will Key's State of the Nation stem…
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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...
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Zetetic’s telling porkies. His talk of a rift in the Labour Party is crap. He hasn’t got a clue about what went on the Party conference – the idea that there should be a membership-wide vote on the leadership was voted down at the conference…
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David Clark (who I otherwise have a lot of time for) comments in a Herald interview today: Herald: What MP outside your party impresses you? David Clark: Kevin Hague [Green]. Kevin is impressive in that he has been able to walk a line where he…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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No one in Labour can deny there’s a real issue with internal disunity. Not only is the caucus divided (and more than ever since the Shearer camp’s handling of the conference fallout), but there’s a major breach between the membership and the caucus. Unless this…
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Tucked away on the One News site last night... Labour leadership bid ruled out by Cunliffe David Cunliffe has unequivocally ruled out standing for the Labour Party leadership again. Cunliffe was demoted by Labour leader David Shearer in November for refusing to rule out a…
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The future of the Maori Party, and its leader/s, seems in doubt. Yesterday, Eddie posted on The Standard, that the Maori Party is now in terminal decline. Also yesterday, Anthony Robins posted on The Standard, that, "A merger with Mana seems to offer the most viable…
assets class war disaster Environment mana Maori Issues Maori seats national/act government treaty settlements unemployment
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It's great to see the Greens' new housing policy nicely complementing Labour's affordable housing policy. Labour's policy would get a lot of middle-income people into homes, and reduce the costs for medium-to-lower-priced homes generally by greatly increasing the supply (prices in Herne Bay will probably…
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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...
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Another week, another homophobic crywank by Bob McCoskrie - wait, no, that's Garth McVicar! Saying marriage equality will lead to a gay crime wave! This isn't predictable and boring, this is fantastic! Anyway, to continue: ... another pointless, copy-pasted "but what about POLYGAMY?????" derail on…
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I'll say this for Key's media people, they're masters of the undersell when it comes to the insubstantial. And they know the media love to be surprised. John Armstrong gushed "Key has displayed all the sentiment of a corporate restructurer. So ministers are given the…
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"I'd love to see wages drop". Remember when John Key said that? Well now our glorious PM is getting all excited about how we can attract investment with our low wages and lack of employment protections. To quote the Herald: John Key says Hollywood finds…
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I have 3 tickets in my hot hand to give away to the Laneway Festival (the one that we have been advertising for months). It is at Silo Park down at the waterfront in Auckland on the Monday the 28th of January. I'll hand out tickets…
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What a mess. The Maori Party is in its final phase as the vultures move in to fight over the corpse. Katene wants Turia's job but will she be the one given the tap or will it be a member of the Turia clan? Flavell…
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So John Key says Hollywood likes New Zealand because of weak unions, low fringe benefit costs and the 'flexible labour market'. In other words they can get their wage slaves to work longer for less with fewer complaints. They don't have to pay for health…
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Pita Sharples should step down as a leader of the Maori Party and let someone else have a go. The Party under Sharples and co-leader Tariana Turia has been a failure, falling in share of the Party vote (down from 2.39% to 1.43%), number of…
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The Greens have launched a big new housing policy (interest.co.nz has the most comprehensive report so far, Herald piece here) called Home for Lifethat fixes KiwiBuild and gives renters more rights. The problem with Kiwibuild is a lot of the target families can't afford the…
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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...
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Bill English's priority in 2013 will be to "bed in" welfare reforms. Because that's where the big fiscal savings lie. He's hoping to cut 44,000 beneficiaries and save $1.6 billion by 2016-17. Which would be fantastic if this was a jobs government focussed on employment…
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. Prime Minister John Key today announced a reshuffle of his Cabinet, as well as a number of changes in the organisation of some government ministries.…
bill english Gerry Brownlee Hekia parata humour john key national Steven Joyce