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It's like this, people. Last night Patrick Gower emailed me about how the Labour Party Conference was going. See, I'd criticised TV3's coverage on Twitter, where an embarrassing clip of Paddy badgering David Cunliffe to predict the future was spun into "DAVID CUNLIFFE MAKING A…
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The policy remits this morning. There isn't a lot of time. However they are prioritized Passed Remit 1: The future of privatized state assets THAT Labour in-principle supports the restoration of 100% public ownership of any assets part-privatised by the current government, and will develop…
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There’s been lots of chatter about caucus, voting, leadership, conference – you name it and it’s probably been up on the blogs in the last few days. But looking at the reaction from mainstream media to the conference this morning, one thing is clear. They've…
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There were exciting reports from the Labour Party conference yesterday. They indicated a significant shift towards a more democratic party. While the media are frothing over their scenario of an epic leadership battle, they fail to focus on the important issues: ones that require a…
benefits crime democratic participation housing labour Left sustainability tax
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For the first time in the history of New Zealand, being a member of a major party really means something. If you a member of Labour, you will have a choice in who your leader is. Can any but a handful of National apparatchiks say…
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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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So the remit session was a bit of an endurance event as they always are (and we've still got policy remits tomorrow...). The vast majority was fairly easily agreed, including the big changes. The real contention was over the caucus trigger - not the general…
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Back in the early 90s the first party conference I went to was very nearly my last. Intransigent foes who used the mic to assault each other was my introduction to the Labour party 'working' with each other. It wasn't pleasant. Nor was it particularly…
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Labour has established its new leadership voting rules. As expected, caucus and the membership will have 40% each, the affiliates 20%. More interestingly, and positively, the attempt to effectively neuter the membership's new power by setting a high bar of caucus support for a leadership…
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John Key knows his economic failures are coming out in to the open, so he came to The Nation this morning expecting a fight. And he knew his lines well and it all sounded good. If you didn't think about it. Basically, he said the…
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Especially for delegates (and me) to write comments on remits. Very fast so far. Robert Gallagher who is chairing the movement appears to be enjoying himself. A welcome sight.
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Welcome to Poverty watch, a weekly update on the National government's lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. A lot of background issues and links are set out in Poverty Watch one two and three. This week, it's obvious…
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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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I have been busy over the past few days and didn't get around to it. But being at conference is a breathing space so I thought I'd leave a note for the media commentator Gavin Ellis who appears in this piece with Kathryn Ryan about…
activism blogs broadcasting democratic participation humour kremlinology labour Media news newspapers you couldn't make this shit up
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So Lynn is giving you the media perspective, I thought I might get some delegate perspective. Labour conference 2012 seems to be going well so far. They've already had a policy win, as just rumours of a major housing policy release has caused National to…
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There’s a few remits on the floor at conference today that are going to be make or break for the future of the Labour party. They’re all about democratising the party which is something I think needs to happen if it’s going to survive and…
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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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Well, I'm at the Labour conference - as media. Feels somewhat weird after many delegate years. I figure that The Standard needs to start sending someone along to the conferences. So I will ground-break at each of the major ones over the next year. The…
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No Right Turn on Novopay and the sacking of payroll staff. Absolute insanity The government's contracting out of the education payroll to Novopay has been a disaster, with hundreds of people going unpaid, often for months. The Ministry of Education's payroll office has been working hard…
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The political Left needs a new direction with a break to the future, to prevent the on-going rightwards drift. If progressive political parties merely react to the ruling neoliberal discourses and policies, they will continue to inadvertently absorbed right wing values. A re-vitalised Left would be strengthened…
activism democratic participation feminism gay rights greens labour Left mana national Social issues vision
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It now appears that the Government's controversial plan to allow wealthy frequent flyers on state-owned China Southern Airlines to skip visa requirements was done to help SkyCity get more high-rolling Chinese gamblers visiting. The Nats have really been sprung on this one. While insisting that…
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Labour is due to release its big housing policy at conference and I suspect it'll be either a Kirk style subsidised mortgage scheme for first home buyers or a substantial increase in state housing stocks. If it's the former then it needs to ensure that…
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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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Well that was interesting rise in price. A few weeks ago there was a notice in our mail box about the next door apartment going up for auction. Lyn has been looking at getting her toehold into the Auckland property market over the last year. As…
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Unemployment at record highs, current account deficit in trouble, the economy is stagnant, exodus to Australia, National is failing by every performance measure that they set themselves (except enriching the already wealthy of course). No plan when elected, no plan now, nothing to offer but…
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The amount we have to borrow from the rest of the world - because the high dollar is killing our exporters and allowing importers to undercut our domestic businesses - is due to hit $17b a year by 2016. Our current account deficit is already…
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I don't really have time to write something, but there's just too much stupid this morning to let it pass. Nathan Guy apparently thinks being in Chinese Southern's Frequent Flier program is enough kudos to decide you can enter our country. I've just got Silver…
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Didn't it make you sick to your stomach when smug Tories getting fat on quarter of a million dollar taxpayer-funded salaries get up in the House and make jokes to deflect from the dire jobs situation?* Well, I know 410,000 Kiwis who are looking for…
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Politics 101 for Labour leaders: when a right-wing columnist tells you to piss off your party and your base to 'win the centre' she probably doesn't have your best interests at heart. The truth of it is, Labour didn't lose the last two elections by…
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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...