After nine long years the election is forcing National to acknowledge the poverty in NZ. Bill English didn't have any ideas on raisng incomes - but is promising to throw money at what Nats think are good ideas - bootcamps and "social investment" (targeting welfare).…
Catherine Delahunty gave her valedictory speech in Parliament a few weeks ago. So much has happened politically in that time, but I don't want to lose this because it's the voice of a strong radical woman MP saying what she needs to on her way…
John Armstrong writes on 1 News: Opinion: Dunne's departure adds to the feeling of the tide going out on National ... [Dunne's] exit from politics has added grist to the impression that the electoral tide is going out on National. The departure from Parliament of…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
In just a couple of month’s time the Greater Wellington Regional will start an $11m project to dismantle the trolley bus system. In his earlier post Council Tramways Union Vice President Chris Morley wrote about why this is a huge mistake. In his follow-up he…
Today is the day for Treasury's Pre-Election Fiscal Update (PREFU). Parties will know projected finances and be able to adjust their policies accordingly. No doubt the Nats will try for some credit for a surplus - like the last Labour government ran for 9 years…
Yesterday The Herald ran a panel based "job interview" for Jacinda Ardern and Bill English, the write up is here: Jacinda Ardern vs Bill English: Relentless dissatisfaction vs bloody-minded positivity After Ardern's interview much was made of the fact that she declined to rule out…
Labour's new campaign ad is great! Compare and contrast with Nat attack ads... https://twitter.com/nzlabour/status/899809905602813952 https://twitter.com/NewshubNZ/status/899776691907600385 https://twitter.com/NZStuffPolitics/status/899875798147940352 https://twitter.com/andykirton/status/899820076253052928
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
From The bumper Spinoff guide to watching the NZ election 2017, Election Aotearoa Leaders Debate 22 August, 8.00pm, streamed live on MāoriTelevision.com and Stuff.co.nz Māori Television launches its first debate from the Manukau Institute of Technology. Oriini Kaipara and Heta Gardiner lead the debate with Kelvin…
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
From the Green Party website: James Shaw MP on Tuesday, August 22, 2017 - 10:16 The Green Party in government will end the tax advantages property speculators currently enjoy under National by implementing a comprehensive tax on capital gains, the Green Party said today. The…
Alarmed by Jacinda Ardern's groundswell of popularity, and lacking any valid reason to attack her, various political minnows and hacks are trying the line that Labour lacks policy / substance, that Ardern is just "smile and wave". Sigh. Either these people are lying through their…
Add Canterbury to the list of DHBs in trouble: Cantabrians could face health service cuts 'of unprecedented scale' The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) has warned "significant service cuts of unprecedented scale" will be needed if the Government does not approve its planned deficit. Documents…
So much for the all feared all conquering National Party campaign machine, able to destroy opponents and win the hearts and minds of New Zealanders at will through its organisation and competence. This election campaign was meant to be a Crosby Textor training video for…
Giovanni Tiso writes on New Zealand media and the swimming of sharks. Well worth a read. Update: The full text of this piece has been removed at Tiso's request, although the Pantograph Punch source explicitly allows for copying with attribution: http://pantograph-punch.com/page/terms-of-use https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/nz/ (we should have…
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other ...
There goes half of National's carefully engineered electorate advantage. Peter Dunne has announced that he is not going to contest the next election. From Radio New Zealand: United Future leader and Ōhāriu MP Peter Dunne will resign from Parliament at the election, saying voters in…
I wish it didn't matter, but here we are. On the day that Labour launched their election campaign, with all sorts of important changes happening in NZ politics including the performance of Labour's new leader, the shift to more green politics, the huge crowds that…
I like some TOP policy I really do, but Gareth Morgan needs to stop being a dick if he wants to get his party over the line. https://twitter.com/ebryantnz/status/899221778232246274 https://twitter.com/garethmorgannz/status/899164130149416960 https://twitter.com/FrankMcRae/status/899194402626707457 https://twitter.com/nzherald/status/899350055907414016 https://twitter.com/SeanPlunket/status/899178342603038720
That was a great weekend for Labour. The campaign launch was a huge and vibrant success. Jacinda Ardern talked about ending poverty. She called climate change "my generation's nuclear-free moment". She talked about education, and housing, and rivers, and more. She talked about principles, and…
Trolley buses make sense for the environment and for people who drive them. But in just a couple of month's time the Greater Wellington Regional will start an $11m project to dismantle the trolley bus system. Council Tramways Union Vice President Chris Morley writes about…
The Sunday Star Times had a story in yesterday morning's paper suggesting that Labour was playing fast with electoral laws relating to donations. The heading of the article "Artworks used to funnel secret donors' contributions to the Labour Party" says it all. The article contains…
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Text of Jacinda Ardern's speech delivered today - video after the text . Kia ora koutou katoa, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Ni sa bula vinaka, Fakalofal lahiatu, Namastae, Ni Hao, And thank you so much for that welcome. And a warm welcome to those…
Yesterday Phil Twyford debated Amy Adams on the housing crisis (transcript, video). Take home message: Nats alone in denying housing crisis - Twyford The Salvation Army says we've got "the worst homelessness in living memory", but the Government is still refusing to call it a…
Labour rising, National falling in the latest poll: Labour's polling closes gap on National The Labour Party will hold its campaign launch today with its own poll putting it just three points adrift of National - and bringing heartening news for Labour's potential support partner…