Open mike 10/02/2015
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 …
Captain’s Call
Leaving Mike Sabin in charge of the Law and Order Select Committee was certainly a captain’s call by John Key. Just like Tony Abbott’s award of a knighthood to the Duke (as if he needed more fruit salad), this was a judgment call. And it does call Key’s judgment into question. It’s not about when he knew what he knew, it’s about what he did when he knew.
Locking in housing inequality
We are in the process of locking in inequality through the intergenerational ownership of housing, thus squeezing more and more mobility out of society.
Cult of “personality”
The latest bout of National’s cult of “personality” was on show at yesterday’s Big Gay Out
Hide vs Armstrong on Sabin
In which Rodney Hide writes the column that The Herald’s senior political reporter should have written…
Open mike 09/02/2015
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 …
The War Club Family
There’s a fascinating article in the latest New Statesman titled “An Empire that speaks English: the right’s dream of a new world order.” Suddenly UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond’s recent visit here makes sense. So does John Key’s references to sending troops to Iraq on behalf of the “club” or the “family” – he’s at the heart of the Empire.
Is Tony’s tenure terminal?
Over in Australia a spill motion scheduled for tomorrow may end Tony Abbott’s reign. Former PM Julia Gillard who famously lectured Abbott on his misogyny must be grinning from ear to ear. Update: Abbott has survived with the vote reported to be 61-39 against a spill. I suspect the left will be pleased …
Tino Rangatiratanga
It has been claimed that Andrew Little has advocated for Maori to have law making powers. What he has done is reflect on a recent Waitangi Tribunal decision which concluded that Maori never ceded sovereignty to the Crown and properly concluded that this is an issue that needs to be considered.
Open Mike 08/02/2015
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 …
A concise description of the problems in the Middle East
The complexity of the current Middle East situation explained in a single letter to the editor.
17 year old kiwi sits atop the world
The only person to receive 100% in the world for her work was a young kiwi with only two years background. Read more […]
Open mike 07/02/2015
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 …
Weekend social 06/02/2015
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
Guest Post – Waitangi Day, build a bridge and get over it
A Guest Post by David Meech presenting an irreverent view of Waitangi day, and New Zealand history and culture.
Open mike 06/02/2015
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 …
Better to Jaw Jaw than War War
Perhaps John Key should consider a Churchillian thought before he rushes to send our young to die in Iraq.
A calculated feeding of the beasts within
The social democracy of my youth has radically collapsed into our current culture of individualism, privatisation and personal greed.
The lie about productivity and wages
The Productivity Commission has a new report out which looks at changes in the labour income share, or LIS, from 1978 to 2010. […]
Orewa – 11 years on
Has it really been 11 years since Brash’s infamous Orewa speech? Yesterday Gareth Morgan gave a very different kind of speech there…
AFFCO Talley’s and Jobs That Count
Darien Fenton at Jobs That Count brings us the details of the fight for decent pay and conditions at Talley’s meat processing plants
Open mike 05/02/2015
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Local Leadership
The Labour Local Government Council ran a hui last Friday in Wellington. I went along and it was one of the better Labour events I have been to in a long time – community-based organisers sharing and discussing what works. Crosby/Textor is onto it too.
Just what Christchurch needed
Our thoughts are with Christchurch as a huge fire rages to the west of the city.
So now it’s a family not a club
John Key wanted to be in the Five Eyes “club”, but I guess that didn’t focus group well, so now we’re being fed a new line – “family”.
Unemployment up
We need a much better analysis of what kinds of jobs and conditions are out there in NZ, crude figures are not telling us enough.
Andrew Little – principled politician
Issues surrounding Mike Sabin highlight the handling of the matter by Andrew Little. With commendable restraint he chose to privately notify the Prime Minister’s office that one of his MPs faced problems. And his recollection of matters is clearly better than Key’s recollection.
Open mike 04/02/2015
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Emmerson on dirty political romps
The Sabin issue timeline
An analysis of the timeline and a reading of Cameron Slater’s comments concerning Mike Sabin raises real questions about the veracity of what Key has been saying to the media. Update: It appears that David Garrett and Rodney Hide have expressed views wondering if Key’s statement about when he was told is actually correct. Update: And Matthew Hooton suggests that the Police may have advised the Government of the invesigation.
Abbot in trouble
Seems like Australian PM Tony Abbot might be facing a leadership challenge.
How do the Greens grow their base?
Following on from yesterday’s discussion of the future for Labour – what next for the Greens?
Open mike 03/02/2015
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What did Key know about Sabin’s issues?
Now that Mike Sabin has resigned attention is on what John Key knew and when.
Murdoch on political exits
