Today is the last day of Parliament for the term. After spending the morning on non-controversial legislation, the House will have its last Question Time and then an adjournment debate. And then they’ll be off to campaign for the election. The big triumph here? No last-minute urgency. No “wash-up”. Hopefully it’ll be a permanent change.
The Malaysian diplomat charged with serious offences has not returned to New Zealand. Despite previous assurances given by John Key it appears that his formal extradition will be required. And as further evidence of incompetence Murray McCully did not read the email advising him that Malaysia had invoked diplomatic immunity for weeks after it had been sent.
This National led Government is strong on ideology, weak on process and reluctant to accept responsibility. The Novopay debacle exemplifies all of these well. When questioned about Novopay, National Ministers will never accept full responsibility. Stephen Joyce has just announced that the Government will be taking over the management of Novopay after almost two years of stress and wide-ranging issues. No matter what National and its Ministers claim, Novopay is largely their fault, and taking responsibility and making apologies are not what this Government does readily.
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 …
Everyone’s favourite National Party blogger Cam Slater has posted a sneaky candid shot of Metiria Turei in which he mocks her for *gasp* wearing a hat.
Labour has today released its Work and Wages policy. An immediate lift to $15 in the minimum wage, and a raise to $16.25 in April next year. 90 day free sacking option for employers to go in first 100 days. Core public service to get the Living Wage first, others to follow. That’ll put some money where it’s most needed.
Key’s promised to do his best to bring in ACT and UnitedHairdo. Last election this brought us the likes of Charter Schools – unmentioned by any party during the campaign. What policies will National foist upon us through this outsourcing deal this time?
As expected, Fonterra has dropped the milk solid payout from $7 per kilogram to $6. New Zealand needs a different economic approach for a long term sustainable future that doesn’t rely on strip mining soil and water or other resources. National have been consistently mismanaging the NZ economy in putting far too much emphasis on resource extraction and the systematic degradation of our ability to earn our own way in the world. Time to get rid of National’s lack of imagination and long-term planning from the direction of our economy.
The list of National ministers with dodgy dealings is growing. But John seems desperate to keep them all. Higher standards are only something you talk about in opposition apparently. I guess when you have a list that’s brought in the likes of Aaron Gilmore and Claudette Hauiti there’s not much of a pool to be choosing new ministers from; but have National never heard of responsibility for one’s actions?
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 extent that the National minister have been pork-barreling the roading budget for their electorates is crazy. The OIA’s show that most of the $212 million announced by John Key at the National party conference is pure pork for ministers. They are assessed as costing more money to build than they will ever produce in benefits, even using NZTA’s infamously overoptimistic assessments. National MPs and Ministers want to be seen as delivering something for their electorates before the election. So much for assessing needs based on merits. They must be really worried about this election to misuse so much pork.
Throughout the last few years Brownlee has consistently denied that there is a housing crisis, despite almost every sign pointing to one. What we need in Christchurch is more houses, now. Affordable, well-designed, well-insulated houses. Lots of them. This is why Labour’s Kiwibuild scheme will roll out 10,000 houses in Christchurch in the first 4 years.
Peter Dunne has been thrown the lifeline he has been begging for – National voters have been given the nod by Key to keep him on. One has to ask why would they bother – I can’t see him going back as a Minister after so many stuff ups and a resignation that leaves too many questions unanswered. Ohariu has a much better option in Labour’s Ginny Andersen – if she’d been there a truly independent Parliament would have delivered mothers 26 weeks parental leave for example. Dunne supported it initially but backed down when it came to the crunch.
Rob Salmond at Polity has discovered that amongst the $212 million worth of road projects to be accelerated by the Government is a bridge that will speed up Bill English’s trip to his Queenstown home. But officials have said that under current policy settings it is unlikely that the bridge will ever be built.
Scott reposts this Nick Smith classic.
Porcupine farm has a ‘real” front page of the Herald – what they’d like to publish if they only could.
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 …
I agree with Fish and Game: Nick Smith has severely overstepped the mark – again – and must resign as a minister. He may as well stand down as an MP as he should never be back in a ministerial capacity given the list of times he’s been caught lying and cheating are longer than his arm.
It’s the National Party list!
“Conservation Minister Nick Smith is threatening legal action against Fish and Game council members who accused him of trying to gag the organisation.”
The National led Government are desperate to present the good news stories to promote the success of the past six years of their governance. They have increased the budget and the numbers of their spin doctors to ensure that it is mainly positive messages that make into the public domain. The Government cleverly manipulates data to hide the extent of poverty the degradation of the environment and the success of our economy. Of course most of us who live in the real world know that National’s reality is a falsely constructed one.
It’s only “gotcha” politics when the left wing does it.
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.
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.
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 …
In the late 1980’s I worked on the establishment of the Meat Industry Tradesmens Agreement, bringing eight awards into one. My lasting memory is how the meat companies hated each other more than they hated the unions, and they were no union-lovers. 25 years later, the companies still can’t get their act together, and it is the country as well as the farmers who are hurting. It may surprise some, but it’s the Labour party who is putting forward policy to bring in the necessary change to the $8billion industry. Good work from Damien O’Connor and the Labour leadership.
Mary Poppins quitting because she isn’t being paid enough to survive on in the magical nanny trade. I guess the peasants just aren’t prepared to starve as blindly as they did in the service of their ‘betters’ as they did in Edwardian era.
It is also quite funny…
The SST this morning have broken a story about how an American couple were able to purchase $1.6 million worth of shares in Genesis while “mum and dad kiwi investors” had their share allocation limited to $5,000.
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 …
Claudette Hauiti, Gerry Brownlee, Jonathan Coleman… 3 National MPs mired in scandal this week. A serious lack of discipline, and each in their own way they betray an attitude of lack of concern for the public they’re meant to serve.
Sue Bradford’s PhD thesis on the Left & Think Tanks, went online this week. It outlines the state of the Left in NZ. Bradford concludes that the Left is strong but fragmented, and identifies some ways forward.
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?
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 Herald today: What Jonathan Coleman said on Monday: “Ministers had absolutely no knowledge of any pending FBI-NZ Police investigation.” What Immigration NZ said on Wednesday: “The general information about the FBI was passed to Mr Bickle who then passed it to the Minister.” Grant Robertson is absolutely right: Former Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman must come clean about when he was told the FBI was investigating Kim Dotcom.
The Standard promotes itself as the voice of the New Zealand labour movement. We certainly heard one such voice in Parliament last night, with Darien Fenton’s powerful valedictory speech, followed by the waiata “There is power in the union” from the Speaker’s Gallery. Darien was inspiring: her speech is well worth a read or a look.
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).
