Why does David Farrar hate Winston Peters so much?
David Farrar has quite a thing for Winston Peters…
Saving Peppa’s bacon
Could the Australian budget sink any lower? – the answer is yes, apparently, with the shock news in answer to a question in he Senate that the ABC may cut Peppa Pig due to budget restrictions. The outcry was such that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull had to declare that Peppa Pig is safe.
Considering newborns
It’s a classic National manoeuvre. Ask them a straightforward question like “is there support for all newborn babies in New Zealand?” and get a straightforward “Yes” – with several significant caveats that altogether add up to No.
Maori Party to seek leave to change Paid Parental Leave Bill vote
The Maori Party have supported Sue Moroney’s Paid Parental Leave Bill from its introduction. Then something weird happened last night. First National unbelievably blocked Flavell’s vote when he left to be at the birth of his first grandchild. Then National used the Maori Party’s proxy votes to vote down Moroney’s bill. Did National mislead Parliament? Or did Sharples buckle under the pressure and change the Maori Party vote? Updated: Leave granted and Moroney’s bill survives …
Some thoughts on Internet Mana and Laila Harre
Some thoughts on the implications of the Internet Mana announcement and the anticipated selection of Laila Harre as the Internet Party leader. Like everything else concerning Kim Dotcom nothing is simple.
Open mike 29/05/2014
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 …
Poisoned Pasture
“The New Zealand dairy industry will be dead in fifteen years.” Coming from a well-informed and highly placed investor source met recently in China, these words made me sit up. His reason – nitrate-poisoned pasture product will be increasingly unacceptable to environmentally conscious customers. Here at home corporate farmers and the National government seem to want to accelerate the process. It’s a recipe for disaster.
So what happened here? PPL vote
There has been some questioning of the vote for the second reading of the Paid Parental Bill tonight. Sue Moroney claims the Maori Party were planning to vote for it. The Nat whip cast the Maori Party votes AGAINST the Bill. [Update: One News; NZ Herald]
NBR: Laila Harre to lead the Internet Party
Twitter is reporting that NBR, behind its paywall, claims (sources say) Laila Harre will lead the Internet Party. I honestly don’t know what my reaction is (and of course it’s all unconfirmed at this point) … so provide yours in the comments!
Kiwipolitico: The housing problem isn’t a housing problem; it’s a regional development problem
The national median house price is $415,000, a figure skewed substantially upwards by the extraordinary cost of housing in Auckland. But you can buy a three bedroom house a for a lot less outside the urban areas. There just aren’t jobs to go with them. The chart shows income and employment growth by region. The growth is just not there. Correct that, and it might correct the supply in the urban centres.
Gower’s immigration beat-up
There’s been a lot of heat on Labour from the usual beat-up suspects and not a lot of light until now.
Gerry Brownlee chucks toys out of cot on Nine to Noon
Radio New Zealand presenters have this morning been discussing the important issue of potential asbestos exposure in the Christchurch area. Gerry Brownlee was involved in the discussion and chose to abuse Kathryn Ryan rather than discuss the issue. I hope the good people of Christchurch were listening.
NRT: A committee of fuckwits
The Justice and Electoral Committee has reported back on the Harmful Digital Communications Bill. The bill attempts to outlaw “harmful digital communications” – defined as anything causing “serious emotional distress” – and imposes a regime of court orders, takedown notices, and criminal penalties. The latter would effectively reintroduce the offence of criminal libel – but only on the internet. Some sad old fuckwits in Parliament are scared of us and scared of our future.
Open mike 28/05/2014
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 …
Polity: Inequality trends
Rob Salmond at Polity has a series of posts in recent days that have been well worth reposting but alas they missed due to travel. Who gained from National’s tax switch? and May TV polls. But he is on fire since he got back from aussie – perhaps they spiked his drinks? But this one looking at the probable shifts in inequality in NZ in the future is pretty damn sobering to anyone who thinks that we need a more equal society.
Internet Mana: the sell-out and the reaction
A common response I saw to the Mana/Internet alliance today was, “Oh great, Mana’s sold out. Mana’s meant to be grassroots! Mana and the Internet Party have nothing in common!”
The thing is, it largely (not entirely) came from people who aren’t Mana members or supporters. It came from Labour supporters.
Something to go to in Wellington
Anyone interested in issues such as asset sales, corporate tax avoidance, GCSB surveillance and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement would be well advised to head along to see Murray Horton this Wednesday.
I’d go, but I am just leaving the windy freezing city with a almost excellent public transport system
David Farrar is (still) the hypocrite
It appears that David Farrar, paid rubber mouthpiece for the National party, is exercising his right to be a hypocrite again. Surely he remembers his attitudes back in 2012 when he was acting as their mouthpiece to discourage other economic migrants seeking a better life in NZ? And it looks like Key is parroting the message tested at Kiwiblog… How predictable.
NRT: For a drone-free New Zealand
It is difficult to describe how abhorrent that the concept of the US military murdering the many bystanders and even targets with drone strikes and then trying to justify their illegal actions (under both US and international law) by labelling all of those killed, injured, and maimed as enemy. It reeks of the counting the body bags of civilians mentality that has been losing them wars for many decades. But this practice needs to be constrained before it gets used by other rogue states with even less compunction that the United States.
Mana Party Internet Party partnership
Mana has announced a formal partnership agreement with the Internet Party. Both parties will retain their separate existence but submit a joint list for the election. The Internet Party will contest as yet unnamed general electorate seats.
TV3 and the manufacturing of a political narrative
Two weeks ago Paddy Gower interviewed David Cunliffe on the Nation and they had a wide ranging discussion on ideal Immigration flows and housing pressures. No criticism was made by Gower of the policy. Yesterday after Cunliffe said essentially the same thing Gower alleged that Cunliffe had engaged in dog whistle politics. But Gower had earlier blogged advocating for Labour to look at going harder on the immigration issue. My fellow lefties should not be confused by Gower’s attempt to construct a narrative.
Open mike 27/05/2014
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 …
Of polls and elections
Two new polls are out and the Government has enjoyed a post budget bounce. But when the post budget glow wears off and the inevitable seepage of support starts what will National do then?
Labour please take note.
The more that National publicly adopts “left wing” “socialist” party policies, such as “free” medical care for children under 13, keeping the retirement age as it is, and balancing the budget, the more they rise in the polls.
Still an honest man?
BLip has been maintaining for quite a while, a little list of Honest John’s statements that aren’t exactly true. One iteration of this list “An Honest Man” is still one of the most popular posts here with many page views on a daily basis – more than a year after it was posted. Looks like someone has made a video of a few of the times when some of these were made. There is also a more recent BLip list of the words of our favourite lying politician.
Open mike 26/05/2014
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 political beliefs of political reporters
Television New Zealand is requiring political reporters to divulge political affiliation, membership and other political party activity. And John Key attacks TV3’s Linda Clark for allegedly helping the Labour Party. Yet Mike Hosking and Paul Henry are free to trumpet right wing spin lines. See the problem?
Compulsory voting and an explicit “none of the above”
I was listening to Wallace Chapman interviewing Professor David Farrell, from University College, Dublin this morning on Radio New Zealand on compulsory voting which he was strongly in favour of. At one point the discussion veered on to the issue of “none of the above”. I think that this is the key to compulsory voting. Add “none of the above” and “I don’t know”
The Green Party List
The Green Party has released its list for the 2014 election.
Open mike 25/05/2014
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 …
Helen
Just been watching the documentary “Helen” about Helen Clark past and present. Pretty damn good. For me it was a bit of a blast from the past. I started volunteering for her in Mt Albert in 1989. But I suspect that the same will be true for most people who have been aware of politics in NZ over the last 3 decades. Those images of Muldoon and Douglas were kind of creepy.
Key “AT HOME” in Whale Oil Cafe
Allo, ‘Allo, ‘Allo, ‘Allo, Episode 4. Based on the 1980’s comedy series “Allo, ‘Allo”. starring Cameron Slater as Rene and Judith Collins as […]
Tony Astle does not want progressive customers
Tony Astle apparently wants to ban some left wing politicians from his restaurant Antoines. He should get a life. Because the idea is stupid and reinforces the impression that National is a party insisting on the retention of privilege for the few.
Snapshot of a nation: inequality
Al Jazeera reports on damaging inequalities in Spain under “austerity”. High unemployment; 30% of children in poverty, political corruption, tax evasion & a focus on football. Suggested ways to decrease income & wealth inequalities in NZ. Update: TV3’s The Nation: inequality & Wilson & Pickett interview.
Open mike 24/05/2014
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 …
NRT: The rich rort us again
No Right Turn on paying private schools and childcare as being charitable ‘donations’ and thereby trying to defraud taxpayers.