Open mike 20/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
NZ vs Ecuador
Ecuador is giving us lessons in sovereign independence.
Open mike 19/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
David Shearer’s second e-newsletter
Last week David Shearer announced he would be writing a weekly newsletter to members and supporters.
It’s a good idea and a step toward letting people get to know where Labour is coming from. Here’s the second edition.
We’re also happy to publish any similar e-letters from other opposition leaders. Just send them to our email address (see our contact page)
Advice to Labour: Fair, inclusive, positive
Hey Labour – here’s three words for you. Fair, inclusive, positive. You’ll win the next election, and the two after that.
The optics of the thing
When he was Don Brash’s campaign manager, Steven Joyce used to talk about the ‘optics’ being what matters. Well, let’s consider the optics of a fat, bald old man personally insulting three good-looking young journalists every time they ask him sensible questions. If I were Joyce’s media minder, I would have had my head in my hands throughout Joyce’s appearance on The Nation this morning.
CV replies to Whaleoil
Guest poster Colonial Viper replies to some typically loopy accusations from Whaleoil.
Would you buy shares in…
Mighty River, when its water use rights are in doubt? Meridian, when its deal with its largest customer is in question? Solid Energy, when it is reviewing all its operations due to the high dollar? Genesis, when Meridian could flood the market with cheap power if its deal with Rio Tinto falls through, and a future government is likely to sharply increase the cost of its emissions from Huntly?
Open mike 18/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Drug testing beneficiaries; yeah that’s the problem
I could hardly believe my ears this morning when I heard about Paula Bennett’s plan to drug test beneficiaries and cut their benefits […]
Weekend social 17/08/2012
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
Bennett, a disgrace to her office
You can’t really understand and fix a problem unless you have some reference points to measure progress against. So, when Paula Bennett’s Green Paper on poverty said that 20% of children live in poverty, people said ‘wow, what are you policies to reduce this and how much will they reduce it by’. But Bennett has no policies to reduce poverty, so she’s resorted to zen-like wavering over whether we can and should measure poverty.
Greens put pokies deal on ice
The Greens’ successful call for an Auditor General’s probe into the Government’s pokies-for-convention-centre deal with SkyCity has stalled the negiotations – despite the Nats’ claims it wouldn’t derail their attempt to sell our gambling law. No meetings have been held since the A-G’s investigation began two months ago. With any luck, it’ll push out the legislative timeline past the 2014 election.
Labour’s plan a real alternative to Nats’ failure
Labour’s hands on approach to economic management focused on boosting manufacturing stands in stark contrast to National’s failed record of big promises and no delivery. Manufacturing is our largest employer. It has lost 25,500 jobs under National. National has been pushing mining for four years. It employs 6,000 people, up just 600 under National.
To the Back Teeth. And Beyond
Pagani wrote it. Robertson cleared it. And Shearer uttered it. To summarise; those living by sickness entitlements are probably dodgy b’stards. Nice. Before I go on, I should be clear that this post isn’t some insightful fiction. This is the reality of getting by with a sickness benefit.
Zero tolerance for privacy breaches
Collins can’t credibly call for zero tolerance on privacy breaches while working alongside a Minister who has not only breached privacy, but is unrepentant, and boasting that she might do it again. Bennett has breached the Privacy Act – what is she doing still in cabinet? The Nats have no credibility while she remains.
Port transparency bill drawn
Darien Fenton’s port transparency bill has been drawn and may well pass.
Good. The PoAL dispute has shown just how much this is needed.
Wellington Rape Crisis needs your help
Wellington Rape Crisis needs to raise $55,000.00 before 1st April 2013 to keep their doors open. Otherwise they will be unable to sustain their essential services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
Open mike 17/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Hands on Labour
Fresh ideas to grow a stronger manufacturing sector, on top of the major changes Labour has already signalled featured in a speech given today by David Parker to a union audience in Wellington. David Cunliffe was there too, and I particularly liked the discussion afterwards. The key players are receptive to good ideas and it looks like Labour will have a real alternative to offer at the next election.
Two little Pagis squeal and squeak
It seems the Standard is off the Paganis’ Christmas list. John Pagani tells the Listener that he much prefers Kiwiblog because it “has […]
Collins’ Bennett problem
I look forward to Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little calling Paula Bennett as a witness in their defamation suit with Judith Collins. Bennett openly admits doing what Collins has sued Mallard and Little for accusing her of doing: using ministerial powers to leak the private details of a political opponent. Bennett even says she’ll do it again. She obviously doesn’t see doing it as hurting her reputation.
TED is coming to town
TEDx will be in Auckland in October. We can get a limited number of tickets to it for those who want go.
Replying to cancer-mongers
The Australian Government has won a Supreme Court case on its plain packaging law. The tobacco companies are now planning to take it to the WTO. I hope Gillard responds to the law suit with a letter along the lines of: “Dear Cancer-mongers, Consider yourselves lucky we don’t nationalise your assets and pass a law to have you arrested for corporate homicide. Go fuck yourselves. Regards, Julia.”
Paula Bennett: Govt’s biggest loser
What a mess of a week Paula ‘out of her depth’ Bennett is having: Found to have breached the rights of a beneficiary who dared to speak out against Bennett’s cuts to a training allowance, which Bennett herself used while a solo mum. Caught out making up the story about drugged up beneficiaries turning out jobs. Delivered another rise in benefit numbers, when there are meant to be more jobs and fewer people on the dole.
Sell assets to avoid debt; take on debt to build motorways – huh?
So, let me get this straight. Debt is bad. So bad, in fact, that the Government is willing to sell assets that produce higher returns than its cost of borrowing to free up money and avoid taking on more debt. But this same Government is now planning to borrow to fill a $5 billion hole in its transport budget caused by its unneeded motorway projects.
Open mike 16/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Strategy and opinion
Thanks to Rob Salmond and Josie Pagani it is now clear that Labour’s pitch to the centre is an intentional strategy. That is helpful as now perhaps we can have a reasonable discussion about how well it’s working, and what else might work better.
Frankly Speaking: “John Banks: condition deteriorating”
Frank Macskasy over at Frankly Speaking writes some very long posts that are often full of interesting information. This one does a good analysis of the recommendations from the Electoral Commission and various party positions on it. On the way through he has a good swipe at John Banks, who it would be safe to say, he considers to be political cabbage.
Human Rights Commission concludes that Bennett breached privacy
The Human Rights Commission has concluded that Paula Bennett breached the privacy of a private citizen. Apart from releasing an agreed statement, the HRC is not proposing action. John Key won’t propose any either.
Taking a hard line on moderation fallacies
I’ve got a new rule. If I’m reading any political ‘analysis’ and the author commits argument to moderation fallacy, I stop reading right there. So I don’t know what John Armstrong wrote after his third sentence yesterday: “The competing choruses of those who say it has not gone far enough and those who say it has gone too far would suggest it has things just about right.”
The wrong conversation
There has been a lot of discussion on the direction Labour is heading and the direction it should go. There have been some […]
Nats lied – power prices to rise
Minister after Minister denied it, but it turns out that common sense is right. Private power companies charge more. Privatisation surely means that prices will rise. Is it even news when this government lies these days?
Nats’ motorways going on the credit card
Transport spending has always been paid for out of road taxes. But National’s roads to nowhere cost too much. They’ve added huge top ups from general tax but it’s still not enough to meet the rising costs of the motorways. They’ve cut every other area of transport spending to the bone. Still not enough. Now, National’s going to start borrowing for their motorways.
Open mike 15/08/2012
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Dog-whistling
My father was a dog-trialler, and a very good one. As a kid, I loved going to the trials. I heard a lot of dog-whistles, and Dad won a lot of short-heads. The political dog-whistle is a different matter.