Open mike 20/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
ImperatorFish: Dr Don Seeks To Sink Santa
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
Don thinks he’s finally found the right team to launch his next leadership coup on…
Cunliffe, Parker swap roles
The new Labour line-up is announced. Parker Finance, Ardern Social Development, Cunliffe Economic Development (plus Assoc Finance) round out the top five.
Comment Privacy and fools
Cameron Slater is a technological idiot. Well he has just proven it again. A comment on our site referred to IP/e-mail matching at another site. In his own guilt about privacy abuses Slater immediately jumped to the wrong conclusion.
I’d advise people to never put comments on sites that lack a privacy policy that is explicit about what information may be used for. But we ensure your privacy here.
Nelson floods
It’s Nelson / Tasman’s turn to get hammered by nature. Commiserations to all those affected. As a country (and a world) we should brace for more extreme weather ahead.
Priorities
Trillions have been plowed into bailing out banks, investors, and whole countries during the economic crisis. The cost easily exceeds total investment in tackling climate change. Is it, as George Monbiot argues, that elites just look out for themselves, or are humans just incapable of perceiving the danger of large, slowly-building problems?
Trickle down
Key: “Of course, if we could have lower personal taxes, we think that would stimulate the economy – but we just can’t afford it”. But, if tax cuts stimulate the economy, you could make them self-funding. The 2010 tax changes were meant to pay for their net cost with extra growth. Didn’t happen. They’ve cost $1.1b so far. Does Key still buy this trickle down garbage or not?
Open mike 19/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Shearer’s Address in Reply
David Shearer’s brand is of a new kind of politician. Not burdened by the old rivalries, he is touted as the man that can move New Zealand forwards – a consensus-builder rather than a scarred old warrior. The weekend media coverage has been excellent. His Address in Reply this week will consolidate his brand. Here is what I would say if I were him.
A plug for Mediawatch
Today’s Mediawatch was great, looking back at a fascinating year for the media in NZ. Amongst the big issues covered you can also catch their pick for biggest political suck-up of the year.
Open mike 18/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
What a riot.
A quick post on sentences handed down in the wake of riots in England.
Easy come, easy go
The judicial recount has given Waitakere back to Bennett. By 9 votes. Could swing back on a high court petition. Who knows who really has more support out west. Sepuloni and Bennett are essentially as popular as each other. Just shows the stupidity of winner take all electoral systems.
Open mike 17/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Bell Pottinger: Lobbying unmasked
Investigative journalism (remember that?) has opened up Bell Pottinger, the UK’s top PR/lobby firm. Inside they’ve found some seriously dodgy dealing that goes right to the top of British Government. There’s a call for a register of lobbyists and their interests – isn’t that something we should have here as well?
ImperatorFish: Uncle Ernie: Hidden In Plain Sight
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
Garth George: Social Engineering is wrong unless it’s my social engineering. Those Greens are sinister and dangerous…
Weekend social 16/12/2011
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
Christmas presents from the Commission
In 2008, the Electoral Commission released its non-decision on the address I used on Chris Knox’s CD “it’s a better way with Labour” on 16 December. They were embarrassed and buried it in the pre-Christmas dump. This December, I’m waiting for a much more important decision on the RadioLive “Prime Minister’s Hour.” There’s a lot at stake.
Theorising the Labour leadership selection
“British philosopher Edmund Burke termed two different modes of viewing representation as the trustee and delegate models. ” Guest poster Pointy looks at this related to the recent Labour leadership selection debate.
Too many ministers
Brian Fellow wrote a piece in the Herald yesterday on how NZ has too many ministers. Hard not to agree. 28 ministers. Nearly half of the governing parties’ MPs. 90+ portfolios. Ministerial warrants are clearly being used to keep backbenchers and minor parties in line. Too many do nothing ministers on big salaries while the rest of us have to cut back.
Iraq war a “success”
So the war in Iraq is “officially” over. The end of a shameful chapter.
Open mike 16/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
And so it begins
Mighty River Power is first on the block, to be sold in the third quarter of next year (weather conditions permitting).
What we need more of is science
There was a very good science piece on Nine-to-Noon this morning, covering some of Kathryn Ryan’s trip to Antarctica. It got me thinking: we need a lot more science in our media – we’d get a better country out of it.
ImperatorFish: Pensioner Couple Trumps Higgs Boson Discovery
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
Petty politics as usual on poverty
Key is playing petty politics as usual on poverty. He should have accepted Shearer’s call for a cross party process and his offer of help on the new “ministerial poverty committee”.
NRT: In defence of dual candidacy
Some people reckon that if you run as an electorate candidate and lose you shouldn’t be allowed to go in as a list MP. You’re ‘not wanted’. But that doesn’t make sense. Some electorate MPs won with 6,000-8,000 votes, while 19 list MPs won more votes than that in losing an electorate race. Besides, not all constituencies are geographic. NRT elaborates:
Thank you Phil, Annette
Now that Labour’s new leaders are settling in, I think we should all take a moment to thank the outgoing leaders, Phil Goff and Annette King.
Open mike 15/12/2011
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David Shearer – The Backstory
One of David Shearer’s campaign volunteers organised this video as a surprise for David on the night of the Mt Albert By-Election in […]
Auckland’s election result was not so bad
micky savage writes about Labour’s results in Auckland. There were some stunning results, particularly in South Auckland where Labour’s share of the vote increased by 10.2% in Mangere, 7.3% in Manukau East and 5.2% in Manurewa. And in Phil Goff’s Mount Roskill it increased by 1%. These were very good results in an election where the tide was going out.
ImperatorFish: “You talkin’ to me?”
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here
Richard Prosser: Satirists need have nothing to fear from the new Parliament, even if Muslim women now do.
What to do with Cunliffe
There’s talk Shearer might hand Cunliffe the poisoned chalice of foreign affairs. As Clark did her main rival, Goff. That’s no job for a man with a young family. Anyway, Goff’ll want it back ahead of taking the Chinese ambassadorship. Instead, let Cunliffe swap with Parker, who was invisible in economic development and energy, and take on Joyce.
Countering the Tories’ bait & switch
Congratulations David Shearer, you’re leader of the Left now, and the prime target for the Right’s smear machine. The Right’s strategy is obvious: bait and switch. Having proclaimed Shearer’s virtues to high heaven, they (and their useful idiots) will now say ‘who is this man?’, try to frame unreasonable expectations, and try to beat up leadership rumours.
Open mike 14/12/2011
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
O Canada!
Canada is to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, making it one of 2 nations in the world to be formally outside it. What will National do when the inevitably large fines roll in for us under their eviscerated ETS?