End of the Internet Party?
Laila Harre has quit – end of the line for the Internet Party?
internet party
Internet Party candidate shortlist
The names of 20 short listed Internet Party candidates have been published. The list has a very fresh, diverse, youthful, talented and energetic feel to it. I would need more informaton in order to judge who will be the most effective politicians.
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!
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.
Who is the Internet Party’s secret MP?
Maybe this is one of those open political secrets – if you’re in the know, you already know, and it seems obvious. If […]
NRT: That was quick
No Right Turn nails the political value of the Internet Party in this post. In itself it probably isn’t that politically useful. However it’s mere existence means that the net becomes a political issue. It forces the typically technophobic and illiterate pack of antiques called Members of Parliament to start dealing with issues arising from it. It moves them outside their comfort zone
Polity: The Internet Party launch
Rob Salmond looks at the Internet Party’s launch and rather shallow vision. But is this politics?
“So the Internet Party had a good launch short term, but its longer term problems with policy and vision remain.”
NRT: Gagging Kim Dotcom
No Right Turn put this up on tuesday. It is worth re-running it to note how a smear campaign operates at multiple layers.
“Since their botched raid on Kim Dotcom’s mansion last year, the New Zealand government has faced a PR problem over their handling of the case. And that has been hammered home at every opportunity by Dotcom himself, who turns out to be quite good at winning the hearts of ordinary kiwis. But now the government has a solution: gag him”
Polity: The Internet Party is born… temporarily
Rob Salmond’s view on the Internet Party launch today.
“Today is the day the Internet Party, which amusingly abbreviates to IP, will actually launch. More importantly, today marks 146 days until Kim Dotcom winds up the Internet Party because it isn’t polling near 5% and has no deals with others to secure itself an electorate seat.”
NRT: I don’t see it either
The “big” political news today (this being a non-sitting week when the politicians are on holiday, some of them literally) is that the Internet Party is in talks with Mana to form an electoral alliance (which presumably means a joint party list). Like pretty much everyone else, I’m boggled by this.
IF: A day in the life of Matthew Hooton
[Satire] I has a dream… Winston retired from politics and went on to set up a bird rescue centre in a remote spot in the Raukumura Range, but the centre was burned down after two teenagers high on glue broke in and set it alight. The delicious smells of hundreds of roasted native birds attracted the attentions of the poor for miles around… desperate and hungry people tore at each other to get into the still-burning sanctuary… I awoke in a fever and ran to my computer, and in seconds flat I had my NBR column finished.
Which MP is Kim Dotcom talking to?
Has Kim Dotcom actually signed up a sitting MP to his new party and if so who is it?
Dotcom’s extradition and the 2014 general election
In further news about Dotcom he has said that if the Internet Party has not reached 5% in the polls before the printing of the ballot papers he will endorse another party. An endorsement could be the difference between the left winning and losing the next election. And the Greens have raised the prospect of a Ministerial Veto of any extradition order.
Polity: Kim Dotcom’s 5% gambit
Rob Salmond looks at the implications of the Internet party failing to poll 5% and DotCom throws his support behind another party. A bidding war from competing parties? For the left this would be being both hypocritical and a bit icky. One of the reasons they worked hard to make election funding fairer in the late 2000s was to limit the ability of individuals seeking to buy government policy for cash. The right disagreed but is now caught by their own logic that it couldn’t happen.
Scoop and Whaleoil, a tale of two websites
Kim Dotcom has previously caused havoc amongst the ranks of ACT and National and now has caused significant disruption to the proudly independent Scoop media organisation. And Cameron Slater has jumped on the bandwagon claiming that the payment of money was an anathema to any political blogsite because it distorted their independence. The sense of irony is strong here …
The Internet Party
Kim Dotcom’s Internet Party appears to be ready to take off. And if the rumours are true he has some heavyweight advisers and a strategy that may threaten National more than any other party.