Maybe the herald could show some credibility and stand behind its words by naming its anonymous editorial writers …. if they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear.
Lordy I don’t know how many times this silly subject has arisen.
Imo it is entirely legitimate to remain anonymous here, for the exact same reasons that voting is anonymous.
On the other hand the Herald is claiming that everyone’s entire information should be known to the state. In addition the herald and its writers in the past have claimed that bloggers should not be able to hide behind anonymity, while hypocritically penning anonymous articles and ed pieces itself.
Who cares anyway, I gave up on editorials a very long time ago. They are basic, they are partisan, they are pieces of shit.
You have to take their “news” with a pinch of salt, but by watching RT you can compare their reporting against the right wing crap from CNN and Sky and our media and come up with a more or less what really is happening scenario.
Can I also suggest France 24 (if you can find the English Language Channel – assuming your French or Arabic isn’t up to it!!)?
It’s particularly good on Africa and even South America. Also try Deutsche Welle which is also quite good.
Broadly speaking both are “public broadcasters” giving an international view slightly different from the Anglophone broadcasters (and as an aside observe what a proper public broadcaster might look like!).
France 24 has a quite good Iphone & Android Apps as well.
I will have a look at these.
My French is almost fluent but I wouldn’t even recognise that someone was speaking Arabic and I only recognise about one word in ten in German. A traditional New Zealand education I fear.
Russian Today has only had a glance but it looks very interesting.
If Labour had got 3% more, and the Greens 2% more, both of which should and could have ocurred had events not transpired against them, we would be celebrating a relatively progressive government with an intelligent and progressive PM.
It can be done next time. 35% is a good base to build to 45%.
But right now the MSM should hold its head in shame for the way it conspired with Key to bring about this result.
And yet almost a million adults didn’t vote – labour are dead, because they sold out their constituency. They chose to hurt the vulnerable, then did nothing to redeem themselves for 30 years.
even rightwinger fran o’sullivan notes/confirms how the media have been suckered..’played’ as rubes…..
“.The media will also be more scrappy towards the Government after journalists found out the extent to which they had been played in the previous three years..”
Try Tracey Watkins in Wednesday’s Press…. Choice of adjectives almost orgasmic as she salivates over Labour’s problems.
Is she a journalist or is she back handed by Crosby Textor and just copies what they tell her to write?
Other journalists should cringe at her ethics but Slater must love her as a true partner with identical values.
And not a word of criticism of Key on Pike River entry. There is bound to be a lie there somwhere.
But both the Herald and Stuff know every word spoken in the Labour caucus meeting and even a head count on who’s not supposedly supporting Cunliffe.
It’s come out only now because it would show this Govt for what it is: heartless and only caring about money. Note the five failed attempts to obtain OIA on the safety of entering the mine? Compare it to the speed with which they are delivered to WhaleOil.
If Labour talked to their members and had networks in the community, they may have known about the decision about safe entry well before now. They could have hit NAct with it. Wouldn’t have changed the election, but it would have been another straw on the camel’s back. FFS, the party came from the mines and was deeply rooted in those communities. What’s it deeply rooted in now? Some organic vegan restaurant in Wellington?
Bearded git,
except NZ1st would have gone with National because that means they are negotiating with only one party.
Also that extra 10% is hard to get and that 35% is near impossible to loose.
Of course none of that means one should “write off” labour, just realize there are some voters there that labour should be winning if it want’s to govern (as opposed to the non voters who will never vote).
(as opposed to the non voters who will never vote).
That’s a lie Scott – I know many people who were encouraged to vote again because of Mana and Hone. A big bunch voted green, or followed the strategic voting guide over at the daily blog. I also know many people who regret voting for labour in their electorate vote because of what labour did to Mana.
Also, to dismiss non-voters just makes you sound like another right wing drop kick, or an apologist for all of labour’s failures.
I did not mean that you can’t get a voter or two who would not otherwise have voted to vote via an additional get out the vote strategy.
Just that there are so many people who will not vote that targeting them as a group is pretty ineffective. You will waste a lot of effort on a lot of people most of whom who will not vote.
As to your assessment of what voters did – if we assume you are correct there must be some larger and opposite effects that completely obscured your effects.
Does that always seem to be the case? What is your record for predicting political results?
Labour (both the old guard/ABCers), Labour members, and indeed anyone concerned with democracy should reflect on this: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/24/one-party-state/
Astute analysis by Wayne Hope (as always)
A different and worthy perspective by Wayne Hope from that which many other commentators have made imo. He explores the cultural basis for Nat support.
If I read him right, he’s saying we are on the cusp of ‘one party rule’. But you don’t need one party when you have professional politicians spread over parties. The illusion of choice and the act of voting for alternatives can remain – although the alternatives are just mute shades of one another.
Thinking I prefer the term I used yesterday somewhere to describe what’s coming up – dictatorial governance.
When the Labour Party rules were written it was expected that the election would be in November – the election loss would have been analysed prior to the year end and then on reflection there would have been a leadership confidence vote in February.
The early election date means an alternate plan is to be considered.
The problem for the party under the new rules is that a leader who has lost caucus confidence can still contest the subsequent contest and possibly win.
Having a leader without caucus confidence is a recipe for disunity and this leads to losing public confidence. No better is having a favourite of caucus as leader if they do not have the confidence of the party members.
Neither a leader beholden to activists, nor a leader and caucus who are not true to the will of the wider party appeals. The party not existing to facilitate the aspiration for the baubles of office as a National lite regime change.
The best option here is a party review, and a decision to have a leadership contest next year, one not requiring a caucus vote first or any contestant to resign their existing position. If no one but the existing leader runs then there is no contest, otherwise there is.
SPC, spot on observation Having a leader without caucus confidence is a recipe for disunity and this leads to losing public confidence. No better is having a favourite of caucus as leader if they do not have the confidence of the party members.
Listened to the radio this morning, cant work out who is more keen to kill David, the media or the caucus. Bland faceless non entities the lot of them. There is absolutely nobody amongst the old guard to inspire, why the fekk are the likes of Mallard, King and Goff still lurking?
Three years goes fast, I would counsel caution in any fast decision, without a clear strategy its deckchairs on the Titanic.
I do hope labour supporters vote with their feet and leave. But no, they will bury their heads in the sand and take this same old shit for another 30 years?
The right wing of labour make me sick.
Nice analysis of Cosgrove by the way Tracey – once again, nail, head, bang on…
This helps explain one part of the explosion of health care insurance providers in NZ. And what that business model is morphing into. Notice Cigna in the mix – Mmmm maybe you want to ask some firemen in NYC what they think of Cigna.
Looks like the Key Government sat on an Official Information response until after the election. Turns out it has been safe to go up the drift at Pike River for almost a year. On Saturday, Coasters gave their party vote to National. They were tricked. The Chief Ombudsman warned that this sort of behaviour form Government meant “We could kiss our democracy good bye.” Looks like the country was tricked. Why, so far, is the media ignoring the Minister’s and Key’s role in this? Scared? Bought?
I find it depressing.
It’s like the election is a clean slate for National. “win” the election, and put the dirty politics allegations, the lying over GCSB all behind them. Pull a blanket over the sordid lot, and Put it down to Politiking, without addressing any issues, and without Key having to answer to anything. Meanwhile, the biggest opposition party squabbles and enables it all to be swept under the carpet. I really despair.
Labour aren’t allowing it to be swept under the carpet. If they didn’t squabble, somebody would have had a cat turn up after being presumed lost for a month… and that would be more newsworthy than Key’s lies. If Labour pointed out that Key was lying, Key would be on television with a soundbite saying, “Of course they are going to come out attacking my credibility. They’ve just been resoundingly rejected by New Zealanders, who will see this for what it is, which is a smear campaign from the Left”.
The blame for allowing it to be swept under the carpet lies squarely and solely with journalists in the MSM.
This must be devastating news for the Pike River families and was shocking to see on Campbell Live last night.
What if Solid Energy’s reason for not entering the drift comes down to $$$? What are the other reasons?
As for West Coast Tasman giving their party vote to National, that was staggering, they have been mucked around by the Government for years over the Pike River disaster. (“mucked around”, a condensed version of the final chapters in Tragedy at Pike River Mine: how and why 29 men died, by Rebecca Macfie).
isn’t it sick, rosie. i wonder if it something to do with liability, as to where bodies might be found ? key is cold, callous and cruel, albeit welcomed by many as a true leader. go figure.
Liability/ lack of access to insurance funds? Campbell Live will no doubt keep up with the situation. It seems like they are the only media who care.
BTW: have kept up with your concerns over the TPP being singed and GE crop seed being allowed into the country. I share those concerns. I know there is a pro GE faction within fed farmers but hadn’t realised how tight the connections with Monsanto are, as you suggested a few days back.
It’s tragic this is the likely path we will go down, along with intensified dairying. more animal suffering and an environment degraded, potentially beyond repair under the removal of protections of the RMA. The vision the Greens had was the opposite.
@yeshe 9.53
Would this southern West Coast National result come from the faction that were getting uptight about Shane Jones being a real man of the people yet not getting a go at leader. Perhaps Shane was their idea of a good politician and a working class hero and when by-passed all their brain cells sort of got fried.
so hard to know isn’t it ? but we could safely bet the seat would not be blue today if these hidden OIA docs had appeared last week. Evil bastards the bunch of them.
Hows about we already had footage showing rescue boxes had been opened, meaning that some miners survived the explosion. So, pre-election, does a ruling party that made ‘a million and one’ promises, while determinedly doing nothing, want evidence suggesting men were simply left to die?
You might recall that rescue workers wanted to enter the mine soon after the explosion (methane gone) and were prevented from doing so on the basis that more explosions were imminent. How long was it til the second explosion? I can’t remember, but am sure it wasn’t mere hours before that methane built up again.
Then you might also recall the days and weeks that passed while ‘air quality’ measurements were taken, suggesting methane was hovering at 12% (the concentration it’s apt to explode at).
And remember all the tosh that because there was a fire in the mine, temperatures within the mine were at ‘coal fire’ temperatures, meaning entry couldn’t take place?
That’s just off the top of my head before the first coffee of the morning is down.
In short – bad, dog shit cynicism – adverse publicity was to be avoided pre-election.
“So, pre-election, does a ruling party that made ‘a million and one’ promises, while determinedly doing nothing, want evidence suggesting men were simply left to die?”
A entirely plausible but horrifying scenario Bill. We know that Key and his Ministers are capable of outright deceit so withholding this information about the drift entry being possible in October 2013 fits comfortably with their other demonstrated methods of self preservation ( ala Dirty Politics).
Chapter 10 and 11 in MacFie’s book cover the day of the explosion and the events in the days and weeks after, including the air testing, expected mine temperature, and intense disagreement between police and mines rescue about the safety of entering the mine to retrieve the bodies. I recall thinking “what a shambles” when reading it.
Haven’t got time to re read those chapters now to refresh the memory but it would be good to.
Where did I hear, a while ago, one reason the mine couldn’t be re entered was due to the changes in regulation at WorkSafe? Since the Pike disaster WorkSafe deemed that all mines in NZ must have a second egress, Pike doesn’t and therefore they wouldn’t send a body recovery mission into the mine. (prior to that NZ was one of the few places in the world that didn’t require a second egress, a fact which caused a lot of upset among the overseas miners working at Pike).
When I heard that, where ever it was, I thought that was a lame and convenient excuse for Solid Energy to reneg on it’s duty to remove the bodies. There’s certainly something very fishy going on.
here we are, as suspected …. .. at the forefront of the directors’ minds, according to Solid Energy CEO …
‘The board of Solid Energy also has its directors’ liability “at the forefront of their minds”, Mr Clifford said.
“Directors’ liability is an important thing, and it’s been taken very seriously. There’s been a fundamental change in the law since Pike River. We need to learn from that, and it’s been taken seriously.”
We should remove the right to vote from residents and only allow citizens to vote. We are one of only a few countries that do allow residents to vote.
I’m not in favour of that. Residents can up sticks and move anytime… And don’t have the historical knowledge to make informed decisions at the ballot box.
A least a citizen has a long term vested interest in the country.
It would be illuminating to know the breakdown of voters by residency/citizen numbers.
I daresay majority of residents would have gone National. NZH article in April this year highlighted a number of residents intending to vote National because “national good for business, Labour bad” which we all know isn’t borne out in reality.
Citizens can up sticks and move any time, too. Similarly, vilifying non-citizen residents for voting National in the majority is entirely misleading, since that also applies to citizens.
James, your suggestion would mean Mr Rosie would lose his right to vote. He has lived most of his life in NZ and is more committed to the well being of our society than many of the citizens we know who couldn’t care less and don’t vote. He’s a CD volunteer, a promoter of H&S in the workplace and a Left voter.
He has shown that he has a “long term vested interest in the country”. I wouldn’t paint all residents the same colour. Such apathy and ignorance among the voters can’t really be put down to their status of citizen vs resident. It’s more complex than that.
I never thought I would go along with James but on this occasion I agree with Paragraph one of his comment. I too think that only citizens should be allowed to vote.
I don’t agree with the rest of what he says and I hope he doesn’t mean we should try and find out the answer to the fourth para. That would mean identifying everyone’s vote.
As far as Mr Rosie goes one can only ask, if he wants to vote, why doesn’t he take up citizenship? It isn’t really that hard is it?
I would actually extend the requirement a bit further. I would have a rule that an MP must be EXCLUSIVELY a New Zealand citizen. No dual citizenship would be allowed for an MP and before they could become one they would be required to renounce any other citizenship they hold. Australia do that and I think it is an excellent idea.
ps There is a minor problem for people born in Greece, and possibly other countries in that they don’t allow you to renounce their citizenship but that can be got around by the Australian rules.
I would actually extend the requirement a bit further. I would have a rule that an MP must be EXCLUSIVELY a New Zealand citizen. No dual citizenship would be allowed for an MP and before they could become one they would be required to renounce any other citizenship they hold. Australia do that and I think it is an excellent idea.
/agreed
Thing is, it used to be like that until Labour changed it because they wanted one of their own to have dual citizenship. And, yes, it was one law change that I was thoroughly disgusted by.
And it’s not just Australia that does that either – the US and other Anglo countries do as well.
I remember it slightly differently, but you may be right.
As I thought it was you were allowed to hold dual citizenship and become an MP but no sitting MP could take citizenship of another country without them forfeiting their seat.
That is what sitting MP Harry Duynhoven (spelling?) did. He took out Dutch citizenship. The Labour Government, when the complaint was made pretended they hadn’t received it for a day and hurriedly changed the law in the interim.
A friend of mine, now a QC, said that he thought that the seat had been vacated the moment he took the new citizenship and the effect of the law Labour passed was to appoint H.D. to the position of MP for New Plymouth, without an election, as he had already vacated the seat.
“Australia do that and I think it is an excellent idea.”
It’s actually law, but the Liberals don’t feel bound by it. Abbott probably hasn’t renounced his British citizenship. Some other guy with a German name had been elected without renouncing his other citizenship. When caught, he renounced it, but his whole campaign had been illegitimate. He should have been booted, but that doesn’t seem to happen with the right.
If you live in a country and you pay taxes, you should get a vote. You’re likely to have more interest in the future of the country than some foreign CEO with a deputy assistant whose secretary has Key on speed dial.
James, your suggestion would mean Mr Rosie would lose his right to vote.
No he wouldn’t. If he’s married to a NZ citizen then he’s probably already a NZ citizen and if he isn’t it’d just be a formality for him to become one.
Permanent residency is a step along the way to becoming a citizen. Sure, not everyone would take that step but if you don’t take that step then you shouldn’t have the right to vote.
Changing the rules to what just about every other country does. Doesn’t matter what your political orientation is, only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future.
So your election strategy is to deny residents who are long term taxpayers the right to vote? Charming. Dont you think some Pacific Island citizens would be hurt by this? what about Sub-continent residents? Asian residents? The broad church eh? Do you have evidence that “majority of residents would have gone National”.
I have been arguing this for a long time. Its about commitment to this country and its future, not ethnicity. I have tried to explain it to people with the anology… that I own a house that I share with my partner. We take in a boarder. Partner and I have a commitment to our future and long term interest in our home. We’re not going to give the boarder the same say in the care, maintainence and ownership of our home as each other.
So why do we do it with our country?
So might I also ask ask why Mr Rosie hasnt taken out NZ citizenship ?
Potato and alwyn. The first and foremost reason Mr R doesn’t have NZ citizenship is the cost, which Blue has referred to. We can barely keep up with weekly living expenses and are running into the red with unexpected bills, all the while the to do list keeps piling up.
Secondly he doesn’t see himself as anything but an NZer he’s been here for so long. To him citizen ship would just be a bit of unaffordable paper, and a hollow gesture at patriotism, after all this time.
He is a NZer in all respects and it shows in his actions and in the way he contributes to our community.
If citizenship is needed to vote, then the cost of people getting it should be made cheaper. Cost shouldn’t be a major consideration here though, it is about the future of our country. Voting is considered a privilege of citizenship of a country, and we give the right away too easily in NZ.
“No taxation without representation!”
And the hundreds of thousands of New Zealand Citizens who live permanently overseas without any intention of coming back to New Zealand. They should vote?
I guess you would argue that anyone with Scottish heritage should have been able to vote in the recent referendum as well …
There are rules that require that you have some continuing contact with New Zealand, although I don’t think they are tough enough. A citizen has to have been back in the last 3 years, a permanent resident in the last year.
Personally I would toughen them up.
I lived in Australia for years and voted in New Zealand. On the other hand I did not take out Australian citizenship, returned several times a year, owned property here and paid New Zealand taxes as well as my Australian taxes. I certainly never lost contact with New Zealand, intended to return to live permanently and felt no guilt about voting.
“Those people are free to apply for citizenship if they want to vote.”
So willingness to commit to New Zealand to the extent required to gain the solemn right to vote is determined by a willingness and ability to pay several hundred dollars to Internal Affairs?
An ex-colleague of mine (from Britain) was working here in New Zealand for 6 years during which time he and his family began their application for citizenship. After the 6 years he applied for, was offered and he accepted a job in Australia (where he and his family now live). A year or so ago, he came back (on holiday) to complete the ‘in-person’ part of the citizenship ritual and then returned to Australia with his New Zealand citizenship.
I’m a permanent resident (have been since 1967) as are all surviving members of my birth family. I’ve lived in New Zealand (in Christchurch) for all that time (as have all members of my birth family) except when I went on my ‘OE’ at age 21 for 1.5 years. I have a New Zealand-born (fifth generation) partner and New Zealand-born and raised daughter. I have worked for a (very New Zealand) employer continuously for the last 23 years.
Why, then, am I not a citizen?
One of the things that has put me off applying for citizenship is the citizenship ritual. I dislike nationalism – singing anthems, pledging allegiance (to flags, queens and other symbols), mouthing oaths, etc..
(One of the ironies is that I have British citizenship but, of course, never had to pledge allegiance to queen and country to gain it – yet I would have to do that here in order to gain New Zealand citizenship :-))
Frankly, I would feel hypocritical performing what I’d see as empty rituals and, if I’m going to be hypocritical, perhaps I should go the whole hog and show my commitment to New Zealand through John Key and I ritualistically slicing the heels of our thumbs and uniting as blood brothers?
At that deeper, personal level I also know that my ‘heart’ does not respond sentimentally to the words ‘New Zealand’ and to mythic cultural norms (e.g., barbecues, rugby, the beach, sailing, tramping in the hills, whitebaiting, Bluff oysters, etc.) in the way that their hearts apparently do for people born here (although I genuinely do have a deep emotional commitment to Christchurch, specifically).
For those ‘deep’ reasons, I would actually feel a bit of a fraud to claim citizenship because that deep sense of ‘belonging’ is not embodied in me the way it seems to be in most native-born New Zealanders. And it never would be. That is simply the emotional truth of the matter.
Nevertheless, until now I have believed that my enduring good citizenship (in the generic sense rather than some nominal sense such as ‘New Zealand citizenship’) is my prime claim to being treated as a citizen of the country in which I live, in terms of rights. But maybe that’s not enough.
As you can see, I do appreciate the tribal point you are making. It makes me think that I should not vote in future elections, based on that principle.
Although, of course, that tribal point could only ever apply to those actually born and raised in New Zealand. If the aim is to get as close as possible to a guarantee of deep commitment to the country perhaps only such people should be allowed to be citizens and, hence, be allowed to vote? (e.g., only people born in New Zealand and who have continuously lived the first 20 years of their life, at least, here?)
After all, they are the people most likely to have real, embodied, emotional, familial and enculturated commitment to New Zealand – as a nation, place and people – rather than the kind of commitment that money, a few years, an instrumental mindset and a liking (or tolerance) for ritual can get from Internal Affairs.
Maybe the bar for voting rights should be set that high to ensure commitment of the voting population to this country and its future?
I totally agree, only citizens should have the vote in NZ. You have to be a citizen to vote in Australia and in most of the rest of the world. There is a reason for that- only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future. And then also make it compulsory to vote, like in Australia. Australians have had a better deal than us over the last 30 years, they have been shafted much less, maybe their electoral system has something to do with that. And make applying for citizenship much cheaper- $500 seems excessive. You only have to have been in NZ for 5 years to be apply to become a citizen.
“There is a reason for that- only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future”
Mr R has voted in every election since 1990. If that isn’t long term commitment for you I don’t what is.
There is an insinuation on this thread that permanent residents are somehow less worthy and less committed than citizens and should be denied the right to vote. It’s a very excluding view bordering on xenophobia and one that would not benefit the country in any way.
And how the voting rights of residents somehow contributed to a defeat for the left is beyond me.
As a resident, you might be pleased to hear I’ve a fairly solid grasp of NZ history…more, it seems, than many NZ born folks, and voted for a further left choice than most.
Also, it’s simply not true that I can ‘up sticks and go’.
Here’s an alternative.
How’s about only people who reside in the country and pay taxes get to vote? That was the situation in the recent Scottish referendum that I (fairly) couldn’t vote in, in spite of having been born and raised there as well as having spent a good portion of my adult life living there.
The way it stands at the moment is that if you live elsewhere you can vote so long as you have visited NZ in the past year (or 3 years?). That I assume is a nod towards people that still have ties here, as opposed to people that have left permanently. It strikes me as problematic (eg getting home from Oz is easier/cheaper than getting home from the UK). However I don’t think disenfranchising people who have say gone to Oz for work who will most likely return at some point is a good way to go.
Not sure why James bought this up. Is there even an issue here with mass residents voting and then leaving town? Maybe voting rights should kick in a the citizenship mark (5 years?) irrespective of whether one takes up citizenship or not.
an expat needs to have returned home once in the previous 3 years to vote.
As for voting, I don’t think it’s as simple as being physically resident in NZ or not. For example we are NZ citizens who work overseas on a fixed term contract for a company that operates in NA. We don’t have residency overseas and we’re paid in NZ, own our home in NZ and are tax resident in NZ. Most expats we know are working overseas on a similar basis.
Another example – would an exemption apply for government or diplomatic staff? I’m sure there are also other situations where removing the right to vote would appear unfair to a non-resident.
It is three years for citizens, one year for permanent residents. There are special rules for people who are representing New Zealand overseas including diplomats and people in the armed services.
Imagine if, in WW II, all the 100,000 or so soldiers overseas had been banned from voting because they had been away for more than 3 years?
Nor would it be reasonable to totally disenfranchise the 620,000 odd New Zealanders working in Australia who could easily finish up in a situation of not being able to vote in either country.
I don’t actually have any problem with accepting that. If they are New Zealand citizens but don’t have any real connection to the country I don’t see why they should be allowed to vote here.
Diplomats working in New Zealand embassies for New Zealand or soldiers serving in New Zealand forces overseas are a different thing to people who have chosen to depart voluntarily.
Thank you for giving us the views of Winston First. I live in Australia at the moment and I can’t vote. They are kind enough to let me pay taxes and they have performed major surgery on me. But I get no representation. I would love to vote for a party that would keep that level of medical care for everyone in Australia, but I can’t.
I firmly believe in no taxation without representation.
On that you will have to get someone who is more of an expert than I am. I am only up to reading the procedures without really understanding the detail. I do know that when a member retires (or gets kicked out) any private member’s bill they were promoting is often taken up by some other member of their party. This happened with the same-sex marriage bill didn’t it?
Quite who would take up Hone’s bill when the whole party is gone I don’t know. I suppose someone from the Green’s might do so.
I am also not really clear on what “reinstatement” means for a private members bill and where in the process it comes back.
Graeme Edgeler, where are you?
So Labour have 32 seats and NZ First have 11. And the great purge of 2014 is about to commence (or not).
And the left wing activists I see on here seem to think that getting rid of the ABCs and all right leaning folk in Labour who have failed to support the the leader and have failed to work for the party, is the way forward.
By my calculations there are about 10 labour electorate MPs (give or take) who might fall into that category. Others who know the MPs better may get a more accurate figure than I can.
So where could these “treacherous Labour lite MPs” go? None have the energy to form their own party and lets face it that long forgotten middle party from the 90s with Gilbert Miles didnt have any shelf life.
So the only logical option would be for them to join forces with Winston and NZ First. And that would give Winston more MPs (maybe) than the freshly purged Labour Party, and Winston could, and would no doubt, claim to be the leader of the opposition, and ask for the baubles of power that go with that position.
And that would leave Labour left with what? Being just another minor party in Parliament, but with a chance to rebuild “out left?” or dead in the water? How much more demoralisation can your party faithful take?
Labour needs to sort its seething MPs out and it needs to work as a united team. Anything less is letting down the voters in New Zealand.
Winston can do anything he likes but if he wants to be the leader of the opposition he is going to have to get a hell of a lot more votes. The position is defined in law and with the results of this election it is, unless they go into a coalition with National, the leader of the Labour Party.
The have one right, they get briefings by the SIS. That was the one that bit Goff when he publicly denied getting one and basically accused the head of the SIS of breaking the law. Silly boy. He could have just shut up when he was shown to be wrong.
They also get the right to make the first speech in the budget debate and so on.
See the definition of the Leader here. http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/how-parliament-works/people/00CLOOCHowPWorks1411/people-in-parliament
The Leader of the Opposition is the member who leads the largest political party that is not part of the Government.
The Leader of the Opposition’s role in the House is to:
be the leader of the ‘government-in-waiting’
lead opposition responses in major debates.
The Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister in the debating chamber.
What it hasnt ever had to do is to define if the largest opposition party is the one who got the most votes at the previous election or whether its the one with the most MPs, if electorate MPs were jump ship from Labour to NZF.
Having extra TV time on the 6 oclock news would suit Winston.
I have memories of reading that it was the opposition party that had the greatest number of votes in the preceding General Election, rather than the most seats, but for the life of me I can’t remember where I saw that.
Guess the economic slump is going to happen a couple of months too late for you. Sorry guys about that but jeeze that John Key certainly knows how to schedule an election doesn’t he?
Well if the economy had tanked just before the election instead of looking quite healthy the left may well have had more traction and therefore a better result. Don’t you agree?
Being the astute economic analyst that you have claimed to be you will have known for quite some time that the global economy on which we heavily rely, is on shaky ground. Wouldn’t you?
Yes, National fucked the economy, knew that they had and had a reasonable idea as to when it would tank and so called an early election. I believe that this was mentioned at the time that National called the election.
Wouldn’t have made any difference – the payout will be for the current season (2014-2015) and won’t really start impacting for another 6-12 months. This time next year I would expect to see the full impact to the wider economy as the decisions farmers are making now around investment and spending kick in.
Well the farmers can’t get out of Fonterra fast enough and I look forward to them as a group letting their party Nact know how shafted they feel . Maybe they will suggest that the exchange rate needs to be a little lower??
I still do not see anyone putting ACT under the microscope for its election performance. Even though they only got 0.7% and thanks to National’s political welfare scheme a boy for an MP. In 2008 they had 5 (life) experienced MP’s and 2 ministers and a swag of concessions and promises. ACT had a fresh leader and a new start and policies like getting rid of the RMA and privatising the schools. Where is the analysis for ACT? They brought in Bassett to carry on about Labour, but he is ACT now. They should be quizzing him about the direction ACT is taking. If NZ had moved to the right, then ACT would get more.
And no discussion about whether Boscawen would have led ACT to a higher total.
Does it matter? The problem with the left is they’re too busy worrying about things like this and not enough wondering why the Greens (for example) have been around for 24 years yet never been in government
I think you missed Millsy’s point mate. In the context of what he/she wrote of course it matters as it is pertinent to what he/she was saying. In the context of the wider left bloc etc. it matters not a jot but that’s irrelevant to the initial comment.
What he wrote (I think hes a dude) I guess I’m thinking hes trying to say “hey look the left did bad but Act did bad as well”
Which is true and I’d cut Act loose and woo Ron Marks instead but it doesn’t help the Left which has to face some uncomfortable truths such as they’re out of touch with NZ and why are they out of touch…
What – that the forecast & profits would be lower?
It was pretty widely understood in the farming community that the payout would be lower and that profit would be lower. Global Dairy prices have slumped nearly 40% in the last 6 months. It just doesn’t get much coverage in the MSM outside of the Farming news sections and certainly gets very little actual economic analysis (and certainly didn’t make it into the political analysis during the election).
Whether Fonterra choose to delay the announcement until after the election may be a discussion worth having if you are so minded.
Now lets get back to holding Nact up for all to see. See in stuff he wants ideas about poverty from his governement.
Well Mr key are you and your ministers going to go and tour the poorest areas of the country or sit out the front in a Winz office??? Actually go and connect with poor people???
Does anyone here know when any of that lot went near or opened anything in one of these areas?? Do they even know where they are?? Can we embarass them about this or something else – don’t forget that the social media does shape how people think and that turns up in his little focus groups!
For a certain definition of smart, maybe. What he does have is an ability to hide his limitations from most people. Most of this is based on the flawed idea that the suit in charge is competent and trustworthy.
A loved and trusted friend told me yesterday of a client of his, from mainland China, still lives in mainland China, but now owns 50 residential properties in Auckland, all made possible by low interest loans in China at about 1% or 2%.
There is no way in the world that the caucus will unite and swing behind David Cunliffe as long as the ABC club remains the leaks will continue and any hint of disunity gets punished at the ballot box.
So there are two workable options as I see It both nuclear and both signalling the future direction of the party,
1, Cunliffe resigns and caucus gets their preferred candidate through a singular nomination for leader, obviously this will result in much aggravation amongst the membership and likely position the party more towards the centre.
2, Expel the ABC club and start again from what will be a much smaller base. It would be likely that some electorate mp’s would end up as independents or perhaps they would resign and force a by-election that labour may not win going by the party vote in places like Hutt South where in all likelihood name recognition got Trevor through.
I guess the 3rd option is to have the Primary in which the members deliver Cunliffe against the will of the caucus and the white anting continues unabated for 3 more years or there is a messy leadership spill again a year out from the election triggered by caucus voting no confidence as per the constitution which I think will be fast track to electoral oblivion.
As an aside I had Phill Goff knock on my door 3 times in the lead up to the election and I can honestly say he promoted the Labour party and their policy’s he was the only local candidate I saw and I think his effort had a lot to do with the high personal vote he achieved. I voted Green for the first time as I refused to vote for the rabble that labour had become this cycle but I gave Phil my electorate vote. Im sure people that voted right did the same…
What’s this move towards the centre. Hell as they stand, labours economics are centre right – any shift right will put them further to the right.
But, no lets not talk about the fact labour are economically speaking, a right wing party – No unity is needed and the rest of the left better shut up.
cricklewood: thanks for your anecdote of Goff’s hard work. I don’t like his centrist political economics, but also think he should have stayed on after 2011.
Yes we were on the cusp of all sorts of stuff which is why we had to get the election done in hurry. We were possibly on the cusp of Cunliffe getting some name recognition, familiarity and traction with voters which takes a long time. Has anyone ever taken leadership less than a year out from an election and won? On either side? Ever?
I hope we are not on the cusp of having mumbleface back again as our champion. I worked hard as a volunteer for labour in the election because I believed in the policies and believed in Cunliffe. The disloyalty during the campaign slayed me. If they shaft him, I’m afraid I will be on the cusp of withdrawing my loyalty to the party I have voted for in the last 10 elections.
It was David Cunliffe that brought me back to being a Labour voter. Then along came the impressive policies and that sealed the deal. If he goes and Labour muck around AGAIN with a new less capable leader I will completely lose my faith in the Party.
DC has the support of the membership and Unions behind him. Thats what should matter, not the petty ambitions of a few self serving caucus members.
Alwyn – won’t need to identify individual votes. Its easy enough to cross reference the marked roll of those who voted with their status as a resident or citizen. No vote identification necessary.
I believe that the enrollment form asks for details on residency or citizenship status.
Australia doesn’t allow residents to vote (but as outlined above do make exceptions where citizenship cannot be revoked by countries such as Greece)
As for Mr Rosie – good on him for his work in the community, but the point stands… Citizenship is relatively inexpensive, and some do get sponsored by employers etc.
I read the comment, and the bit that followed as meaning that you wanted to know how they voted. That was what worried me.
Please note that I would only forbid dual citizenship for MPs, not for everyone. That is what Australia does. People with dual citizenship can vote over there. The Australian exemption is for the odd MP who was born in Greece.
If the rules were changed, and the government needed to process a bulk lot of citizenship applications for people who just wanted to vote, then economies of scale should apply and the costs significantly reduced to reduce hardship on people who have been here a long time and just need to formalize their relationship with this country. There is always a way to make a change like that fairer.
Governments must shift subsidies and research funding from agro-industrial monoculture to small farmers using ‘agroecological’ methods, according to the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food.
Modern industrial agricultural methods can no longer feed the world, due to the impacts of overlapping environmental and ecological crises linked to land, water and resource availability.
The UN official said that new scientific research increasingly shows how ‘agroecology’ offers far more environmentally sustainable methods that can still meet the rapidly growing demand for food:
“Agroecology is a traditional way of using farming methods that are less resource oriented, and which work in harmony with society. New research in agroecology allows us to explore more effectively how we can use traditional knowledge to protect people and their environment at the same time.”
What i’m saying is you can pretty much read the same thing on here as what that guys written which boils to this: Its not our fault we suck its someone elses fault
actually …there has been quite a lot of soul searching as to what went wrong …and it is not always “it is not our fault”…far from it if you read many of the comments
this is not to negate the validity of what Dr.Wayne Hope says
The problem for the left its always “we did some things wrong BUT *insert whatever excuse you like here*
So it’s not appropriate for people who are observers, rather than players, to point out that a large and infulential group are spreading misnformation?
Reasons for Nationals win?
28th on the Happy planet index in 2012. Up from 109 in 2009. -From wikipidia
Fifth in Legatum’s prosperity index. Been around 3rd to 5th since 2009.
“So who’s the happiest? As has been the case the past five years, that distinction goes to countries that enjoy peace, freedom, good healthcare, quality education, a functioning political system and plenty of opportunity: Norway, Sweden, Canada and New Zealand.”
Are we doing OK- Yes
Could we do better- yes.
We are lucky to live in NZ.
I think this is a large reason the government was returned on Saturday night.
Looking into the Happy Planet Index figures a bit more fully, it would appear that New Zealand’s results in the 2012 report show a negligible improvement in life expectancy over its 2009 counterpart (from 79.8 to 80.7 years), whereas the ‘life satisfaction’ indicator has plummeted (7.8 to 7.2). The big improvement noted between the two reports is in the ecological footprint (down from 7.7 to 4.3). That would appear to be a huge stride forward on the environmental front under National, until one notices that the ecological footprint in the 2012 report is based on figures from… 2008 (full 2008 data on ecological footprints here). So it would seem that the report only accounts for a lightening of the ecological footprint under the most recent Labour government (although I’m sceptical of that, too, as I’m not sure exactly what happened under Labour that would have made that kind of difference).
So the only relevant indicator in that report for the National government is a big negative. I hope that helps.
British David Mitchell, comedian and author talking about Amazon recently http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/23/david-mitchell-amazon-cynical-life-crushing-business laid into Amazon for its business model: “They already have an enormous technological edge but apparently that isn’t enough. They also have to have a rapacious near-monopoly.” He also criticised the retailer for its tax payments, pointing to the fact that Amazon paid just £2.4m in corporation tax in 2012, on £4.2bn of UK sales….
Yesterday, after reading an extract from his forthcoming book, a collection of his Observer columns in which he calls Amazon “a benefits scrounger”, Mitchell was greeted with “rapturous applause”, reported the Bookseller….
Yes it is tough, but print book sales through bookshops are still strong”, and that “we should reiterate our belief that booksellers believe in freedom, diversity, partnership and a profitable book industry for all”.
But Mitchell also sounded a note of positivity. “For all that there is hope,” said the comedian. “Theatre and radio still survive, after lots of people were predicting their death, and people are wrong in their depressing predictions. Sometimes bad things don’t happen just because most people don’t want them to.”
I’m not a member, but did some volunteering. It’s a bit dispiriting that the extra energy didn’t seem to pay off in extra votes.
There needs to be some re-assessment into how the energy was spent.
I also think there needs to be a building of relationships, and community participation at a flax roots level – something organisational. I know the Greens regularly do some meet and greets around various places. However, I think something more solid needs to be done to build the networks within communities.
I reckon the GP lost some votes to Labour (who lost votes to NZF and the non-vote) and to IMP. In other words, your effort help the GP retain their MPs 🙂
@karol re-Labour…..yes but do they know who they are supporting as leader?….seems like it is an attempt to get rid of David Cunliffe!….nasty PR campaign?
…not a good look imo….looks like Labour has been infiltrated and is imploding….i can see the Labour Party being split into ‘Red Labour’ and ‘Rogered Labour’
…i feel for committed Labour Party people for their agony …but quite frankly the Labour Party people I know eg family …..would move sideways to the Greens without much trouble ( and they do NOT like Shearer… who demoted Dalziel who then jumped …and Chauvel, who fled) )
….so Labour needs to look at its loyal ( thus far) but nevertheless soft core
This on DPF’s dirty politics. By Dr Jarrod Gilbert, Sociologist. Maybe it could best be referred to as the politics of deception and manipulation.
In the lead up to the election the Minister of Corrections Anne Tolley launched a gang policy. In order to justify the government’s approach she used gang figures that overstated the gang problem. Not by a little bit, but a lot. And I mean a lot. I couldn’t prove it at the time (I can now) but because they were so obviously nonsense I called her out and said I would eat a suitcase full of carrots if she was correct.
Carrots proved to be the least of my problems. My problem proved to be the dishonest Right Wing blogger David Farrar. I initially took Farrar’s challenge in good humour thinking it would be a healthy tussle to seek the truth. It wasn’t. As we know now, he and Cameron Slater are birds of a feather, but where Slater is dim-witted Farrar is marginally smarter and this makes him more insidious.
Fully explained at the link, along with all the nastiness of the KB followers who descended on the good Dr in order to attack, denigrate, mislead, and stifle honest debate.
+100 karol…the egg stinks…”As we know now, he and Cameron Slater are birds of a feather, but where Slater is dim-witted Farrar is marginally smarter and this makes him more insidious”.
I think we need another of Blip’s lists of people whom Slater & Farrar have attacked.. So far I have see this bloke, a south auckland local body politician, the herald food writer, Brian Gaynor on being sued, Fisher in the herald again.
Perhaps next time an academic has this problem, and I can see his argument, he could drop on over here for some help. We can dig out some figures for him etc, etc
Like the bottle of wine photo. i’m sure the MSM read here and the real facts might shut them down a bit. They have lawyers you know.
As for the cops and gang associates, looks like they count everyone in the same burb.
First off as a pollster hes obviously pretty good, good enough to get a ringing endorsement from the PM on election nigfht whereas Labours pollsters were…well a bit shit really
He apologised after all the nastiness? And what lesson is it that the left should learn, given that it doesn’t generally indulge in such orchestrated campaigns of attack, divert and denigrate?
At least he’s not apologising for being a man I guess. He’s apologising for making an error and rightly so. A rarity for the left, even when an incompetently run campaign ends in a trouncing at the polls. It’s simple costed policies delivered in a coherent manner that win elections.
Okay, turning that around: Can you put into one sentence what National stands for, in a way that is appealing, comprehensive and accurate? I’m asking for a verifiable statement of intent, not a vacuous piece of branding like “Working for New Zealand” (the same could be said of most political parties, including Labour). Equally pointless would be a couple of throwaway founding principles like “freedom, private enterprise and getting ahead”, because that would be no more or less (in)accurate than saying that Labour are for “equal opportunity, fairness and workers’ rights”.
If you can’t, can you admit that formulating a vision and a plan in a single sentence is a pointless exercise, and that nobody should bother taking up your challenge?
People feel comfortable with National and don’t require any words. When you ask most National voters, they also can’t explain why they vote National in very many words, but they do know, somehow, that National are just better than the other options on the table.
Agreed. I just think that asking for a solution that is simple, straightforward and to the point is putting the cart before the horse. I can’t claim to be familiar with all the ins and outs of Labour’s situation, but I think get the impression from reading here and elsewhere that there is a very complex set of issues with the party including on-the-ground promotion, media communication, responding to National’s media utterances, opposing National’s policy, identifying the targets of Labour’s own policies, communicating those policies and personnel manangement at caucus level. In my opinion, those all need to be quantified and a strategy developed at a complex and detailed level, so that the actual players with the time, inclination and obligation to evaluate the complex issues understand the entirety – then it’s time to think about how to package any resulting strategy for people who want the short version.
“Working for New Zealand”, Iwi/Kiwi etc. have been effective for National, but they worked because they encapsulated an existing narrative and strategy, not because they actually communicate in a single soundbite what the party stands for.
And if all those ‘missing million’ working class people cannot bring themselves to vote for Labour then maybe the activists who keep it running should have taken the hint a while back – and kicked it to the kerb.
Look the left isn’t going to win any election anytime soon. I think Wayne Hope’s analysis is pretty accurate. The behaviour in the Labour caucus post-election has highlighted the truth of it.
Do you know for sure that the missing million are “working class”? Maybe they just cant be fucked voting? Maybe they are waiting for a party that shares their view of the world as they would like to see it. Just because the left got trounced, where is the correlation that they would all have voted left? Maybe that group would reflect those that voted in their preferences. I ask this because the last election was the same, the refrain was “if they had voted we would have won”, not necessarily.
That is the problem for sure they have to start at the mass of the people at the bottom end of society and understand that they have to work from there to the top
no good even addressing Nationals tornts you have to be 100% focused on who is missing out in nationals policies
This is bizarre for me because I thought Cunliffe’s Labour was very clear:
People first and Inclusiveness.
It did seem all year, though, here on the Standard that others didn’t pick up on that message, which I thought was extremely clear and simple and also a message to counter the neo-liberal mindset.
I wonder why the hell I heard it so clearly and so many others didn’t?
much to my surprise my son was going to Party vote Labour( neither of his parents have for years) …but he was outraged by the axing of Hone…so ruled out Labour ….I would have thought he would have chosen Int/Mana next….but indoctrinated by commercial radio ( eg Sean Plunket) and its poison against Dotcom ….he ruled out INt/Mana!
…. instead he Party voted for the Greens ( all decided in the last week of the Election campaign)
…many others I know were confused up to the last minute …and obviously didnt vote at all ( i forced all the “confused” I knew to at least vote for a party on the Left)
The point about Dotcom is he is a genius if you look at the continum of his two hrs of footage , uninterrupted viewing on my old crappy laptop, get that anywhere else I dont think so ,no advertising interruptions or the plug pulled by the nations security services
people ought to get savvy the guy is an asset not a liability because a few people got fucked up in america and are they just playing the movie moguls game, has any one complained about mega yet
YOU think about the security of any ideas you have and post them thru conventional commercial internet communications anything from the gcsb to the american patent office can view it
THERE IS NO SECURITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL NO MATTER HOW HONEST THEY ARE
The election everyones stoned /stunned on KEY -XKEYSCORE USA SECURITY
HELLO its 1984 rowing backwards
TELL all these politicians its a 5 oclock start for 12 hrs till they get off no tea breaks AND drug tests before you start and go home, the cops watching you go home pissed so you get busted
See how theyd like that
The real world of a good worker
“..the cops watching you go home pissed so you get busted”. Whats driving home pissed got to with it? If you drive a car after drinking too much you’re an unbelievable moron.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
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This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
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My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
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Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
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rightwing-rag..the herald..has an editorial today..
..urging support for mass-surveillance..
..and urging the govt to hurry up and catch up with the latest american war effort…
(and/but they shouldn’t worry..john key will be right behind both..
..should we hold a sweepstake as to the day key announces we will be going ‘to help’ the americans..?
..i’m picking within a week from now..we will again be at war..
..and again as americas’ spear-carriers/mercenaries..)
Maybe the herald could show some credibility and stand behind its words by naming its anonymous editorial writers …. if they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear.
@ vto..
..john roughan..the writer of that hagiography of key..probably..
.it’s all his way of thinking..
..and yeah..it is an arcane/byegone practice..
..the refusal of writers to ‘own’ editorials..
And we could all use our real names here too, but for various reasons – no doubt some very good ones too – we dont
(Phillip being the exception of course)
Lordy I don’t know how many times this silly subject has arisen.
Imo it is entirely legitimate to remain anonymous here, for the exact same reasons that voting is anonymous.
On the other hand the Herald is claiming that everyone’s entire information should be known to the state. In addition the herald and its writers in the past have claimed that bloggers should not be able to hide behind anonymity, while hypocritically penning anonymous articles and ed pieces itself.
Who cares anyway, I gave up on editorials a very long time ago. They are basic, they are partisan, they are pieces of shit.
We’re not anonymous – we’re pseudonymous.
You start. What’s your name, LH?
but we have no real airforce..
..maybe bennet cd load up our cargo planes with benificiaries..
..and go and throw them at isis..?
..(just trying to think laterally/problem-solve here..)
We could start problem solving by trying to get some reliable and true information on the situation over there.
At the moment all we have is the corporate-owned media and politicians and I don’t believe one tiny bit of their propaganda bullshit.
RT “appears ” to give a different prospective.
You have to take their “news” with a pinch of salt, but by watching RT you can compare their reporting against the right wing crap from CNN and Sky and our media and come up with a more or less what really is happening scenario.
Please help me. Who, or what, is “RT”?
Russia Today.
Thanks.
Can I also suggest France 24 (if you can find the English Language Channel – assuming your French or Arabic isn’t up to it!!)?
It’s particularly good on Africa and even South America. Also try Deutsche Welle which is also quite good.
Broadly speaking both are “public broadcasters” giving an international view slightly different from the Anglophone broadcasters (and as an aside observe what a proper public broadcaster might look like!).
France 24 has a quite good Iphone & Android Apps as well.
I will have a look at these.
My French is almost fluent but I wouldn’t even recognise that someone was speaking Arabic and I only recognise about one word in ten in German. A traditional New Zealand education I fear.
Russian Today has only had a glance but it looks very interesting.
pickin up on phillip ures laterleness ……seen the Israeli trucks?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQZ4FZJ4uBM
weell, muckspread cowshit over ISIS? Herculean effort to spread our 100%pureshit
That would be about right!
maybe more people should cancel their subscriptions to The Herald…some have already
People are writing Labour off. Come on!
If Labour had got 3% more, and the Greens 2% more, both of which should and could have ocurred had events not transpired against them, we would be celebrating a relatively progressive government with an intelligent and progressive PM.
It can be done next time. 35% is a good base to build to 45%.
But right now the MSM should hold its head in shame for the way it conspired with Key to bring about this result.
If…
And yet almost a million adults didn’t vote – labour are dead, because they sold out their constituency. They chose to hurt the vulnerable, then did nothing to redeem themselves for 30 years.
I think the MSM can be pretty proud of the result they achieved. And therein lies the problem.
i think if the ‘msm’ has any collective-consciousness/self-awareness..
..you’d think they would be getting somewhat red-faced as it sinks in for them how they so allowed themselves to be played/used by the right..
..in so so many ways..
What makes you think they have a problem with it?
@ hanswurst..
..of course that could well be true..
..i guess i am presuming journalistic-ethics..there..somewhere..
I don’t think the MSM have a problem promoting radical right-wing policies and parties at all.
One Party State
even rightwinger fran o’sullivan notes/confirms how the media have been suckered..’played’ as rubes…..
“.The media will also be more scrappy towards the Government after journalists found out the extent to which they had been played in the previous three years..”
Try Tracey Watkins in Wednesday’s Press…. Choice of adjectives almost orgasmic as she salivates over Labour’s problems.
Is she a journalist or is she back handed by Crosby Textor and just copies what they tell her to write?
Other journalists should cringe at her ethics but Slater must love her as a true partner with identical values.
Set your own damn media up then. Oh wait. You can’t do that without 10’s of millions of other peoples money via the State for some reason.
So you admit that the media lean to the right?
@ gossie..
um..!..no..!
http://whoar.co.nz/
Build your own roads and power stations.
“we would be celebrating a relatively progressive government with an intelligent and progressive PM.”
If Winston had gone with Labour.
It’s all the naughty media’s fault. Bad media, bad!
@ gossie..they definitely had their part to play..
..anyone doubting this should go to the nation website..and watch the interview gower did with harawira/harre..
..for me..that was a journalistic/campaign-nadir..
..of some note..
..really really ‘bad media’..
Cunliffe is already proving what a lot of people thought about him. There is no way he is going to stay leader.
And not a word of criticism of Key on Pike River entry. There is bound to be a lie there somwhere.
But both the Herald and Stuff know every word spoken in the Labour caucus meeting and even a head count on who’s not supposedly supporting Cunliffe.
The real enemy is within the caucus and party leadership, banish them or continue to decline.
the obvious questions for key being:
..did key know..?
..when did he know..?
..why did he keep silent about it..?
..and if he didn’t know…why not..?
Or if they don’t know MSM make it up to cause further trouble.
It’s come out only now because it would show this Govt for what it is: heartless and only caring about money. Note the five failed attempts to obtain OIA on the safety of entering the mine? Compare it to the speed with which they are delivered to WhaleOil.
They got the OIA from another dept concerned with safety, not Solid Energy. I believe.
that and the revised growth stats.
In my glum phases, I need to resist the urge to simply believe that rats were elected by turkeys. sigh.
Still, democracy is better than the alternatives.
If Labour talked to their members and had networks in the community, they may have known about the decision about safe entry well before now. They could have hit NAct with it. Wouldn’t have changed the election, but it would have been another straw on the camel’s back. FFS, the party came from the mines and was deeply rooted in those communities. What’s it deeply rooted in now? Some organic vegan restaurant in Wellington?
Bearded git,
except NZ1st would have gone with National because that means they are negotiating with only one party.
Also that extra 10% is hard to get and that 35% is near impossible to loose.
Of course none of that means one should “write off” labour, just realize there are some voters there that labour should be winning if it want’s to govern (as opposed to the non voters who will never vote).
(as opposed to the non voters who will never vote).
That’s a lie Scott – I know many people who were encouraged to vote again because of Mana and Hone. A big bunch voted green, or followed the strategic voting guide over at the daily blog. I also know many people who regret voting for labour in their electorate vote because of what labour did to Mana.
Also, to dismiss non-voters just makes you sound like another right wing drop kick, or an apologist for all of labour’s failures.
“I know many people who were encouraged to vote again because of Mana and Hone.”
Yes, and the results and turnout suggest that a lot of them went out and voted National, specifically to keep Mana out.
Adam,
No there is a subtle difference.
I did not mean that you can’t get a voter or two who would not otherwise have voted to vote via an additional get out the vote strategy.
Just that there are so many people who will not vote that targeting them as a group is pretty ineffective. You will waste a lot of effort on a lot of people most of whom who will not vote.
As to your assessment of what voters did – if we assume you are correct there must be some larger and opposite effects that completely obscured your effects.
Does that always seem to be the case? What is your record for predicting political results?
Labour (both the old guard/ABCers), Labour members, and indeed anyone concerned with democracy should reflect on this:
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/24/one-party-state/
Astute analysis by Wayne Hope (as always)
A different and worthy perspective by Wayne Hope from that which many other commentators have made imo. He explores the cultural basis for Nat support.
yeah..it’s a good/worthwhile read..
..i’ve linked to it..
I disagree with only one thing in that article.
If I read him right, he’s saying we are on the cusp of ‘one party rule’. But you don’t need one party when you have professional politicians spread over parties. The illusion of choice and the act of voting for alternatives can remain – although the alternatives are just mute shades of one another.
Thinking I prefer the term I used yesterday somewhere to describe what’s coming up – dictatorial governance.
That aside, a ‘nail. head’, post.
When the Labour Party rules were written it was expected that the election would be in November – the election loss would have been analysed prior to the year end and then on reflection there would have been a leadership confidence vote in February.
The early election date means an alternate plan is to be considered.
The problem for the party under the new rules is that a leader who has lost caucus confidence can still contest the subsequent contest and possibly win.
Having a leader without caucus confidence is a recipe for disunity and this leads to losing public confidence. No better is having a favourite of caucus as leader if they do not have the confidence of the party members.
Neither a leader beholden to activists, nor a leader and caucus who are not true to the will of the wider party appeals. The party not existing to facilitate the aspiration for the baubles of office as a National lite regime change.
The best option here is a party review, and a decision to have a leadership contest next year, one not requiring a caucus vote first or any contestant to resign their existing position. If no one but the existing leader runs then there is no contest, otherwise there is.
SPC, spot on observation Having a leader without caucus confidence is a recipe for disunity and this leads to losing public confidence. No better is having a favourite of caucus as leader if they do not have the confidence of the party members.
Listened to the radio this morning, cant work out who is more keen to kill David, the media or the caucus. Bland faceless non entities the lot of them. There is absolutely nobody amongst the old guard to inspire, why the fekk are the likes of Mallard, King and Goff still lurking?
Three years goes fast, I would counsel caution in any fast decision, without a clear strategy its deckchairs on the Titanic.
they moved fast last time, went into cannabilism mode, and look how well that worked. Yet. Here they go again.
Clayton Cosgrove, the “I” doctor.
I do hope labour supporters vote with their feet and leave. But no, they will bury their heads in the sand and take this same old shit for another 30 years?
The right wing of labour make me sick.
Nice analysis of Cosgrove by the way Tracey – once again, nail, head, bang on…
This helps explain one part of the explosion of health care insurance providers in NZ. And what that business model is morphing into. Notice Cigna in the mix – Mmmm maybe you want to ask some firemen in NYC what they think of Cigna.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/09/22/15562/health-insurers-turning-who-knows-what?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email&goal=0_ffd1d0160d-cce1722a86-100020097&mc_cid=cce1722a86&mc_eid=c346e018f7
And on the good news front of labour and their struggles.
http://libcom.org/news/seattle-solidarity-network-wins-first-multi-worker-strike-22092014
Looks like the Key Government sat on an Official Information response until after the election. Turns out it has been safe to go up the drift at Pike River for almost a year. On Saturday, Coasters gave their party vote to National. They were tricked. The Chief Ombudsman warned that this sort of behaviour form Government meant “We could kiss our democracy good bye.” Looks like the country was tricked. Why, so far, is the media ignoring the Minister’s and Key’s role in this? Scared? Bought?
reduced growth promise from 4-2%
Announced resignation of jason ede…
Pike river
I am not sure why anyone thought the lying would stop. But as someone wrote yesterday apparently its irrelevant cos 50% of voters dont care.
I find it depressing.
It’s like the election is a clean slate for National. “win” the election, and put the dirty politics allegations, the lying over GCSB all behind them. Pull a blanket over the sordid lot, and Put it down to Politiking, without addressing any issues, and without Key having to answer to anything. Meanwhile, the biggest opposition party squabbles and enables it all to be swept under the carpet. I really despair.
Labour aren’t allowing it to be swept under the carpet. If they didn’t squabble, somebody would have had a cat turn up after being presumed lost for a month… and that would be more newsworthy than Key’s lies. If Labour pointed out that Key was lying, Key would be on television with a soundbite saying, “Of course they are going to come out attacking my credibility. They’ve just been resoundingly rejected by New Zealanders, who will see this for what it is, which is a smear campaign from the Left”.
The blame for allowing it to be swept under the carpet lies squarely and solely with journalists in the MSM.
@ Hanswurst
+1
@ sans cle..
..you can cheer up a bit..’cos those dirty politics and spooking-scandals have not gone away…
..the number of official investigations already launched will ensure that..
..and the injunctions against the msm using that whaledump material given to them..
..are being worked thru…
..rest assured..there is no ‘clean slate’ for key/national..
..this will all unfold..in due course..
(and of course..key will ‘distract’..by again taking us to war..
..at the behest of the americans..)
That sounds interesting. What evidence is there that injunctions taken against the MSM are being worked through?
@ hans..
..a reported mumbled-aside of ‘super-injunction’ from toby manhire..
..who was one of the recipients of the whaledump..
This must be devastating news for the Pike River families and was shocking to see on Campbell Live last night.
What if Solid Energy’s reason for not entering the drift comes down to $$$? What are the other reasons?
As for West Coast Tasman giving their party vote to National, that was staggering, they have been mucked around by the Government for years over the Pike River disaster. (“mucked around”, a condensed version of the final chapters in Tragedy at Pike River Mine: how and why 29 men died, by Rebecca Macfie).
isn’t it sick, rosie. i wonder if it something to do with liability, as to where bodies might be found ? key is cold, callous and cruel, albeit welcomed by many as a true leader. go figure.
Liability/ lack of access to insurance funds? Campbell Live will no doubt keep up with the situation. It seems like they are the only media who care.
BTW: have kept up with your concerns over the TPP being singed and GE crop seed being allowed into the country. I share those concerns. I know there is a pro GE faction within fed farmers but hadn’t realised how tight the connections with Monsanto are, as you suggested a few days back.
It’s tragic this is the likely path we will go down, along with intensified dairying. more animal suffering and an environment degraded, potentially beyond repair under the removal of protections of the RMA. The vision the Greens had was the opposite.
@yeshe 9.53
Would this southern West Coast National result come from the faction that were getting uptight about Shane Jones being a real man of the people yet not getting a go at leader. Perhaps Shane was their idea of a good politician and a working class hero and when by-passed all their brain cells sort of got fried.
so hard to know isn’t it ? but we could safely bet the seat would not be blue today if these hidden OIA docs had appeared last week. Evil bastards the bunch of them.
You ask, “What are the other reasons?”
Hows about we already had footage showing rescue boxes had been opened, meaning that some miners survived the explosion. So, pre-election, does a ruling party that made ‘a million and one’ promises, while determinedly doing nothing, want evidence suggesting men were simply left to die?
You might recall that rescue workers wanted to enter the mine soon after the explosion (methane gone) and were prevented from doing so on the basis that more explosions were imminent. How long was it til the second explosion? I can’t remember, but am sure it wasn’t mere hours before that methane built up again.
Then you might also recall the days and weeks that passed while ‘air quality’ measurements were taken, suggesting methane was hovering at 12% (the concentration it’s apt to explode at).
And remember all the tosh that because there was a fire in the mine, temperatures within the mine were at ‘coal fire’ temperatures, meaning entry couldn’t take place?
That’s just off the top of my head before the first coffee of the morning is down.
In short – bad, dog shit cynicism – adverse publicity was to be avoided pre-election.
“So, pre-election, does a ruling party that made ‘a million and one’ promises, while determinedly doing nothing, want evidence suggesting men were simply left to die?”
A entirely plausible but horrifying scenario Bill. We know that Key and his Ministers are capable of outright deceit so withholding this information about the drift entry being possible in October 2013 fits comfortably with their other demonstrated methods of self preservation ( ala Dirty Politics).
Chapter 10 and 11 in MacFie’s book cover the day of the explosion and the events in the days and weeks after, including the air testing, expected mine temperature, and intense disagreement between police and mines rescue about the safety of entering the mine to retrieve the bodies. I recall thinking “what a shambles” when reading it.
Haven’t got time to re read those chapters now to refresh the memory but it would be good to.
Where did I hear, a while ago, one reason the mine couldn’t be re entered was due to the changes in regulation at WorkSafe? Since the Pike disaster WorkSafe deemed that all mines in NZ must have a second egress, Pike doesn’t and therefore they wouldn’t send a body recovery mission into the mine. (prior to that NZ was one of the few places in the world that didn’t require a second egress, a fact which caused a lot of upset among the overseas miners working at Pike).
When I heard that, where ever it was, I thought that was a lame and convenient excuse for Solid Energy to reneg on it’s duty to remove the bodies. There’s certainly something very fishy going on.
here we are, as suspected …. .. at the forefront of the directors’ minds, according to Solid Energy CEO …
‘The board of Solid Energy also has its directors’ liability “at the forefront of their minds”, Mr Clifford said.
“Directors’ liability is an important thing, and it’s been taken very seriously. There’s been a fundamental change in the law since Pike River. We need to learn from that, and it’s been taken seriously.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11330799
so heartbreaking Bill …
We should remove the right to vote from residents and only allow citizens to vote. We are one of only a few countries that do allow residents to vote.
I’m not in favour of that. Residents can up sticks and move anytime… And don’t have the historical knowledge to make informed decisions at the ballot box.
A least a citizen has a long term vested interest in the country.
It would be illuminating to know the breakdown of voters by residency/citizen numbers.
I daresay majority of residents would have gone National. NZH article in April this year highlighted a number of residents intending to vote National because “national good for business, Labour bad” which we all know isn’t borne out in reality.
Citizens can up sticks and move any time, too. Similarly, vilifying non-citizen residents for voting National in the majority is entirely misleading, since that also applies to citizens.
James, your suggestion would mean Mr Rosie would lose his right to vote. He has lived most of his life in NZ and is more committed to the well being of our society than many of the citizens we know who couldn’t care less and don’t vote. He’s a CD volunteer, a promoter of H&S in the workplace and a Left voter.
He has shown that he has a “long term vested interest in the country”. I wouldn’t paint all residents the same colour. Such apathy and ignorance among the voters can’t really be put down to their status of citizen vs resident. It’s more complex than that.
I never thought I would go along with James but on this occasion I agree with Paragraph one of his comment. I too think that only citizens should be allowed to vote.
I don’t agree with the rest of what he says and I hope he doesn’t mean we should try and find out the answer to the fourth para. That would mean identifying everyone’s vote.
As far as Mr Rosie goes one can only ask, if he wants to vote, why doesn’t he take up citizenship? It isn’t really that hard is it?
I would actually extend the requirement a bit further. I would have a rule that an MP must be EXCLUSIVELY a New Zealand citizen. No dual citizenship would be allowed for an MP and before they could become one they would be required to renounce any other citizenship they hold. Australia do that and I think it is an excellent idea.
ps There is a minor problem for people born in Greece, and possibly other countries in that they don’t allow you to renounce their citizenship but that can be got around by the Australian rules.
Citizenship costs over $500 to apply for. Many couldnt afford that, I’m sure its one of the valid reasons deciding not to.
/agreed
Thing is, it used to be like that until Labour changed it because they wanted one of their own to have dual citizenship. And, yes, it was one law change that I was thoroughly disgusted by.
And it’s not just Australia that does that either – the US and other Anglo countries do as well.
I remember it slightly differently, but you may be right.
As I thought it was you were allowed to hold dual citizenship and become an MP but no sitting MP could take citizenship of another country without them forfeiting their seat.
That is what sitting MP Harry Duynhoven (spelling?) did. He took out Dutch citizenship. The Labour Government, when the complaint was made pretended they hadn’t received it for a day and hurriedly changed the law in the interim.
A friend of mine, now a QC, said that he thought that the seat had been vacated the moment he took the new citizenship and the effect of the law Labour passed was to appoint H.D. to the position of MP for New Plymouth, without an election, as he had already vacated the seat.
“Australia do that and I think it is an excellent idea.”
It’s actually law, but the Liberals don’t feel bound by it. Abbott probably hasn’t renounced his British citizenship. Some other guy with a German name had been elected without renouncing his other citizenship. When caught, he renounced it, but his whole campaign had been illegitimate. He should have been booted, but that doesn’t seem to happen with the right.
If you live in a country and you pay taxes, you should get a vote. You’re likely to have more interest in the future of the country than some foreign CEO with a deputy assistant whose secretary has Key on speed dial.
No he wouldn’t. If he’s married to a NZ citizen then he’s probably already a NZ citizen and if he isn’t it’d just be a formality for him to become one.
Permanent residency is a step along the way to becoming a citizen. Sure, not everyone would take that step but if you don’t take that step then you shouldn’t have the right to vote.
Hi Drax. He is a permanent resident and isn’t entitled to citizenship via marriage status.
Wonderful, would you be writing the same opinion if they are all voting left?
So if you can’t win, lets change the rules.
Changing the rules to what just about every other country does. Doesn’t matter what your political orientation is, only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future.
So would that apply to people who fund parties?
I think it should. I also think that businesses, trusts, unions or any other legal entity shouldn’t be allowed to fund political parties.
So your election strategy is to deny residents who are long term taxpayers the right to vote? Charming. Dont you think some Pacific Island citizens would be hurt by this? what about Sub-continent residents? Asian residents? The broad church eh? Do you have evidence that “majority of residents would have gone National”.
Those people are free to apply for citizenship if they want to vote. Like in just about every other country.
I have been arguing this for a long time. Its about commitment to this country and its future, not ethnicity. I have tried to explain it to people with the anology… that I own a house that I share with my partner. We take in a boarder. Partner and I have a commitment to our future and long term interest in our home. We’re not going to give the boarder the same say in the care, maintainence and ownership of our home as each other.
So why do we do it with our country?
So might I also ask ask why Mr Rosie hasnt taken out NZ citizenship ?
Potato and alwyn. The first and foremost reason Mr R doesn’t have NZ citizenship is the cost, which Blue has referred to. We can barely keep up with weekly living expenses and are running into the red with unexpected bills, all the while the to do list keeps piling up.
Secondly he doesn’t see himself as anything but an NZer he’s been here for so long. To him citizen ship would just be a bit of unaffordable paper, and a hollow gesture at patriotism, after all this time.
He is a NZer in all respects and it shows in his actions and in the way he contributes to our community.
If citizenship is needed to vote, then the cost of people getting it should be made cheaper. Cost shouldn’t be a major consideration here though, it is about the future of our country. Voting is considered a privilege of citizenship of a country, and we give the right away too easily in NZ.
The costs should be waived. Get away from the user pays system that punishes the poor.
“No taxation without representation!”
And the hundreds of thousands of New Zealand Citizens who live permanently overseas without any intention of coming back to New Zealand. They should vote?
I guess you would argue that anyone with Scottish heritage should have been able to vote in the recent referendum as well …
There are rules that require that you have some continuing contact with New Zealand, although I don’t think they are tough enough. A citizen has to have been back in the last 3 years, a permanent resident in the last year.
Personally I would toughen them up.
I lived in Australia for years and voted in New Zealand. On the other hand I did not take out Australian citizenship, returned several times a year, owned property here and paid New Zealand taxes as well as my Australian taxes. I certainly never lost contact with New Zealand, intended to return to live permanently and felt no guilt about voting.
How about:
No representation without citizenship
“Those people are free to apply for citizenship if they want to vote.”
So willingness to commit to New Zealand to the extent required to gain the solemn right to vote is determined by a willingness and ability to pay several hundred dollars to Internal Affairs?
An ex-colleague of mine (from Britain) was working here in New Zealand for 6 years during which time he and his family began their application for citizenship. After the 6 years he applied for, was offered and he accepted a job in Australia (where he and his family now live). A year or so ago, he came back (on holiday) to complete the ‘in-person’ part of the citizenship ritual and then returned to Australia with his New Zealand citizenship.
I’m a permanent resident (have been since 1967) as are all surviving members of my birth family. I’ve lived in New Zealand (in Christchurch) for all that time (as have all members of my birth family) except when I went on my ‘OE’ at age 21 for 1.5 years. I have a New Zealand-born (fifth generation) partner and New Zealand-born and raised daughter. I have worked for a (very New Zealand) employer continuously for the last 23 years.
Why, then, am I not a citizen?
One of the things that has put me off applying for citizenship is the citizenship ritual. I dislike nationalism – singing anthems, pledging allegiance (to flags, queens and other symbols), mouthing oaths, etc..
(One of the ironies is that I have British citizenship but, of course, never had to pledge allegiance to queen and country to gain it – yet I would have to do that here in order to gain New Zealand citizenship :-))
Frankly, I would feel hypocritical performing what I’d see as empty rituals and, if I’m going to be hypocritical, perhaps I should go the whole hog and show my commitment to New Zealand through John Key and I ritualistically slicing the heels of our thumbs and uniting as blood brothers?
At that deeper, personal level I also know that my ‘heart’ does not respond sentimentally to the words ‘New Zealand’ and to mythic cultural norms (e.g., barbecues, rugby, the beach, sailing, tramping in the hills, whitebaiting, Bluff oysters, etc.) in the way that their hearts apparently do for people born here (although I genuinely do have a deep emotional commitment to Christchurch, specifically).
For those ‘deep’ reasons, I would actually feel a bit of a fraud to claim citizenship because that deep sense of ‘belonging’ is not embodied in me the way it seems to be in most native-born New Zealanders. And it never would be. That is simply the emotional truth of the matter.
Nevertheless, until now I have believed that my enduring good citizenship (in the generic sense rather than some nominal sense such as ‘New Zealand citizenship’) is my prime claim to being treated as a citizen of the country in which I live, in terms of rights. But maybe that’s not enough.
As you can see, I do appreciate the tribal point you are making. It makes me think that I should not vote in future elections, based on that principle.
Although, of course, that tribal point could only ever apply to those actually born and raised in New Zealand. If the aim is to get as close as possible to a guarantee of deep commitment to the country perhaps only such people should be allowed to be citizens and, hence, be allowed to vote? (e.g., only people born in New Zealand and who have continuously lived the first 20 years of their life, at least, here?)
After all, they are the people most likely to have real, embodied, emotional, familial and enculturated commitment to New Zealand – as a nation, place and people – rather than the kind of commitment that money, a few years, an instrumental mindset and a liking (or tolerance) for ritual can get from Internal Affairs.
Maybe the bar for voting rights should be set that high to ensure commitment of the voting population to this country and its future?
An interesting discussion.
I totally agree, only citizens should have the vote in NZ. You have to be a citizen to vote in Australia and in most of the rest of the world. There is a reason for that- only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future. And then also make it compulsory to vote, like in Australia. Australians have had a better deal than us over the last 30 years, they have been shafted much less, maybe their electoral system has something to do with that. And make applying for citizenship much cheaper- $500 seems excessive. You only have to have been in NZ for 5 years to be apply to become a citizen.
“There is a reason for that- only people with a long term commitment to a country should be able to determine its future”
Mr R has voted in every election since 1990. If that isn’t long term commitment for you I don’t what is.
There is an insinuation on this thread that permanent residents are somehow less worthy and less committed than citizens and should be denied the right to vote. It’s a very excluding view bordering on xenophobia and one that would not benefit the country in any way.
And how the voting rights of residents somehow contributed to a defeat for the left is beyond me.
As a resident, you might be pleased to hear I’ve a fairly solid grasp of NZ history…more, it seems, than many NZ born folks, and voted for a further left choice than most.
Also, it’s simply not true that I can ‘up sticks and go’.
Here’s an alternative.
How’s about only people who reside in the country and pay taxes get to vote? That was the situation in the recent Scottish referendum that I (fairly) couldn’t vote in, in spite of having been born and raised there as well as having spent a good portion of my adult life living there.
The way it stands at the moment is that if you live elsewhere you can vote so long as you have visited NZ in the past year (or 3 years?). That I assume is a nod towards people that still have ties here, as opposed to people that have left permanently. It strikes me as problematic (eg getting home from Oz is easier/cheaper than getting home from the UK). However I don’t think disenfranchising people who have say gone to Oz for work who will most likely return at some point is a good way to go.
Not sure why James bought this up. Is there even an issue here with mass residents voting and then leaving town? Maybe voting rights should kick in a the citizenship mark (5 years?) irrespective of whether one takes up citizenship or not.
an expat needs to have returned home once in the previous 3 years to vote.
As for voting, I don’t think it’s as simple as being physically resident in NZ or not. For example we are NZ citizens who work overseas on a fixed term contract for a company that operates in NA. We don’t have residency overseas and we’re paid in NZ, own our home in NZ and are tax resident in NZ. Most expats we know are working overseas on a similar basis.
Another example – would an exemption apply for government or diplomatic staff? I’m sure there are also other situations where removing the right to vote would appear unfair to a non-resident.
It is three years for citizens, one year for permanent residents. There are special rules for people who are representing New Zealand overseas including diplomats and people in the armed services.
Imagine if, in WW II, all the 100,000 or so soldiers overseas had been banned from voting because they had been away for more than 3 years?
Nor would it be reasonable to totally disenfranchise the 620,000 odd New Zealanders working in Australia who could easily finish up in a situation of not being able to vote in either country.
I don’t actually have any problem with accepting that. If they are New Zealand citizens but don’t have any real connection to the country I don’t see why they should be allowed to vote here.
Diplomats working in New Zealand embassies for New Zealand or soldiers serving in New Zealand forces overseas are a different thing to people who have chosen to depart voluntarily.
Thank you for giving us the views of Winston First. I live in Australia at the moment and I can’t vote. They are kind enough to let me pay taxes and they have performed major surgery on me. But I get no representation. I would love to vote for a party that would keep that level of medical care for everyone in Australia, but I can’t.
I firmly believe in no taxation without representation.
Same boat here Murray. This is a real festering issue for both countries that a succession of governments on both sides of the Tasman have failed on.
Does anyone know what will happen to Hone’s Feed the Kids members bill that was drawn out last Parliament?
@ lanth..
..goneburger..
It lapses with the dissolution but can be reinstated by the next Parliament.
See section 20 of the Constitution Act
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0114/latest/whole.html#DLM94243
Right, so the rules say everything expires and has to be specifically reinstated.
But how does it work in terms of convention? Are member’s bills, by convention, reinstated?
On that you will have to get someone who is more of an expert than I am. I am only up to reading the procedures without really understanding the detail. I do know that when a member retires (or gets kicked out) any private member’s bill they were promoting is often taken up by some other member of their party. This happened with the same-sex marriage bill didn’t it?
Quite who would take up Hone’s bill when the whole party is gone I don’t know. I suppose someone from the Green’s might do so.
I am also not really clear on what “reinstatement” means for a private members bill and where in the process it comes back.
Graeme Edgeler, where are you?
So Labour have 32 seats and NZ First have 11. And the great purge of 2014 is about to commence (or not).
And the left wing activists I see on here seem to think that getting rid of the ABCs and all right leaning folk in Labour who have failed to support the the leader and have failed to work for the party, is the way forward.
By my calculations there are about 10 labour electorate MPs (give or take) who might fall into that category. Others who know the MPs better may get a more accurate figure than I can.
So where could these “treacherous Labour lite MPs” go? None have the energy to form their own party and lets face it that long forgotten middle party from the 90s with Gilbert Miles didnt have any shelf life.
So the only logical option would be for them to join forces with Winston and NZ First. And that would give Winston more MPs (maybe) than the freshly purged Labour Party, and Winston could, and would no doubt, claim to be the leader of the opposition, and ask for the baubles of power that go with that position.
And that would leave Labour left with what? Being just another minor party in Parliament, but with a chance to rebuild “out left?” or dead in the water? How much more demoralisation can your party faithful take?
Labour needs to sort its seething MPs out and it needs to work as a united team. Anything less is letting down the voters in New Zealand.
There are no baubles of power that go with that position.
I understand that the Leader of the Opposition is paid at the same level as a cabinet minister, and gets similar baubles
Yes, but what “power” does that reflect?
Baubles of impotence then.
Winston can do anything he likes but if he wants to be the leader of the opposition he is going to have to get a hell of a lot more votes. The position is defined in law and with the results of this election it is, unless they go into a coalition with National, the leader of the Labour Party.
The have one right, they get briefings by the SIS. That was the one that bit Goff when he publicly denied getting one and basically accused the head of the SIS of breaking the law. Silly boy. He could have just shut up when he was shown to be wrong.
They also get the right to make the first speech in the budget debate and so on.
See the definition of the Leader here.
http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/about-parliament/how-parliament-works/people/00CLOOCHowPWorks1411/people-in-parliament
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is the member who leads the largest political party that is not part of the Government.
The Leader of the Opposition’s role in the House is to:
be the leader of the ‘government-in-waiting’
lead opposition responses in major debates.
The Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister in the debating chamber.
What it hasnt ever had to do is to define if the largest opposition party is the one who got the most votes at the previous election or whether its the one with the most MPs, if electorate MPs were jump ship from Labour to NZF.
Having extra TV time on the 6 oclock news would suit Winston.
I have memories of reading that it was the opposition party that had the greatest number of votes in the preceding General Election, rather than the most seats, but for the life of me I can’t remember where I saw that.
Meanwhile
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/dairy/10537574/Fonterra-profit-plunges-payout-forecast-cut
The co-operative’s net profit for the year to July 31 was $179 million, down 76 per cent from $736m last year, while its pre-tax earnings slumped by 50 per cent from $1 billion to $503m.
AND
Debt
88,963,432,720
Interest per year
4,359,265,206
Guess the economic slump is going to happen a couple of months too late for you. Sorry guys about that but jeeze that John Key certainly knows how to schedule an election doesn’t he?
HUH
Well if the economy had tanked just before the election instead of looking quite healthy the left may well have had more traction and therefore a better result. Don’t you agree?
SO the economy IS tanking.
Is that the cusp?
maybe this is the ‘something special’ Key has in mind for us all ?
it’s a downward-‘cusp’..that we are on the edge of..
..fonterra is tanking..and will tank further..
..(a predicted five yr glut driving that..and of course there is the impending arrival of mufree to totally disrupt their business-model..)
..and imagine when the housing bubble bursts..eh..?
..whoar..!
..and gosman is right..key timed the election for those reasons..
..the forecasters told him the sooner the better…for the election..
..’cos we have pear-shaped economy coming up..
..so yep..!..he’s/key’s as cunning as a shithouse rat…
..albeit one with a gold toothpick..
but wait..!..there’s more..!
rnz is reporting an expert on the sector saying he thinks fonterra are being too optimistic –
– even with that downgraded prediction…
It very well could be, couldn’t it?
Being the astute economic analyst that you have claimed to be you will have known for quite some time that the global economy on which we heavily rely, is on shaky ground. Wouldn’t you?
Yes, National fucked the economy, knew that they had and had a reasonable idea as to when it would tank and so called an early election. I believe that this was mentioned at the time that National called the election.
Wouldn’t have made any difference – the payout will be for the current season (2014-2015) and won’t really start impacting for another 6-12 months. This time next year I would expect to see the full impact to the wider economy as the decisions farmers are making now around investment and spending kick in.
Yes, Key does know how to exploit the electoral rules of our country to his advantage.
Yes, a very tricky politician – I can see now why the word leapt to his mind to describe Cunliffe.
Perhaps it was a term of admiration?
Well the farmers can’t get out of Fonterra fast enough and I look forward to them as a group letting their party Nact know how shafted they feel . Maybe they will suggest that the exchange rate needs to be a little lower??
I still do not see anyone putting ACT under the microscope for its election performance. Even though they only got 0.7% and thanks to National’s political welfare scheme a boy for an MP. In 2008 they had 5 (life) experienced MP’s and 2 ministers and a swag of concessions and promises. ACT had a fresh leader and a new start and policies like getting rid of the RMA and privatising the schools. Where is the analysis for ACT? They brought in Bassett to carry on about Labour, but he is ACT now. They should be quizzing him about the direction ACT is taking. If NZ had moved to the right, then ACT would get more.
And no discussion about whether Boscawen would have led ACT to a higher total.
Acts in power theres the difference
Through their own merits or from the benevolence of National?
Does it matter? The problem with the left is they’re too busy worrying about things like this and not enough wondering why the Greens (for example) have been around for 24 years yet never been in government
I think you missed Millsy’s point mate. In the context of what he/she wrote of course it matters as it is pertinent to what he/she was saying. In the context of the wider left bloc etc. it matters not a jot but that’s irrelevant to the initial comment.
What he wrote (I think hes a dude) I guess I’m thinking hes trying to say “hey look the left did bad but Act did bad as well”
Which is true and I’d cut Act loose and woo Ron Marks instead but it doesn’t help the Left which has to face some uncomfortable truths such as they’re out of touch with NZ and why are they out of touch…
@ millsy..
..who really gives a flying-fuck about any aspect of act..?
Frontera couldn’t have seen that coming a week ago, before the election
What – that the forecast & profits would be lower?
It was pretty widely understood in the farming community that the payout would be lower and that profit would be lower. Global Dairy prices have slumped nearly 40% in the last 6 months. It just doesn’t get much coverage in the MSM outside of the Farming news sections and certainly gets very little actual economic analysis (and certainly didn’t make it into the political analysis during the election).
Whether Fonterra choose to delay the announcement until after the election may be a discussion worth having if you are so minded.
Thats because nobody really cares about ACTs future but a lot of people care (and have opinions) about Labours future
Now lets get back to holding Nact up for all to see. See in stuff he wants ideas about poverty from his governement.
Well Mr key are you and your ministers going to go and tour the poorest areas of the country or sit out the front in a Winz office??? Actually go and connect with poor people???
Does anyone here know when any of that lot went near or opened anything in one of these areas?? Do they even know where they are?? Can we embarass them about this or something else – don’t forget that the social media does shape how people think and that turns up in his little focus groups!
OK, so if Nats do nothing = moan. Now they say they will do something = moan.
get a grip
We will stop moaning when National actually does something (as opposed to talking about it, or tinkering).
They managed to shut down the health portfolio as a source problems so I have a good feeling about this
John Key is smarter then anyone (currently) on the left so its quite possible he’ll shut down the left on this as well
For a certain definition of smart, maybe. What he does have is an ability to hide his limitations from most people. Most of this is based on the flawed idea that the suit in charge is competent and trustworthy.
Its just talk Grant where’s the walk huh? There is nothing new about the poverty or the Nact arrogance.
A loved and trusted friend told me yesterday of a client of his, from mainland China, still lives in mainland China, but now owns 50 residential properties in Auckland, all made possible by low interest loans in China at about 1% or 2%.
No visible taxes even ??
Where is your property register dictator Key ?
Wow.
see bubble grow..
..grow! bubble..grow..!
..see bubble burst..
..burst bubble..burst…
There is no way in the world that the caucus will unite and swing behind David Cunliffe as long as the ABC club remains the leaks will continue and any hint of disunity gets punished at the ballot box.
So there are two workable options as I see It both nuclear and both signalling the future direction of the party,
1, Cunliffe resigns and caucus gets their preferred candidate through a singular nomination for leader, obviously this will result in much aggravation amongst the membership and likely position the party more towards the centre.
2, Expel the ABC club and start again from what will be a much smaller base. It would be likely that some electorate mp’s would end up as independents or perhaps they would resign and force a by-election that labour may not win going by the party vote in places like Hutt South where in all likelihood name recognition got Trevor through.
I guess the 3rd option is to have the Primary in which the members deliver Cunliffe against the will of the caucus and the white anting continues unabated for 3 more years or there is a messy leadership spill again a year out from the election triggered by caucus voting no confidence as per the constitution which I think will be fast track to electoral oblivion.
As an aside I had Phill Goff knock on my door 3 times in the lead up to the election and I can honestly say he promoted the Labour party and their policy’s he was the only local candidate I saw and I think his effort had a lot to do with the high personal vote he achieved. I voted Green for the first time as I refused to vote for the rabble that labour had become this cycle but I gave Phil my electorate vote. Im sure people that voted right did the same…
What is the Labour Party’s internal process for expelling MPs? I doubt that Cunliffe can just tell them to go.
What’s this move towards the centre. Hell as they stand, labours economics are centre right – any shift right will put them further to the right.
But, no lets not talk about the fact labour are economically speaking, a right wing party – No unity is needed and the rest of the left better shut up.
In that case how about a plan to reverse that dynamic so that it is the left side that is doing the Trojan horsing.
Just quietly retire a couple of the worse because by- elections rarely favour governments and it won’t change the MP numbers
cricklewood: thanks for your anecdote of Goff’s hard work. I don’t like his centrist political economics, but also think he should have stayed on after 2011.
Yes we were on the cusp of all sorts of stuff which is why we had to get the election done in hurry. We were possibly on the cusp of Cunliffe getting some name recognition, familiarity and traction with voters which takes a long time. Has anyone ever taken leadership less than a year out from an election and won? On either side? Ever?
I hope we are not on the cusp of having mumbleface back again as our champion. I worked hard as a volunteer for labour in the election because I believed in the policies and believed in Cunliffe. The disloyalty during the campaign slayed me. If they shaft him, I’m afraid I will be on the cusp of withdrawing my loyalty to the party I have voted for in the last 10 elections.
My thoughts are the same. I wish the ABC outfit would grow up or go away.
+1 westie chick. Big ups for your hard work too.
It was David Cunliffe that brought me back to being a Labour voter. Then along came the impressive policies and that sealed the deal. If he goes and Labour muck around AGAIN with a new less capable leader I will completely lose my faith in the Party.
DC has the support of the membership and Unions behind him. Thats what should matter, not the petty ambitions of a few self serving caucus members.
I read that Key holds the record of time between becoming leader of a party & then becoming PM, which was about 2 years.
Rosie- My thoughts also. I want Cunliffe as PM as much as I admired and respected Helen Clark. Takes time.
If Cunliffe stays so will I.
Can’t reply on Mobile..
Alwyn – won’t need to identify individual votes. Its easy enough to cross reference the marked roll of those who voted with their status as a resident or citizen. No vote identification necessary.
I believe that the enrollment form asks for details on residency or citizenship status.
Australia doesn’t allow residents to vote (but as outlined above do make exceptions where citizenship cannot be revoked by countries such as Greece)
As for Mr Rosie – good on him for his work in the community, but the point stands… Citizenship is relatively inexpensive, and some do get sponsored by employers etc.
I read the comment, and the bit that followed as meaning that you wanted to know how they voted. That was what worried me.
Please note that I would only forbid dual citizenship for MPs, not for everyone. That is what Australia does. People with dual citizenship can vote over there. The Australian exemption is for the odd MP who was born in Greece.
“Citizenship is relatively inexpensive”
In other words bugger the people who don’t have $500, they can just do without voting.
If the rules were changed, and the government needed to process a bulk lot of citizenship applications for people who just wanted to vote, then economies of scale should apply and the costs significantly reduced to reduce hardship on people who have been here a long time and just need to formalize their relationship with this country. There is always a way to make a change like that fairer.
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2566719/un_only_small_farmers_and_agroecology_can_feed_the_the_world.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/10538018/Labour-woes-Rift-between-the-Davids
I think the Cunliffe should stay on as hes good for National but this, this would be even better for National
i agree..!
..parker leading labour..?
..someone has to be fucken kidding..
..a ministerial-role..sure..
..but he has all the charisma/presence of a dried cow-pat..
..that parker..
..and the right would just love him to get the job..
he says not, phillip ….
or now maybe not ? gruesome mess …
Brilliant post Election analysis by Dr. Wayne Hope :
‘One Party State’
By Wayne Hope / September 24, 2014
“In years to come this election will be seen as a historic turning point towards one party rule…”.
– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/09/24/one-party-state/#sthash.FgjntQ65.dpuf
(Pretty interesting comment below this article also….saying a unified Left is the only way to go into the future)
Meh, much of a muchness really, although i will say hes a pretty good writer but really its a rehash of what you read on here
Blaming the MSM
Blaming the money (which didn’t do much good for KDC or Colin Craig)
Blaming resources
Not no pointing the finger at the left for its own failings
glad you read it Pucky…maybe it is true?
What i’m saying is you can pretty much read the same thing on here as what that guys written which boils to this: Its not our fault we suck its someone elses fault
actually …there has been quite a lot of soul searching as to what went wrong …and it is not always “it is not our fault”…far from it if you read many of the comments
this is not to negate the validity of what Dr.Wayne Hope says
The problem for the left its always “we did some things wrong BUT *insert whatever excuse you like here*”
MSM
Funding
Resources
Cameron slater
John Key
the people don’t understand our policies (thats my favourite one by the way)
Until you accept your failings you can’t fix them
His willful blindness is truly a wonder to behold.
So it’s not appropriate for people who are observers, rather than players, to point out that a large and infulential group are spreading misnformation?
I do wonder what it is that makes celebrities act the way they do:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2766871/Leonardo-DiCaprio-s-climate-change-hypocrisy-As-Hollywood-star-lectures-U-N-MailOnline-reveals-jetset-lifestyle-includes-19-flights-world-year-borrowing-mega-yacht-owned-oil-billionaire.html
Not saying all are look this as there must be some who walk the walk as well as talk the talk but it does make me wonder at times
*Disclaimer, this is not about climate change but rather celebrities*
Unless of course you want to talk about climate change then thats cool as well
Reasons for Nationals win?
28th on the Happy planet index in 2012. Up from 109 in 2009. -From wikipidia
Fifth in Legatum’s prosperity index. Been around 3rd to 5th since 2009.
“So who’s the happiest? As has been the case the past five years, that distinction goes to countries that enjoy peace, freedom, good healthcare, quality education, a functioning political system and plenty of opportunity: Norway, Sweden, Canada and New Zealand.”
Are we doing OK- Yes
Could we do better- yes.
We are lucky to live in NZ.
I think this is a large reason the government was returned on Saturday night.
“28th on the Happy planet index in 2012. Up from 109 in 2009. -From wikipidia”
Something is suspicious about those figures.
Just passing on the info….
All international measures have NZ pretty near the top of the pile.
And lots have us number 1 in education.
Not the feeling around that there was a need to change the government.
In fact a sound endorsement.
We are also rated as having very low corruption.
It would help if you provided links. Like I said, there is something very odd about the happiness figures.
I will have a crack at posting the link.
Why are they odd to you?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Planet_Index.
That’s what I looked at
Hope it helps
Looking into the Happy Planet Index figures a bit more fully, it would appear that New Zealand’s results in the 2012 report show a negligible improvement in life expectancy over its 2009 counterpart (from 79.8 to 80.7 years), whereas the ‘life satisfaction’ indicator has plummeted (7.8 to 7.2). The big improvement noted between the two reports is in the ecological footprint (down from 7.7 to 4.3). That would appear to be a huge stride forward on the environmental front under National, until one notices that the ecological footprint in the 2012 report is based on figures from… 2008 (full 2008 data on ecological footprints here). So it would seem that the report only accounts for a lightening of the ecological footprint under the most recent Labour government (although I’m sceptical of that, too, as I’m not sure exactly what happened under Labour that would have made that kind of difference).
So the only relevant indicator in that report for the National government is a big negative. I hope that helps.
We’re rated as having having a very low perception of corruption. Dirty Politics proved that we’re probably one of the most corrupt though.
The wiki happy planet score, isn’t just around people, it rates the eco footprint as well.
Maybe you should petition for a recount?
lolz, post-election happiness scale.
“there is no depression in New Zealand.
there are no sheep on our farms…”
LEGATUM lol more fucking right wing think tankery
Measuring how rich the rich are. Joke. A cruel joke.
British David Mitchell, comedian and author talking about Amazon recently
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/sep/23/david-mitchell-amazon-cynical-life-crushing-business
laid into Amazon for its business model: “They already have an enormous technological edge but apparently that isn’t enough. They also have to have a rapacious near-monopoly.” He also criticised the retailer for its tax payments, pointing to the fact that Amazon paid just £2.4m in corporation tax in 2012, on £4.2bn of UK sales….
Yesterday, after reading an extract from his forthcoming book, a collection of his Observer columns in which he calls Amazon “a benefits scrounger”, Mitchell was greeted with “rapturous applause”, reported the Bookseller….
Yes it is tough, but print book sales through bookshops are still strong”, and that “we should reiterate our belief that booksellers believe in freedom, diversity, partnership and a profitable book industry for all”.
But Mitchell also sounded a note of positivity. “For all that there is hope,” said the comedian. “Theatre and radio still survive, after lots of people were predicting their death, and people are wrong in their depressing predictions. Sometimes bad things don’t happen just because most people don’t want them to.”
So think positive and keep trying.
120 new members have joined the Green Party since the election (just got an email).
Interesting. I’ve been reading some comments about the surge in GP membership.
over 6000 volunteers.
I gave about 250 in total I think. I like the way they ask for support for different things be it ads or a policy campaign.
I’m not a member, but did some volunteering. It’s a bit dispiriting that the extra energy didn’t seem to pay off in extra votes.
There needs to be some re-assessment into how the energy was spent.
I also think there needs to be a building of relationships, and community participation at a flax roots level – something organisational. I know the Greens regularly do some meet and greets around various places. However, I think something more solid needs to be done to build the networks within communities.
I reckon the GP lost some votes to Labour (who lost votes to NZF and the non-vote) and to IMP. In other words, your effort help the GP retain their MPs 🙂
Labour is also saying they have had hundreds of people join Labour in last few days.
@karol re-Labour…..yes but do they know who they are supporting as leader?….seems like it is an attempt to get rid of David Cunliffe!….nasty PR campaign?
…not a good look imo….looks like Labour has been infiltrated and is imploding….i can see the Labour Party being split into ‘Red Labour’ and ‘Rogered Labour’
…i feel for committed Labour Party people for their agony …but quite frankly the Labour Party people I know eg family …..would move sideways to the Greens without much trouble ( and they do NOT like Shearer… who demoted Dalziel who then jumped …and Chauvel, who fled) )
….so Labour needs to look at its loyal ( thus far) but nevertheless soft core
This on DPF’s dirty politics. By Dr Jarrod Gilbert, Sociologist. Maybe it could best be referred to as the politics of deception and manipulation.
Fully explained at the link, along with all the nastiness of the KB followers who descended on the good Dr in order to attack, denigrate, mislead, and stifle honest debate.
+100 karol…the egg stinks…”As we know now, he and Cameron Slater are birds of a feather, but where Slater is dim-witted Farrar is marginally smarter and this makes him more insidious”.
I think we need another of Blip’s lists of people whom Slater & Farrar have attacked.. So far I have see this bloke, a south auckland local body politician, the herald food writer, Brian Gaynor on being sued, Fisher in the herald again.
Perhaps next time an academic has this problem, and I can see his argument, he could drop on over here for some help. We can dig out some figures for him etc, etc
Like the bottle of wine photo. i’m sure the MSM read here and the real facts might shut them down a bit. They have lawyers you know.
As for the cops and gang associates, looks like they count everyone in the same burb.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/09/parliamentary_demographics_2014.html
– Interesting stats
talking to yourself again …eh Pucky?…trying to interest us in kiwiblog now?
What is interesting about them? Explain why I should go to KB.
First off as a pollster hes obviously pretty good, good enough to get a ringing endorsement from the PM on election nigfht whereas Labours pollsters were…well a bit shit really
Secondly you might learn something
So no reason to click on the link then. Also see Dr Jarrod Gilbert above for an endorsement of just how honest and upstanding the good DPF is.
He got it wrong and apoligised, a lesson some on the left might like to learn
He apologised after all the nastiness? And what lesson is it that the left should learn, given that it doesn’t generally indulge in such orchestrated campaigns of attack, divert and denigrate?
Puckish Rogue is full of shit…again.
Gilbert is a good guy and his expertise and credibility is seen as sufficient threat to warrant personal attack by the National smear machine.
‘He got it wrong and apoligised, a lesson some on the left might like to learn.
Good heavens Farrar apologised!!!!
hahaha. Is Farrar apologising for being an integral part of dirty politics? Thought not. It’s a clayton’s apology from someone who got caught.
Always after the the damage is done.
🙄
not very good at this click bait thing are you?
And that would be an appeal to authority.
So, tell me, are you able to make an argument without logical fallacies in them?
A good example in this case would be to show if DPF has actually been right about anything at all ever. Or, perhaps, showing that he hasn’t lied.
At least he’s not apologising for being a man I guess. He’s apologising for making an error and rightly so. A rarity for the left, even when an incompetently run campaign ends in a trouncing at the polls. It’s simple costed policies delivered in a coherent manner that win elections.
well, apologising is certainly not something that John key would ever do…. for anything.
Correct – and it works for him, because that’s what National’s internal polling tells him.
Actually, I never see apologies from the right but lots from the left.
Because they keep stuffing up I guess 🙂
Well, seems National voters know what they think.
Now we watch Labour eat each other to death.
So sad.
What does Labour stand for today ?
In one sentence, can anyone articulate ?
thng is, nobody knows now.
We are doomed untill someone can answer that question in one sentence that makes
sence.
Okay, turning that around: Can you put into one sentence what National stands for, in a way that is appealing, comprehensive and accurate? I’m asking for a verifiable statement of intent, not a vacuous piece of branding like “Working for New Zealand” (the same could be said of most political parties, including Labour). Equally pointless would be a couple of throwaway founding principles like “freedom, private enterprise and getting ahead”, because that would be no more or less (in)accurate than saying that Labour are for “equal opportunity, fairness and workers’ rights”.
If you can’t, can you admit that formulating a vision and a plan in a single sentence is a pointless exercise, and that nobody should bother taking up your challenge?
People feel comfortable with National and don’t require any words. When you ask most National voters, they also can’t explain why they vote National in very many words, but they do know, somehow, that National are just better than the other options on the table.
Agreed. I just think that asking for a solution that is simple, straightforward and to the point is putting the cart before the horse. I can’t claim to be familiar with all the ins and outs of Labour’s situation, but I think get the impression from reading here and elsewhere that there is a very complex set of issues with the party including on-the-ground promotion, media communication, responding to National’s media utterances, opposing National’s policy, identifying the targets of Labour’s own policies, communicating those policies and personnel manangement at caucus level. In my opinion, those all need to be quantified and a strategy developed at a complex and detailed level, so that the actual players with the time, inclination and obligation to evaluate the complex issues understand the entirety – then it’s time to think about how to package any resulting strategy for people who want the short version.
“Working for New Zealand”, Iwi/Kiwi etc. have been effective for National, but they worked because they encapsulated an existing narrative and strategy, not because they actually communicate in a single soundbite what the party stands for.
Labour doesn’t have a team with the experience, skills, focus and resources to execute that, at the moment.
CV.
And if all those ‘missing million’ working class people cannot bring themselves to vote for Labour then maybe the activists who keep it running should have taken the hint a while back – and kicked it to the kerb.
Look the left isn’t going to win any election anytime soon. I think Wayne Hope’s analysis is pretty accurate. The behaviour in the Labour caucus post-election has highlighted the truth of it.
Now is the perfect time to demolish and rebuild.
Do you know for sure that the missing million are “working class”? Maybe they just cant be fucked voting? Maybe they are waiting for a party that shares their view of the world as they would like to see it. Just because the left got trounced, where is the correlation that they would all have voted left? Maybe that group would reflect those that voted in their preferences. I ask this because the last election was the same, the refrain was “if they had voted we would have won”, not necessarily.
That is the problem for sure they have to start at the mass of the people at the bottom end of society and understand that they have to work from there to the top
no good even addressing Nationals tornts you have to be 100% focused on who is missing out in nationals policies
This is bizarre for me because I thought Cunliffe’s Labour was very clear:
People first and Inclusiveness.
It did seem all year, though, here on the Standard that others didn’t pick up on that message, which I thought was extremely clear and simple and also a message to counter the neo-liberal mindset.
I wonder why the hell I heard it so clearly and so many others didn’t?
I did. But then they came back with. “Except for Mana” and “the Greens” etc.
Predicted on Twitter today that when the voter demographics come out, just over 1/8th of Pakeha males will have voted for Labour.
Or 1/16th of eligible voters
much to my surprise my son was going to Party vote Labour( neither of his parents have for years) …but he was outraged by the axing of Hone…so ruled out Labour ….I would have thought he would have chosen Int/Mana next….but indoctrinated by commercial radio ( eg Sean Plunket) and its poison against Dotcom ….he ruled out INt/Mana!
…. instead he Party voted for the Greens ( all decided in the last week of the Election campaign)
…many others I know were confused up to the last minute …and obviously didnt vote at all ( i forced all the “confused” I knew to at least vote for a party on the Left)
And in the last week the Labour campaign came out with the very blatant lie…Only a party vote for Labour will change the Government.
Bloody awful, harmful decision to insult the intelligence of your supporters.
Politicheck website has expired. Did anyone notice? 😉
http://www.politicheck.org.nz/
if nobody noticed the politicheck site expired, did it really exist?
*grin*
I’m sure that it was all the fault of The Standard (better than PG looking in mirror).
indeed…or did anybody care…
so much promise, such an abject failure…
how right you are
For all those who think National is far right:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFEeS2OXpoI
The point about Dotcom is he is a genius if you look at the continum of his two hrs of footage , uninterrupted viewing on my old crappy laptop, get that anywhere else I dont think so ,no advertising interruptions or the plug pulled by the nations security services
people ought to get savvy the guy is an asset not a liability because a few people got fucked up in america and are they just playing the movie moguls game, has any one complained about mega yet
YOU think about the security of any ideas you have and post them thru conventional commercial internet communications anything from the gcsb to the american patent office can view it
THERE IS NO SECURITY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL NO MATTER HOW HONEST THEY ARE
any link, Think ? +100%
The only link is a clear head and analysing wat I see and here
The election everyones stoned /stunned on KEY -XKEYSCORE USA SECURITY
HELLO its 1984 rowing backwards
TELL all these politicians its a 5 oclock start for 12 hrs till they get off no tea breaks AND drug tests before you start and go home, the cops watching you go home pissed so you get busted
See how theyd like that
The real world of a good worker
“..the cops watching you go home pissed so you get busted”. Whats driving home pissed got to with it? If you drive a car after drinking too much you’re an unbelievable moron.