Politics

Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation

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New Zealand Needs a Security Alliance Fast

Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, April 25th, 2024 - 14 comments

Who will defend us when the military chaos now expanding in the world finally hits hard in our region, because that is what is really happening.

Goneburger

Written By: - Date published: 1:04 pm, April 24th, 2024 - 55 comments

As predicted 10 days ago the first Ministerial goneburger has occurred and it is Melissa Lee.

What does this Government have against the environment

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, April 24th, 2024 - 5 comments

It is almost as if the environment was really cruel to senior members of the Government when they were kids. But whatever the reason this Government appears to be intent on wrecking the local environment with a degree of vengeance and stupidity not seen before.

It’s not a culture war, it’s a class war, and the left should be naming it as such

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, April 24th, 2024 - 34 comments

The culture wars exist, and they are a tool weaponised in the class war.

The list

Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, April 21st, 2024 - 11 comments

Making a major infrastructure deal happen takes years of planning, exceptionally qualified people on all sides, and in New Zealand it takes about ten years of your life. Until now.

The Liz Truss of the South Seas

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, April 21st, 2024 - 35 comments

Liz Truss’s short reign as UK Prime Minister foundered after her budget requiring borrowing to fund tax cuts was released. The budget tanked the UK economy and caused Truss’s resignation. This week amongst announcements of massive cuts it has emerged that the Government is also planning borrowing for tax cuts.

Towards Banana Republic Status

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, April 17th, 2024 - 27 comments

There is a bill before Parliament right now that has the potential of blowing a rather big hole in our reputation as an open and transparent democracy.

At least Chris Bishop sleeps in a well made bed

Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, April 17th, 2024 - 85 comments

Having a decent home is a human right

On Newshub and economic voice

Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, April 14th, 2024 - 16 comments

Nigel Haworth writes on some of the historic implications and strategy of the worker plans for companies in the context of the worker initiated initiatives for allowing Newshub to survive.

The first Ministerial scalp?

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, April 14th, 2024 - 27 comments

Already we have what looks like an odds on favourite for the first Ministerial scalp.

National only wants to help tenants *

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, April 12th, 2024 - 48 comments

* get evicted more easily.

A sustainable environment should be a human right

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, April 10th, 2024 - 47 comments

James Shaw’s attempt to create a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is expected to be voted down soon by Parliament. But the New Zealand Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights have shown a willingness to recognise a right to a sustainable environment that some politicians refuse to.

Back on Track?

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, April 7th, 2024 - 71 comments

National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?

The Government thinks that Local Government should determine what works best for them*

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, April 5th, 2024 - 22 comments

* unless they want to set up Maori wards.

Greenpeace: Luxon bulldozes on in war on nature with 90-day ‘hit list’

Written By: - Date published: 3:17 pm, April 2nd, 2024 - 5 comments

Greenpeace is calling the Government’s new policy priority list “the next onslaught in the war on nature” following Christopher Luxon’s announcement this morning.

The future of UK Labour and what it means for Aotearoa

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 am, April 2nd, 2024 - 55 comments

It appears almost inevitable that Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But his taking the party to the right and an active drive to rid the party of left wingers raises the spectre that his Goverment would be a pale immitation of its predecessors.

Guest Post – I was wrong about rainbows

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, April 1st, 2024 - 13 comments

Brian Tamaki, recent victim of self/God?-inflicted burns. Don't be like Brian.

Guest post by Brian Tamaki where he shares his change of thinking about rainbows.

The Culture War Coalition

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, March 29th, 2024 - 53 comments

We have just had yet another week of the Government manufacturing culture wars and picking fights while ignoring the big issues. Like dealing with climate change, child poverty and homelessness.

CANA: Shane Jones, Chris Bishop, and Simeon Brown want the power to authorise mines and motorways on behalf of their mates with the click of a pen. Here’s how to fight back.

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, March 27th, 2024 - 29 comments

In reality, the Government knows that New Zealanders will be even more outraged if they see the list of environment- and climate-wrecking projects that these Ministers and their donor & industry mates have cooked up.

Chris Hipkins – Values Matter

Written By: - Date published: 3:59 pm, March 24th, 2024 - 94 comments

Text of the speech delivered by Chris Hipkins delivered in Auckland today.

The GCSB revelations

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, March 24th, 2024 - 24 comments

RNZ has reported that a foreign agency collected signals intelligence out of the GCSB for years without ministers knowing. And the collection only stopped after the equipment broke down.

Hoatu he tumanako ki a rātou

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 21st, 2024 - 20 comments

Grant Robertson has given his valedictory speech in Parliament.

This is what happens when you give landlords a big tax cut #1

Written By: - Date published: 3:34 pm, March 20th, 2024 - 57 comments

No funds to continue to give families of disabled people

Peters gets knocked down but may not get up again

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, March 20th, 2024 - 54 comments

Chumbawamba have threatened legal action against Winston Peters for NZ First’s use of their song “I get knocked down” and have described him as having divisive, small-minded, and bigoted policies.

Amateur hour

Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, March 16th, 2024 - 11 comments

Government members of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee have managed to vote to support a Labour amendment that would make electric vehicles more attractive but submit a report to Parliament that suggested that the amendment had been lost.

National’s Overseas Gambling Levy policy figures are not rock solid

Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, March 15th, 2024 - 4 comments

The IRD has estimated that National’s proposed Overseas Gambling Levy Policy will bring in $500 million less than it promised during the election campaign.

Rock Solid Financial Geniuses

Written By: - Date published: 2:55 pm, March 13th, 2024 - 45 comments

The right has this belief that they are economic geniuses. Occasionally this belief is shown to be faulty. Like this week when National’s costings for tax cuts to Landlords was $800 million more than previously estimated.

Tax cuts for landlords will not reduce rents

Written By: - Date published: 11:23 am, March 11th, 2024 - 127 comments

Recently the Government has been working out how to cut funding for school lunches for poor kids while at the same time it has also announced that it will restore interest deductibility for landlords.

Chloe Swarbrick’s first words as new Green Party Co-Leader

Written By: - Date published: 2:21 pm, March 10th, 2024 - 71 comments

In her first speech as Green Party Co-Leader, Swarbrick brings the party’s Charter to the fore, and talks about mobilising citizens to be part of democracy.

Vale, Magista

Written By: - Date published: 12:37 pm, March 10th, 2024 - 5 comments

Respects to the falling of the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt.

“Deliberate nuclear use

Written By: - Date published: 10:38 am, March 9th, 2024 - 18 comments

in a war over Taiwan” is the title of an Atlantic Council paper produced last September. They mean nuclear weapons. These are serious people; Undersecretary Bonnie Jenkins addressed them last year about AUKUS.

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

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