Written By: - Date published: 7:57 pm, February 13th, 2024 - 16 comments
We have remarkably little democracy left in New Zealand.
Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, February 10th, 2024 - 6 comments
This week we have seen National confirm it will cancel the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax and this will cause the cancellation or suspension of many projects designed to address congestion. And it has been confirmed that axing the clean car discount has seen sales of electric vehicles plummet. And that electric vehicles will shortly pay more to use the road than petrol vehicles.
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 pm, December 18th, 2023 - 18 comments
This is the only possible explanation. As well as celebrating all things car National has a pathological hatred of cycleways and walkways and public transport.
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, December 1st, 2023 - 18 comments
National’s 100 days of action is to address the rhetoric of economic difficulties but the announced policies will do nothing to help the pressure that ordinary people are feeling.
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, December 1st, 2023 - 119 comments
Tory Whanau is the latest high ranking female Politician to be the subject of a media onslaught based on rumour and innuendo.
Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, June 25th, 2023 - 4 comments
It is a given that the right in power want to sell public assets off and the left want to retain those assets. And it appears that the right’s eyes are on Ports of Auckland.
Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, June 25th, 2023 - 10 comments
In the absence of any political party stating clearly that public ownership of major infrastructure is a very good idea, here’s 10 good things public ownership of infrastructure does that private ownership doesn’t.
Written By: - Date published: 10:59 am, June 23rd, 2023 - 22 comments
Fresh from his success at selling off part of Auckland Council’s Airport shares Wayne Brown has proposed another privatisation, that of Ports of Auckland Operations by way of the granting of an operating lease for the Port’s activities.
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, May 13th, 2023 - 33 comments
A guest post by Seddonville Miner outlining the history of voting rights in New Zealand and how Christopher Luxon’s recent claims about our voting system are hopelessly incorrect.
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, April 15th, 2023 - 22 comments
Dear journalists, please do not let Mayor Wayne Brown off the hook regarding his appalling dereliction of duty.
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, April 14th, 2023 - 72 comments
Three Waters mark two has been announced. And Kieran McAnulty has given a text book example of clarity in political speak when making the announcement.
Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, March 26th, 2023 - 53 comments
We have heard numerous claims from Auckland mayor Wayne Brown and his supporters that the proposed budget is about saving money and getting rid of a nearly $300 million hole. This is a huge disservice to Aucklanders and hugely misleading.
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, February 13th, 2023 - 50 comments
Two unprecedented summertime storms in Auckland suggest that the threats posed by climate change are not in our future but are here now.
Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, February 3rd, 2023 - 34 comments
The Mayor of Supercity this week has given a textbook example of how not to communicate in a crisis.
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, February 2nd, 2023 - 71 comments
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is providing National strategists with a rather large headache.
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, February 1st, 2023 - 30 comments
There will be no respite for any of us this year; it’s a politics and a society of endurance.
Written By: - Date published: 1:40 pm, January 29th, 2023 - 135 comments
As Auckland slowly recovers but ready itself for further storms there is some attention being given to review Council’s response to the super storm. The initial impression, and this is held widely is that the response was sub optimal.
Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, December 20th, 2022 - 34 comments
Wayne Brown is proposing the sale of Auckland Council’s Airport shares to plug a budget hole. He thinks it is a simple decision and a rational way to take care of the deficit. I beg to differ.
Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, November 30th, 2022 - 412 comments
National, the party which enacted legislation that gave Waikato command over the allocation of the Waikato River, iwi command over the Taupo catchment and full Maori control over the massive Uruwera water catchment, has not traditionally been opposed to co governance.
Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, November 16th, 2022 - 70 comments
Remember when a few leaders ago then National Leader Simon Bridges promised that National would be a 56 MP policy machine? Judging by its response to the Government’s release of two bills at the centre of RMA reform the machine has major problems.
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 pm, November 9th, 2022 - 17 comments
Elon Musk and Wayne Brown both deliberately promote chaos.
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, October 20th, 2022 - 50 comments
Wayne Brown (or is that Matthew Hooton) has over the past few days released a series of letters that are astonishing in their audacity. His latest on transport proposes business as usual at a time when dramatic change is required.
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, October 18th, 2022 - 72 comments
Wayne Brown has by Mayoral decree ordered Watercare to stop working on the Three Waters reform. But he should take legal advice because his decree has absolutely no legal force.
Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, October 11th, 2022 - 81 comments
The left and the Ardern government need to start appreciating the new Auckland mayor.
Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, October 10th, 2022 - 147 comments
The people have spoken and with appallingly low turnout levels grumpy campaigns have succeeded and Auckland and other areas have moved to the right.
Written By: - Date published: 1:52 pm, October 8th, 2022 - 256 comments
Live updates and discussion post
Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, October 6th, 2022 - 43 comments
This year’s Local Government election is reaching a critical stage. And it is vital to get the right people elected. Please make sure that your families and friends vote for progressive candidates. Your kids and your grandkids futures depend on it.
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, October 3rd, 2022 - 47 comments
Wayne Brown’s mayoral campaign hit a really big pothole on the weekend when he was caught bad mouthing Herald reporter Simon Wilson. His comments received a lot of support from the right on social media who made comments about Wilson similar to the comments the left make about Mike Hosking. Are these examples of the same phenomenon, political bias against critical commentators?
Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 22nd, 2022 - 17 comments
Some concerning reports have emerged about Paul Eagle’s mayoral campaign. This week there have been reports that he snubbed a Labour Council candidate while endorsing a right wing candidate. And that he has been working behind the scenes supporting a team of independents.
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, September 16th, 2022 - 18 comments
Even though her name is on the ballot paper and people can vote for her National aligned Mayoral candidate Viv Beck has purported to withdraw from the Auckland Mayoral race.
Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, August 31st, 2022 - 28 comments
Recent leaks and publicity have caused huge damage to Viv Beck’s campaign to become Auckland’s next mayor. They also highlight the stark difference between the left and the right in terms of campaigning.
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