I have wondered for a while whether National’s constant message about Labour social engineering agenda (blah blah homosexuality blah smacking blah schools blah hugs blah blah) was actually a deliberate inoculation strategy to blunt accusations that National has a secret agenda.
It makes people cynical and disengaged, it means they’re unsurprised that National has dark secrets, it means they’ll vote for them anyway.
“It makes people cynical and disengaged, it means they’re unsurprised that National has dark secrets, it means they’ll vote for them anyway.”
That was modus operandi for most voters loooong before C/T waded in.
Michael Laws, in ‘The Demon Profession’ referred to MMP as the final opportunity our parliamentarians would ever get to bring back some dignity and respect to the occupation. I’d say 12 years on it’s fairly clear they’ve failed miserably.
Michael Laws, in ââŹËThe Demon Profession’ referred to MMP as the final opportunity our parliamentarians would ever get to bring back some dignity and respect to the occupation. I’d say 12 years on it’s fairly clear they’ve failed miserably.
MMP has made some difference, but it’s a matter of aggressively supporting politicians who deserve dignity and respect and aggressively attacking those who don’t.
Ultimately no matter how good a voting system is, it still succeeds or fails based on how people use it. A better system can make some real gains if it’s used with a decent amount of competency, but nothing’s a magic bullet on its own.
The fact remains that MMP has proved much more representative of New Zealand than FPP did.
“Was is a deliberate political tactic? I like to imagine things were once better than this”
Was Labour not campaigning on s59 reforms, civil unions and abolishment of referring legal matters to the privvy council a deliberate political tactic?
Don’t misunderstand me, I actually have no problem with the first two and don’t care that Labour didn’t campaign on them. But it does beg the question, doesn’t it?
It’s no good for people to whinge about National having a secret agenda when everyone on their preferred side of the political spectrum is just as guilty – with history and proof – of being exactly the same.
Was Labour not campaigning on s59 reforms, civil unions and abolishment of referring legal matters to the privvy council a deliberate political tactic?
Labour included the abolition of appeal to the Privy Council in their 2002 pledge card, won the 2002 election and passed the law in 2003. I’m not sure why this myth hangs around so thoroughly as it’s so demonstrably wrong.
The repeal of section 59 has long been a Green policy, and it was a Green Bill, it was drawn from the ballot and the debate began before the 2005 election, it was passed after the 2005 election. The bill was eventually supported by both Labour and National. Who do you believe should have campaigned on what and when?
Civil Unions was a conscience vote for most (all?) parties including both Labour and National. I don’t see how a party can campaign on something which will be a conscience vote.
“Labour included the abolition of appeal to the Privy Council in their 2002 pledge card, won the 2002 election and passed the law in 2003. I’m not sure why this myth hangs around so thoroughly as it’s so demonstrably wrong.”
Believe it or not, I’m having trouble finding the contents of the 2005 pledge card online so I’ll take your word for it and stand corrected.
It’s a pity Labour had to pass retrospective law to validate their spending on this though, isn’t it? Would you call it “courageous corruption”?
“The repeal of section 59 has long been a Green policy, and it was a Green Bill, it was drawn from the ballot and the debate began before the 2005 election, it was passed after the 2005 election. The bill was eventually supported by both Labour and National. Who do you believe should have campaigned on what and when?”
Sorry, Anita, but Clark herself when questioned on this before the election said that she thought it’d be trying to defy human nature.
Flip flop, secret hidden agenda, Slippery Clark – no amount of spin from you or anyone else will ever hide this. She lied to the people of New Zealand. If she really thought it would defy human nature then she would have voted against it. She didn’t – therefore, shes a liar. Once again.
“Civil Unions was a conscience vote for most (all?) parties including both Labour and National. I don’t see how a party can campaign on something which will be a conscience vote.”
I’m sure you don’t.
How about we make everything a conscience vote? Why wasn’t the ETS made a conscience vote? The answer is that Labour are determined to rort the system, and people like you continue to defend it.
2002 pledge card (2002 pledge card, 2002 election, 2003 passed legislation) not 2005. Actually, I shall correct myself, it was in their manifesto, not sure about their pledge card. Sorry, I’ve retyped this so many times it’s got a bit fuzzy đ I think I usually cite the republicans.
Section 59 repeal
Labour voted for the first reading before the 2005 election. I have no idea whether they campaigned on it or not.
Given that both National and Labour voted for the Bill, does it bother you that neither campaigned on it? Or only that Labour didn’t.
Conscience Votes
Anita: I don’t see how a party can campaign on something which will be a conscience vote.
HS:I’m sure you don’t.
How can a party campaign on something which is explicitly not party policy? That is the point of something being a conscience vote.
Last year a number of National MPs supported an attempt to make abortion harder to access, and a number voted against it. Do you think that means National should have campaigned on an anti-abortion platform? Or a pro-abortion one? Or what?
Blurring the edges
The answer is that Labour are determined to rort the system, and people like you continue to defend it.
Do I? I’m pretty sure I was pointing out that you were factually inaccurate, your logic was inconsistent and you weren’t crediting the Greens with their win on the section 59 repeal.
I think you’ll find me criticising Labour’s approach to climate change one thread over đ As I said in another thread today; why do all of us on the left get lumped together?
“Given that both National and Labour voted for the Bill, does it bother you that neither campaigned on it? Or only that Labour didn’t.”
National has nothing to do with it. They’ve been swallowing dead rats aplenty in the last few months, but it’s a pity that you don’t see the correlation between National and Labour.
Labour have swallowed just as many; they’ve just been far more astute at it. And do you remember Key saying anything along the lines that a reform to s59 would be like trying to defy human nature?
Let’s face it: on this subject, Clark and Labour are just plain liars. There are many other examples of National being the same, but this one is Clarks and Clarks only.
“How can a party campaign on something which is explicitly not party policy? That is the point of something being a conscience vote.”
Clark and Labour have NEVER whipped their MPs to vote in a conscience vote along party lines?
You must be joking.
“Do I? I’m pretty sure I was pointing out that you were factually inaccurate, your logic was inconsistent and you weren’t crediting the Greens with their win on the section 59 repeal.”
The Greens didn’t “win” anything. They were needed to make up the numbers.
“I think you’ll find me criticising Labour’s approach to climate change one thread over As I said in another thread today; why do all of us on the left get lumped together?”
Because they all gloss over the indefensible, just as the right do. In your case, you completely ignored the restrospective validation point I raised. You can pretend you didn’t see it, or that it’s been gove over many times before to your satisfaction, but ultimately it’s just that whole “courageous corruption” deal that you on the left don’t want to face. Because you need Labour and Labour needs you.
Face of modern politics? Reality of an MMP environemnt? In my opinion it’s utterly pathetic.
Because they all gloss over the indefensible, just as the right do. In your case, you completely ignored the restrospective validation point I raised.
What’s your problem with the retrospective validation Dean? Why do you think it was a bad thing? Do you actually understand the legal situation at all?
“What’s your problem with the retrospective validation Dean? Why do you think it was a bad thing? Do you actually understand the legal situation at all?”
I expect you’re going to pull out the whole “but everyone else did it” argument here. In fact, I bet you’re going to pass it off as being just by the by and quite mundane.
Which of course it might be if you don’t count the things Labour said about the auditor general prior to doing so.
Or the scale and purpose.
rOb, I’ve come to expect that you’ll defend Labour under any circumstances whatsoever anytime, because you see them as the greater good. This example is no exception.
We both know that if it had been the baby eating National party doing the same thing you’d be calling for their immediate resignation. Let’s not pretend here. You’re as partisan as Pinochet on this blog, and you know it.
Can you please move along while those with any kind of impartiality may or may not choose to debate the subject? Cheers.
If Helen is going to make “trust” the corner stone of her re-election campaign there are few points that need to be addressed.
1. Actually deliver the funds that each region was promised from the regionally distrubuted 5 cents a litre tax introduced before the last election, especially to Christchurch which is rapidly becoming the pothole capital of New Zealand.
2. Don’t brag about the biggest roading program this country has ever seen when it is only happening in Wellington and the former province of Auckland. Especially don’t do this if you do nothing to help Marlborough District Council avoid borrowing $1.3 million to pay for the repairs to it’s storm damaged roads when that regions roads are providing the land transport fund with $12m a year more than the region is receiving from the fund.
3. Remember the promise you made to Manawatu to pay for the flood damage to their roads and bridges? You didn’t say that the money would be clawed back at the first opportunity. Manawatu is now only receiving 40% of the money it is paying into the land transport fund.
4. Fess up that you stuffed up with the road safety strategy and that, thanks to high fuel prices suppressing traffic growth the target should have been reduced to 240 instead of being left at 300. Of course, you can’t apologise for the 1,000 avoidable deathes in the years since the NRSC told you how to cut the road toll to 150 (now 120 for the above reason) unless you actually implement the strategy, with a vengeance. Promise to raise the driving age, lower the algohol limit, increase funding for enforcement of serious offences by $60m and ringfence $500m a year of Transit’s funding for safety improvements, although that last amount really needs to be increased by 35% to cover the increase in the construction price index.
Not that National is likely to call you out on any of these points. Act might, but who listens to them. Of course, one of the responsible NRSC members that you declined to reappoint might speak out but that’s unlikely since that haven’t done that already. The one most likely to have spoken out is dead, killed while cycling home from work a few months ago, at a notorious cycle accident black spot. How’s that for irony.
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Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
MÄori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, MÄori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Governmentâs refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. âRecently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachersâ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.  âThe Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. âScience, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. âThe Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in TaupĹ as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the TaupĹ International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. âAnticipation for the ITM TaupĹ Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. âThe coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. âThis project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sectorâs productivity,â Mr Jones says. âThe project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Governmentâs plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. âBenefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Governmentâs commitment to doubling New Zealandâs renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealandâs latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. âOur Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. âNew Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Governmentâs intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. âThe introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Todayâs announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Governmentâs plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. âInflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sectorâs role in the export-led recovery of the economy. âI am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Governmentâs support for the revitalisation the sector.  "New Zealandâs wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. âThe inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. âMy meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singaporeâs outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.  Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpartâs almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During todayâs meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. âI am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. âPets are important members of many Kiwi families. Itâs estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iranâs shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.  âThese attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.  "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand â Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.  âDame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,â says Dr Reti. âI have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Governmentâs 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. âBoosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Governmentâs plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âOur country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,â Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.  âWe cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. âThis is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.  âThe strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin itârule ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies âfrictionâ is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. âFrictionâ is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) âFâsâ in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term âbulk billedâ refers to a GP visit they donât have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss whatâs in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to whatâs been on my mind for a while. Itâs very important. You see weâve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so weâve destroyed valuable coastal habitat â in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he canât stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
MÄori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of MÄori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao MÄori (the MÄori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, âWeâre here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment thatâs thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didnât find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. âI thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, hereâs our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
ZoĂŤ Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new âFast-track Approvals Billâ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister â the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory â gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australiaâs flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But thatâs changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum âre-imaginedâ itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-oldâs seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so itâs wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhardâs rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock Youâd be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesnât require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project Youâre not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesnât fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Booksâ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingwayâs Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans peopleâs self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelonaâs city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoffâs Wellington editor Joel MacManus: âYou can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups âClimate Action VUWâ, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Governmentâs âWar on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiâs popularity has grown exponentially â and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, theyâre better for the environment. No, thatâs not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
âIt will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealandersâ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether youâre watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, itâs not the done thing to know â let alone ask â what our colleagues are paid. Yet, itâs easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The governmentâs plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoffâs morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up â and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. Itâs consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
New Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...
The thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
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Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu âMissyâ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
Nearly all of voters will scream to the high heavens when the ETS burden smacks them heavily in the head.
I have wondered for a while whether National’s constant message about Labour social engineering agenda (blah blah homosexuality blah smacking blah schools blah hugs blah blah) was actually a deliberate inoculation strategy to blunt accusations that National has a secret agenda.
It makes people cynical and disengaged, it means they’re unsurprised that National has dark secrets, it means they’ll vote for them anyway.
Whatcha think?
But VTO the world will be saved I tell you saved !!
My prediction is that in 20 years we’ll look back at a bigger scam than Y2K.
“It makes people cynical and disengaged, it means they’re unsurprised that National has dark secrets, it means they’ll vote for them anyway.”
That was modus operandi for most voters loooong before C/T waded in.
Michael Laws, in ‘The Demon Profession’ referred to MMP as the final opportunity our parliamentarians would ever get to bring back some dignity and respect to the occupation. I’d say 12 years on it’s fairly clear they’ve failed miserably.
just listening to Maurice Williamson on rnz. he wont explain his statement. so it looks like the y have no agenda whatsoever. 2008 the ‘a4’ election
Phil,
Was is a deliberate political tactic? I like to imagine things were once better than this đ
MMP has made some difference, but it’s a matter of aggressively supporting politicians who deserve dignity and respect and aggressively attacking those who don’t.
Ultimately no matter how good a voting system is, it still succeeds or fails based on how people use it. A better system can make some real gains if it’s used with a decent amount of competency, but nothing’s a magic bullet on its own.
The fact remains that MMP has proved much more representative of New Zealand than FPP did.
“Was is a deliberate political tactic? I like to imagine things were once better than this”
Was Labour not campaigning on s59 reforms, civil unions and abolishment of referring legal matters to the privvy council a deliberate political tactic?
Don’t misunderstand me, I actually have no problem with the first two and don’t care that Labour didn’t campaign on them. But it does beg the question, doesn’t it?
It’s no good for people to whinge about National having a secret agenda when everyone on their preferred side of the political spectrum is just as guilty – with history and proof – of being exactly the same.
Ari:
“The fact remains that MMP has proved much more representative of New Zealand than FPP did.”
How many New Zealanders actually want the Greens or NZ First being the kingmakers?
Sorry, your assertion fails. The devil is always in the details.
Dean,
Labour included the abolition of appeal to the Privy Council in their 2002 pledge card, won the 2002 election and passed the law in 2003. I’m not sure why this myth hangs around so thoroughly as it’s so demonstrably wrong.
The repeal of section 59 has long been a Green policy, and it was a Green Bill, it was drawn from the ballot and the debate began before the 2005 election, it was passed after the 2005 election. The bill was eventually supported by both Labour and National. Who do you believe should have campaigned on what and when?
Civil Unions was a conscience vote for most (all?) parties including both Labour and National. I don’t see how a party can campaign on something which will be a conscience vote.
Anita:
“Labour included the abolition of appeal to the Privy Council in their 2002 pledge card, won the 2002 election and passed the law in 2003. I’m not sure why this myth hangs around so thoroughly as it’s so demonstrably wrong.”
Believe it or not, I’m having trouble finding the contents of the 2005 pledge card online so I’ll take your word for it and stand corrected.
It’s a pity Labour had to pass retrospective law to validate their spending on this though, isn’t it? Would you call it “courageous corruption”?
“The repeal of section 59 has long been a Green policy, and it was a Green Bill, it was drawn from the ballot and the debate began before the 2005 election, it was passed after the 2005 election. The bill was eventually supported by both Labour and National. Who do you believe should have campaigned on what and when?”
Sorry, Anita, but Clark herself when questioned on this before the election said that she thought it’d be trying to defy human nature.
Flip flop, secret hidden agenda, Slippery Clark – no amount of spin from you or anyone else will ever hide this. She lied to the people of New Zealand. If she really thought it would defy human nature then she would have voted against it. She didn’t – therefore, shes a liar. Once again.
“Civil Unions was a conscience vote for most (all?) parties including both Labour and National. I don’t see how a party can campaign on something which will be a conscience vote.”
I’m sure you don’t.
How about we make everything a conscience vote? Why wasn’t the ETS made a conscience vote? The answer is that Labour are determined to rort the system, and people like you continue to defend it.
Dean,
Creation of Supreme Court
2002 pledge card (2002 pledge card, 2002 election, 2003 passed legislation) not 2005. Actually, I shall correct myself, it was in their manifesto, not sure about their pledge card. Sorry, I’ve retyped this so many times it’s got a bit fuzzy đ I think I usually cite the republicans.
Section 59 repeal
Labour voted for the first reading before the 2005 election. I have no idea whether they campaigned on it or not.
Given that both National and Labour voted for the Bill, does it bother you that neither campaigned on it? Or only that Labour didn’t.
Conscience Votes
How can a party campaign on something which is explicitly not party policy? That is the point of something being a conscience vote.
Last year a number of National MPs supported an attempt to make abortion harder to access, and a number voted against it. Do you think that means National should have campaigned on an anti-abortion platform? Or a pro-abortion one? Or what?
Blurring the edges
Do I? I’m pretty sure I was pointing out that you were factually inaccurate, your logic was inconsistent and you weren’t crediting the Greens with their win on the section 59 repeal.
I think you’ll find me criticising Labour’s approach to climate change one thread over đ As I said in another thread today; why do all of us on the left get lumped together?
Dean, sorry I srcewed up your name. Tired brain and fingers today.
Anita,
“Given that both National and Labour voted for the Bill, does it bother you that neither campaigned on it? Or only that Labour didn’t.”
National has nothing to do with it. They’ve been swallowing dead rats aplenty in the last few months, but it’s a pity that you don’t see the correlation between National and Labour.
Labour have swallowed just as many; they’ve just been far more astute at it. And do you remember Key saying anything along the lines that a reform to s59 would be like trying to defy human nature?
Let’s face it: on this subject, Clark and Labour are just plain liars. There are many other examples of National being the same, but this one is Clarks and Clarks only.
“How can a party campaign on something which is explicitly not party policy? That is the point of something being a conscience vote.”
Clark and Labour have NEVER whipped their MPs to vote in a conscience vote along party lines?
You must be joking.
“Do I? I’m pretty sure I was pointing out that you were factually inaccurate, your logic was inconsistent and you weren’t crediting the Greens with their win on the section 59 repeal.”
The Greens didn’t “win” anything. They were needed to make up the numbers.
“I think you’ll find me criticising Labour’s approach to climate change one thread over As I said in another thread today; why do all of us on the left get lumped together?”
Because they all gloss over the indefensible, just as the right do. In your case, you completely ignored the restrospective validation point I raised. You can pretend you didn’t see it, or that it’s been gove over many times before to your satisfaction, but ultimately it’s just that whole “courageous corruption” deal that you on the left don’t want to face. Because you need Labour and Labour needs you.
Face of modern politics? Reality of an MMP environemnt? In my opinion it’s utterly pathetic.
Because they all gloss over the indefensible, just as the right do. In your case, you completely ignored the restrospective validation point I raised.
What’s your problem with the retrospective validation Dean? Why do you think it was a bad thing? Do you actually understand the legal situation at all?
“What’s your problem with the retrospective validation Dean? Why do you think it was a bad thing? Do you actually understand the legal situation at all?”
I expect you’re going to pull out the whole “but everyone else did it” argument here. In fact, I bet you’re going to pass it off as being just by the by and quite mundane.
Which of course it might be if you don’t count the things Labour said about the auditor general prior to doing so.
Or the scale and purpose.
rOb, I’ve come to expect that you’ll defend Labour under any circumstances whatsoever anytime, because you see them as the greater good. This example is no exception.
We both know that if it had been the baby eating National party doing the same thing you’d be calling for their immediate resignation. Let’s not pretend here. You’re as partisan as Pinochet on this blog, and you know it.
Can you please move along while those with any kind of impartiality may or may not choose to debate the subject? Cheers.
Does that mean you can’t answer my questions Dean? Didn’t think so. but don’t let your ignorance get in the way of a good rant.
If Helen is going to make “trust” the corner stone of her re-election campaign there are few points that need to be addressed.
1. Actually deliver the funds that each region was promised from the regionally distrubuted 5 cents a litre tax introduced before the last election, especially to Christchurch which is rapidly becoming the pothole capital of New Zealand.
2. Don’t brag about the biggest roading program this country has ever seen when it is only happening in Wellington and the former province of Auckland. Especially don’t do this if you do nothing to help Marlborough District Council avoid borrowing $1.3 million to pay for the repairs to it’s storm damaged roads when that regions roads are providing the land transport fund with $12m a year more than the region is receiving from the fund.
3. Remember the promise you made to Manawatu to pay for the flood damage to their roads and bridges? You didn’t say that the money would be clawed back at the first opportunity. Manawatu is now only receiving 40% of the money it is paying into the land transport fund.
4. Fess up that you stuffed up with the road safety strategy and that, thanks to high fuel prices suppressing traffic growth the target should have been reduced to 240 instead of being left at 300. Of course, you can’t apologise for the 1,000 avoidable deathes in the years since the NRSC told you how to cut the road toll to 150 (now 120 for the above reason) unless you actually implement the strategy, with a vengeance. Promise to raise the driving age, lower the algohol limit, increase funding for enforcement of serious offences by $60m and ringfence $500m a year of Transit’s funding for safety improvements, although that last amount really needs to be increased by 35% to cover the increase in the construction price index.
Not that National is likely to call you out on any of these points. Act might, but who listens to them. Of course, one of the responsible NRSC members that you declined to reappoint might speak out but that’s unlikely since that haven’t done that already. The one most likely to have spoken out is dead, killed while cycling home from work a few months ago, at a notorious cycle accident black spot. How’s that for irony.
Half of voters may think they have a secret agenda, but I bet half of all voters will end up voting National in this election.
Out of nowhere comes Brett with a ‘good point’! Maybe not quite half, but hey.