Archive for May, 2014

NRT: Climate change: Point of no return

Written By: - Date published: 1:18 pm, May 14th, 2014 - 26 comments

As has been long anticipated under current conditions, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet *will* melt with a more than average 3 metre rise in world sea levels. The only remaining question is how long it will take to melt. No Right Turn explains points out the slowly unfolding disaster…

Polity: Key – “Meh. Maybe I lied to Parliament.”

Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, May 14th, 2014 - 39 comments

Misleading parliament is serious. If it happens, MPs are supposed to make a stand-alone statement to the House about what they said, why it was wrong, and what they should have said instead. Key didn’t do that at all. He just inserted a pathetic “meh” concession into an answer to a question. And the speaker diminished parliament by letting him get away with it.

Open mike 14/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, May 14th, 2014 - 261 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

David Cunliffe on The Standard

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, May 13th, 2014 - 160 comments

The guest post from David Cunliffe outlining where he sees a Labour-led government heading.

What do you want to know about it.

David Cunliffe will be online after 5:30pm today to clarify any points people care to raise. The comments will be fully moderated. Check the rules about comments before making any.

John Key challenged!

Written By: - Date published: 4:57 pm, May 13th, 2014 - 24 comments

Nah, just kidding, here’s a few more examples of journalists just printing what he says…

Green Party pre-budget policy launch

Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, May 13th, 2014 - 10 comments

The Green Party will do a pre-budget economic policy launch: livestream here 11am 11.30am-12.30pm.They are pretty adept at interacting with Kiwis via social media, and on TV. They are grounded in grassroots activities, that link to their policies aimed at making life better for low-to-middle income Kiwis. [Updated#1: got start time wrong: #2 policy here – Green Investment Bank; news reports]

Open mike 13/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, May 13th, 2014 - 286 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

At home with David Cunliffe

Written By: - Date published: 10:38 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 117 comments

A really nice piece from Campbell Live tonight. It’s useful to see the leaders of political parties at home. It gives a better sense of who they are than the stage-managed set pieces and soundbites we usually see them though.

Polity: Economic plans compared

Written By: - Date published: 7:08 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 9 comments

Labour looks at increasing jobs, wage growth, and having the government run surpluses. National looks at a 1% wage growth after inflation after years of falling real wages and no drop in real unemployment as being a sign of a healthy economy? Yeah right. Most of the growth in the economy is simply passing wage-earners by. It is going elsewhere. That is National’s legacy: strong growth for the fortunate few, lagging and insipid growth for everyone else

NRT: “A wish, a target, and a dream”

Written By: - Date published: 6:47 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 58 comments

No Right Turn shows that John Key has no real understanding of the economic and political history of this country. Probably because the last time another economic illiterate from National said that the prospect of reducing unemployment in NZ to below 6% was “a hoax”, John Key wasn’t here. He probably heard it from that illiterate, who once again is our minister of finance. Unemployment under Labour was as low as 3.3%

Cunliffe interacts on Tuesday evening (rescheduled)

Written By: - Date published: 4:24 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 45 comments

Update: Rescheduled for Tuesday 5:30.
David Cunliffe will taking some time to write a post and engage on comments about it tomorrow evening. The topic will be about David’s “vision for New Zealand and how we get there”. The post may be up earlier, but the earliest that David will be able to respond will be about 5:30pm and then only for a limited period of time. The post’s comments will be fully moderated, so read the rules in this post about what is acceptable.

Sausagegate

Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, May 12th, 2014 - 76 comments

It just goes to show how National’s luck is running. John Key has arguably committed the offence of treating by handing out free sausages and has sabotaged the fundraising attempts of a couple of Queenstown kids. Now imagine if Cameron Slater had his hands on this story …

Late Mother’s Day Reflection

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, May 12th, 2014 - 26 comments

Behind the passive receiving of cards, chocolates and flowers.

Judith vs John

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, May 12th, 2014 - 46 comments

Judith Collins has her back against the wall. Weeks of intense scrutiny finally took its toll which culminated in her crazy attack of journalists last week. And the very last thing John Key wants in the lead up to the election is a damaged relationship with the media. So was Judith’s media-attack an irrational outburst? […]

The selective empathy of Key’s callous government

Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, May 12th, 2014 - 21 comments

John Key’s government is cutting back on state housing, uprooting families from their homes. Large numbers of state houses are empty, while many are left to move from caravan park to sleeping in cars or outdoors. Weasel words from Paula Bennett and Nick Smith.

Open mike 12/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 7:08 am, May 12th, 2014 - 270 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Polity: Trevett wrong on polls

Written By: - Date published: 6:13 pm, May 11th, 2014 - 33 comments

The activists and very often the geeks of the local political system hang around blogs. They crunch numbers and sample opinions. Like Rob at Polity, we’re always kind of amazed when we read the type of misinformation and outright bullshit that Claire Trevett wrote this weekend about internal polling inside parties. That the subsequent events virtually never seem to back up the claims of the gullible political press gallery people who make them, also never seems to get them to realize that they have been suckered again for political advantage. They must just like biting the hooks.

Ginny Andersen a rising star

Written By: - Date published: 2:28 pm, May 11th, 2014 - 38 comments

The very impressive Ginny Andersen topped a strong group of candidates at yesterday’s Wellington list conference. She’s worked for the police for the past eight years in policy and community work, is married with four children, one very new. She is also Labour’s candidate for Ohariu, and her  awareness of the pressures families are facing allied to her energy and experience will offer the voters of that electorate a very fresh alternative to the tired and lack-lustre Peter Dunne.

The Herald is turning against the Government

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, May 11th, 2014 - 92 comments

The Herald, normally a bastion of support for National, has this weekend printed a number of stories openly critical of the National Government. As John Armstrong asks, have the wheels fallen off the Government’s reelection campaign?

Open mike 11/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 11th, 2014 - 133 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Labour’s response plan for Christchurch flooding

Written By: - Date published: 6:57 pm, May 10th, 2014 - 22 comments

Labour has reached across the political divide and offered the government a host of actions to help those in Christchurch who have been victims of ongoing flooding since the quake.

There are some things that politics should be put aside for. Helping the people of Christchurch is definitely one of these things.

Open mike 10/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, May 10th, 2014 - 380 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

If it were someone you loved

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 pm, May 9th, 2014 - 56 comments

Today the District Court of Rotorua gave the CTU leave to take a private prosecution against the employer of forestry worker Charles Finlay for failing to take all practical steps to keep him safe. Charles got home at 6pm the night before he was killed and was up again the next morning for his 4am […]

Caption contest

Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, May 9th, 2014 - 145 comments

You know the rules …

Most Valuable Person

Written By: - Date published: 12:44 pm, May 9th, 2014 - 4 comments

Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder was voted NBA MVP by 119 votes to 6 for LeBron James. If you want a lift, his acceptance speech is well worth a watch – what a man! With his hugely generous spirit, it also shows how much a team means to the man carrying the main load. He gives New Zealand’s Steven Adams a very good rap among many others.

 

The politics of private dinners

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, May 9th, 2014 - 225 comments

Whether it’s Judith Collins, Michael Woodhouse or the Cabinet Club/s, National Party fundraisers, target the wealthy base they represent.  In the process, boundaries are blurred between mainstream politics, exclusive private spaces & personal relationships.

Moving Collins on

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, May 9th, 2014 - 89 comments

As Judith Collins enters her second day of lying low it’s instructive to look at how the establishment Nats are slowly and strategically removing Collins’ influence so they can ditch her.

NRT: A disease the world over

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 9th, 2014 - 30 comments

New Zealand isn’t the only place currently seeing a cash-for-access scandal. In Australia, the federal Treasurer has a similar arrangement to the National Party, selling access to a donors by membership of a “club”. And in the UK, the co-treasurer of the Conservative Party has said publicly that £250,000 gets you a private dinner with the Prime Minister.

Open mike 09/05/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, May 9th, 2014 - 180 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Perfect time for a positive programme

Written By: - Date published: 3:56 pm, May 8th, 2014 - 35 comments

With the government increasingly on the back foot , and one good Morgan poll out, now is the perfect time for Labour to come out with a positive programme for its approach to alternative government in the interests of all New Zealanders. Labour has a lot of great policy, and four months out from an election people want to hear it – all in one place, all the dots connected up, and clearly presented as relevant to regular Kiwis’ interest.

Polity: Key lies to Parliament: The proof

Written By: - Date published: 1:24 pm, May 8th, 2014 - 127 comments

Yesterday, John Key lied to Parliament. He made a very specific claim about a set of official documents, and those same documents show clearly that the claim was false. If Key is anywhere near Wellington today, he simply has to come to the House to correct his answer. Deeply embarrassing that may be, but he cannot allow such blatant untruths to stand uncorrected.

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