A Little Goes A Long Way

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 2:22 pm, October 5th, 2014 - 241 comments
Categories: labour - Tags: andrew little, leadership

Now that the final votes are in Andrew Little has been confirmed as a list MP. He has now said that he is considering his options around running for leader.

He would be a great choice. He’s left, he’s already identified some of the reasons for Labour’s disconnect with the voters, and he’s prepared to make the big calls. For example; no CGT, no rise in the super age.

As the former head of the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, Little has shown he can connect with working people. He knows their issues and he knows the solutions. He is a proven leader and has a history of working with different factions to bring unity. During his time as EPMU National Secretary, he convinced the staunchly independent Miners’ union to join his organisation. The benefit of that amalgamation was quickly shown in the cruellest of circumstances; the greater resources of the EPMU made sure the voices of the 29 workers killed by corporate greed in the Pike River disaster echoed through the public enquiry. The miners put their trust in Little and they were not let down.

It’s fair to say that he’s only a list MP. Or that he’s only just starting his second term. But Andrew has the skills and abilities to rise above the carping. He has a sharp mind, terrific debating ability and goes into the leadership campaign free of sectarian baggage. And according to his facebook page he likes The Clash, the Smiths and Woody Guthrie. There’s three great reasons to vote for him right there!

The NZ Labour Party is hurting. We need to find a way to cut through and reconnect with the Kiwis who rejected us at the ballot box. More importantly, we need to give those who didn’t vote a compelling reason to take five minutes on a Saturday morning three years from now to change our country’s direction.

In the ballot, Little will get some support from the membership. Maybe not as much as Cunliffe, but likely more than Robertson. He will get the tick from the affiliates. And, in caucus, he will get the votes of those not closely aligned with the other candidates. And possibly the ABCers if they tactically vote to keep DC out.

If he runs, I believe he will win. A fresh start, a fresh face. A Little may go a long way.

Te Reo Putake

(Disclaimer: I’ve known Andrew for ten years. I’ve worked with him on occasions and on the other side of the table from him on other occasions.)

241 comments on “A Little Goes A Long Way ”

Comments are now closed

lprent 1

5 October 2014 at 2:25 pm

😈

For those interested this would have been called “A panegyric for Andrew Little”, but TRP provided his own title.

I added the Webb caricature of Andrew Little
- ghostwhowalksnz 1.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 3:11 pm
  
  Didascaliae are a compilation of production notices for several stage works of ancient Rome.
  The Standards Didascaliae, that was the phrase I was looking for !
- Big red fire truck 1.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:26 pm
  
  Whale Oil thinks otherwise: http://www.whaleoil.co.nz/2014/10/really-labours-next-prime-minister/#more-157814
  
  Is this an issue, he losing New Plymouth badly, worse the second time? I am sorry for sounding disloyal but the elephant in the room has to ask! If he got Nashy as his deputy, he could teach him how to win~!
  - Ron 1.2.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 8:49 am
    
    The chances of Nash ever winning Leadership must be just about zero unless you were suggesting he join National or Conservative party.
    While Little may well be a lifesaver for Labour I would still prefer Twyford but for some reason he has not so far given an indication that he would enter contest.
weka 2

5 October 2014 at 2:36 pm

“He’s left”

Any chance you could be a bit more specific?

What’s his position on welfare?

What will he do about the left/right divide within caucus?

Is he in favour of increasing membership power within the party?
- blue leopard 2.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 2:52 pm
  
  @ Weka,
  
  Having watched parliament channel, I have learned a lot about left-wing principles through Little’s speeches. So much so, that I was a tad surprised that all the panelists on Q&A , including Michelle Boag, were being so positive about him.
  
  Being rather cynical about any support shown toward left-wing members by a righty, I hope someone who knows more will respond to your question because I thought there must be some [awful] reason why Boag was being so supportive!
  - Chooky 2.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 3:04 pm
    
    +100…the Boagey’s kiss of death
  - Cancerman 2.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 8:58 pm
    
    Because even though he is Left he is competent and wouldn’t embarrass the country like Cunliffe would if he was Prime Minister. With some of the stories around the traps of Cunliffe you wonder if he is Aspergers. Supposedly very smart but socially retarded.
    - Saarbo 2.1.2.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:13 pm
      
      “stories around the traps”…
      
      No one in parliament has had to face so many lies and rumours about himself, and as was revealed in some tweets last week…all fuelled by “jealousy’. If you have any facts then bring them up, otherwise stfu.
      - Rodel 2.1.2.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:51 pm
        
        yeah What a fool comment from Cm. Hey, look at me. I’ve learnt a big new word…Asp…….something.Not even Trollitics 101.
    - Granted 2.1.2.2
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:25 pm
      
      Interesting….He strikes me as a capable leader for Labour yet I am not convinced at the PM level….
      
      Time will tell…or maybe not
  - lurgee 2.1.3
    
    6 October 2014 at 9:05 am
    
    I thought there must be some [awful] reason why Boag was being so supportive!
    
    Maybe she’s doing it deliberately to turn leftists against candidates the right fears?
  - Tracey 2.1.4
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:06 pm
    
    boag would be excited cos she knows the right are excited by their file of anti union, commie smears
- Murray Olsen 2.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 3:14 am
  
  What’s his position on The Nissan Way, negotiated between the Engineers’ Union and Nissan, with union officials basically selling a worsening of work conditions to their members? I believe Peter Denny was very enthusiastic.
  
  What is his position on unions collaborating with employers to get rid of militants and even providing a blacklist, as the Engineers’ Union was doing in Auckland in the 1980s?
  - Te Reo Putake 2.2.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 8:37 am
    
    Murray, I imagine his position on both issues is that as he wasn’t around at the time it’s nothing to do with him. However, as EPMU Nat Sec in more recent times, he certainly did set a higher standard. For example, he pushed for the Kingsgate accord which ended the pointless cannibalisation of union members via membership raids and demarcation disputes.
    
    I think it could be accurately said of him that he both modernised the EPMU and took it to the left. Certainly, under his watch, the EPMU were far more militant. To give an example of a dispute you’re familiar with, the Progressive supermarket blue in 2006 was fought side by side to the end by the EPMU and the NDU. The old Engineers Union attitude would probably have been to stab the NDU in the back and cut a weak deal once the pressure came on. And then raid the NDU’s membership with employer support.
    
    Nah, his cap’s cut from a different cloth altogether.
    - Tiger Mountain 2.2.1.1
      
      6 October 2014 at 1:54 pm
      
      The Voice is probably right regarding Andrew Little. NWay was important in its time and place and there is residual support for what the “gingerbeers” did at Nissan amongst old EPMU folks with institutional memory–“Us against the maddies”–just as other unionists still see it as the ultimate sell out to enable “company unions”.
      
      Nissan Way turned out to be what its most trenchant critics such as me predicted–a micro economic labour control/union busting system. The then Engineers Union were part of the introduction in an underhand way but would soon have been discarded if the ongoing battles with Nissan in the United States are anything to go on.
      
      When the import substitution regime was removed by Rogernomics and following National govt the car industry was a goner notwithstanding teamworking etc. Fisher and Paykell buggered off to Thailand and Mexico too after instituting a virtually uncontested version of Nissan Way.
      
      In todays dependent contracting, agency, internship and precarious work environment such devices are barely necessary.
      - Te Reo Putake 2.2.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 2:26 pm
        
        Your last point is right on the money, TM. No need to co-opt the union if the workforce is atomised, under the thumb and scared about where the next pay cheque is coming from. I would hope Little would be keen to start challenging the neo-liberal consensus in practical ways, starting with strengthening collective bargaining. From there, we might be able to rekindle the flame of working class solidarity. And from there, we might be able to rebuild our society around need not greed.
TheContrarian 3

5 October 2014 at 2:37 pm

Little was on Q+A this morning – I thought he spoke very well and could well make a good run for it.
- Te Reo Putake 3.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 2:46 pm
  
  Cheers, TC. Link here: http://tvnz.co.nz/q-and-a-news/andrew-little-considering-putting-his-hand-up-leader-video-6098451
  
  And this from 3News: http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/andrew-little-hints-at-leadership-run-2014100417
  - TheContrarian 3.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 2:52 pm
    
    I hope he runs. I don’t like Cunliffe and thought if Robertson was the only alternative then I’d throw my lot in with him given I quite like the guy. However Little introduces something else entirely. Looking forward to seeing how this shakes down
  - greywarbler 3.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 3:07 pm
    
    Thanks for the links TrP – good to hear and see the man and his views and approach.
    Seems workmanlike, interested, ready to engage – not attempting the celebrity teeth flashing of Winston or the chummy confidential schmoozing of yek.
blue leopard 4

5 October 2014 at 2:42 pm

On a light note, the Labour leadership issue is increasingly reminding me of this book:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Are_You_My_Mother%3F

I hope that it sorts out as well as it did in the book!
Tamati 5

5 October 2014 at 2:46 pm

Good to see him looking to axe the CGT and retirement age. Labour needs to categorically rule those out in a first term, then use to public service to set out a comprehensive CGT policy and take it to the 2020 election.
- Hanswurst 5.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:12 pm
  
  No. Labour should not drop CGT, unless it comes up with something else that would be at least as effective in tempering the attractiveness of property speculation in the medium-to long term. It’s good policy and it took a long time to get it even as far into the main-stream as it is with Labour now (Jim Anderton had been talking about it for years). If Labour resiles from it now, it will be explnentially harder to bring it back at a later date. Voters, now relatively used to the idea of “vote left, get a CGT”, will not see it as a huge stumbling block – and I’m not really convinced that they did at the 2014 election either. If the left bloc can promote itself successfully to the electorate as a unit, it will not be CGT that costs them the government benches.
  - lurgee 5.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 8:19 pm
    
    More people support a capital gains tax than oppose it.
    
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11282563
    
    The policy is not the problem.
    - Tamati 5.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:09 pm
      
      Polls like this oversimplify voter decisions and behavior. People are more likely to get out vote against at tax, than be motivated to vote for one. i.e. Those opposed to the CGT may swing their vote, those who support it will probably vote on other issues.
      - Saarbo 5.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:24 pm
        
        Re CGT, how people look at it in 2017 will depend what happens to the property market between now and 2017. If it continues to increase at the current rate then people will be much more accepting of it, however if we have a property crash, then…
        
        Rob 5.1.1.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 11:05 am
        
        Yes , because CGT corrected other over heated property markets such as Sydney , yeah rite.
        
        CGT does not limit the inflation issues in housing that you are supposedly trying to solve. It does collect more tax, which is paid for by the owners who when owning rental property often pass it on to the renters.
        
        I think people need to grow up on the supposed benefits of this tax in regards to placing a hand brake on property values. It does not do that.
    - Hanswurst 5.1.1.2
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:13 pm
      
      Yeah, I read that. I just think that the issues surrounding CGT specifically at this election may have been more complex than that. Firstly, there can always be vagaries like, “I personally support a CGT, but, being of the impression that the wider electorate doesn’t, I won’t vote for the Labour party”, or “In theory I like the idea, but John Key muttered some stuff last night about capital flight, so I’m uneasy about the real consequences”. Secondly, while CGT would appear to be seen favourably on its own, it fit neatly into John Key’s cheap and inaccurate “five new taxes” screeching.
      
      Basically, apolicy which is not a problem in itself can appear to become one if seen as the flagship policy of a party that is down in the polls, or if it is attacked by a prime minister whom the electorate is disposed towards trusting.
  - Tamati 5.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 9:04 pm
    
    The issue is, not that a CGT is wrong, but their current policy is confusing and has too many grey areas left up to an “expert panel”. Far better would be to rule it out in a first term, then use the resources of the public service to formulate a policy and take it to the 2020 election. It’s far easier for a government to implement a new tax, especially once they’ve proven themselves capable of handling the economy. The GCT is a long term policy, so delaying by a year or two won’t make much difference.
    - Hanswurst 5.1.2.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:39 pm
      
      The issue is, not that a CGT is wrong, but their current policy is confusing and has too many grey areas left up to an “expert panel”.
      
      No, that isn’t the issue. The passing of law generally involves readjustment of that kind in any case as it goes through parliament and select committee stages. National’s tax-cut announcement and housing policy had at least as many questions open (probably more), and yet they were not subjected to the same slaughter attempts in the media.
      
      Far better would be to rule it out in a first term, then use the resources of the public service to formulate a policy and take it to the 2020 election.
      
      Nice theory, but historically it hasn’t worked like that. Labour had a reputation as sound economic managers after the election in 2002, but the “fart tax” frenzy whipped up by Federated Farmers and the National Party put paid to its initial attempts to curb CO2 emissions in NZ.
      - Rodel 5.1.2.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:57 pm
        
        The really sad thing about that is that they successfully branded it as ‘fart’ tax . Farting cows was a lie. Cows belching is the problem but kiwis got sucked in to believing the right wing lies yet again…sigh!
        
        Colonial Viper 5.1.2.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 2:09 am
        
        thanks to the MSM.
      - Scott1 5.1.2.1.2
        
        6 October 2014 at 6:56 am
        
        Maybe Labour was too detailed.
        
        ‘Yes we will put in a capital gains tax, no we won’t tell you the exact details because we don’t want you to rush out and form trusts designed to dodge he tax.’ (or something along those lines).
    - Annie 5.1.2.2
      
      6 October 2014 at 10:21 am
      
      +100
- Tracey 5.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 12:08 pm
  
  cgt wasnt as unpopular as the nats made out, in fact it polled pretty well.
whateva next? 6

5 October 2014 at 2:47 pm

Believing that stability I support Cunliffe, but unity is part of stability, and if Cunliffe simply does not have support within the party, we will continue to be divided and ruled.If Little can bring unity within and across the party, surely we have to look at the bigger picture, and stop this tribalism, that the right have successfully engineered, or amplified?
- weka 6.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 3:00 pm
  
  What happens if unity is not possible (no matter who is leader)?
  - whateva next? 6.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 3:22 pm
    
    As a Labour supporter, this statement is just not part of my thinking!
    - weka 6.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 4:11 pm
      
      If you can’t be honest about a serious problem it becomes next to impossible to change .
      - whateva next? 6.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 4:39 pm
        
        Not supporting avoidance of a problem (far from it) , but believe that unity is essential and always possible, if Labour want to be in government.
        
        weka 6.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 5:51 pm
        
        hmm, that’s faith based politics. It doesn’t matter what you or I believe if reality differs. It’s a possibility that unity isn’t possible within the current caucus. Why is that so hard to look at?
        
        whateva next? …
        
        5 October 2014 at 6:24 pm
        
        I think that Little could actually unite caucus, and stop tribalism that ……etc
        
        weka …
        
        5 October 2014 at 6:34 pm
        
        I don’t (I think that until Labour makes a decision about whether it is a left wing party or a neoliberal one, there will never be unity). But that’s by the by. What you or I believe is irrelevant in the face of what is real. I’m saying it’s possible that unity isn’t achievable by this caucus, so if that is true, what next?
        
        lurgee …
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:22 pm
        
        I think the likelihood of victory would do wonders for caucus unity. I don’t think either team LIKES being on the opposition benches.
        
        It doesn’t pay as well as being in cabinet, you see.
        
        Get Labour above 35% CONSISTENTLY and you’ll see a very loyal team indeed.
        
        (They won’t start scheming again until they are safely in power. Probably.)
        
        weka …
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:34 pm
        
        so fake unity then.
        
        Scott1 …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:06 am
        
        Faking it until you make it is demonstrably a valid strategy.
        
        One Anonymous Bloke …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:19 am
        
        National doesn’t.
        
        The difference is that when Bill English openly disagrees with the lying corrupt Prime Minister in the middle of an election campaign the media doesn’t react the same way to the smell of blood in the water.
        
        weka …
        
        6 October 2014 at 9:04 am
        
        Of course but faking it until you realise it’s not possible also happens. Why is it so hard to consider that the Labour caucus might not be capable of being unified?
        
        Foreign waka …
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:59 pm
        
        Tribalism is the domain of the National Party. The play on and with it. Labor on the other hand likes to be seen as academic but really should be more middle of the road. Only 13% of NZ adults have a bachelors or higher degree and 22% have no formal education (2014). The latter is very worrying. And no one is speaking for them, that is the real issue.
        
        Hanswurst …
        
        6 October 2014 at 1:25 am
        
        It’s a tragedy that we should feel that those with comparatively little formal education can’t be ably represented by those with degrees. The biggest problem in that narrow respect is the lack of respect shown by the highly educated for those of relatively little education, and vice versa.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        6 October 2014 at 1:40 am
        
        It’s a tragedy that we should feel that those with comparatively little formal education can’t be ably represented by those with degrees.
        
        Nah that’s not the tragedy.
        
        The tragedy is we think it normal that the smaller, more privileged, more highly educated group should consistently be the ones to represent the larger, less privileged, less educated group. Put another way. People who are qualified aren’t necessarily smart. And vice versa.
        
        Look at MJ Savage or Norman Kirk. The days of that Labour are long gone, with too many ambitious pol sci grads in their place.
        
        Hanswurst …
        
        6 October 2014 at 2:02 am
        
        Ah yes. The “vice versa” was supposed to apply to both parts of my statement. Whoever is doing the representing will be able to draw on the advice they choose to take anyway, so whom they represent is more to do with their background and philosophy than how they gained their qualifications.
        
        Murray Olsen …
        
        6 October 2014 at 3:26 am
        
        What do you mean by “no formal education”? Primary school provides formal education.
        
        Scott1 …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:04 am
        
        Just because a lawyer doesn’t “necessarily” know more about the law than you and are a small elite group, doesn’t mean you should refuse to use lawyers if someone takes you to court.
        
        One Anonymous Bloke …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:21 am
        
        “comparatively little” ≠ “no”
        
        Read it again Murray 🙂
        
        Murray Olsen …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:16 pm
        
        No reply button for OAB, but the person I was replying to said
        “Only 13% of NZ adults have a bachelors or higher degree and 22% have no formal education (2014).”
        
        What did I miss that I need to read it again?
        
        Tracey …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:11 pm
        
        how will he do that?
- Aaron 6.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 3:08 pm
  
  Surely if he’s too far left, the ABCs will just become the ABLs?
  
  Or am I attributing too much rationality to the ABCs? Maybe they’ll swing in behind Little in order to get rid of Cunliffe only to discover they’ve supported a genuine lefty by mistake?
  - whateva next? 6.2.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 3:21 pm
    
    who says he is too far left? bound to be anti-Little comments coming strong and fast, but supporting unions is not “too far left” necessarily, unions will be needed more than ever with a “too far right” government we have now.
    - Colonial Viper 6.2.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 8:04 pm
      
      The Robertson camp is not going to tolerate someone else being Leader of the Labour Party for very long, Cunliffe or Little, no matter how much the members and affiliates support them.
      - lurgee 6.2.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:24 pm
        
        I’ve always viewed modern trade union types as being on the right of the left. Practical people, used to dealing with business leaders and making compromises. The decline of trade unionism and the rise of the professional politician are the twin plagues of the left.
        
        phillip ure 6.2.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:47 pm
        
        @ lurgee..
        
        + 1..
    - Scott1 6.2.1.2
      
      6 October 2014 at 7:08 am
      
      regardless of exactly where we place him on the left/right scale –
      I think Labour already has the union vote. It needs to pick up other votes. I probably need to see more of Andrew Little to know if he could do that.
    - Tracey 6.2.1.3
      
      6 October 2014 at 12:15 pm
      
      if you think the national machine havent got the union = hard left/commie strategy ready to go…
      
      the next leader of the LP, imo, needs to be clear to the membership and caucus about exactly HOW they will counter tge inevitable barrage of smear and lies that will rain down on them from the national act machinery… otherwise they too will die in the water of good intent.
  - Cancerman 6.2.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 9:01 pm
    
    I think you’ll find that although the ABC are the “right” of the party they have been there in a time when Cunliffe was also the “right”. They don’t like his personality.
Clean_power 7

5 October 2014 at 2:48 pm

Mr Little should ponder his options and take the deputy position after Grant Robertson, the next Labour Party leader
- quartz 7.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 2:52 pm
  
  Your previous comments have called for Cunliffe to pull out of the race and now you want Little not to enter? Why are you so worried about a democratic contest?
  - Clean_power 7.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 2:58 pm
    
    No, I’m not worried.
    
    Considering the current state of affairs in the Labour Party, it is only fair to ask for a stable leader. Mr Cunliffe is a divisive and polarizing figure, and should be ruled out. Mr Little’s time will come in a few years, not now. Mr Robertson must be the next leader.
    - quartz 7.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 3:00 pm
      
      If the ideal result is this clear then why don’t you trust the democratic process to deliver it?
      - Clean_power 7.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 3:17 pm
        
        I trust the process, believe me. I am quite confident Grant Robertson will win the leadership challenge. Guaranteed.
        
        quartz 7.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 3:22 pm
        
        If you say so. I’m not fussed either way. I guess we’ll find out in a few weeks.
        
        Karen 7.1.1.1.1.2
        
        5 October 2014 at 3:39 pm
        
        I notice you have only been posting since Grant Robertson declared his leadership ambitions – another of Grant’s acolytes?
        
        fender …
        
        5 October 2014 at 3:55 pm
        
        “Clean_power” has been around for longer than that, but has never had anything favourable to say about Cunliffe
        
        At least Clean_power is consistant
        
        Clean_power …
        
        5 October 2014 at 4:03 pm
        
        You are right. Mr Cunliffe is a divisive figure who should step aside. If he doesn’t do that then the votes will be against him. It is only a matter of time.
        
        Mark my words: Grant Robertson will be the next Labour Party leader. No ifs or buts.
        
        fender …
        
        5 October 2014 at 4:09 pm
        
        The divisive label applies to yourself more than DC.
        
        Your “mark my words”, “no ifs or buts” is an unpleasant reminder of our PM, please desist..
        
        Clemgeopin …
        
        5 October 2014 at 5:50 pm
        
        Sadly, it is actually people like you that are divisive and damagers of Labour. You and the ABCers seem to be too thick to even understand that.
        
        One Anonymous Bloke …
        
        5 October 2014 at 5:55 pm
        
        Clean Power is another motivated-by-hate National Party representative.
        
        Clean_power …
        
        5 October 2014 at 6:12 pm
        
        I am neither a Nat nor an ABCer, but is patently obvious David Cunliffe’s dismal failure at the election requires a new leader, a less polarising leader. That’s why the party will choose Grant Robertson.
        
        One Anonymous Bloke …
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:35 am
        
        😆
        
        What you are is manifest in your effluent in this forum: moderated for homophobia, Taliban and Green in the same sentence, openly hostile to the Left, dishonest, bad faith, embodiment of ill intentions.
        
        All your comments put together amount to nothing more than a weasel, hence, representative of the National Party
        
        Clemgeopin …
        
        6 October 2014 at 9:49 am
        
        @One Anonymous Bloke
        
        What you are is manifest in your effluent in this forum: moderated for homophobia, Taliban and Green in the same sentence, openly hostile to the Left, dishonest, bad faith, embodiment of ill intentions.
        All your comments put together amount to nothing more than a weasel, hence, representative of the National Party
        
        No, that is definitely not I ! Did you address it to me by mistake?
        
        thatguynz …
        
        6 October 2014 at 11:18 am
        
        “David Cunliffe’s dismal failure at the election” – there’s your problem right there Clean_Power.. David Cunliffe didn’t lose Labour the election. Labour did. To conflate the two notions is disingenuous at best.
        
        Tracey …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:23 pm
        
        what is mr robertsons plan to counter the barrage from the nats smear and lie machinery?
      - ghostwhowalksnz 7.1.1.1.2
        
        5 October 2014 at 3:18 pm
        
        Thats the nationals partys approach, back room deals to cover the guided democracy they practice.
        
        Richard 7.1.1.1.2.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 6:35 pm
        
        @cleanpower.
        
        Don’t like your post. Very cocky statement as the labour party member I am, your making out my vote for either DC or Little won’t matter, like you have inside information. Or have rigged it for grant.
        
        Clarify your meaning and be bloody clear about it.
        
        No one has that much certainty , and no one garentee’s anyone a win in a democratic election. My heads hot and I’ve gone red.
        
        Rodel 7.1.1.1.2.2
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:04 pm
        
        CP yeah! yeah! we heard you the first time.
    - Foreign waka 7.1.1.2
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:09 pm
      
      I am not sure whether he is the right person. A carrier politician who never had real contact with the NZ working people. He is far removed from the reality of the average person and albeit having a nice portfolio did so far only convince that he is a “player” and good in office politics. We need someone who actually can formulate some idea what Labors vision for NZ is. Mr Robertson does not qualify in my opinion.
    - ClaretRed 7.1.1.3
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:15 pm
      
      Oh bollocks CleanPower. Just give the man a break for god’s sake. No-one has yet been able to explain to me why DC is so “polarising” as you claim, they just keep repeating it in the hope it will catch on.
      
      God forbid that we have someone who is articulate, intelligent, compassionate, business-minded AND left-wing as leader of the Labour Party.
      
      Just keep Cunliffe for god’s sake, there were many other reasons why Labour lost.
      
      The more that right-wingers like Boag and John Armstrong and Gower and Garner and Sullivan go on about how much they hate him, the more I’m convinced we should keep him.
Fair enough. 8

5 October 2014 at 2:48 pm

I agree with him becoming the Labour leader 100%.

I would hope he would pick his own deputy as he see’s fit and then during the next three years goes about persuading some of the old guard it is time to move on.
They are next to useless and only there to increase their superannuation payments.
Time to bring in some new blood into caucus.
anker 9

5 October 2014 at 3:30 pm

I saw Little interviewed for the Nation on the streets of ?New Plymouth, while it was raining.

He didn’t seem dynamic or charismatic, but what I liked about him was he didn’t seem like a politician and it was about the party, not about him.

Out of all of the Labour caucus, he has said the most insightful things to date about why Labour feared so badly and he avoided any hint of negativity towards DC.

I do wonder though why is it that people like Boeg are supporting him??? Why do they seem to hate DC with a passion???? I think it has all be so undignified. The Labour leader was supposed to be able to stand up to JK in the debates, this seemed to be the crucial criteria as to who should lead Labour. Well that’s what DC did well with that. I doubt GR will be able to (remember interview with Stephen Joyce on the Nation) and I am very unsure of Little in this regards. If DC had not been so vilified and seem to have people like him more, I wouldn’t hesitate about him continuing. Of course the reason people don’t like him is that he has been so vilified.

I also want to put my point across about David P again. IMO it is almost unforgivable that he let the public know he had no confidence in DC. DC may well be leader again and he has contributed to spoiling the brand. Shameful.
- Colonial Viper 9.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 5:42 pm
  
  David Parker was deputy to David Cunliffe. And his comments on DC”s leadership were appalling and unnecessary. Parker, as much as anyone else on the front bench, contributed to Labour’s failures in 2014.
  - Richard 9.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 6:56 pm
    
    +100
    
    Bang on CV.
    - Kiwiri 9.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 6:59 pm
      
      +1
      - Rodel 9.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:12 pm
        
        Yep. There’s still a place for old fashioned concept of loyalty.. in sport…work..
        corporations…relationships….even politics. Parker’ appalling gaffe has turned me off him.. similar to wot’s that goof who stood against Gerry Brownlee?- so forgettable..Oh yeah Dann the man (not).
  - TheContrarian 9.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 8:51 pm
    
    It appears that the ABCers have two distinct wings.
    
    The “Anyone But Cunliffe for leader” camp and the “Anyone but Cunliffe to blame for the loss” camp.
  - phillip ure 9.1.3
    
    5 October 2014 at 9:54 pm
    
    @ c.v..
    
    “..Parker, as much as anyone else on the front bench, contributed to Labour’s failures in 2014..”
    
    + 1..
- Saarbo 9.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:44 pm
  
  @anker
  Agree 100%
  
  Parker’s intemperate comments were way out of line. Parker’s policy of increasing the eligibility of super must be in the top 5 reasons why Labour only got 25% in the election.
  - Scott1 9.2.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 7:14 am
    
    maybe Labour lost votes to NZfirst on this issue?
    
    Seems the worst part of this debate is that the commitment comes now but the saving are way out in the future. To sell it you need to have some way to promise future benefits and spending out 10 or 20 years in the future.
Bill 10

5 October 2014 at 3:38 pm

As I’ve commented often enough of late, my bugbear with Cunliffe is that he has been utterly lacking when it has come to ‘dealing to’ destabilising currents within the LP.

In his first interview after announcing he would be running (Campbell Live) he, yet again, and in a seeming inability to develop strategy and learn from mistakes, stated he’d be happy to have his opposition (Robertson this time) as deputy.

I mean, that idea of keeping your enemies close worked out really well over the past year, right?

Anyway. If Andrew Little has the wherewithal to stamp his authority on caucus (something Cunliffe seems incapable of doing), then he should stand.

I guess whether Cunliffe steps aside at that point would be seen as neither here nor there by some, given the preferential voting system in place. However, I’d rather see him step aside and endorse Little.

And then I’d like to see Little stomp where Cunliffe has pussyfooted and essentially read the riot act to the wannabes and has beens with every intention of translating his displeasure at them into action raining down on them.
- Colonial Viper 10.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 6:25 pm
  
  I find it amazing that Cunliffe, after all this time, has not understood the measure of the ABCs and of Robertson.
  
  But can Little make any difference at all, as leader if he gets it? I honestly cannot see Grant Robertson or his supporters being satisfied with Little at the top. Which means that even if Little gets in, it will be a 2017 loss and Grant stepping forward again to put himself up.
  - BM 10.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 6:29 pm
    
    Cunliffe lives in his own world, which is why he makes so many dumb comments.
    
    The guy is a background support player, not a leader.
    - Richard 10.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 6:42 pm
      
      @ BM ..What? , did you see Backbenchers, Mallard in the crowd as Grants support. Mallard and the Moa middle election. Parker rubbishing Cunliffe for doing a bad job. But parker formed most policies Cunliffe had to sell
      
      perhaps THEY sabotaged labours chances. Perhaps they are looking like right wingers who infiltrated labour to bring it down.
      
      Just saying
      - BM 10.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 7:01 pm
        
        No I didn’t..
        
        Any way, facts are, Cunliffe doesn’t work well with others, hence the less than flattering comments about the man.
        
        Cunliffe, not labours future.
        
        Richard 10.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 7:19 pm
        
        Don’t believe the hype. PLUS everyone loathed Patton he was a winner. Same with Monty, stuck up arrogant, was a winner.
        
        Fact is the hard to get on with usually are the best because they make the hard calls that may hurt their friends but are the right calls.
        
        Winston Churchill wasn’t liked he in the first world war he was an idiot he wiped out a whole army almost in one battle he commanded WW1, he grew into a fine leader in ww2 but still he wasn’t liked.(as in voted straight out after winning war.)
        
        Labour are in war mode until we regain the helm from the nazi nats, and we damn well need a war time type leader to do it. IMHO .
        
        Problem with DC’s leadership is he needs the power to dismiss the factions against him who are sabotaging the war effort.
        
        Scott1 10.1.1.1.1.2
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:17 am
        
        But Cunliffe’s caucus was bit like Obama trying to work with the republicans in congress. Once the ABC was created – the only acceptable position from him would have been total capitulation.
        
        At that point I don’t think saying he lacks in a skill is particularly relevant – it is just whether you get rid of him for pragmatic reasons or if you flip the bird to Robertson and co.
      - lurgee 10.1.1.1.2
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:27 pm
        
        Mallard and the Moa middle election
        
        It was three months before the election.
        
        perhaps THEY sabotaged labours chances. Perhaps they are looking like right wingers who infiltrated labour to bring it down.
        
        Or maybe David Cunliffe was.
        
        Oh, and Monty was not a successful general. He got lucky, in Africa, because the other side were exhausted and out of supply. But in France, he constantly blundered and his only effective contribution was to tie up some Panzer divisions while the Americans did the heavy work.
        
        Richard 10.1.1.1.2.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:41 pm
        
        “It was three months before the election.”
        
        The election started what 3-4 months ago, ok, start of the election, I don’t count the 8 weeks? they are officially allowed more when the press starts focusing more on it and that to me was 6 months ago ish..
        
        Splitting hairs comes to mind.
        
        “Or maybe David Cunliffe was.”
        
        Um Yeah nah, my bad, I sometimes forget the /sarc tag. Sorry mate.
        
        “Oh, and Monty was not a successful general. He got lucky, in Africa, because the other side were exhausted and out of supply. But in France, he constantly blundered and his only effective contribution was to tie up some Panzer divisions while the Americans did the heavy work.”
        
        You are mostly right, however, I would like to dispute lucky, and extend the card of he drew Rommel out and extended his supply lines until he was vulnerable, then took the task too him. I thought he did well with a demoralized and beaten army, to rally them into a winning force. They had been thrashed when he turned up. IMHO
        
        as for Europe well he was battling bigger ego’s he didn’t have a chance.
        
        Murray Olsen 10.1.1.1.2.2
        
        6 October 2014 at 3:52 am
        
        Monty was a meticulous planner who wanted as many as possible of his men to stay alive. This doesn’t suit Hollywood as much as a prima donna with pearl handled pistols who slapped around soldiers who had been pushed past their limits. The British did plenty in Europe post D-Day, even though they were exhausted and running out of manpower. In any case, the real heavy lifting was being done in the East, by the Red Army.
        
        To stay on topic: if I wanted an ex-union bureaucrat leading Labour, I would at least want one who had come from the shop floor, rather than one who saw it as a nice career while they were at university.
  - weka 10.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 6:32 pm
    
    @ CV. Right, so what does that tell us? That the caucus can’t be left to its own devices (or trusted by the sounds of things). What’s the membership up to?
    - Colonial Viper 10.1.2.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 8:07 pm
      
      I think Cunliffe needs to campaign for the leadership primary on a platform of democratising the party further.
      
      This will ensure that any caucus member can be held to account if they add to the disarray, disunity and destructive individual ambition that caucus has so far demonstrated.
      
      I cannot speak for the Labour Party membership in general, but down here in Dunedin South, the party machinery is working hard to build up grassroots membership and activity after the election, regardless of the distractions of the Wellington focussed scrum.
      - BM 10.1.2.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:12 pm
        
        Democratising, is that the code word for purging?
        
        Colonial Viper 10.1.2.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:15 pm
        
        Purges can be democratic, right?
        
        BM …
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:16 pm
        
        Yep, nothing screams democracy like a bullet in the back of the head.
        
        Richard …
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:48 pm
        
        Ouch, or communism. Bit close to the truth of my history that.
        
        Funny when I hear that sentence now, having recently learned what happened to the rest of my dads family in Albania after he escaped. It makes me very sad.
        
        sorry off topic.
        
        Tracey …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:33 pm
        
        you finally conceded rich and power didnt “resign”
        
        weka 10.1.2.1.1.2
        
        5 October 2014 at 8:19 pm
        
        only if you’re an idiot.
        
        Thanks CV.
  - Bill 10.1.3
    
    5 October 2014 at 7:01 pm
    
    ‘Understanding’ the measure of someone/thing and dealing with or to them are different things. And Cunliffe has (sadly) shown an inability to act decisively and deal with shit.
    
    I have no reason to believe Little is cut from that same cloth.
    
    And neither Robertson, his supporters, nor anyone else within caucus needs to be ‘satisfied’ with Little as leader…they just need to be banged into place by him.
    - Colonial Viper 10.1.3.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 8:12 pm
      
      Yep and you have seen how this can and should be done Bill. Labour Party members need a Leader of the party willing to assert authority when the situation demands it. Cunliffe was given an overwhelming mandate from the members and affiliates last year to do just that. And I think Cunliffe has it in him – but he has tried and failed to play the role of peacemaker with types who have no interest in giving him peace.
      - Bill 10.1.3.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:12 pm
        
        yup. He tried and failed to ‘win the peace’ using precisely the wrong strategy. And I said it at the time when he became leader and I said it again and again in the ensuing months. But okay – shit happens. Now here’s the thing. When he sits on Campbell and says Robertson could be his deputy, he’s demonstrating an inability to learn and develop new strategy off the back of past errors.
        
        So here am I, a member, faced with giving my vote to a guy who seems to be sincere in his left wing beliefs, but who has no idea how to get them in place, or of how to neutralise an antagonistic caucus, versus giving my vote to a guy whose political approach makes my skin crawl.
        
        If Little stands, my choice becomes a lot less painful. It’s not that I think Little is the be all and end all – far from it. But at least those that are in dire need of a serve will probably be on the receiving end of one.
        
        Then we can worry over Little’s inevitable inadequacies.
        
        And just an afterthought. Wouldn’t it be nice if he gave the various schoolyard tactics of so many journalists short, sharp and very public thrift and demanded of them in no uncertain terms that they begin to learn to behave and conduct themselves like actual journalists? (NZ would fcking cheer!) Now, I know I might be dreaming on that last point, but I’m sick and tired of watching politicians try to engage with these puerile fucks on their own level. Time to kick the ba’ onto the slates.
        
        weka 10.1.3.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:16 pm
        
        So how far left is Little?
        
        Bill …
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:34 pm
        
        You’re asking how ‘left’ the EPMUs former secretary is; the same secretary who made the EPMU one of the more effective unions in NZ during his time there?
        
        Hmm. He’s nowhere near as left as me. But he’s ‘left’.
        
        weka …
        
        5 October 2014 at 10:37 pm
        
        Yes, I am asking how left the EPMU’s former secretary is, not least because many of us don’t have much to do with unions so won’t know what that means.
        
        More left than Cunliffe, or less?
        
        Bill …
        
        5 October 2014 at 11:11 pm
        
        Left enough and, more importantly, capable enough would be my take. More or less left than Cunliffe? I neither know nor care. It’s the delivery of left leaning policy that interests me – and that’s absolutely contingent on whoever is leader having the ability to stamp their authority on elements of that caucus and be clear that they will brook no nonsense.
        
        Tracey …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:35 pm
        
        bill
        
        isnt their ability to repel the inevitable two track machinery of nats and act crucial.
        
        i havent read any actual strategies for dealing with this.
        
        Keir Leslie …
        
        6 October 2014 at 11:20 am
        
        Almost certainly more left than Cunliffe when Cunliffe was into PFI schemes for hospitals, almost certainly less left than Cunliffe when Cunliffe was preparing to die under the red flag in the leadership election. Whether or not he’ll be more or less left than a future Cunliffe who’s trying to move to the centre? Who knows, I don’t think anyone can predict where Cunliffe’s ideological trajectory will head after this.
        
        He’s no more left than Grant Robertson, and probably will draw support from a more right-wing base within the party than Grant does. (Stuart Nash, for instance.)
        
        Not a PS Staffer …
        
        6 October 2014 at 11:51 am
        
        Robertson is neither left nor right. That is what pisses the members off so much. I’ve seen him make entertaining speeches which, when alaysed, say very little. Robertson will do whatever it takes to have a big desk in the Parliamentary complex, preferably in the Beehive.
        
        Keir Leslie …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:19 pm
        
        Actually I don’t think that’s true. As someone who’s sat on Policy Council meetings with Grant when Labour’s Platform was being put together, Grant has solid left wing values, and stood up for the membership’s right to be heard and involved in that process, while still being a respectful chair and a loyal deputy leader.
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:35 pm
        
        Grant has solid left wing values, and stood up for the membership’s right to be heard and involved in that process, while still being a respectful chair and a loyal deputy leader.
        
        I’m sure that is the case. However, a large number of notable MPs voted against the inclusive, democratic leadership selection process that the NZLP now uses. Grant Robertson was one of them.
        
        [lprent: Offhand I can’t think of anyway to prove this one way or another unless you were watching him in the 2012 conference. There are no records of the hand or card votes there down to branches or people. If you want to assert that, then you should also say how you know otherwise I will satrt getting finicky. KL below is completely correct in their objection. ]
        
        Keir Leslie …
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:45 pm
        
        That is a bare faced lie. Robertson voted for, organised for, fought for, helped win us the inclusive, democratic process we use now.
        
        I don’t know how or if he voted on Cunliffe’s divisive and self-interested attempt to make it easier to roll a leader chosen by that inclusive and democratic process by giving a minority in caucus the ability to depose them. That was a different fight, and one the membership at conference was pretty closely divided on.
        
        But Robertson was a staunch driver of the party democratisation process, while making sure that the leader of the party wasn’t undermined.
        
        Roztoz …
        
        6 October 2014 at 5:53 pm
        
        I was next to GR at that vote. He voted for democratisation.
        
        And that was only after a year of pushing the changes through caucus and keeping NZ Council and caucus talking on it.
        
        As KL says, the Cunliffe amendment that gave 40% of caucus the right to topple a leader was a whole ‘nother kettle of fish.
        
        CV please don’t let your conception of Grant and others in caucus cloud your memory of that conference and what sides people have been on.
Hami Shearlie 11

5 October 2014 at 4:00 pm

Andrew Little is a very dour dry kind of personality , wooden-faced with no charm and no seat either – so I can’t see him having the voters warming to him – he would be better than Robertson, but not in Cunliffe’s league!
- fender 11.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 4:18 pm
  
  “..he would be better than Robertson, but not in Cunliffe’s league!”
  
  +1
- Tangled_up 11.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 4:22 pm
  
  I agree he’s not on Cunliffe’s level; but better than Robertson.
  
  However, with his history he could compete in the affiliated unions vote which could affect Cunliffe’s chances.
- wyndham 11.3
  
  5 October 2014 at 4:31 pm
  
  Sorry and no disrespect but Andrew Little just does not have IT.
  
  Don’t ask me to define IT. It just is . Kirk had it. Lange had it. Key (unfortunately) has it. It is the indefinable quality that appeals to the wider population and means votes; lots of them.
  - left for dead 11.3.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 4:44 pm
    
    Very poor examples,sadly Kirk died.Helen Clark did not have it,look where that got her.
    - Chooky 11.3.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 11:33 pm
      
      “Helen Clark did not have it,look where that got her”
      
      ……winning three Elections for Labour not enough for the misogynists?
      - Scott1 11.3.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:24 am
        
        If by “it” we mean the ability to win elections based on the leader – Helen Clark had “it”. Far better than any current labour candidates anyway. It is nonsense to say she didn’t.
      - left for dead 11.3.1.1.2
        
        6 October 2014 at 9:40 am
        
        Thats my point,with the right people around her,she exalted (hope thats the proper spelling)one of our best,yes had faults though,don’t we all.
  - Tracey 11.3.2
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:38 pm
    
    key was taught it. so who is going to teach the next lp leader AND Key has it cos of the two track strategy.
    
    didnt little have his own policy stumble during the election
- Colonial Viper 11.4
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:20 pm
  
  IMO Cunliffe is sharper on his feet, far more experienced and has that x factor in person which gets supporters and members very excited. Cunliffe has also been put through the Dirty Politics wringer already, and come out the other side. And any new contender would be starting from scratch on that front.
  
  Andrew Little is no doubt capable – but it’s very early in his parliamentary career to take a run up and as we saw a premature tilt did Shearer’s long term political career no good.
  - Granted 11.4.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 9:37 pm
    
    His popularity in the polls would suggest that Cunliffe does not get people excited. Even his electorate results confirm this?
    - weka 11.4.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 10:39 pm
      
      reread what CV said, I think you have misunderstood.
  - Tracey 11.4.2
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:39 pm
    
    exactly. what he has learned in a year can only be learned through experience… labour is going to waste it again…
    
    goff… shearer…cunliffe…
  - Westiechick 11.4.3
    
    6 October 2014 at 9:08 pm
    
    Agree. I think he lacks political experience as does the other guy. He and Mallard acted like complete muppets when Collins was suing them for defamation.
MrV 12

5 October 2014 at 4:08 pm

Andrew Littles own Mum wouldn’t vote for him, so colour me skeptical.
- weka 12.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 4:11 pm
  
  what?
  - Te Reo Putake 12.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 4:24 pm
    
    Andrew’s Mum has been a National Party member for decades and when he first ran in New Plymouth she said she was conflicted about which way to go. She also said her loyalty was to her son, so unless MrV was in the polling booth on election day 2011 and watched Mrs Little vote, he’s full of what taranaki bulls leave behind them on the paddock.
    - weka 12.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 5:49 pm
      
      ta
    - Richard 12.1.1.2
      
      5 October 2014 at 7:00 pm
      
      If labours flag was purple (maybe blues her fav colour)would that have helped littles mum?
      
      I doubt anyone can persuade a national party fan to switch teams. Families can be the worst. Not even if it’s because of the colours.
      
      I have an English mum. I’m a kiwi. In rugby the shit hits the fan when the poms play the AB’s it’s tense , very bloody tense.
    - Chooky 12.1.1.3
      
      5 October 2014 at 11:35 pm
      
      lol
- left for dead 12.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 4:27 pm
  
  Can you expand that a Little,deadly serious/sarq
Tommy 13

5 October 2014 at 4:46 pm

Interesting moves from Andrew.

He’s long been clear about his desire to lead the party.

I think his biggest hurdles will be a lack of caucus support, and a lack of charisma.

His politics are generally good, he’s on the right(left) side of most debates.

What concerns me is what I heard from his time holding the labour portfolio. Word is he rejected the CTU’s policy because he didn’t want to give CTU president and potentional rival Helen Kelly a win. Instead, he rewrote it at the 11th hour. Also pushed to drop Section7. Also didn’t save Darien Fenton from Cunliffe’s mob.

Andrew will not win. He does not have the support in caucus or the membership. If he knows this, which he should, then he’s doing this for his own ambition.

Thats not good for Grant, and no doubt Andrew’ll bargain his votes for deputy etc. That could deny the popular Jacinda Ardern the place the party needs her to be in 2017.

If Little throws his second prefs to Cunliffe, then the party is back to square one.

All eyes are on Andrew. I like him. I like his politics. I just hope he doesn’t fuck this one up. Our party can’t afford another chief with so few loyal Indians.
karol 14

5 October 2014 at 5:02 pm

I have watched Little a bit because he was tipped as a future Labour leader before he entered parliament.

He has done some very good speeches in the House, but he also can be a bit ponderous.

Maybe he needs more experience?

I also have a suspicion he’s pretty much to the right within Labour.
- Jamal 14.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:13 pm
  
  Little is a solid social democrat, and as he showed at the EPMU he’s not afraid to fight for it. He’s also a liberal, but because he’s focused on bread and butter Labour issues like jobs and wages some assume (wrongly) that he’s on the Right of the caucus. Ignore the crap and look at what he’s actually stood for in his career. He’s one of us.
- Chooky 14.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 11:39 pm
  
  @karol…. “I also have a suspicion he’s pretty much to the right within Labour”.
  
  ….with Boagie as his God Mother you have to be suspicious
BM 15

5 October 2014 at 6:20 pm

My first choice would be Nash but if he wasn’t running Little would be the next best option.

He’s a bit like Nash, an unknown quantity who hasn’t been tarnished by all the bullshit and back stabbing that’s gone on in the last six years.

I believe Labour has to choose some who can come in with a clean slate, it’s the only way the public will accept the next labour leader.

Also the unions keep labour a float, they should have a union person in the top job or at least deputy.
- Kiwiri 15.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 6:28 pm
  
  It is quite mystifying as to why those RWNJs like you and fisiani display such interest and concern for the choice of Labour’s leader to ensure the Labour Party will be on the road to victory in 2017
  😐
  - BM 15.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 6:31 pm
    
    It’s just my nature, I like to help people 🙂
    - blue leopard 15.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 6:33 pm
      
      lolz that’s rather an amusing comment from you there, BM
      - BM 15.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 6:49 pm
        
        Thank you, you can’t take this stuff too seriously otherwise you’d go mad.
        
        Getting all worked up about shit that’s completely out of your control, it’s a recipe for a stroke or at the least, terrible bowel movements.
        
        blue leopard 15.1.1.1.1.1
        
        5 October 2014 at 9:14 pm
        
        Oh, so that is what your name stands for! Actually I suspect the bowel movement part probably comes from being too far to the right, but I’ll forgive you that wee error and take this opportunity to agree with you.
        
        I appreciate a good dose of humour, thanks for the laugh 🙂
        
        Colonial Viper …
        
        6 October 2014 at 1:19 am
        
        LOL, BL.
        
        Tracey 15.1.1.1.1.2
        
        6 October 2014 at 12:43 pm
        
        you didnt vote then?
    - anker 15.1.1.2
      
      5 October 2014 at 7:49 pm
      
      Try helping the family with six kids living in a car. They need your help more than we do!
    - anker 15.1.1.3
      
      5 October 2014 at 7:53 pm
      
      Skinny @18. All good. Good to make the best call for the party and I am sure all of us who have a vote will do.
      
      I have to say I thought it was pr genius turning up at that South Auckland church. Can’t argue with the punters.
      
      BTW what has happened to Apples, Oranges, Peaches etc. GR pr group who blanket this site a couple of days back?
  - Rodel 15.1.2
    
    5 October 2014 at 8:17 pm
    
    Kiwiri-It’s not mystifying. It’s amateurish attempts at Machiavellian techniques.
    
    ” Italian statesman and political philosopher; full name Niccolò di Bernardo dei
    Machiavelli. His The Prince (1532) advises rulers that the acquisition and effective use of power may necessitate unethical methods.”
    
    Pretty transparent really and thankfully ineffective- but it keeps them happy .
    - Kiwiri 15.1.2.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 8:43 pm
      
      Yeah.
      And I was choosing whether to put a sarc tag or eye-rolling emoticon.
- ClaretRed 15.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:25 pm
  
  Well of course you like Nash BM – he’s one of yours isn’t he?
  
  Chances are he’ll lose his seat in 2017, so I’m not overly worried.
- Scott1 15.3
  
  6 October 2014 at 7:29 am
  
  Someone like Nash ticks boxes in terms of being able to attract a certain type of working class man voter back to labour – a key demographic – but a second factor in winning is stability, you need a person who is trained enough in politics to not make mistakes on the political trail. I’m not sure Nash will be able to avoid that sort of thing.
  
  Heading into the Australian election with latham and howard (2004), I remember latham being ahead and I thought – it is too close and he is going to do something stupid.
  
  And sure enough…
- Tracey 15.4
  
  6 October 2014 at 12:42 pm
  
  coming from someone who doesnt consider honesty or integrity to be important in a leader I think we can take this comment with a truck full of salt.
Karen 16

5 October 2014 at 6:32 pm

I still prefer Cunliffe to Little, but would like to have Little as another option. I have been trying to find out more about Little and came across a few random bits and pieces.This interview from Salient in 2007 is interesting – supports free tertiary education
http://salient.org.nz/features/big-dreams-andrew-little

I remember when Pike River first happened Little saying there were no concerns about safety raised by the union.
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2010/11/why-is-andrew-little-defending-pike.html

What was good was that he realized the true situation fairly quickly and pushed for the Commission of Inquiry and has a current Private Members Bill promoting the concept of corporate manslaughter.
https://home.greens.org.nz/node/25068

I quite liked this piece about work/life balance.
http://www.jobsletter.org.nz/jbl17110.htm

I also liked this indication that he supported Louisa Wall and would not tolerate disunity in caucus.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10715366

In view of recent Brian Edwards’ blogs critical of David Cunliffe it is interesting to see what he was saying just before the last leadership contest.
http://brianedwardsmedia.co.nz/2013/08/a-sort-of-open-letter-to-the-abcs-in-the-labour-caucus/#more-8420
- Jamal 16.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:01 pm
  
  Don’t put too much stock in Steve Cowan’s work. He’s a Trot with some axe to grind with Little going back to VUWSA days apparently.
- ClaretRed 16.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:26 pm
  
  The good thing about Little possibly running is that it splits the Caucus vote, which means whatever support Cunliffe gets, it won’t look so bad.
  
  I still think Cunliffe will win on second preference votes.
  - Colonial Viper 16.2.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 11:28 pm
    
    Indeed. It’ll be much closer this time, but I’m still picking a Cunliffe victory. Labour was a few tens of thousands of votes away from giving John Key a very difficult time forming a workable government.
    
    I do hope Robertson doesn’t come in 3rd place with the membership and the Affiliates, if Little puts his hat in the ring. That would be a long term damper for Robertson.
anker 17

5 October 2014 at 6:46 pm

And I have to say how marvelous, TV 3 news tonight and DC attending church in Sth Auckland and all the PI parishioners saying they support him! Stick that Michelle Boeg and Mike Williams!!!!
- Karen 17.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 7:02 pm
  
  Cunliffe definitely has Pacific Island support, and he also performs well on marae as a he is a passable speaker of te reo. Can’t see the other contenders competing on this.
  - Granted 17.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 9:46 pm
    
    speaking te reo is no requirement to be a PM.
    - Murray Olsen 17.1.1.1
      
      6 October 2014 at 4:07 am
      
      It probably should be though. Te Reo, NZ Sign, and English would all be useful attributes for a prime minister. The present prumsta is not fluent in even one.
      - Scott1 17.1.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:31 am
        
        Whether it should be or not – it is probably a disadvantage.
        Speaking Chinese would be an advantage, maybe Samoan might be good.
        
        Murray Olsen 17.1.1.1.1.1
        
        6 October 2014 at 7:18 pm
        
        Being reasonably fluent in Te Reo is a disadvantage? Wow. Just wow.
Delia 18

5 October 2014 at 7:28 pm

I still think Cunliffe is the man, but it seems no one can bury the hatchet and work with him..so what can you do?
- Rodel 18.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:21 pm
  
  Rachel Smalley ? on Radio this morning, Media watch, thinks the media should stop their vindictive attacks on Cunliffe. Sorry Rachel, You’re a bit f**kin late to feel guilty.
Skinny 19

5 October 2014 at 7:41 pm

My personel observation is that you know where you stand with Little, I can’t say the same with DC or GR. Andrew has a good balance of being able to talk and listen, a rare commodity that a leader needs. He also can see both sides of an argument, be firm and fair when required and will compromise when there is a case for it. For these reasons and in the interest of party unity I will support him and advocate to other for a successful leadership bid.
MrV 20

5 October 2014 at 7:48 pm

For starters any Leader needs to be able to win an electorate seat and not rely on being parachuted in on the list.
Andrew Little has only just scraped in on the list.
The party has stuffed up by not putting him in a winnable electorate seat (wouldn’t be the first time).
- jamal 20.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:00 pm
  
  That’s fpp thinking from a time when all mps were electorate mps. Little could have gone for an easy red Auckland seat but instead he stood in a conservative provincial Nat seat that’s had major boundary changes since it was held by Duynhoven. Are you saying that all future Labour leaders can only come from safe Labour seats? That any MP with leadership potential should run a mile from the provinces? I’m genuinely baffled by your logic here.
  - MrV 20.1.1
    
    5 October 2014 at 8:23 pm
    
    I would counter that that he lost by even more this time round than last time.
    He utterly failed to get the party vote out.
    - Jamal 20.1.1.1
      
      5 October 2014 at 9:00 pm
      
      And that’s my point – boundary changes that brought in thousands of farmers made New Plymouth 2014 a much more Tory seat than New Plymouth 2011.
- Rodel 20.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:18 pm
  
  Mr V Not true.
- Psycho Milt 20.3
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:46 pm
  
  For starters any Leader needs to be able to win an electorate seat and not rely on being parachuted in on the list.
  
  As jamal pointed out, that’s FPP thinking. Labour at this point really needs to give a sign that it actually understands we have an MMP electoral system, so that’s something Little does have going for him – if were made leader there wouldn’t be any question about whether the caucus understands MMP or not, and a greater focus on the party vote would be guaranteed.
- Skinny 20.4
  
  5 October 2014 at 8:54 pm
  
  You will find the electorate soon warms to a MP who becomes leader of a major party. In saying this standing in New Plymouth where many things revolve around farming from the rural farming sector it’s a hard ask. Be interesting if he was standing in say Hamilton West a very winnable seat with the correct candidate.
- Tracey 20.5
  
  6 October 2014 at 12:46 pm
  
  by “win”, do you mean be given a safe seat, like Hellensville?
  - Skinny 20.5.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 4:07 pm
    
    No what I mean is a seat like Hamilton West should not be held by Natoinal MP who voted for the dirty SkyCity deal, the incumbent being a man of the cloth. Sue needed to be put in a sink or swim position on the party list. You would still get the party vote as well as the candidate vote too.
    
    If you rolled the dice with a number of long serving MP’s then the likes of Kelvin Davis could have been put on the list in a safe position which would have allowed Hone & Mana to come in with another MP. By not doing this, and failing to confirm a door was open where the Maori party could join the Left in a coalition arrangement, the result was more than likely, a high number of Maori enrolled to vote gave Labour the snub and didn’t bother voting at all. Pretty sure this happened and may come out in the wash of a review.
    - Tracey 20.5.1.1
      
      6 October 2014 at 4:13 pm
      
      my comment was for mrv
      
      he or she seems to think that key won helensvillle and proved himseld as leaxer or shear won mt albert…
Rodel 21

5 October 2014 at 8:07 pm

I’d like to see Cunliffe as leader and Little as Deputy leader.
Together they’d make mincemeat of Key & Co.
anker 22

5 October 2014 at 8:23 pm

Rodel @ 20 100+
honey_T 23

5 October 2014 at 8:58 pm

I agree with Hami Shearli;
“Andrew Little is a very dour dry kind of personality , wooden-faced with no charm and no seat either – so I can’t see him having the voters warming to him”
And someone else said he doesn’t have ‘IT’ factor. Ive got nothing against the guy, same as cunliffe or Robertson. All very talented pollies with their own strengths. Just not IT! We need a real rockstar to go up against key … I think Nash is the guy. I really really do.

On the phone to my Dad the other night, traditionally a Labour voter but voted NZ1 this year, I said dad gotta go Stuart Nash is on Prime Time with Sean Plunkett, so he watched it too and then txt me “Stuart Nash PM 2017”

You see what I’m saying? That was 10 mins of Nash baby!!
- phillip ure 23.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 10:12 pm
  
  @ honey i..
  
  ..heh..!..you’re funny..!
- MustangSally 23.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 5:47 pm
  
  He might have the ‘it’ factor, but does have the ‘ideological/ethical values’ factor?
  
  Or does he want to turn Labour into a watered down version of National?
  
  Beware of ‘cool’ prime ministers, just look at how loathed Tony Blair is now.
- Duggie 23.3
  
  6 October 2014 at 9:57 pm
  
  So true. Nash/Ardern, or, better still, Ardern/Nash. That’s a ticket!
  - Colonial Viper 23.3.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 10:19 pm
    
    Lusk or Hooten would love to advise that ticket.
Cave Johnson 24

5 October 2014 at 9:30 pm

Hey now!
If I had realised there was going to be a real contest I might have joined up.
Pity it’s too late. I’ll now defer my decision until after I see the outcome.
- Kiwiri 24.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 10:48 pm
  
  Still can sign up so that you can attend the hustings to hear the candidates. Go on …
Tim 25

5 October 2014 at 9:36 pm

Here’s some maths around the Party Vote which quite frankly is all that matters, seems pretty clear to me, if Cunliffe was such a turn-off then surely his own electorate would’ve reflected that? Goff is the only other one who even gets close!

Name, Electorate, PV won, Total PV, % of PV, Place PV, Loss by

Shearer Mt. Albert 10,823 36,922 29.3% 2nd 3,536
Cunliffe New Lynn 12,085 33,661 35.9% 2nd 1,051
Roberts WN Cent 9,306 39,131 23.8% 3rd 5,383
Goff Mt. Rosk 12,086 34,097 35.4% 2nd 2,189
Nash Napier 9,466 36,605 25.9% 2nd 8,539
Little New Plym 7,947 37,681 21.1% 2nd 13,022

Data source: http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2014/electorateindex.html
- Richard 25.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:59 pm
  
  +1 Tim
  
  Nice data , and there you go, it’s a painted picture his locals like him and they would know him. Internal party shenanigans on the ABC alleged club. or media tactics to paint him as hated by his own party. As they say “leave it out guv”
karol 26

5 October 2014 at 9:48 pm

Little gets the DPF kiss of death.

Tweet from Bryce Edwards:

Farrar on Little: “I… will not be surprised if Andrew is PM one day. And if we have to have a Labour PM, he might not be a bad choice”.

Or is DPF trying a bit of reverse psychology…?
- Colonial Viper 26.1
  
  5 October 2014 at 9:57 pm
  
  I saw that. Pretty horrific. But likely a distraction. I guess Nash is off the righties wishlist for the moment lol. Or not.
- Stephanie Rodgers 26.2
  
  5 October 2014 at 10:17 pm
  
  Everything David Farrar says is calculated to create a certain response. Ditto anything Matthew Hooton says. Treating any of their statements as genuine heartfelt opinions is a mistake.
  - Hanswurst 26.2.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 1:36 am
    
    Treating statements by Farrar or Hooton as anything other than stupid brain-farts is a mistake. They aren’t stupid brain-farts, of course, but you make the world a better place by treating them as such.
- Wayne 26.3
  
  6 October 2014 at 9:56 am
  
  Or is he just expressing his genuine view. Just because he has a right blog does not mean he can’t set out his views about the left. People with an interest in politics also have genuine views as to what they think their opponents should do. Not everything is cynical calculation.
  - Tautoko Viper 26.3.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 10:09 am
    
    “People with an interest in politics also have genuine views as to what they think their opponents should do.”
    A true statement, but Farrar and Hooton do not blog “genuine views” with regard to their opponents in the Labour Party so cannot be considered to belong to the set of people that you refer to in your statement.
  - Tracey 26.3.2
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:48 pm
    
    we just dont know who is paying for this view Wayne, do you?
- Tracey 26.4
  
  6 October 2014 at 12:47 pm
  
  he loved shearer too didnt he?
Saarbo 27

5 October 2014 at 9:56 pm

@Tim
+1
Orthodoxia 28

5 October 2014 at 11:54 pm

I signed up to back Cunliffe, but if Little goes in, my vote will go to him. Why?
1. Parochialism (I have just moved to New Plymouth).
2. His local campaign. That might sound strange because of the big loss, but I saw Andrew from afar pounding the streets again and again during the campaign and he clearly gave his all. Dan Carter could have stood and would still have been slaughtered by National at this election.
3. If Cunliffe or Robertson win aren’t we moving towards MAD (mutually
Assured destruction) as a party? Is some one like Little needed as a compromise and a uniter?
- Colonial Viper 28.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 1:05 am
  
  Re: 3) MAD.
  
  I don’t see an easy way to get the Robertson faction to settle down even if Little wins. Cunliffe won the last leadership primary hands down – but a big chunk of caucus never accepted that result for even one single minute.
- cardassian 28.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 9:05 am
  
  Funny how you mention his campaign.
  From my perspective he was nearly transparent.
  However I do live in the poor area of town.
  
  I also know local LP members and they said they communication was terrible.
  Things like going to a meet the candidates night and not letting the local area members know it was on.
  Now this might be a little thing but it’s these kind of things that stop Labour being all on the same page like National is.
  
  Now I know that the communication gaffs won’t be his fault but someone in his office not doing their job.
  It makes me think that if he can’t get it sorted in his electorate it’d be magnified if he was leader.
- Not a PS Staffer 28.3
  
  6 October 2014 at 11:40 am
  
  Little will be presented with the same problem as Cunliffe and he is likely to take the same actions.
  
  They are:
  1. Tell Goff, King, Shearer, Mallard and Cosgrove to move on. Cosgrove to resign from the list and the others to put their seats up for by-elections at a time decided by the leader.
  2. Tell Robertson to either put up or fuckoff. Expel him the first time he makes a squeak.
  3. Tell Hipkins to grow a pair and to stop hanging off Kings’ apron strings. Authorise Carmel Sepuloni to knock the crap out of him whenever necessary.
  4. ditto Kris Faafoi- except for the Carmel bit.
  5. Ask Nash what planet he thinks he is on! Give him the bottom place on the pecking order. Teach him humilty, because he has plenty to be humble about.
  6. Give Clare Curran the link to http://www.seek.co.nz
  
  The difficulty Cunliffe had the last time was he had to hold all of Kings Kids on the front bench because the election was so close. Cunliffe won’t have that need this time.
  - Colonial Viper 28.3.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:42 pm
    
    This sounds much more like it. I have been doubting the backbone (in fact, lack thereof) of some of the advice Cunliffe has been getting, tbh.
  - Tracey 28.3.2
    
    6 October 2014 at 12:50 pm
    
    plus 1
  - Bill Drees 28.3.3
    
    6 October 2014 at 2:17 pm
    
    That gang suspected Cunliffe would sort them after the election. That is why they briefed the press before election night and started the campaign to dump Cunliffe. Nash briefed Hooton and Farrar and Cosgrove the Press Gallery. Ardern was used to do the numbers just like Maryann Street was used against Shearer.
    Cunliffe moved quickly to get Maori support by offering a joint Deputy possie.
    Nash fake candidacy was a cover to approach the Unions and some floating votes to see what was needed to bring them across to Robertson.
    The ABCs had to move before Cunliffe wiped them. Had Goff King Mallard retired in this term Robertson would have lost the core of the ABCs and any chance of the Leadership.
    All active members have to prepare candidates and votes for selection meetings. Hutt , Rongotai, Mt Albert, Mt Roskill, Dunedin South and more needs new MPs. Let us sort this shit out.
    - Colonial Viper 28.3.3.1
      
      6 October 2014 at 9:15 pm
      
      Ayefirmmative.
thechangeling 29

6 October 2014 at 12:23 am

TRP, i thought the same (about Little) 3 years ago when Shearer was installed and I still think the same now! I guess we’ll know soon enough!
fisiani 30

6 October 2014 at 8:29 am

i reckon Robertson can unify the Labour Party and Little would be a good alternative. Cunliffe had his chance and blew it badly. He probably needs to retire.
- thatguynz 30.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 11:35 am
  
  🙄 Just when we were enjoying the silence from your interminable waffle.
Dorothy 31

6 October 2014 at 8:52 am

Do not use your name and then undermine Cunliffe COWARD.
Orthodoxia 32

6 October 2014 at 10:03 am

Cardassian you may be right as I am new to town, but I can count 6 times I saw Andrew around my area of time. Coming from Port Hills, I never laid eyes on the local MP so it impressed me.
- cardassian 32.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 3:58 pm
  
  Fair enough. Didn’t mean to seem like I was bagging the guy either as I think he’s got potential. Just think he’;ll surround himself with the wrong people and weaknesses will be exposed on a national level.
Undecided 33

6 October 2014 at 10:09 am

I’m thinking that if you can’t win an electorate seat then you probably can’t win a nation, what could Littles electorate seat see that we can’t

I have to go with DC at the moment, maybe Nash next time (if he can keep his seat)
- Tracey 33.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 12:52 pm
  
  oh baloney. Did Key “win” Helensville? of course not, he was parachuted into a safe seat.
- Duggie 33.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 9:52 pm
  
  Hilarious how everyone here is trying to convince themselves a new saviour has arrived. What everyone does not get, and what your observation alludes to, is that poor Andy has absolutely no charisma. Even his mother here in New Plymouth admitted she wouldn’t vote for him.
Brutus Iscariot 34

6 October 2014 at 10:16 am

I’ve noticed a few people in this thread and others bagging Davis (and to a lesser extent Nash) for their electorate campaigns.

Davis was nowhere near a position in which he would have had a chance of coming in on the Labour list. Defeat in TTT would have meant a possible premature end to his political career. Do people seriously think he should have meekly capitulated and possibly committed career suicide in this way? To win against a popular incumbent like Hone Harawira meant he ran a good campaign, and should be congratulated – whatever the electoral maths for “the Left” in 2014.

As for Nash, i’m not sure his stated focus of making Napier a Labour stronghold is something to be frowned upon. He could not have singlehandedly made an appreciable difference to Labour’s countrywide popular vote, and disparaging his victory as being solely due to the “McVicar Effect” is unnecessarily derogatory.

They are both winners and fighters – Labour needs more of this. Take the long view.
- Skinny 34.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 10:37 am
  
  Davis was given only one real option due to his list placement. Win the candidate vote, it was the party list that failed him. MPs in Christchurch and Hamilton West should have been put in positions of win your seat or ya risk being out. Especially when you consider the likes of Cosgrove & Moroney have probably done their time as MP’s.
- phillip ure 34.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 2:52 pm
  
  @ brutus..
  
  ..”.. disparaging his victory as being solely due to the “McVicar Effect” is unnecessarily derogatory…”
  
  um..!..no..!..it is just a political-fact…nothing at all ‘derogatory’ about it..
  
  ..if mcvicar had not hived over 4,500 votes off the national candidate..
  
  ..nash would have lost..end of story..
  
  ..nash got no more votes than he did in 2011..
  
  ..when the national candidate beat him..soundly…
  
  ..if i were him..i wd focus on finding another high-profile rightwing nutjob to stand in 2017..
  
  ..that will be his only hope of holding the seat..
  
  ..(..’building a labour fortress’..snigger/snort..!..
  
  ..he even had to bullshit when announcing he was ending his joke-standing for the leadership..)
Skinny 35

6 October 2014 at 10:20 am

With not much support by the caucus and the continued criticism by the shrill media DC would be better off standing aside from contesting the leadership, too many knives would make it untenable. Little comes with less baggage than both David & Grant. Be interesting to know who the preferred deputy the caucus would choose if he contests and wins.
- phillip ure 35.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 2:43 pm
  
  @ skinny..
  
  ..you are joining in the chorus..?
  
  ..and using the media campaign against cunnliffe as justification for yr stance..?
  
  ..whoar..!
  
  ..and are you ignoring the fact that little is hopeless in parliament..?..
  
  ..that key will just wipe his feet on him..?
  
  ..whereas cunliffe..?
  
  ..cunliffe keeps key on his toes..
  
  ..and anyway..nash supports little..(shudder..!..)
  
  ..isn’t that enough of a turn-off..?
  - Skinny 35.1.1
    
    6 October 2014 at 4:35 pm
    
    Phil I’ve met them all and to me politicians are a breed of their own. They use you for what they can get, nature of the beast I guess. DC wavers too much for my personal likes. Can he hang on in there long enough to slit throats? I figure Grant won’t be in a position to refresh the benches owing too many favours. Little has a fair bit of mongrel about him in parliament, he will preform ok because he is a man on a mission and is taken serious by many a person, media alike. Nash has passion I will give him that, met him once and actually preferred talking with him over many other MP’s. They guys mixes it with all sorts, so do I not like their bedfellows.
NeutObserver 36

6 October 2014 at 10:36 am

Yes, Andrew Little seems to be a sensible option.
Not a PS Staffer 37

6 October 2014 at 6:00 pm

I looked up Andrew’s CV. He was the President from March 2009 after Mike Williams stood down following Helen’s exit. Little filled that role up to some time before the 2011election. I’ve always had a positive view of Little. However I’ve reflected on what he achieved when he last held a senior role in Labour; President.

In that time some of the ailments that aflict Labour today took root.
1. Phil Goff and Andrew didn’t renew the party in any way after Helen’s exit.
2. The destructive behaviour of Mallard, Cosgrove and Robertson bloomed unhindered in that era.
3. The white-anting of Cunliffe went unhindered in that era.
4. He was responsible for planning the 2011 election in which we lost a heck of a lot more votes that in the 2014 election.

I’d like to hear comment on these reflections.
- Bill 37.1
  
  6 October 2014 at 6:11 pm
  
  Afraid my comment is merely further questions in response to the ones you’ve raised.
  
  1. How long do you give somebody, coming from outside the party, to learn the ropes and navigate the various machinations of vested interests?
  2. How powerful were the future ABCs in the immediate aftermath of Helen Clark’s departure and why would they have sought or encouraged renewal?
  3. What power would the party president be able to exercise with regards members of caucus white-anting?
  4. Just how much input does the party president have in the planning and execution of an election campaign?
  5. Is it reasonable to suggest that a given party president could have averted the implosion of Labour, given that almost anyone with talent left caucus after Clark’s departure?
- Kiwiri 37.2
  
  6 October 2014 at 7:27 pm
  
  Related to this and looking at Grant Robertson: what have his roles, responsibilities and performance been like in the past six years as part of the senior leadership team in opposition, as well as for the previous two or three election campaigns?
- Skinny 37.3
  
  6 October 2014 at 8:28 pm
  
  I would say Little would have been treading water with a view to entering politics as an MP. The electorate phone was off the hook with Key like Clark being an imposing leader, hence they both got 3 terms. The deadwood MP’s have the huge advantage of holding and thus stacking electorate. The other problem is the candidate selection process where other deadwood MP’s are part of the election/selection process having voting power. Then you have every Tom, Dick and Harriet with MP ambitions as part of the process too. Then you have the caucus deadwood network looking after each other. The deck is well and truely stacked against outsiders.
  
  I’ll give the example of Richard Prebble, a friend of mine and other smart people got out played by Prebble numerous times trying to be rid of tricky Dickie, and these guys were organised. So its really little wonder the same old faces stay in at the expense of the good of the party. I would go as far to say going on previous history of ‘both’ main party’s some MP’s are prepared to sacrifice the government benches inorder to justify whatever position they hold.

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Activists are such easy scapegoats. The right and center have been conditioned for decades to roll their eyes at all protests. The left are easily aggravated over students leading movements they see as belonging to grownups, who have more important concerns like the economy and whether the trains come on ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

6 hours ago
Cutting Through An Inundation of Dipshit Racists

Hi,Watching New Zealand from afar offers a strange perspective. It can be a good thing — distance from Aotearoa helped keep me sane while I reported on abuse at New Zealand’s biggest megachurch over the course of a year. It helps fuel my silly podcast. But it can also be ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

7 hours ago
This is bad news

The speech yesterday by Treasury’s Chief Economic Advisor warning that the books are in worse shape than forecasted looks like it’s part of a softening-up process for either more cuts or a longer wait to get back into surplus. The speech was a highly unusual public preview of Treasury’s Half-Yearly ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

8 hours ago
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2024

Open access notables Projected increase in the frequency of extremely active Atlantic hurricane seasons, Lopez et al., Science Advances: Future changes to the year-to-year swings between active and inactive North Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) seasons have received little attention, yet may have great societal implications in areas prone to hurricane ...

Skeptical Science

17 hours ago
Chicken Kiev

Chatting in the supermarket this morning, I found I needed to lunge for the chicken drumsticks.Coping mechanisms: who hasn’t felt a greater need for them lately?When it all gets too much, I turn to demonstrating handy butchery hacks.It wasn’t that she’d said anything wrong, our friend, not at all. We ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

21 hours ago
The year is 2024 and it’s 1984

This is written in response to the highly significant open letter from a group of economists that was today addressed to Christopher Luxon. The year is 2024, and it’s 1984. The country is reeling from a record Olympic medal gold haul, while the globe grapples with the choice of the ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

21 hours ago
The IPCA has failed

Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 day ago
Thursday 21 November 2024

The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

1 day ago
‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’

I spoke to former Productivity Chair Nana this morning about the letter he and a group of other economists sent to PM Christopher Luxon to urge the Government to urgently suspend cuts to spending and investment for the sake of the economy, struggling businesses and the wellbeing of vulnerable ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 day ago
ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori

Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

1 day ago
Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures

This is a re-post from the Climate Brink The world is emitting over 40 gigatons of CO2 per year, contributing to an accelerating warming of the planet. The world needs to cut emissions rapidly to be remotely on track to meet our Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to well-below 2C, and we ...

Skeptical Science

1 day ago
I Love My Leather Jacket

I wear my leather jacket like a great big hugRadiating charm - a living cloak of luckIt's the only concrete link with an absent friendIt's a symbol I can wear 'till we meet againOr it's a weight around my neck while the owner's freeBoth protector and reminder of mortalityIt's a ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 day ago
Throwback Thursday: Will “Auckland Transport” Survive?

With Auckland Transport’s future up in the air under Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed CCO reform, we’ve dug way back into the archives, to unearth this post originally published in March 2010. As you’ll see, many of the debates that were being had when AT was first proposed continue to ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

1 day ago
Economists call on PM to suspend budget cuts for the sake of the economy

Nicola Willis’ budget cuts are under fire from economists for having no clear rationale and worsening the recession. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 21: The news at ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 day ago
The end of policing by consent

National has appointed a new police commissioner. And he explicitly rejects policing by consent: Asked if he subscribed to policing by consent, he said he did not. “I don’t talk about policing by consent. I talk about trust and confidence, and it is fundamentally important that the police have ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

2 days ago
The Treaty Principles Bill: A Who’s Who

David Horatio Waterbed SeymourFringe politician and dweeb transformed successfully by ThinkTank money into a well-oiled soundbite robot.Currently programmed to say: Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Was previously programmed to say:I am a proud libertarian andI am a ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

2 days ago
Kinleith mill closure shows need for industrial strategy

NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to deliver an economic and industrial strategy for regional manufacturing, rather than just expressing sympathy for job losses, following the announced closure of Kinleith mill in Tokoroa. “The closure Kinleith mill in Tokoroa is not just devastating for ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

2 days ago
27% of kids going hungry, up from 21% in a year

One in four Kiwi children live in households where food runs out often or sometimes. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, November 20: The lead: The official annual Health Survey found sharp ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

2 days ago
Transport modelling is an illusion

This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, originally published on LinkedIn and cross posted here with permission. People prefer cars, right? Probably not. Here’s why. Granted, most people in English-speaking countries use a car to get around. This simple reality underpins our transport ...

Greater AucklandBy Guest Post

2 days ago
Young Maori take over

Neither Wellington nor Parliament has ever seen anything like it before. The Police said there were more than 40,000 but however many there were, yesterday’s Hikoi to Parliament was a monumental event. It was almost three times the Foreshore and Seabed martch of 2004 and many,many times bigger than ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

2 days ago
Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Aftermath

The euphoria from yesterday’s hikoi may be transitory, but is no less valuable for that. It is pretty rare for the left to feel itself to be in the overwhelming majority, and speaking as the voice of the people. Lest that momentum be lost, the organisers will no doubt be ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

3 days ago
Sabin 33 #3 – Solar panels generate too much waste and will overwhelm landfills

On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...

Skeptical Science

3 days ago
What’s the time Mr Seymour?

Mr David Seymour crawling up to the ceilingThe sun don't shine the sun don't shine the sun don't shine at allMamma Pappa say you should go to school, I don't know what forNow that I've grown up and seen the world and all its liesSong: Southside of Bombay"Ake, ake, ake" ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

3 days ago
Submit to defend te Tiriti!

The Justice Committee has called for submissions on National's racist and constitutionally radical Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Submissions can be made at the link above or by post, and are due by Tuesday, 7 January 2025. But I'd get in quick, in case National grows a spine ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

3 days ago
We need to talk about Kevin

All happy families are alike; each unhappy family has a Drunk Uncle Kevin in there somewhere. If your Kevin is anything like the ones I know, he was getting along happily enough without having to think too much about the Treaty Principles Bill apart from bloody good job, onya guys ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

3 days ago
The hikoi

Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

3 days ago
Why Govt & NZ Inc should boycott & regulate Facebook

The CEOs of Westpac NZ and Kiwibank say Facebook is rife with fraud but reporting scam ads gets no response. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Tuesday, November 19: The ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

3 days ago
How should we talk about change?

A better world isn’t just possible, it’s desirable. And that’s how we should frame a lot of our conversations around making a greater Auckland. As an example take urban climate action. A climate friendly Auckland: Is free from congestion Enables people to travel how they choose Is filled with ...

Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp

3 days ago
AMA + Holiday Webworm Merch!

Hi,It’s AMA time again — so anything that’s on your mind that you wanna ask, ask away in the comments. This is one of my favourite things to do with full Webworm members, who are the heart of this community of Worms. Journalism? Documentary making? Short Poppies? Cats? Podcasting? What ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

3 days ago
Discount Code for Webworm Merch!

Hi,So there’s a bunch of new stuff on the Webworm store (www.webworm.store) — just in time for the Holidays. Read more ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

3 days ago
Trying to defuse the tension

There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

3 days ago
An Irritable NZ Pawn – David Seymour Admits Treaty Principles Bill will clear the way for deve...

This morning I discovered a post I’d written 10-11 months ago, lamenting how New Zealand’s ACT Party and their foreign and local surrogates would play out anti-Māori propaganda - which I believe they have long prepared for.At the time, it was a plea for action and readiness from my fellow ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

3 days ago
Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Arrival, And Tyler Childers

Politicians like to bang on all about the need to heal society’s racial/economic divisions, but in their actions they’re more keen on stoking those divisions, with the Treaty Principles Bill being the classic example. The Bill seeks to dilute the Crown’s responsibilities to Māori at the same time as it ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

4 days ago
Socially Backwards and Fiscally Forwards: the False Ideological Divide and the “Conservative” Li...

Nearly two weeks on from the US election, and we are still mentally wrangling with the results. How did this happen? Which voter demographics went where? What did the Democrats do wrong? Meanwhile here in New Zealand, we’re left wondering how this will apply to us and what this means ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

4 days ago
Kaamos: Accepted

I appreciate that A Phuulish Fellow has been fairly quiet recently. That’s a combination of two things – comparatively little in the way of relevant material to discuss (at least until The War of the Rohirrim comes out next month), and my general work on The Secret Non-Fiction Writing Project. ...

A Phuulish FellowBy strda221

4 days ago
Here’s how governments could fix their Paris climate commitment failures

This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Governments around the world face a conundrum. Virtually none are on track to meet their Paris climate commitments. That includes the United States, which committed to cut its emissions at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 but is only on track for 32-43% cuts ...

Skeptical Science

4 days ago
Unstoppable.

Too Big To Fail: Forty-three years after the 1981 Springbok Tour protests, Maori defenders of te Tiriti, by their own efforts, and using their own resources, are poised to descend on the capital with upwards of 100,000 followers at their back, and no force in front of them even remotely ...

Bowalley Road

4 days ago
Katherine Trebeck – An Alternative Economic Narrative

The era of neoliberalism has been destructive on so many levels, with a huge growth in wealth and privilege for the one percent. A hollowing out of the state; fraying of the safety net; inadequate government investment in infrastructure; and continued environmental degradation has resulted in damage on a vast ...

Fabians

4 days ago
In a Manner of Speaking

In a manner of speakingI just want to sayThat I could never forget the wayYou told me everythingBy saying nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me everythingSongwriter: Winston TongNext Tuesday, the subscription price for Nick’s Kōrero will ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

4 days ago
Monday 18 November 2024

The NZNO have announced a nationwide strike for December over its pay dispute with Health NZ, who have put a 1 per cent cap on pay rises. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles Bill remain front and centre in the media, with the impacts of the Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke-led ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

4 days ago
Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’

The divisive Treaty Principles Bill is not just a risk for the National Party, it’s a risk to civil order and unity, warns a National Party grandee. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

4 days ago
A clearer network for the City Rail Link?

This post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission. Auckland is now just a year or so away from having the keystone of its urban rail network complete. As I wrote about here, the City Rail Link will be a literal game changer for ...

Greater AucklandBy Guest Post

4 days ago
National’s support base is wobbling

If ACT leader David Seymour intended the Treaty Principles Bill to drive a wedge into National’s support base, he may well already be succeeding. By midnight on Thursday after the Maori Party haka in Parliament, National MPs were being deluged with emails and messages from their members calling them out ...

PolitikBy Richard Harman

4 days ago
2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #46

A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 10, 2024 thru Sat, November 16, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is completely "meta" (no, not that Meta). It's about our exploring how ...

Skeptical Science

5 days ago
Grifter Eftpos Tamaki at it again

..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Self-appointed “Bishop” and proto-fascist, Brian Tamaki was at it again on 16 November, blocking Auckland’s southern motorway, SH1.This time, the target of his ire wasn’t the Civil Unions Act; covid lock-downs; mask mandates; or ...

Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy

5 days ago
Rip up a bill, lead a haka are words to live by

I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

5 days ago
Unintended Consequences

Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

6 days ago
Thank you, driver!

Today, Saturday 16th of November, is Auckland Transport’s Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Saturday 16 November marks the third annual Auckland Transport (AT) ‘Bus Driver Appreciation Day’, and this year we are encouraging all of New Zealand to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

6 days ago
Totally Normal: Holiday Edition

Hi,If I was to accurately sum up my mental state over the week, I’d just say that I got a huge fright from my own shadow.I’d nipped out for an 11pm neighborhood stroll, just to calm down after a day of stress and screens. The Cure and Fazerdaze’s new record ...

David FarrierBy David Farrier

6 days ago
We Are Not Listening

The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...

PunditBy Brian Easton

7 days ago
More lawlessness from National

On Tuesday, sick of government stonewalling, the Waitangi Tribunal issued a rare court order, ordering the Minister of Health to release unredacted documents within 48 hours showing its reasoning for disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. The government's response to the lawful order of a court? Yeah, ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

7 days ago
National’s tyrannical “foreign interference” law

Yesterday, under cover the the biggest political fight of the year, National quietly - covertly, even - introduced anti-foreign interference legislation. The bill is the product of a years-long work-program aimed at countering shit like this and this, and there's unquestionably a need to do something to counter foreign states' ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

7 days ago
The Haka Represents The Best Of Us

A few months ago, I was in an audience watching a Haka-Kapa and as I watched children dance and sing and sway and shout and beat, I couldn’t help but think “The Haka represents the best of us.”Yes, yes - there will be a thousand voices that rush forth to ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

1 week ago
Adding up the climate cost

St Mary’s Bay housing left hanging: Climate risk is systemically underestimated in the climate scenarios used by central banks, and a new report warns 10,000 houses are set to become uninsurable in Aotearoa. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Auckland chafing at Bishop’s housing intensification orders

One of the major problems the Government has in implementing its ‘going for housing growth’ strategy is that it isn’t giving much funding help to councils. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Friday 15 November 2024

The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dominate political news, with it passing its first reading in the House. Parliament was briefly suspended and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for 24 hours after leading a haka that was joined by opposition MPs and the public in the gallery. Willie ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

1 week ago
Weekly Roundup 15-November-2024

Happy Friday, welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers ...

Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland

1 week ago
Are We The Waiting?

And screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingAnd screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingForget me nots, second thoughts live in isolationHeads or tails and fairy tales in my mindAre we we are, are we we are the waiting unknownThe rage and love, the ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
The Hoon around the week to November 15

The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including from COP29 this week; on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
First Tea and Toast, now Milo — why do NZ’s best beverages need so much defending?

Only two months ago, Nicola Willis had to step in to stop Health New Zealand cutting tea and toast for post-birth parents, and now Lester Levy is riding to the rescue with a welcome message for all: our health workers can once again drink Milo, and will no longer need ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
Gordon Campbell on the folly of making apologies in a social vacuum.

Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...

WerewolfBy ScoopEditor

1 week ago
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2024

Open access notables Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe, Peixoto et al., Nature Communications [comment]: The climate crisis is escalating. A multitude of microbe-based solutions have been proposed, and these technologies hold great promise and could be deployed along with other climate mitigation strategies. However, these solutions have ...

Skeptical Science

1 week ago
The PM gets some extremely valuable legal advice for free

You can pay a great deal of money for the services of a KC. So just what would some peerless legal writing from 40 or so of them be worth, do you reckon?Priceless, that’s what. It’s not even the half of it, but this is my favourite part of the ...

More Than A FeildingBy David Slack

1 week ago
D-day for the government

The government's Treaty Principles Bill is up for its first reading today - bought forward in a rush in a desperate effort to avoid the hikoi which is currently marching on Wellington. But the Prime Minister won’t be there for it – he’s literally running away to Peru! But he ...

No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant

1 week ago
97% of submissions did not want no-cause evictions, Trump chooses a Russian spy for US Intelligence ...

Good morning, and I’m sorry I’ve been away for a couple of days.I’ve been focusing on the Hikoi, and also testing out sentiment on the Treaty Principles Bill. It’s complicated, and the Treaty Principles Bill will be debated in the House today. The Government’s own lawyers have told them the ...

Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui

1 week ago
Government must vote down ACT Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights

NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to vote down an ACT Party Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights by making it easier for employers to fire workers. Last week ACT MP Laura Trask’s Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill was ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

1 week ago
Seymour causes thousands of unjustified absences by forcing kids to fight for their rights instead o...

The State would like to remind you that they are in control. They manage your employment prospects, and can destroy the job market you and yours rely on by mass-cancelling construction projects, cutting funding, and firing a good chunk of our public servants. They wield the mechanisms that provide scrutiny ...

Sapphi’s SubstackBy Sapphi

1 week ago
The Weight of the World

As the weight of the world Hangs on your shoulders The weight of the world Starts to take over again And over again All that you once loved, now you hate So slowly relearn how to meditate To have and to hold And never let go Can you feel it ...

Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel

1 week ago
Thursday 14 November 2024

The Treaty Principles Bill is set to have its First Reading in the House today, as the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti continues. More than 40 KCs have written to the Prime Minister and Attorney-General outlining their “grave concerns” about the substance of the Treaty Principles Bill, while an academic and ...

NZCTUBy Jeremiah Boniface

1 week ago
Trump’s return to White House brings the climate’s ‘find out’ phase closer

As we absorb the news of Trump's victory in the US Presidential election, here’s a wrap compiled just before the result of what it might mean for climate action: The UN Secretary General says the prospective departure of the United States would cripple the Paris Agreement, likening it to the ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago
Time and Space in the City Centre

Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel. The header image is from Walthamstow, London The city centre now has a few stretches of street where the space has been repurposed to a people and place focused design from full time traffic use. These are a great ...

Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds

1 week ago
An opportunity for a pro-growth tax switch

As the Hikoi against it swells into the tens of thousands, KCs call on National to kill off ACT’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 14: The ...

The KakaBy Bernard Hickey

1 week ago

Release: Government should be transparent on live exports

Targeted consultation on reinstating live cattle exports by sea won’t allow the New Zealand public to have their say. ...

Labour Blog

5 hours ago
NZ’s global climate rankings plummet as Govt removes agriculture from ETS

The Government has passed legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) while Aotearoa’s reputation on climate action plummets. ...

Greens

19 hours ago
Failed boot camp experiment must end

As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the good of our rangatahi. ...

Greens

20 hours ago
Gender-affirming care must centre evidence and health needs, not political posturing

The Ministry of Health has today released an evidence brief regarding the use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare, amid moves by the government to limit access. ...

Greens

21 hours ago
Release: National doesn’t care about manufacturing

The National Government is walking away from our manufacturing sector with constant reports of closures and job losses. ...

Labour Blog

22 hours ago
Release: David Parker speech – Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change

David Parker's speech from the University of Auckland's forum on Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change in September 2024. ...

Labour Blog

22 hours ago
Release: Youth mental wellbeing no longer a priority for Child Poverty Minister

Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...

Labour Blog

24 hours ago
Release: National’s lack of climate action taking NZ backwards

National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...

Labour Blog

24 hours ago
Release: Simple reason for drop in emergency housing

When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...

Labour Blog

1 day ago
Govt’s child wellbeing strategy ‘shallow and shameful’

The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...

Greens

1 day ago
Release: A historic win for Samoan communities

Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...

Labour Blog

1 day ago
Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”

The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...

Greens

2 days ago
Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading

Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...

Greens

2 days ago
Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills

The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach

A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...

Greens

2 days ago
Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch

National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs

Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...

Labour Blog

2 days ago
Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions

Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament

Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

3 days ago
Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons

Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...

Labour Blog

4 days ago
Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill

The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...

Labour Blog

5 days ago
Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope

The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Stand Up for Te Tiriti

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon

As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation

The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned

The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors

...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors

Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...

Labour Blog

1 week ago
Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care

Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...

Greens

1 week ago
Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill

The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect

The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Without action, an apology will be empty air

For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference

Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Urgent wake-up call on climate

The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world

Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies

Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago
Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...

The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...

Labour Blog

2 weeks ago
NZ must pursue independent foreign policy

The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...

Greens

2 weeks ago

Record number of submissions received on granny flat proposal

Nearly 2,000 submissions have been received on the Government’s proposals aimed at making it easier to build a granny flat of up to 60 square metres without a resource or building consent, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk say. “This is the highest number ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 hour ago
District Court Judge appointed

Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Rebecca Guthrie as a District Court Judge. Judge Guthrie was admitted to the bar in 1997 following her graduation from the University of Canterbury in 1996 (LLB, BA). She commenced her legal career in Hastings in 1997 before moving to London in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 hours ago
Appointments strengthen Predator Free 2050

The latest Predator Free 2050 Board appointments will help to strengthen biodiversity efforts across Aotearoa New Zealand, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. Mr Potaka today announced two appointments to the Board of Directors of Predator Free 2050 Limited, a key player in the wider Predator Free 2050 Programme. “The Predator ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 hours ago
New facility in Christchurch will improve the lives of young New Zealanders

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today opened Kahurangi, an innovative and much-needed facility for Canterbury’s Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health Services. “The new state of the art outpatient facility opened today will be a gamechanger for the way mental health is delivered for young people in Canterbury,” says Mr ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 hours ago
Driver safety screens to be installed on Auckland buses

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news from the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) that bus driver protection screens will be installed across Auckland’s bus fleet by 2026.“The Government is committed to improving the safety of working environments for bus drivers, and Budget 2024 allocated $15 million of Crown funding over ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 hours ago
Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements

The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

20 hours ago
Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending

The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

21 hours ago
Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review

Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

21 hours ago
State of the art radiology machine for Auckland

People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

22 hours ago
Foreign Minister to visit Europe

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

22 hours ago
First arrests made under gang patch ban

Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

23 hours ago
Better support for victims of sexual violence

The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Government moving forward with Regional Deals

Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
MSA pilot participant update

One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Fighting for Kiwis in Trade

Delivered at Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School Good morning and thank you Deputy Vice Chancellor Lithander for your warm welcome and for inviting me to open Auckland Trade and Economic Policy School today. A Special thanks to the University of Auckland, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Attendance rates increase, again

Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Improving the lives of young New Zealanders

Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

1 day ago
Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea

The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024

Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement

Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Latest Quarterly Investment Report released

The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight

The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils

The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

2 days ago
Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed

The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double

Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference

Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Health survey results to help drive change

Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025

A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
New diplomatic appointments

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill

Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Red Tape Tipline goes live

Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

3 days ago
Youth Parliament 2025 announced

The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Police stats show promising change

After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Better coordination of anti-scam efforts

With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Minister to consider 7AA select committee report

Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting

Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

4 days ago
Launching the White Ribbon Ride

The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

5 days ago
Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury

Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...

BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz

6 days ago

Gang chapter president’s patch seized in first 24 hours of ban

The first arrest was made just three minutes after midnight, with 11 more to come. ...

Radio NZ – political

44 minutes ago
Government slammed for pushing on with boot camps amid trial

Labour has accused National of ignoring the evidence. ...

Radio NZ – political

55 minutes ago
The unspoken rule of conversation that explains why AI chatbots feel so human

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celeste Rodriguez Louro, Chair of Linguistics and Director of Language Lab, The University of Western Australia Rroselavy / Shutterstock Earlier this year, a Hong Kong finance worker was tricked into paying US$25 million to scammers who had used deepfake technology to ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

1 hour ago
Who were Caracalla and Geta, the cruel and unhinged Roman brother emperors depicted in Gladiator II?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Hanaghan, Senior Research Fellow in Latin Christianity in Late Antiquity, Australian Catholic University Warning: this article contains mild spoilers. When Gladiator I was released in 2000, I was a high school Classics student and the film brought Classical literature to life ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

1 hour ago
Gang patch ban: The first 24 hours

The first arrest was made just three minutes after midnight, with 11 more to come. ...

Radio NZ – political

2 hours ago
New Zealand Government Urged To Back ICC Arrest Warrants For Israeli Leaders Without Equivocation

“We are waiting for our government to announce it will arrest Netanyahu and Gallant immediately if they set foot in Aotearoa New Zealand” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. ...

Scoop politics

2 hours ago
Justice Committee Makes Further Decisions About Submissions Process For The Principles Of The Treaty...

The committee plans to hold hearings in the week starting Monday, 27 January and the weeks starting 10, 17 and 24 February 2025. ...

Scoop politics

2 hours ago
Watch live: Christopher Luxon faces questions during power station visit

It comes as Labour accuses National of not listening to evidence about boot camps. ...

Radio NZ – political

3 hours ago
Survivors of abuse in care know how redress should work – will the government finally listen?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Winter, Associate Professor in Political Theory, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images When Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stood in Parliament last week to apologise to survivors of abuse in care, his words were among many fine speeches by ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

3 hours ago
Review: The Day of the Jackal is a riveting and ridiculous ride

Eddie Redmayne’s globe-trotting assassin thriller on TVNZ is worth putting your phone down for. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. This is a vulnerable thing to say as someone who often writes about television for a job, but boy am I really ...

The SpinoffBy Alex Casey

3 hours ago
RNA editing is the next frontier in gene therapy – here’s what you need to know

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne IoanaB/Shutterstock The United States Food and Drug Administration has just approved the first-ever clinical trial that uses CRISPR-Cas13 RNA editing. Its ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
Yes, you still need to use sunscreen, despite what you’ve heard on TikTok

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Lee, PhD Candidate, Dermatology Research Centre, The University of Queensland Karolina Grabowska/Pexels Summer is nearly here. But rather than getting out the sunscreen, some TikTokers are urging followers to chuck it out and go sunscreen-free. They claim it’s healthier ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
Humans are killing off the old and wise animals that hold nature together. Here’s what must change

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keller Kopf, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, Charles Darwin University Laxmikant Ameenagad, Shutterstock In humans and other animals, ageing is generally associated with a decline in biological function. But scientists are now discovering older animals perform vital roles in populations and ecosystems. ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
A man scouring Google Earth found a mysterious scar in the Australian outback – and now scientists...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matej Lipar, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University Author provided/Google Earth Earlier this year, a caver was poring over satellite images of the Nullarbor Plain when he came across something unexpected: an enormous, mysterious scar etched ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
Design as a movement: how First Nations people take ownership of their cultural stories through fash...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Treena Clark, Chancellor’s Indigenous Research Fellow, Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, University of Technology Sydney Once located 250 metres to the east of the Art Gallery of South Australia, the grand beaux-arts style Jubilee Exhibition Building was constructed to house the ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
‘We need more doctors’ – Support for new Waikato medical school

The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists says a third medical school and more students in Auckland and Otago are both needed. ...

Radio NZ – political

5 hours ago
Cricket balls can concuss and even kill batters – at all levels, helmet use must be taken seriousl...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Annette Greenhow, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Bond University Linda George/Shutterstock The ten-year anniversary of the death of much-loved Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes falls on November 27. The 25-year-old’s life was tragically cut short in 2014 when a bouncer ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

5 hours ago
Hold the roosters, no economic dawn yet

Treasury likely to downgrade economic forecast while Chris Bishop says the government won’t be ‘a slave to a surplus’, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Recession will be deeper and last longer — Treasury At a recent Spinoff ...

The SpinoffBy Anna Rawhiti-Connell

6 hours ago
Knowing superstitions aren’t real doesn’t stop us behaving superstitiously – why?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Former New Zealand prime minister John Key has three white rabbits painted on his helicopter, a nod to his “massively superstitious” habit of repeating “white rabbits” three times at ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

7 hours ago
Government slammed for pushing ahead with boot camps while trial still under way

The coalition has "absolutely no intention of listening to the evidence that comes out of their experiment", Labour MP says. ...

Radio NZ – political

8 hours ago
Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate

Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in heated tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Fox Meyer

8 hours ago
Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate

Labour claims Government is ‘cherry-picking’ smoking trends data to hide decade-first increase in daily smokers The post Smoke and mirrors in tobacco debate appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Fox Meyer

8 hours ago
Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation

The Government’s economic adviser is sending a message it doesn’t want to hear – superannuation is increasingly unaffordable The post Treasury bangs the drum on ‘unsustainable’ superannuation appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Tina Morrison

8 hours ago
Victims of sex offending welcome shift on name suppression laws

A man abused by a former political figure is "immensely relieved" at a government proposal to end secrecy around sex offenders' identities. ...

Radio NZ – political

8 hours ago
This week three parties stood together – can they withstand the storm to come?

There is plenty yet to play out, but the next election is at this rate shaping up as trio versus trio, writes Toby Manhire. A subplot of this week’s historic hīkoi mō te Tiriti has been the sight of the three opposition parties presenting a unified front. Te Pāti Māori ...

The SpinoffBy Toby Manhire

8 hours ago
All 33 malls in Auckland ranked from worst to best

From the low lows of abandon empires to the high highs of a mall done just right. This is the second in the Malls of New Zealand series, where we rank the malls in major centres. Next week: Wellington. A note from the editor: This is the hardest ranking we’ve ...

The SpinoffBy Group Think

8 hours ago
The cost of being: A clothes-mad 20-something who walks everywhere

As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a 27-year-old apartment-dwelling marketing exec explains her approach to spending and saving. Want to be part of The Cost of Being? Fill out the questionnaire here. Gender: Female. Age: 27. Ethnicity: Pākehā. Role: Marketing exec at ...

The SpinoffBy The Cost of Being

8 hours ago
Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November

Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles

8 hours ago
Daily crossword, Friday 22 November

The post Daily crossword, Friday 22 November appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Newsroom Puzzles

8 hours ago
China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term

Opinion: Recent discussions in Shanghai provide some insight into what’s likely to be on the table The post China likely to strengthen regional relationships in response to another Trump term appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Jason Young

8 hours ago
Nuclear winters know no borders

Opinion: The immediate horror of nuclear weapon explosions – the blinding flash, crushing blast wave, and radioactive inferno – is well documented.But what nuclear-armed nations either don’t grasp or won’t admit, is far more chilling: how their weapons could devastate even countries thousands of kilometres from any mushroom clouds.The collapse ...

NewsroomBy Nick Wilson and Matt Boyd

8 hours ago
This week’s bestselling books – November 22

FICTION1 Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment by Monty Soutar (David Bateman, $39.99)Sample dialogue, all from one chapter:“That can’t be,” replied Taona doubtfully.“You were right. The pā is unnervingly quiet,” Taona murmured.“The Hākuwai,” Motukia breathed. “Our grandfathers told us they rarely saw the Hākuwai in daylight,” Motukia muttered.“Their fight would have been futile ...

NewsroomBy Steve Braunias

8 hours ago
Burma the flying elephant

After about two and a half years of planning and waiting, New Zealand’s last elephant has moved to her new home at Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.Burma and her “human herd”, that is, her keepers, arrived last week, and she’s settling in well, according to Auckland Zoo’s Andrew Coers.“Something ...

NewsroomBy Gwen McClure

8 hours ago
NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy

Senior ministers in the coalition suggested NZ’s membership will be re-evaluated if it restarts offshore oil and gas drilling The post NZ’s membership of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance in jeopardy appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Marc Daalder

8 hours ago
Raw Politics: Six months in a leaky Bill

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon did not meet the Treaty Principles Bill hikoi crowd, sees “nothing” of merit in the Act-proposed law but the Parliament his Government dominates will spend six months debating a “divisive” measure.That’s because he has accepted there needs to be “aeration” of people’s views on the Treaty, ...

NewsroomBy Newsroom Staff

8 hours ago
Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field

Bidder Whakapapa Holdings walked away from the sales process last year, but says it’s now ‘95% there’ on a purchase agreement – so who blinked first? The post Taken to the brink, Govt is now close to selling big Whakapapa ski field appeared first on Newsroom. ...

NewsroomBy Andrew Bevin

8 hours ago
Watts nears a landmark deal on global carbon trading

A framework for global carbon trading under the Paris Agreement is finally nearing completion at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan after years of halting talks.Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is one of two ministers tasked by the COP29 hosts with landing a long-sought deal on Article 6 of the climate accord, ...

NewsroomBy Marc Daalder

9 hours ago
Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...

Evening ReportBy The Conversation

14 hours ago
Fears Māori will pay heaviest price if police carry guns

"Overwhelmingly, those people who die will be young Māori men," the spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa says. ...

Radio NZ – political

15 hours ago
NEW POLL: Kiwis Overwhelmingly Support MPs’ Expenses Transparency Law Change

62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...

Scoop politics

16 hours ago

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