Author Archive

Pita’s poll: Maori Party death-rattle?

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:35 am, April 2nd, 2011 - 38 comments

A new Horizon poll suggests that Pita Sharples’ majority in Tamaki Makaurau has been slashed by 80% and he could be overtaken by Labour’s Shane Jones. There’s a bit of scuttlebutt that Willie Jackson might run for Hone’s new Left/Maori Party (if it gets off the ground). In that case, expect a real three-way race, which Sharples would almost certainly lose.

Key: we were told SCF would fail

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 2:45 pm, March 31st, 2011 - 72 comments

In a raucous public meeting in Timaru last night, John Key said “The entire time I’ve been Prime Minister I’ve had Treasury in my office week after week, month after month telling me South Canterbury Finance was going bankrupt”. So, why did National sign SCF into the scheme and renew its deed three times?

Goff’s leadership safe for now

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:21 pm, March 29th, 2011 - 171 comments

The Labour Party front bench meeting in Dunedin has just concluded. Goff’s leadership has been confirmed, with unanimous support.

Political decisions

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 5:15 am, March 29th, 2011 - 88 comments

Whether Goff goes or not, the decision needs to be made based on what’s best for the party, for its members and for its constituency. Because in politics sometimes the “clever” thing to do and the right thing to do are not the same.

Arab revolt update: Syria rising

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 2:30 pm, March 26th, 2011 - 20 comments

The revolts around the Middle East are still heating up. The coalitions air strikes are dealing havoc to Gaddifi’s heavy weapons, giving the rebels a fighting chance. In Bahrain, the Shi’ites are brooding as the country remains under de facto Saudi occupation, Saleh looks gone in Yemen, while violence is escalating in Syria and Jordan.

Hughes stood down

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:02 pm, March 24th, 2011 - 114 comments

Darren Hughes has been suspended from his shadow portfolios due to the continuing police investigation. Goff probably should have done this earlier, despite the understandable wariness of a leader can’t punish an MP on the strength of a complaint alone. As Key did with Wong and Worth, Goff has waited until the media issue became too big.

Hughes investigation

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:56 pm, March 23rd, 2011 - 2 comments

Darren Hughes has identified himself as under investigation by the Police. No details on the issue. Hughes says he did nothing wrong. Clearly not what was needed with Labour hammering National on the economy. Comments off on this post and strict moderation elsewhere for legal reasons.

Arab revolt round-up

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:50 pm, March 21st, 2011 - 41 comments

There’s a hell of a lot happening in the Middle East right now, with protests and violence from Morocco to Bahrain. It seems likely that more governments will fall in coming days. In every instance, these revolts appear to be genuinely grassroots movements. The West is turning a blind eye to some government crackdowns. Its support for democracy is overridden by the need for stability to secure its oil supply.

Get well soon, Trev

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:47 am, March 21st, 2011 - 28 comments

As you know, Trevor Mallard is a keen cyclist. He touched wheels with another competitor in the R&R sports tour on Saturday. 3 cyclists went down at 40km/hr. Trev broke his femur and shoulder blade. It looks like he’s dealing with it OK. Maybe he should stick to leisurely rides on the John Key Memorial Cycleway in future.

The battle for Benghazi

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:00 pm, March 18th, 2011 - 11 comments

The Arab League turned against Gaddifi this week, calling for a no-flight zone. But the UN Security Council voted it down. The US voted against that proposal but is now talking about possibly talking about air strikes. As the West dithers the moment, to borrow from the Bard, is now very now. The rebellion is being snuffed out. Update: UN authorises air power against Gaddifi.

Labour exposes planless Key

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:04 am, March 16th, 2011 - 128 comments

There’s been increasing concern over the past week or two that not only has the government failed to communicate its plan for the Christchurch recovery, it doesn’t actually have one, and isn’t particularly worried about getting one. Yesterday in the House, Labour took Key to task on this important issue. And he was found terribly wanting.

The racist party

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:57 pm, March 15th, 2011 - 93 comments

3-time election loser Don Brash spoke at the ACT conference on the weekend. It was an attempt to revive the Owera days with an anti-Maori speech. When he made a ‘they don’t know how lucky they are’ reference to how Australians used to “shoot the natives”, a ACT member yelled “bring that back” and the audience laughed.

Saudis invade Bahrain

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:22 am, March 15th, 2011 - 7 comments

For the second time in 14 years, the Saudi monarchy has sent troops into Bahrain to crush protests by the Shi’ite majority against the Sunni monarchy. Having intimidated their own people into silence on Friday, the Saudis now want to bring the Bahraini Shi’ites to heel, lest they inspire more unrest from Saudi Shi’ites. The US is not unhappy.

No faith in Nats’ economic ‘plan’

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:53 am, March 15th, 2011 - 125 comments

So, how are you enjoying your brighter future? Not too flash, eh? GST up. Wages down. No jobs. More crime. Earthquakes. Oil and food shocks. No bloody cycleway. Discretionary income (after tax, housing, food, transport) is down about 15%. No wonder Kiwis don’t believe Key and National can deliver on their promises.

West leaves Libyan rebels to swing in the wind

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:14 am, March 12th, 2011 - 40 comments

Faced with the choice between short-term stability offered by a military strong-man or the long-term stability that would emerge from a democratic revolution, the West has long backed dictators in key resource supplying third-world nations. As the West backs away from saving the Libyan rebellion, it appears that little has changed.

Par for the course for women

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:13 am, March 11th, 2011 - 13 comments

With the Government’s most useless Minister, Pansy Wong, gone under a cloud of corruption and replaced by a new MP who has been labeled by some as a future Nat leader, we might have hoped that the Women’s Affairs portfolio would get some decent treatment and we would see a real commitment to closing the pay gap. Well, we can stop hoping.

One job only for Jerry

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:46 pm, March 8th, 2011 - 77 comments

John Key has appointed Jerry Mataparae as the next Governor-General. That’s all well and good. I’m sure he’ll do a fine job. But Key says he can also stay on as head of the Government Communications Security Bureau. That’s not on.

Update: the Stuff article failed to mention the vital fact that Mateparae is stepping down from the GCSB before becoming G-G. Sorry. Fucken Stuff.

New Citizens’ Party paper flouts electoral law

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:30 am, March 8th, 2011 - 36 comments

The United Chinese Press newspaper is potentially facing prosecution under the Electoral Act after it ran adverts on the day of the Botany by-election supporting New Citizens’ Party candidate Paul Young. The paper, the party, and the bidders for the Crafar Farms all appear to have strong links each other and the Chinese government.

Quake used as foreshore cover

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:14 am, March 8th, 2011 - 9 comments

Today Parliament sits in full for the first time since the second earthquake. There’s lots to attend to: the government is required to explain the state of national emergency, change the census law, create a one-off provincial holiday, and alter the law on school zoning. But it looks like the Nats are more concerned with slipping through their foreshore and seabed bill.

Bexley, eventually

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:44 pm, March 5th, 2011 - 75 comments

Resources for the poor, eastern Christchurch suburbs have been lacking but everyone accepts things are stretched. Key did himself no favours trying to PR paper over real cracks. Helicoptering in to Bexley, talking to some hand-picked locals, and making excuses the whole time didn’t look good. For instance, portaloos have only recently arrived in suburbs […]

Lhaws’ lhabours lhost

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:14 am, March 4th, 2011 - 101 comments

Michael Lhaws has done more to hurt ethnic relations in this country than, arguably, anyone else in the past decade. He chose the most racially divided city in the land and cynically exploited those divisions to get the attention his pathetic ego craves. Now, one of his greatest ‘achievements’ has been ruled illegal.

Anarchy to the rescue in Chch

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:45 am, March 3rd, 2011 - 62 comments

Farrar says it’s ‘ghastly’ to discuss how to pay for rebuilding Christchurch, since the obvious answer is by reversing the tax cuts rich people like him have pocketed. Well, I think how the poor eastern suburbs of Christchurch have been ignored is ghastly. Fortunately, resilient communities are organising themselves, without government.

No-fly zone for Libya

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 1:00 pm, March 1st, 2011 - 43 comments

NATO leaders are discussing a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the crumbling Gaddafi regime bombing and strafing protesters. Gaddafi’s loyalists are tied up keeping Tripoli under control, and the opposition is preparing to send in troops. Meanwhile, the big question elsewhere in the Arab world is what will happen on Saudi Arabia’s March 11, ‘Day of Rage’?

Rebuilding choices reveal govt priorities

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:32 pm, February 28th, 2011 - 93 comments

Unless a leader is horribly neglectful in the wake of a disaster, like Bush after Katrina, I don’t think there is any grounds to criticise them for the immediate disaster response, which is largely out of their hands anyway. But the policy response that follows is a legitimate topic for political debate. And I’m worried about Key’s.

The quake: media coverage and leadership

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:49 pm, February 26th, 2011 - 140 comments

Apart from Radio New Zealand, which is doing an excellent job as our public broadcaster, and The Press, the media’s coverage of the quake has disappointed. Supplying needed information has been a secondary priority behind the morbid running death count and Facebook-derived stories of the dead. Also: a response to Armstrong’s quake-article.

In praise of resilient communities

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:24 am, February 25th, 2011 - 124 comments

We hear a lot of, frankly, trite comments in times of disaster about how the people affected are ‘tough’ and a special breed. People are people. But communities can be more resilient in the face of disaster if they have existing civil society organisations to rally around and help coordinate their actions. Canterbury Students’ Association is a perfect example.

Hone goes under cover of earthquake

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 4:09 pm, February 22nd, 2011 - 47 comments

With everyone quite rightly focussed on the destruction in Christchurch, the Maori Party have kicked out Hone Harawira and cancelled his membership.

Libya the next domino to fall

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:30 pm, February 22nd, 2011 - 5 comments

It looks like Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi will be the next dictator to fall to the wave of protests and revolts sweeping the Arab world. The military initially sided with the regime and fired on the protesters, killing hundreds. But the loyalty of the security forces to the Gaddafi regime seems to be wavering. If this hard-man can crumble, who next?

In our land of plenty

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:21 pm, February 21st, 2011 - 55 comments

Look past the tattered remains of Brand Key and the Nats have not changed in the past 20 years. They still don’t have a clue how to create a wealthier New Zealand but they know how to hurt people. As in the 1990s, they are falling back on bashing people who are jobless through no fault of their own. This clip from ‘In a Land of Plenty’ deserves to be watched again.

Sleeper issue

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 21st, 2011 - 9 comments

Overnight carers have won the right to be paid at least the minimum wage for time when they are not working and free to sleep, as well as when they need to provide care to their charges in the middle of the night. In reaction, National appears set to legislate away the basic right that when you’re at work you get minimum wage.

Sickening

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:21 am, February 21st, 2011 - 74 comments

Key has blamed a soldier being killed in Afghanistan for the limo affair. This is just an attempt by Key to protect himself from criticism by hiding behind a soldier’s death. This is just sickening. The very worst kind of politics from a man who can’t take responsibility for his actions and is happy to take advantage of others’ tragedy.