Author Archive

Theorising the Labour leadership selection

Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, December 16th, 2011 - 78 comments

“British philosopher Edmund Burke termed two different modes of viewing representation as the trustee and delegate models. ” Guest poster Pointy looks at this related to the recent Labour leadership selection debate.

Nanaia Mahuta

Written By: - Date published: 8:18 pm, December 12th, 2011 - 21 comments

I believe that a strong platform of investment in education, skills and training makes all the difference for many hard working families.

We need to be relevant to aspirations in the provinces, this means that we need to support our provincial candidates more effectively so that they are not having to fight an election on a single issue and not without the resources and support of the party.

Grant Robertson

Written By: - Date published: 2:23 pm, December 8th, 2011 - 80 comments

In 1997 after six years fighting for fair access to tertiary education through the student movement I joined the Labour Party. I didn’t join to become leader or deputy leader or even to become an MP. I joined because I believed then, and I believe now in the values of social justice, fairness and equality that are the foundation of our party.

David Cunliffe

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, December 7th, 2011 - 193 comments

I am tribal labour. I am the son of an Anglican Minister known as the “Red Reverend” and a stalwart member of Timaru Labour. My political beliefs were instilled into me from birth. For me the foundation is that every human being is of equal moral worth and the structures of our society must give everyone a chance to be the best that they can be. That means leaning against the free market when it undermines human dignity and starves many of the opportunities they need to build a good life.

 

Musings on Mana

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, December 7th, 2011 - 22 comments

David Small offers his views on offers his views on the Mana party effects on left politics in NZ.

Where to now for progressive electoral politics in Aotearoa?

Watching the specials

Written By: - Date published: 2:47 pm, November 27th, 2011 - 43 comments

The specials are going to be crucial in a number of seats, and to determine whether National can form a majority without needing the Maori Party. National could easily lose 2 seats on specials, leaving 58. Banks and Dunne bring 1 each, which equals 60 out of 121, not enough to pass legislation without at least tacit support from elsewhere.

Solidarity with Egypt

Written By: - Date published: 4:56 pm, November 22nd, 2011 - 3 comments

The Arab Spring hangs in balance, as protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and in other cities in Egypt battle the riot police of the ruling Egyptian military junta.

The Goldsmith Gambit

Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, November 21st, 2011 - 49 comments

This will be one of the dirtiest political and anti-democratic tactics ever designed in NZ history. It has the potential of delivering a second John Key term, gifting Epsom to ACT and of discrediting MMP in one foul swoop: a true Tory Trifecta.

How bad are National’s internals?

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, November 19th, 2011 - 135 comments

Some say the tea tapes haven’t hurt Brand Key. In fact, National is down 2% last week and those polls were largely taken before the tea tapes hit overdrive. It also takes time for impressions and media narratives to bed in. The 26th will be the first poll to really tell us how much the tea tapes have hurt. But the internals could give us a clue.

A wee reminder

Written By: - Date published: 4:16 pm, November 15th, 2011 - 21 comments

MANA’s Epsom Candidate Pat O’Dea, reminds the voters of Epsom who  they are really voting for.

A new type of coup?

Written By: - Date published: 5:27 pm, November 13th, 2011 - 36 comments

In the old days soldiers marched onto the floor of parliament with fixed bayonets to replace governments and frustrate the popular will.
Now it is being done differently

Praise for the Occupation movement

Written By: - Date published: 10:10 pm, November 7th, 2011 - 15 comments

In an Editorial that would not have been out of place as a post on ‘The Standard’ The Herald praises the Occupiers of city squares around the country, (and around the world).

Show me the policy

Written By: - Date published: 12:05 pm, November 7th, 2011 - 51 comments

We’re three weeks out from the election, and there’s something funny going on. National has hardly any policy out. Parties typically go into an election with a pretty comprehensive lineup of policy covering a very wide range of issues. Do the Nats really not have any plans, or are they just keeping them quiet to win a second term?

Why the Nats Youth Rate is just plain bollocks

Written By: - Date published: 2:03 pm, October 31st, 2011 - 20 comments

Labour candidate for Northcote Paula Gillon has submitted us a post on National’s proposed starting Youth Rate that appears to be ready for peer-review – with academic references and everything.

The Qantas lockout

Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, October 30th, 2011 - 127 comments

There’s a lot going on with the Qantas lockout that isn’t being reported in our media.

This guest post from a reader who’s an aviation industry expert gives the dispute some context.

Phil Goff’s balls

Written By: - Date published: 2:54 pm, October 29th, 2011 - 209 comments

Guts. Backbone. Chutzpah. Grit. Will. Vision. Courage.

The one thing all of these words have in common is that Phil Goff could quite easily have used them instead of “balls”

The Rena disaster and response: a study in neoliberalism’s failures

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, October 26th, 2011 - 24 comments

KJT looks at how the neoliberal fly-by-night attitude set the grounds for the Rena disaster and the inadequate response.

If Epsom & Ohariu were Northland & Te Tai Tonga…

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, October 26th, 2011 - 29 comments

Just why is it that the anti-MMP crowd only complain about small parties having too much power when those parties are the Greens?

Queen of Thorns has a few thoughts on the matter…

Why is it wrong to want a better world?

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, October 25th, 2011 - 37 comments

“The truth is, the world cannot be made perfect” says Deborah Hill Cone, arrogantly dismissing the Occupy movement. And she may be right. But that does not mean we are living in the best of all possible worlds and that the injustices and imperfections of our world are things we just have to accept. Rijab takes her on.

A new low

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, October 19th, 2011 - 44 comments

Last election, National promised to subsidise a treatment for the rare and deadly Pompe disease. Now, they won’t even meet with the sufferers. The truth is that New Zealand can’t afford ongoing treatments that cost $1m per patient per year. National promises us whatever we want to hear to get our votes. Knowing from the start they’ll never deliver.

Parallels with the Past

Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, October 17th, 2011 - 12 comments

On Sunday the 10th of May 2008, John Key gave a speech at the Southern Regional Conference explaining National’s platform for the looming election. It’s an interesting read, and looking back to consider words from the past can uncover some revealing realities about the present

Containership Rena

Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, October 8th, 2011 - 71 comments

The stranding of the Containership Rena on Wednesday morning, occurred in clear fine weather which has persisted for 3 days now. This clear weather is due to deteriorate starting today with a change in wind direction around midday. It is expected that by the middle of the week it will be too late. That before the next calm period the ship will be broken on the reef. What should have been done?

Whose side are you on?

Written By: - Date published: 2:30 pm, October 6th, 2011 - 212 comments

The PM gets paid $400,000 a year. That’s $45 an hour whether he’s in Hawai’i, talking about his cat, or sleeping. His cleaner, Sosefina Masoe, gets $13.50 an hour. Key has rejected calls to lift the minimum wage for workers like her to $15 an hour. Instead, the Right’s attack dogs have been trained on Mascoe for daring to speak out.

Nats’ policy cupboard bare as crisis strikes

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, October 3rd, 2011 - 37 comments

The Nats have released no substantial policy since the Budget and look unlikely to do so. Their election strategy was clearly to keep attention away from a comparison of their policy vs Labour’s, and keep it on Brand Key. The exploding economic crisis has caught the Nats’ flat-footed. Now, they need economic ideas urgently but have none to offer.

A red-zoner on Lab’s Chch policy

Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, October 2nd, 2011 - 5 comments

Gerry Brownlee has, predictably, been incredibly high-handed and insensitive in his handling of the Christchurch earthquake, especially when it comes to the red-zone. He created a clumsy, one-size fits all, buyout system and a Catch 22 for homeowners wanting to appeal by denying them access to the geotech data they need. Labour’s done much better.

Ecocide Mock Trial

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, September 29th, 2011 - 5 comments

The crime of ecocide will be tested, as if it is already law, by barristers before a judge and jury, at the UK Supreme Court in London.

Chart o’ the day: Wave goodbye to everybody

Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 28th, 2011 - 22 comments

Gross National Happiness

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, September 27th, 2011 - 6 comments

Happiness surrounds us in our lives; our music tells us to be happy, our facebook profiles suggest we’re always happy, and most of us have a willingness to work for material happiness. Yet happiness is a subject often missing from political discourse in our country, suppressed by talk of dairy and the dollar which dominates the halls of Parliament.

Ohnstrong on Labour’s Chch policy

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, September 21st, 2011 - 29 comments

A guest post from Jarm Ohnstrong: I want to start this article with an apology. A couple of weeks ago, I attacked Labour for its criticism of National’s performance on the Christchurch rebuild while not having released its own recovery policy. That was unfair and petty. Now, Labour has released its policy. It’s deserving of the highest praise.

Chart o’ the day: Not on target

Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, September 20th, 2011 - 74 comments

Remember

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, September 16th, 2011 - 59 comments

When the Nats say they must cut early childhood education funding – remember their new $500m subsidy to polluters.
When the Nats say they have to cut women’s refuge money – remember their new $500m subsidy to polluters.
When the Nats say they have to sell our assets to pay their debt – remember their new $500m subsidy to polluters.