Author Archive
Male privilege is a fragile thing
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, October 28th, 2022 - 22 comments
Golriz Ghahraman wanted Parliament to condemn the Iranian Government’s oppression of women’s rights. David Seymour moved to block the motion because Golriz had raised points of order against him during a previous speech. Fancy putting your hurt feelings in front of making a statement of support and principle.
Fair Pay Agreements: Thank you Helen and thank you Michael
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, October 27th, 2022 - 43 comments
Yesterday was a big day for the Progressive movement in Aotearoa New Zealand as the Fair Pay Agreements Bill made its way through Parliament. Many should be thanked but especially Michael Wood and Helen Kelly.
Bruce’s Reckons: The increased speculation about Chris Luxon quitting
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 pm, October 25th, 2022 - 109 comments
Leader of the Opposition Christopher Luxon turned up to Parliament today and his media spin doctors will be hoping for some good photo opportunities to lift his popularity. But they will be asking a lot.
What are National’s constituent tribes?
Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, October 23rd, 2022 - 25 comments
Russ Jones has described the five tribes of the UK Conservative Party as including One Nation Conservatives, xenophobic English nationalists, wild-eyed libertarians, scatty populist bullshitters and machine politicians.
The lettuce won
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, October 21st, 2022 - 20 comments
Over in the UK Liz Truss has bowed to the inevitable and has announced her resignation as leader of the Conservative Party.
Wayne Brown’s letters
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, October 20th, 2022 - 50 comments
Wayne Brown (or is that Matthew Hooton) has over the past few days released a series of letters that are astonishing in their audacity. His latest on transport proposes business as usual at a time when dramatic change is required.
Sharma Sharma Sharma Sharma Sharma Chameleon
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, October 19th, 2022 - 74 comments
Gaurav Sharma has announced his immediate resignation from Parliament and that he will contest the by election as leader of a new centrist party. He also claims that the Government was going to waka jump him six months from the next election but unless National agrees this is impossible.
The Auckland Mayor’s powers
Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, October 18th, 2022 - 72 comments
Wayne Brown has by Mayoral decree ordered Watercare to stop working on the Three Waters reform. But he should take legal advice because his decree has absolutely no legal force.
What conflict of interest
Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, October 16th, 2022 - 19 comments
National’s attacks on Nanaia Mahuta for conflicts of interest have suffered a major blow after National MP Barbara Kuriger was forced to resign her portfolios for using official letterhead to harass MPI officials.
Even more anarchy in the UK
Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, October 15th, 2022 - 20 comments
I never thought that I would write a post suggesting that Boris Johnson’s reign as UK Prime Minister was not so bad. But that is the state that we have reached as Liz Truss sacks Kwasi Kwarteng for implementing her policies. And polling suggests that if an election was held tomorrow the Tories could win as few as four seats.
Climate change: I think that we are f&*ked
Written By: - Date published: 11:02 am, October 13th, 2022 - 88 comments
This week the Government announced plans to bring in a scheme for pricing farming emissions in 2025. National’s response suggests the prospects of political consensus are non existent.
RNZ, Three Waters and partisan commentary
Written By: - Date published: 11:43 am, October 11th, 2022 - 55 comments
Yesterday on Radio New Zealand’s Political Commentator’s show Bridget Morten said that three waters is a toxic thing for the Government but then declared that her law firm represents a group currently taking the Government to Court over three waters. Should such clearly partisan views be given expression by RNZ?
The people have spoken
Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, October 10th, 2022 - 147 comments
The people have spoken and with appallingly low turnout levels grumpy campaigns have succeeded and Auckland and other areas have moved to the right.
Own our future
Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, October 6th, 2022 - 43 comments
This year’s Local Government election is reaching a critical stage. And it is vital to get the right people elected. Please make sure that your families and friends vote for progressive candidates. Your kids and your grandkids futures depend on it.
The difference between Simon Wilson and Mike Hosking
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, October 3rd, 2022 - 47 comments
Wayne Brown’s mayoral campaign hit a really big pothole on the weekend when he was caught bad mouthing Herald reporter Simon Wilson. His comments received a lot of support from the right on social media who made comments about Wilson similar to the comments the left make about Mike Hosking. Are these examples of the same phenomenon, political bias against critical commentators?
If Truss was the answer it is difficult to work out what the question was
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, September 30th, 2022 - 52 comments
Liz Truss has been UK Prime Minister for just over three weeks. Instead of enjoying a honeymoon in a short term she has crashed the UK economy and political support for her party and her days must be numbered.
Even more proof that Conservatives are not good economic managers
Written By: - Date published: 11:44 am, September 29th, 2022 - 61 comments
There has been this carefully crafted illusion that conservative politicians are somehow better with the finances than progressive politicians. Recent events in the United Kingdom suggest that this illusion is terribly misplaced.
Comrade Chris wants to solve Aotearoa’s housing crisis
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, September 28th, 2022 - 64 comments
Something unusual has happened. Chris Bishop, or as we should now call him Comrade Chris, has come out fully in favour of a vast expansion of the provision of social housing for kiwis.
The world needs more Izzy Cooks and fewer Heather Du Plessis-Allans
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, September 26th, 2022 - 92 comments
Just when you thought that talk back radio could not be worse there has been a recent incident where Heather Du Plessis-Allan basically bullied a young woman who wants to make the world a better place.
Russian roulette
Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, September 23rd, 2022 - 277 comments
Vladimir Putin has effectively conceded that the Ukraine war is not going well for Russia by seeking to conscript 300,000 new soldiers, planning for referenda in Russian held areas and threatening the use of Nuclear weapons if Russia’s modified territorial integrity is threatened.
What is Paul Eagle doing?
Written By: - Date published: 12:33 pm, September 22nd, 2022 - 17 comments
Some concerning reports have emerged about Paul Eagle’s mayoral campaign. This week there have been reports that he snubbed a Labour Council candidate while endorsing a right wing candidate. And that he has been working behind the scenes supporting a team of independents.
Luxon’s mishandling of the Uffindell report
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, September 21st, 2022 - 65 comments
The only word that I can think of is clusterfuck. I cannot understand how badly Christopher Luxon has handled the Maria Dew report into what Sam Uffindell may have done when he was a younger person.
Has Uffindell been cleared?
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, September 19th, 2022 - 98 comments
It appears that the Dew report may clear Sam Uffindell and he may be returned to National’s caucus.
The right’s last desperate throw of the dice in Auckland
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, September 16th, 2022 - 18 comments
Even though her name is on the ballot paper and people can vote for her National aligned Mayoral candidate Viv Beck has purported to withdraw from the Auckland Mayoral race.
The right is weirdly gleeful about the end of the mask mandate
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, September 14th, 2022 - 40 comments
National MPs and their supporters have been celebrating the removal of the mandate with weird levels of glee.
Who pays the cost of an extra day off?
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, September 13th, 2022 - 50 comments
The Government has announced that we will all have a day off to commemorate the life of Queen Elisabeth. Act has come out against it on the basis that we are in a cost of living crisis, even though the adverse effect on workers and the poor is essentially nil and even though there is analysis that suggests that holidays are good for the economy.
Covid review due today
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, September 12th, 2022 - 45 comments
The Government is to make an announcement today on the future of covid mandates and the traffic light system. With infection numbers and hospitalisation and death rates plummeting it appears likely that these measures will not be renewed.
Newshub’s incredibly bad gang take
Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, September 6th, 2022 - 55 comments
Yesterday the Government announced a slate of new powers designed to address gang violence. Newshub chose that day to imply that Labour was soft on gangs because a gang member said on social media not to vote for National.
National’s PR support springs into action
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, September 2nd, 2022 - 52 comments
Yesterday National’s PR machine also known as Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB sprang into action to get the message out that National will not negotiate with Destiny Church over support. Even though eight days previously Chris Luxon pointedly did not rule this out.
About the reversed GST Kiwisaver changes
Written By: - Date published: 8:51 pm, August 31st, 2022 - 63 comments
National’s attack on requiring banks to charge GST on the provision of Kiwisaver services the same as smaller services is deeply cynical when its attacks on Kiwisaver in the past are considered.
Viv Beck going full Trump backfires
Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, August 31st, 2022 - 28 comments
Recent leaks and publicity have caused huge damage to Viv Beck’s campaign to become Auckland’s next mayor. They also highlight the stark difference between the left and the right in terms of campaigning.
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