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Politics

Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation

Categories under Politics

Well done John Edgar

Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, April 10th, 2021 - 6 comments

I’d thought I’d take a moment to celebrate the life of John Edgar, who passed away a few days ago.

The Covid India issue

Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, April 9th, 2021 - 29 comments

This is a desperately difficult issue. India is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases.  And faced with the prospect of quarantine beds being overrun if current trends continue the Government has taken the step of banning people entering the country if they have been in India during the two weeks prior to travel.

Bridges is back?

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, April 9th, 2021 - 16 comments

Judith Collins has more reasons to be worried.  There is a rumour of a SImon Bridges-Chris Luxon leadership ticket potentially having a run for the leadership of the National Party.

Click bait frenzy

Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, April 8th, 2021 - 69 comments

Media has been awash with discussion about Mike Hosking’s recent interaction with Jacinda Ardern.  She was invited onto his show, agreed to appear, was grilled on isolation facility beds, and gave responses.  End of story you would think.

Go well Kiri Allan

Written By: - Date published: 7:57 pm, April 6th, 2021 - 10 comments

Kiri Allen has announced that she is receiving treatment for stage three cervical cancer.

Bubble bubble toil and trouble

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, April 6th, 2021 - 42 comments

An announcement on the Trans Tasman bubble is expected this afternoon.

The biggest grifter

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, April 5th, 2021 - 17 comments

The New York Times is reporting that the Trump Campaign sucked in a whole lot of republican voters by asking for urgent donations but then treating them as regular rather than one off donations unless donors discovered and clicked on a well hidden check box.

Greta Thunberg is now 18

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 2nd, 2021 - 59 comments

Greta Thunberg is now aged 18.  And her activism is still strong.

Ports of Auckland – time for change

Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 31st, 2021 - 5 comments

Auckland Council has released the Ports of Auckland Independent Health and Safety Report and the recommendations are damning.

National’s leadership problem

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, March 30th, 2021 - 42 comments

Chris Luxon’s maiden speech last week and another example of multiple leaks of details of a caucus meeting highlight how precarious Judith Collins’ tenure as National Party leader is.  But does someone have the numbers to replace her?

About Grant Robertson’s bright line tax statement

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, March 28th, 2021 - 217 comments

Media has been abuzz with comment about how last election Grant Robertson has backtracked on a promise on not extending the bright line test.  Should politicians stick to their pronouncements no matter what?  Or should they change their minds if circumstances demand a change in course?

Doocey is taking the piss

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, March 26th, 2021 - 12 comments

Private member’s bills are an important feature of Parliament.  They give all MPs the chance to change the law to address real or perceived issues and problems.  So what does National MP Matt Doocey think is the country’s most pressing problem?

The housing crisis and the Government’s response

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, March 25th, 2021 - 163 comments

The Government’s housing policy announcements have been attacked by the right and landlords as being an attack on rights and business, and by elements of the left for being too timid.  Which suggests that the announcements are quite well pitched.

The Australian Parliament and Women

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, March 24th, 2021 - 13 comments

To understand how power and misogyny and democracy all flow from the one stinking head, one need look no further than the Australian Parliament right now.

Government announces plan to help first-home buyers maintain the housing crisis

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, March 23rd, 2021 - 226 comments

Labour disappoints again. Individual investment rights trump collective responsibility for people having homes.

Something big but not like that

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, March 23rd, 2021 - 41 comments

I am going out on a limb here but I think that Comrade Chris Trotter suggesting that Jacinda Ardern may resign as Prime Minister may be overhashed.

Covid Zeitgeist

Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, March 21st, 2021 - 31 comments

NZ politics needs recharging and renewal to move forward. We need more charging stations.

Boris wants more bombs

Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, March 19th, 2021 - 50 comments

Boris Johnson has announced that the United Kingdom will increase its stockpile of nuclear weapons and open up the possibility of using weapons against non nuclear nations, despite being a signatory to various treaties that prohibit both actions being taken.

Britain’s tin-ear ’tilt’ to the Indo-Pacific

Written By: - Date published: 5:39 pm, March 18th, 2021 - 14 comments

In its new integrated defence and foreign policy strategy, Britain intends  to raise its nuclear warheads on Trident from 180 to 240. What a waste. It also intends to “tilt” to the Indo-Pacific, sending the New HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier here later in the year to give a message to China. It should read its history.

Americas Cup is New Zealand’s cup?

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, March 18th, 2021 - 80 comments

It appears that the Government and Auckland Council have spent $250 million on an event the organisers of which are now making plans to go overseas in pursuit of the big corporate dollars.

National and the Greens on how to solve the housing crisis

Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, March 17th, 2021 - 71 comments

Over the past week National and the Greens have released housing policy designed to address the country’s current housing crisis.  National’s are tired and either reflect what is already happening or reinforce their doctrinal view of the world.  The Green’s proposals are more radical and reflect steps that Micky Savage and the First Labour Government took in 1935.

About the latest poll

Written By: - Date published: 8:42 pm, March 16th, 2021 - 45 comments

Media claims that Ardern’s support have peaked and are tanking are way too premature.

Remember March 15

Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, March 15th, 2021 - 5 comments

Today marks the second anniversary of the Christchurch Mosque shooting.

West Australia result

Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, March 15th, 2021 - 8 comments

The weekend state elections in West Australia are a astonishing landslide. On top of nearly a 13% two party swing swing for Labour in 2017, there appears to have been about a 17% swing to Labour in the weekend election in preliminary results. The Liberals are likely to be left with just 2 seats in a 59 seat Assembly. The main opposition party, now the National party, with 3 seats.  

Women and male violence

Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, March 15th, 2021 - 37 comments

Sarah Everard’s death has been a touchpaper that has ignited the ever present anger in women at having to live in a world that is fundamentally unsafe for us simply on the basis of our sex.

“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness”. (UBI Series)

Written By: - Date published: 6:04 am, March 14th, 2021 - 49 comments

I believe, as our first Labour Government did, that everyone has the right “to a life” regardless of their perceived ,”value”.

In our country, with its excess of resources and capability, we have no excuse for poverty.

For leaving people behind.

The Unbearable Lightness of the Bright-Line Test

Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, March 13th, 2021 - 96 comments

The bright-line test is a red herring and does nothing to deter housing speculation.

Much ado about nothing

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, March 13th, 2021 - 18 comments

Chris Bishop is claiming credit for Labour finishing a deal whereby the party rented premises to Parliamentary Services for the use of Gillian Anderson MP at a level well below market rates.

You have 30 min to get your business in order!

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 12th, 2021 - 77 comments

Government should have announced the decision for Auckland to go down to Level 1 first thing this morning.

The trans Tasman bubble

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, March 11th, 2021 - 72 comments

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said New Zealanders have an unfettered ability to travel to Australia for a holiday.  Reality would suggest that he is wrong.

Water Rights War Brewing

Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, March 10th, 2021 - 6 comments

Minister Parker is firing an 18 inch gun round that he’s ready to take on all with his call-in of the Otago water rights plan change.

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