democratic participation

Categories under democratic participation

Participate: a better criminal trial?

Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, April 9th, 2012 - 4 comments

The Law Commission is reviewing trial process. Can we have a fairer justice system?

The Green Party mining our future community tour

Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, April 5th, 2012 - 77 comments

Green Party MPs Catherine Delahunty and Gareth Hughes invite you to a series of hui to discuss the Government’s broad “drill it, mine it” agenda for Aotearoa – what’s happening, what does it mean to our environment and communities and how do we stop it.

Make your voice heard on asset sales

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, April 3rd, 2012 - 34 comments

Kiwis oppose asset sales two to one. And they will only happen if one man, Peter Dunne, votes for them to happen. Dunne was too cowardly even to speak to TVNZ on the issue last night. But you can still make him listen. You have 10 days left to make an online submission to the select committee here. It’s a two minute job – just tell them that New Zealand isn’t for sale.

Participate: Stop Asset Sales and Welfare Reform

Written By: - Date published: 11:02 am, March 30th, 2012 - 54 comments

Friday 13th (April) – a scary day as submissions close on 2 major government bills. Make sure you get your submissions in on the Mixed Ownership Model Bill and the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill.

Citizens’ select committee taking submissions

Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, March 21st, 2012 - 3 comments

On the 1st of March a community group called Ohariu People’s Power established a Citizens’ Select Committee. This committee wants to hear the opinions of the New Zealand public on asset sales and the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). They’re taking submissions including oral submissions on Thursday for a report to Parliament.

Key: better for me if you don’t vote

Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, March 14th, 2012 - 32 comments

Key hates interest-free student loans, the only thing that has kept thousands more from leaving the country for higher wages, but says “it’s not politically sustainable to put interest back on student loans”. Why? “That is about the only thing that will get [young people] out of bed before 7 o’clock at night to vote”. Key’s willing to keep a policy he hates as long as you don’t vote.

Asset sales petition to be launched

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, March 6th, 2012 - 149 comments

A petition for a citizens initiated referendum is to be launched by a coalition led by Grey Power, the Greens and Labour. I would kick off with getting every activist in Wellington to do blanket coverage of Ohariu. This is going to be a massive thorn in the government’s side. If I was Key, I would almost be praying Dunne decides to go against the legislation

Syria

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 24th, 2012 - 146 comments

In a perfect world, we would all live free, in some kind of ideal democracy. We’re not there. But what we and the rest of the developed world have is a hell of a lot better than what the people of Syria have: despotic rule by the murderous son of their former murderous despot. The Syrians are trying to overthrow their tyrant, should the world help?

Asset sales: No Dunne deal

Written By: - Date published: 7:37 am, February 22nd, 2012 - 71 comments

Asset sales will only happen if Peter Dunne votes for them. It is his choice whether we keep our strategic assets, or lose control of them forever. So, constituents in Dunne’s electorate of Ohariu have established the Citizens’ Select Committee to hear the arguments that the Government will not and a report to Parliament. Make your submission.

Crowd-sourcin’: asset sales question

Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, February 21st, 2012 - 47 comments

Economic sovereignty is suddenly the hot issue with the vast majority of Kiwis opposed to more foreign ownership and asset sales. The Nats are in a spin: Key is desperately trying to upgrade English’s ‘guess’ on the fiscal impact of asset sales to a “best estimate”. Time for that asset sales referendum petition. Maybe you can help draft the question.

Participate: Green Paper on Vulnerable Children

Written By: - Date published: 5:57 pm, February 17th, 2012 - 39 comments

Paula Bennett, in her rush to action, has a Green Paper that intends to create a White Paper that may result in some legislation that she hopes will help “vulnerable children”. But, much as National have spurned attempts from other parties for a non-partisan action on child poverty and looking after our nation’s children, we […]

The Chairman doth protest too much

Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, February 17th, 2012 - 1 comment

Peter Radich, BSA Chair, absolutely rejects  “any kind of improper influence” over his controversial decision that Radio Live PM’s Hour was not an election programme. I wouldn’t accuse him of  improper influence, rather lack of competence as his judgement was completely outside the Authority’s brief.

Quick MMP review thoughts

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, February 15th, 2012 - 18 comments

Lower the threshold and reduce wasted vote; leave it at 2-3% to make it less likely multiple one-man bands hold balance of power. Stop winning an electorate being a route to getting list seats; eliminate most dirty deals. Let List MPs run in by-elections and people stand both in seats and on lists; banning these would result in undesirable tactics from parties.

Nats to use censorship to keep public in the dark ahead of elections

Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, January 18th, 2012 - 93 comments

National is quietly using its power to try to prevent programmes about important issues from being broadcast during election campaigns, after a documentary on childhood poverty upset them. When Key finally gets back from holiday, he’s got to explain why his party and government are trying to dictate what should be on TV during election campaigns.

Carmel wins, Nats down 1, MMP to stay

Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, December 10th, 2011 - 196 comments

Official Election results are out. Carmel Sepuloni takes Waitakere back for Labour by 11 votes, and National loses one seat to the Greens. MMP wins by a mile. Well done Carmel – I’m really glad she stays in Parliament. I don’t think a recount will change anything – I scrutineered the official count last election and the people doing it were very very careful.

Trading Futures

Written By: - Date published: 3:46 pm, December 2nd, 2011 - 74 comments

This post is intended to do more than merely generate discussion. It’s a serious proposition seeking action. Its intent is to lay out or sign post (at least some of) the basic or necessary legal and social structures of a Community Collective comprised of both workers and housing collectives that would enable people to assume meaningful control over aspects of their futures.

Labour’s decision and Labour’s alone

Written By: - Date published: 12:34 pm, December 1st, 2011 - 84 comments

It worries me that the media and right wing are trying to take control of the Labour Leadership contest. There’s no great hurry with Christmas around the corner (no new leader is going to get a lot of traction over the summer holidays), but the consequences of making a hasty decision will be disasterous for the party, and disasterous for New Zealand.

Turnout and the media

Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, November 30th, 2011 - 56 comments

A Herald editorial today outlines some possible reasons for falling voter turnout.  It left one important reason off the list…

NRT on Democracy 101

Written By: - Date published: 12:31 pm, November 29th, 2011 - 20 comments

No Right Turn takes Key to task on his perception of a “large majority”.

Undecided? Try this website

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments

If you’re still undecided, www.onthefence.co.nz is a cool little website that will help. You choose three issues that matter to you and how much you agree with two opposing statements on each those three issues – and it’s done with cute sheep graphics. The website then matches your priorities and the three parties that best fit them.

National policy manifesto

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments

Debate tonight – smartphone worm app

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, November 21st, 2011 - 101 comments

Tonight is the TV3 Goff-Key leaders’ debate 7pm – 8:30pm. Remember “the worm”? It’s back.  And (in a move that is a gift to National’s demographic) this time it’s packing a smartphone.  Here’s how to get the app if you want to take part.

Mood of the Boardroom distinctly undemocratic

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, November 18th, 2011 - 15 comments

The Herald reports CEOs are moaning that MMP won’t let them ram through unpopular policies. I can’t think of a better reason to vote MMP.

Greek democracy

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, November 3rd, 2011 - 82 comments

So, a government says that the people will have the say on its budget, and global markets plunge. Was there ever a clearer sign that the interests of the capitalist elite and the people are at odds, and the capitalists know it? It’s interesting that Papandreou has chosen to force a crisis and headed off a coup. Around the world, ordinary people want radical change.

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…

One citizen. One dollar. One vote.

Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, October 23rd, 2011 - 36 comments

A second message is emerging from the Occupation movement: “One citizen. One dollar. One vote.”

An Occupation Occupied. What’s Next?

Written By: - Date published: 3:31 pm, October 22nd, 2011 - 72 comments

Last week, several occupations ‘popped up’ around New Zealand. Well, they didn’t exactly pop up, did they? They weren’t more or less spontaneous, as in numerous countries in the Middle East, N. Africa, Europe and more recently, in Wall Street.

In New Zealand, there was, and is, no general out-pouring of anger or frustration from across large sectors of society. In New Zealand, the Occupations are contrived…pre-planned and organised.

Over or Into The Wall?

Written By: - Date published: 1:11 pm, October 15th, 2011 - 39 comments

Will the protests around the world hit the brick wall of ingrained habits? Or will we manage to get over, around or beneath that particular barrier to progress?

Lower the voting age?

Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, October 11th, 2011 - 47 comments

Mana has proposed lowering the voting age.  I’m in favour.

Election flyers: Wage drop

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, October 11th, 2011 - 21 comments

Can we afford 3 more years of falling real wages under Key?

Let the courts decide

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, October 11th, 2011 - 59 comments

The threat of invoking defamation is a standard tactic to intimidate those who can’t afford the legals bills to shut their mouths. Such threats are sometimes known as strategic lawsuits against public participation or SLAPPS. My understanding of Lange v. Atkinson (2000) and the qualified privilege afforded to political commentary that it enshrines, suggests there is no way […]