Politics

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

Categories under Politics

A guide to making a submission on the Treaty Principles Bill

Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, November 23rd, 2024 - 10 comments

Want to make a submission opposing David Seymour’s dog whistle Treaty Principles Bill? Here’s how.

The Left Trumped?

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, November 21st, 2024 - 36 comments

We woke up last week to the post-mortem on the US election. How and why Trump won, and their implications for political alignments everywhere, are front and centre. A fundamental issue, explicitly identified when Trump won in 2016, is the presence of large sections of the working class vote into the Trump camp. So why has that happened – again?

The Fast Death of Our Major Forestry Mills

Written By: - Date published: 8:53 pm, November 20th, 2024 - 14 comments

2024 is the worst-ever year for our forest export industry as a whole, with most of our largest sawmills closing and the loss of hundreds of jobs.

On the whining and treason of David Seymour

Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, November 20th, 2024 - 51 comments

In recent days, David Seymour has been whining that no-one is seriously debating his stupid little bill to supposedly try to redefine what the Treaty means. But it is the constitutional arrangements of this country that this bill attacks. The bill is essentially treasonous. It also isn’t worth debating. Prepare against a dictatorship of the executive.

The great gaslighter

Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, November 19th, 2024 - 44 comments

In the gaslight to end gaslights David Seymour is suggesting that anyone opposed to his Treaty Principles Bill is also opposed to fundamental human rights.

Blowout in costs of Roads of National Significance

Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, November 17th, 2024 - 33 comments

There has been a major blowout in the cost of the Roads of National Significance with the cost being potentially $10 billion more than National claimed during last year’s campaign.

Justified outrage

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, November 15th, 2024 - 46 comments

There were some dramatic scenes in Parliament yesterday with Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke leading a fiery haka during the count of Act’s Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill.

This Government’s day of shame

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, November 14th, 2024 - 63 comments

David Seymour thinks that opponents to his bill cannot explain what it is they are opposed to but ignores the clear advice of 40 Kings Counsel who have written to the Government telling it that the bill is itself a breach of the treaty.

Government bars Journalist for asking tough questions

Written By: - Date published: 12:39 pm, November 11th, 2024 - 28 comments

The Government has prevented journalist Aaron Smale from attending the Crown apology to victims of abuse in state care because his questions are too tough.

What happened?

Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, November 10th, 2024 - 120 comments

Why did America vote for the least suitable candidate imaginable? And what are the implications for New Zealand politics?

Nicola Willis Deflects As National Splurge On Roads

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, November 10th, 2024 - 10 comments

Nicola Willis deflects a question on why National are spending billions on roads without a business case – after cancelling the 2026 i-Rex – which had a strong business case and required $1.4bn more to complete seismic upgraded ports and next generation ferries.

An Appeal To The Left: On Purity And The Media

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, November 10th, 2024 - 12 comments

The media landscape in Aotearoa NZ continues to weaken. In the same week TVNZ announced massive job cuts and further firings to come, Paul Goldsmith rewarded TVNZ Directors.

But can the left learn to avoid the trap of rapid fire – we need the journalists and newsrooms we have left.

The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill gets slammed

Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, November 8th, 2024 - 14 comments

The Treaty of Waitangi Principles Bill has now been released and it appears that the provisions take away more rights from Māori than originally proposed.

A Heavy Day

Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, November 7th, 2024 - 40 comments

This short excerpt represents a respite from the US election. Christopher Luxon apologises to Opposition leader Chris Hipkins and more. TPM ask Luxon about using force in boot camps. Plus a quick reminder on what we shouldn’t forget here in NZ either.

The Government’s cynical manipulation of the Treaty Principles Bill

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, November 6th, 2024 - 20 comments

In a cynical manipulation of Parliamentary Processes the Government is changing the date of introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill. And the Waitangi Tribunal has said that the bill is a deliberate attempt to destroy the treaty relationship.

Who is undermining the Government’s approach to reducing smoking rates?

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, November 6th, 2024 - 11 comments

The Government’s offensive on public servants who express privately held strong views continues with Casey Costello attacking a public servant who alleged that her private research had come up with some papers that were “crap”.

The 2024 US Election: A No-Win Scenario

Written By: - Date published: 7:18 pm, November 4th, 2024 - 50 comments

Tuesday (Wednesday in NZ) is election day in the United States of America. Where billionaires buy elections, the President is not elected by popular vote, and the nominee of the Republican Party attempted to overturn the results after he was voted out of office four years ago. Somehow, despite his crimes, Donald Trump is a coin-toss away from taking back the White House.

What’s up with Matt Doocey, Mike King & the $24mn of taxpayers money?

Written By: - Date published: 1:55 pm, November 1st, 2024 - 15 comments

Mike King calls alcohol a solution to mental health anguish. But evidence shows alcohol is linked to a 94% increase in suicide and has links to family violence. So what is happening with King and the $24m this government handed him in a highly “irregular” contract process?

When a right becomes a wrong

Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, October 31st, 2024 - 66 comments

The Free Speech Union is wanting an extremist right wing shock jock who the Christchurch Killer described as the person who most influenced him the privilege of visiting New Zealand to host a fundraising event.

Luxon Promotes Wealthy & Foreign Interests

Written By: - Date published: 6:28 pm, October 30th, 2024 - 12 comments

Chris Luxon continues to talk up privatisation and wealthy foreign interests from the Middle East and elsewhere. Privatisation and PPP models have been shown to cost a country – but he and ACT and NZ First seem set on their course to sell NZ assets.

Labour day

Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, October 28th, 2024 - 21 comments

Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!

Seven days and counting

Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, October 28th, 2024 - 80 comments

Please American voters do the right thing. Signed the rest of the world.
#VoteHarris

Act’s revenge on the Waitangi Tribunal

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, October 26th, 2024 - 16 comments

In what must be the most unsuitable appointment decision ever made Richard Prebble has been appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal.

David Seymour Chooses School Lunches Provider With Questionable Record: Listeria, Horse Meat & Poor Quality

Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, October 25th, 2024 - 27 comments

David Seymour said the new school lunches are the best food he’s ever eaten – but how true is it? And what has he chosen for our tamariki in the school lunch program?

Is the Epsom seat goneburger?

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, October 25th, 2024 - 23 comments

The North Island needs to lose an electorate seat. It appears that Epsom is the most logical seat to go.

Auckland Entrust Election – today is the last day

Written By: - Date published: 11:53 am, October 24th, 2024 - 5 comments

If you’re in Auckland and are the first named electricity holder for a household power account, then you should be able to vote in the Entrust election. But you will have to post TODAY. The damn election got around 9% turnout last time, so putting in a vote is actually significiant. I posted mine last week for More for You, Better for Auckland.

Tobacco product investigation is requested and warranted

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, October 24th, 2024 - 17 comments

Welcome news from yesterday was the request to the Auditor General under the Public Audit Act on the arbitrary and unsupported by evidence decisions on tobacco products by the Customs Minister Casey Costello. As the request stated, Labour’s health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall had reached the limits of the information that she could seek using the Official Information Act.

Government succumbs to Sensible Sentencing Trust pressure and makes Three Strikes Bill worse

Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, October 22nd, 2024 - 10 comments

The Goverment has bowed to pressure from the Sensible Sentencing Trust and made the Three Strikes Bill even more unworkable.

Luxon Tells The World Andrew Bayly Lied

Written By: - Date published: 10:24 pm, October 21st, 2024 - 48 comments

Today, Christopher Luxon said Andrew Bayly got it “horribly” wrong when telling a Kiwi worker to “f*ck” off and repeatedly call him a loser. But Bayly had denied it just last week.

Will This Be a One-Term Government?

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, October 20th, 2024 - 24 comments

Elliot Crossan at System Change Aotearoa reviews the past year. Despite the tepid public support for this government’s problematic actions, he warns that ‘The Right Is United By Power — Don’t Underestimate Them’

Who is the loser?

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, October 20th, 2024 - 22 comments

National Minister Andrew Bayley has apologised for his conduct after a complaint that he repeatedly called a worker “a loser” and swore at him while on a business visit.