Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, January 3rd, 2021 - 95 comments
The stand off at Waikeria Prison between inmates and Corrections staff has attracted two responses from opposition parties, one being constructive and helpful and the other being complete and utter grandstanding.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, January 2nd, 2021 - 24 comments
Simon Bridges has spent the last week casting aspersions on people who have tragically died at Music Festivals in an attempt to score culture war inspired political points and undermine the Government’s new pill testing law.
Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, January 1st, 2021 - 112 comments
Welcome to 2021. This is the year for the Labour Government to be brave. What should it seek to achieve this year?
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, December 28th, 2020 - 43 comments
I realise that this would normally be our silly season, but it seems a bit macabre with the northern winter death toll. But nothing really excuses Chris Bishop for being a complete dickhead in barking for immediate offshore testing for travellers from the UK. It is pointless. The government are a bit more sensible. They’re instituting an extra test at our border.
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, December 23rd, 2020 - 22 comments
There is always plenty of bad news when it comes to nature in New Zealand, but this year has had an accumulation of good.
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, December 20th, 2020 - 22 comments
Without much fanfare, Minister Robertson has used 2020’s crisis to bury the historic scourge of monetarism and within it the excuses of the governments that used it as a pretext to sell off our key government income generators.
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, December 17th, 2020 - 66 comments
The Government’s finances are in remarkably good shape. Who would have predicted that dealing properly with a global pandemic would have had better results for the economy than timidly dealing with it and trying to ensure that economic activity continued? But by international levels our Government debt is already low and maybe now is the time to spend on vital areas such as poverty, climate change and the housing crisis.
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, December 14th, 2020 - 25 comments
Radio New Zealand is reporting that a deal on Ihumātao is imminent and that Cabinet is expected to sign off on the deal today.
Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, December 12th, 2020 - 68 comments
Not a vague let’s raise wages and benefits explanation, but an in-depth, number crunching, evidence-driven explanation. Where is it?
Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, December 10th, 2020 - 18 comments
There are the odd occasions when you find a political opinion that is a joy to read and quite revealing. An analysis piece by the Bagehot columnist that refers to the Conservatives as the dysmorphic Tory party completes its transition from the natural party of government into a British version of the Taliban…
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, December 8th, 2020 - 51 comments
The latest Colmar Brunton poll results have been released just in time to get the summer BBQs firing. And the results would not have pleased Judith Collins.
Written By: - Date published: 7:28 pm, December 6th, 2020 - 134 comments
Don’t expect a jellyfish to grow a spine, they just bob along on the current and keep moving, gently, slowly, kindly.
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, December 3rd, 2020 - 20 comments
Colin James and Councillor Tamatha Paul will discuss Colin’s paper “Beyond Jacinda” on Monday 7 December at 5:30pm at Baptist Church, 46-48 Boulcott Street Wellington. It will also be shown on Zoom and available on YouTube. Registration links below. All Welcome.
Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, December 3rd, 2020 - 28 comments
Parliament has finally declared that the country is in a climate emergency. And it has also told the public service that it has to become carbon neutral within five years.
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, December 2nd, 2020 - 73 comments
On two issues, pill testing at music festivals and tax changes to address the housing crisis, National yesterday indicated that it will do what conservative parties do and oppose any meaningful change.
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, November 27th, 2020 - 21 comments
I’m sure one needs a particular depth of political nerdiness to give a flying fig about such things, but since I am one of those, these are my highlights from the speech from the throne to Parliament this week.
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 pm, November 26th, 2020 - 9 comments
Ibrahim Omer, refugee, trade unionist, and living wage advocate gave his maiden speech today in Parliament. If you want to watch an outstanding speech and shed a tear or two watch this.
Written By: - Date published: 7:36 am, November 25th, 2020 - 75 comments
Comrade David Seymour has signalled that Act may argue for a minimum wage of $50 per hour.
Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, November 24th, 2020 - 62 comments
National wants to work out what went wrong during the last election.
Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, November 23rd, 2020 - 21 comments
Giving migrant workers access to insufficient welfare is a financial coercion tool of right wing and centrist economics.
Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, November 22nd, 2020 - 64 comments
National has heeded the calls for change and rejuvination by returning Peter Goodfellow as its president.
Written By: - Date published: 4:50 pm, November 20th, 2020 - 114 comments
It’s not possible to resolve New Zealand’s housing and poverty crises from within a neoliberal frame. Change is going to have to be driven from outside of parliament.
Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, November 18th, 2020 - 51 comments
This government must demonstrate that it has the ability to lead the New Zealand economy where it has stated it wants it to go. It does not want more headlines like the average house in Auckland now being priced at $1 million.
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 17th, 2020 - 76 comments
Donald Trump will be back for another go at the Presidency in 2024. Progressives should underestimate the possibility of his winning. Unless the remaining centre-left generates strategies that are executed so well that people feel the difference good politics makes, the elements of populism arising again will stay ready like the elements of a bomb.
Written By: - Date published: 8:07 am, November 13th, 2020 - 145 comments
In Aotearoa New Zealand we are facing a new crisis. Not Covid, although the recent case of community spread is deeply concerning. The crisis is the value of houses.
Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, November 6th, 2020 - 56 comments
The Electoral Commission has released the final results of the 2020 election and if election night was a shocker for National the final result is even worse.
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, November 6th, 2020 - 70 comments
Some elements of the right as well as Comrade Chris Trotter have decided to attack Nanaia Mahuta’s appointment as Foreign Affairs minister. In my view they could not be more wrong and I believe she will be an outstanding Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Written By: - Date published: 1:48 pm, November 2nd, 2020 - 78 comments
Some details of the new Cabinet announced today by Jacinda Ardern.
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, November 1st, 2020 - 49 comments
I liked the process for the Greens and Labour agreement. From Labour’s side after this election it was logically completely unnecessary, except maybe under some weird scenarios. But it is cooperative and that is clearly something that voters reward these days. Politics isn’t about buzz. It is about effective governance.
Written By: - Date published: 4:08 pm, October 31st, 2020 - 139 comments
Which way are the Greens going to jump?
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, October 31st, 2020 - 10 comments
The Sustainable Business Council has released a list of priorities for the new government. And they are pretty good.
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