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Race-baiting works, a little

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:25 am, August 6th, 2012 - 163 comments

Meh. National has race-baited over water rights to win back some of its wavering lower-middle class Pakeha support. It’s won some of that support back. For now. The thing about turning tides is that not every wave, or even every set of waves for some time, reaches less far up the beach than the one lowest before. Within each cycle there are dips and spikes due to events. Doesn’t change the cycle.

A good week for the opposition

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:20 am, July 27th, 2012 - 52 comments

3 opposition private members’ Bills passed – extended paid parental leave, Mondayisation, and lobbying disclosure – on Wednesday (moving a ban on land sales to foreigners up the list). Then, all 5 drawn from the ballot on Thursday opposition bills too: marriage equality, $15hr minimum wage, super-majority/referendum protection for asset sales, charging government agencies that pay access to info, and controlling water pollution.

Infographics

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:09 pm, July 25th, 2012 - 28 comments

Labour and the Greens are producing great infographics that succiently explain what the government’s doing wrong on issues of the day and bust National’s myths. They chuck them up on Facebook and Twitter and they spread like wildfire. They’re a really effective use of social media. You can help by liking the parties’ Facebook pages and sharing the infographics.

National’s new strategy

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 2:56 pm, July 22nd, 2012 - 57 comments

National have decided to lower the tone and just attack attack attack Labour and the Greens. They know they’re going down, and they’re trying to take the left down with them. It’s nasty, it’s negative and it will do our whole political system no good.

Labor Right v Greens

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 5:29 pm, July 13th, 2012 - 37 comments

This weekend the NSW ALP Conference and the New Zealand Labour Party Council will both debate and decide proposals for reform. Prospects look decidedly better on this side of the Tasman for internal reform as well as for relations with the Greens.

Frogblog: Greens call for inquiry into inquiries

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:07 pm, July 6th, 2012 - 12 comments

A very funny response from the Greens to Key’s complaint that they’re always asking for inquiries: “The Greens have been criticised by Prime Minister John Key, who said, ‘The Greens call for an inquiry on virtually anything.’ The remark prompted immediate calls from the Green Party for an inquiry, which would focus on why the Greens call for so many inquiries.”

Legitimate calls for inquiries

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:07 am, July 4th, 2012 - 33 comments

Key has dismissed calls for an inquiry into the Police’s actions in the Dotcom affair. He says that the Greens call for inquiries every week. In fact, they’ve called for 19 in the past year and a half. Is that too many? Well, the Auditor-General didn’t think so: she responded positively to the Greens’ call for a investigation into Key’s dodgy SkyCity deal.

Good on the Greens

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:13 am, June 19th, 2012 - 104 comments

The Greens have hired the equivalent of 8 full-time staff for two months to get their signature collecting as part of the Keep Our Assets Coalition rolling. It comes out of the fixed budget allocated to the party’s leaders’ office – not one additional cent from the taxpayer, just a choice: other parties spend millions of taxpayer money on polling. It’s a good use of our money.

Greens going mainstream

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:57 am, June 4th, 2012 - 73 comments

The Greens have singled out Key and Bennett for scathing personal criticism. Another sign that The Greens are becoming a mainstream political party? Can’t argue with the results, but I must admit that I find it all faintly depressing.

The beam in your eye

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 11:39 am, June 1st, 2012 - 53 comments

A tattered few on the Right are attempting to stir up an issue over the Greens using a bit of their leaders’ office budget on the citizens’-initiated referendum petition. The use of the $78,000 is completely within the rules and approved by the Speaker. The Greens, and the coalition, are helping us to keep our assets. Meanwhile, the Nats have budgeted $120 million to sell them. Who’s in the wrong?

Greens Budget Alternative

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 1:11 pm, May 21st, 2012 - 68 comments

The Greens launched their Budget alternative this morning. Titled “Smart Green Economics” it lived up to the billing. Extra heft was provided by BERL economist Dr Ganesh Nana paper arguing that the Government’s asset sales programme leaves the government accounts permanently worse off. It was also good to hear about opportunities and their alternatives. We’ve had enough of TINA.

Will the Greens lead the next government?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:20 am, April 8th, 2012 - 195 comments

Two recent pieces in The Herald draw opposite conclusions from recent polls (one of them, alas, is drivel). Matt McCarten asks if National’s free fall, and the rise of the Greens, foreshadows a Green led government in 2014…

The Green Party mining our future community tour

Written By: notices and features - 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.

TV1 Poll

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:40 am, April 2nd, 2012 - 40 comments

A TV1 poll yesterday had Key falling as preferred PM, but no significant change for the major parties.

Greens becoming the new opposition leaders

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:00 am, February 20th, 2012 - 242 comments

Last night, I saw Kevin Hague on the news talking about mine safety – mining, West Coast, labour rights, and no Labour voice. Same with minimum wage and asset sales. A hungry Green Party is leading issues while Labour appears immobilised. No wonder Metiria Turei is saying they won’t play little sibling; I see them being a third or more of the next governing coalition.

Don’t celebrate too soon

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:34 am, February 17th, 2012 - 63 comments

National’s in retreat on every front. Its had to break its economic promises, again. Asset sales are a disaster. Ministers are exposed over the Crafar Farms, NZ on Air, and DJ Key affairs. The media’s gone off Key ever since he declared war on them. The bad stories that were getting nowhere a year ago now keep rolling. Even Mallard’s boorishness can’t halt National’s slide. But don’t celebrate too soon.

Maiden speeches continued

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 7:14 am, February 16th, 2012 - 2 comments

Felix recommended Denise Roche’s maiden speech and I can see why.

It’s good to see some strong left voices entering parliament.

Time for an anti-asset sales coalition

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 1:50 pm, February 7th, 2012 - 128 comments

Mana, NZF, the Greens, and even the Maori Party, are suddenly grabbing the asset sales issue from Labour, just when it actually started to be a really valuable issue to lead on. Shearer should stop playing pundit on whether the Maori Party will go and how ‘unstable’ that makes the government. Instead, realise the broad base of opposition to asset sales and build a coalition to stop them.

Two Left Feet, or a Kick Ass Combo?

Written By: RedLogix - Date published: 8:45 pm, January 20th, 2012 - 26 comments

1951 it ain’t, for now

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:38 am, January 16th, 2012 - 120 comments

Some have compared the Port of Auckland dispute to the 1890 waterfront dispute, 1913 general strike, and 1951 lockout. They want Labour and the Greens to get involved. Actually, this is no 1951 redux. The POA fight is just about one company trying to undercut another. The net effect on New Zealand is zero. The last thing the workers need is Labour creating an excuse for National to attack them.

Musings on Mana

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 10:49 am, December 7th, 2011 - 22 comments

David Small offers his views on offers his views on the Mana party effects on left politics in NZ.

Where to now for progressive electoral politics in Aotearoa?

Labour should not rush to judgment

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 12:36 pm, November 28th, 2011 - 171 comments

One can understand why John Key is ‘speed dating” to form a one-seat majority in Parliament. His honeymoon is likely to be a lot shorter in the next term of government. It is quite different for Labour. The caucus would be wise not to rush to decide who leads Labour into the next election.

The rise of the Greens

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:24 am, November 28th, 2011 - 111 comments

The Greens can be very proud of their achievement this election. With 13, probably to become 14, seats, they have achieved the second-best ever result for a minor party under MMP. They have succeeded in becoming credible to mainstream New Zealand. What they do next carries big risks and big potential rewards.

100,000 reasons to vote Left

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:20 pm, November 25th, 2011 - 10 comments

In the end its pretty simple for me. I’m asking you to vote for the Left this election, for 100,000 reasons.

Both Labour and The Greens have policies that will lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

Greens go red, Labour goes green

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:08 am, November 7th, 2011 - 67 comments

We live in a time of inter-related crises of the environment and the capitalist economic system. So, I guess it’s not surprising to see Labour becoming more environmentally aware at the same time as the Greens propose economic policies that would normally be out of Labour’s playbook. Don’t worry about them becoming too alike, welcome the solid platform for a new government.

Workers locked out because won’t take 25% pay cut

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:46 pm, November 2nd, 2011 - 45 comments

Over 100 meat workers have now been locked out for 10 days at the Canterbury Meat Packers works in Rangitikei. They are told they must sign an agreement that cuts pay by 25% and loses conditions in order to return to work. Some migrant workers face deportation if they lose their jobs. It’s a disgrace; they all need our support. Here’s how you can help.

Enough to finish us off

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 10:20 am, October 30th, 2011 - 58 comments

Five million kilos of radioactive yellow cake uranium are being shipped through New Zealand ports every year. ERMA was unaware this practice has been going on for the last 15 years and only learned of it in 2009, but not to worry, according to John Key’s spokesperson the yellow cake is “Australian dirt, which is […]

Opening addresses for your convenience

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:31 am, October 29th, 2011 - 32 comments

In case you missed them last night, here are the National, Labour and Green election opening addresses, collected for your convenience.

micky savage: Is it Phil Goff’s time?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:14 am, October 16th, 2011 - 88 comments

Two weeks ago I thought that Goff and Labour did not have a chance in this election. National’s lead in the polls seemed too big, the country still seemed to be in love with John Key and Goff just was not getting the media cut through necessary to change hearts and minds. Then something happened. The wheels started to fall off National’s well honed machine.

The Greens’ clever election strategy

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:11 pm, October 5th, 2011 - 97 comments

Once again, the Greens have the best billboards and a great policy platform. But the really clever bit is their positioning. A lot of people don’t like National’s policies and don’t want them having a majority. They like Labour’s policies but not the personnel. Enter the Greens: good policies, nice people, and, officially, willing to work with and counterbalance National.

The year of the Greens?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:26 am, September 23rd, 2011 - 56 comments

Several commentators have suggested recently that the Greens have crossed some kind of “credibility threshold” and are poised for a strong performance in November. Is this the year of the Greens?