labour

Our Friends in the North

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 6:31 pm, August 6th, 2014 - 225 comments

It’s been an interesting few days in the battle for Te Tai Tokerau. Never mind the bollocks, people. The question for Labour isn’t should we stand aside for Hone in the north or Mana/IP anywhere else. The question is ‘do we need ’em?’. The answer is looking more and more like no.

Labour campaign launch this Sunday (Auckland)

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:00 pm, August 5th, 2014 - 56 comments

David Cunliffe is officially launching Labour’s campaign in Auckland this Sunday and you’re all invited.

Positive Policy on Youth Employment

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 6:09 pm, August 4th, 2014 - 8 comments

Other than fixing child poverty, there’s probably no more important policy than this. Labour will commit $183 million to a comprehensive Youth Employment Package designed to reach 24,000 young New Zealanders.

Labour – Raise the minimum wage

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:05 pm, August 1st, 2014 - 298 comments

Labour is promising to raise the minimum wage to $16.25. It’s the right thing to do. And it doesn’t cost jobs.

The election campaign is at a delicate stage

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:35 am, July 28th, 2014 - 128 comments

We are at a very sensitive stage of the election campaign.  Labour’s decline in the polls has reversed, membership enthusiasm is high and National is being criticised for its male dominated list as well as facing the problem of its relationship with the Conservatives.

TVNZ’s white male syndrome

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:46 am, July 26th, 2014 - 86 comments

The focus of criticism of Mike Hosking as moderator for the TVNZ Leaders has been on his blatant pro-Nat bias. Hosking’s also has a track record of sexism and put-downs of some of the least powerful people in society.  Are only white males eligible for the job?

Herald says weird things about Cunliffe and Labour Clutha Southland candidate

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 6:06 pm, July 21st, 2014 - 110 comments

The Herald is saying some weird things about David Cunliffe and Labour’s Clutha Southland candidate Liz Craig.

Collective renewal

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:48 am, July 20th, 2014 - 59 comments

With Labour, there has been a particular topic on my mind for some time. How to get renewal inside the caucus. Over the last 6 years at The Standard we have had this horrible task of dealing with stupid “leaks” from unnamed sources in the party. As far as I can tell these unnamed leaks are invariably from safe electorate caucus members. I think it is time that party members start to make them feel less safe.

Polity: New Polls

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:43 am, July 17th, 2014 - 161 comments

The Roy Morgan and Fairfax/Ipsos polls out overnight are both bad news for the cause of positive change in New Zealand. Labour is below 25% in both polls, which is disaster territory if is solidifies. The potential coalitions of the left look just as bad. This doesn’t look like a change in the left-right split. The effects of the National / NZ Herald /Liu smear campaign feeding through fits the usual polling lag time period of about 4-6 weeks.

National and Pasifika

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:30 am, July 12th, 2014 - 86 comments

National’s desire of increasing its support among Pasifika is understandable in an MMP world. But John Key’s and National’s selection of socially conservative candidates in South Auckland in an attempt to be attractive to some socially conservative voters is more than a little disingenuous.

Clear choices in Labour’s mini-Manifesto

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 8:53 pm, July 8th, 2014 - 35 comments

Kiwi voters are going to be offered clear election choices across a wide range of policies that matter. This is clear from Labour’s mini-Manifesto, released at the weekend Congress. As promised Labour’s offerings are positive and forward-looking.  Besides education, there are policies on work, economy, schools, children, jobs, homes, environment, democracy, health, living costs and budget – put the commitments together and it’s a recipe for positive change.

Lies damn lies and crime statistics

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:00 am, July 8th, 2014 - 19 comments

The number of reported domestic violence incidents is increasing but amazingly the number of prosecutions is going down at the same time allowing the Government to claim that it is getting on top of crime. And the release of the latest statistics give added support to David Cunliffe’s and Labour’s proposals to treat the issue with urgency.

Polity: National dropped 6% in 2008, 2011 campaigns

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:18 pm, July 7th, 2014 - 8 comments

At Rob Salmond’s briefing to Labour’s Congress over the weekend, he made a point about National’s performance in recent campaigns, which was later picked up in David Cunliffe’s speech.

National has dropped six percent each time. For those interested, here is the data that sits beneath this claim.

It is no wonder that John Key is worried when 3 months out from an election they are sitting on less than 50%, with dead and dying coalition partners.

A quick note to John Key

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:59 am, July 7th, 2014 - 44 comments

Remember when John Key explained why he sends his children to private schools….. and now the Nats and Parata are saying that such advantages don’t work for all Kiwis.