labour

Media response to Labour’s Monetary Policy Upgrade

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:32 pm, May 2nd, 2014 - 105 comments

The response to Labour’s Monetary Policy upgrade has been overall very good and it has dominated the policy debate at the same time as a series of scandals start to circle around the National Party.

Fixing the reserve bank

Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:14 pm, April 29th, 2014 - 32 comments

The head of the reanimated corpse of Brash should now be spinning furiously along with those fools from ACT who are into simplicity (because they can’t handle the real world). However having the Reserve Bank looking the balance of payments is pretty good. It includes the exchange rate and the export economy. They’re effectively now concerned with the exterior economy with a enforced savings tool as well as the interest rates. The government becomes largely responsible for the structural rigidities we have built up in the internal economy. That is a pretty good mix. Might have to train the MPs a bit though.

Remembering forestry workers

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:17 am, April 28th, 2014 - 15 comments

The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad.  Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change.  An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.

To Robert Reid, respect

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:24 pm, April 27th, 2014 - 135 comments

I may be damaging the prospects of him being invited back but I thought Robert Reid’s recent performance on Q&A was terrific and his example is one that all progressive MPs and activists should follow.

A New Zealand for 100% of New Zealanders

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:23 pm, April 26th, 2014 - 75 comments

The text of a very personal straight from the heart speech given by David Cunliffe today to Labour Youth.

Politics bruises even Shane Jones

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 4:06 pm, April 24th, 2014 - 108 comments

While I know many on here aren’t sad to see Shane go, I think he’s a lost voice for Labour – and we’ll need others to step up into his place. I also think we might be a little less visceral and personal in our attacks on politicians if we were a little quicker to realise they are human.
Also: Shane Jones Media Watch

Polity: Shane Jones speaks out

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:56 am, April 24th, 2014 - 116 comments

If you are going to demand that everyone else be a team player within Labour, accommodating in the caucus views they do not agree with, you can’t then turn around and refuse to be a team player in a Labour-led government with another party whose views you may not agree with. Either everyone is a team player, or nobody is. Shane Jones included.

Russel & Metiria – or Winston?

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - Date published: 9:30 am, April 23rd, 2014 - 133 comments

Yesterday Rob Salmond commented on Labour’s two likeliest options for coalition partners after the 2014 election, and had some interesting things to say about New Zealand First and the Greens. But I must beg to differ on the suggested advantages of offering a plum deal to Winston and expecting Russel and Metiria to play along […]

Polity: I am still holding out for a three-way

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:38 pm, April 22nd, 2014 - 110 comments

I think the pundits misjudge Peters. I think he wants a major, polity-based legacy in the 2014-2017 term, as well as baubles. Only the left can offer this. With the left, Peters can be The Man who Saved the Power Companies. National cannot compete with that. Which gives everyone on the left, including the Greens, some leverage. So count me out of the consensus that Winston in Cabinet means no Greens in Cabinet. I see a feasible three-way deal on the horizon.

The right wing only want to help us

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:30 am, April 19th, 2014 - 230 comments

Kiwi in America over at Kiwiblog has offered some no doubt heart felt advice to Labour on what it should be doing. But the advice appears to be based on a misunderstanding of the Party’s history and a wish that the Party becomes more like ACT. Why do right wingers think they can tell Labour what to do and is their advice sound?

Polity: Labour’s manufacturing plan

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:37 am, April 18th, 2014 - 10 comments

This is very good stuff. Having a tax break for R&D work has always been a no-brainer, and it is great to see it reconfirmed. Adding an accelerated depreciation scheme for new plant is a helpful addition. And partnering with more local firms for more locally-sourced government procurement makes perfect sense, too. Another no brainer for parties – like Labour – that actually care about local employment.

Politics by numbers

Written By: geoff - Date published: 7:57 pm, April 13th, 2014 - 125 comments

The first rule of politics is learn how to count. And, as much as we would all like to see Labour and the Greens govern by themselves, 13 and 32 don’t add up to 50

That’ll be why, when the Greens came to Labour with a plan to campaign together, Labour said no.

Inequalities of the 10 percenters

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:29 am, April 12th, 2014 - 28 comments

All inequality measures are not equal.  The GINI Coefficient is widely used but it doesn’t show the impact of vast increases in inequality between the richest and poorest Kiwis; it doesn’t show increasing experiences of hardship: it can mask vast inequalities in wealth & asset ownership.

NRT: Unsurprising

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:52 pm, April 10th, 2014 - 17 comments

But on any realistic numbers, its unthinkable for a future Labour government not to include the Greens, and as Gordon Campbell points out, by refusing to define their relationship themselves, Labour has given National a free hand to do it for them – and in undoubtedly negative terms. That won’t do the Greens any harm. But its unlikely to be good for Labour.