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Security: social, financial, personal, digital
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, April 10th, 2013 - 18 comments
Yesterday more planks in the NAct raft amounting to major changes, were before the House. These undermine democracy, fairness, the security and rights of individuals, and increase hardship for those on low incomes. Ardern on Social Security. Cunliffe on child support, privacy breaches & trust.
Labour pays respect to Margaret Thatcher
Written By: - Date published: 12:48 pm, April 9th, 2013 - 182 comments
David SHEARER Labour Leader 09 April 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT Labour pays respect to Margaret Thatcher Labour is today paying its respects to the family, friends and colleagues of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who passed away overnight. “Baroness Thatcher was a passionate and formidable politician who loved her country. While I didn’t agree with […]
Getting there
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, April 5th, 2013 - 32 comments
So, the trend in the Roy Morgans continues, ever so painfully slowly to move in the Left’s favour. Since Labour recovered from its election disaster level to 30+, the Left’s support has risen at a bit under 0.2% per month, the Right vice versa. Lab+Green now outpolls National as often as not. But ‘if these trends continue’ is the most dangerous phrase in politics.
How austerity is destroying Britain… coming soon near you
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments
A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.
Real social security; real jobs – not bennie bashing
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, March 27th, 2013 - 55 comments
Opposition MPs (e.g. Ardern & Mathers) and Sue Bradford highlight that the Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill destroys lives, furthers NAct’s elitist agenda, & is more propaganda than social security or job creation.
What would I be prepared to die (or worse) for?
Written By: - Date published: 10:21 am, March 26th, 2013 - 64 comments
I am at the Governing Body meeting of the International Labour Organisation in Geneva. The GB is the tripartite executive that governs the place. There are 33 union representatives on the GB and a fair few of them live in very dangerous circumstances because of their union activities in their home countries. Those we sit, eat and plan with may be arrested, jailed, tortured or killed when they get home.
Labour’s three factions
Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, March 25th, 2013 - 348 comments
It’s interesting how little understanding there is of the state and politics within the Parliamentary Labour Party. A lot of the coverage of Labour’s internal workings has tended to personalise the tension – it’s been focused on Shearer vs Cunliffe without any questions about what lies beneath.
Good poll for Shearer
Written By: - Date published: 6:28 am, March 22nd, 2013 - 36 comments
The latest Herald Digipoll is mixed news for the left, but good news personally for David Shearer. Even John Armstrong is cautiously impressed…
Punitive, anti-beneficiary Bill- opposition needed!
Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, March 20th, 2013 - 48 comments
The Social Security (Benefit Categories and Work Focus) Amendment Bill second reading is first up on the provisional order paper for today. It is a further step in Paula Bennett & NAct’s vicious, punitive, bennie-bashing campaign. MPs are urged to vote against it!
Two Things
Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, March 14th, 2013 - 12 comments
Marriage Equality and Mondayisation – both proceeding fabulously!
What if Winston…
Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, March 14th, 2013 - 86 comments
What if Winston Peters holds the balance of power in 2014? Just a little something for potential Mighty River Power investors to consider…
Mondayising win!
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, March 12th, 2013 - 40 comments
The Bill to Mondayise holidays seems certain to progress. A nice win for David Clark and for Labour, and an all too rare example of MMP working as it should.
Mustn’t complain
Written By: - Date published: 11:08 am, March 6th, 2013 - 88 comments
I know we’re meant to make do with what we have. Sometimes wonder what we would have if a couple more MPs had thought beyond themselves, given the party membership the choice. Here’s two guys. One talking Labour values, recognising injustice arises from an unjust system. The other looking at a half mil house will touting affordable housing.
Child Support (Almost) Amendment Bill: Cunliffe speech
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, February 28th, 2013 - 34 comments
Another excellent Cunlife speech last night, speaking to the Child Support Amendment Bill (Committee Stage Schedule 2). An “almost” Bill showing the government’s callous disregard of child poverty and single/separated (usually women) parents.
Marriage equality bill progresses
Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, February 27th, 2013 - 25 comments
Good news, as Louisa Wall’s Marriage Equality Bill progresses through select committee.
Room left for Greens in Labour reshuffle
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, February 26th, 2013 - 49 comments
I think the Labour reshuffle is quite clever in how it signals the portfolios that its willing to give to the Greens and encourages them to set about being lead opposition spokespeople on those topics. Sure, the reshuffle has some weird stuff in it – ChCh Earthquake spokesperson a backbencher!, 6 ex-staffers in the top 10, Mallard’s ‘demotion’ that isn’t. But there’s some smarts there too.
Random notes on the reshuffle
Written By: - Date published: 2:22 pm, February 25th, 2013 - 82 comments
A few quick thoughts on the Labour reshuffle.
Labour Reshuffle
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, February 25th, 2013 - 211 comments
Shearer announced his reshuffle at 1pm today
Return of the King?
Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, February 25th, 2013 - 82 comments
Claire Trevett is picking Annette King to take health in a Labour party reshuffle
Something about deckchairs…
Written By: - Date published: 7:21 pm, February 24th, 2013 - 71 comments
Word is Labour’s reshuffle will be announced tomorrow.
Labour: the democratic reforms continue
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, February 20th, 2013 - 98 comments
The focus in recent months has been on the democratisation of the leadership process. But actually, a far more important change is coming. Over the next few months, the party is going to roll out the draft policies and the proposed policy structure to a series of membership meetings. The new regional hub structure will also be explained.
Reshuffle for unity
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, February 19th, 2013 - 229 comments
As you all know I haven’t been the biggest cheerleader for Labour in recent times. And let’s not beat around the bush. I still have my concerns. But there’s a real opportunity on the near horizon. There’s hope for Labour yet. While the plan for the reshuffle before the vote was clearly punitive things may have changed. Indeed they should have. Update: Oh dear.
A Labour leader in Britain
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, February 17th, 2013 - 49 comments
I wasn’t initially impressed with Ed Miliband, but I am impressed with his success, and with his latest policies he’s re-establishing British Labour’s credentials on the left. What are the lessons for us in NZ?
On engagement with the Labour caucus
Written By: - Date published: 6:49 pm, February 5th, 2013 - 282 comments
Yesterday Annette King started talking with Standard commenters on a couple of threads. As I understand it this is part of a move to engage with the Standard…
Growing the Left vote
Written By: - Date published: 6:49 am, February 5th, 2013 - 279 comments
At the moment the Left and Right political blocs are poised more or less evenly in the polls. So how do we grow the Left vote to win in 2014?
King, wtf?
Written By: - Date published: 2:55 pm, February 4th, 2013 - 52 comments
Garner has revealed that 63% of Maori Labour voters don’t know who the leader is. King responds by asking if they know who the PM is. Now, I’m no MP with 25 years’ experience but I reckon it’s pretty obvious that trying to deflect from a poll showing lack of profile of your leader in a key demographic by implying that Maori are just ignorant isn’t smart.
Shearer confirmed
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, February 4th, 2013 - 511 comments
According to, Patrick Gower David Shearer has been confirmed in the leadership vote this morning.
Living together
Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, February 3rd, 2013 - 128 comments
There’s a thought in some parts of Labour that they need to ‘put the Greens in their place’, then they will get back the votes that the Greens have taken from them, and that will lead to victory. It’s an Underpants Gnome strategy, missing the crucial link of how doing what they want to do emotionally results in the supposed objective. Better to build together.
Shearer Says
Written By: - Date published: 3:37 pm, February 1st, 2013 - 57 comments
David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter, this week – on the big year ahead.
We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.
Foolish games
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, January 31st, 2013 - 108 comments
As I indicated would happen in my post this morning on the Labour reshuffle, Mallard made a run for speaker today.* He and the Labour leadership tried to keep the fact he was running secret right to the last moment. Why not run an honest, open campaign? Because a vote on speaker can only be made by MPs physically present in the chamber. No proxies. Let me explain.
A new broom?
Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, January 31st, 2013 - 96 comments
Word is that Shearer’s team has taken a cue from the media response from Key’s reshuffle and is looking to bolster his new tough image by dropping some of the old hands in his own reshuffle. Almost without doubt the losers will be Street, Sio, and Mahuta. Hipkins and Jones look set for promotion. Goff, King, and Mallard will continue to hold top tier jobs.
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