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Brian Edwards on Shearer

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:15 am, January 30th, 2013 - 91 comments

The macho posturing we’ve seen from David Shearer since conference never quite gelled with the Shearer I knew. I’d always thought of him as a nice guy out of his depth, so the public defaming of David Cunliffe and the ‘I’m in charge’ theatrics always jarred. Brian Edwards argues the confusion in the Shearer brand […]

Get on board

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 7:56 am, January 30th, 2013 - 15 comments

Now I don’t know if there will be a leadership vote in the next couple of weeks or not, but if there is, and you’re a Labour supporter, then you really want to be a Labour Party member beforehand so you can have your say.

Good coverage for Shearer

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:16 am, January 28th, 2013 - 339 comments

It was a slightly risky speech for Shearer, but the media reception has been decent. Labour will be pleased with the coverage, and especially so when compared (source by source) with John Key’s hapless effort last week.

States of it – Turei and Shearer

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 2:35 pm, January 27th, 2013 - 93 comments

Metiria Turei and David Shearer have today given their State of the Planet and State of the Nation speeches respectively. There’s a lot of commonality, which is good. A critique of the government is solidifying and it’s centred on jobs, housing, and the environment. The Greens’ policy agenda looks heftier than Labour’s but both are heading the right way.

Shearer promises active government

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:58 pm, January 27th, 2013 - 78 comments

David Shearer has just made his opening speech of the year at the Labour Party Summer School.

Tell the truth

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 10:26 pm, January 25th, 2013 - 254 comments

Zetetic’s telling porkies. His talk of a rift in the Labour Party is crap. He hasn’t got a clue about what went on the Party conference – the idea that there should be a membership-wide vote on the leadership was voted down in November by a large majority of the 600-700 delegates present.

This

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 9:47 pm, January 25th, 2013 - 59 comments

How many times to we have to listen to Labour MP’s claim that they can’t stand up for labour values because they won’t be seen as “reasonable”.

Yeah, because your “reasonable” has really fired up the electorate thus far.

For a February leadership vote

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:07 am, January 25th, 2013 - 154 comments

No one in Labour can deny there’s a real issue with internal disunity. Not only is the caucus divided (and more than ever since the Shearer camp’s handling of the conference fallout), but there’s a major breach between the membership and the caucus. Unless this is fixed and we can get the party united we’re looking at another term in opposition after 2014.

Cunliffe rules out challenge

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:42 am, January 25th, 2013 - 81 comments

Tucked away on the One News site last night was a report that David Cunliffe has ruled out challenging for the Labour leadership.

Complementary Housing

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 6:52 am, January 25th, 2013 - 94 comments

It’s great to see the Greens’ new housing policy nicely complementing Labour’s affordable housing policy.

Media Bias & Democracy II: beyond 2 sides

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:56 am, January 22nd, 2013 - 52 comments

MSM “impartiality” focuses on two sides of a very narrow and shifting “centre”. Parliamentary Labour parties have got locked into appealing to this centre, over time shifting the caucus rightwards. Only momentum from the flax roots can break the resulting steady rightwards shift.

Shearer to put it to the vote

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:49 am, January 19th, 2013 - 71 comments

Word around the traps is that David Shearer is going to use his state of the nation speech next weekend to announce that he will put his leadership to full membership vote in February. If it’s true, and it’s a big if, it’s a ballsy but smart move politically and a welcome sign that Labour’s leadership is embracing democracy.

If these trends continue

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 11:47 pm, January 18th, 2013 - 173 comments

Key’s government is falling apart, yet one fact remains stubbornly true: walk down the street and nearly 1 in every 2 people you see supports National, while less than 1 in 3 supports Labour (and the 1 in 8 who support the Greens don’t quite make up the difference). When tonight’s Roy Morgan came out I put down my whisky and pulled by my Roy Morgan excel doc. It’s some grim reading.

Where is National on house prices?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:04 am, January 16th, 2013 - 41 comments

With a 10% increase in the median house price last year, we’re firmly back on a damaging house price binge. Labour has policies that address the issue. Where is National?

Deja vu all over again: Labour in 2014 edition

Written By: QoT - Date published: 2:00 pm, January 13th, 2013 - 104 comments

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again here: a Labour victory in 2014 isn’t necessarily better than a National victory in 2014.

State housing vs home ownership

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:45 am, January 11th, 2013 - 160 comments

Labour’s 2012 Kiwibuild policy has focused on building homes for first time buyers. Now we are told Labour’s 2011 policy pledging to increase the state housing stock still stands. This raises many questions: including do-ability and the Labour leadership’s continuing (neoliberal) focus.

Labour’s popular housing policy

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:40 pm, January 10th, 2013 - 122 comments

I’m delighted to see that over 70% of respondents to a recent Herald poll, published today, think Labour’s 100,000 houses plan is “a winner for Labour”. The plan was announced by David Shearer at Labour’s November conference. I’d also like to thank Olwyn for asking some questions about Labour’s policy on housing in response to Zetetic’s post – they deserve an answer.

David Shearer isn’t Jesus? No sh*t, Sherlock

Written By: QoT - Date published: 6:37 pm, January 9th, 2013 - 100 comments

I know I criticise David Shearer a lot, but if I sound bitter it’s just because I totally thought he would turn out to be Jesus.

Why the February vote could be very bad for Labour

Written By: QoT - Date published: 6:55 pm, January 7th, 2013 - 300 comments

Going on previous form, Camp Shearer seem to think a successful caucus vote in February will silence all criticism of his parliamentary leadership of the Labour Party. Boy, are you all wrong.

2013 – the policy year

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 10:43 am, January 5th, 2013 - 260 comments

As our own Labour grandee Mike Smith has pointed out, 2013 is the year Labour develops its policies.

That means Labour members (and the broader left) need to start talking about what they want before conference. And what better place to have that discussion than the Standard…

2012: “celebrity” PM – collective action

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:00 am, December 23rd, 2012 - 47 comments

Individualism & “celebrity” PM, John Key were still strong in 2012. But, there was opposition from some (often local) groups working collaboratively: Occupy, Glen Innes protesters, MUNZ, Asset Sales referendum, AAAP advocacy activism, manufacturing inquiry, NZLP democratisation, TS nest of vipers. And 2013?

I wish it could be Xmas every day…

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:10 am, December 21st, 2012 - 27 comments

… then maybe more attention would be given to increasing numbers of people struggling to get the necessities of life. Record queues outside Auckland’s City Mission. The Brighter Future never comes. Revisit The Spirit Level.

Media Bias & Democracy I: truth to power

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:49 am, December 20th, 2012 - 37 comments

Democracy needs independent news media, acting in the public interest, to speak truth to power. The commercial imperatives and neoliberal capture of corporate news organisations skew their political coverage, and contribute to voter disengagement. A perfect context for Key’s government to dismantle democracy: ECAN, CERA, Auckland Council, asset sales.

Shearer Says

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:46 am, December 20th, 2012 - 55 comments

David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter, this week – Merry Christmas!

We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.

What’s new? Shearer retrospective.

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:35 am, December 17th, 2012 - 124 comments

David Shearer was on TV 3 this morning, reflecting on his last year. He claimed that he and Labour are doing well under new and settled leadership, taking a new direction. How accurate are his claims?

Shearer Says

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:21 am, December 14th, 2012 - 17 comments

David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter – on a year to remember.

We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page.

A country to love: a country to fight for

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:07 am, December 13th, 2012 - 59 comments

Key’s government and his MSM cheerleaders, lead the country backwards to increasing inequalities. It’s been a year of the battle of the men. Yesterday, Metiria spoke of an inclusive country to collaboratively fight for, and Jacinda Ardern spoke passionately for children in poverty.

Shearer on fine form

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 4:46 pm, December 12th, 2012 - 148 comments

David Shearer was on fine form in this speech yesterday, rounding up the year with thanks to Parliament’s workers, greetings to the opposition “family”, a friendly dig at the Press Gallery, the year of “Partial Recall” and memory dot gone, and finally the serious business of holding the Nats to account on their appalling record. Good work.

Advocacy activism in precarious times

Written By: karol - Date published: 5:31 pm, December 11th, 2012 - 25 comments

In these troubling times, it was uplifting to see the flax-roots, practical and collaborative action at the Onehunga Recession Busting rally for beneficiaries today. Volunteers in front of the WINZ office in Onehunga Mall, are giving support and assistance to those most in need.

Something rotten in the state…

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:58 am, December 11th, 2012 - 88 comments

As an outsider watching the struggles in the Labour Party unfold, I am becoming increasingly despondent about the state of Left wing politics in NZ. Right now, NZ, and those of us who party vote Green/Mana, require a strong, democratic and solidly left wing Labour Party.

Butterfly upon a wheel, or we haven’t changed

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:20 pm, December 9th, 2012 - 251 comments

Back five years ago*, when The Standard was founded by people like Ralph, Irish, Lynn, Tillerman, and Tane, it stood for a few basic Leftwing principles. Pro-worker, pro-environment, pro-equity, and anti-elitist. And it saw a Labour-led Left government as the best vehicle to achieve those goals. Much of the crew has changed but the values and the goals haven’t.