Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, September 27th, 2017 - 116 comments
During the election campaign elements of the farming community protested the possibility of a water tax and of farming being in the ETS on the basis the sector could not afford it. In awkward news it has since come to light that the Chief Executive of Fonterra and senior executives are being paid huge salaries.
Written By: - Date published: 4:02 pm, September 25th, 2017 - 45 comments
“Its not going to be a comfortable term. But it will probably be an exciting one.”
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 25th, 2017 - 172 comments
The Nats lost this election. It was a vote for change. NZF party members are calling on Peters to do the right thing.
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, September 24th, 2017 - 55 comments
The political reputation of NZ First as being a one man band. It isn’t. It is a real political party with the classic volatile mixture of members, supporters, candidates and MPs, plus undercurrents of factionalism. They will take some time to negotiate how they should negotiate and with whom.
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, September 24th, 2017 - 153 comments
Some post election thoughts on what James Shaw said last night, what the post-election options are, and that given the Left got a possible reprieve not an outright win, what are we going to do next?
Written By: - Date published: 11:48 pm, September 22nd, 2017 - 4 comments
National do a last ditch dirty politics effort. A few hours before it becomes impossible for anyone to refute this, Tracey Watkins publishes an opinion piece which sounds like the usual National BillShit. Another cynical lie designed to stop the horses from thinking rationally when they vote. This time it is a lie about things that the Greens can’t do – not without going to members. Who aren’t going to go for it.
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 pm, September 19th, 2017 - 18 comments
Event at Auckland Uni and live streamed, the major political parties debate the climate with Rod Oram as MC.
Written By: - Date published: 7:16 am, September 15th, 2017 - 24 comments
Peters’ major election interview is a mess of epic proportions, and NZF’s own Pauline Hanson makes an iwi/kiwi speech.
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 34 comments
It’s a timely reminder that 12 days before the election Winston Peters has just reaffirmed the door is very much open to a coalition or Confidence and Supply agreement between National and NZF. If you want to change the government, a vote for NZF is a risk.
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 75 comments
Voting has opened for advance votes and the expectation is that it will be pretty heavy prior to polling day over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be out there voting today for Jacinda Arden as my local MP, and for the Greens as my party vote.
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, September 1st, 2017 - 38 comments
A lot of politics and political blogging is all about the details. This includes National’s pollster David Farrar who falsely asserted yesterday that Winston would have received 7 annual letters about his superannuation status. So why is National trying to irritate their only possible coalition partner?
Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, August 29th, 2017 - 231 comments
The hit job that has just been performed on Winston Peters is a sign of how desperate National is to divert attention from Jacindamania. But I suspect the attempt will backfire.
Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 11th, 2017 - 104 comments
Here’s a prediction for you.
Written By: - Date published: 11:26 pm, August 9th, 2017 - 92 comments
If you want to know why the right is farting so much personal smoke, take a look at the poll trends 2011, 2014, 2017. It’s not a pretty picture for the Nats.
Written By: - Date published: 10:44 am, August 1st, 2017 - 129 comments
I think that Andrew Little standing down was a mistake. I can’t think of anyone in the Labour caucus capable of doing anything much between now and the election. Labour should have just stayed the course and worked harder to get rid of National out of government.
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, August 1st, 2017 - 19 comments
Current polls leave National/minor and Labour/Green both short of majority. The chances of NZF determining the shape of the next government are increasing. I’ve always assumed that Peters would go with National, but maybe not, if NZF members get a say.
Written By: - Date published: 3:13 pm, July 19th, 2017 - 86 comments
In the space of two days Winston has announced that a referendum on Maori seats would be a bottom line for a coalition but then it should be up to Maori if a change should occur. Update – make that a double backflip …
Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, July 17th, 2017 - 77 comments
The 2017 election campaign has been set alight by the Greens adopting brave policies that Jeremy Corbyn would be proud of and NZ First adopting policies that would meet with Donald Trump’s approval.
Written By: - Date published: 12:22 pm, July 13th, 2017 - 100 comments
A politician said their party would insist on being a part of government depending on the vote falls in September, while another gets called out for his habitual stirring at the pot of ethnic division. In a place like the South Africa of old, we all know which one would be the story. But this is New Zealand and this is now.
Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, July 10th, 2017 - 95 comments
As usual in election year, Peters is posturing left and right.
Written By: - Date published: 11:53 am, July 7th, 2017 - 212 comments
Disentangling the veritable plate of spaghetti that’s been set before us this election.
Written By: - Date published: 1:28 pm, June 30th, 2017 - 153 comments
Shane Jones will seek to reenter Parliament and has been selected as the candidate for the Whangarei seat. But for New Zealand First.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, June 24th, 2017 - 61 comments
New Zealand First could have a pivotal role in the next Government. What are their principles and what are they committed to?
Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, April 28th, 2017 - 16 comments
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, April 4th, 2017 - 27 comments
To win the 2017 election Labour does not need a broad suite of policies, rather it needs to make sure that it is asking the right questions.
Written By: - Date published: 6:04 pm, April 3rd, 2017 - 60 comments
If you are one of the right wing nut jobs that read this site, then Horizon puts out some truly scary polls. But if you aren’t an idiot and actually take the time to read material before criticizing it (unlike Hooton on ‘Hit and Run’) then this points to a tight election as is usual under MMP. But with all of the swing in the direction of a Labour led coalition. But I am sure the simpleton spinners will have another explanation.
Written By: - Date published: 12:09 pm, March 30th, 2017 - 48 comments
National is facing increasing public concern about the ability of the police to do its job properly.
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, March 3rd, 2017 - 87 comments
Helen Clark wrote the book on MMP coalition government, shoring up alliances on the left and the right. Looks like Andrew Little has read the book. Labour + Green + NZF = government.
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, March 3rd, 2017 - 19 comments
Andrew Little has confirmed that the Green Party will be first party Labour looks to for a coalition deal after the election.
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, November 24th, 2016 - 18 comments
I was rather amused reading Politik’s “Despite the pact Shaw takes on Robertson“ and was struck by the strange way that some political commentators (and probably some politicians) view the world at the political coalface. They really need to start to think about political parties as being like any other organisation. Tactical compromises without a strategic focus will always kill any organisation – eventually.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, November 4th, 2016 - 39 comments
Winston Peters appeals to the former but is the latter now a more important concept?
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