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Good work if you can get it

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.

No Right Turn: The only way is Winston

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.”

The vote for change

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.

Consider the people of New Zealand First

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.

Where to now for the Greens?

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?

National rules itself out of coalitions with cynical BillShit.

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.

 

The Climate Debate Tues 7pm

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.

What’s up with NZF?

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.

Is NZF positioning itself for a 4th term National government?

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.

I’m off to vote today

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.

Why is Farrar smearing the superannuation shit?

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?

National’s political hit job on Winston Peters

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.

NZF is finished

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 11th, 2017 - 104 comments

Here’s a prediction for you.

It is National’s time for the brown trousers

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.

Ok, I’m pissed off with the Labour caucus again. Time to switch

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.

NZF members are lefties – will they get a say in choosing 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.

Winston back flips on his abolish Maori seats bottom line

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 …

Election 2017: the battle lines are drawn

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.

Non-news News and News Non-news

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.

Peters posturing

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, July 10th, 2017 - 95 comments

As usual in election year, Peters is posturing left and right.

This Bloody Vote.

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.

He’s baaaack

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.

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?

Hickey’s chart of the week

Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, April 28th, 2017 - 16 comments

Avoid big plans and win

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.

Pity the RWNJ (for they are going to be spinning in pain)

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.

National’s policing problem

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.

Coalition building – deft politics from Little

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.

Labour: Greens are the first cab off the rank

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.

Politik on Labour/ Greens

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.

Nationalism or patriotism?

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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