political parties

Can democratic parties succeed?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:02 am, July 9th, 2013 - 111 comments

Can democratic parties be successful major parties in modern politics? The media’s drooling obsession with the “man ban” really makes me wonder, particularly with the level of ignorance displayed by Patrick Gower and others.

Government still doesn’t care about climate change

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 3:23 pm, July 8th, 2013 - 146 comments

We have very good climate scientists in New Zealand, but the government isn’t exactly promoting them.

So I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’re planning on more than halving the climate research budget from $10 million/year to $4.5 million.

45,000 more signatures

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:14 am, July 8th, 2013 - 46 comments

The eight week window to gather more signatures for a referendum on asset sales is now over, and the new signatures will be presented to Parliament today. Lots of them…

ManBan!

Written By: QoT - Date published: 10:00 am, July 6th, 2013 - 221 comments

Would it kill our journalists to add just the tiniest bit of fact into their Labour-scandal-obsessed feeding frenzy?

The flat patch

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 10:18 am, July 5th, 2013 - 17 comments

I’ve been having a look at the Roy Morgan trend. Oddly, I don’t see this Labour ‘flat patch’ that people are claiming is happening. What is happening is that the Greens are trending slightly down (as it usually does mid-term) and Labour isn’t rising fast enough to offset that. We’re still some way off the safe-zone for Labour+Greens, and the question is whether we’ll get there.

So, we’re talking about this now

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 8:27 am, July 5th, 2013 - 126 comments

National’s using Labour proposed gender balance proposals to take the media’s eye of the GCSB. It’s all in the game. But what about the seeming inability of Key to appoint women ministers? You know, something that’s actually happening, rather than a party’s proposed rule change? John Key has appointed just 8 women out of 28 ministers.

On having a more representative Parliament

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:33 pm, July 4th, 2013 - 323 comments

Labour should be congratulated for facing up to the lack of women’s representation in our Parliament.

They could sit around waiting for society to eliminate all structural barriers and usher in full gender equality, but frankly I’d rather they did something about it now. It’s a messy debate, but that’s democracy.

GCSB Bill scaring off investors

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:22 am, July 4th, 2013 - 103 comments

One of National’s favourite lines of attack on any significant lefty policy is that it will “scare off investors”. So how now do they respond to Google’s threat that global telecommunications companies may well abandon New Zealand because of the compliance costs of the new GCSB legislation?

John Key’s disdain for democracy

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:02 am, July 3rd, 2013 - 43 comments

Norman criticises John Key for showing complete disdain for democracy at yesterday’s public hearing on the GCSB Bill.  Kim Dotcom is expected to provide a challenge today. Paul Buchanan is critical and argues for a full inquiry.  Gordon Campbell proposes some questions. [update]: TV3 Livestream 3.30 pm [update] Dotcom -Key knew about him prior to GCSB spying on him TV3.

Post Key leadership struggle goes mainstream

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:25 am, July 2nd, 2013 - 67 comments

The simmering leadership struggle in the National party doesn’t get a lot of attention in the mainstream media, but here’s an exception. Judith Collins will not be pleased.

National – idiots on education

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:45 am, July 1st, 2013 - 35 comments

Hekia Parata seems to have noticed that we have a problem with trades education and apprenticeships in NZ. It’s a problem that is the making of National governments past and present, and they will need to completely rethink their blinkered approach to education in order to fix it.

Maori Party finished?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:57 am, July 1st, 2013 - 83 comments

Gotta love the reporting of the Ikaroa-Rawhiti by election. This was a boring, predictable win for Labour, a big upset win for Mana, and probably the death knell of the Maori Party.

Update: Native Affairs has unconfirmed reports that Sharples has stood down as leader of the Maori Party.

National Party economics: make $2 billion, spend 5

Written By: QoT - Date published: 7:00 pm, June 29th, 2013 - 89 comments

The National Party are the good economic managers, right?  So why are they spending money we don’t actually have yet?

Show us the money

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:22 am, June 29th, 2013 - 56 comments

National’s spend-up promises in Auckland look like panicky policy on the hoof. Where is all this money going to come from? Key says they’ll just write a cheque!

Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election round-up

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:15 am, June 28th, 2013 - 15 comments

Four contenders with excellent track records. Some important issues for the electorate have been highlighted, especially related to poverty, jobs, education, and affordable housing. Some commentators claim tomorrow’s by-election will be a test of this or that party’s strength.[update: RNZ interviews]