political parties

Poverty Watch 15

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:49 am, December 8th, 2012 - 10 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, poverty and eduction, and a special edition of Poverty Watch coming up…

Shearer Says

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:33 pm, December 7th, 2012 - 40 comments

David Shearer’s weekly e-newsletter, this week on the Auckland tornado, and the emergency response.

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

Just how wrong can you get it?

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 9:03 pm, December 6th, 2012 - 164 comments

Word is that a senior Labour MP (who will go unnamed) has been lobbying National Council to put rules in place for party members who participate in the blogosphere.

When ideology fails: a Dickensian Govt

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:05 am, December 6th, 2012 - 53 comments

The Key government’s sham and failed ideology of freedom and democracy can be seen in two Bills that were before the House this week.  This government is increasingly autocratic and anti-democratic, while enabling the powerful to exploit and control the powerless, including children.

Ahead of the curve on climate change

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:35 am, December 4th, 2012 - 66 comments

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has defended the Nats’ decision to drop out of the Kyoto treaty, describing the move as “ahead of the curve”.  Quite apart from being absolutely stupid short-term thinking and a pathetic abdication of leadership, the idea that this retreat is “ahead of the curve” is a rather unfortunate turn of phrase.

ImperatorFish: New Testing Regime For Party Pills

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 6:08 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 4 comments

A political party pill testing regime was originally announced after concerns were raised about the safety of some pills.
The highly popular National party pill range has been the subject of particular concern. The product has proven commercially successful because users of the pill report feelings of euphoria even as their personal lives come crashing down around them.

Taking the gap

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:23 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 157 comments

Russel Norman’s taken advantage of the gap in Labour’s economic skills and vague positioning to cement the Greens as the main alternative voice on economics. Labour lacks any strong economic voice now Cunliffe’s on the outer, and they don’t know where they stand – they attack National but essentially adopt their neoliberal approach.

JT, eh?

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 5:05 pm, December 2nd, 2012 - 78 comments

John Tamihere’s been let back into the party. On one hand it’s just a party membership and Labour’s a broad church. On the other hand he’s professed a desire to stand for Labour in Waitakeri, has made a big show and dance about his attempts to join, and was (still is?) a man who regularly had a wine in Ponsonby with the party leader.

Cronyism

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 8:24 am, December 1st, 2012 - 19 comments

It appears that Murray McCully is up to his clique-ish ways again. He’s appointed his old mate, and Sky political lobbyist Tony O’Brien to the board of Antarctic New Zealand. What’s that you say? Lobbying doesn’t have much to do with our interests on the white continent and its surrounding waters? Neither does Pay TV?

Make a submission to the manufacturing inquiry – today!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:22 pm, November 30th, 2012 - 28 comments

Over the past four years 40,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost (and over a thousand manufacturing companies have shut up shop). The government is in full denial, so the opposition parties have set up their own inquiry. Today is the last day for submissions.

A solution to the Novopay fiasco

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:44 am, November 30th, 2012 - 33 comments

I have a suggestion.

“Name” journalism & voter dis-engagement

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:55 am, November 29th, 2012 - 76 comments

Criticism of “anonymous” bloggers is a symptom of change that threatens to make politics more democratic.  The rise of “name” journalism and infotainment have increased voter dis-engagement.  However, well-managed blogging (by any name) can contribute to democratic re-engagement.

I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:53 am, November 28th, 2012 - 111 comments

With its head deep in the rapidly warming sands, John Key and the National government have been rolling back climate change measures. We are not even “fast followers”, we are stand-out obstacles to progress, and subject to international ridicule. On climate change they have made me ashamed to be a New Zealander. They shame us all as a nation.

A new house every 13 minutes

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:58 am, November 27th, 2012 - 82 comments

KiwiBuild has the Nats rattled. It’s difficult to oppose a program that creates both affordable housing and jobs, but they’re doing their best.  One of their lines is that NZ can’t build houses that quickly.  They’re wrong – here’s why.

Medium density housing is now the Auckland way

Written By: lprent - Date published: 9:19 am, November 27th, 2012 - 35 comments

It was clear that someone wasn’t doing their job in briefing. Sure a section of land sufficient to build a traditional 3 bedroom house in Auckland is bloody expensive and would cost as much as Labour’s budgeted amounts in KiwiBuild. That is obvious. So don’t build those types of property. Build something that requires less land. A brief lookup on my single bedroom studio Grey Lynn/Newton apartment shows a land value of $85k. A 3 bedroom townhouse down the road has a land value of $170k