political parties

Were NACTs planning CGT themselves?

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 4:15 pm, July 16th, 2011 - 113 comments

After two weeks of contradictory, panicked lines from National, the Right’s official critique of Labour’s CGT is “it’s a hodge-podge”. The Right, including Bill English and Don Brash, aren’t saying CGT is bad, they’re saying Labour’s CGT isn’t comprehensive enough. Why, then, don’t they campaign on a more comprehensive one? Maybe they were going to.

Reaction to Labour tax package

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:32 am, July 15th, 2011 - 179 comments

The media have provided us with five people examples of people who will be affected in different ways by Labour’s tax package. Ordinary families win big and they know it. The vested interests moan and reveal the pure greed that underlies their worldview. Frankly, I think Labour will win support due to both who supports and who opposes its tax policy.

Labour tax announcement coverage

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:25 pm, July 14th, 2011 - 139 comments

Voters will see Labour oppositions on both sides of the world in a completely new light after this week. Phil Goff and Ed Miliband both took the bold step of taking on hitherto untouchable third-rail issues; capital gains tax in New Zealand and Rupert Murdoch’s pernicious monopoly media influence in England. Both leaders have turned the political landscape upside down and given voters a clear choice between the interests of the many and of the few. Go here for all the details. New Zealand is not for sale – game on for November!

Equal opportunity employer

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:40 am, July 14th, 2011 - 9 comments

So, Don Brash is having trouble getting any Maori candidates for ACT. Apparently, he identified 3 possibles – 2 turned out to be “unsuitable” (not old white reactionaries?) and one wasn’t interested. My question, however, is this. If Brash does manage to headhunt a token Maori and give them a winnable list place, isn’t that race-based privilege?

Economic Management

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:30 am, July 13th, 2011 - 34 comments

We can expect a lot of economic rhetoric in the lead up to November from our political leaders. What does history suggest with respect to two key economic indicators: production and employment?

Is Nicolson right for ACT?

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:41 am, July 13th, 2011 - 24 comments

There are murmurings in ACT today over their new ‘high profile’ candidate, ex-farming guy who’s on the telly sometimes ranting about climate change Don Nicolson. The party’s current policy priorities are lower wages for young people, weakening student unions, and beating up on Maori and there’s concern Nicolson isn’t the right face for the job.

Implosion-watch

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:49 am, July 12th, 2011 - 79 comments

Last night, two ministers went head to head calling each other racists but it looked more like two old hobos fighting over a tin of beans. Pathetic, really. Meanwhile, Key has sided with Brash and dismissed the offense many Kiwis feel over the ads by saying he doesn’t “give a toss” about ACT’s racist ads.

Maori Party chooses oblivion

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:15 am, July 11th, 2011 - 18 comments

There were two ways that the Mana vs Maori Party confrontation could have gone. Cooperation could have been could for both, competition will see both diminished. Guess which option the Maori party has chosen…

Elitist watch: Wayne Mapp

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:00 am, July 11th, 2011 - 14 comments

Wayne ‘Tipple’ Mapp went to Crete recently with veterans to commemorate our heroic defeat there in World War 2. Naturally, the old fellas who risked their lives and lost their mates 60 years ago got pride of place, like their Australian counterparts, eh? Nope. Mapp stayed in 26K of luxury while the vets had to fend for themselves.

When will Key rule out working with Brash?

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:44 am, July 11th, 2011 - 73 comments

ACT adman John Ansell has resigned in the fallout from the race-baiting ad he designed for ACT, which Brash proudly endorsed. The Maori Party has effectively ruled out working with ACT. Isn’t it time for John Key to do the same? He cannot avoid responsibility. ACT lives or dies at his word. If National doesn’t try to win Epsom, that is an endorsement of Brash’s racism.

Exit, stage right

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 4:16 pm, July 9th, 2011 - 136 comments

It’s a big call, I know, but I’m pretty sure we’re seeing the end of the ACT party happening right before our eyes.

Key walks into Labour’s CGT trap

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:33 am, July 8th, 2011 - 66 comments

It has been a rare and sincere pleasure to see National walk straight into a trap carefully laid by Labour. Goff and his team haven’t even publicly confirmed their capital gains tax policy but proponents to the Left and Right are winning the pre-launch media framing for them, while Key’s contradictory ranting is undermining his credibility.

An outside view on CGT

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:03 am, July 8th, 2011 - 78 comments

Yesterday’s Morning Report interview with Sydney Morning Herald economics correspondent Peter Martin was a real gem. The picture of capital gains tax that emerges is one of simplicity, fairness, and closing loopholes. No wonder the Nats hate it.

Owning the agenda

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 6:03 am, July 7th, 2011 - 153 comments

Labour have started setting out a bold, fair and plausible policy framework for the election. Rumours of their tax policy have generated more interest and excitement than anything the National government has done in the last three wasted years.

Nats block pay equity bill

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:33 pm, July 6th, 2011 - 11 comments

The Nats are all in favour of pay equity for women. Or so they say. But their actions speak louder than their words.

Te Tai Tokerau final results good for Labour

Written By: lprent - Date published: 2:10 pm, July 6th, 2011 - 23 comments

The 1,916 special votes got pared to 769. Of which Hone Harawira got 454 and Kelvin Davis got 204. There really isn’t anything in it with a by-election majority of 1117. It will make this a tight contest at election time because Labour will now view this electorate as being quite winnable. IMHO as an long time electorate campaigner, some of the Mana supporters have been over-blowing their result.

Ever wondered..?

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 1:17 pm, July 6th, 2011 - 10 comments

What keeps John Key & Bill English too busy to comment on their own government’s dismal performance, but not so busy that they can’t comment on absolutely anything to do with Labour?

The National Party attitude

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 9:25 am, July 6th, 2011 - 60 comments

Retiring National MP John Carter has revealed that he has consumed $77K of public assets for no reason. But it’s all such a funny lark! Carter permanently housed two cars at Parliament for 16 years. Hardly drove them. When he got in trouble for using parking spaces at the expense of others, he just switched them into colleagues’ names.

Labour capital gains tax rumours

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:06 am, July 6th, 2011 - 330 comments

The buzz around the traps is that Labour will be announcing a capital gains tax next week. The journos are already calling it a bold move and John Key is ranting hysterically. That Labour’s winning the media battle is great but, more importantly, this is a much needed policy: it is fair, it is good for the economy, and it will pay for good policies.

Caption Contest

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 3:01 pm, July 5th, 2011 - 112 comments

Happy Birthday KiwiSaver

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 7:07 am, July 4th, 2011 - 2 comments

John Key’s government celebrated KiwiSaver’s 4th birthday on July 1 with cuts to your entitlements. (Zet mentioned this here, but this is my take…)

Rebel schools

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:15 am, July 2nd, 2011 - 63 comments

Yesterday was crunch day for schools who oppose the governments national standards, and a surprising number have made a very bold stand. But according to Tolley: “Look, it’s election year, so anything goes”…

Herald shows gap narrowing

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 12:05 pm, July 1st, 2011 - 58 comments

The latest Herald poll shows Labour + Greens at 42.7%, with National + ACT at 53.1% – the gap is down to 10.4% from 16.9% in May. That confirms the trend we’re seeing in the Roy Morgans as well. Interesting to note that the gap is 17% this point before the last election. Continued progress and focus on the big issues will see victory for the Left.

Happy ECE cuts day

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:35 am, July 1st, 2011 - 17 comments

The quality of children’s ECE care clearly influences their later development, and therefore helps to shape their entire lives. It’s probably the best investment any country can make, and the Nats are taking us backwards.

Brash jumps the shark

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 6:58 pm, June 30th, 2011 - 54 comments

For anyone who had any faint remaining doubt, confirmation that Don Brash has completely lost it.

Actoids defend “get raped” comment

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 11:08 am, June 29th, 2011 - 38 comments

Some uni political hacks arguing, calling each other names, on Facebook is nothing new. The Actoid telling the Greenie to “get raped” was beyond the Pale. Don’t think we’ve ever had to delete a comment that bad here. But the response from ACT on Campus’s leadership has made it worse. Confirms the far Right’s fundamental misogyny.

Electioneering on the public dime?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:50 am, June 29th, 2011 - 48 comments

According to Audrey Young: “National and Act, the parties that kicked up a stink in Opposition about Labour’s taxpayer-funded election advertising, are engaging in their own taxpayer-funded binge this month”…

Gutting the state housing system

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:26 pm, June 28th, 2011 - 25 comments

No Right Turn on the Nats’ cynical plans. “And its here that National’s true goal becomes apparent: they’re planning to effectively gut the state housing system…”

Focus

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:34 am, June 28th, 2011 - 15 comments

Labour shouldn’t get distracted trying to stop a few votes going to Mana. (or racing benefit rorting bloggers, for that matter). If the worse thing post-election is needing Mana’s support to govern, Labour would be ecstatic. Concentrate on the real fight: getting back the 100K voters who voted Labour 3 times out of the last 4.

No future in NZ?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:14 am, June 28th, 2011 - 205 comments

John Key was elected promising to stop the exodus to Australia. He has failed. More and more Kiwis, especially the young, are leaving. And is it any wonder?

Sexist dinosaur Nats

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:07 am, June 27th, 2011 - 59 comments

Employers and Manufacturers Association head Alasdair Thompson’s sexist outbursts have drawn near universal condemnation, and are likely to cost him his job. But while we’re about the business of punishing sexist dinosaurs, we should set our sights a little higher than Thompson.