political parties

Andrew Little: Together, we will fight for justice for Pike families

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:30 am, January 21st, 2017 - 105 comments

I want justice for the families of the worst workplace tragedy in decades. If New Zealanders choose to change the Government this year, Pike will be a priority in my first hundred days as Prime Minister.

Predator free NZ – how are we doing?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:00 pm, January 20th, 2017 - 30 comments

It has been 6 months since the announcement that New Zealand would be predator free by 2050. But is sounds like nothing concrete has happened yet.

Bill English thinks he was pro Springbok tour

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:51 am, January 20th, 2017 - 102 comments

Bill English says that he was probably for the 1981 Springbok tour of New Zealand although has hinted that he has since changed his mind.

The shame of homelessness

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 8:04 am, January 18th, 2017 - 54 comments

A rich old white idiot, who would only be amused at our anger, has vented about the homeless, in a piece that shouldn’t be rewarded with our clicks.

Labour Greens plan joint state of the nation

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:42 pm, January 17th, 2017 - 36 comments

Good to see the effects of the MOU in action!

Julie Anne Genter to stand in Mt Albert by-election

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:46 am, January 13th, 2017 - 39 comments

Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter will be standing in the Mount Albert by-election to be held on 25 February

Ten steps towards victory for Labour

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 8:30 am, January 13th, 2017 - 239 comments

A guest post by Labour Activist Enzo Giordani on what Labour needs to do this year to win the election.

The end of ‘governing from the centre’?

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 3:33 pm, January 10th, 2017 - 124 comments

And a return to the politics of division by Blinglish…

Refining that dog whistle

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:30 am, January 10th, 2017 - 71 comments

Bill English has used a proposal for timing of his Waitangi speech to wrongly claim that he is being silenced. And most of the media bought it.

English won’t attend Waitangi Day

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 9:07 am, January 9th, 2017 - 191 comments

I don’t think it does a PM any harm to shut up and listen for a change instead of talking, but this does not seem to be possible for the Nats.

The St Johns Industrial Dispute – #HealthyAmbosSaveLives

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:43 am, January 7th, 2017 - 51 comments

St Johns is one of the first organisations to use new Industrial powers brought in by the Government and is attempting to refuse to negotiate with First Union and is docking workers pay for wearing a campaign t-shirt.

The return of Kim Dotcom and the Internet Party and the NZ journalist seeking asylum in Russia

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:34 am, January 2nd, 2017 - 371 comments

In strange news Kim Dotcom is talking about resurrecting the Internet Party and claims have been made that a New Zealand journalist is seeking asylum in Russia. Update: I am satisfied the application is for real.

Well done Murray McCully

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:48 pm, December 24th, 2016 - 287 comments

Murray McCully has had New Zealand co sponsor a successful Security Council resolution condemning Israel for violating International Law through its resettlement policy.

Rudman on Nats’ total housing fail

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:24 am, December 21st, 2016 - 196 comments

Rudman: “The Prime Minister, in his role in charge of Housing New Zealand, and Smith have spectacularly failed to solve Auckland’s housing crisis over several years.”

Steven Joyce rewrites history

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:53 am, December 20th, 2016 - 62 comments

Steven Joyce believes that doing something is the same as not doing something.

Crushed Collins to ACT?

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 7:23 am, December 19th, 2016 - 53 comments

What next for Collins? Burning ambition, a significant personal following, no future in National. Time jump to ACT? She must fancy her chances of taking over that pretend party and building it up to a “kingmaker” role.

What Paula is proud of

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:36 am, December 17th, 2016 - 76 comments

Apparently it’s “getting homeless people into homes”. Given the ongoing explosion of homelessness, just think how much scope she has to make herself proud next year…

“Social bonds” fail – blame the officials!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 3:09 pm, December 16th, 2016 - 31 comments

A scapegoat for the failure of the Nats’ first “social bonds” programme has been found. Turns out it was the fault of government officials! Shocker!

Labour reshuffle

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:13 am, December 16th, 2016 - 96 comments

Andrew Little has undertaken a minor reshuffle of the Labour caucus.

McCully is going

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 3:27 pm, December 15th, 2016 - 26 comments

Murray McCully has announced that he too is standing down from politics at the next election and his removal as a Minister this week appears almost inevitable.

Housing? A National mess

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 12:06 pm, December 15th, 2016 - 97 comments

3 stories from Checkpoint yesterday that add up to a picture of National’s response to housing: waste on unacceptable temporary housing; empty state houses where they’re needed most; and vilify anyone who dares complain.

Taxing multinationals

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:58 am, December 15th, 2016 - 53 comments

In March the Nats were still rejecting the idea of a crackdown on multinational companies’ tax avoidance. But there has been – in large part due to the work of Matt Nippert in The Herald – a partial back-down. Another Labour policy adopted!

A cutting review of National’s lineup

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:51 am, December 15th, 2016 - 240 comments

Jay Kuten writing in the Wanganui Chronicle: “Most of these folks couldn’t reliably run a bath.”

Lotu-Iiga is going

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 3:09 pm, December 14th, 2016 - 41 comments

Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has announced that he will stand down from Parliament at the end of the current term. He will be a loss to National.

Andrew Little: Middle New Zealand needs answers from English

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:48 pm, December 13th, 2016 - 205 comments

Andrew Little talks about what a Bill English leadership may look like. John Key promised to lift up the underclass, to fix the housing crisis, and to close the wage gap with Australia but failed. Will English be the same?

The B Team

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:29 am, December 13th, 2016 - 72 comments

Govt response to poverty report will tell us all we need to know about Bill English

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:04 am, December 13th, 2016 - 264 comments

The 2016 Child Poverty Monitor Technical Report is out today. As usual it paints a bleak picture. What will Bill English’s government do about poverty – evasions, words, or actions? Update: Bill fails.

Time for cross party accord on super

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 1:24 pm, December 12th, 2016 - 87 comments

English is not making the same stupid pledge as Key, to let superannuation consume the future. Time for a cross party accord. Take it off the table as a political football and solve the damn problem.

Out with the old – in with the old

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:18 am, December 12th, 2016 - 110 comments

Bye John, out with the old. And in with the old. Shortly the Nats will anoint the chosen one, Bill English. A pre-failed leader. Mr 21%. The greedy double dipper. The boring, conservative choice for a boring conservative party.

Nats continue to have a quid each way on tax cuts

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 11:39 am, December 11th, 2016 - 15 comments

Tax cuts – the Nats are continuing to rule them both in and out for the election. Incoherence or deliberate strategy? Either way – Key got away with this kind of bullshit for 8 long years – are we going to let it continue?

The Political Scientist: Is that all there is?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:30 am, December 10th, 2016 - 131 comments

Puddleglum has perhaps the most accurate description of the Key years and equates it as the equivalent of a Big Mac, perfectly engineered but ultimately deeply dissatisfying.