political parties

Utopians and pragmatists

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:43 am, October 10th, 2016 - 32 comments

Nick Leggett places himself in the “pragmatic” part of the Labour Party spectrum and derides others as being “utopian” and not interested in winning. But given the recent election result for the Mayoralty is he right?

Local Government results good for Labour and terrible for National

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:18 am, October 9th, 2016 - 80 comments

In Auckland, Christchurch and in mayoral races throughout the country Labour and Progressives had a very good day while National and its proxies must be wondering what they did wrong.

Water and cultural values

Written By: weka - Date published: 7:30 am, October 8th, 2016 - 60 comments

Day one of the International Days of Prayer and Action with Standing Rock. Here’s a post on NZ’s relationship with water, and whether water is a resource or a taonga.

The Chief Prison Inspector’s report on Serco and MECF

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:30 am, October 7th, 2016 - 46 comments

The Chief Prison Inspector’s report on Mount Eden Corrections Facility has now been released and has presented a damning judgment on Serco’s management of the prison.

Campaigning South Auckland style

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:00 am, October 7th, 2016 - 8 comments

The South has responded to the Matafai West Auckland effort from yesterday. Sua William Sio says that South Auckland is the Gateway to the nation and the land of the young, beautiful and gifted. Judging by this video he may be right.

Something to go to in Auckland tonight

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:33 am, October 6th, 2016 - Comments Off on Something to go to in Auckland tonight

Labour Party Senior Vice President candidate Eva Hartshorn-Sanders will be holding a meet the candidate event at Galbraith’s Alehouse between 5:30 and 7:30 tonight. SVP plays a very important role in the party, so it’s well worth checking out the candidates if you get the chance.

The main risk to New Zealand according to John Key

Written By: advantage - Date published: 9:15 am, October 6th, 2016 - 59 comments

John Key is pretty good at providing media commentary on what problems New Zealand faces. But is he any good at addressing those problems?

Campaigning westie style …

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:00 am, October 6th, 2016 - 12 comments

The Matafai aiga from West Auckland show how to campaign.

Phil Twyford: the Housing Crisis

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:00 am, October 5th, 2016 - 148 comments

Phil Twyford argues housing will be the defining challenge for the next Labour-led Government, and sets out Labour’s reform agenda.

Colinoscopy

Written By: te reo putake - Date published: 6:32 pm, October 3rd, 2016 - 41 comments

In which we learn that Colin Craig had already lost another case months before being done over in his defamation trial.

Our most effective Prime Minister

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:14 am, October 1st, 2016 - 234 comments

Ad ranks post second world war according to criteria which produces some interesting result.

He isn’t a racist because his ex wife is from Singapore

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:08 am, September 30th, 2016 - 139 comments

Don Brash and a group of other predominately privileged white males are complaining that Maori may also be receiving some privilege.

Cronyism

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 9:51 am, September 29th, 2016 - 70 comments

So Paula Bennett has been giving a lolly scramble to her National mates with the Rules Reduction Taskforce.

Which is fine, because the Taskforce did great work in finding out that the ‘loopy’ rule of lolly scrambles being illegal wasn’t in fact true.

Twyford to chair Labour’s election campaign

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:41 pm, September 28th, 2016 - 56 comments

Twyford has been made Labour’s campaign chairman, which puts him charge of strategy for the election.

Ombudsman to investigate John Key’s dirty politics communications

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:42 am, September 27th, 2016 - 91 comments

The Ombudsman is to investigate John Key’s failure to disclose communications with David Farrar and Cameron Slater

“Itching Scratches” on Nine to Noon

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 6:27 pm, September 26th, 2016 - 61 comments

Matthew Hooton got carried away on Nine to Noon dissing Andrew Little’s views on political strategy and the centre ground that appeared to differ from Helen Clark’s. Stephen Mills piled in too on Jeremy Corbyn and the “missing millions.” All Little said was that he wants to connect with different groups of voters on issues important to them. Can’t argue with that.

Dear Herald you can do better than Rodney Hide

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:15 am, September 25th, 2016 - 248 comments

Rodney Hide continues to provide extreme analysis free right wing ramblings courtesy of the Herald. Is it time for them to reintroduce a left wing columnist?

A settlement proposal for Jordan Williams and Colin Craig

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:52 am, September 24th, 2016 - 42 comments

A suggested settlement proposal to resolve the Williams v Craig case which may achieve some good.

New lineup for Labour Leader’s office

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:15 pm, September 21st, 2016 - 49 comments

Andrew Little has appointed a new Chief of Staff and Chief Press Secretary.

Marama Fox to Richard Prosser: how much more do we have to be dicked around?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:30 pm, September 21st, 2016 - 201 comments

The New Zealand First MP had no answers for the Māori Party co-leader after NZF pulled their support for five major Treaty settlements at the eleventh hour.

Kevin Hague bids farewell to Parliament.

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:00 am, September 21st, 2016 - 24 comments

The Green MP delivered his valedictory yesterday, calling on MPs to “be brave – stand for something.”

Just vote – Auckland Council version

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:00 am, September 18th, 2016 - 31 comments

It is local government election time. If you want to vote for progressive candidates these are some suggestions.

Maori Party to make a stand?

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 2:45 pm, September 15th, 2016 - 113 comments

The Maori Party are threatening to pull out of their confidence & supply agreement with National. This would leave National with a Hair-thin majority in the House. The Kermadec Sanctuary, if handled with competence instead of arrogance, should have been a massive win for National.

Labour Organising

Written By: Bill - Date published: 10:09 am, September 14th, 2016 - 39 comments

From the UK. Organising 101.

Parliamentary Services is snooping on MPs’ emails

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:14 am, September 14th, 2016 - 123 comments

It appears that Parliamentary Services is monitoring MPs emails. And not just for things such as spam and viruses.

The trouble with polls

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:43 pm, September 13th, 2016 - 186 comments

Labour has released its latest UMR polling which shows a dramatically different result to that of the latest Colmar Brunton poll.

New Zealand is a socialist nirvana *

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:45 am, September 13th, 2016 - 65 comments

* at least according to David Seymour.

The homeless crisis is getting worse

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:46 am, September 12th, 2016 - 139 comments

Figures provided by the Government to Labour suggest that providing accommodation for families with chronic housing needs is taking much longer than it did six months ago. But Paula Bennett has replied by suggesting that the figures do not reflect reality.

Lose yourself in the music

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 11:32 am, September 11th, 2016 - 25 comments

While we’re enjoying the popcorn at Williams vs Craig, there’s another enjoyable court case coming next year shortly before the election…

The manipulation of burglary statics

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:52 am, September 11th, 2016 - 36 comments

Reporter Eugene Bingham who broke the story on how Papakura police were doctoring crime statistics by recoding burglaries as other offences two years ago has written about how his attempts to get to the truth of the matter has effectively been thwarted by the police.

Chloe King – John Key, I am a low waged worker, and neither “lazy” nor “drug addled”

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:39 pm, September 9th, 2016 - 254 comments

Blogger and social activist Chloe King, one of the hundreds of thousands of low waged workers in this country was devastated by John Key’s comments suggesting that she and others were lazy and had no work ethic. This is her response.