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The Drums of War – Again

Written By: - Date published: 4:12 pm, March 20th, 2023 - 38 comments

On 20 March 2003 the US invaded Iraq, on the basis that it had and could use weapons of mass destruction. That was a lie. Australia joined President Bush ‘coalition of the willing’, New Zealand did not. The drums of war beat strong then, they are doing so again now. This time China is the target.

Gender recognition: woke-ism or human rights?

Written By: - Date published: 6:31 am, March 20th, 2023 - 258 comments

This debate is about every teenager, anywhere in the world, questioning their gender and sexual identity. This is about the person who after years of suffering, at some point in their lives decides they wish to identify as having a gender identity different to that of their birth.

Wailing and Nashing of teeth

Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, March 16th, 2023 - 66 comments

It is pretty clear to me that leaders acting tough and beating up on members of their team leads to political advantage. I realised this back in 2010 when my mate Chris Carter succumbed to intense personal pressure and did a couple of silly things. Then leader Phil Goff went to town on Carter who […]

Making s%*t up

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, March 15th, 2023 - 41 comments

Is it just me or is Mike Hosking becoming more unbalanced?  The recent misrepresentation of a speech from Deborah Russell would suggest that he is getting worse.

The great policy bonfire

Written By: - Date published: 10:44 am, March 14th, 2023 - 45 comments

Chris Hipkins continues with his shock and awe campaign and has torched a number of policies that National and Act were using to foment unrest.

Luxon slumps in latest Colmar Brunton poll

Written By: - Date published: 6:18 pm, March 13th, 2023 - 57 comments

The latest One News Kantar Poll result has been released and it is a doozie.

Saudi/Iran peace deal brokered by China

Written By: - Date published: 4:57 pm, March 13th, 2023 - 14 comments

Veteran Indian diplomat MK Bhadrakumar describes the resumption of diplomatic relations between Shi’ite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia brokered by China as a “Suez moment” in the history of the Middle East. Peace in Yemen is only one of the possible benefits.

Chloe Swarbrick: We don’t live in a game of Monopoly

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, March 10th, 2023 - 49 comments

The case for redistribution of wealth in New Zealand.

The government needs to understand that climate mitigation and adaptation are twins

Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, March 8th, 2023 - 39 comments

James Shaw and Greenpeace on why mitigation and adaptation need to be paired.

Triangulating climate change

Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, March 7th, 2023 - 78 comments

Yesterday morning there were suggestions that the Government would properly address climate change by placing greater emphasis on public transport and walking and cycling.  But by the afternoon the proposition had been watered down.

National’s childcare announcement

Written By: - Date published: 1:43 pm, March 6th, 2023 - 21 comments

National’s proposed child care subsidy policy is essentially an increase to existing grants that will fuel inflation and costs increases in the child care sector.

But How Do You Pay For It?

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, March 5th, 2023 - 27 comments

To pay for recent flood damage Grant Robertson has to decide on what proportion of this will be paid by new debt, what proportion by reallocation of expenditure, and what proportion by special tax levies.  Is an Australian style levy under consideration?

Where is the Free Speech Union when you need it?

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, February 28th, 2023 - 97 comments

Rob Campbell is under some pressure from National and Act for calling out publicly the right’s dog whistle attacks on co governance.  But so far self appointed protector of the right to freedom of speech, the Free Speech Union, has been very quiet.  Why is this?

A Lone Voice of Sanity on Ukraine

Written By: - Date published: 6:28 pm, February 26th, 2023 - 76 comments

Historian Malcolm McKinnon in Thursday’s DominionPost states that “caution is needed when crafting victory over Russia as the primary war aim in Ukraine.” Truer words were never spoken, as western hysteria rejects calls for peace and escalates to wider war.

Is Labour heading for Muriwai-scale landslide win?

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, February 22nd, 2023 - 37 comments

Here’s my prediction: Labour will not just win the October election, but it will complete a landslide of similar proportions to the 2020 election. It has been Labour’s response to the cyclones that will be the decisive factor in October. Luxon’s low energy performance helps.

Sturgeon, like Ardern, a casualty of online abuse

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, February 21st, 2023 - 65 comments

Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation as Scotland’s First Minister was something of a replay of Jacinda Ardern’s resignation. While subject to widespread abuse, both were reluctant to cite this as their main reason for quitting. But the abuse undoubtedly played a major role. But the misogynist trend is endemic and needs to be quelled.

Towards National Recovery

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 20th, 2023 - 42 comments

Just over seven months from the election the Labour government has been granted as great a political momentum as that leading into the 2020 election.

Natural disasters test new leaders in New Zealand – some did better than others.

Written By: - Date published: 4:48 am, February 19th, 2023 - 1 comment

After the Auckland flood, Wayne Brown’s election will now be viewed as a cautionary tale. What can happen when someone who is inexperienced and unsuited to political office is elected to important political leadership roles. The blowback of this on the New Zealand right should not be understated, it is bad news for them.

Prime Ministerial

Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, February 17th, 2023 - 31 comments

Chris Hipkins has so far not put a foot wrong.  Since he became PM he has quickly and competently reformed the Cabinet and jettisoned policies that were for one reason or another causing problems. And he has quickly asserted control over two massive storms, the first which pummeled the country’s major city and the second which has caused massive floods to much of the East Coast of the North Island.

Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation and Scottish Independence.

Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, February 16th, 2023 - 56 comments

While Sturgeon’s strong leadership and vision have helped build support for Scottish Independence, the Conservative and Unionist Party’s arrogance and self-serving incompetence in government have greatly aided her in this.

Climate Minister James Shaw: If we do not act, it will get worse

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, February 15th, 2023 - 155 comments

“There will be a certain crowd who say … let’s give up on stopping climate change and its focus entirely on responding to the effects of climate change and I cannot state enough what a catastrophic mistake that would be, because every tenth of a degree of warming increases the frequency and the severity of these events.”

Luxon’s little experiment

Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, February 12th, 2023 - 30 comments

luxon sheep

It is really difficult trying to appear to be Prime Minister material and inclusive and to appeal to racists at the same time. Christopher Luxon this week has shown how difficult it is.

The great reset

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, February 9th, 2023 - 109 comments

Chris Hipkins has announced the great policy reset and there are no surprises.

National’s Brown problem

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, February 2nd, 2023 - 71 comments

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is providing National strategists with a rather large headache.

2023: Year of the Long Grind

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, February 1st, 2023 - 30 comments

There will be no respite for any of us this year; it’s a politics and a society of endurance.

The Cabinet Reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, February 1st, 2023 - 22 comments

Chris Hipkins has announced his cabinet reshuffle and there have been some dramatic changes.

UK Labour – can they finally beat the Tories?

Written By: - Date published: 9:19 am, January 30th, 2023 - 18 comments

The left in the UK needs to accept they alone do not have majority support and need to work with what they term the “soft left” and more centrist factions to win. The current Labour leadership need to ensure that the left still has a stake in Labour winning, and give enough to motivate the left to vote and campaign for Labour. Look at the lessons learnt by the US Democrats.

National is showing its class prejudice

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, January 27th, 2023 - 26 comments

National Deputy Leader Nicola Willis said yesterday that it was a great shame that the minimum wage had increased by so much because it means the Government can’t do it now to help low-income Kiwis make ends meet without stoking inflation.

Can Rishi Sunak save the Conservative Government?

Written By: - Date published: 12:26 am, January 27th, 2023 - 5 comments

Despite everything that has happened, it would be a serious mistake to underestimate the British Conservative Party which has proven time and again to be an electoral force to be reckoned with. In England, where over 80% of British voters live, Tory is the default option in many parts of the country. The polarisation within Britain is high with tensions from the Brexit debate and ongoing calls for Scottish Independence still simmering. The Tories can certainly play these divisions to their advantage in the hope of winning support

Luxon blunders again

Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, January 26th, 2023 - 25 comments

Chris Luxon has provided another example of his ineptness by suggesting in an MMP environment that a vote in a Maori Seat is worth more than a vote in an European seat.

There is no misogyny in New Zealand *

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, January 24th, 2023 - 62 comments

* sung to the famous tune from Blam Blam Blam.

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