politicans

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Luxon blunders again

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

* sung to the famous tune from Blam Blam Blam.

Jacinda Ardern – How will her five years in power be remembered?

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 7:13 am, January 24th, 2023 - 52 comments

It is too soon to say what Jacinda’s legacy will be. She will certainly be remembered for becoming a mother whilst being a world leader. For her presence on the world stage as a voice for feminism and progressive politics. She ushered in a generational and attitudinal change in New Zealand politics. While internationally she offered an alternative to the politics of Trump, Bolsonaro, Scott Morrison, and Viktor Orban.

Behind every strong woman leader are more strong women leaders

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:49 pm, January 22nd, 2023 - 59 comments

Chris Hipkins and Carmel Sepuloni have been confirmed as the next Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand.

It will be Chippy for PM

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:36 am, January 21st, 2023 - 101 comments

Chris Hipkins is now set to become prime minister. I rather expected that would be the likely outcome. Helps the election campaign as it will mute the revolting misogynist arsehole conservatives of the right and some on the left. I’m really tired of listening to them, and I suspect that way more than half of the countries population are as well.

Running on empty

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:23 am, January 20th, 2023 - 180 comments

Jacinda Ardern has realised that she was not in a position to commit to four more years as Prime Minister and has called it quits. Recent levels of abuse and misogyny shown to her have clearly played their part.

Nick Kelly’s email to Jacinda Ardern

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 6:53 am, January 20th, 2023 - 6 comments

In particular, I wish to acknowledge the strong compassionate leadership you took after the Christchurch Mosque attack. Your simple statement “they are us” regarding Muslims living in Aotearoa had a profound impact and broke down barriers of hate and ignorance at a time when tensions were so high. I still tear up thinking about how important your showing humanity and compassion was at that dark time. Thank you.

Jacinda Ardern has announced she is standing down as PM …

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:08 pm, January 19th, 2023 - 260 comments

Jacinda Ardern has just announced she is standing down as Prime Minister from February 7 and will not seek re-election. Further details will follow.

The importance of political narrative

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:54 am, January 15th, 2023 - 37 comments

Wayne Brown’s campaign techniques used in the Auckland Mayoral election are likely to be used by National in the election campaign this year.

Boris Johnson – why he fell and can he come back?

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 7:02 am, January 15th, 2023 - 1 comment

It is risky to make predictions, but it is safe to assume we have not heard the last of Boris Johnson. And much like Berlusconi in Italy, the results will undoubtedly be bad both for politics and the country.

The 2022 midterms and what happens next in US politics

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 12:04 am, January 10th, 2023 - 3 comments

Overall, the 2022 midterms were the best for any sitting Democrat President since 1978. Whilst losing control of the House is disappointing, the Republican majority is slim. Should hardliners try to block the Biden agenda as they did with Obama, they risk moderate Republicans breaking ranks. Further, hardline Republicans overplaying their hand in Congress may scare moderate voters away from the party and at the same time motivate the Democrat base to win back the House in 2024. Add to that the prospect of Trump returning in 2024, it could be about to get very messy in the Republican Party.

New Zealand is in a terrible state *

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:55 am, January 6th, 2023 - 116 comments

* or is it?

Will the 1923 record be beaten?

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:36 am, January 5th, 2023 - 86 comments

Been watching C-SPAN in the US House of Representatives trying to elect a speaker. Last time that there was more than one vote to get a speaker was in 1923. This figures, the author of this political madness, Donald Trump seems to be a law and tax evading crook worthy of the 1920s or 1930s US.

National’s Andrew Bayly is incompetent about earthquakes.

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:09 am, January 4th, 2023 - 23 comments

This morning a estimated 5.1 earthquake close to Te Aroha shook Hamilton, Tauranga, Auckland and Rotorua a region of half of our population. Only a day earlier National’s number 3 14 stupidly criticised a programme designed to diminish the risks in earthquakes. As usual National has no policy on dealing with earthquake risks that I can see. National simply aren’t ready for government.

Trump’s tax returns

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:47 pm, January 2nd, 2023 - 18 comments

One of the mysteries of the ages has now been resolved. One of the great mysteries along with who killed JFK and is there life on Mars is how wealthy is the orange one. And now we know. And it appears that he is not as wealthy as he made out to be.

The Standard’s political awards for 2022

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:01 pm, December 30th, 2022 - 39 comments

It is that time of year again where the events of the year are reviewed and what was notable, noteworthy and notorious.

Be afraid, be very afraid …

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:20 am, December 22nd, 2022 - 165 comments

David Seymour is feeling his oats and has claimed that past National Governments never changes anything. A brief review of history would suggest otherwise.

Celebrating 50th Anniversary of PRC recognition

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 10:12 pm, December 21st, 2022 - 15 comments

“When Joe met Chou, we have opened the door and said hello” captions the photo of the Beijing meeting between Joe Walding and Chou EnLai in March 1973. It followed New Zealand’s recognition of the People’s Republic of China on December 22, 1972, an anniversary definitely worth celebrating.

The rise and rise of David Seymour’s ACT

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 7:28 am, December 20th, 2022 - 96 comments

I thought David Seymour was the most interesting speaker at the Victoria University post-election conference at Parliament last year. Two things stood out for me in his presentation following ACT’s election gains. He opened by offering lengthy and effusive praise to his researcher, then clearly stated his objective to supplant National as the leading party on the right. He’s on track for that, as current media attention shows.

The one thing Jacinda Ardern can do is speak to our hearts

Written By: advantage - Date published: 9:03 am, December 18th, 2022 - 134 comments

Mawkish sentiment running up to Christmas perhaps, but imagine Luxon or Willis speaking hours after the Christchurch massacre. Only Ardern of the entire Parliament has the ability to govern for calm in the name of the calm we all need.

Much ado about nothing

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:01 am, December 16th, 2022 - 54 comments

The big news this week was Jacinda Ardern describing David Seymour in an unparliamentary phrase on an open mike in Parliament. But the matter was resolved in a way that can only happen in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dog whistles and South Auckland garages

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:19 am, December 14th, 2022 - 20 comments

Chris Luxon has doubled down on a dog whistle attack on South Auckland garages by apologising if anyone was offended, thereby ignoring most of South Auckland who were definitely offended.

The Zelensky Dump

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:27 pm, December 13th, 2022 - 311 comments

Vladimir Zelensky’s message to the New Zealand Parliament will be delivered in the last week before Christmas, in the bury-it time-slot. That seems appropriate, for much has changed since the heady days when our Parliament went straight for sanctions on Russia without discussion.

Labour’s big reset

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:46 am, December 13th, 2022 - 77 comments

New Zealand politics is at an interesting stage. With announcements about Ministerial futures pending and with a review of all current projects to occur over Christmas Jadinda Ardern is planning to repurpose Labour to have its best chance in the election next year.

Labour and National and Industry Intervention

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:51 am, December 9th, 2022 - 73 comments

Minister Mahuta’s water reforms are by some measure the most consequential industry intervention of this Labour government, and likely to be the most successful in over a decade.

Luxon’s first year

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:46 am, December 4th, 2022 - 56 comments

Chris Luxon marked the anniversary of his becoming National leader this week by showing that he is that out of touch he had no idea what the single rate of superannuation is.

Co-Governance is Orthodox Policy for both National and Labour

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:12 am, November 30th, 2022 - 412 comments

National, the party which enacted legislation that gave Waikato command over the allocation of the Waikato River, iwi command over the Taupo catchment and full Maori control over the massive Uruwera water catchment, has not traditionally been opposed to co governance.

Three strikes law is not the answer

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:13 pm, November 29th, 2022 - 25 comments

National is proposing a return of the Three Strikes legislation, despite the Supreme Court ruling that the law went well beyond excessive punishment and would shock the conscience of properly informed New Zealanders, and was so disproportionately severe as to breach the Bill of Rights. And despite there being no evidence that it would actually work.