politicans

National’s Boot Camps announcement is deeply cynical policy recycling

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:27 am, November 21st, 2022 - 28 comments

There should be a law against the cynical recycling of dog whistle policies that everyone knows will not work. Last week’s announcement by National of a boot camp policy is as good an example as you can imagine.

Are Luxon’s days numbered?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:09 am, November 17th, 2022 - 66 comments

Yesterday was a bad day for Chris Luxon. It is increasingly clear that he is not up to the job of being leader of the opposition and National’s senior management must be worried.

Red ripple in US

Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:22 am, November 10th, 2022 - 29 comments

Except in Florida, where Ron DeSantis led a convincing set of Republican gains, the Republican party in the US have had a disappointing mid-term election. The Democrats expecting to face a mid-term vote against incumbents, will be pleasantly surprised. There are still a lot of votes to count. This being the US, lawyers will be trying to set court dates.

Upcoming Conflict Between Justice and Politics in the United States

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:08 am, November 8th, 2022 - 12 comments

Unlike even Brazil’s election and transition of power, events are going to make the full restoration of functioning democracy in the United States very, very hard and starting soon.

Democracy is on the Ballot – watershed US midterms this week.

Written By: nickkelly - Date published: 1:46 am, November 7th, 2022 - 3 comments

At a campaign event last week President Biden said that in these mid-term elections “democracy is on the ballot”. This is absolutely true, and the outcome will be decided by those who show up to vote.

Is it fair for the PM to get a weekly tax cut of $349 while a minimum wage worker would receive only $2.15?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:46 am, November 2nd, 2022 - 148 comments

Chris Luxon has avoided answering this question so far but he needs to be asked continuously about it.  Is it fair that he as Prime Minister would receive under National’s proposed tax cuts a tax cut of $349 per week while a minimum wage worker would receive only $2.15 per week

The use of rumour as a political weapon

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:59 am, November 1st, 2022 - 26 comments

US conservative figures are downplaying the right’s involvement in a hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband by spreading completely unfounded rumours.  And in Aotearoa rumours continue to be spread about Jacinda Ardern’s pending resignation despite her repeatedly ruling this out.  Clearly some see the use of rumours as a valid political weapon even if they are based on complete falsehoods.

Greens: proposal to tax excess corporate profits

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:14 pm, October 30th, 2022 - 46 comments

“An excess profit tax would be a simple and effective way for large corporations to pay their fair share, unlocking the resources all of us need to live with dignity, put a roof over our heads and food on the table,” says Green Party Finance spokesperson, Julie Anne Genter.

“Today, we have released a discussion document exploring how an excess profit tax could be designed – and how the additional revenue should be spent. We are also considering the alternative of raising company tax rates so that all profits are taxed more.”

Fair Pay Agreements: Thank you Helen and thank you Michael

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:14 am, October 27th, 2022 - 43 comments

Yesterday was a big day for the Progressive movement in Aotearoa New Zealand as the Fair Pay Agreements Bill made its way through Parliament.  Many should be thanked but especially Michael Wood and Helen Kelly.

Sharma Sharma Sharma Sharma Sharma Chameleon

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:31 am, October 19th, 2022 - 74 comments

Gaurav Sharma has announced his immediate resignation from Parliament and that he will contest the by election as leader of a new centrist party.  He also claims that the Government was going to waka jump him six months from the next election but unless National agrees this is impossible.

Minister Robertson, UK Pensions, and Risk

Written By: advantage - Date published: 9:44 am, October 15th, 2022 - 19 comments

The political question is whether Kiwis currently losing money on paper can remember this: all investment involves risk and it’s entirely fair for our government to only manage so much of that risk and for the rest to fall on us the investor. Will irrational anxiety beat rational risk in our upcoming politics?

We needed Wayne Brown

Written By: advantage - Date published: 2:01 pm, October 11th, 2022 - 81 comments

The left and the Ardern government need to start appreciating the new Auckland mayor.

The difference between Simon Wilson and Mike Hosking

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:28 am, October 3rd, 2022 - 47 comments

Wayne Brown’s mayoral campaign hit a really big pothole on the weekend when he was caught bad mouthing Herald reporter Simon Wilson.  His comments received a lot of support from the right on social media who made comments about Wilson similar to the comments the left make about Mike Hosking. Are these examples of the same phenomenon, political bias against critical commentators?

Comrade Chris wants to solve Aotearoa’s housing crisis

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:05 am, September 28th, 2022 - 64 comments

Something unusual has happened.  Chris Bishop, or as we should now call him Comrade Chris, has come out fully in favour of a vast expansion of the provision of social housing for kiwis.

Luxon’s mishandling of the Uffindell report

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:11 am, September 21st, 2022 - 65 comments

The only word that I can think of is clusterfuck. I cannot understand how badly Christopher Luxon has handled the Maria Dew report into what Sam Uffindell may have done when he was a younger person.