david cunliffe

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Key loses his “Centre”, Herald spins right, Smith on the ropes

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, September 25th, 2013 - 35 comments

Cunliffe’s moderate, centre left Labour is on the rise; MSM-supported, NAct smears & negative spin is in over-drive.  John Key and the NZ Herald editorial  spin from the radical “neoliberal” right.  Slippery Nick Smith, a NAct weak point, is under concerted pressure. [Updated]

We have just over 400 days to change this Government

Written By: - Date published: 6:52 am, September 25th, 2013 - 52 comments

Cunliffe-Labour-save-our-futureDavid Cunliffe’s reign as leader of the Labour Party has started with a great deal of promise and this morning’s Herald Digipoll is encouraging.  Labour is finally looking united and policy statements are sharp and effective.  But we may be no more than 400 days to the next election.  And unless we want the instability of a Labour Green NZ First Coalition then support for the left and work by its activists will need to be increased dramatically.

Doing what we’re best at

Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, September 24th, 2013 - 53 comments

National is a very traditional party. They think that NZ is good at clearing land and raising animals, with a bit of mining on the side. The population is there to service farmers and miners on low wages. That may have been the case in the 1950’s. But as usual they’re hopelessly dated. Sometimes in recent years it has appeared to me that Labour thinks that way as well. But it looks like David Cunliffe is intent on refocusing us back on the burgeoning hi-wage and hi-growth hi-tech sector.

Labour’s reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 3:31 pm, September 23rd, 2013 - 83 comments

Details of the Labour Caucus changes are now appearing in the media.  The update is Parker, Robertson and Jones will be the core of the economic team, King retains Health, Shearer gains Foreign Affairs and Cosgrove and Hipkins retain their current responsibilities.  Mahuta and Moroney are elevated to the front bench and this will help gender balance.

Updated with full list.

Hooton – please apologise

Written By: - Date published: 1:46 pm, September 23rd, 2013 - 220 comments

Matthew Hooton accused David Cunliffe of lying about his involvement with the Boston Management Group when it was providing advice that led to the development of Fonterra.  A little research supports Cunliffe’s claims and not Hooton’s.

“Predistribution”: From Miliband to Cunliffe

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, September 23rd, 2013 - 41 comments

Ed Miliband got the idea of pre-distribution from Jacob Hacker. Cunliffe has followed.  Can “pre-distribution” underpin a new direction for the left in NZ: one relevant to the challenges of the 21st century, especially in countering the too wide inequality gap & re-instating social democracy?

Beyond the MSM? You Bet!

Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, September 20th, 2013 - 221 comments

David Cunliffe spoke to the Left base in the Daily Blog Live interview last night: economy, tax, employment, GCSB, TPPA & more.  He raises hopes for a new, post GFC social democratic vision. But he spoke to those with economic & policy knowledge. His nods towards better social security, away from bennie bashing, need fleshing out.

Wendy Brandon: DC’s chief of staff

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, September 19th, 2013 - 65 comments

Ok, I’m very pleasantly surprised. David Cunliffe has made a very interesting choice for chief of staff. Based on what I know about the task, she looks like a damn good fit for the role. In fact I’m just surprised that he managed to attract her at all for the thankless task.

I’ve always thought that the Chief of Staff role should be exercised by someone who was more managerial and staff orientated rather than being deeply embedded in the political game.

Cunliffe’s not so shabby question: broadband costs

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, September 18th, 2013 - 41 comments

The MSM largely reported on Cunliffe stumbling over the word Chorus in his first question yesterday to PM Key.  But Key’s answers and later replies to the media, indicate corporate-friendly, cronyist manipulations and dodgy phone advice. [Update: Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing]

Clean and neat

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, September 18th, 2013 - 87 comments

Paddy Gower’s gleeful predictions of ‘blood on the floor’ of caucus didn’t happen. Tracy Watkins’ unrealistic demand that Grant Robertson (whom she incorrectly thought would win the leadership race) be retained as deputy was never going to happen. What we saw was a neat, least moves action that puts the economy front and centre of Labour’s brand.

Cunliffe’s team

Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, September 17th, 2013 - 197 comments

Cunliffe has asked David Parker to be his is Cunliffe’s deputy. Moroney & Lee-Galloway Whips, Robertson Employment, Jones Economic DevelopmentAudrey Young at the NZ Herald. Parker to retain finance, Robertson leader of House. Will there be a strong female presence in the front bench?  Tracy Watkins on Stuff[Updates]

John Key’s anti-democratic government

Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, September 17th, 2013 - 48 comments

John Key tries to smear the winner of Labour’s democratic leadership contest as “far left”, while his government continues in its anti-democratic, plutocratic ways: sale of Meridian to avoid referendum; Joyce’s Broadband pricing “arm twisting”.

Cunliffe declares war on National and the TPPA

Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, September 17th, 2013 - 178 comments

Day one of Cunliffe’s leadership and he is into battle mode.  He has made it clear that unity in the caucus is expected.  And he has deftly raised the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement as a political issue.

Cunliffe wins – now what?

Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, September 16th, 2013 - 91 comments

David Cunliffe Labour leader-1Day one of David Cunliffe’s tenure as Labour leader and the tone is being set.  There will be unity in the party and Labour is going to take the fight to National and John Key.

Labour leadership contest a fantastic innovation

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, September 16th, 2013 - 132 comments

Well, didn’t that work well? For the past three weeks, Labour has dominated the political news with three contenders show-casing its values. There was remarkably little aggro – witness Tracy Watkins’ desperate scratching for any time conflict story. David Cunliffe has emerged with the legitimacy of a democratic victory, and a much stronger-than-expected mandate.

Do Armstrongs dream of electric sheep?

Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, September 14th, 2013 - 83 comments

John Armstrong gets it right: David Cunliffe’s going to win tomorrow. But he also gets it really wrong. Armstrong cooks up a conspiracy where Cunliffe’s job is to win the election, then Robertson will roll him. It’s almost as if, in the middle of Labour’s first democratic leadership selection process, he’s forgotten that Labour now has a democratic leadership selection process.

Housing: the options, the new left narrative?

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, September 13th, 2013 - 75 comments

The response to Metiria Turei’s sttements about affordable housing on The Vote, raises questions about political narratives are told to the general electorate? The Greens, Mana and Cunliffe have stressed their “vision“.  How to tell it so it reaches the hearts of New Zealanders?

TV3 needs to be fact checked

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, September 13th, 2013 - 75 comments

alternative-vs-mainstream-media-450x250TV3’s analysis of the Labour Leadership contest is leaving a lot to be desired.  Rather than reporting on what has happened they are trivialising the leadership campaign and getting important details wrong.

My votes

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, September 12th, 2013 - 100 comments

I voted for Cunliffe, Robertson, and Jones in that order. My reasons are in this post. It is unnecessary for people to speculate on additional motivations.

But if any MP or jonolist wants to try to run a politically based smear on me like they did on Jenny Michie, Mike Williams, and others then I’m perfectly happy to tear them a new rectum through their political credibility over the next decade.

This week’s Jonolist award goes to….

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, September 12th, 2013 - 86 comments

Jonolist award to Patrick Gower for slanted reporting of a non-poll result, continuing his anti-Cunliffe lines.  Special mention to 3 News report on The Vote bovver boys, against affordable housing for those in need, forcing a “back-down” from Turei on lowering house prices. Need better MSM.

Assessing the contenders’ campaigns

Written By: - Date published: 7:18 am, September 12th, 2013 - 101 comments

Robertson had to show some flare, show he’s more than an affable apparatchik, that he’s capable of wowing crowds and raising his profile: Not achieved

Jones had to show he had some real depth under the bravado and not start saying weird things under pressure: Not achieved

Cunliffe had to show he that he can meter his charismatic side to avoid gaffes and that he was genuinely something different from the B Team that’s led Labour since Clark: Achieved.

Cunliffe shows leadership steel

Written By: - Date published: 9:32 pm, September 10th, 2013 - 352 comments

David Cunliffe faced his first leadership challenge today and came through it with flying colours. He set a high standard, and when that standard was tested he lived up to it. That’s leadership. It’s tough on our Jen, but I’m sure she agrees it was the right thing to do. Contrast that with John ‘Higher Standards’ Key’s protection of Bill ‘Double Dipton’ English.

Labour Leadership Contest – the final meeting will be streamed

Written By: - Date published: 3:44 pm, September 10th, 2013 - 24 comments

own our future labourThe final leadership meeting is scheduled for Christchurch this evening.  The tour has been an outstanding success for the party and in the interests of the party what has been achieved needs to be consolidated and built on.  And tune in to www.3news.co.nz at 7:45 pm for live streaming of the speeches.

The bankster memorandum

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, September 9th, 2013 - 160 comments

John Key honed his skills as a speculative banker. As PM, this casino capitalist has undermined democracy, & promoted international corporate interests, while beneficiaries & workers are brutalised, inequalities enhanced and NZ’s economy & sovereignty damaged.  Does one Labour leader contender have his number measure?

Labour Leadership Campaign – Blackball Meeting

Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, September 9th, 2013 - 58 comments

own our future labourDay ten of the Labour Leadership Campaign TOur and the parties are off to Blackball on the West Coast, the spiritual birth place of the Labour Party.

Cunliffe’s vision

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, September 9th, 2013 - 129 comments

Just a few days of hustings to go, and next Monday we’ll have a new Labour leader. David Cunliffe looks home and hosed: the polls show he’s favoured by Labour supporters and, importantly, the wider public; the only unions to declare a preference have backed him; and there’s a steady trickle of MPs swapping to get themselves on the right side of history. He’s done it by offering what Labour’s lacked: vision.

Labour Leadership Campaign – Weekend Edition

Written By: - Date published: 7:34 am, September 7th, 2013 - 206 comments

own our future labourDays 7 and 8 of the Labour Leadership Campaign tours and the candidates are approaching the final straight.  This weekend there will be Labour Leadership meetings in Nelson, Wellington and Dunedin.  And TV3’s poll results on the leadership will no doubt attract intense attention.

Cunliffe passes my campaign litmus test

Written By: - Date published: 8:14 pm, September 6th, 2013 - 83 comments

I’ve just spent the last week on the road with David Cunliffe and his wife Karen. Campaigns are a handy litmus test to see people as they really are when under pressure and performing to grueling schedules. As a general rule I’m prepared to like most people but as friends who know me well will […]

It’s about jobs … and social security?

Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, September 6th, 2013 - 168 comments

Cunliffe & Robertson stress the need to improve employment laws, jobs, wages, the economy, workers’ rights. Cunliffe invokes Savage-like social security & the need to end the Nats beneficiary bashing.  Wider community pressure is needed for there to be real political change away from the destructive neoliberal scam.

The invisible man

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, September 6th, 2013 - 91 comments

From the start of the Labour leadership contest, Cunliffe has been the man to beat. In the one scientific poll, he was favoured to lead by 30% of the population, Jones by 11%, Robertson by 10%. He’s been seen as having the strongest member and union backing from the start. Robertson needed a blinder in the roadshow. And that means the media fascination with Jones is hurting Robertson the most.

Labour Leadership Campaign – days six and seven

Written By: - Date published: 8:42 am, September 5th, 2013 - 32 comments

Cunliffe day 3 leaders campaign-8Day six of the Labour leadership marathon and the parties are off to Hamilton.  David Cunliffe and Grant Robertson have released campaign videos and a virtual meeting is being scheduled.  And a day off tomorrow which I am sure the parties will be pleased about.

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