Written By: - Date published: 12:31 pm, August 11th, 2014 - 13 comments
Steven Joyce is asking about how Labour can afford their policies. Half of the money is what National is planning to spend unwisely. The rest is from documented increases in revenue in a fiscal plan. Unlike National’s mythic surplus, these are solid values. They will produce a solid surplus to pay down National’s debt.
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, August 11th, 2014 - 82 comments
It seems like every time Labour (or the Greens) announce a policy the first question (after “what does John Key think about this?”) is “But the Greens (or Labour) have a different policy to the one you just announced! How can you possibly work together in government?”
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, August 11th, 2014 - 3 comments
11,000+ voters enrolled in the last week – great work, more to be done. For democracy & NZ’s sake, now and in the future, enroll, vote, vote left!
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, August 11th, 2014 - 81 comments
A great campaign launch from Labour on the weekend, a couple of bad weeks for National and suddenly there is a chance that David Cunliffe may be our next Prime Minister. But how does he succeed and what can progressives do to help?
Written By: - Date published: 3:10 pm, August 10th, 2014 - 135 comments
David Cunliffe’s campaign launch speech.
Added a video of the speech.
Written By: - Date published: 1:08 pm, August 10th, 2014 - 61 comments
For those of you who aren’t going to be at the campaign launch today. Here is the link to where the live stream will be.. It is going to be fun to see what happens this afternoon. But I’ll be there so if I have elbow room, I might write something.
Updated with reaction links.
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, August 10th, 2014 - 40 comments
Labour’s campaign launch is today and it is expected that major health initiatives will be announced.
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, August 9th, 2014 - 101 comments
There’s much to discuss on the two election-focused TV debates conducted over the last 24 hours. Prime TV’s new show: Prime Time with Sean Plunket – Bennett & Turei on poverty/inequality (Prime TV Fridays 9.30pm): TV 3’s The Nation: Saturday 9.30am
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, August 8th, 2014 - 267 comments
There are sobering & harrowing stories coming out of AAAP’s Action Impact at Mangere this week. It exposes the vast inequalities & poverty existing in NZ. Vote to end this destruction of humanity & democracy! Vote for compassion, caring & sharing! VOTE LEFT!
Written By: - Date published: 4:24 pm, August 7th, 2014 - 41 comments
There’s a strong element of planning for the future here: peak oil and climate change mean the days of cheap cars (and therefore of massive motorways) are numbered. But it also reflects the changes we’re seeing now. Road usage is already dropping, while Aucklanders are crying out for a better rail system so they can escape gridlock.
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, August 7th, 2014 - 13 comments
The success in getting people enrolled may be the difference between David Cunliffe and John Key being our next Prime Minister.
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, August 7th, 2014 - 19 comments
Rob Salmond looks at the recent shifts in media opinion pieces. Perhaps the National strategy of getting the house to rise too early has backfired. It appears to be giving opposition parties more room to showcase their policy, more room for National to showcase its arrogance, and more time for the polls to close.
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 pm, August 6th, 2014 - 39 comments
This press release from the Greens pretty well sums up the situation that National have left the economy in. Once you remove the rebuild effects from the Christchurch earthquakes, our increasingly undiversified economy is looking in pretty poor shape for the decade ahead.
Written By: - Date published: 6:31 pm, August 6th, 2014 - 225 comments
It’s been an interesting few days in the battle for Te Tai Tokerau. Never mind the bollocks, people. The question for Labour isn’t should we stand aside for Hone in the north or Mana/IP anywhere else. The question is ‘do we need ’em?’. The answer is looking more and more like no.
Written By: - Date published: 3:21 pm, August 6th, 2014 - 54 comments
The latest Household Labour Force Survey was released today, showing a drop in unemployment. But while its an improvement, there is far less employment than when National came into office 5 years ago. That is a monumental fail.
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, August 6th, 2014 - 86 comments
John Key has agreed to attend one local meet the candidates meeting this year. The rules are however that there will be no debate, questions will be screened and candidates will only be able to refer to each other once. And silence will be demanded. What happened to the good old fashioned election political meeting?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 6th, 2014 - 54 comments
How much longer do we have to live with this”neoliberal” nightmare? It should have died with the global financial crisis, caused by the unfettered greed of the banksters & socially callous. “Paying the Price” on Al Jazeera; AAAP Mangere Action Impact this week.
Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, August 5th, 2014 - 56 comments
David Cunliffe is officially launching Labour’s campaign in Auckland this Sunday and you’re all invited.
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, August 5th, 2014 - 14 comments
Rob Salmond has noticed recently that National likes to talk a lot about everyone else’s ideas, but it prefers not to discuss its own.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, August 5th, 2014 - 14 comments
The Green Party is launching their “election priority for students” at Auckland University today from 2-3pm in the Auckland University Quad. Russel Norman and Metiria Turei announced a student Green Card for off peak public transport. Updated
Written By: - Date published: 6:09 pm, August 4th, 2014 - 8 comments
Other than fixing child poverty, there’s probably no more important policy than this. Labour will commit $183 million to a comprehensive Youth Employment Package designed to reach 24,000 young New Zealanders.
Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, August 4th, 2014 - 15 comments
Live News is reporting that 40,000 people have been removed from the electoral roll because they have moved address. Their enrolment update packs were returned to sender with the message: “gone no address”.
Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, August 2nd, 2014 - 35 comments
Simon Bridges has spent $237,000 of taxpayers money to wine and dine and house eleven oil executives. And Tim Groser, Murray McCully and Claudette Hauiti have spent up large on the taxpayer tab. Way to reinforce the born to rule feeling National.
Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, July 31st, 2014 - 9 comments
Today is the last day of Parliament for the term. After spending the morning on non-controversial legislation, the House will have its last Question Time and then an adjournment debate. And then they’ll be off to campaign for the election. The big triumph here? No last-minute urgency. No “wash-up”. Hopefully it’ll be a permanent change.
Written By: - Date published: 4:51 pm, July 29th, 2014 - 12 comments
Throughout the last few years Brownlee has consistently denied that there is a housing crisis, despite almost every sign pointing to one. What we need in Christchurch is more houses, now. Affordable, well-designed, well-insulated houses. Lots of them. This is why Labour’s Kiwibuild scheme will roll out 10,000 houses in Christchurch in the first 4 years.
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, July 28th, 2014 - 18 comments
National has all-but confirmed today that there no deal for Colin Craig in East Coast Bays, or for any other Conservative. This was the right thing for them to do, for one simple reason. This decision came down to simple maths. If Key thought the Conservatives could muster double the votes that a decision to back the Conservatives would cost National in the centre-ground, then he should do the deal. If not, he should not. All the stuff about Winston running was a bit of a late sideshow, as the decision had likely already been made.
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, July 28th, 2014 - 128 comments
We are at a very sensitive stage of the election campaign. Labour’s decline in the polls has reversed, membership enthusiasm is high and National is being criticised for its male dominated list as well as facing the problem of its relationship with the Conservatives.
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, July 26th, 2014 - 86 comments
The focus of criticism of Mike Hosking as moderator for the TVNZ Leaders has been on his blatant pro-Nat bias. Hosking’s also has a track record of sexism and put-downs of some of the least powerful people in society. Are only white males eligible for the job?
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, July 25th, 2014 - 14 comments
The Green Party’s election focus is on reducing poverty & inequalities (highlighting its impact on children), and developing sustainable communities. 2 recently announced policies are under-pinned by 2 crises: poverty/inequality; and the destruction of our environment (climate change, resource depletion).
Written By: - Date published: 10:12 am, July 25th, 2014 - 38 comments
Latest enrolment figures from the Electoral Commission are concerning.
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, July 24th, 2014 - 44 comments
I’m not sure it really warranted being front-page news (Gaza? MH17? Bueller?) but the announcement of Mike Hosking as the anointed moderator for TVNZ’s political leaders’ debates was always going to lead to a bit of head-scratching.
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