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Positive Policy on Youth Employment

Written By: Mike Smith - 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.

Christine Rankin is standing in Epsom

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:13 am, August 4th, 2014 - 86 comments

The Conservative Party’s Christine Rankin has announced that she is standing for the Epsom seat.  This will add an extra degree of chaos to what is already an interesting battle.  But will she help the National candidate or the ACT candidate?

John Banks convicted

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:54 am, August 1st, 2014 - 86 comments

Updated John Banks has been sentenced to 100 hours community work and community detention for electoral fraud.

Updated links to reactions.

McCully’s incompetence and the ongoing case of the Malaysian diplomat

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:01 pm, July 31st, 2014 - 18 comments

The Malaysian diplomat charged with serious offences has not returned to New Zealand.  Despite previous assurances given by John Key it appears that his formal extradition will be required.  And as further evidence of incompetence Murray McCully did not read the email advising him that Malaysia had invoked diplomatic immunity for weeks after it had been sent.

Walking through the wrong door is the least of Gerry’s problems

Written By: James Dann - 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.

The election campaign is at a delicate stage

Written By: mickysavage - 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.

Thriving children, liveable communities & sustainable resources

Written By: karol - 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).

Everything in moderation …

Written By: Stephanie Rodgers - 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.

Polity: Mike Hosking

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:44 am, July 24th, 2014 - 232 comments

For TVNZ to say that Mike Hosking is professional and would act in an unbiased fashion in leaders debates is daft. Mike Hosking has made his opinion of Labour quite apparent over the years. Hosking has a reputation around the left of being a ill-prepared moronic dickhead far more concerned about his car than the people of this country. Rob Salmond’s reaction in this post is going to be pretty typical. TVNZ obviously want to the debate to be about Hoskings rather than the debaters.

NRT: A circus of self-mutilation

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:47 am, July 22nd, 2014 - 104 comments

No Right Turn gets rightfully acerbic about the witless fool “senior” MP in Labour who was trying to sabotage Labour in the Sunday Star Times this weekend, and about the general self-mutilation of Labour by its caucus at present.

Herald says weird things about Cunliffe and Labour Clutha Southland candidate

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 6:06 pm, July 21st, 2014 - 110 comments

The Herald is saying some weird things about David Cunliffe and Labour’s Clutha Southland candidate Liz Craig.

Work life balance

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:22 am, July 20th, 2014 - 172 comments

David Cunliffe is now being criticised for having a short holiday with his family. It is strange that it should be thought of as a bad thing for the leader of the party interested in improving ordinary people’s quality of life to try and get some work life balance.

90 Minutes, Extra Time, Then Penalties.

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 1:26 pm, July 17th, 2014 - 51 comments

If there is evidence that Key lied about when he first heard of Dotcom, then that strengthens Dotcom’s defence against extradition. He can then rightly say he has not had a fair go; that the parties trying to send him to the States to stand trial do not have clean hands. The potential personal gain for Kim Dotcom is obvious. The effect on the election may not be quite as positive.

Polity: New Polls

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:43 am, July 17th, 2014 - 161 comments

The Roy Morgan and Fairfax/Ipsos polls out overnight are both bad news for the cause of positive change in New Zealand. Labour is below 25% in both polls, which is disaster territory if is solidifies. The potential coalitions of the left look just as bad. This doesn’t look like a change in the left-right split. The effects of the National / NZ Herald /Liu smear campaign feeding through fits the usual polling lag time period of about 4-6 weeks.