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Shearer’s speech exceeds expectations

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:50 am, March 15th, 2012 - 211 comments

You all know that many of us authors at The Standard have been critical of David Shearer. Well, I’ve just read Shearer’s speech. It’s brilliant. It talks about the big issues head on and unapologetically. There’s no party line pap and some nice stylistic points. It damns Key without ever mentioning him or his government and is an even more devastating critique of Key for it.

Shearer’s Starting Speech

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 4:40 pm, March 14th, 2012 - 11 comments

Tomorrow morning, 7.30, livestreaming on labour.org.nz

ImperatorFish: Won’t Someone Think Of The Lamingtons?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:37 pm, March 12th, 2012 - 6 comments

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here.

Scott has a Guest Post from Neemish von Tartt, the CEO of For the Sake of Our Cakes Trust

Shearer taking shape

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:54 pm, March 12th, 2012 - 45 comments

It’s been encouraging seeing a bit more of David Shearer recently. His leadership is slowly taking shape

Overseas investment must show real gains

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:25 am, March 12th, 2012 - 36 comments

David Shearer’s private member’s Bill on foreign investment is pure common sense: unless foreign ownership actually adds something substantial to the economy that cannot be supplied by local owners then all foreign investment brings is higher land prices, locking out Kiwis from ownership. Overseas buyers must bring something real to the table. A good first policy.

Port protest gone international

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:12 pm, March 10th, 2012 - 48 comments

The labour dispute is turning into a fiasco for Ports of Auckland. Thousands marched today through Auckland in protest, and cargo loaded by non-union labour is being blacklisted internationally. How long will Ports of Auckland stay on their self-destructive course?

Lamington’s Stupidity (and why I hate the rent-a-crowd)

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:58 pm, March 10th, 2012 - 86 comments

I’m no fan of the people who threw the Lamington at Len Brown. They are the same crew who waltz into every social movement in Auckland, suck the life out of it and move on. But the only winner out of this lamington incident was the Port’s board and the (I’m sure) the self-image of the egotistical morons who threw it. It cost the Maritime Union. It belittled those of us who are infuriated at the Mayor’s response. And it was just plain stupid.

Labour’s diminishing vision

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 1:04 pm, March 9th, 2012 - 90 comments

Our Labour activist guest poster asks where the coherence is in Labour’s communications strategy. Having a look at the lack of narrative across the Labour parties here, in Australia, and in the UK; he points to a place where narrative is done well in left politics – it is in the USA.

How history will remember Len Brown: scab, coward, judas

Written By: the sprout - Date published: 7:23 am, March 9th, 2012 - 86 comments

You betrayed the people you pretended to represent Len.

Villain or hero

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 4:09 pm, March 5th, 2012 - 158 comments

The Nats have announced their asset sales legislation. Mum and dad aren’t at the front of the queue. No provisions to ensure 85-90% stays in Kiwi hands. Nothing to stop the companies being sliced up and sold after partial privatisation. No real way to stop one company owning more than 10%. There’s 1 vote that can stop this. It’s all down to Dunne now. Will he be the hero or the villain?

Nat revolt over Crafars sale

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:15 am, March 4th, 2012 - 70 comments

Remember the hagiographies after the first hundred days of National’s first term? In the second term, things couldn’t be more different. The Sunday-Star Times has printed dozens of emails it obtained (a leak?) that were sent to Key opposing the sale of Crafar farms. Many of them are brutal comments from former National supporters. Key didn’t even provide comment for the article.

A question

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:25 am, February 25th, 2012 - 31 comments

If “you don’t wear your guns on the outside“, where do you wear your guns?

Shearer makes a difference

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 4:59 pm, February 24th, 2012 - 46 comments

David Shearer spoke to Greypower in Auckland today about the difference between Labour and National. The speech shows Shearer is his own man. He wants a new style of politics, focussed on the future, planning to make a difference. I think he will.

The biggest party are non-voters.

Written By: lprent - Date published: 4:06 pm, February 24th, 2012 - 25 comments

The option that most eligible voters in NZ supported in 2011 was “don’t vote”. Nearly 7% didn’t enroll, and if enrolled then more than 25% didn’t vote. Of the eligible voters from the 2006 census, over 30% didn’t vote at all. And since 2006 the voting population has almost certainly increased. It means that National’s large vote is probably less than the biggest “party”. Not a particularly good mandate unless you’re as deluded as John Key.

No time like the present

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 11:34 am, February 24th, 2012 - 84 comments

Google news has 1.5 pages of articles mentioning David Shearer to John Key’s 13 in the past week. The only ones directly about Shearer or Labour are saying ‘where’s Shearer? He’s wasting his honeymoon’. I wondered what his strategists are thinking. Then I saw they’re all the same people who just led Labour to 27% and I realised the scary part – they’re trying their best.

Greens becoming the new opposition leaders

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:00 am, February 20th, 2012 - 242 comments

Last night, I saw Kevin Hague on the news talking about mine safety – mining, West Coast, labour rights, and no Labour voice. Same with minimum wage and asset sales. A hungry Green Party is leading issues while Labour appears immobilised. No wonder Metiria Turei is saying they won’t play little sibling; I see them being a third or more of the next governing coalition.

Don’t celebrate too soon

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:34 am, February 17th, 2012 - 63 comments

National’s in retreat on every front. Its had to break its economic promises, again. Asset sales are a disaster. Ministers are exposed over the Crafar Farms, NZ on Air, and DJ Key affairs. The media’s gone off Key ever since he declared war on them. The bad stories that were getting nowhere a year ago now keep rolling. Even Mallard’s boorishness can’t halt National’s slide. But don’t celebrate too soon.

Nats’ Crafar Farm kickback

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:17 pm, February 16th, 2012 - 43 comments

On November 30th, after the election, National received a $55,000 donation from Oravida, a company formerly owned by Terry Lee, director of Pengxin’s Crafar Farms vehicle, Milk New Zealand. In light of National’s illegal decision to let Pengxin buy the farms despite a lack of real benefits to New Zealand, maybe we ought to examine that donation a little more closely.

Key involved in Radio Live show

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 10:56 pm, February 14th, 2012 - 25 comments

Watch Grant Robertson’s question to Key today Robertson to Key on Radio Live Key didn’t know his office was deeply involved in the show that breached the Broadcasting Act? Even though he personally chose the guests? It was a matter solely between the Electoral Commission and the broadcaster? Judge for yourself.

Armed police storm Key mansion

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:00 am, February 10th, 2012 - 25 comments

Armed Police assisted by the Eagle helicopter, the counter-terrorism unit, customs officials, and the police launch towed on its trailer have raided Prime Minister John Key’s Parnell mansion, executing warrants relating to the illegal ‘DJ Key’ election ad. Simultaneously, a joint Police-SAS taskforce has stormed RadioLive, deploying teargas and tasering all present.

PM’s office cuts Radio Dead

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 6:16 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 52 comments

An internal memo in the PM’s office after they received the Electoral Commission’s advice on the Radio Live’s PM Hour broadcast says: “So the Electoral Commission has replied, and basically said they can’t make a judgment on a radio show without seeing a transcript. But they have been pretty clear about putting the responsibility on the broadcaster, which is useful.” Key’s office knew they were skating close to the wind but were happy to cut Radio Live loose. Lesson here for media.

Opposition parties hammer Key on asset sales

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 12:11 pm, February 9th, 2012 - 32 comments

Yesterday, the opposition parties worked together to hammer John Key on asset sales. He faced questions from four parties during one question; the breadth of opposition showed, and Key was stumbling. Some say Shearer should be taking a more leading role but, for mine, this was far more effective than Goff uselessly slogging out a primary and half a dozen sups without landing a blow. How’s that anti-asset sales coalition coming?

DJ Key broke the law

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 8:17 am, February 9th, 2012 - 43 comments

The Electoral Commission’s decision on the ‘DJ Key’ hour on RadioLive has been leaked. It shows that Key’s hour-long DJ spot was an election ad. It’s the only sensible decision. Key was clearly on the show to promote his brand to win votes. He made several political comments. RadioLive now faces a $100,000 fine for perverting our election. And Key’s reputation takes another hit.

Not a bad idea

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 8:45 pm, February 6th, 2012 - 20 comments

David Shearer wants to move the New Year’s and Queen’s Birthday honours to Waitangi Day. I reckon that’s a goer. If honourees were advised ahead of time, they could attend a public ceremony at Waitangi, to add to all the other events. With thousands there, it would be a much more public celebration of their contributions to our society and bring a positive focus to the day.

Key gets what he wants at Waitangi

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:24 am, February 6th, 2012 - 171 comments

While Key was away on his 4-week holiday in Hawaii, the world economy deteriorated, reports on the dire state of poverty in our country came out, and access to strategic resources became a pressing issue – both with our farmland being bought and Iran threatening to close off the globe’s oil supply. But Key was working on a plan – to stoke up racial dissent at home.

ImperatorFish: Call Me, John

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:50 pm, February 3rd, 2012 - 41 comments

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here

Catherine Isaac “loves education”, and spent six years on a school board of trustees; Scott is a big fan of education and spent several years in various schools – he fancies an “working” group job setting up Charter Schools too…

Key and Banks on ACT: snap elections, coups & Isaac

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 10:15 am, January 27th, 2012 - 56 comments

The tea tapes contain a pivotal exchange where John Banks and John Key talk about “restructuring” ACT – including Banks confirming his orders from Key to make Catherine Isaac the new leader. We also learn that National advisors called Key in a panic during the Brash coup calling on him to stage a snap election. It’s an insight into the cynicism of National and Key, and also Key’s poor political judgement.