Sometimes I get frustrated that Labour/Ardern don't fire more shots at National/Collins, but then I turn on the 6 pm news and I watch Collins shooting herself. Letting her do this is still Labour's best move.
Sneer, smirk, snarl … and watch the votes slipping away.
It's always a good pick-me-up at the end of the day, a cuppa and an eye roll.
This is going to sound weird coming from a leftie (but I’m not tribal left) but I am thinking I might vote for ACT. Here’s my reasoning… 1) I want Labour to face opposition. I view MMP as giving people the strategic ability to not just vote for they want to have as the PM but also to decide what opposition to face. I can’t stand the current state of National. 2) David Seymour, despite looking like an idiot has actually, in opposition, got a few things done, unlike National. 3) There are policies I think where Labour and ACT could actually find common ground. Euthanasia, drug reform, abortion etc so will be in a position to support some of labour’s policies but not enough power for them to enact the policies I don’t support (which is a majority of their economic policies.
So yeah – those are my thoughts. I want vote strategically. And look before the the ad Homs, abuse, claims I’m not a lefty or that I’m an idiot or betraying left wing values let me say I want Ardern and Labour to hold all the cards but I also want there to be effective opposition. And I don’t want National involved.
So those are my thoughts. If you just want to level abuse then I am not interested but if you want to discuss this rationally I am all ears
Thanks JS for posing an interesting and genuine question. I'm not sure I can offer such a benign view of ACT and all that it stands for.
I do agree that the liberterian view on personal freedom does at time intersect with left values, but DS in particular is such a 'smug' individual that thinking about all those tax payer $ supporting him and his friends is I think a step too far.
I felt that way in 2002, but I'm not feeling it this time around.
In '02, it seemed like ACT actually was a party with a coherent philosophy of what it wanted to achieve, and actual philosophical grounding for where it opposed the government. This time around, it seems like whatever the cat dragged in is good enough to make it onto the list, so they end up with a gun nut at #3 plus a bunch of other cling-ons. So Seymour looks likely to go the way of the hairdo from Ohariu when he got a bunch of his cling-ons in off his coat-tails: nowhere useful.
1) We only get one vote (party). So the luxury of voting for an opposition to a government depends on others voting for that government. Big gamble, not one I'd recommend. (I mean, I guess I might do it if we had a 70% party, but we'll be nowhere near that).
2) More importantly … please study the party lists carefully. Even if you like – or at least accept – David Seymour, then you don't get him multiplied, you get the add-ons. They will be who you are really voting for. Make sure you want them.
(This always happens with people saying "I'm voting for Winston". Then they are shocked to discover they elected Richard Prosser or some other dangerous fruit loop).
It surely does sound weird, JohnSelway and your proposal to vote ACT relies upon your belief that TeamSeymour would be a good Opposition. Have you explored the line-up on offer from the ACT Party? Is there something or someone in that line-up that indicates capability to you? Enough experience to effectively do the job of Opposition? Seem to me to be rank amateurs and judging by the ACT party's history and ideals, likely to be pretty wonky folk
Of course your vote is your own John S. I am not sure why you have put it on the Standard that you are a leftie but might vote Act, so I am assuming you want others opinions on this. Forgive me if my assumption is incorrect.
I personally couldn't vote for a party that's policies I find repugnant. Seymour is the one MP who voted against the gun law changes. Who wants to slash benefits cut govt spending. But if those policies sit o.k. with you, by all means you are entitled to give ACT your vote. But maybe you support these policies?
I can understand a left wing person voting Green with the view that they want an opposition to hold Labour to account. This would be a good option. And Greens need your vote more than ACT. And Greens are a left wing party so more likely reflect your left wing sentiments.
Acts deal in Epsom guarantees them a seat and this playing the system even if its legal is another thing that turns me off ACT.
I want Labour to govern alone, so they can just get on and do it. After Covid I completely trust them to make good decisions for the country. I think Jacinda has shown outstanding leadership and her team Parker, Robertson, Woods, Hipkins, Faafoi to name a few, have served us well.
Yes – I wanted to see what other people thought. And I agree – many of ACT's policies I do not support but I feel on issues where Labour and ACT agree (which are few I admit) they could work together. And I don't think ACT will get the numbers to really put forward and achieve what I don't agree with.
Basically I would rather a few ACT MP's rather than more National. It is a strategic vote for me, rather than a vote for who I prefer to win and more who they will be up against in Parliament. I would rather it 5 ACT mp's than 20 National.
"I would rather it 5 ACT mp's than 20 National." Fair enough JS, but those aren't your only options. Lefties such as youself can also cast their party vote for a left-of-centre party such as Labour or the Greens. A genuine lefty deliberately gifting their party vote to ACT is like the Greens gifting their parliamentary Question Time allocation to National/ACT – an odd move, difficult to fathom.
Aren’t you taking the duality of Parliament a little too far when you seem to imply that the Government is as good as the Opposition?
I reckon you should vote for a strong coalition government in the first place and one that best aligns with your personal core values and aspirations for the future for yourself and for the people.
Try to influence things that you can influence directly rather than through some intermediate. In other words, keep it as simple as possible, but no simpler.
No I don't think the government is as good as the opposition. But I want an opposition to be able to find areas of common ground (such as drug reform and abortion) rather than a party, like National, that define themselves as "we are the opposite of Labour".
I hope I am making myself clear but understand I might not be.
I am enjoying the sharing of ideas however rather than hostility.
How does voting for the opposition on the Right, in order to hold to account your desired party on the Left, actually work in producing real outcomes ?
When the Opposition does not hold the numbers to vote down or even change the left's Bill at each reading , we just have an expensive exercise paying out thousands of dollars to run Parliament just to let Seymour have time to express his fuckwittery. (Using my rights here according to Seymour's definition of freedom of speech in my opinion of him as a fuckwit ) and playing by ACT's own theory…
In 2011, ACT accused Labour of wasting $435000 every hour? Labour holding the opposition to account supposedly, but to zilch effect as ACT's Volunteer Student Membership Bill passed anyway.
Casting your vote to two opposing party's ideologies.. not sure how that keeps the Government straight. It would have to work on the assumption that ACT policy represents common good, honesty and sanity.
The shifting with the wind, Slimy Seymour in June, … Labour a disaster, should have closed the border in January as ACT pushed for. Today, his assness enjoying freedom, skydives as his campaign tactic and says open the border for tourists. This is right at the time that Covid is resurging in those same high value tourists' countries of origin.
Chris Baillie, ACT Party's candidate for Nelson, “a teacher best known in Nelson circles for leading a ‘Climate Hysteria Skeptics’ group at his school. Baillie, ( set to come into parliament on Seymour's coat tail) says ACT was “the party of common sense”. ???? Baillie responded to criticism over his views on climate change, saying rational discussion of the issue was being clouded by a wave of hysteria. By inference everybody except ACT is hysterical and irrational !
Seymour has his eye on those Southern pristine landscapes for minerals though, so needs a climate denier – Baillie .
Seems ACT's slogan of " Change your Future " means 'fuck the RMA, fuck stewardship, fuck CC.'
In another example of polar opposites, Labour reiterates today its intentions to toughen up ' hate speech' laws.
Today, Seymour who thinks it was just a bit of fun when near Waitangi day he publishes his slogan MAGA- Make Aoteroa Great Again , is now cynically scaremongering with his prophecy of the demise of our freedoms under Labour.
" This is a deeply concerning development that will undermine our fundamental right to freedom of expression….ACT will continue to defend the critical principle that nobody should ever be punished on the basis of opinion."
Imagine speaking time in Parliament with Seymour's version of free speech. ? We want just the right type of immigrants…
I think printing down a big TV size poster of Seymour and taping it to the wall right where you make your breakfast for 3 weeks will help decide a vote for ACTZ as that's what we'd all have to look at for 3 more years.
There are reasons I have that make me not want to vote Greens but I'd rather not have that be the focus of this conversation. Perhaps another thread another day.
I have some sympathy with libertarian sentiments, as a part of the parliamentary discourse – at least in principle, because it rarely rises that high.
I'm not sure ACT reaches that standard unfortunately. Libertarianism has points to make across the political spectrum, but ACT have chosen to be the Advocacy for Corporate Tax-evaders more often than defenders of individual right.
I wouldn't dream of telling you how to vote except to hope that it brings you, and the rest of NZ citizens joy. For me Seymour does not, and I'm hoping Marie Kondo has a way to be rid of him. But he's not the worst on offer – that might be Billy TK and Trumpetistas – great gods and little fishes help us.
Come election day my decision may very well have changed. But I did want to float this idea and my reasoning for discussion because when I found my view changing I was interested to hear other thoughts. However I could very easily find myself with 2 ticks labour
Seymour has got exposure with a private members bill. I wrote to a Labour MP early in the month who I thought would be the right person to do a private members bill, I have not recieved a reply.
"The Government has passed a law that puts agricultural emissions into the ETS in 2025 if another pricing mechanism is not worked out beforehand, or at 2022 if the Government of the day decides not enough progress has been made on the alternative pricing mechanism.
National would scrap that 2022 review.
It would also make seven changes to the Zero Carbon Act, the wide-ranging climate target law it supported the passage of."
I bullied and was bullied and I saw it and the anger and hatred remain and Judith Collins going public and gloating her bullying can trigger it in me but I have a calmness now that protects me. For my brothers and sisters out there who know about this KIA KAHA she and her kind will bend in the end towards the peace we all crave – in our own ways.
Most farmers are reasonable pragmatic people. Many have fitted in with the Water improvement goals. So what do they think of the Judith wrecking ball who wants to paint farmers as a miserable bunch of bullied pathetic people who think in 1950s terms?
Wish we could talk to the progressive innovative ones.
Will judith repeal that too? Hope the farmers in that article get done, that's no way to look after the animals, taints the product big time and our NZ brand along with it.
Nationals new recycled Policy is the National let the bad farmers do what they want policy and make the public pay for the clean up.
There might be a smaller number of farmers that don't play by the rules but some of the others and the National Party are enabling them to get away with it and hand off the cleanup costs to the general public. Some of the farmer filled councils are doing this by letting the bad apples off with a slap on the wrist when caught.
I'm calling bullshit on Todd Muller's mental health issues. He's been an MP for 6 years – so knows the pressures of politics and he was high up in Fonterra so familiar with leadership too.
On 27 May, 5 days into being selected as leader, most of which was a honeymoon period announcing his party list, and only after his first couple of media interviews he says he starts having health issues. I cannot see it.
I thought it was a credible and insightful account of his experience.
Sure, it's an election campaign, so we can be suspicious, but there's no real gain for him or National here to be reminded of his leadership (except that his party was polling better then than now).
Party leader is far more stressful than minor MP or manager.
I agree Observer. Most likely Mullers mental health issues were real. He looked like a possum in the headlights as time progressed when he was leader. So panic attacks, social anxiety credible to me.
I think what strikes me is that he had so little self awareness to propel himself into the top job, when he was so ill equipped for it. Poor judgement at best. Arrogance at worst
Anyone can write an account of what it's like with mental health issues. I would be more convinced if I saw/heard an interview with him.
His departure had to be explained at some point and this clears the air for voters who wondered what happened to him a couple of weeks out from voting.
The other thing is would anyone trust National not to use mental health for political advantage. Remember.. it was just two months ago that the head of the Mental Health Foundation said this about them,
"Both Falloon and Collins released statements pointing almost exclusively to his state of mental wellbeing. MHF says that was wrong.
"Initially, no, I don't think that was a very appropriate use of mental health," MHF chief executive Shaun Robinson says."
it's worth reminding that the theme this year is "Reimagine Wellbeing Together – He Tirohanga Anamata". His story is pretty much the brave and hard choice of reimagining yourself away from that which is damaging you and toward a new life.
Maui, for your sake I sure hope no one treats any breakdown or crisis you have, like the way you are treating Todd Muller.
They can be debilitating and they are not just anxiety. Public speaking as the leader could trigger them. I saw Muller go tense and have brain block. I am no expert but I suffered the entire 1980s due to a CIB incident in February 1979 which triggered them. Panic attacks can be the result of a phobia e.g. public speaking, seeing a clown, heights, in closed space.
Muller does not owe anyone an explanation where his mental health is concerned.
Todd had not experienced the feral side of media, the relentless pressure of others' expectations. That usually happens to people who are promoted beyond their abilities, and he became the deer in the headlights. He could not ad lib, so the panic set in. I am ashamed to say I called him stunned mullet.
My husband did not believe me when I said Kirwan had had an attack of self doubt and a sense of disorientation during that rugby game. "He is World famous " he said. "That is why, the question "Am I good enough?" is only asked by people who want to please.
I agree with most of what you wrote in paragraph one. I differ when it comes to the feral side of the media. His own caucus members were the most feral and the media reported this.
No one will know what the outcome would have been had key caucus members not have been slithering poisonous snakes.
People who love their cows talk about their patience – and also their strong urge to lie down and rest and chew their cud. Which of course they can;t do when they are standing in not just on, mud. Are these farmers or farm rentiers, looking to run their operations from an air-conditioned building and an expansive office chair, pressing buttons at the start and end of the day that operate the gates and prods?
They're not doing the soil any favours either. Not sure that a lot of Southland is ideal cattle country what with it being almost permanently waterlogged.
I have a question. Do people think NZ's media has ever, will ever, adapt to MMP, 24 years on, and for even five minutes drop the two-horse race, boxing and sporting metaphors about Labour and National leaders going 'head to head' etc. Admittedly, we may be in one of the most FPTP of all MMP elections, and Labour certainly won't mind a presidential-style contest (nor will National when they are polling so badly), but it is really shocking to see both TVNZ and TV3's advertising for leaders' debates – pretty much pro-wrestling style. And why do we even have leaders' debates with just two people? Obviously I know why, but honestly I'd rather see Ardern and Collins deal with whackjobs like Te Kakiha than it be treated as a simple binary choice for PM. Okay maybe not Te Kakiha but a debate with Ardern, Collins, Peters, Shaw and Seymour seems a perfectly valid TV show right?
good point uncle, but think the media target the lowest I.Q. voters with simple win-lose good -bad choices. to put out programmes or even columns with multiple choices confuse many viewers-voters. those tv1 leaders debates are a sham, too lightweight to be taken seriously. even having them with all of the party leaders currentley in parliament(*which they should do), would still be a circus, all sound bites and slogans.
Yeah I agree. I'd rather see Campbell/Gower etc interview each leader one-on-one for 30-45 minutes, no interruptions from others, just probing questions and trying not to let them waffle.
I think we have to pop these offenders in cells for their isolation. The whole country is endangered, jobs, health, GDP, when these yoiks go off on a break. They need to be fined also with instant fines that hurt. And no being nice to Maori or pakeha, rich or poor, bung them into a caged facility and let them do their yards where they aren't costing us time and money while they flutter around like Large White Cabbage Butterflies.
Has anyone seen these around lately? Or did we get clear of them?
If they had respected Auckland's alert levels then they would not have been meeting with all those 18 contacts from around the country in Taupo. And BTW aren't children supposed to be at school during the term. Not having holidays and playing truant?
The PM would not campaign for a CGT on winning in 2020 without need for NZF in a coalition, but she will for hate speech legislation. ACT and NZF will be fighting over the spoils of this on the right and National in the centre.
The man who developed covid-19 out of quarantine after testing negative in quarantine twice is a bit of a problem. It could be that he caught it off someone else in quarantine or that it just developed slowly in him. However, the other thing it could be is a change in covid-19 – that he may have a new strain that takes longer to become symptomatic/ observable/ measurable by testing – if so, then the sooner it gets genome sequenced the better and the MoH might have to think about the length of time people stay in quarantine.
The All Blacks should say screw you and get their players home by Christmas. Actually, if the Aussies won't budge on the date then the All Blacks should stay home. In a year like this families should come first.
It may be that Judith Collins is breaking down. Teary when talking about stress in the farming world yesterday and getting teary again today:
She even got a bit emotional when she heard the Greens' statement in a press conference and said, with voice breaking, "It was hard to find anything nice to say about that."
And not getting the following that she hoped for. Add Jacinda staying calm and in control in spite of jibes.
I wonder if Judith cannot cope with her poor Leadership and will not last the distance. I don't mean that I think being a teary woman is so bad, so much as being a teary experienced hard nosed politician. Watch this space – or not.
I've wondered the same, and watched the decline from a quite vibrant and youthful woman 3 months ago to someone resembling the worst of Muldoon. She can still turn the vibrant youthful thing on for a while, but it's only for set pieces now, and is obviously painted on now.
I saw a similar decline with Todd Muller, who ended up paying a heavy price for attempting to do more than he was able. It's distressing that people will do that to themselves but we don't personally see it coming.
This will probably be Collin's first experience of political failure from a completely personal perspective. Up until now her setbacks could have been rationalised by it being another, more senior or powerful, person who rejected her, they became someone to undermine and defeat, now it's the public who are rejecting her and there's no one else to blame.
I hope she doesn't have a crisis, no one deserves that, especially in a public way, but it's looking likely.
ianmac (14) … Judith Collins is attempting to present a facade of being nice and humane, when those particular traits are completely alien to her. Her "smiles"/grimaces are in line with the snarling facial expressions of a mad, rabid dog! It's so obvious she has been told by her advisers to be more like Jacinda, which in Collins' case is absolutely impossible! So I'd say the tears and sudden caring attitude (towards the farmers of course) are false.
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Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
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Sometimes I get frustrated that Labour/Ardern don't fire more shots at National/Collins, but then I turn on the 6 pm news and I watch Collins shooting herself. Letting her do this is still Labour's best move.
Sneer, smirk, snarl … and watch the votes slipping away.
It's always a good pick-me-up at the end of the day, a cuppa and an eye roll.
Lol…there is that
This is going to sound weird coming from a leftie (but I’m not tribal left) but I am thinking I might vote for ACT. Here’s my reasoning… 1) I want Labour to face opposition. I view MMP as giving people the strategic ability to not just vote for they want to have as the PM but also to decide what opposition to face. I can’t stand the current state of National. 2) David Seymour, despite looking like an idiot has actually, in opposition, got a few things done, unlike National. 3) There are policies I think where Labour and ACT could actually find common ground. Euthanasia, drug reform, abortion etc so will be in a position to support some of labour’s policies but not enough power for them to enact the policies I don’t support (which is a majority of their economic policies.
So yeah – those are my thoughts. I want vote strategically. And look before the the ad Homs, abuse, claims I’m not a lefty or that I’m an idiot or betraying left wing values let me say I want Ardern and Labour to hold all the cards but I also want there to be effective opposition. And I don’t want National involved.
So those are my thoughts. If you just want to level abuse then I am not interested but if you want to discuss this rationally I am all ears
Thanks JS for posing an interesting and genuine question. I'm not sure I can offer such a benign view of ACT and all that it stands for.
I do agree that the liberterian view on personal freedom does at time intersect with left values, but DS in particular is such a 'smug' individual that thinking about all those tax payer $ supporting him and his friends is I think a step too far.
I felt that way in 2002, but I'm not feeling it this time around.
In '02, it seemed like ACT actually was a party with a coherent philosophy of what it wanted to achieve, and actual philosophical grounding for where it opposed the government. This time around, it seems like whatever the cat dragged in is good enough to make it onto the list, so they end up with a gun nut at #3 plus a bunch of other cling-ons. So Seymour looks likely to go the way of the hairdo from Ohariu when he got a bunch of his cling-ons in off his coat-tails: nowhere useful.
Yep. As a general rule, I'd say "Don't vote for people who aren't expecting – or even wanting – to be there". List-fillers make very bad MPs.
In 2002 United Future's sudden surge brought in a candidate who wasn't even a citizen (so she had to quit).
No abuse, but 2 points:
1) We only get one vote (party). So the luxury of voting for an opposition to a government depends on others voting for that government. Big gamble, not one I'd recommend. (I mean, I guess I might do it if we had a 70% party, but we'll be nowhere near that).
2) More importantly … please study the party lists carefully. Even if you like – or at least accept – David Seymour, then you don't get him multiplied, you get the add-ons. They will be who you are really voting for. Make sure you want them.
(This always happens with people saying "I'm voting for Winston". Then they are shocked to discover they elected Richard Prosser or some other dangerous fruit loop).
Yeah – your second point is a good one I hadn't thought about
+100% Observer.
A party is more than one person.
It surely does sound weird, JohnSelway and your proposal to vote ACT relies upon your belief that TeamSeymour would be a good Opposition. Have you explored the line-up on offer from the ACT Party? Is there something or someone in that line-up that indicates capability to you? Enough experience to effectively do the job of Opposition? Seem to me to be rank amateurs and judging by the ACT party's history and ideals, likely to be pretty wonky folk
And people in the States in 2016 voted for Trump for similar reasons – and look how that turned out.
Of course your vote is your own John S. I am not sure why you have put it on the Standard that you are a leftie but might vote Act, so I am assuming you want others opinions on this. Forgive me if my assumption is incorrect.
I personally couldn't vote for a party that's policies I find repugnant. Seymour is the one MP who voted against the gun law changes. Who wants to slash benefits cut govt spending. But if those policies sit o.k. with you, by all means you are entitled to give ACT your vote. But maybe you support these policies?
I can understand a left wing person voting Green with the view that they want an opposition to hold Labour to account. This would be a good option. And Greens need your vote more than ACT. And Greens are a left wing party so more likely reflect your left wing sentiments.
Acts deal in Epsom guarantees them a seat and this playing the system even if its legal is another thing that turns me off ACT.
I want Labour to govern alone, so they can just get on and do it. After Covid I completely trust them to make good decisions for the country. I think Jacinda has shown outstanding leadership and her team Parker, Robertson, Woods, Hipkins, Faafoi to name a few, have served us well.
Yes – I wanted to see what other people thought. And I agree – many of ACT's policies I do not support but I feel on issues where Labour and ACT agree (which are few I admit) they could work together. And I don't think ACT will get the numbers to really put forward and achieve what I don't agree with.
Basically I would rather a few ACT MP's rather than more National. It is a strategic vote for me, rather than a vote for who I prefer to win and more who they will be up against in Parliament. I would rather it 5 ACT mp's than 20 National.
"I would rather it 5 ACT mp's than 20 National." Fair enough JS, but those aren't your only options. Lefties such as youself can also cast their party vote for a left-of-centre party such as Labour or the Greens. A genuine lefty deliberately gifting their party vote to ACT is like the Greens gifting their parliamentary Question Time allocation to National/ACT – an odd move, difficult to fathom.
Aren’t you taking the duality of Parliament a little too far when you seem to imply that the Government is as good as the Opposition?
I reckon you should vote for a strong coalition government in the first place and one that best aligns with your personal core values and aspirations for the future for yourself and for the people.
Try to influence things that you can influence directly rather than through some intermediate. In other words, keep it as simple as possible, but no simpler.
No I don't think the government is as good as the opposition. But I want an opposition to be able to find areas of common ground (such as drug reform and abortion) rather than a party, like National, that define themselves as "we are the opposite of Labour".
I hope I am making myself clear but understand I might not be.
I am enjoying the sharing of ideas however rather than hostility.
Yes, very refreshing change 🙂
How does voting for the opposition on the Right, in order to hold to account your desired party on the Left, actually work in producing real outcomes ?
When the Opposition does not hold the numbers to vote down or even change the left's Bill at each reading , we just have an expensive exercise paying out thousands of dollars to run Parliament just to let Seymour have time to express his fuckwittery. (Using my rights here according to Seymour's definition of freedom of speech in my opinion of him as a fuckwit ) and playing by ACT's own theory…
In 2011, ACT accused Labour of wasting $435000 every hour? Labour holding the opposition to account supposedly, but to zilch effect as ACT's Volunteer Student Membership Bill passed anyway.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5097079/Labour-filibustering-costs-453-000-hr-ACT
Casting your vote to two opposing party's ideologies.. not sure how that keeps the Government straight. It would have to work on the assumption that ACT policy represents common good, honesty and sanity.
The shifting with the wind, Slimy Seymour in June, … Labour a disaster, should have closed the border in January as ACT pushed for. Today, his assness enjoying freedom, skydives as his campaign tactic and says open the border for tourists. This is right at the time that Covid is resurging in those same high value tourists' countries of origin.
https://www.euronews.com/2020/09/23/is-europe-having-a-covid-19-second-wave-country-by-country-breakdown
Chris Baillie, ACT Party's candidate for Nelson, “a teacher best known in Nelson circles for leading a ‘Climate Hysteria Skeptics’ group at his school. Baillie, ( set to come into parliament on Seymour's coat tail) says ACT was “the party of common sense”. ???? Baillie responded to criticism over his views on climate change, saying rational discussion of the issue was being clouded by a wave of hysteria. By inference everybody except ACT is hysterical and irrational !
Seymour has his eye on those Southern pristine landscapes for minerals though, so needs a climate denier – Baillie .
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122761558/election-2020-act-wants-to-unwind-the-governments-climate-and-energy-efforts.
Seems ACT's slogan of " Change your Future " means 'fuck the RMA, fuck stewardship, fuck CC.'
In another example of polar opposites, Labour reiterates today its intentions to toughen up ' hate speech' laws.
Today, Seymour who thinks it was just a bit of fun when near Waitangi day he publishes his slogan MAGA- Make Aoteroa Great Again , is now cynically scaremongering with his prophecy of the demise of our freedoms under Labour.
" This is a deeply concerning development that will undermine our fundamental right to freedom of expression….ACT will continue to defend the critical principle that nobody should ever be punished on the basis of opinion."
https://www.act.org.nz/hate_speech_laws_divisive_and_dangerous
Imagine speaking time in Parliament with Seymour's version of free speech. ? We want just the right type of immigrants…
I think printing down a big TV size poster of Seymour and taping it to the wall right where you make your breakfast for 3 weeks will help decide a vote for ACTZ as that's what we'd all have to look at for 3 more years.
Frankly, I think you should party vote Green – first to secure a coalition with Labour and to drag Labour left. Then your party vote may do some good.
A party vote for Act??? No way.
There are reasons I have that make me not want to vote Greens but I'd rather not have that be the focus of this conversation. Perhaps another thread another day.
I have some sympathy with libertarian sentiments, as a part of the parliamentary discourse – at least in principle, because it rarely rises that high.
I'm not sure ACT reaches that standard unfortunately. Libertarianism has points to make across the political spectrum, but ACT have chosen to be the Advocacy for Corporate Tax-evaders more often than defenders of individual right.
I wouldn't dream of telling you how to vote except to hope that it brings you, and the rest of NZ citizens joy. For me Seymour does not, and I'm hoping Marie Kondo has a way to be rid of him. But he's not the worst on offer – that might be Billy TK and Trumpetistas – great gods and little fishes help us.
" but ACT have chosen to be the Advocacy for Corporate Tax-evaders more often than defenders of individual right. "
I agree which is why I want ACT to have a voice but not the ability to make law on their own
Frankly, I'd prefer it if tax evaders didn't have a voice in parliament.
Come election day my decision may very well have changed. But I did want to float this idea and my reasoning for discussion because when I found my view changing I was interested to hear other thoughts. However I could very easily find myself with 2 ticks labour
If enough ppl think your way, that could work out pretty good for the Coq.
Seymour has got exposure with a private members bill. I wrote to a Labour MP early in the month who I thought would be the right person to do a private members bill, I have not recieved a reply.
Is this some sort of joke?
'I'm a lefty but I'm going to vote ACT because Labour are too good.'
Seriously.
Yes seriously however on the day I could very well 2 tick labour
Gosh – that's raising strategic voting to an art form! lol
"The Government has passed a law that puts agricultural emissions into the ETS in 2025 if another pricing mechanism is not worked out beforehand, or at 2022 if the Government of the day decides not enough progress has been made on the alternative pricing mechanism.
National would scrap that 2022 review.
It would also make seven changes to the Zero Carbon Act, the wide-ranging climate target law it supported the passage of."
Climate change?…what climate change?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/122873541/election-2020-national-promises-farmers-return-of-foreign-workers-and-a-rollback-of-regulations-on-water-and-climate
I bullied and was bullied and I saw it and the anger and hatred remain and Judith Collins going public and gloating her bullying can trigger it in me but I have a calmness now that protects me. For my brothers and sisters out there who know about this KIA KAHA she and her kind will bend in the end towards the peace we all crave – in our own ways.
Her deathbed reckoning will not be pretty.
Most farmers are reasonable pragmatic people. Many have fitted in with the Water improvement goals. So what do they think of the Judith wrecking ball who wants to paint farmers as a miserable bunch of bullied pathetic people who think in 1950s terms?
Wish we could talk to the progressive innovative ones.
I'd forward you the number for the president of the Southland Federated Farmers, but…
Maybe they could teach better practice to those still carry out 'intensive winter grazing'?
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/rural/2020/09/campaigners-release-shocking-video-of-dead-animals-in-bid-to-stop-intensive-winter-grazing.html
Will judith repeal that too? Hope the farmers in that article get done, that's no way to look after the animals, taints the product big time and our NZ brand along with it.
.
Nationals
newrecycled Policy is the National let the bad farmers do what they want policy and make the public pay for the clean up.There might be a smaller number of farmers that don't play by the rules but some of the others and the National Party are enabling them to get away with it and hand off the cleanup costs to the general public. Some of the farmer filled councils are doing this by letting the bad apples off with a slap on the wrist when caught.
I'm calling bullshit on Todd Muller's mental health issues. He's been an MP for 6 years – so knows the pressures of politics and he was high up in Fonterra so familiar with leadership too.
On 27 May, 5 days into being selected as leader, most of which was a honeymoon period announcing his party list, and only after his first couple of media interviews he says he starts having health issues. I cannot see it.
I thought it was a credible and insightful account of his experience.
Sure, it's an election campaign, so we can be suspicious, but there's no real gain for him or National here to be reminded of his leadership (except that his party was polling better then than now).
Party leader is far more stressful than minor MP or manager.
I agree Observer. Most likely Mullers mental health issues were real. He looked like a possum in the headlights as time progressed when he was leader. So panic attacks, social anxiety credible to me.
I think what strikes me is that he had so little self awareness to propel himself into the top job, when he was so ill equipped for it. Poor judgement at best. Arrogance at worst
The Peter Principle meets the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Anyone can write an account of what it's like with mental health issues. I would be more convinced if I saw/heard an interview with him.
His departure had to be explained at some point and this clears the air for voters who wondered what happened to him a couple of weeks out from voting.
The other thing is would anyone trust National not to use mental health for political advantage. Remember.. it was just two months ago that the head of the Mental Health Foundation said this about them,
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/andrew-falloon-using-mental-health-during-resignation-not-acceptable-mental-health-foundation.html
They literally announced that the party leader wasn't fronting to media because he needed a lie down.
I don't think they were playing the long game, there. And for what – to go through a sham vote and elect Collins?
So true, when that Party is a gang of fearful conniving back-stabbers, some of who are the Godparents of DP.
Its an (unfortunate) example of how anyone is only a moment away from success (or coping) to failure (not)
Ever experienced a panic attack?
They sneak up on you and they're not a picnic in the park.
Todd Muller's description rang entirely true to me.
I've had a small number of panic attacks in my life. They have each been triggered when I pushed something I thought I could do a bit too far.
In hindsight it was always my subconscious forcing me to listen.
In that light I found Todd's account perfectly authentic.
Is there a link of Muller's account.
Well, since you're calling crisis on someone's mental health confession in the middle of Mental Health Awareness Week,
https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/home/our-work/category/16/mental-health-awareness-week
it's worth reminding that the theme this year is "Reimagine Wellbeing Together – He Tirohanga Anamata". His story is pretty much the brave and hard choice of reimagining yourself away from that which is damaging you and toward a new life.
Maui, for your sake I sure hope no one treats any breakdown or crisis you have, like the way you are treating Todd Muller.
Have you ever had panic attacks?
They can be debilitating and they are not just anxiety. Public speaking as the leader could trigger them. I saw Muller go tense and have brain block. I am no expert but I suffered the entire 1980s due to a CIB incident in February 1979 which triggered them. Panic attacks can be the result of a phobia e.g. public speaking, seeing a clown, heights, in closed space.
Muller does not owe anyone an explanation where his mental health is concerned.
Todd had not experienced the feral side of media, the relentless pressure of others' expectations. That usually happens to people who are promoted beyond their abilities, and he became the deer in the headlights. He could not ad lib, so the panic set in. I am ashamed to say I called him stunned mullet.
My husband did not believe me when I said Kirwan had had an attack of self doubt and a sense of disorientation during that rugby game. "He is World famous " he said. "That is why, the question "Am I good enough?" is only asked by people who want to please.
It does happen.
I agree with most of what you wrote in paragraph one. I differ when it comes to the feral side of the media. His own caucus members were the most feral and the media reported this.
No one will know what the outcome would have been had key caucus members not have been slithering poisonous snakes.
TVNZ may have included this for some balance may be only the odd bad apple but the result is shown to have quite major effects.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/new-footage-south-island-farms-reveal-cows-living-in-knee-high-winter-mud
People who love their cows talk about their patience – and also their strong urge to lie down and rest and chew their cud. Which of course they can;t do when they are standing in not just on, mud. Are these farmers or farm rentiers, looking to run their operations from an air-conditioned building and an expansive office chair, pressing buttons at the start and end of the day that operate the gates and prods?
They're not doing the soil any favours either. Not sure that a lot of Southland is ideal cattle country what with it being almost permanently waterlogged.
tradionally , southland was most suited to growing swedes, now it seems that rednecks are the crop of choice.
I have a question. Do people think NZ's media has ever, will ever, adapt to MMP, 24 years on, and for even five minutes drop the two-horse race, boxing and sporting metaphors about Labour and National leaders going 'head to head' etc. Admittedly, we may be in one of the most FPTP of all MMP elections, and Labour certainly won't mind a presidential-style contest (nor will National when they are polling so badly), but it is really shocking to see both TVNZ and TV3's advertising for leaders' debates – pretty much pro-wrestling style. And why do we even have leaders' debates with just two people? Obviously I know why, but honestly I'd rather see Ardern and Collins deal with whackjobs like Te Kakiha than it be treated as a simple binary choice for PM. Okay maybe not Te Kakiha but a debate with Ardern, Collins, Peters, Shaw and Seymour seems a perfectly valid TV show right?
good point uncle, but think the media target the lowest I.Q. voters with simple win-lose good -bad choices. to put out programmes or even columns with multiple choices confuse many viewers-voters. those tv1 leaders debates are a sham, too lightweight to be taken seriously. even having them with all of the party leaders currentley in parliament(*which they should do), would still be a circus, all sound bites and slogans.
Yeah I agree. I'd rather see Campbell/Gower etc interview each leader one-on-one for 30-45 minutes, no interruptions from others, just probing questions and trying not to let them waffle.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018765475/dr-ashley-bloomfield-explains-covid-19-infected-family-s-travel
I think we have to pop these offenders in cells for their isolation. The whole country is endangered, jobs, health, GDP, when these yoiks go off on a break. They need to be fined also with instant fines that hurt. And no being nice to Maori or pakeha, rich or poor, bung them into a caged facility and let them do their yards where they aren't costing us time and money while they flutter around like Large White Cabbage Butterflies.
Has anyone seen these around lately? Or did we get clear of them?
We are lucky the interface in Taupo occured at Level 2, at Level 1, as Seymour and Peters wanted, this would have been worse.
This is still close to a scenario that would scare the epidemiologist and a Finance Minister the most.
The two worst case scenarios that might still occur from this.
If they had respected Auckland's alert levels then they would not have been meeting with all those 18 contacts from around the country in Taupo. And BTW aren't children supposed to be at school during the term. Not having holidays and playing truant?
The PM would not campaign for a CGT on winning in 2020 without need for NZF in a coalition, but she will for hate speech legislation. ACT and NZF will be fighting over the spoils of this on the right and National in the centre.
https://twitter.com/NewshubPolitics/status/1309021635916242946
The Imam conflating free speech with hate speech is a gift to the PM’s opponents.
The man who developed covid-19 out of quarantine after testing negative in quarantine twice is a bit of a problem. It could be that he caught it off someone else in quarantine or that it just developed slowly in him. However, the other thing it could be is a change in covid-19 – that he may have a new strain that takes longer to become symptomatic/ observable/ measurable by testing – if so, then the sooner it gets genome sequenced the better and the MoH might have to think about the length of time people stay in quarantine.
The All Blacks should say screw you and get their players home by Christmas. Actually, if the Aussies won't budge on the date then the All Blacks should stay home. In a year like this families should come first.
It may be that Judith Collins is breaking down. Teary when talking about stress in the farming world yesterday and getting teary again today:
And not getting the following that she hoped for. Add Jacinda staying calm and in control in spite of jibes.
I wonder if Judith cannot cope with her poor Leadership and will not last the distance. I don't mean that I think being a teary woman is so bad, so much as being a teary experienced hard nosed politician. Watch this space – or not.
I've wondered the same, and watched the decline from a quite vibrant and youthful woman 3 months ago to someone resembling the worst of Muldoon. She can still turn the vibrant youthful thing on for a while, but it's only for set pieces now, and is obviously painted on now.
I saw a similar decline with Todd Muller, who ended up paying a heavy price for attempting to do more than he was able. It's distressing that people will do that to themselves but we don't personally see it coming.
This will probably be Collin's first experience of political failure from a completely personal perspective. Up until now her setbacks could have been rationalised by it being another, more senior or powerful, person who rejected her, they became someone to undermine and defeat, now it's the public who are rejecting her and there's no one else to blame.
I hope she doesn't have a crisis, no one deserves that, especially in a public way, but it's looking likely.
Or she's turning on the crocodile waterworks. Poor poor farmers. Poor wee Codger.
ianmac (14) … Judith Collins is attempting to present a facade of being nice and humane, when those particular traits are completely alien to her. Her "smiles"/grimaces are in line with the snarling facial expressions of a mad, rabid dog! It's so obvious she has been told by her advisers to be more like Jacinda, which in Collins' case is absolutely impossible! So I'd say the tears and sudden caring attitude (towards the farmers of course) are false.