Unfortunately Nash will probably get a high list placing next time and won’t have to win a seat.
He is a right wing plant – I’m convinced of it. The left need to keep exposing him for what he is so that he doesn’t get any traction within the party.
Of course he is. Nash loves the surroundings and attention (and $) that the right wing can lavish upon his political career. And have been doing so already, in a material way.
Worrying, but expected. Little inherited the Engineers’ Union from Rex Jones, one of the most right wing class collaborators who has ever led a union. Back in the 80s, Engineers’ officials spent more time keeping militant workers out of the factories than anything else. Little was a student politician and then a lawyer. The Labour Party needs a ban on this sort, but instead they come up with the gift to the right that was the “man ban”.
One thing that points in that direction is the amount of media attention he is getting, the frequency with which his opinions are sought, and the respect with which those opinions are treated, bearing in mind that he has just been elected to parliament – that is a dead giveaway.
And don’t forget he’s good looking, has a lovely smile, nice white teeth and fits the shallow circumstantial mould – that is, youngish married man with attractive looking (no doubt) kids. They are apparently considered to be all-important pre-requisites if you want to be accepted by the celebrity driven MSM culture – especially the TV culture.
I totally agree , Phil U, from his own mouth Nash has clearly shown that he plays with the rightwing moneyed people – and he’s in Labour ? Yuk. He’s got his political parties mixed up,
Simon Bridges reminds me of a very angry man who wants to fight anyone who asks him a question. National on this should back bench him. He really is the lefts best weapon in National.
Newly elected Labour MP Stuart Nash says he has been taking advice from “dirty politics” operative Simon Lusk…
questions over his links to key players identified in Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics – Mr Lusk, Cameron Slater and Matthew Hooton…
“He’s run a pretty good campaign, I think, in terms of what I’ve seen, and I’ve taken some advice on how to message stuff there,” Mr Nash said.
He said other Labour MPs, and some Hawke’s Bay regional councillors, had also been in contact with Mr Lusk over the Ruataniwha dam issue.
Mr Lusk yesterday declined to comment on his relationship with Mr Nash. Mr Nash said he had written two articles for Whale Oil blogger Mr Slater when Mr Slater was editor of the Truth newspaper…
“I have mates right across the political spectrum and I make no apology for that. But having said that, I don’t consider Cameron Slater or Simon Lusk friends. Matthew Hooton certainly is a very good friend of mine…
Nash is wise not to; “consider Cameron Slater or Simon Lusk friends”, as I am yet to be convinced that either of them understand the concept. However, the question remains about whether he considers them colleagues.
I suspect he was misquoted, and actually said; “I have mates across the right of the political spectrum”.
nash is a playa – he doesn’t need slater and lusk to be ‘good’ friends if hollowhooton is there – I suppose ‘people’ like nash are seeded all over – I wonder if they go to a camp to learn how to pretend to be left – you know like the movies with the pretend american town to train those russians in the minutiae of US life. Anyway playa gotta play so I expect a lot of vocalisations from nash – on anything and everything…
Those guys – Prebble, Hide, Samuels, Tamihere – are just tired old hacks, no longer living in the real world and without any relevance to the real world. I don’t know why the Herald (and other media) keep on using them as spokespersons – they repeat the same old mantra time after time, and now they are Boring. Very, very boring.
Yep I just wish the Herald would stop asking right wingers who the Labour leader should be. Anyone with any sense would understand that their advice is tinged with malice.
That’s the point Micky, each little knife they can slip in the better. Between the labour party playing a game of thrones, and the corporate media playing fast and loose with the truth, another person is put off voting. Media owned for the corporate interest, know the game – we should too.
What I don’t understand is why the left-wing politicians haven’t found some techniques and skill in addressing this problem.
Rather than counter the propaganda, the left-wing are pandering to it too much.
They should be providing people with another way at looking at things to hook onto.
The amount of times that I heard ‘Dirty Politics’ characterised as a ‘distraction’ by left wing politicians in this last election is a very good example of what I am talking about – it could have been turned around to be made into a policy issue for cleaning up our democracy.
The Greens have achieved the most on countering right-wing framing of matters yet I would like to see more of these skills from all left-wing politicians and wonder why they haven’t developed them already.
You only truly counter propaganda when you produce news which speaks to truth yourself.
The dominance of editorial methodology which embraces money and profit – makes any attempts to counter the overall ideology of money worship, a very difficult task.
Your statement blue leopard also brings up the question for me of how many of the so called left politicians are left? Why are they so complicit in an overall support of a system which hurts their voter base?
As far as framing goes – look at Ralph Nader – love or hate him, the guy got things done – until – and this is important – the right took his language, and twisted it to their purpose in the corporate media.
I think we need to speak to the truth of an issue – no matter the cost.
It is why I’ve so vocal in my attacks on labour as a political party and why I think it is a dead weight around the left.
And CV I think you are so right we need to reach deep into NZ communities, with a good well rounded approach, communicating a clear and inspiring vision. We need to stop making people feel disempowered, this is what our corporate media and current crop of professional politicians seem to be doing in spades.
adam, blue leopard, both of you have cut right through to the heart of the matter IMO.
As far as framing goes – look at Ralph Nader – love or hate him, the guy got things done – until – and this is important – the right took his language, and twisted it to their purpose in the corporate media.
the “Right” who attacked Nader, also included the Democratic Party, who wanted to see his third party movement to the left of their own destroyed and permanently out of electoral politics.
Which to my mind, has direct parallels to what Labour has successfully done to Laila and Hone, I might add.
I totally support the setting up of an informative media channel, however, the countering of propaganda in response to MSM messages is still required because even if there was another news media channel (whatever the platform) some would still be looking at the old one and simply allowing the propaganda to slide – or even worse answering it in a manner that implies there is some foundation for thinking the way the propaganda frames it – simply leaves that ‘idea’ in peoples’ heads and supplies no opition for the people listening to the propaganda of looking at it in another way. It is very damaging indeed.
Therefore, left wing politicians need to learn to counter the propaganda no matter what.
I really am puzzled by why they haven’t developed this skill to date.
I think your questioning of Labour (or anyone being simpering toward the false narratives) is a natural response because when one has looked into things and one sees someone doing that, it just looks like they are unconvinced by their own political stance.
I think some of this, however, has more to do with lack of skill in arguing and could be improved by getting skill. They ultimately lack passion more than anything though, and seem more worried about ‘fitting in’ than getting anything achieved. 🙁
I haven’t heard of Ralph Nader and will look him up.
Ralph Nader ran as the third Presidential candidate against George Bush and Al Gore in 2000. The Democrats attacked Nader throughout the campaign and then blamed him for Al Gore’s final loss.
The Democrats could not allow a truly progressive and independent voice to stand; as such Nader was far more dangerous to the Democrats then the Republicans.
Nader has also run since then, but is typically completely ignored by the US corporate media.
That is a problem with their electoral system – splitting the vote of potential ‘left’ supporters. Labour has no excuse for that here [cross-face].
I was reading an article about Britain’s UKIP party, also having that problem of splitting the left vote.
I am really glad we have MMP here, it would be excellent if our left-wing politicians, especially Labour, learned how to use it to the left’s advantage.
If they continue in the tracks they have been going to date, then I think it is fair to say Labour don’t want left-wing principles to be encouraged, Up until now, I have been giving them rather a lot of lee-way for daftness but will be doing so no more.
I know very little about UKIP, in fact that article is one of the few things I have read about them.
Just to be perfectly clear, (although I think you probably got the point) that comment I made about UKIP was to highlight how the voting system in the UK & USA creates an issue with splitting the vote whereas ours is better in that regard, I was not attempting to provide any knowledge of UKIP, because I can confidently say I know very little about them! 🙂
Worth remembering that the initial set up of the US electoral system was carried out by 40 wealthy, property owning, slave owning white men who were interested in maintaining their own privilege in any new democracy.
@ blue leopard 2.37
I remember having a look at UKIP and putting up some links. Then, I think it was about them being successful in getting into the European Parliament. And I was interested in how the EP had dropped the threshhold low which I think is so unwise, opening it up to the poisoned tip of the dagger from toxic parties.
Anyway if you search for UKIP on TS it has been mentioned a lot.
Thanks Greywarbler, its not really a focus of my interest, but may follow the leads in the coming days at a quiet point – always good to learn something new 🙂
The issue of the molestation of Democracy by a bunch of (metaphorically) pimply, ‘really really need to be on the telly’ narcissists, bought off by media corporates and mutated by their own vanities, is very much alive. It has to be addressed. It must not be let lie.
My response exactly to Whaleoil putting Nash and Davies up for leader, sheer arrogance, or at least Lusk manipulation, or both. Previously, MSM has amplified Whaleoil’s voice, and it becomes mainstream narrative, no matter how bonkers the idea, will it still happen after dirty politics exposed?
Karol, try not to read it. Seriously, it’s just whale oil, main stream, the only people who really read it are so right wing it panders to their mentality. Or the left wanting to know what the rights doing by way of brainwashing the masses.
The only thing to do is smear the rag as far right and leave it be. definitely do not allow it to influence any decision you make.
Do what I did E-Mailed the Wanna be Hack that scribbled it, and just gently pointed out that she should stick to being the Tea lady, as the Granny has enough hacks in Armweak etc etc.
Passed that point three months ago Weka. I’ve definitely tried the polite avenue to many times to recount.
Now I’m down to insults as they just do not care, they have a hidden agenda not all the horses on the planet could shift. I insult them for personal satisfaction now.
In fact the Herald is lower than whaleoil in my opinion, because they have far more influence on the voting public, whereas only the nutty right read whaleoil.
The NZ Herald has been tory leaning since day dot. That’s the point of every big establishment newspaper in NZ, and worse so since the media corporates took over.
We shouldn’t be still acting surprised and disappointed in this, at this late point, right?
It seems so. I recall Chris Trotter saying that the NZH was vocal in calling for the invasion of the Waikato in 1863 at the behest of Auckland business interests.
Being the scholarly type Chris has probably been up to the Ak Museum to read the microfilmed originals – assuming they’ve still got them after the reign of mad Vanda. So I don’t doubt him.
And he mentions Iris Wilkinson (Robin Hyde) being told as a cub reporter in the 30’s to not say anything about the NZLP. All comments had to come from the NZH’s senior staff.
So nothing much has changed. Feel the long sweep of history eh? But most voters are completely ahistorical and live in the present.
Workers, union members and their families were utterly vilified by the big papers during the watersiders strike of 1951 (?). I’m fairly confident that was also the case for the Great Strike of 1913.
“I’m fairly confident that was also the case for the Great Strike of 1913”
Yep, it was. Here’s a comment I made on Brian Edwards Media back in 2010…..
“There’s a long, long history of this. A few years ago, I came across an unintentionally amusing article in a 1913 edition of Wellington’s TRIAD magazine. It was on the Waterside Workers’ lockout/strike (which a few weeks later snowballed into the General Strike of 1913 – notorious for Massey’s Cossacks).
The report began by describing the wharfies as “dark and furious persons of unpleasant aspect”. ….. The writer then went on to spend more than a few column inches emotively listing the various inconveniences the lockout had caused to the general public (nothing changes in 100 years); before ending on a moral high-note with this colourful little crescendo of xenophobia: “All of this because Wharfside Bill has a grievance…..Bill is sometimes an English subject, sometimes a non-descript negro, and sometimes a representative of one or other of those deceitful nations whose men wear rings through their ears”.
That was a Wellington-based magazine. The big papers were no different – particularly the morning papers The Herald, The Dominion, The Press and the ODT. All closely associated with Massey’s right-wing Reform Party. (the evening papers were closer to the Liberals).
Brilliant, thanks. Those uppity darkies, still causing issues.
Which goes back to the points made above. Why 100 years on is the left still fixated on the MSM instead of building up alternative infrastructure and assets like The Standard.
For decades the New Zealand Herald changed little in its appearance and sober, right-of-centre editorial stance; this was epitomised for half a century by the generally conservative cartoons of Gordon Minhinnick. The sobriquet ‘Granny Herald’ was part affection, part frustration.
Politics has become increasingly masculine under John key’s watch.
How did you go from a few uninformed peeps talking about Shane Jones and JT (who have their own political constituency, sure, but one which stretches back many many years) to blaming John Key for making politics more “masculine.”
Voters had a choice of a Labour and Green Party for which gender balance was a significant issue of policy, equality and inclusiveness; and a choice of a party which had fewer than 1/3 women in caucus and constantly downplays the issue by talking about “merit” instead.
Outcome: the people who didn’t care about gender balance in politics as a major issue either decided to vote National, or they decided to stay at home.
“Outcome: the people who didn’t care about gender balance in politics as a major issue either decided to vote National, or they decided to stay at home.”
Unsure if I am entirely clear on your point, here.
If you are trying to establish that policies about gender balance/rights didn’t ‘decide the election’, then I would tend to agree.
If you are arguing that the having a balanced gender in a party doesn’t have an impact on election results, then I think this point is problematic, due to National’s skill at ‘guiding’ perceptions.
When I heard that National had less women than Labour earlier in the year, I actually had to go and check that by counting, I had to check because I would find it far easier to list National female MPs than Labour ones. If pushed, I possibly could come up with a longer list of Labour female MPs – possibly – yet doubt this would be the case for those who don’t watch parliament TV on the regular basis that I do (which is largely where I see the female Labour MPs). With regard to someone with less interest in politics, I suspect National would come across as having more female representation than Labour because National have placed women in some very high profile positions and this means male and female MPs from National get on TV and in the papers in fairly equal proportions. I don’t see this occurring with Labour.
I don’t know if women (or men) base their decisions on how representative the party they are voting for looks, or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if part of National’s success is the appearance of a reasonable balance. (This may also be the case with regard to ethnicity too, although I haven’t thought too hard over that one, so could be quite incorrect. )
With regard to looking representative of the general population:
Between the two main parties, I would say National appear more balanced.
Between the Greens and NZ First – I would say the Greens are more balanced.
I suspect that any type of sway on voting choice re ‘balanced representation’ won’t be made on a conscious level by everyone but for some it will and significantly, I very much doubt that any representational balance would put someone off, who wasn’t making that a point of decision.
In summary, wouldn’t say this matter was the be all and end all, but I do suspect it will be significant and that an effort made to come across as not being largely dominated by ‘male’ and importantly I will add here ‘white’, too, is an effort well worth making for accumulating wider appeal.
Shane would of been a disaster well he was looking off into the distance replaying what he just said in his head again key would of nailed him to the wall
An over inflated ego of his own self worth sums up Jones. He large ego will see him return to politics as a list candidate for NZF at the next election, probably as a contender successor to Peters. I would be making it very clear if and when this happens that NZF will side with the Nats, the ease of his transition to his current National party jacked up junket says it all. Not to be trusted!
Why are policies announced but never the in’s and out’s of them.
During the election I felt like parties were announcing policy by name with no detail.
Take my conversations yesterday on open mike about the CGT. It appears to me to many unanswered questions we’re left on such a polar subject. To many home owners did not understand it. Nor the raising of retirement. Crikey Robertson was even defending it on Backbenchers last night. Whilst the Nats claimed it was not needed they were growing the economy. You know I’m on my way to the moon right now too. /sarc I heard it was made of cheese.
Slight distraction from topic, who boldly states they are growing the economy when dairy and the dollar are diving. Who has the balls to lie like that.
back to topic
ALL contentious Policy should be accompanied by a leaflet drop with loads of questions answered about it. Both the CGT and Raising of retirement certainly required more than a press release and some debate questions. In fact a leaflet drop would have made DC’s leader debates answers easier.
Or maybe it would be better to introduce an idea like CCT after being elected, put it out there and let people debate it in public for three years, by then most should have a far idea of how it would affect them, then take it to the people at the next election.
How can a policy such as a CGT be seen as a cure for our housing unaffordability when the CTG tax rate is 1/2 of the coy and top PAYE tax rate ? This was no cure.
If Lab14 version had followed Lab11 version and complemented a CGT with a $5k tax free threashold then this could have been viewed as a tax redistribution, benefiting tenants, and PAYE workers. If kiwibuild had been complemented with an increase in housing NZ stock then many would have seen the Lab14 version as being seen as an active attempt in solving housing in particular aucklands housing issue. Hit property speculators as hard as your can, if trading then tax at 28%.
So I disagree CGT is the problem, it is lukewarm solution by neoliberalism protecting their own kind.
I think that a leaflet explaining a policy would be a great idea Richard. I think the main reason Labour lost was their lack of a simple clear communication of important policy. Most of the population are not going to read130 pages of policy on a website that wasn’t very accessible.
Labour boasted at having so much detailed policy compared to National, but
people not that interested in politics don’t care. They need to be given something simple they can understand and these policies should have been on billboards – vote Labour to increase the minimum wage by $2 an hour. Vote Labour to protect our rivers. Vote Positive is meaningless.
I think the CGT is a good idea but there was a huge amount of misinformation out there that could have been countered by a well designed leaflet as you suggest. Same with minimum wage increases. It was obvious the Nats would say it would increase unemployment so why not preempt the claims in a Q & A leaflet?
You mentioned that a CGT was a good idea, Just curious why? Is that IYO it will solve the house affordability issue for just address the idea of a fairer tax system ?
Many of the issues to preempt cannot be placed at DC’s feet, labour strategists should have been able to foresee any of the nats counter claims and had the responses already available, but it appears that they were found lacking….
The CGT will not be enough to solve house affordability, but could slow down the the rampant inflation of house prices in Auckland. Its main benefits are that it would discourage property speculation by those trying to avoid paying tax as well as raising more tax revenue from those with higher incomes. Working class people often can’t even afford a home of their own let alone an investment property.
All other OECD countries have a CGT and as a result NZ property speculation is seen as attractive by foreign investors. It would be better to get investment in the productive sector.
Newly elected Labour MP Stuart Nash says he has been taking advice from “dirty politics” operative Simon Lusk and has always been happy talking to people across the political spectrum.
“I have mates right across the political spectrum and I make no apology for that. But having said that, I don’t consider Cameron Slater or Simon Lusk friends. Matthew Hooton certainly is a very good friend of mine, and I bang into him socially every now and then, and he’s quite enjoyable company, but that doesn’t change my politics or how I view things, believe me,” he said.
“When people say ‘be careful of your right-leaning friends’, I say ‘why would I do that?’ We [MPs] get advice from a whole lot of different people – Matthew doesn’t give me advice.”
If you have the stomach for it, here are Nash’s posts on TDB – he’s always been one of the few authors on that site that with whom I’ve consistently disagreed. This wasn’t so important when he was a private citizen giving a window into the thoughts of the Labour rightwing. Now that he’s a parliamentary representative, it seems a bit more disturbing.
Politics is about winning. Nothing else. MPs can philosophise, criticise, pontificate, and machinate as much as they want in opposition and it doesn’t count for a thing… I have said Labour brand. I personally don’t give a damn about any other party’s message, policies or political posturing because I am not representing that party or their aspirations on the doorstep or the soapbox when I am campaigning. I know, you know, and the voters know that in an MMP world a major party cannot govern alone; that coalition partners are vital to forming a government. At this point in time that is not my concern.
Also his predictions are woefully inaccurate given his supposed access to internal Labour data. The GP went from 247,372 (11.06%) in 2011 to 257,356 (10.70%) in 2014 getting 14 MPs in both elections. Nash’s prediction?
The Green party received 11.1% at the last election. History will show this is the high-water mark for them. I expect them to get around the 6.7% they polled in 2008; or even close to the 5.3% they got in 2005.
History has shown that Nash possessed a faulty political weather-vane in this judgement, why should we expect any future announcement of his to have any predictive validity? He has done as much as any Labour candidate (except Jones or Davis) to drive wedges between the Labour party and its MMP allies on the left.
My dislike of Nash comes from his election byline which went something like ‘Labour supports the people who work hardest not moan the loudest’. Dog whistle and wedge politics.
No but watching it now.. think it’s chanel 504 or 502 on sky for the delayed hours viewing so you can catch it again if you missed it.
Putting up with another bunch of pro rights led by Susan and there token lefts who do and say stuff all in the lefts defence.
best comment was by Bryce so far stating the RMA and dairy prices were a problem for National. But Boagy said it won’t matter with the idiot coat tailers passing it anyways.
Shocker coming from Bryce usually he’s stuck up Keys bottom.
With preferential voting the entry of Andrew Little allows the ABG group which is almost as big as the ABC group to swing behind Little in order to keep out Sir Joseph Porter.
Q&A is just more 2 tracking DP tactics using an under the thumb SOE as the delivery mechanism.
Hooton will take the lead sales role now with cam and david needing to be more circumspect as unlike those 2 matty doesnt run a site full of spin dogwhistling up the rednecks.
Little interviewed fairly well, not as good as yesterday on The Nation, however good enough for sum of us to see him as a real Leader option. Mike Williams seemed annoyed and put out Andrew was being so glowingly talked up, he appeared more comfortable talking up Grant & Nash. What I can say is having talked individually with all those 3 and DC, I found Andrew Little naturally engaging and genuine with a finger on the pulse to things relevant.
Lower Saxony is the final German state to scrap tuition fees, meaning that all German universities are free of charge for all students – and yes, that includes overseas students.
“Tuition fees are socially unjust,” Dorothee Stapelfeldt, senator for science in Hamburg, told the Times. The state scrapped fees in 2012. “They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany.”
German universities were allowed by law to start charging fees in 2006, when a constitutional court decided that moderate fees combined with loans did not violate the country’s commitment to universal higher education. Most schools only charged relatively low amounts of around €1,000 a year (£845) – but that didn’t stop state governments from changing their mind after eight years.
No wonder the establishment are trying so desperately to demonise New Zealand resident Kim Dotcom, spreading around his crazy German ideas about free tertiary education and wanting to see young people freed from student debt. We wouldn’t want crazy foreign ideas like that catching on here. No Sirrreee
While I agree that their attributes in personal interaction are of some importance, the fact is that it isn’t the leader’s job to go into the hone of every person in New Zealand, shake their hand and share a cream tea. They are supposed to debate, articulate vision and policy and set the course for the party as a whole. My reaction whenever I see the “Have you met them in person?” thing trotted out here (and it’s coming up with regular monotony at the moment) is, “No, and why on Earth should I care?”.
Labours best chance is to use mmp effectively, work with other opposition parties and dont be so cavalier with socially unpopular policies like raising retirement age.
govts lose elections more so than oppositions win them, they needed to work with greens and mana not scare middle nz, be united etc and nats would probably be gone now.
Its this failure to do what it takes to win and show nz that coalition is workable, which deflates an attack theme. However they lecture middle nz with a ‘we know best’ and that will continue to keep them in opposition.
Cunliffe and if Little joins will be a hard decision for me. I like DC but also have to admit to myself he’s not universally liked by the masses. Little has no such hang ups. Hard choice as David will take labour if allowed where I personally want them to go.
Little I have to find out but he shows up good and level headed in interviews, but can he deliver in chambers or debates.
Sorted, then. That’s good news, two I like, and two votes. Thanks Steph as the info hasn’t arrived yet. Just a nice email from a labour big wig. Telling me as I joined after election day they were a little tied up getting me up to date. I understood it completely.
No but he spoke good common sense. My heart raced as in their was finally another choice, I was of the impression may be better. remember he pretty much only needs to get Labour as a minimum into, the somewhere in the mid to high 30’s with Greens support and hopefully Winny, we would have a government. It’s a real possibility with Little, a lot of hard work for DC. Not chance with GR and the hiding he will get media wise pre 2017 election.
Charisma s over-rated and few understand it – after all people say Key is charismatic, but he is as bland as blancmange. There have been very few charismatic leaders over history, modern ones include Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King – we have nobody of that calibre any where near the reins of power or even pretenders.
Common sense would be good; the ability to articulate complex policy in terms everyone can understand; a certain modesty but the boldness to actually stand up for what is right; and the ability to respect others and convey the sense that everyone is valued. Those are the qualities I look for in a a leader.
Why even frakking increase the retirement age at all, when we already have an excess labour pool and not enough full time jobs to go around???
Cunliffe said that Labour would not be the political party which cuts off your leg but with anaesthetic. All you’ve said here is, sell how good the anaesthetic is.
The first issue at play is that Labour has to improve its game in marketing policy.
It needs to identify how the public reacts to policy so it can better market it.
The second issue is to take the public on board bit by bit (the Key strategy for change over time – bed things in before moving on).
Then Labour looks like a less risky change option.
Your point, about what the policy should be, is another issue entirely.
But for mine, the current surplus of labour is not caused by a proposal to increase the age for super in over a decades time.
And the proportion of people working over age 65 now is much greater than the number that would be impacted by an increase from age 65 to 67. And this number is increasing regardless of what the age for super is.
CV is correct axe that policy fullstop. The jobs are not there now and with technology the demand for workers will be further reduced. We need to move away from consumerism and become more focused on being self reliant. Just go to any mall and watch people loading up on debt by buying things that they don’t really need.
How does one afford and live with paying super to people who are still working age 65 to 67 while other people are in poverty? The number is about 33% of those age 65 to 67 and rising.
These people, many in the top 10% income bracket, are getting more in tax paid super than poor families with no other means of support.
How does one afford and live with paying super to people who are still working age 65 to 67 while other people are in poverty? The number is about 33% of those age 65 to 67 and rising.
WTF?
“How does one afford and live with”???
Where are you getting this awkward misdirected phrasing from? When you are referring to the NZ Government “affording” and “living with” paying super.
Get serious and try and make a joined together argument eh? Let’s start with NZ Super being a universal entitlement, yeah?
But for mine, the current surplus of labour is not caused by a proposal to increase the age for super in over a decades time.
Dude, I never made such a back-asswards invalid point. Why would you even think this sentence you wrote had any basis?
There are far too many unemployed and under-employed right now. Why put in place measures which will increase the surplus labour force even further, is my question. It’s dumb policy.
Frankly CV I never saw the need for a raising of the retirement either. My reasoning is dad died 65. Paid all that tax never even got to enjoy it(super).
There’s a guy 70 still working at my work. But pays secondary tax. You can keep working if you want free choice. If anything, better early retirement choices would be a more attractive vote winner for those in hard manual labour who bodies don’t last the distance rather than go on SB or IB or ACC.
Something like that would surely be a very attractive policy.
As for the imminent baby boomer retirement. Is it going to be a THAT costly? What’s the figures? What other options do we have? Does returning more into the workforce help. If unemployment was 5-6 or less is there still an issue.
If we start the Cullen fund up again does the interest help can it be used.
Surely theirs a better option than scaring the 50+ crowd and me at 48.5
Should you be able to continue working AND get super?
Dunne’s flexi-super allows early retirement but comes with a lifetime actuarial cap – meaning a lower rate of super for the rest of one’s life for doing this.
Personally the only part of Dunne’s idea that I support, is enabling those sick and infirm (with health issues that limit life duration) stuck on a benefit to go onto super a little earlier (say from age 60, and for periods before then when people are terminally ill).
Good question SPC. Thinking about it… no??? But then no secondary tax. I mean I enjoy my job, I’d not want to be forced to retire, nor would I like to receive Super and a wage with a secondary high tax rate. I want to work my week and feel the satisfaction of seeing a healthy after tax income in my wage slip as a reward.
However my back will never make it too 65 as employment rules around safety in the work place are a joke if you don’t live in the spotlight of a big city with employment inspectors.
Have you been made aware of the massive drop in workplace ethics and worker safety since national got in.
“..Personally the only part of Dunne’s idea that I support, is enabling those sick and infirm (with health issues that limit life duration) stuck on a benefit to go onto super a little earlier (say from age 60, and for periods before then when people are terminally ill)…”
Policies and how Labour could have better communicated them.
2. Kiwi Saver being compulsory.
Labour has a plan to prevent mortgage costs from rising and improve export incomes.
The government could use this “anti-inflationary” tool to hold down the OCR.
Instead of people simply paying more of their wages to banks in mortgage interest cost they would be putting the money into their Kiwi Saver account – this money being available to them when they retired or a once a decade withdrawal to pay down their mortgage (and of course for those yet to own to withdraw to buy their first home).
I would however withdraw the part about a variable rate as voters do/would not like the uncertainty of it. This is a component better left to consideration as policy for a following election.
Before moving to flexible rate Kiwi Saver there should be a surcharge on mortgages.
This option is one that Bollard floated late in his RB term as an alternative to raising the OCR (given the adverse impact on exporter incomes and jobs).
A 1% surcharge on mortgages would allow the OCR to fall from 3.5 to 2.5%.
At 3.5 the banks are lending at 6%.
At 2.5 the banks are lending at 5%.
Thus the mortgage holder pays 5% to the bank, instead of 6, and 1% to the government.
This would by the way raise about $2B pa for the government in surcharge, as well as the higher tax revenues off higher exporter and wage incomes.
The more taxes the lower the rate of tax the better is the maxim for optimum tax policy. It’s the higher rates that create perverse incentives, avoidance etc.
The surcharge, CGT and carbon tax allow lower tax rates.
And they all improve economic performance.
1. a lower OCR and dollar assists exporter returns and job growth.
2. reduces the incentive to speculate, rather than invest
3. a more sustainable economy
Yeah it is SPC and the investment capital earned from it may help create more jobs , however the issue I have, and I’m trying to convey is to stop us pandering and promoting the perception the public have that we(Labour) just tax, tax, more tax, seriously I think we need to STFU on taxes, do what another said, once elected inform the people our intent and then throw it to referendum. Silence the naysayers.
We need to stop allowing the misinformation to be justified.
and most of all stop arming Key with debate lines of 5 headed monsters and look another tax.
Hmmm, CV the ammo and look when he(Key in debates) said 5 new taxes.
Remember that. I hear what your saying, but it’s all about perception isn’t it. If your serious about labour winning, and against shifty key we’d better start thinking smarter.
The problem we have is that people have been taught that taxes are a negative rather than the positive that they are. We call tax cuts tax relief which is really a load of bollocks because it usually makes life worse for the many. Of course, the rich do well out of it as they a) get more income from doing nothing more and b) put prices up to shift that extra money in peoples pockets into their own.
People are always better off paying taxes than they are not paying taxes.
Again this is due to the media not explaining things, or the party not producing the counter arguments to dispel the stereotyping.
In a normal democracy with a broader media that compliments both sides it would be fine, But here in NZ we have to admit we are playing with a marked deck and need to sharpen up.
I’m not saying your wrong at all, I’m saying we have difficulty getting it over too the voters.
I think Labour should scrap cgt, scrap the 67 pension age (though convene parliament wide body to discuss the pension age) and go for a Mansion Tax per Labour in the UK, of say 1% on houses $750k to $1m and 2% on houses worth more than a $1m with no exceptions (or some variation on this) while raising the top rate of tax above $130k to 39%.
These would be relatively simple to administer, hit the right people and put a lid on house prices and raise revenue.
Halfway through his interview with Michael Katakis I heard something about an interview arrangement he had with Kim Hill having been cancelled on the basis that there had been too many left leaning USA intellectuals on already! Interesting – I think that is what I heard. If what I have repeated is true then that is alarming.
11:05 Michael Katakis – Traveller
Michael Katakis has been photographing and writing about different cultures for the past 35 years. His work has been celebrated by the Royal Geographical Society, The Smithsonian Institute and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, to name just a few. He is also the literary manager of Ernest Hemingway’s intellectual estate. He joins Wallace to talk about his books, A Thousand Shards of Glass – which is a personal farewell to America and his wife; and Traveller, which is a collection of letters and journal entries that reflect on his own past.
For those with questions about what philosophy we should live by (think song – Teach your children well) the interview with Sam Harris, an atheist has something to say.
10:20 Sam Harris – Devoted to Reason
One of the world’s most well-known atheists, Sam Harris is the author of the bestselling books The End of Faith and The Moral Landscape. Dr Harris is cofounder and CEO of Project Reason, a nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. He received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. He joins Wallace to talk about his latest book Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion where they discuss mindfulness, drugs, critics and, of course, religion.
And NZ Peter Williams QC aged 80, talking about his work with many murderers and prison reform, and author of new book called The Dwarf that Moved? It’s one of the stories in the book, about a dwarf in an Auckland circus whose wife was committing adultery with another guy in the circus. They had a sharp-shooting booth where she would shoot something out of the dwarf’s mouth and she hits him one day and is charged with attempted murder. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11217263
11:30 Peter Williams – Life in the Law
Peter Williams QC is a well-known name and face to New Zealanders. One of our greatest barristers, Peter Williams has defended some of New Zealand’s most infamous criminal cases, including: Terry Clark (Mr. Asia) and Arthur Allan Thomas. He has been a constant advocate for change in the penal system and has campaigned to rehabilitate prisoners, rather than imprisoning them. He joins Wallace on Sunday Morning to talk about some of his more notorious cases and his life spent working in the law.
Very, very interesting. Blimmin heck Dunne sounds out of place with National.
Took notes people should listen to the interview.
Winner Dunne. Jamie trying to defend the indefensible and frankly Dunne took him to task.
rma
Jamie
Wants greening of act, more emphasis on equality the people of nz have spoken their concerns for growing inequality. Dunne showed him up n one hand he wants Act more green like but same time want dismantling of RMA. Dunne states prior to RMA there was 54 laws it was Kos Jamie want a return to kaos basically.
Dunne will not support RMA changes at all. Stated, steadfast.
Charter schools
Dunne Will not support them they are a joke
Spoke examples of private partnerships, not trained teachers , franky it sound a joke these charter schools
Jamie lies and tells Wallace his facts from Stanford research are wrong when Wallace had them in front of him. Silly boy.
All in All Dunnes more left than I had thought, Jamie is very dangerous as he is following an agenda without reasoned thought.
@ Richard All in All Dunnes more left than I had thought, Jamie is very dangerous as he is following an agenda without reasoned thought.
I think Dunne will follow that old saying about running with the fox and hunting with the hounds.
Somewhere in the middle he might make a useful stand to act as some solace for those who wanted him out.
Don’t be so sure about Jamie Whyte and reasoned thought. That is like looking at a mirror from different standpoints. Same mirror, different views.
Some good reporting today.
If the news that in the past 40 years the world has lost over 50% its vertebrate wildlife (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) fails to tell us that there is something wrong with the way we live, it’s hard to imagine what could. Who believes that a social and economic system which has this effect is a healthy one? Who, contemplating this loss, could call it progress?
We need a better economic system because the one we have is uneconomic.
@odesseus I just watched little s interview and thought he came across well It maid me wish the labour office had of sorted its shit so I could of joined in time to vote.
According columnist Tracy Watkins.
In the old days Douglas would have sacked Lange.
Wishful thinking by a rightwing journo with her own agenda?
You decide:
David Cunliffe’s resignation from the Labour leadership is certain. It is only the manner of his going that is yet to be decided.
In the old days he would have been gone already.
Tuesday’s brutalising caucus was a coup in all but name. It showed Cunliffe no longer has any authority over his caucus, who can outvote him at will. They already have, over his choice of Whip.
A leader who can’t control his caucus or win a vote cannot credibly front National as the Leader of the Opposition. But under Labour’s rules a coup is no longer a simple numbers game in the caucus.
If it were, Cunliffe’s rival Grant Robertson would already be leader.
He has had the numbers to roll Cunliffe for more than a year.
But that is not enough.
Robertson’s supporters could force a vote of no confidence in Cunliffe, but that effectively puts the decision in the hands of the wider party and Labour’s union affiliates. In a vote, they could decide to re-install Cunliffe over a hostile caucus. They did so the last time the leadership was put to the vote, a year ago.
Whether they would do so again after the chaotic scenes of recent days remains to be seen. Camp Cunliffe are convinced they would…..
“Cunliffe’s exit is assured” Tracy Watkins
stuff.co.nz September 5, 2014
He has had the numbers to roll Cunliffe for more than a year.
No he hasn’t else Robertson would have been leader a year ago when Shearer resigned and Cunliffe became leader. Of course, what Watkins is really saying here is: If it wasn’t for those dratted members and unions we’d have a sensible Labour Party that would hold to the status quo.
Basically, more authoritarian BS from our MSM that holds that the public should just leave the decisions to the government and not get engaged in the actual decision making.
THE FEDERAL Reserve Bank of New York is responsible for regulating the nation’s biggest banks. But new secret audio tapes indicate the banks — not the Fed — are in charge. Congress can keep making the rules tougher and tougher, but it won’t make an ounce of difference if the regulators won’t enforce those rules. Below is a primer to explain what’s going on.
Andrew Little might not be a stellar performer but at least he will not be disliked or pitied. He would be a safe pair of hands to bring about the needed changes and remember that under MMP he only has to raise Labour to where it was when Shearer was deposed in order to possibly win in 2017. Andrew Little is better than Shearer and could win votes from the Greens and win back the Labour voters who opted for the safety of National in 2014.
Public Broadcasting impartiality
Back in 2003 “Trougher Hide” led a tirade against Brian Edwards and had him successfully removed from current affairs. Apparently on the basis of Edwards political leanings and questionable “impartiality”.
Wonder how Hide views Hosking’s role in meeting Public Broadcasting standards?
A promo video from Pinkroccade, a prominent IT contractor to Dutch local governments, makes the case for spying on wearables (if your heart-rate rises because you’re about to be mugged, the police could be alerted, and get GPS from your phone, find nearby phones belonging to people with criminal records, check the view from your Google Glass, and respond — case closed); following outrage from the press, the company doubled down on its video, saying it was not meant to be interpreted by lay people and that you have to be an expert to understand why it isn’t creepy as all fuck.
On tonights news I see there is a major fire in a substation in Auckland.
Funny that, I thought, that would have not happened in the bad bad bad days of NZCED when we ALL owned the infrastructure of New Zealand. Myers reminded us of these “terrible” days on Q&A this morning
My second thought was, Why did it happen? Was it because we had a cost reducing profit maximizing lack of maintenance or, incompetent subcontractors with the lowest bid got the job.
My third thought was
One of the suburbs that was really affected was EPSOM. Ha Ha fucking Ha perhaps Rimmer along with Kryton can come and fix it for them.
I noted john Key was swift to make his “expert” views on the matter known. I guess his Parnell home was one of those affected. OMG that’s terrible. (sarc)
Just read Chris Trotter’s Sept 30th discussion about renewal of NZLP. The key suggestion seemed to be to turn the party list over to member voting, as done by the Greens. Party list selection by members is a great idea, but it would have much less impact for NZLP than it does for GPANZ.
.
The current NZLP electorate candidate process is also interesting. I think involves 3 votes from head office and 2 from local organisation. So centralised control could be exerted to enforce electorate candidate renewal, but that might be very messy and simply lead to a call for less head office power.
.
The Labour trend is clearly away from centralised control. As Trotter points out, the Nats are much more comfortable with that idea.
.
The rules are here http://www.elections.org.nz/sites/default/files/parties/rules/Labour%20Party%20Constitution%20and%20Rules.pdf
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The org review from 2012 also makes interesting reading for those who are calling for yet another org review. https://www.labour.org.nz/sites/default/files/Labour%20Review%20Discussion%20Paper.pdf
When parliaments were first formed, only the rich could afford to be MPs. The answer to this was supposedly to pay them a salary. This obviously hasn’t worked, because the people we have in parliament are somewhere between comfortably well off and super rich. As well as what they can make if they indulge in insider trading with their blind trusts, cough cough, they get paid far more than most Kiwis can even dream about. Maybe they should be paid something like the unemployment benefit rate, with allowances for travel etc? I’m sure that would keep heaps of the troughers we have at the moment out of the Beehive.
And also: Glory glory to South Sydney. The two teams I hope never win the NRL competition again are Manly (Abbott and his ilk live there) and the Broncos (donate to the LNP campaign in Queensland). After seeing Russell Crowe get a championship ring made for Isaac Luke, I think there might be some truth to the rumours that he is part Kiwi.
Lenin wrote somewhere that the left should be involved where the working masses are. For me, that’s not a challenge at all, because I love Rugby League. The Kiwis would never make John Key captain.
Murray 0 1/06 am
Low wages for MPs would result in a moral hazard whereby they would be vulnerable to brown envelopes and baubles, and trips to resorts for their family, an apartment on the Gold Coast etc………..
Limited terms would be the deal and applying to all of them there pollies from top to bottom. Putin seems adept at the merry go round, but some sort of limitation would stop too many from digging themselves a fur lined cave for the duration.
I understand they have these in the USA, fur lined cars, or caves I mean. And someone who has early onset bigotry and calcification of the brain can stay in power probably with pay offs and because they look like daddy, so they can’t be winkled out. Probably in the end it seems uncharitable to such an old soldier to give him the push so they get a sympathy vote. That’s not democracy at work. That’s good ol’boys getting a rort.
High salaries just make the moral hazards more costly. I remember when the first ACT government vastly increased judges’ salaries, saying they would be vulnerable to bribery at the then current rate. I found it funny that judges had to be bribed to be honest.
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been busy preparing for our summer paper on Science Communication. Looking for something amusing about ‘risk’ in science, I came across this neat xkcd.com cartoon about why so many people come knocking on my door (or phoning me, or emailing me) desperately wanting ...
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by Nick Rogers The debate around the meaning of sex and gender made an appearance at this year’s British Labour Party conference in Brighton. Women’s Place UK – an organisation that questions the demand that biological males who self-identify as woman should have access to women’s spaces, to all-women shortlists, ...
Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
The Workshop is a charitable trust for public good. The Workshop undertake research to find ways of communicating that will build support for the solutions that work to solve complex social and environmental problems. See their Report on Talking about Poverty and Welfare Reform below. ...
What is language? We generally assume that it a facility unique to humans, allowing us to share what’s in and on our minds. We can tell of our plans, our past exploits, our knowledge. It also allows us to lie. And yet there are vast numbers of people we can’t ...
Being and Being Bought (Spinifex Press, 2013) by Kajsa Ekis Ekman A synopsis and commentary of Chapters 1-2 by Daphna Whitmore Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book She opens the discussion with a definition of ...
I make no claims to having much legal knowledge, so I defer to those trained in this area.I am very much enjoying this twitter stream from m'learned friend in Edinburgh, deciphering the legal arguments around the Scottish court challenge to Boris Johnson, based on the charmingly obscure principle of Nobile ...
Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is predicting a hard Brexit for the United Kingdom, as he believes British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won’t be able to negotiate terms before the October 30 deadline. The Minister, who was one of the first to publicly come out and predict British voters would leave ...
Speaking at the Council of Trade Unions' (CTU) biennial conference, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters told unionists that any future attacks on the Government won't work. "Now, we are being attacked by the union movement in this country. You can have your views but I'm here to say standing ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
The Minister of Fisheries is calling for entries for a new public award to celebrate innovation in our seafood sector. “I have established the Seafood Sustainability Awards to recognise and celebrate those throughout industry, tangata whenua and communities who demonstrate outstanding dedication and innovation towards the sustainability of New Zealand’s ...
Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter welcomes leaders in the private sector taking action on closing their gender pay gaps to ensure a fairer workplace for all New Zealanders. Ms Genter today launched a new report, Addressing the gender pay gap and driving women’s representation in senior leadership, from the Champions for ...
Government Ministers today welcomed the release of a marine environment report highlighting the four key issues affecting our oceans, estuaries and coastlines. The release underlines the importance of government proposals to combat climate pollution, ensure clean freshwater, protect biodiversity, make land use more sustainable, and reduce waste and plastic. Environment ...
The Government has approved funding for a new acute mental health facility for Waikato which will provide better care and support to people with mental health and addiction issues. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister Dr David Clark announced the $100 million project to replace the aging Henry Rongomau ...
The Government is making progress on its goal to integrate te reo Māori into education by 2025, with over 500 teachers and support staff already graduating from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, Associate Education Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis made the announcement at an awards ceremony in Waikanae today, for ...
Statistics Minister James Shaw has welcomed the first release of 2018 Census data. The first release of data today, 23 September, includes key data on population, regional growth, the number of homes and the size of different ethnic groups in New Zealand. Data from the 2018 Census will support the ...
Minister for Statistics James Shaw today announced a public consultation on a proposed algorithm charter for government agencies. The charter has been developed by the Government Chief Data Steward in response to growing calls for more transparency in government use of data. Computer algorithms – procedures or formulas for solving ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, Climate Change Minister James Shaw and visiting Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte co-hosted a business roundtable in Auckland this morning focused on working together to address climate change. “The Netherlands is an important partner for New Zealand. We share a strong agricultural history. Sustainable agribusiness and ...
The Government is taking action to build an inclusive economy where more of us receive our fair share at work and businesses can compete on great products and services, not undercutting wages and conditions, Immigration and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. Two consultations launched today seek feedback ...
The future for New Zealand’s threatened indigenous freshwater fish looks brighter with the passing of the Conservation (Indigenous Freshwater Fish) Amendment Bill in Parliament today said Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage. “Until now, our freshwater fish legislation has been 20 years out of date. We have lacked effective tools to ...
At 1.30pm tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of Kiwis will join about 65 million people around the globe in ShakeOut, the world’s biggest earthquake drill. The annual drill is to remind people of the right action to take during an earthquake which is to Drop, Cover, Hold, and to practise their ...
Kiwis are benefiting from higher wage growth and low inflation under the Coalition Government. Stats NZ data out today shows the rise in the cost of living remains low, as annual Consumers Price Index (CPI) inflation fell to 1.5% in September from 1.7% in June. “The low inflation comes as ...
New Zealand’s economic strength and resilience has been recognised in a major update on the state of the global economy. The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook released overnight shows a reduced global growth forecast over the next two years as issues like the US-China trade war and Brexit take hold. ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little has today introduced a new Bill to prevent terrorism and support the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill gives the New Zealand Police the ability to apply to the High Court to impose control orders on New Zealanders who ...
A Bill that proposes targeted changes to simplify the processes for Māori land owners when engaging with the Māori Land Court has had its First Reading today. “The approach taken by the Government is to ensure that the protection of Māori land remains a priority as we seek to improve ...
Let me first thank all the new unionists and members in the room. There is nothing more important to improving people’s working lives than people making the decision to care, to get on board and help, to take up the reins and get involved. Congratulations to you. You bring the ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has signed a certificate exempting the activity of engine testing at Whenuapai Airbase from the Resource Management Act 1991. The Act gives the Minister of Defence the power to exempt activities for the purposes of national security. The certificate will mean the recent Environment Court ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced New Zealand will join the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action while attending APEC meetings in Chile. The objective of the 39 member Coalition is to share information and promote action to tackle climate change. It was formed in April this year, in ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
Aotearoa Climate Emergency (ACE), a climate change network, will host a conference in Wellington on 11 November (Armistice Day) to promote holding a Citizens Assembly in 2020, as a way of breaking the current political deadlock on treating climate ...
MediaWorks’ owners have called time after years of losses from its TV division. Sources say the company will announce it is for sale – if no buyers emerge, it will close within months.Three is facing the biggest crisis in its three decade history today, as its ownership will soon announce ...
Sam Brooks reviews Amazon Prime’s Modern Love, an anthology series based on the New York Times column dedicated to ‘love in all its forms’. A first date that ends up in the emergency room. A flagging marriage that finds new energy through tennis. The founder of a dating app who doesn’t ...
If we want to grow support for New Zealand’s aid, we need to get better at partnering with the ‘unlike-minded’ as well as the ‘like-minded’, and much better at telling people what we do with the money they give, says Josie Pagani, Executive ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Orsola De Marco, Astrophysicist , Macquarie University If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au.How are stars made? –Zali, age 8, Karkoo, South Australia. How are stars made? Well, stars are not ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gita Mishra, Professor of Life Course Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland All women know to expect the time in life when their periods finish and they reach menopause. Many might even look forward to it. What many women don’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare Science, University of Sydney Since ancient times, horse behaviour, and the bond between horses and humans, has been a source of intrigue and fascination. The horse-lore that has accumulated over the centuries is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachael Wallis, Lecturer and Honorary Research Fellow, University of Southern Queensland A move to the country is often presented in popular culture as an idyllic life, a place where you can escape the pressures of the city. It’s in television shows such ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW The just-announced inquiry into Australia’s retirement income system ought to be anything but run-of-the-mill. Taking place 25 years after the introduction of compulsory superannuation, it provides an opportunity to either fix a broken system, or discard ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Allan McCay, Law Lecturer, University of Sydney The rise of artificial intelligence has led to widespread concern about the role of humans in the workplaces of the future. Indeed, Israeli historian, futurist and publishing sensation Yuval Noah Harari warns in his most ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jen Saunders, Phd candidate, University of Wollongong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article contains images and names of deceased people. You leave Sydney and head for holidays on the South Coast. You plan to catch a quick surf, ...
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Clayton Mitchell denies accusations around a night out, food insecurity on the rise, and UK PM Boris Johnson secures deal with dubious prospects.NZ First MP Clayton Mitchell has got himself in a spot of late night bother in a Tauranga ...
As the rugby world wrestles with the new reality that players can, and will, be dismissed for accidental contact with an opponent’s head it's worth pondering the fate of three All Blacks not selected for the Ireland quarterfinal. ...
A new exhibition in Raetihi offers a rare opportunity to see early, colonialism-focused works by Wellington artist Barbara Strathdee, writes Pat Baskett. ...
Italy's Ambassador to New Zealand Fabrizio Marcelli responds to Newsroom stories - and The Detail podcasts - questioning the price of imported tinned tomatoes in light of reports of slave labour in the industry in his home country. ...
A measles outbreak in Samoa suspected to be responsible for the death of a one-year-old was “inevitable”, according to an expert who thinks NZ could have prevented it. ...
The big shock of the results in the weekend’s local elections was the unseating of Justin Lester as Wellington mayor. We invited him to pen a sort-of-valedictory.My three years as the mayor of Wellington ended on Sunday and I will forever remain grateful for the experience.I’m also acutely aware of ...
We review the entire country and culture of New Zealand, one thing at a time. Today, Alex Braae reviews a night spent on the Intercity overnight sleeper bus getting from Wellington to Auckland.The most important thing to understand about long haul bus travel is that it’s all about getting exactly ...
Britain and the EU have agreed new terms for divorce. But with the Conservatives’ Northern Irish support party unimpressed, can the British prime minister at last put an end to the interminable shitstorm?At last, a deal! A palpable deal! A path out of the endless brain-melt!“Where there is a will, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Government sources insist shock jock Alan Jones didn’t drive Thursday’s announcement of a cash payment to drought-striken farmers about to be turfed off their household support because they’d reached the four year time limit. They ...
The proposition that global warming driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a risk that needs to be dealt with has achieved a large measure of agreement among policymakers. The proposition that it has to be dealt with right now and at great cost has no such consensus.One point ...
A bill to improve the pastoral care of students living in halls of residence has flown through its first reading in Parliament, thanks to cross-party support. ...
In this week's MediaRoom column: could MediaWorks close its TV operations altogether? And the Herald restructures its newsroom to remove a layer of management and shake up its investigative team. ...
Twenty-five young people who represent the future of the Asia-New Zealand relationship have been acknowledged as ‘ones to watch’, by the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono. ...
The taboo that surrounds immigration and our refugee qouta, are two issues rising in New Zealand that need to start being given attention to challenge the fruit loops of the far left. ...
Winston Peters has been ordered to answer questions about whether he received a letter from MSD asking him to check details of his living arrangements, three years before discovering he'd been overpaid. ...
To celebrate 10 years since the start of New Zealand’s Next Top Model, our reality TV podcast The Real Pod is going to recap it week by week. Here are 10 of the most incredible revelations from the very first episode. 1) Colin Mathura-Jeffree was an emo kidThis was the moment ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Terrorism bill Lydia Lewis and Dan Satherley (Newshub): Security expert backs new terror law proposal ...
Occupiers of the disputed land at Ihumātao have been shut out of talks with the government about finding a resolution, saying they haven’t had any direct contact with ministers in more than a month, writes RNZ‘s Te Aniwa Hurihanganu and Meriana Johnsen.The Māori King announced in September mana whenua had ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Fancourt, Adjunct Research Fellow, University of New England Feral cats are wreaking havoc on our native wildlife, eating more than a billion animals across Australia every year. But managing feral cats and reducing their impacts on our threatened species is challenging, ...
Later this month, the national commemoration of the New Zealand Wars, known as Te Pūtake o Te Riri, is to be held in Taranaki. Local community activist Vivian Hutchinson looks at how a history of conflict has shaped our sense of citizenship and describes how some people in Taranaki are ...
New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell is demanding an apology from security guards who booted him out of a Tauranga bar on Saturday night, describing them as politically-motivated "buffoons". ...
New Zealand First MP Clayton Mitchell is demanding an apology from security guards who booted him out of a Tauranga bar on Saturday night, describing them as politically-motivated "buffoons". ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jerry Zhou, Lecturer, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au.Does chewing gum stay inside you for years? – Olivia, aged 12, Australia. Great question, Olivia! ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liam Elphick, Adjunct Research Fellow, Law School, University of Western Australia In March last year, Frances McDormand won the Academy Award for Best Actress. In her acceptance speech, she drew attention to the female nominees in the room and left them with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peggy Kern, Associate professor, University of Melbourne The Portal follows six individuals who undergo a personal transformation from trauma and struggle to calmness, self-acceptance, and compassion towards others. These personal changes are intertwined with contemplations about the broader struggles facing humanity and ...
Many hill country farmers could be locked into low-return agriculture by government policy, with little chance of breaking the cycle, according to the main meat producers' lobby, Beef + Lamb New Zealand. ...
The Southern DHB has apologised and pledged to change practices after a report into a young woman’s complaint about treatment which included being stripped naked and left unattended in seclusion for 12 hours. Here she tells her story.I’d forgotten the Health and Disability Commission was about to publish its report. ...
In the Chief Ombudsman’s latest Annual Report, contacts for advice increased 29 percent, while more use was being made of guidance material, including the 23 new or updated guides that were published in the 2018/19 year. ...
Fletcher's new offsite home manufacturing facility could be producing two homes a day within a couple of years. But for the moment this high-tech factory is underwhelming. ...
National's leader Simon Bridges says his party will pull its support for the new anti-terrorism legislation if the minister doesn't meet with them next week and start negotiating in good faith. ...
For the latest episode of On the Rag, notorious prude Alex Casey enlisted the help of sex toy expert and pleasure therapist Teddy Curle. It sounds a bit like ingredients for an avant-garde stir-fry recipe. Cauliflower. Kūmara. A jar of Vegemite. But what it actually is, sex toy expert Teddy Curle ...
It is deeply concerning that the state of our marine environment has not improved in the last three years. Resilient coasts and oceans are essential to New Zealanders' health and wealth, so urgent action is needed to address the decline. ...
Something’s crowning this Christmas, and it isn’t King Richard of Aldovia in his favourite tiara. Tara Ward looks at what Netflix’s new movie A Christmas Prince: A Royal Baby could mean for us all. Yesterday Netflix announced they’re about to give birth to the third instalment in the legendary series A Christmas ...
In a new initiative, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence is celebrating and recognising the careers of three Māori leaders and visionaries, who have a long history of bringing about major social change ...
The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has welcomed the publication by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ of Our Marine Environment 2019 , the latest in the reports on the state of our environment. The report is available here . ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Campbell Brown, CEO of PredictHQ.This week we talk to Campbell Brown, the CEO ...
The Government has today released its discussion paper ‘ Designing a Fair Pay Agreements System ’ providing detail of what proposed law for Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) could include. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Associate Professor in Sociology and Co-Director of The Policy Lab, University of Melbourne The polls were wrong in the last US and Australian federal elections. Hillary Clinton was favoured to win at a margin of 85% to Donald Trump’s 15%. ...
Today is World Ecolabel Day and to mark the occasion New Zealand’s premier ecolabel has released a study showing the powerful environmental effect of ecolabelled products. ...
Family First's continued fight against attempts by the government's Charities Registration Board to deregister them is set to continue in the Court of Appeal in Wellington next week (Tues & Wed 22-23 Oct). In a significant development, the Charity Law ...
The actions of New Zealanders on land are increasingly harming the ocean’s ability to sustain life. Alex Braae looks at a worrying new government paper on the marine environment.What’s all this then?A new report from the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ has sounded alarming warning about state of ...
Farmers for Positive Change (F4PC) congratulates environmental, recreation and public health groups for coming to a united position on the Government’s freshwater reform and finds significant areas of agreement with the Healthy Water, Healthy Future joint ...
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So an NZ Herald (woman) journo asks various people how Labour should rebuild. It asks some left and right wing guys, and one right wing woman.
And one of the leftie guys reckon Labour needs a Shane Jones or a Tamihere to lead….
Politics has become increasingly masculine under John key’s watch.
Anyone who thinks that Shane Jones or John Tamihere should be leaders is not left.
i have banged on a bit about shane jones..
http://whoar.co.nz/?s=shane+jones
and let’s not forget fascinating facts such as hekia paratas’ husband funding the jones tilt at the labour party leadership..
..what was up with that..?
..yet another of those questions you’d like an answer to..
..like stuart nash doing a fundraiser for his election-campaign at that bastion of the right/establishment..the northern club in auckland..
..what was up with that..?
..and who was there..?..
..who donated..?
Phil I suspect some of the left have the greed gene too. However waving wads of cash usually helps to break their cover and flush them out..
To me Jones is not even a contender, the public would have imagined him in the PM office watching porno’s..he’s screwed for life on that one.
Note to the elected keep your nose clean if it gets dirty not even time will wear it off.
the thing i find fascinating about nash..
..is how relentless his links to the right are..
..there is the northern club fundraiser..
..his links with slater/lusk/hooton..
..the rightwinger buying/paying for his red fire engine election-prop..
..his stated neo-lib/fuck-the-poor! politics..
..you almost get the idea/feeling nash has been placed in labour..
..by the right..
..their manchurian candidate..
..and that his name is bandied about as a future leader..
(albeit mainly by him..and rightwing corporate-journalist servants..everyone else goes ..’really..?..why..?..’)
..is kinda both farcical and horrifying..
Don’t think it phil know it.
Your probably bang on and just don’t realize it.
and anyway..nash will likely be a one-term mp..
..if garth mcvicr doesn’t split the vote for him again..and gift him the seat..
..national will take the seat back..
..mc vicar is to nash..as the green party is to dunne…
..both gifting seats to ostensibly mortal-enemies..
..and i wd submit those two facts..
..as the irony-peaks/o.d.’s of that election-campaign..
Unfortunately Nash will probably get a high list placing next time and won’t have to win a seat.
He is a right wing plant – I’m convinced of it. The left need to keep exposing him for what he is so that he doesn’t get any traction within the party.
Of course he is. Nash loves the surroundings and attention (and $) that the right wing can lavish upon his political career. And have been doing so already, in a material way.
it’s worrying then that he seems to be supporting Andrew Little….?
Worrying, but expected. Little inherited the Engineers’ Union from Rex Jones, one of the most right wing class collaborators who has ever led a union. Back in the 80s, Engineers’ officials spent more time keeping militant workers out of the factories than anything else. Little was a student politician and then a lawyer. The Labour Party needs a ban on this sort, but instead they come up with the gift to the right that was the “man ban”.
One thing that points in that direction is the amount of media attention he is getting, the frequency with which his opinions are sought, and the respect with which those opinions are treated, bearing in mind that he has just been elected to parliament – that is a dead giveaway.
And don’t forget he’s good looking, has a lovely smile, nice white teeth and fits the shallow circumstantial mould – that is, youngish married man with attractive looking (no doubt) kids. They are apparently considered to be all-important pre-requisites if you want to be accepted by the celebrity driven MSM culture – especially the TV culture.
+1
Got to celebrate the shallow else they’d have to dig deeper and if they did that then they’d find the corruption and they don’t want to do that.
I totally agree , Phil U, from his own mouth Nash has clearly shown that he plays with the rightwing moneyed people – and he’s in Labour ? Yuk. He’s got his political parties mixed up,
he reminds me very much of simon bridges..
..that same combination of sneering and arrogance..
..they both wear that on their sleeves..
..and i think they both came from the same cookie-cutter..
Simon Bridges reminds me of a very angry man who wants to fight anyone who asks him a question. National on this should back bench him. He really is the lefts best weapon in National.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11337024
Nash is wise not to; “consider Cameron Slater or Simon Lusk friends”, as I am yet to be convinced that either of them understand the concept. However, the question remains about whether he considers them colleagues.
I suspect he was misquoted, and actually said; “I have mates across the right of the political spectrum”.
Every time Nash opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it. Now Hooten is also his very good friend ….
nash is a playa – he doesn’t need slater and lusk to be ‘good’ friends if hollowhooton is there – I suppose ‘people’ like nash are seeded all over – I wonder if they go to a camp to learn how to pretend to be left – you know like the movies with the pretend american town to train those russians in the minutiae of US life. Anyway playa gotta play so I expect a lot of vocalisations from nash – on anything and everything…
And the right splitting the vote for him to win Napier
Shoosh Phillip Ure…….”Neither for nor against…..” don’t ya know ? Look to the right of the monitor – NZOnScreen – 1951.
Those guys – Prebble, Hide, Samuels, Tamihere – are just tired old hacks, no longer living in the real world and without any relevance to the real world. I don’t know why the Herald (and other media) keep on using them as spokespersons – they repeat the same old mantra time after time, and now they are Boring. Very, very boring.
Because they repeat the same old mantra time and time again. Presenting the populace with fresh new ideas is anathema to the MSM.
or masculine
too right!
Yep I just wish the Herald would stop asking right wingers who the Labour leader should be. Anyone with any sense would understand that their advice is tinged with malice.
That’s the point Micky, each little knife they can slip in the better. Between the labour party playing a game of thrones, and the corporate media playing fast and loose with the truth, another person is put off voting. Media owned for the corporate interest, know the game – we should too.
the game is to develop alternative media infrastructure and interpersonal information channels deep into NZ communities.
An online left version of the Huffington post(as an example)
She started small taking exerts from others news outlets and posting them for lack of own journalists and grew it to a large following.
We need a left version of it in NZ. a lot of publicity and some clever web site designers.
Is that what you mean CV?
that would certainly be one option!
Of many – On this I think many on the left agree.
To keep wishing or hoping that the corporate media will operate with any honour, seems to be a sign of willful blindness by our population as a whole.
When our news is run for money and profit, it will always go for the almighty dollar, one sensation at a time.
To critique the news is no longer enough – we need to produce the news in a more truthful and fulsome manner.
What I don’t understand is why the left-wing politicians haven’t found some techniques and skill in addressing this problem.
Rather than counter the propaganda, the left-wing are pandering to it too much.
They should be providing people with another way at looking at things to hook onto.
The amount of times that I heard ‘Dirty Politics’ characterised as a ‘distraction’ by left wing politicians in this last election is a very good example of what I am talking about – it could have been turned around to be made into a policy issue for cleaning up our democracy.
The Greens have achieved the most on countering right-wing framing of matters yet I would like to see more of these skills from all left-wing politicians and wonder why they haven’t developed them already.
You only truly counter propaganda when you produce news which speaks to truth yourself.
The dominance of editorial methodology which embraces money and profit – makes any attempts to counter the overall ideology of money worship, a very difficult task.
Your statement blue leopard also brings up the question for me of how many of the so called left politicians are left? Why are they so complicit in an overall support of a system which hurts their voter base?
As far as framing goes – look at Ralph Nader – love or hate him, the guy got things done – until – and this is important – the right took his language, and twisted it to their purpose in the corporate media.
I think we need to speak to the truth of an issue – no matter the cost.
It is why I’ve so vocal in my attacks on labour as a political party and why I think it is a dead weight around the left.
And CV I think you are so right we need to reach deep into NZ communities, with a good well rounded approach, communicating a clear and inspiring vision. We need to stop making people feel disempowered, this is what our corporate media and current crop of professional politicians seem to be doing in spades.
adam, blue leopard, both of you have cut right through to the heart of the matter IMO.
the “Right” who attacked Nader, also included the Democratic Party, who wanted to see his third party movement to the left of their own destroyed and permanently out of electoral politics.
Which to my mind, has direct parallels to what Labour has successfully done to Laila and Hone, I might add.
I totally support the setting up of an informative media channel, however, the countering of propaganda in response to MSM messages is still required because even if there was another news media channel (whatever the platform) some would still be looking at the old one and simply allowing the propaganda to slide – or even worse answering it in a manner that implies there is some foundation for thinking the way the propaganda frames it – simply leaves that ‘idea’ in peoples’ heads and supplies no opition for the people listening to the propaganda of looking at it in another way. It is very damaging indeed.
Therefore, left wing politicians need to learn to counter the propaganda no matter what.
I really am puzzled by why they haven’t developed this skill to date.
I think your questioning of Labour (or anyone being simpering toward the false narratives) is a natural response because when one has looked into things and one sees someone doing that, it just looks like they are unconvinced by their own political stance.
I think some of this, however, has more to do with lack of skill in arguing and could be improved by getting skill. They ultimately lack passion more than anything though, and seem more worried about ‘fitting in’ than getting anything achieved. 🙁
I haven’t heard of Ralph Nader and will look him up.
Ralph Nader ran as the third Presidential candidate against George Bush and Al Gore in 2000. The Democrats attacked Nader throughout the campaign and then blamed him for Al Gore’s final loss.
The Democrats could not allow a truly progressive and independent voice to stand; as such Nader was far more dangerous to the Democrats then the Republicans.
Nader has also run since then, but is typically completely ignored by the US corporate media.
@ CV
Thanks very much for that summary!
That is a problem with their electoral system – splitting the vote of potential ‘left’ supporters. Labour has no excuse for that here [cross-face].
I was reading an article about Britain’s UKIP party, also having that problem of splitting the left vote.
I am really glad we have MMP here, it would be excellent if our left-wing politicians, especially Labour, learned how to use it to the left’s advantage.
If they continue in the tracks they have been going to date, then I think it is fair to say Labour don’t want left-wing principles to be encouraged, Up until now, I have been giving them rather a lot of lee-way for daftness but will be doing so no more.
side note…as I am sure you know, UKIP shouldn’t be considered a left wing party by any stretch of the imagination 😎
Their success derives from UK Labour becoming such a middling, centrist party of the establishment.
The NZ Labour caucus has been frakking around with the future of our nation and you are right, no more leeway for them.
@ CV
I should have provided the link to the UKIP article. Here it is:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/16/ukip-divided-left-right-cut-labour-support
I know very little about UKIP, in fact that article is one of the few things I have read about them.
Just to be perfectly clear, (although I think you probably got the point) that comment I made about UKIP was to highlight how the voting system in the UK & USA creates an issue with splitting the vote whereas ours is better in that regard, I was not attempting to provide any knowledge of UKIP, because I can confidently say I know very little about them! 🙂
Worth remembering that the initial set up of the US electoral system was carried out by 40 wealthy, property owning, slave owning white men who were interested in maintaining their own privilege in any new democracy.
This.
@ blue leopard 2.37
I remember having a look at UKIP and putting up some links. Then, I think it was about them being successful in getting into the European Parliament. And I was interested in how the EP had dropped the threshhold low which I think is so unwise, opening it up to the poisoned tip of the dagger from toxic parties.
Anyway if you search for UKIP on TS it has been mentioned a lot.
Thanks Greywarbler, its not really a focus of my interest, but may follow the leads in the coming days at a quiet point – always good to learn something new 🙂
The issue of the molestation of Democracy by a bunch of (metaphorically) pimply, ‘really really need to be on the telly’ narcissists, bought off by media corporates and mutated by their own vanities, is very much alive. It has to be addressed. It must not be let lie.
My response exactly to Whaleoil putting Nash and Davies up for leader, sheer arrogance, or at least Lusk manipulation, or both. Previously, MSM has amplified Whaleoil’s voice, and it becomes mainstream narrative, no matter how bonkers the idea, will it still happen after dirty politics exposed?
Karol, try not to read it. Seriously, it’s just whale oil, main stream, the only people who really read it are so right wing it panders to their mentality. Or the left wanting to know what the rights doing by way of brainwashing the masses.
The only thing to do is smear the rag as far right and leave it be. definitely do not allow it to influence any decision you make.
Do what I did E-Mailed the Wanna be Hack that scribbled it, and just gently pointed out that she should stick to being the Tea lady, as the Granny has enough hacks in Armweak etc etc.
Hmm good idea I did.
Doubt that the Herald Editors are going to take any notice of people who ridicule them.
No they tend to ban anyone who thinks any of their so called journo’s is a bais twat.
Right, so when you email them, how about pointing out the problems with their coverage without calling them a twat or ridiculing them?
Passed that point three months ago Weka. I’ve definitely tried the polite avenue to many times to recount.
Now I’m down to insults as they just do not care, they have a hidden agenda not all the horses on the planet could shift. I insult them for personal satisfaction now.
In fact the Herald is lower than whaleoil in my opinion, because they have far more influence on the voting public, whereas only the nutty right read whaleoil.
The NZ Herald has been tory leaning since day dot. That’s the point of every big establishment newspaper in NZ, and worse so since the media corporates took over.
We shouldn’t be still acting surprised and disappointed in this, at this late point, right?
It seems so. I recall Chris Trotter saying that the NZH was vocal in calling for the invasion of the Waikato in 1863 at the behest of Auckland business interests.
Being the scholarly type Chris has probably been up to the Ak Museum to read the microfilmed originals – assuming they’ve still got them after the reign of mad Vanda. So I don’t doubt him.
And he mentions Iris Wilkinson (Robin Hyde) being told as a cub reporter in the 30’s to not say anything about the NZLP. All comments had to come from the NZH’s senior staff.
So nothing much has changed. Feel the long sweep of history eh? But most voters are completely ahistorical and live in the present.
Workers, union members and their families were utterly vilified by the big papers during the watersiders strike of 1951 (?). I’m fairly confident that was also the case for the Great Strike of 1913.
“I’m fairly confident that was also the case for the Great Strike of 1913”
Yep, it was. Here’s a comment I made on Brian Edwards Media back in 2010…..
“There’s a long, long history of this. A few years ago, I came across an unintentionally amusing article in a 1913 edition of Wellington’s TRIAD magazine. It was on the Waterside Workers’ lockout/strike (which a few weeks later snowballed into the General Strike of 1913 – notorious for Massey’s Cossacks).
The report began by describing the wharfies as “dark and furious persons of unpleasant aspect”. ….. The writer then went on to spend more than a few column inches emotively listing the various inconveniences the lockout had caused to the general public (nothing changes in 100 years); before ending on a moral high-note with this colourful little crescendo of xenophobia: “All of this because Wharfside Bill has a grievance…..Bill is sometimes an English subject, sometimes a non-descript negro, and sometimes a representative of one or other of those deceitful nations whose men wear rings through their ears”.
That was a Wellington-based magazine. The big papers were no different – particularly the morning papers The Herald, The Dominion, The Press and the ODT. All closely associated with Massey’s right-wing Reform Party. (the evening papers were closer to the Liberals).
Brilliant, thanks. Those uppity darkies, still causing issues.
Which goes back to the points made above. Why 100 years on is the left still fixated on the MSM instead of building up alternative infrastructure and assets like The Standard.
AB, you don’t need to go up to the Museum, just have a search through NZ Herald articles on Papers Past (1863-1945)
And this is what Papers Past (part of the National Library of NZ) says about the NZ Herald:
See also this NZ Herald report of 1863, on the defeat of Maori in the Waikato
How did you go from a few uninformed peeps talking about Shane Jones and JT (who have their own political constituency, sure, but one which stretches back many many years) to blaming John Key for making politics more “masculine.”
Voters had a choice of a Labour and Green Party for which gender balance was a significant issue of policy, equality and inclusiveness; and a choice of a party which had fewer than 1/3 women in caucus and constantly downplays the issue by talking about “merit” instead.
Outcome: the people who didn’t care about gender balance in politics as a major issue either decided to vote National, or they decided to stay at home.
“Outcome: the people who didn’t care about gender balance in politics as a major issue either decided to vote National, or they decided to stay at home.”
Unsure if I am entirely clear on your point, here.
If you are trying to establish that policies about gender balance/rights didn’t ‘decide the election’, then I would tend to agree.
If you are arguing that the having a balanced gender in a party doesn’t have an impact on election results, then I think this point is problematic, due to National’s skill at ‘guiding’ perceptions.
When I heard that National had less women than Labour earlier in the year, I actually had to go and check that by counting, I had to check because I would find it far easier to list National female MPs than Labour ones. If pushed, I possibly could come up with a longer list of Labour female MPs – possibly – yet doubt this would be the case for those who don’t watch parliament TV on the regular basis that I do (which is largely where I see the female Labour MPs). With regard to someone with less interest in politics, I suspect National would come across as having more female representation than Labour because National have placed women in some very high profile positions and this means male and female MPs from National get on TV and in the papers in fairly equal proportions. I don’t see this occurring with Labour.
I don’t know if women (or men) base their decisions on how representative the party they are voting for looks, or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised if part of National’s success is the appearance of a reasonable balance. (This may also be the case with regard to ethnicity too, although I haven’t thought too hard over that one, so could be quite incorrect. )
With regard to looking representative of the general population:
Between the two main parties, I would say National appear more balanced.
Between the Greens and NZ First – I would say the Greens are more balanced.
I suspect that any type of sway on voting choice re ‘balanced representation’ won’t be made on a conscious level by everyone but for some it will and significantly, I very much doubt that any representational balance would put someone off, who wasn’t making that a point of decision.
In summary, wouldn’t say this matter was the be all and end all, but I do suspect it will be significant and that an effort made to come across as not being largely dominated by ‘male’ and importantly I will add here ‘white’, too, is an effort well worth making for accumulating wider appeal.
Shane would of been a disaster well he was looking off into the distance replaying what he just said in his head again key would of nailed him to the wall
An over inflated ego of his own self worth sums up Jones. He large ego will see him return to politics as a list candidate for NZF at the next election, probably as a contender successor to Peters. I would be making it very clear if and when this happens that NZF will side with the Nats, the ease of his transition to his current National party jacked up junket says it all. Not to be trusted!
Jones has got a secure, well paid govt job which lets him jetset and is not subject to caucus BS and fickle voters; why would he walk from that?
Thoughts of my day..
Why are policies announced but never the in’s and out’s of them.
During the election I felt like parties were announcing policy by name with no detail.
Take my conversations yesterday on open mike about the CGT. It appears to me to many unanswered questions we’re left on such a polar subject. To many home owners did not understand it. Nor the raising of retirement. Crikey Robertson was even defending it on Backbenchers last night. Whilst the Nats claimed it was not needed they were growing the economy. You know I’m on my way to the moon right now too. /sarc I heard it was made of cheese.
Slight distraction from topic, who boldly states they are growing the economy when dairy and the dollar are diving. Who has the balls to lie like that.
back to topic
ALL contentious Policy should be accompanied by a leaflet drop with loads of questions answered about it. Both the CGT and Raising of retirement certainly required more than a press release and some debate questions. In fact a leaflet drop would have made DC’s leader debates answers easier.
haven’t you read our leaflet john?
Or maybe it would be better to introduce an idea like CCT after being elected, put it out there and let people debate it in public for three years, by then most should have a far idea of how it would affect them, then take it to the people at the next election.
More people support a capital gains tax than are opposed to it.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11282563
CGT isn’t the problem. Key just grabs it, every three years, to win a couple of cheap headlines after the debates.
If the Herald told me the sky was blue. I would immediately go outside and check it out for myself.
Liking it and voting for a party who wants to introduce it are obviously two different things.
How can a policy such as a CGT be seen as a cure for our housing unaffordability when the CTG tax rate is 1/2 of the coy and top PAYE tax rate ? This was no cure.
If Lab14 version had followed Lab11 version and complemented a CGT with a $5k tax free threashold then this could have been viewed as a tax redistribution, benefiting tenants, and PAYE workers. If kiwibuild had been complemented with an increase in housing NZ stock then many would have seen the Lab14 version as being seen as an active attempt in solving housing in particular aucklands housing issue. Hit property speculators as hard as your can, if trading then tax at 28%.
So I disagree CGT is the problem, it is lukewarm solution by neoliberalism protecting their own kind.
Also, it does not apply to a vast part of the housing stock known as “family homes”.
I think that a leaflet explaining a policy would be a great idea Richard. I think the main reason Labour lost was their lack of a simple clear communication of important policy. Most of the population are not going to read130 pages of policy on a website that wasn’t very accessible.
Labour boasted at having so much detailed policy compared to National, but
people not that interested in politics don’t care. They need to be given something simple they can understand and these policies should have been on billboards – vote Labour to increase the minimum wage by $2 an hour. Vote Labour to protect our rivers. Vote Positive is meaningless.
I think the CGT is a good idea but there was a huge amount of misinformation out there that could have been countered by a well designed leaflet as you suggest. Same with minimum wage increases. It was obvious the Nats would say it would increase unemployment so why not preempt the claims in a Q & A leaflet?
You mentioned that a CGT was a good idea, Just curious why? Is that IYO it will solve the house affordability issue for just address the idea of a fairer tax system ?
Many of the issues to preempt cannot be placed at DC’s feet, labour strategists should have been able to foresee any of the nats counter claims and had the responses already available, but it appears that they were found lacking….
Very lacking. Yet they are likely to be the same people running the 2017 campaign, as they were the 2011 campaign.
The CGT will not be enough to solve house affordability, but could slow down the the rampant inflation of house prices in Auckland. Its main benefits are that it would discourage property speculation by those trying to avoid paying tax as well as raising more tax revenue from those with higher incomes. Working class people often can’t even afford a home of their own let alone an investment property.
All other OECD countries have a CGT and as a result NZ property speculation is seen as attractive by foreign investors. It would be better to get investment in the productive sector.
A simple pledge card with a few main policies and Party Vote labour. Keep CGT for second term and retirement age same.
On another Subject..
Today or very soon I hope they find little Jack who was swept out to sea.
My utterly sincere and deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and all that care about the wee fella.
Time jack was found and bought home. I not a religious man but I will have a little prayer today being gods day, for his return.
Richard +100
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503462&objectid=11337024
Hadn’t seen this when I quoted the same text above in response to P Ure. Did you get the link through TDB as well?
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/10/04/final-vote-national-lose-majority-will-greens-go-right-could-littleardern-ticket-save-labour/
If you have the stomach for it, here are Nash’s posts on TDB – he’s always been one of the few authors on that site that with whom I’ve consistently disagreed. This wasn’t so important when he was a private citizen giving a window into the thoughts of the Labour rightwing. Now that he’s a parliamentary representative, it seems a bit more disturbing.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/category/bloggers/stuart-nash/
– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/01/24/politics-and-winning/#sthash.ayQwHtWr.dpuf
Also his predictions are woefully inaccurate given his supposed access to internal Labour data. The GP went from 247,372 (11.06%) in 2011 to 257,356 (10.70%) in 2014 getting 14 MPs in both elections. Nash’s prediction?
– See more at: http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/01/10/its-not-what-you-say-but-what-they-hear/#sthash.AyIZ4FUO.dpuf
History has shown that Nash possessed a faulty political weather-vane in this judgement, why should we expect any future announcement of his to have any predictive validity? He has done as much as any Labour candidate (except Jones or Davis) to drive wedges between the Labour party and its MMP allies on the left.
“History has shown that Nash possessed a faulty political weather-vane in this judgement”
Yeah well, I thought labour would romp home and national would be thrown out by the public for the Dirty politics of one JC.
Boy was I wrong.
very good thanks.
My dislike of Nash comes from his election byline which went something like ‘Labour supports the people who work hardest not moan the loudest’. Dog whistle and wedge politics.
Nash is a corporate type who likes the money and enjoys all the trappings money can access
Nash said that???
LOL!!!
He himself has been the one moaning, very often ill-timed and reflecting poorly on his colleagues.
I wonder why Bumbler Bradbury gives him space? Given the number of people whose comments never appear, it can’t be in the interests of open debate.
Weka @ 5 perhaps this explains Hooton’s on-going disgraceful dissing of DC.
BTW anyone see Q & A. I caught the end of the “panel”……………….seemed to be promoting Andrew Little.?
No but watching it now.. think it’s chanel 504 or 502 on sky for the delayed hours viewing so you can catch it again if you missed it.
Putting up with another bunch of pro rights led by Susan and there token lefts who do and say stuff all in the lefts defence.
best comment was by Bryce so far stating the RMA and dairy prices were a problem for National. But Boagy said it won’t matter with the idiot coat tailers passing it anyways.
Shocker coming from Bryce usually he’s stuck up Keys bottom.
If Little enters the race, that’s the end of Cunliffe.
Or of Robertson.
I wonder if it might actually favor Robertson, Cunliffes strength is his membership support, having Little in the race would severely erode that.
With preferential voting the entry of Andrew Little allows the ABG group which is almost as big as the ABC group to swing behind Little in order to keep out Sir Joseph Porter.
^^ RWNJs making shit up – again.
I think your right there BM.
Q&A is just more 2 tracking DP tactics using an under the thumb SOE as the delivery mechanism.
Hooton will take the lead sales role now with cam and david needing to be more circumspect as unlike those 2 matty doesnt run a site full of spin dogwhistling up the rednecks.
Little interviewed fairly well, not as good as yesterday on The Nation, however good enough for sum of us to see him as a real Leader option. Mike Williams seemed annoyed and put out Andrew was being so glowingly talked up, he appeared more comfortable talking up Grant & Nash. What I can say is having talked individually with all those 3 and DC, I found Andrew Little naturally engaging and genuine with a finger on the pulse to things relevant.
As our young drown in a sea of debt.
Lower Saxony is the final German state to scrap tuition fees, meaning that all German universities are free of charge for all students – and yes, that includes overseas students.
“Tuition fees are socially unjust,” Dorothee Stapelfeldt, senator for science in Hamburg, told the Times. The state scrapped fees in 2012. “They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany.”
German universities were allowed by law to start charging fees in 2006, when a constitutional court decided that moderate fees combined with loans did not violate the country’s commitment to universal higher education. Most schools only charged relatively low amounts of around €1,000 a year (£845) – but that didn’t stop state governments from changing their mind after eight years.
http://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/article/22027/1/germany-scraps-tuition-fees-for-all-universities
Local government with powers in Germany.
No wonder the establishment are trying so desperately to demonise New Zealand resident Kim Dotcom, spreading around his crazy German ideas about free tertiary education and wanting to see young people freed from student debt. We wouldn’t want crazy foreign ideas like that catching on here. No Sirrreee
i see the corporate-media hacks have now deserted grant robertson..
..and are now anointing andrew little as the new leader of labour..
..and are insisting that the appearance of little..
..must be the signal/reason for cunliffe to roll over and play dead…
..(how many ‘reasons to go!’ for cunliffe have the media dreamed up so far..?
..i have lost count..
..and like robertson..
..my observations of little in parliament confirm that he does not have what it takes..
..he has not shone there..nor in interviews..
..little will make a great minister..and is clearly an intelligent/considered person..
..but cunliffe (this time with policy backing his promises..) is still clearly labours’ best chance for victory in 2017..
..nobody else mooted come close in ability to take it to both key and national..
Have you met any of them in person Phil? My advice don’t sell Andrew short he is more sincere and talks with you rather than at you.
While I agree that their attributes in personal interaction are of some importance, the fact is that it isn’t the leader’s job to go into the hone of every person in New Zealand, shake their hand and share a cream tea. They are supposed to debate, articulate vision and policy and set the course for the party as a whole. My reaction whenever I see the “Have you met them in person?” thing trotted out here (and it’s coming up with regular monotony at the moment) is, “No, and why on Earth should I care?”.
@ skinny..
..where does little sit on the left/right spectrum..?
..is he a neo-lib robertson..?
..or a progressive cunliffe..?
..that is what concerns me..
..(if a three-headed goat promised to do away with neo-lib and to make labour a real labour party again..i wd support them for the leadership role..)
..(and also having seen him in action in parliament/debate..gives me doubts as to if he is ready for the job..)
..but otherwise he seems fine..
..and on a ‘trust-ranking’..i wd have him @ 8-9/10..
..whereas i wd have the likes of nash..at..oh..!.i dunno… minus 3..?..(is that too harsh..?..)
..and no..i have ‘met’ none of them…
..(and of course a standard question for nash from now on whenever he opines on whatever..wd/must be:..
..’and what did slater/lusk/hooton advise you to do about this..?..
..are we again hearing their words thru you..?..’..)
i also have a certain wariness about the union movement in general..
..’cos of their silences during those nine long years of ignoring/demonising of the poor by the clark govt..
..i still haven’t heard an explanation for that benchmark in ‘i’m alright jack!’..from those unions..
..so that someone is from a union means little to me..
..(see what i did there..?..)
Labours best chance is to use mmp effectively, work with other opposition parties and dont be so cavalier with socially unpopular policies like raising retirement age.
govts lose elections more so than oppositions win them, they needed to work with greens and mana not scare middle nz, be united etc and nats would probably be gone now.
Its this failure to do what it takes to win and show nz that coalition is workable, which deflates an attack theme. However they lecture middle nz with a ‘we know best’ and that will continue to keep them in opposition.
Cunliffe and if Little joins will be a hard decision for me. I like DC but also have to admit to myself he’s not universally liked by the masses. Little has no such hang ups. Hard choice as David will take labour if allowed where I personally want them to go.
Little I have to find out but he shows up good and level headed in interviews, but can he deliver in chambers or debates.
It’s a transferable vote, Richard, so you would only have to figure out which gets your #1 and #2 pick.
Sorted, then. That’s good news, two I like, and two votes. Thanks Steph as the info hasn’t arrived yet. Just a nice email from a labour big wig. Telling me as I joined after election day they were a little tied up getting me up to date. I understood it completely.
Anyone’s blood race a bit when Little is on the telly? No, didn’t think so. The charisma of a newt.
No but he spoke good common sense. My heart raced as in their was finally another choice, I was of the impression may be better. remember he pretty much only needs to get Labour as a minimum into, the somewhere in the mid to high 30’s with Greens support and hopefully Winny, we would have a government. It’s a real possibility with Little, a lot of hard work for DC. Not chance with GR and the hiding he will get media wise pre 2017 election.
Charisma s over-rated and few understand it – after all people say Key is charismatic, but he is as bland as blancmange. There have been very few charismatic leaders over history, modern ones include Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King – we have nobody of that calibre any where near the reins of power or even pretenders.
Common sense would be good; the ability to articulate complex policy in terms everyone can understand; a certain modesty but the boldness to actually stand up for what is right; and the ability to respect others and convey the sense that everyone is valued. Those are the qualities I look for in a a leader.
@ richard..
“..but can he deliver in chambers or debates…”
..in a word..going on my observations..no..
Well, I lost quite a bit of money on him on ipredict… Actually have some faith in little.
Policies and how Labour could have better communicated them.
1. The age of super.
No increase in age of super until after 2030.
The age would be gradually increased after 2030, but by no more than 3 months per year.
The message would then not be Labour increasing the age but promising no increase before 2030.
Why even frakking increase the retirement age at all, when we already have an excess labour pool and not enough full time jobs to go around???
Cunliffe said that Labour would not be the political party which cuts off your leg but with anaesthetic. All you’ve said here is, sell how good the anaesthetic is.
The first issue at play is that Labour has to improve its game in marketing policy.
It needs to identify how the public reacts to policy so it can better market it.
The second issue is to take the public on board bit by bit (the Key strategy for change over time – bed things in before moving on).
Then Labour looks like a less risky change option.
Your point, about what the policy should be, is another issue entirely.
But for mine, the current surplus of labour is not caused by a proposal to increase the age for super in over a decades time.
And the proportion of people working over age 65 now is much greater than the number that would be impacted by an increase from age 65 to 67. And this number is increasing regardless of what the age for super is.
CV is correct axe that policy fullstop. The jobs are not there now and with technology the demand for workers will be further reduced. We need to move away from consumerism and become more focused on being self reliant. Just go to any mall and watch people loading up on debt by buying things that they don’t really need.
How does one afford and live with paying super to people who are still working age 65 to 67 while other people are in poverty? The number is about 33% of those age 65 to 67 and rising.
These people, many in the top 10% income bracket, are getting more in tax paid super than poor families with no other means of support.
i think the ultimate example of this is mp’s..with their gold-plated pensions..
..still receiving state superannuation..
..surely that double-dipping cd be stopped at source..?
..that as part of that gold-plated super deal..
..they don’t also trough on state super..?
..is that an unreasonable request..?
WTF?
“How does one afford and live with”???
Where are you getting this awkward misdirected phrasing from? When you are referring to the NZ Government “affording” and “living with” paying super.
Get serious and try and make a joined together argument eh? Let’s start with NZ Super being a universal entitlement, yeah?
Dude, I never made such a back-asswards invalid point. Why would you even think this sentence you wrote had any basis?
There are far too many unemployed and under-employed right now. Why put in place measures which will increase the surplus labour force even further, is my question. It’s dumb policy.
Frankly CV I never saw the need for a raising of the retirement either. My reasoning is dad died 65. Paid all that tax never even got to enjoy it(super).
There’s a guy 70 still working at my work. But pays secondary tax. You can keep working if you want free choice. If anything, better early retirement choices would be a more attractive vote winner for those in hard manual labour who bodies don’t last the distance rather than go on SB or IB or ACC.
Something like that would surely be a very attractive policy.
As for the imminent baby boomer retirement. Is it going to be a THAT costly? What’s the figures? What other options do we have? Does returning more into the workforce help. If unemployment was 5-6 or less is there still an issue.
If we start the Cullen fund up again does the interest help can it be used.
Surely theirs a better option than scaring the 50+ crowd and me at 48.5
Should you be able to continue working AND get super?
Dunne’s flexi-super allows early retirement but comes with a lifetime actuarial cap – meaning a lower rate of super for the rest of one’s life for doing this.
Personally the only part of Dunne’s idea that I support, is enabling those sick and infirm (with health issues that limit life duration) stuck on a benefit to go onto super a little earlier (say from age 60, and for periods before then when people are terminally ill).
Good question SPC. Thinking about it… no??? But then no secondary tax. I mean I enjoy my job, I’d not want to be forced to retire, nor would I like to receive Super and a wage with a secondary high tax rate. I want to work my week and feel the satisfaction of seeing a healthy after tax income in my wage slip as a reward.
However my back will never make it too 65 as employment rules around safety in the work place are a joke if you don’t live in the spotlight of a big city with employment inspectors.
Have you been made aware of the massive drop in workplace ethics and worker safety since national got in.
@ spc..
“..Personally the only part of Dunne’s idea that I support, is enabling those sick and infirm (with health issues that limit life duration) stuck on a benefit to go onto super a little earlier (say from age 60, and for periods before then when people are terminally ill)…”
..+ 1..
Policies and how Labour could have better communicated them.
2. Kiwi Saver being compulsory.
Labour has a plan to prevent mortgage costs from rising and improve export incomes.
The government could use this “anti-inflationary” tool to hold down the OCR.
Instead of people simply paying more of their wages to banks in mortgage interest cost they would be putting the money into their Kiwi Saver account – this money being available to them when they retired or a once a decade withdrawal to pay down their mortgage (and of course for those yet to own to withdraw to buy their first home).
I would however withdraw the part about a variable rate as voters do/would not like the uncertainty of it. This is a component better left to consideration as policy for a following election.
New Policy.
Before moving to flexible rate Kiwi Saver there should be a surcharge on mortgages.
This option is one that Bollard floated late in his RB term as an alternative to raising the OCR (given the adverse impact on exporter incomes and jobs).
A 1% surcharge on mortgages would allow the OCR to fall from 3.5 to 2.5%.
At 3.5 the banks are lending at 6%.
At 2.5 the banks are lending at 5%.
Thus the mortgage holder pays 5% to the bank, instead of 6, and 1% to the government.
This would by the way raise about $2B pa for the government in surcharge, as well as the higher tax revenues off higher exporter and wage incomes.
Yep there are many smart, targeted mechanisms which could be used. A surcharge or stamp duty on mortgages/property transactions is one example.
So another tax. Why not grow employment , or reduce unemployment as a strategy to help the government coffers.
If the economy is running sweet most problems will disappear by themselves.
The more taxes the lower the rate of tax the better is the maxim for optimum tax policy. It’s the higher rates that create perverse incentives, avoidance etc.
The surcharge, CGT and carbon tax allow lower tax rates.
And they all improve economic performance.
1. a lower OCR and dollar assists exporter returns and job growth.
2. reduces the incentive to speculate, rather than invest
3. a more sustainable economy
It’s a policy that’s purpose is to increase jobs.
Yeah it is SPC and the investment capital earned from it may help create more jobs , however the issue I have, and I’m trying to convey is to stop us pandering and promoting the perception the public have that we(Labour) just tax, tax, more tax, seriously I think we need to STFU on taxes, do what another said, once elected inform the people our intent and then throw it to referendum. Silence the naysayers.
We need to stop allowing the misinformation to be justified.
and most of all stop arming Key with debate lines of 5 headed monsters and look another tax.
Get over it mate. Key raised more taxes, levies and fees than Labour proposed. Starting with GST, if you recall.
Taxes allow government to direct and rebalance the economy, sometimes without having to even bring in a single dollar from the tax.
Make the fucking case in other words, don’t buy into the right wing framing and back off.
Hmmm, CV the ammo and look when he(Key in debates) said 5 new taxes.
Remember that. I hear what your saying, but it’s all about perception isn’t it. If your serious about labour winning, and against shifty key we’d better start thinking smarter.
Everything in moderation.
The problem we have is that people have been taught that taxes are a negative rather than the positive that they are. We call tax cuts tax relief which is really a load of bollocks because it usually makes life worse for the many. Of course, the rich do well out of it as they a) get more income from doing nothing more and b) put prices up to shift that extra money in peoples pockets into their own.
People are always better off paying taxes than they are not paying taxes.
Again this is due to the media not explaining things, or the party not producing the counter arguments to dispel the stereotyping.
In a normal democracy with a broader media that compliments both sides it would be fine, But here in NZ we have to admit we are playing with a marked deck and need to sharpen up.
I’m not saying your wrong at all, I’m saying we have difficulty getting it over too the voters.
I think Labour should scrap cgt, scrap the 67 pension age (though convene parliament wide body to discuss the pension age) and go for a Mansion Tax per Labour in the UK, of say 1% on houses $750k to $1m and 2% on houses worth more than a $1m with no exceptions (or some variation on this) while raising the top rate of tax above $130k to 39%.
These would be relatively simple to administer, hit the right people and put a lid on house prices and raise revenue.
@ bearded git+1
One of the main arguments marshalled by those who wish to change the flag is that, at a distance, it is too easily mistaken for the Australian flag.
It could be worse:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/10580871/Silver-Fern-compared-to-terror-group-flag
At least our troops will be less likely to be shelled by the Americans if they only mistake us for Australians.
well the record shows that neither Australian nor UK troops (or American troops for that matter) are particularly safe from US fire…
Certainly true that. As when I play Battlefield 3 the yanks always mistake my little tank for a bloody Russians. /humour 🙂
Good on Radionz Wallace Chapman this a.m.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday
Halfway through his interview with Michael Katakis I heard something about an interview arrangement he had with Kim Hill having been cancelled on the basis that there had been too many left leaning USA intellectuals on already! Interesting – I think that is what I heard. If what I have repeated is true then that is alarming.
11:05 Michael Katakis – Traveller
Michael Katakis has been photographing and writing about different cultures for the past 35 years. His work has been celebrated by the Royal Geographical Society, The Smithsonian Institute and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, to name just a few. He is also the literary manager of Ernest Hemingway’s intellectual estate. He joins Wallace to talk about his books, A Thousand Shards of Glass – which is a personal farewell to America and his wife; and Traveller, which is a collection of letters and journal entries that reflect on his own past.
For those with questions about what philosophy we should live by (think song – Teach your children well) the interview with Sam Harris, an atheist has something to say.
10:20 Sam Harris – Devoted to Reason
One of the world’s most well-known atheists, Sam Harris is the author of the bestselling books The End of Faith and The Moral Landscape. Dr Harris is cofounder and CEO of Project Reason, a nonprofit foundation devoted to spreading scientific knowledge and secular values in society. He received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. He joins Wallace to talk about his latest book Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion where they discuss mindfulness, drugs, critics and, of course, religion.
And NZ Peter Williams QC aged 80, talking about his work with many murderers and prison reform, and author of new book called The Dwarf that Moved?
It’s one of the stories in the book, about a dwarf in an Auckland circus whose wife was committing adultery with another guy in the circus. They had a sharp-shooting booth where she would shoot something out of the dwarf’s mouth and she hits him one day and is charged with attempted murder.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11217263
11:30 Peter Williams – Life in the Law
Peter Williams QC is a well-known name and face to New Zealanders. One of our greatest barristers, Peter Williams has defended some of New Zealand’s most infamous criminal cases, including: Terry Clark (Mr. Asia) and Arthur Allan Thomas. He has been a constant advocate for change in the penal system and has campaigned to rehabilitate prisoners, rather than imprisoning them. He joins Wallace on Sunday Morning to talk about some of his more notorious cases and his life spent working in the law.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/20152188/current-affairs
link to the audio Greywarbler.
Very, very interesting. Blimmin heck Dunne sounds out of place with National.
Took notes people should listen to the interview.
Winner Dunne. Jamie trying to defend the indefensible and frankly Dunne took him to task.
rma
Jamie
Wants greening of act, more emphasis on equality the people of nz have spoken their concerns for growing inequality. Dunne showed him up n one hand he wants Act more green like but same time want dismantling of RMA. Dunne states prior to RMA there was 54 laws it was Kos Jamie want a return to kaos basically.
Dunne will not support RMA changes at all. Stated, steadfast.
Charter schools
Dunne Will not support them they are a joke
Spoke examples of private partnerships, not trained teachers , franky it sound a joke these charter schools
Jamie lies and tells Wallace his facts from Stanford research are wrong when Wallace had them in front of him. Silly boy.
All in All Dunnes more left than I had thought, Jamie is very dangerous as he is following an agenda without reasoned thought.
@ Richard
All in All Dunnes more left than I had thought, Jamie is very dangerous as he is following an agenda without reasoned thought.
I think Dunne will follow that old saying about running with the fox and hunting with the hounds.
Somewhere in the middle he might make a useful stand to act as some solace for those who wanted him out.
Don’t be so sure about Jamie Whyte and reasoned thought. That is like looking at a mirror from different standpoints. Same mirror, different views.
Some good reporting today.
Um I realized it was Seymour not Whyte excuse my mistake peeps.
They are clones, just skin-wrapped with a bit of variance or deviance.
HA HA. finally I laughed today, thanks mate.
The AB’s have gone down. Shoulda kept John Key away from the jersey.
Who are the AB’s do they play Soccer? /Sarc
jOhn @ 14………….yes bad Karma re the AB’s losing for supporting Key.
The Kink in the Human Brain
We need a better economic system because the one we have is uneconomic.
Peter Joseph, Zeitgeist Movement Founder on TYT (Video)
@odesseus I just watched little s interview and thought he came across well It maid me wish the labour office had of sorted its shit so I could of joined in time to vote.
I couldn’t remember the leadership timeline. For those like me – this is our link.
Nominations close on Tuesday, 14 October. After which there are meetings around the rohe.
Tracy Watkins puts her 2 cents in.
“In the old days he would have been gone already”
Tracy Watkin
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/10546182/Cunliffes-exit-is-assured-but-by-which-route
According columnist Tracy Watkins.
In the old days Douglas would have sacked Lange.
Wishful thinking by a rightwing journo with her own agenda?
You decide:
Maybe not.
That’s Tracy Watkins fer ya. It’s dated Sep 26 – I did wonder as Sept 5 was before the election.
Grant Robertson and his crew have never accepted for even one day, the decision of the members and affiliates that Cunliffe should be leader.
No he hasn’t else Robertson would have been leader a year ago when Shearer resigned and Cunliffe became leader. Of course, what Watkins is really saying here is: If it wasn’t for those dratted members and unions we’d have a sensible Labour Party that would hold to the status quo.
Basically, more authoritarian BS from our MSM that holds that the public should just leave the decisions to the government and not get engaged in the actual decision making.
Primer for the Goldman Sachs secret tapes
It is time to end the Reign of the Banks.
DTB .. and let’s remember Goldman Sachs absorbed Merrill Lynch thus Key’s fortune rests in Goldman Sachs shares … nothing more needs be said, sadly …
Bank of America. And BoA got a serious case of indigestion from ingesting ML.
@ DTB 19
Joe 90 and I put up comments on 27/9 which may extend background on this Federal Reserve Bank regulatory farce.
Andrew Little might not be a stellar performer but at least he will not be disliked or pitied. He would be a safe pair of hands to bring about the needed changes and remember that under MMP he only has to raise Labour to where it was when Shearer was deposed in order to possibly win in 2017. Andrew Little is better than Shearer and could win votes from the Greens and win back the Labour voters who opted for the safety of National in 2014.
Public Broadcasting impartiality
Back in 2003 “Trougher Hide” led a tirade against Brian Edwards and had him successfully removed from current affairs. Apparently on the basis of Edwards political leanings and questionable “impartiality”.
Wonder how Hide views Hosking’s role in meeting Public Broadcasting standards?
An incredible, innovative, musical protest for Mike Brown
Brown was the young black man killed without legal reason, by a white police officer in Ferguson, St Louis County.
very moving, and awesome protest.
the reaction of some in the audience is quite revealing!
Some definitely did not like their cosy gluten free specialty baked white bread world disturbed. One woman made quite a face at the peasantry.
why do we let these people have power?
A promo video from Pinkroccade, a prominent IT contractor to Dutch local governments, makes the case for spying on wearables (if your heart-rate rises because you’re about to be mugged, the police could be alerted, and get GPS from your phone, find nearby phones belonging to people with criminal records, check the view from your Google Glass, and respond — case closed); following outrage from the press, the company doubled down on its video, saying it was not meant to be interpreted by lay people and that you have to be an expert to understand why it isn’t creepy as all fuck.
http://boingboing.net/2014/10/04/dutch-it-contractor-lays-out-t.html
On tonights news I see there is a major fire in a substation in Auckland.
Funny that, I thought, that would have not happened in the bad bad bad days of NZCED when we ALL owned the infrastructure of New Zealand. Myers reminded us of these “terrible” days on Q&A this morning
My second thought was, Why did it happen? Was it because we had a cost reducing profit maximizing lack of maintenance or, incompetent subcontractors with the lowest bid got the job.
My third thought was
One of the suburbs that was really affected was EPSOM. Ha Ha fucking Ha perhaps Rimmer along with Kryton can come and fix it for them.
I noted john Key was swift to make his “expert” views on the matter known. I guess his Parnell home was one of those affected. OMG that’s terrible. (sarc)
His ‘expert’ take on it.
‘It was a freak occurrence.’
‘He downplayed the suggestion the outage suggested Auckland’s power infrastructure was overly vulnerable.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11337366
@halfcrown
after picking myself up off the floor from dying of hysterical laughter. I must applaud you for your stunning wit, and humour.
Epsom powerless. Oh the irony.
Wanna make some money . Go on Ipredict and pick the Labour leader. Arbitrage to your heart’s content.
Just read Chris Trotter’s Sept 30th discussion about renewal of NZLP. The key suggestion seemed to be to turn the party list over to member voting, as done by the Greens. Party list selection by members is a great idea, but it would have much less impact for NZLP than it does for GPANZ.
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The current NZLP electorate candidate process is also interesting. I think involves 3 votes from head office and 2 from local organisation. So centralised control could be exerted to enforce electorate candidate renewal, but that might be very messy and simply lead to a call for less head office power.
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The Labour trend is clearly away from centralised control. As Trotter points out, the Nats are much more comfortable with that idea.
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The rules are here http://www.elections.org.nz/sites/default/files/parties/rules/Labour%20Party%20Constitution%20and%20Rules.pdf
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The org review from 2012 also makes interesting reading for those who are calling for yet another org review. https://www.labour.org.nz/sites/default/files/Labour%20Review%20Discussion%20Paper.pdf
When parliaments were first formed, only the rich could afford to be MPs. The answer to this was supposedly to pay them a salary. This obviously hasn’t worked, because the people we have in parliament are somewhere between comfortably well off and super rich. As well as what they can make if they indulge in insider trading with their blind trusts, cough cough, they get paid far more than most Kiwis can even dream about. Maybe they should be paid something like the unemployment benefit rate, with allowances for travel etc? I’m sure that would keep heaps of the troughers we have at the moment out of the Beehive.
And also: Glory glory to South Sydney. The two teams I hope never win the NRL competition again are Manly (Abbott and his ilk live there) and the Broncos (donate to the LNP campaign in Queensland). After seeing Russell Crowe get a championship ring made for Isaac Luke, I think there might be some truth to the rumours that he is part Kiwi.
Lenin wrote somewhere that the left should be involved where the working masses are. For me, that’s not a challenge at all, because I love Rugby League. The Kiwis would never make John Key captain.
Murray 0 1/06 am
Low wages for MPs would result in a moral hazard whereby they would be vulnerable to brown envelopes and baubles, and trips to resorts for their family, an apartment on the Gold Coast etc………..
Limited terms would be the deal and applying to all of them there pollies from top to bottom. Putin seems adept at the merry go round, but some sort of limitation would stop too many from digging themselves a fur lined cave for the duration.
I understand they have these in the USA, fur lined cars, or caves I mean. And someone who has early onset bigotry and calcification of the brain can stay in power probably with pay offs and because they look like daddy, so they can’t be winkled out. Probably in the end it seems uncharitable to such an old soldier to give him the push so they get a sympathy vote. That’s not democracy at work. That’s good ol’boys getting a rort.
High salaries just make the moral hazards more costly. I remember when the first ACT government vastly increased judges’ salaries, saying they would be vulnerable to bribery at the then current rate. I found it funny that judges had to be bribed to be honest.