According to the newsroom. Republished in stuff. Pounced-upon by the Little-obsessed James and shoved into into the faces of Labour supporters for the sly pleasure of a confidence-troll who revels in creating discomfort and division. All on a Sunday morning, early, when thoughtful, kindly people least expect such miserly-of-spirit behaviour.
James, your nit-picky, boringly repetitiousness snipes at Andrew Little are dull enough on a week day, but please spare us those on beautiful Sundays like this one. Get outside, James, let the sun wash away your bitterness. Breath some fresh air and think of someone other than yourself and Andy.
They’ve always “loved” whoever the deputy is, because they want to make people worriedf about leadership instability. If Little were deputy they’d love him too. It’s a transparent tactic.
Loving your contribution to the discussion today, James. Having a snippy critic of Andrew Little expose your churlisness so early in the piece gave all of us a chance to show our support for the Labour leader; an opportunity we mightn’t have taken, but for the opportunity you so thoughtfully presented.
Keep up the sterling work. Never let your tightness of spirit ease, you’re one of our best assets here on TS.
Indeed. You think he’s great – media seem to think he’s the problem.
But at the end of the day news postings about how he is the problem will have more of an impact as opposed to a few people on a blog that are generally all voting left anyway.
In fairness his surname could be his biggest handicap…words being soooo important, as we were all educated about (ad bloody nauseum) here on TS yesterday….
not give (a) tuppence
To not care in the slightest (about something or someone). ” I know that James has a crush on me, but to be honest I couldn’t give tuppence for him.”
If you do a bit of a search I think you will find you go around replying (and generally trying to insult on a lot of post I make) – not the other way around- so I think that it’s you that has the crush on me.
I’m not that way inclined- but if I was I would like to think I could do better than you. 🙂
Hi Grey
All is well here, in fact, the day is gloriously fine and sunny (and warm!) All my whanau are here today; sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, most helping with a shared project involving canvas and ropes, poles and pegs 🙂
Hearing that for a while now from MSM against Labour. Yep, problems with Cunliffe, problems with Shearer, problems with Goff. Helen Clark has to go.. Of course Little is terrible too, from the MSM and not so M, SM sites.
Granny’s sister sites might get more readership if they actually print real news and if they want to talk politics about the 9 year legacy of the Natz as well as the failed neoliberal ideology of English. Since they are just an echo chamber from the centre right discourses they have no credibility.
Try reading this instead – a more accurate view of Andrew Little and his leadership .
FRIDAY, 5 MAY 2017
Telling The Story Of Labour’s List Differently.
All Good: As a result of Little’s recruitment of Jackson, Labour’s ability to attract Maori support has been enhanced. And, thanks to Labour’s List Moderating Committee, New Zealand will soon be appreciating the contributions of Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Jan Tinetti, Willow-Jean Prime and Kiri Allan.
Chris is getting his lines from McCarten. Not exactly “accurate” from the perspecrtive of anyone who realy supports Labour values. Labour already got plenty of Maori support thanks to (demoted) MPs like Mahuta. People should stop crying triumph for Jackson until he proves himself.
Wainwright
You make assertions, and I don’t think this one is right. Of course Trotter should listen to McCarten as he listens across the spectrum.
Also he will sometimes do a scenario piece of what might happen which doesn’t follow from an embedded viewpoint. So he can surprise, seem certainly left, centre, or right in particular posts.
I hope your ideas are not too embedded to enable you to correctly judge and make your pronouncements. Anyone who is absolutely certain they are correct all the time is someone to be wary of. I hope you aren’t here just to affirm your preconceptions.
Tha’ts a very nice little lecture, grey. Doesn’t cahnge the fact Chris has been talking complete bollocks for years, changes his spots on a weekly basis to try to look relevant, and gets all his good gossip from the Galbraith’s happy hour crew. If you want to give anyone a growling for ’embedded ideas’ why not Jenny, whose idea of ‘accuracy’ is based on ‘things that Jenny agrees with because she thinks th eLabour Party never does any wrong’?
Thank goodness that chris Trotter does try on different coats, think around his subjects, or we would get the same old thinking and assertions all the time from people whose minds have rusted over.
Chris Trotter has regularly been critical of Labour in recent years, and he doesn’t get “fed” lines. He’s not a favourite commenter of mine, but in this case I think he’s got a point. Labour’s list is actually pretty damn impressive and Little has shown some canny judgement in terms of Jackson. I admit that I was somewhat taken aback when his candidacy was announced, but then I’m not one of the people who’s being targeted by this move and I do acknowledge that Jackson would have added considerably to the Māori Party’s fire-power.
Canny judgment? You mean pissing off a helluva lot of people when he announced Jackson would be at the top of the list, then pissing of Jackson by not putting him at the top of the list? Those headlines have been great for Labour. And once again the hard work and loyalty of actual Maori MPs gets shafted for one of McCarten’s old Alliance buddies. You guys aren’t selling this very well.
James doesn’t like the fact that Andrew Little speaks with integrity and honesty and it worries him that people might just start analysing WHAT is being said instead of THE WAY it is said. The performing snake oil salesman has vanished without trace and people are starting to wake up that he was simply an illusionist. People also see how Trump got voted in the US and that entertaining attention-seeking is not the defining quality for a good leader.
People also see how Trump got voted in the US and that entertaining attention-seeking is not the defining quality for a good leader.
Seems to work for the RWNJs who really don’t seem to read up on what policies will actually do and just go on the shallow, feel good sound bites of such leaders.
But I try the Prime Minister test:
Little will be a more just and inclusive Prime Minister than Bill English.
Little will also be braver, less technocratic Prime Minister, because the expectations and momentum are so high upon him.
Even after his first term, I’m also confident of this: Andrew Little will not lie.
Put “will not lie” in a sentence with Bill English and you will choke on your Weetbix.
And as Prime Minister, LIttle will have earned it not inherited it.
I could not say that of Bill English. Which is why I already respect Little more.
Andrew Little takes his role seriously, unlike John Key, who wanted to be a creepy clown half the time. So Andrew Little is not going to be all jokey about important issues facing the country. He is true to himself.
Bill English – not exactly oozing charm and personality, if that is what you are looking for James. Have you been taking notes on how the operatives from Dirty Politics went about their “work”? Horrible people – who would want them as a friend, neighbour, relative?
The problem I have with Little is that he seems to have poor judgement. From time to time he opens his mouth and weird stuff comes out, without apparently having passed through his brain en route. I regard this as a problematic quality in a PM.
I’m sure he’s a good dude and is sincere and hard working.
It appears to be good enough for POTUS and let’s not even go to the obfuscating language and semantic back flips by John Key, for example. But obviously it is o.k. to have double standards for some but not for others …
Sure, Andrew Little and the Labour Party good do better in the PR department, etc., but what really counts is the policies and what they actually achieve once in Government.
A while back there was a post about a woman who was being released from jail on compassionate grounds due to cancer.
If I think back – I may have been in the “do the crime – do the time” camp.
Well she’s in the press again with her final interview.
Its sobering reading – having read it – I have no doubt that my original view of the situation was wrong and that the right decision was made for this lady. You couldn’t wish this on anybody.
That’s the trouble with you righties. You can’t recognise a true story when you see it. Everything is coloured by your tunnel-visioned view of anyone who isn’t the same as yourselves, or who have made some mistakes in their past life. They are to be punished for the rest of their lives.
I will give you full credit though for having the nous to fess up you were wrong.
Sorry James. I worded that very badly. You are correct. There are things where people from both sides can be in full agreement. In fact you left a comment yesterday (or the day before) that I thought was reasonable and fair.
My response was more an observation of right- wingers in general which many commentators here have noted before. It’ll try to be less hasty and more careful in future.
Anne – I wouldn’t be too apologetic.
It is of course excellent that James has changed his mind in this case and he should be congratulated for it wholeheartedly.
However his propensity to make the mistake in the first place is still a valid and very interesting area of discussion.
Anne -And comments like these just brass me off, ungracious, spiteful and condescending. I am a green voter and leaning more to the left than the right but by god, if that is what the left represents, good ridden’s.
Identity politics vs we are simply all individuals, Condescending attitude and some sort of morale superiority is common amoung hard lefties and it is why they alienate the masses They absolutely loose it when such is highlighted or the artifice of their beliefs are challenged and contradictions are high lighted
I mostly see such vile behaviour from the RWNJs. They really, really don’t like it when their beliefs are not only challenged but proved wrong. Still, they won’t change their beliefs.
And this thread is mostly Anne being corrected by others on the left and Anne apologising for her initial comment.
On the other hand, over the last ten years on this board, I’ve seen the RWNJs get really brassed off and swing to ad hominem attacks when their beliefs are challenged but I’ve very rarely seen that from those on the Left.
One thing I’ve noticed is the truth of what (IIRC) George Hendry once pointed out: that you can always tell what right wingers intend, by listening to accusations they level at others.
Anyhow, you have some putting up or shutting up to do. When you fail to put up, your total lack of personal responsibility means you won’t even have the guts to admit it.
I don’t want to be pedantic but “Anne being corrected by others on the left” is very different from what actually happened, which is that Anne ‘corrected’ herself. The first is the moralistic and patronising arrogance that often rubs many people the wrong way. The second is a person realising the consequence of her actions not aligning well with who she is and taking responsibility for that – I applaud her.
Science yes accept but not when contrary to left ideology, ie degree of impact and response to climate change, abortion, LGBT debate, identity politics
economics, Venezuela, North Korea, history of Soviet Union, abject failure of closed economies and socialism in the 20th century doesn’t count as does not fit the left narrative, oh but it works in Scandinavia, under very unique circumstances however let’s ignore the balance of overwhelming evidence
selected morality, the left dancers on the graves of pike river for political expediency, Dirty politics is only dirty if the other guys do it
Sure I do: it’s a pack of lies. Unless of course you can find some examples of anyone defending Venezuelan economic policies, or North Korean anything, or rejoicing at Pike River deaths. Put up or shut up.
The fact is the NZ left has always run this economy better than the right. You can’t handle that fact so you drivel on about the USSR.
As for condescending attitudes and superiority, calling dead children “feral” is a pretty good example, and so is almost everything that oozes out of Gerry Brownlee.
Some things are simply self evident OAB, ie socialism has been adject failure from a logic, evidence and competing alternate system basis, You can choose to accept this or not, your a prisoner of your own anger so I don’t believe anything will change your mind, likewise not really wanting to get into a personal abuse session with you where such debates normally go Saying that i respect your right for you to give your views but not necessarily agree with or how you express them which I feel is counter to you and the left cause in winning hearts and minds
Some things are simply self evident OAB, ie socialism has been adject failure from a logic, evidence and competing alternate system basis,
And yet the scientific evidence shows the exact opposite. The most prosperous time the world has ever seen was between ~1945 and the ~1970s under huge socialism and building environmentalism.
On the other hand, under capitalism we’re seeing increasing poverty and environmental degradation. In fact, the last 5000 years shows that capitalism like societies always collapse due to the rich always demanding more and preventing the poor from having anything.
You can choose to accept this or not, your a prisoner of your own anger
And there’s more of that psychological projection that RWNJs compulsively engage in when their beliefs are proved wrong.
“The fact is the NZ left has always run this economy better than the right. You can’t handle that fact so you drivel on about the USSR.”
eeeeekkkk ! where did that come from,
Where were you during Rogernomics?
Where were you when this happened (wikipedia)
“On 12 March 2004, Minister of Conservation Chris Carter approved the access arrangement for Pike River Coal Ltd”
Science yes accept but not when contrary to left ideology, ie degree of impact and response to climate change
And yet it’s the RWNJs that are disagreeing with what the science says because they need to keep the Ponzi Scheme that is capitalism going.
economics, Venezuela, North Korea, history of Soviet Union, abject failure of closed economies and socialism in the 20th century doesn’t count as does not fit the left narrative
I haven’t seen anyone on the Left call for a closed economy. Even I haven’t done that but I have pointed out that free-market should result in limited trade because trade is more expensive, in real terms, than each country producing what it uses.
selected morality, the left dancers on the graves of pike river for political expediency
It wasn’t the Left that promised to go get them and then reneged on that promise and lied about the reasons. the RWNJs don’t have any morality or ethics.
And doesn’t Vicki herself display it well in the article: “…”But I think things need to be re-looked at when you’re given a time frame on your life … It’s not a life sentence.”
She was also concerned other inmates faced with life-threatening conditions might not get the chance she had to go home to their family, because they don’t have the same support she received from her well-known brother, professional boxer David “Brown Buttabean” Letele and the public he rallied….
Have to agree with Winston on this. Have a relative in hospitality for 8 years at the same job. The firm has changed ownership and he’s been told to sign a zero hour contract (which I thought was banned). So many of the hospitality jobs are not real or sustainable jobs. The power balance is wrong in this industry and the NZ taxpayer has to subsidise all these hospitality workers on minimum wages and zero hour contracts with WINZ, Health, social services. Meanwhile real hospitality businesses are going under because there are so many fake ones competing against each other on each corner and most of them half empty.
Like 3rd rate private education providers, hospitality has the side industry of supplying work and residency visas to people as the real goal.
“Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”.”
“If there is a shortage, Mr Peters says it can be filled by the 92,000 young people not in education, training or employment, and the 130,000 currently unemployed.”
saveNZ – I saw the other day a program about recruitment of mercenaries and the business model designed to squeeze the wages – race to the bottom policies.
This has created child soldiers.
Is the same “model” applied in our service industries, just replace child with immigrant.
“Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”.”
I’m skeptical about those claims myself. My daughter does ten hours a week at Dominos – she tells me they’re advertising for staff even though they just hired four people. It’s a mystery to her, but not to me, having done rostered part-time work before: rostering staff gets so much easier when you have a large pool of workers available, and it also means you can give them fewer hours than they’d like, which fosters a healthy (for the employer’s profits) sense of competition among the staff for increased hours. Why we as a society would want to encourage and facilitate that practice is beyond me (it’s clear enough why National and its donors would want us to, but what about the rest of us?).
> “Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”. If there is a shortage, Mr Peters says it can be filled by the 92,000 young people not in education, training or employment, and the 130,000 currently unemployed.”
That’s going to do wonders for the level of service
Re the French election which is about to take place. It looks similar to the American election….. neither candidate is suitable.
The best one-liner I have seen was from Le Pen who said France will get a woman leader, either herself or Angela Merkel. Good one!
On any objective measure he is a very impressive candidate. Sure he has not run for elective office before. But he has been a Minister in government. He also has one of the most impressive academic and intellectual records seen in recent years among presidential candidates.
Couple that withe amazing chutzpah to even stand in the circumstances, then he could be quite an extraordinary president. Or not.
It’s a good sign that Macron in France is considered as toxic by the hard left and much as the hard right. Both extremes in recent European and UK elections have been shown to be as divisive and unable to govern as each other.
I think the result won’t be as big a winning gap as one might hope – maybe 57% Macron to 43% Le Pen. So it’s another very clear warning to the Brussels bureaucrats to reform – hard and fast and big.
And with zero Parliamentary friends Macron has yet to build a machine and win. That means he is going to have to be an astonishingly good coalition-builder.
But he’s fresh, young, bright, and supports the broader collective called Europe.
It’s all to play for.
How about listing his actual policies instead. Here’s a few:
– The CICE tax credit system for firms would be converted into permanent payroll tax breaks for low-wage workers.
– Low-wage earners would be exempted from certain social welfare levies, a measure that would put an extra month’s wage per year in the employee’s pocket.
– 15 billion on energy/environment targets: exit within 5 years from coal-based energy production, shift towards alternative, renewable energy sources, rise in carbon tax.
– 5 billion euros on health sector, including better reimbursement of glasses, dentures and hearing aids, plus move away from wasteful medicine packages that contain more pills than a patient needs.
– State subsidy of 15,000 euros over 3 years for firms that hire people in 200 low-income neighborhoods.
– Halve number of early primary school pupils to 12 per class in 12,000 low-income zones, with teachers given a bonus of 3,000 euros a year to work in such areas.
All of which outflank on the left the UK, Australian or NZ Labour Parties.
You missed the one he introduced to parliament Ad.
The anti-strike law
And the his support of and possible drafting of the state of emergency act (against terrorists) which has curtailed rights in France for the last year.
But sure, keep going with he is a good guy. Don’t listen to the unions and social democrat’s within France. They all far left in your opinion now?
We’ve got a choice between two evils too – one greate rand one lesser. Labour stands for “budget responsibility” and slashing immigration and tinkering at the edges of the tax system. Same old neolib stuff. Liberals everywhere are demanding voters put two ticks next to Labour. But does it stack up? Is it the only game in town?
NO, friends. There’s a third way! The crucial bit people miss is the hyping of a fourth term National government. Same as how Trumnp was attacked as a scary rightwing nightmare in the US, and he’s only just eradicated healthcare for millions of people.
So maybe if you happen to be a true leftwing New Zealander, have a vote and want liberalism ended to create the space for the beginnings of a decent society, then cast some form of tactical vote for The Act Party.
They’ll only get two or three members from a total of 121 in Parliament and support National. It would look like a one-term, lame duck Government, as opposed to a powerful LIttle Prime Ministership enjoing support from across the political spectrum.
Under National/Act, media will (for some reason) not attack the left any more, so we’ll have space to breathe while neoliberalism (for some reason) fades away. And we can doo all that agitating and organising stuff too.
But like Bill said, it’s maybe for the best if you don’t bother yourself by thinking about it. It’s probably safer and easier to just keep following instructions, and inventing strategies for people on the other side of the world whose election results won’t actually effect you.
Ridding NZ of liberalism – even simply replacing it with social democratic governance -would be a good thing Wainwright, right?
In Scotland, there was an opening that was taken. In England and Wales there’s a possibility that is being diminished. In France there’s a small window of opportunity.
And satire, unlike what you’ve written, is intelligent and cutting.
Interesting you didn’t engage with the real point: if it’s so good for the left to vote in a hostile rightwing government in France, why not here? But in my experience your MO is always to assume anyone who doesn’t agree with you is stupid.
What strategy is there in NZ for ridding it of this political and economic cancer that you’d rather not see called liberalism? I don’t see any strategy – there is no opening or opportune set of circumstances in NZ at the moment that a strategy could be applied to.
I don’t think there is much in the way of useful strategy being discussed in NZ. As you know, my own position is that we hold as much of a left wing line as we can in the meantime. I’m open to radical change and would be interested in things that have some chance of working. But I also think that traditional ideas about that are problematic because we are running out of time re CC. I think CC will be the revolution of our lifetime and we’d best be ready for the tipping point.
I see Jane Kelsey is giving a lecture on Beyond Neoliberalism next week. I don’t know if it’s being recorded.
I do think the time is ripe for discussions about strategies, because there is enough in the mainstream now about how neoliberalism has failed that there is an opportunity to influence the debate about what we should do instead.
Bill’s post (and others advocating this approach) seemed to be largely predicated on a post-election activist movement accompanying the strategy of voting right, but I just don’t see that activist movement and consider the strategy reckless in its absence. If such an activist movement is possible at this time why isn’t it happening already?
I think if “the left” had the organisational capacity of ‘yesteryear’ to communicate across its various facets, it could have taken a reasonable punt on the Presidency front.
The piece was supposed to be descriptive rather than prescriptive – highlighting possible openings.
Perhaps La France insoumise (Mélenchon’s party) can make significant inroads in the up coming National Assembly elections.
Regardless, for reasons I stated in the post, I think opposing Macron’s upcoming austerity is going far more problematic than tackling a ‘lame duck’ Le Pen.
Incognito
Thanks for that delicious titbit. Dann’s definitely a bit of a twit! All this head thrashing, it’s bad, boring news. Probably the bored and the restless got tired of watching Vesuvius erupt after a while, if they felt they were safely distanced. Let’s look at kittens.
Watched Q+A this morning and was very impressed by brilliant young woman
standing for Labour, Kiri Allan, you are a star. Looking forward to seeing you in the house later this year.
James James James has plenty to say, that is important.
He makes me think of AAMilne’s James James Robinson Robinson Weatherby George Dupree.
Lots of repetition with James, and self-importance – though he was only three.
James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James Said to his Mother,
“Mother,” he said, said he;
“You must never go down
to the end of the town,
if you don’t go down with me.” https://allpoetry.com/Disobedience
Unfortunately TS commenters are a wandering lot in their search for Truth, Fairness and Decent Housing etc. So James, you can’t be blamed if you go somewhere else to play.
President Donald Trump signaled Friday that he may not implement a 25-year-old federal program that helps historically black colleges finance construction projects on their campuses, suggesting that it may run afoul of the Constitution.
In a signing statement on the $1.1 trillion omnibus government spending bill, Trump singled out the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program as an example of provisions in the funding bill “that allocate benefits on the basis of race, ethnicity, and gender.”
It’s ok Joe, I hear Trump isn’t really going to be that bad it’s just a beat-up by the Hillary-loving media, just like Assad using sarin on kids. Wikileaks has the truth, just ignore the fact they haven’t leaked anything which didn’t serve Russian interests for years. Don’t buy into the liberal conspiracy!!! 🙄
Hopefully the disaster for Labour in the UK is not an pointer for their parliamentary elections.
If nothing else it should wake the Left to what could happen if they don’t get out and vote, hopefully this will be a real energiser for those who tend to not bother to vote.
Interesting times eh!
I think we have to acknowledge that it probably is an indicator of the likely result in the upcoming general election, Ray. Labour in the UK is tearing itself apart, and unlike many others on this thread, I don’t blame just the parliamentary caucus or the supposed neo-liberals amongst its ranks: everyone is part of the same party and all must share the blame if they’re not managing to discuss their differences and then agree to a common approach and set of policies. I include Corbyn and his fans: they have to take their share of the blame. This election is going to be a rout and I doubt Corbyn will survive as leader (although who would want to step up in this situation is a pretty big question).
everyone is part of the same party and all must share the blame if they’re not managing to discuss their differences and then agree to a common approach and set of policies.
True to some degree. If one side isn’t willing to talk and goes straight to the MSM with their BS then who’s fault is it?
Only ooption for Corbyn and his fans was to not elect Corbyn leader because the neolibs were always willing to sink the party rather than grow spines and demonstrate real principle. How do you compromise with terrorists?
Was a bit disquieting this morning to read that the Orange Order has won seats in Scotland by way of the Tory Party. Don’t think I can overstate the fuck-edness of that.
Run that alongside the UKIP vote folding into the Tory vote south of the border…
You’d think msm might pick up on that and scream blue murder, yes? Nah. Keep to the plan of dragging down Corbyn.
That is depressing news, Bill. Just when I thought the sectarianism in Scotland was starting to decline. (My partner is Scottish – grew up in a Catholic town in Ayrshire)
The NZ oligarchs of the 1980’s Gibbs, Fay Richwhite, Brierly and Fletchers did particularly well out of the sale of State Assets and the systemic asset stripping of
NZ Inc. In hindsight our politicans were incredibly naive and shortsighted and quickly squandered any cash generated by the sale of these State Assets, also we as a country lost the revenue producing capacity of these assets to fund social services ?
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This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Asia Pacific Report Following an open letter by Auckland University academics speaking out in support of their students’ right to protest against the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza, a group of academics at Otago University have today also called on New Zealand academic institutions to “repair colonial violence” and end ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda J. Graham, Professor and Director of the Centre for Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology Ryan Tauss/ Unsplash, CC BY Two male students have been expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in a list ranking female students. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank is now assuming Australians will see no interest rate cuts this year – and quite possibly none before the next federal election, due next May. That’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University The Victorian budget offered more of the same on Tuesday, with the only change being how the budget papers were packaged. The usual shrink wrap was gone, hinting at savings in the pages ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Coalition is demanding extensive amendments to the government’s legislation targeting non-citizens who refuse to co-operate with their removal. In a dissenting report to the senate inquiry into the legislation, the Coalition says it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vanita Yadav, Senior Research Fellow, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University Brett Boardman/Belvoir The complex and grappling issue of violence against women takes centre stage in the soul-stirring solo dance drama Nayika: A Dancing Girl. During a dinner conversation ...
Disruption to patient care from a nationwide junior doctors strike is bordering on unsafe, a senior doctor claims, despite what health officials say. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Diepstraten, Senior Research Officer, Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Ground Picture/Shutterstock The anti-cancer drug abemaciclib (also known as Vernezio) has this month been added to the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) to treat certain ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic McAfee, Postdoctoral researcher, marine ecology, University of Adelaide Robbie Porter, OzFish Unlimited Around Australia, hundreds of people are coming together to help a once-prized, but decimated and largely forgotten marine ecosystem. They’re busy restoring Australia’s native oyster and mussel reefs. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Webb, Lecturer, Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology Austin Human/Unsplash How does Earth stop meteors from hitting Earth and hurting people? –Asher, 6 years 11 months, New South Wales Alright, let’s embark on a meteor ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rory Mulcahy, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast Professional sports organisations regularly promote and develop initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While sport has the power to change attitudes by sparking conversations about political issues and social ...
Comment: The weekly Monday post-Cabinet press conference is a useful forum for observing Christopher Luxon and how he is developing into the job of Prime Minister. He attempts to convey the impression of a man of action, speaking fast, delivering memorised National Party strategies in a connect-the-slogans kind of way, ...
Double votes, missing ballot boxes, tired tech and stressed staff: how tick-tallying went astray at last year’s election. Cast your mind back to November 2023, that bleary-eyed post-election period duringwhichwewaited, andwaited, for a coalition deal to be hammered out. A distraction from the hotel-hopping of our ...
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https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/05/01/23499/dont-mind-the-list-labour-has-bigger-issues-to-handle
Labours main problem is andrew little according to newsroom.
Republished in stuff
According to the newsroom. Republished in stuff. Pounced-upon by the Little-obsessed James and shoved into into the faces of Labour supporters for the sly pleasure of a confidence-troll who revels in creating discomfort and division. All on a Sunday morning, early, when thoughtful, kindly people least expect such miserly-of-spirit behaviour.
you have a go at the poster not the article- simply because you know it’s true.
And I would never describe you as thoughtful or kindly. Enjoy your Sunday.
James, your nit-picky, boringly repetitiousness snipes at Andrew Little are dull enough on a week day, but please spare us those on beautiful Sundays like this one. Get outside, James, let the sun wash away your bitterness. Breath some fresh air and think of someone other than yourself and Andy.
For a long, long time the current deputy has been the preferred Labour leader of those on the Right….why is this?
Just the other day Farrar’s Ferals were delighting in a Little hate session, magnifying his deficits and promoting his deputy as the de facto Boss.
There’s something about Little that the Right really, really dislikes.
Good thing, no?
Could it be that the right doesn’t like him because he was a Union leader?
They’ve always “loved” whoever the deputy is, because they want to make people worriedf about leadership instability. If Little were deputy they’d love him too. It’s a transparent tactic.
Wainwright
I hadn’t caught onto that tactic, but I feel sure you are right.
I don’t know about ‘always’, but yes, when the right supports Jacintda it’s all about undermining Little.
A.
According to polls – its more than the right that do not like him.
They can see he has substance and some spine and they don’t like it, basically nasty little trolls at work ?
“your nit-picky, boringly repetitiousness snipes at Andrew Little …”
In fairness he gives so much material.
Loving your contribution to the discussion today, James. Having a snippy critic of Andrew Little expose your churlisness so early in the piece gave all of us a chance to show our support for the Labour leader; an opportunity we mightn’t have taken, but for the opportunity you so thoughtfully presented.
Keep up the sterling work. Never let your tightness of spirit ease, you’re one of our best assets here on TS.
Indeed. You think he’s great – media seem to think he’s the problem.
But at the end of the day news postings about how he is the problem will have more of an impact as opposed to a few people on a blog that are generally all voting left anyway.
Media.
Lordy.
Good drying weather up here in the North.
In fairness his surname could be his biggest handicap…words being soooo important, as we were all educated about (ad bloody nauseum) here on TS yesterday….
Too late for Deed Poll…?
Playing the man not the ball. Straight out of the labour play book since before the end of the Clark government. Notice a trend guyton?
Most of Robert’s remarks are aimed at James’ behaviour, hence, not “playing the man”.
As for playbooks, you sound like a “screaming conspiracy theorist” to me.
not give (a) tuppence
To not care in the slightest (about something or someone). ” I know that James has a crush on me, but to be honest I couldn’t give tuppence for him.”
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/wouldn%27t+give+tuppence
If you do a bit of a search I think you will find you go around replying (and generally trying to insult on a lot of post I make) – not the other way around- so I think that it’s you that has the crush on me.
I’m not that way inclined- but if I was I would like to think I could do better than you. 🙂
Strange, I could have sworn that was James engaged in and that we see it from the RWNJs all the bloody time.
Hi Robert
You express the situation well. And I hope that you all are well down there. Getting colder eh.
Hi Grey
All is well here, in fact, the day is gloriously fine and sunny (and warm!) All my whanau are here today; sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, most helping with a shared project involving canvas and ropes, poles and pegs 🙂
Robert
Is it a guessing contest? Is it a yurt?
Ger. You get the cigar.
You must following Nationals housing plan
Hearing that for a while now from MSM against Labour. Yep, problems with Cunliffe, problems with Shearer, problems with Goff. Helen Clark has to go.. Of course Little is terrible too, from the MSM and not so M, SM sites.
Granny’s sister sites might get more readership if they actually print real news and if they want to talk politics about the 9 year legacy of the Natz as well as the failed neoliberal ideology of English. Since they are just an echo chamber from the centre right discourses they have no credibility.
Try reading this instead – a more accurate view of Andrew Little and his leadership .
FRIDAY, 5 MAY 2017
Telling The Story Of Labour’s List Differently.
All Good: As a result of Little’s recruitment of Jackson, Labour’s ability to attract Maori support has been enhanced. And, thanks to Labour’s List Moderating Committee, New Zealand will soon be appreciating the contributions of Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Jan Tinetti, Willow-Jean Prime and Kiri Allan.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/
Chris is getting his lines from McCarten. Not exactly “accurate” from the perspecrtive of anyone who realy supports Labour values. Labour already got plenty of Maori support thanks to (demoted) MPs like Mahuta. People should stop crying triumph for Jackson until he proves himself.
Wainwright
You make assertions, and I don’t think this one is right. Of course Trotter should listen to McCarten as he listens across the spectrum.
Also he will sometimes do a scenario piece of what might happen which doesn’t follow from an embedded viewpoint. So he can surprise, seem certainly left, centre, or right in particular posts.
I hope your ideas are not too embedded to enable you to correctly judge and make your pronouncements. Anyone who is absolutely certain they are correct all the time is someone to be wary of. I hope you aren’t here just to affirm your preconceptions.
Tha’ts a very nice little lecture, grey. Doesn’t cahnge the fact Chris has been talking complete bollocks for years, changes his spots on a weekly basis to try to look relevant, and gets all his good gossip from the Galbraith’s happy hour crew. If you want to give anyone a growling for ’embedded ideas’ why not Jenny, whose idea of ‘accuracy’ is based on ‘things that Jenny agrees with because she thinks th eLabour Party never does any wrong’?
Thank goodness that chris Trotter does try on different coats, think around his subjects, or we would get the same old thinking and assertions all the time from people whose minds have rusted over.
Chris Trotter has regularly been critical of Labour in recent years, and he doesn’t get “fed” lines. He’s not a favourite commenter of mine, but in this case I think he’s got a point. Labour’s list is actually pretty damn impressive and Little has shown some canny judgement in terms of Jackson. I admit that I was somewhat taken aback when his candidacy was announced, but then I’m not one of the people who’s being targeted by this move and I do acknowledge that Jackson would have added considerably to the Māori Party’s fire-power.
Canny judgment? You mean pissing off a helluva lot of people when he announced Jackson would be at the top of the list, then pissing of Jackson by not putting him at the top of the list? Those headlines have been great for Labour. And once again the hard work and loyalty of actual Maori MPs gets shafted for one of McCarten’s old Alliance buddies. You guys aren’t selling this very well.
Actuall link
James doesn’t like the fact that Andrew Little speaks with integrity and honesty and it worries him that people might just start analysing WHAT is being said instead of THE WAY it is said. The performing snake oil salesman has vanished without trace and people are starting to wake up that he was simply an illusionist. People also see how Trump got voted in the US and that entertaining attention-seeking is not the defining quality for a good leader.
Seems to work for the RWNJs who really don’t seem to read up on what policies will actually do and just go on the shallow, feel good sound bites of such leaders.
LIttle is boring. Sure.
But I try the Prime Minister test:
Little will be a more just and inclusive Prime Minister than Bill English.
Little will also be braver, less technocratic Prime Minister, because the expectations and momentum are so high upon him.
Even after his first term, I’m also confident of this: Andrew Little will not lie.
Put “will not lie” in a sentence with Bill English and you will choke on your Weetbix.
And as Prime Minister, LIttle will have earned it not inherited it.
I could not say that of Bill English. Which is why I already respect Little more.
Andrew Little takes his role seriously, unlike John Key, who wanted to be a creepy clown half the time. So Andrew Little is not going to be all jokey about important issues facing the country. He is true to himself.
Bill English – not exactly oozing charm and personality, if that is what you are looking for James. Have you been taking notes on how the operatives from Dirty Politics went about their “work”? Horrible people – who would want them as a friend, neighbour, relative?
The problem I have with Little is that he seems to have poor judgement. From time to time he opens his mouth and weird stuff comes out, without apparently having passed through his brain en route. I regard this as a problematic quality in a PM.
I’m sure he’s a good dude and is sincere and hard working.
A.
It appears to be good enough for POTUS and let’s not even go to the obfuscating language and semantic back flips by John Key, for example. But obviously it is o.k. to have double standards for some but not for others …
Sure, Andrew Little and the Labour Party good do better in the PR department, etc., but what really counts is the policies and what they actually achieve once in Government.
I wasn’t defending Trump!!
A while back there was a post about a woman who was being released from jail on compassionate grounds due to cancer.
If I think back – I may have been in the “do the crime – do the time” camp.
Well she’s in the press again with her final interview.
Its sobering reading – having read it – I have no doubt that my original view of the situation was wrong and that the right decision was made for this lady. You couldn’t wish this on anybody.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/national/health/92290197/allowed-home-from-prison-to-spend-her-last-days-with-her-family-vicki-letele-gives-her-final-interview
That’s the trouble with you righties. You can’t recognise a true story when you see it. Everything is coloured by your tunnel-visioned view of anyone who isn’t the same as yourselves, or who have made some mistakes in their past life. They are to be punished for the rest of their lives.
I will give you full credit though for having the nous to fess up you were wrong.
If you think those views are exclusively for righties – you would be wrong. There are plenty of lefties that think that way as well.
But hey – everyone needs to step back and revisit their positions from time to time.
Sorry James. I worded that very badly. You are correct. There are things where people from both sides can be in full agreement. In fact you left a comment yesterday (or the day before) that I thought was reasonable and fair.
My response was more an observation of right- wingers in general which many commentators here have noted before. It’ll try to be less hasty and more careful in future.
Anne – I wouldn’t be too apologetic.
It is of course excellent that James has changed his mind in this case and he should be congratulated for it wholeheartedly.
However his propensity to make the mistake in the first place is still a valid and very interesting area of discussion.
Anne -And comments like these just brass me off, ungracious, spiteful and condescending. I am a green voter and leaning more to the left than the right but by god, if that is what the left represents, good ridden’s.
Identity politics vs we are simply all individuals, Condescending attitude and some sort of morale superiority is common amoung hard lefties and it is why they alienate the masses They absolutely loose it when such is highlighted or the artifice of their beliefs are challenged and contradictions are high lighted
I mostly see such vile behaviour from the RWNJs. They really, really don’t like it when their beliefs are not only challenged but proved wrong. Still, they won’t change their beliefs.
Really ? Because you are replying to a thread that is exactly the opposite to what you just said.
Yes, really.
And this thread is mostly Anne being corrected by others on the left and Anne apologising for her initial comment.
On the other hand, over the last ten years on this board, I’ve seen the RWNJs get really brassed off and swing to ad hominem attacks when their beliefs are challenged but I’ve very rarely seen that from those on the Left.
your Selective bias is very strong DB if you believe that
One thing I’ve noticed is the truth of what (IIRC) George Hendry once pointed out: that you can always tell what right wingers intend, by listening to accusations they level at others.
Anyhow, you have some putting up or shutting up to do. When you fail to put up, your total lack of personal responsibility means you won’t even have the guts to admit it.
I don’t have a selective bias but the RWNJs engage in projection quite liberally. As OAB points out RWNJs almost universally.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/4/16/1083830/-Republican-Politics-of-Projection
book page
http://prospect.org/article/projection-party
And the list goes on and on.
Me- “I have no doubt that my original view of the situation was wrong”
You. “They really, really don’t like it when their beliefs are not only challenged but proved wrong. Still, they won’t change their beliefs”
I think that perfectly sums you up – stating something as a fact- even in reply to a comment that proves you wrong.
I wasn’t responding to what you said but what Red said and a single point of data does not make a statistic.
@ Draco T Bastard 12:29 pm:
I don’t want to be pedantic but “Anne being corrected by others on the left” is very different from what actually happened, which is that Anne ‘corrected’ herself. The first is the moralistic and patronising arrogance that often rubs many people the wrong way. The second is a person realising the consequence of her actions not aligning well with who she is and taking responsibility for that – I applaud her.
sadly i agree with Red here. and don’t have a lot of hope that those responsible will own this.
Some examples
Science yes accept but not when contrary to left ideology, ie degree of impact and response to climate change, abortion, LGBT debate, identity politics
economics, Venezuela, North Korea, history of Soviet Union, abject failure of closed economies and socialism in the 20th century doesn’t count as does not fit the left narrative, oh but it works in Scandinavia, under very unique circumstances however let’s ignore the balance of overwhelming evidence
selected morality, the left dancers on the graves of pike river for political expediency, Dirty politics is only dirty if the other guys do it
Many more but you get my gist
Sure I do: it’s a pack of lies. Unless of course you can find some examples of anyone defending Venezuelan economic policies, or North Korean anything, or rejoicing at Pike River deaths. Put up or shut up.
The fact is the NZ left has always run this economy better than the right. You can’t handle that fact so you drivel on about the USSR.
As for condescending attitudes and superiority, calling dead children “feral” is a pretty good example, and so is almost everything that oozes out of Gerry Brownlee.
An emotiional response OAB, exactly my point when lefts contradictions are highlighted and beliefs are challenged
Can’t find any examples eh. You made assertions of fact that you cannot support, and when challenged to do so, you failed.
Do you disagree that calling people “feral” is an example of a condescending superior attitude? Can’t you defend your spiritual leader?
Some things are simply self evident OAB, ie socialism has been adject failure from a logic, evidence and competing alternate system basis, You can choose to accept this or not, your a prisoner of your own anger so I don’t believe anything will change your mind, likewise not really wanting to get into a personal abuse session with you where such debates normally go Saying that i respect your right for you to give your views but not necessarily agree with or how you express them which I feel is counter to you and the left cause in winning hearts and minds
So you think that NZ was an abject failure before 1984?
Yawn Red.
I’m a social democrat. As such, I have no need to defend myself against your mis-aimed shots: they are off target.
You can’t meet the challenge I gave you, and cannot admit that. Thanks for making my point.
And yet the scientific evidence shows the exact opposite. The most prosperous time the world has ever seen was between ~1945 and the ~1970s under huge socialism and building environmentalism.
On the other hand, under capitalism we’re seeing increasing poverty and environmental degradation. In fact, the last 5000 years shows that capitalism like societies always collapse due to the rich always demanding more and preventing the poor from having anything.
And there’s more of that psychological projection that RWNJs compulsively engage in when their beliefs are proved wrong.
Red’s argument is so poewrful he doesn’t have to justify it! Classic righties.
“The fact is the NZ left has always run this economy better than the right. You can’t handle that fact so you drivel on about the USSR.”
eeeeekkkk ! where did that come from,
Where were you during Rogernomics?
Where were you when this happened (wikipedia)
“On 12 March 2004, Minister of Conservation Chris Carter approved the access arrangement for Pike River Coal Ltd”
Arguably Rogernomics wasn’t left wing 😉
I said “better than the right”. Not “well”.
And yet it’s the RWNJs that are disagreeing with what the science says because they need to keep the Ponzi Scheme that is capitalism going.
I haven’t seen anyone on the Left call for a closed economy. Even I haven’t done that but I have pointed out that free-market should result in limited trade because trade is more expensive, in real terms, than each country producing what it uses.
It wasn’t the Left that promised to go get them and then reneged on that promise and lied about the reasons. the RWNJs don’t have any morality or ethics.
You find yourself feeling empathy.
And doesn’t Vicki herself display it well in the article:
“…”But I think things need to be re-looked at when you’re given a time frame on your life … It’s not a life sentence.”
She was also concerned other inmates faced with life-threatening conditions might not get the chance she had to go home to their family, because they don’t have the same support she received from her well-known brother, professional boxer David “Brown Buttabean” Letele and the public he rallied….
Compassion is impossible to measure but often easier to spot although sometimes it is seen as ‘being soft’ or a sign of ‘weakness’.
Many studies have shown that empathy and compassion can be learned.
NB this is a response to your comment, not to you personally.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Have to agree with Winston on this. Have a relative in hospitality for 8 years at the same job. The firm has changed ownership and he’s been told to sign a zero hour contract (which I thought was banned). So many of the hospitality jobs are not real or sustainable jobs. The power balance is wrong in this industry and the NZ taxpayer has to subsidise all these hospitality workers on minimum wages and zero hour contracts with WINZ, Health, social services. Meanwhile real hospitality businesses are going under because there are so many fake ones competing against each other on each corner and most of them half empty.
Like 3rd rate private education providers, hospitality has the side industry of supplying work and residency visas to people as the real goal.
“Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”.”
“If there is a shortage, Mr Peters says it can be filled by the 92,000 young people not in education, training or employment, and the 130,000 currently unemployed.”
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2017/05/worker-shortage-alternative-facts-winston-peters.html
God! I’m agreeing with Winston on this one.
saveNZ – I saw the other day a program about recruitment of mercenaries and the business model designed to squeeze the wages – race to the bottom policies.
This has created child soldiers.
Is the same “model” applied in our service industries, just replace child with immigrant.
“Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”.”
I’m skeptical about those claims myself. My daughter does ten hours a week at Dominos – she tells me they’re advertising for staff even though they just hired four people. It’s a mystery to her, but not to me, having done rostered part-time work before: rostering staff gets so much easier when you have a large pool of workers available, and it also means you can give them fewer hours than they’d like, which fosters a healthy (for the employer’s profits) sense of competition among the staff for increased hours. Why we as a society would want to encourage and facilitate that practice is beyond me (it’s clear enough why National and its donors would want us to, but what about the rest of us?).
> “Winston Peters has rubbished claims New Zealand needs another 200,000 workers in the service industry as “alternative facts”. If there is a shortage, Mr Peters says it can be filled by the 92,000 young people not in education, training or employment, and the 130,000 currently unemployed.”
That’s going to do wonders for the level of service
A.
If you have the time a awesome interview with film maker Alex Winter. A real nice deconstruction of the trial and punishment of Ross Ulbricht.
Re the French election which is about to take place. It looks similar to the American election….. neither candidate is suitable.
The best one-liner I have seen was from Le Pen who said France will get a woman leader, either herself or Angela Merkel. Good one!
Whats wrong with Macron?
On any objective measure he is a very impressive candidate. Sure he has not run for elective office before. But he has been a Minister in government. He also has one of the most impressive academic and intellectual records seen in recent years among presidential candidates.
Couple that withe amazing chutzpah to even stand in the circumstances, then he could be quite an extraordinary president. Or not.
Not !
Corporate finance plant, IMHO
It’s a good sign that Macron in France is considered as toxic by the hard left and much as the hard right. Both extremes in recent European and UK elections have been shown to be as divisive and unable to govern as each other.
I think the result won’t be as big a winning gap as one might hope – maybe 57% Macron to 43% Le Pen. So it’s another very clear warning to the Brussels bureaucrats to reform – hard and fast and big.
And with zero Parliamentary friends Macron has yet to build a machine and win. That means he is going to have to be an astonishingly good coalition-builder.
But he’s fresh, young, bright, and supports the broader collective called Europe.
It’s all to play for.
Macron supports war, privatisation, deregulation and austerity. At best, the French will probably get a continuation of Hollandism.
How about listing his actual policies instead. Here’s a few:
– The CICE tax credit system for firms would be converted into permanent payroll tax breaks for low-wage workers.
– Low-wage earners would be exempted from certain social welfare levies, a measure that would put an extra month’s wage per year in the employee’s pocket.
– 15 billion on energy/environment targets: exit within 5 years from coal-based energy production, shift towards alternative, renewable energy sources, rise in carbon tax.
– 5 billion euros on health sector, including better reimbursement of glasses, dentures and hearing aids, plus move away from wasteful medicine packages that contain more pills than a patient needs.
– State subsidy of 15,000 euros over 3 years for firms that hire people in 200 low-income neighborhoods.
– Halve number of early primary school pupils to 12 per class in 12,000 low-income zones, with teachers given a bonus of 3,000 euros a year to work in such areas.
All of which outflank on the left the UK, Australian or NZ Labour Parties.
You missed the one he introduced to parliament Ad.
The anti-strike law
And the his support of and possible drafting of the state of emergency act (against terrorists) which has curtailed rights in France for the last year.
But sure, keep going with he is a good guy. Don’t listen to the unions and social democrat’s within France. They all far left in your opinion now?
I’ve been thinking about it, and i reckon Bill’s right. We need to bring liberalism down – in NZ!
https://thestandard.org.nz/liberalism-and-the-left/
We’ve got a choice between two evils too – one greate rand one lesser. Labour stands for “budget responsibility” and slashing immigration and tinkering at the edges of the tax system. Same old neolib stuff. Liberals everywhere are demanding voters put two ticks next to Labour. But does it stack up? Is it the only game in town?
NO, friends. There’s a third way! The crucial bit people miss is the hyping of a fourth term National government. Same as how Trumnp was attacked as a scary rightwing nightmare in the US, and he’s only just eradicated healthcare for millions of people.
So maybe if you happen to be a true leftwing New Zealander, have a vote and want liberalism ended to create the space for the beginnings of a decent society, then cast some form of tactical vote for The Act Party.
They’ll only get two or three members from a total of 121 in Parliament and support National. It would look like a one-term, lame duck Government, as opposed to a powerful LIttle Prime Ministership enjoing support from across the political spectrum.
Under National/Act, media will (for some reason) not attack the left any more, so we’ll have space to breathe while neoliberalism (for some reason) fades away. And we can doo all that agitating and organising stuff too.
But like Bill said, it’s maybe for the best if you don’t bother yourself by thinking about it. It’s probably safer and easier to just keep following instructions, and inventing strategies for people on the other side of the world whose election results won’t actually effect you.
(This comment is obviously satire)
Ridding NZ of liberalism – even simply replacing it with social democratic governance -would be a good thing Wainwright, right?
In Scotland, there was an opening that was taken. In England and Wales there’s a possibility that is being diminished. In France there’s a small window of opportunity.
And satire, unlike what you’ve written, is intelligent and cutting.
Interesting you didn’t engage with the real point: if it’s so good for the left to vote in a hostile rightwing government in France, why not here? But in my experience your MO is always to assume anyone who doesn’t agree with you is stupid.
Riding NZ of neoliberalism is probably supported by most people here. It’s the strategy that is in contention.
What strategy is there in NZ for ridding it of this political and economic cancer that you’d rather not see called liberalism? I don’t see any strategy – there is no opening or opportune set of circumstances in NZ at the moment that a strategy could be applied to.
I don’t think there is much in the way of useful strategy being discussed in NZ. As you know, my own position is that we hold as much of a left wing line as we can in the meantime. I’m open to radical change and would be interested in things that have some chance of working. But I also think that traditional ideas about that are problematic because we are running out of time re CC. I think CC will be the revolution of our lifetime and we’d best be ready for the tipping point.
I see Jane Kelsey is giving a lecture on Beyond Neoliberalism next week. I don’t know if it’s being recorded.
I do think the time is ripe for discussions about strategies, because there is enough in the mainstream now about how neoliberalism has failed that there is an opportunity to influence the debate about what we should do instead.
Bill’s post (and others advocating this approach) seemed to be largely predicated on a post-election activist movement accompanying the strategy of voting right, but I just don’t see that activist movement and consider the strategy reckless in its absence. If such an activist movement is possible at this time why isn’t it happening already?
I have tried to address this and twice submitted a Guest Post – most recent attempt yesterday afternoon – but the ‘lines are busy’ …
shall I email you and you can submit it via me?
Have just seen it and cut and pasted t the back end for someone to work on. I don’t have any time in coming days.
ok, I’ve picked it up. Incognito, it should go up in the morning, thanks!
I don’t have access to the original email, what is footnote 2?
Oops. Have dropped both footnotes on bottom.
still can’t see them.
@ weka,
If it is of any help I can e-mail it directly to you but then I’ll need your e-mail address 😉
Thanks in advance!
I’ve emailed you 🙂
Done and formatted.
Ta
Bill’s post was predicated on the existence of a very specific set of circumstances existing in a specific location – ie, France.
Fair enough. Do you think France has a chance at the right political movement to effect useful change then?
I think if “the left” had the organisational capacity of ‘yesteryear’ to communicate across its various facets, it could have taken a reasonable punt on the Presidency front.
The piece was supposed to be descriptive rather than prescriptive – highlighting possible openings.
Perhaps La France insoumise (Mélenchon’s party) can make significant inroads in the up coming National Assembly elections.
Regardless, for reasons I stated in the post, I think opposing Macron’s upcoming austerity is going far more problematic than tackling a ‘lame duck’ Le Pen.
“Liam Dann: Why I hate politics”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11849862
I cannot tell whether this is sarcasm or satire or both, with a light sprinkling of hypocrisy.
Mr Dann wants to have his (quiet) life back and do just (!) business without the distractions of politics and all its machinations.
Satire, surely …
Here’s my reply to Mr Dann’s commiserations:
Incognito
Thanks for that delicious titbit. Dann’s definitely a bit of a twit! All this head thrashing, it’s bad, boring news. Probably the bored and the restless got tired of watching Vesuvius erupt after a while, if they felt they were safely distanced. Let’s look at kittens.
And for anyone wanting a light cute animal experience that leaves you feeling warm and happy for a minute I give you prairie dogs.
(http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/wild-kingdom/videos/prairie-dogs-sound-the-alarm/ – coyote
and
(http://dailymotion.nz/watch/p0ZG8YpQAUA/brave-prairie-dog-confronts-snake-north-america.html – snake
If we get a Labour-Green win I will happily jump up and down and fall over too.
Watched Q+A this morning and was very impressed by brilliant young woman
standing for Labour, Kiri Allan, you are a star. Looking forward to seeing you in the house later this year.
James James James has plenty to say, that is important.
He makes me think of AAMilne’s James James Robinson Robinson Weatherby George Dupree.
Lots of repetition with James, and self-importance – though he was only three.
James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James Said to his Mother,
“Mother,” he said, said he;
“You must never go down
to the end of the town,
if you don’t go down with me.”
https://allpoetry.com/Disobedience
Unfortunately TS commenters are a wandering lot in their search for Truth, Fairness and Decent Housing etc. So James, you can’t be blamed if you go somewhere else to play.
It’s ok. I like it here.
Yes a secure place for a 3 year old going on 43. Wise decision until you get a better idea, or just an idea.
.
Lots, apparently.
President Donald Trump signaled Friday that he may not implement a 25-year-old federal program that helps historically black colleges finance construction projects on their campuses, suggesting that it may run afoul of the Constitution.
In a signing statement on the $1.1 trillion omnibus government spending bill, Trump singled out the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program as an example of provisions in the funding bill “that allocate benefits on the basis of race, ethnicity, and gender.”
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/05/trump-historically-black-colleges-financing-unconstitutional-238061
Not Black but White….. whatever that means… Trumped maybe…
http://gcaptain.com/trumps-arctic-drill-plan-challenged-environmental-groups/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gcaptain+%28gCaptain.com%29
It’s ok Joe, I hear Trump isn’t really going to be that bad it’s just a beat-up by the Hillary-loving media, just like Assad using sarin on kids. Wikileaks has the truth, just ignore the fact they haven’t leaked anything which didn’t serve Russian interests for years. Don’t buy into the liberal conspiracy!!! 🙄
Hopefully the disaster for Labour in the UK is not an pointer for their parliamentary elections.
If nothing else it should wake the Left to what could happen if they don’t get out and vote, hopefully this will be a real energiser for those who tend to not bother to vote.
Interesting times eh!
I think we have to acknowledge that it probably is an indicator of the likely result in the upcoming general election, Ray. Labour in the UK is tearing itself apart, and unlike many others on this thread, I don’t blame just the parliamentary caucus or the supposed neo-liberals amongst its ranks: everyone is part of the same party and all must share the blame if they’re not managing to discuss their differences and then agree to a common approach and set of policies. I include Corbyn and his fans: they have to take their share of the blame. This election is going to be a rout and I doubt Corbyn will survive as leader (although who would want to step up in this situation is a pretty big question).
True to some degree. If one side isn’t willing to talk and goes straight to the MSM with their BS then who’s fault is it?
The membership will determine that. (Corbyn’s continued leadership)
Only ooption for Corbyn and his fans was to not elect Corbyn leader because the neolibs were always willing to sink the party rather than grow spines and demonstrate real principle. How do you compromise with terrorists?
Was a bit disquieting this morning to read that the Orange Order has won seats in Scotland by way of the Tory Party. Don’t think I can overstate the fuck-edness of that.
Run that alongside the UKIP vote folding into the Tory vote south of the border…
You’d think msm might pick up on that and scream blue murder, yes? Nah. Keep to the plan of dragging down Corbyn.
Glad I don’t live there anymore.
That is depressing news, Bill. Just when I thought the sectarianism in Scotland was starting to decline. (My partner is Scottish – grew up in a Catholic town in Ayrshire)
When the public rebels against unfair taxation, governments can change.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/92207613/kiwisavers-harshly-taxed-compared-to-property-investors-book-claims
‘NZ’s wealthiest UK-based citizens add millions to their fortunes’
The events of the 1980s were most beneficial to these people.
Gibbs.
Myers
Richwhite
Watson
To call them Zealanders is a bit of a stretch. The 0.01% owe allegiance to no society but themselves.
Many would describe these vulture capitalists in ungenerous terms. Stuff does not because it is owned by another billionaire.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/92309942/never-mind-the-brexit-new-zealands-wealthiest-ukbased-citizens-add-hundreds-of-millions-to-their-fortunes
The NZ oligarchs of the 1980’s Gibbs, Fay Richwhite, Brierly and Fletchers did particularly well out of the sale of State Assets and the systemic asset stripping of
NZ Inc. In hindsight our politicans were incredibly naive and shortsighted and quickly squandered any cash generated by the sale of these State Assets, also we as a country lost the revenue producing capacity of these assets to fund social services ?
In other countries, these people would not be knighted.
They would be tried.
For treason.
Some of our politicians may have been shortsighted and naive; others will not get such a generous report in history.
Does anyone know why this link goes to iCloud?
http://web.me.com/jane_kelsey/Jane/Welcome.html