Is Labour UK in for a leadership change. Rumours this morning are suggesting that Alan Johnson could be the one to replace Miliband. Looking at Johnson’s credentials would seem to indicate that he would be far better choice and at least he has the right background for a Labour Leader. Interesting times with a year to go to election.
Er, why would Labour change leader when they are set to win the next election outright*, even under the fairly hopeless Miliband? Johnson has been out in the wilderness for a couple of years and has expressly said he doesn’t want to return to the front benches in any capacity. Sounds like a right wing beat up to me.
*the polls have been less enthusiastic since the party conferences, but still have Labour within striking distance of outright victory. On the numbers the Tories would need to keep the coalition going and with the Lib Dem’s Vince Cable calling them liars overnight, that may not be a runner:
Mmmm well maybe this would help
Latest YouGov: 2pt Conservative lead (Con 36%, Lab 34%, LD 7%, Ukip 13%). Implies that Labour would be 13 seats short of a majority, with 313 seats to the Tories’ 299. Implied Lib Dem seats: 11
Er, why would Labour change leader when they are set to win the next election outright*, even under the fairly hopeless Miliband? Johnson has been out in the wilderness for a couple of years and has expressly said he doesn’t want to return to the front benches in any capacity. Sounds like a right wing beat up to me.
Johnson is a rightwing Blairite clown. He defended the use of torture at Guantanamo, sacked David Nutt for daring to tell the truth about drugs and he voted for the Iraq War. Just because he used to be a postman, don’t get all starry eyed about him.
Prepare for DP then Ron. The Conservatives will be building their attack blogs now and dishing dirt, they saw how it worked. Keys led the way for them. Shown them how to pull it off.
Expect leaks and bad press on anything Labour has done in the past.
I’ll get mum to keep me posted. I’m sure the election year in the UK will be as weird as this one was here.
Key holds all the cards. Promoting Paula Benefit was his way of taking focus off Collins as a potential leader.
Key has learned that Collins is an incurably nasty piece of work and that she is just too toxic to have near the levers of government. Key has some standards.
Is it just me who thinks Bennett is in the position she’s in, precisely because she knows ‘not a lot’, but will be a good, keen lieutenant or ‘go to’ person for those passing instructions to the minister of finance?
All those months spent in the US absorbing ‘correct thinking’…anyone remember the US institute she attended?
I think she thinks she knows a lot. She has cut a swathe through winz with her smiley outsterior and now is going to do the same to state housing.
I think she is dangerous…
Remember when cornered on cabinet club? She was a possum briefly as though she couldnt remember if it were a secret or not? Then she went to the taught default position of the Nats. She lied.
Be under no illusion, these folks are being extensively trained… Clones all…
Yea, I agree with you. No doubt at all that she’s a cunning wee shite. And dangerous. I was focusing on her (lack of) ability to think critically rather than on her (very honed) ‘street smarts’. A perfect lieutenant.
Like key she will be well trained… She doesnt need to “know” anything, just how to smile, make a joke and lie. She is well on the way to heading the nats
last night i was thinking of Spartacus with Kirk Douglas and thought to myself why doesn’t everyone, if we could persuade them go to the police and say we are Rawshark. Oh the gears would grind to a halt then wouldn’t they.
You could probably google all the institutes that accept people with a GPA<0.8 and get a fair idea. She's been promoted because she is hopelessly in love with Key, devoted to the cult of Key, and too stupid to do anything except mouth slogans.
In a blog post last night, Slater said Hager was the recipient of stolen information and it would be difficult for him to claim journalistic endeavours.
“Journalists call people they write stories about. Journalists give people a right of reply. Journalists tell the whole story, not massaged narratives that suit their politics.
“If my emails were in the public interest to publish then his sources are public interest too. It must cut both ways.”
So Maggie Barry’s only qualifications for the position of Conservation Minister is a one year diploma in horticulture from Lincoln and a gardening show. A very poor appointment imo. Apart from which, anyone who ever heard her ramblings on radio would know she isn’t particularly blessed in the brains department.
I saw her at an election debate on public broadcasting a month or so ago. She not only is very light weight intellectually, but she seems to have an an inflated senses of her own abilities, and a bit of a bullying demeanour.
Fits right in with the likes of Collins, Brownlee, Paula Bennett, etc…. although at least one of these 3 demonstrates more bran power than Barry.
Relatively is a word which requires comparison to something. Relative to two short planks, Brownlee and Bennett may be intelligent. Relative to the kea, our lovely problem solving mountain parrot, they are not. They cause problems. They spout slogans, and when that doesn’t work, they get nasty. I find it interesting that both of them have been reported as using violence against members of the public.
Dont get eon scarrow started on ms barry… According to him she was a foul mouthed woman off camera who treated the crew like slaves… Cue camera… Smile.
I don’t expect ministers to have university qualifications in the brief they manage. The department that they oversee is there to provide expert advice and competent management.
I do expect them to have demonstrated that they have a vision for the future and the skills to turn that vision into a reality.
There are upsides and downsides to a weak minister. On one hand the senior team at the department can get on with their own vision without the encumbrance of an unsympathetic minister. On the other hand the Treasury can kill a department plans if the minister is not strong enough to fight at the cabinet table.
Are there any newly appointed MEN in Key’s team that you would like to slag for being under qualified?
Ok, you are right from that POV.
This government will slowly destroy the caring, decent and fair NZ that we know and will work to enhance the wealthy and the corporates, the true beneficiaries of our nation that suck and siphon money from everywhere and everyone, increasing inequality and misery….And then they have the audacity to tell the poor, the less wealthy and the ordinary people what is wrong with us!
Are there any newly appointed MEN in Key’s team that you would like to slag for being under qualified?
None that I’ve listened to extensively enough to form an opinion as to their apparent intelligence. A bias I do have though is that conservation is important to me and I’d rather see a person with a bare minimum of a science degree be appointed to this position over one who has, in recent times merely been responsible for asking patsy questions in parliament.
Bill english pretends to be a farmer but he is a university qualified career bureaucrat, cossetted his working life in the public service… No calls from the right for him to have some experience in the real world…
University qualifications are not necessarily an indication of brain power, and some with no formal qualifications are very smart.
Barry presents as an intellectual light weight.
Brownle never seemed to me to be that smart – Julie Ann Genter has run rings around him on many occasions. It may be an indication of mental laziness on Brownlee’s part – he may have untapped latent brain power.
NEW men in the cabinet is a hard ask – Key seems to have focused on some window dressing by promoting a few women.
The Gender-Gap in voting persists. While Men are now fairly-strongly (though by no means overwhelmingly) Right-leaning, Women remain pretty evenly-divided between Left and Right / Opposition and Government, albeit perhaps slightly favouring the Right by the smallest of margins this Election.
Presumably this Cabinet reshuffle aims, in part, to make further in-roads into the female demographic (or to further consolidate / reinforce those women who have already swung Right since 2005).
Mmm,you got me thinking.I was going to ask CV aka Colonial rawshark,three pieces an a coke,but swordfish.Is it partially cooked with mustard seed and lime juice.All smilies,must have a bit of humour.
Never been to Uni didn’t finish high school, had a psychologist prep me for Chemo and help me through depression. She tested me and said I had an IQ of 160+
I’ve met Uni qualified IT people who were completely crap.
For example we had one guy come in and started sticking in disks and running diagnostics. But we all new the screen was freezing but the caps locks was functioning on the keyboard and that’s usually indicates the graphics card.
Some intelligent people just don’t get their kicks from a piece of paper that says they know about something.
The Federated Farmers took every opportunity to attack Labour’s policies before the election, from memory they may have also attacked Labour’s monetary policy which could have lowered the kiwi $ leading to better returns. Well it turns out that they were receiving funding from the Nats, at the same time as vocally attacking their opponents…more dodgy stuff from the Nats.
Labour didn’t have it together, the Greens were lacklustre in their campaign.
The Left fractured into little itty bitty parties who did not want to seem to work together and 1.2M or so NZers decided to stay at home (for 2 weeks) instead of voting.
Funding Fed Farmers makes no difference as they were never going to support anyone else than National. If Labour were in Govt though, Labour would never support its friends in a similar way.
What nonsense are you talking? Labour said they would be happy to be in coalition with the Greens and NZF. They ruled out cabinet positions for IMP but did not rule out accepting their support.
The only parties Labour would not deal with at all would be the RW parties, National, ACT and the CONS.
That would be a very interesting ecosystem indeed, and would engage a lot of creativity and energy at the local and regional level as well. It would liven up the left at the grassroots and rebuild community involvement in left leaning activities.
BUT both the Greens and Labour have strong tendencies towards the centralisation of authority and power to Wellington. And the very tight control of budgets and funding year to year including requiring any bodies who are funded to expend a massive amount of time and energy jumping over hoops to get funding in the first place, and keeping that funding going forward.
My conclusion is that neither the Greens nor Labour are really culturally prepared to support and promote an NGO ecosystem as you suggest, despite its many merits.
‘@ Colonial Viper 7 2 1The
‘The Left aren’t clever or capable enough’ – more c’s they aren’t – committed, to the country. But if the combined cronyism can cease, then a creation of the old Labour pragmatism, spirit and determination will wipe the bad c’s away. Less theories, ideologies and feelings, more solid service to the people and good outcomes.
edited
So our national (party) rugby team lost to South Africa on the weekend. Perhaps this was due to their bad karma. I’ve always been a supporter of the All Blacks but I see them as politically compromised after the Rugby News cover with John Key dressed as an All Black just before the election and illegal tweets urging people to vote National on election day by Israel Dagg and Jonah Lomu.
Yep, Left tactical and strategic UNITY would have done it easily.
Now speaking of unity where are Nicky Hager’s scribe brothers and sisters?
Dear Leader is intimidating those that exercise free speech.
If the weasel so called journos at the Herald and Stuff can’t even support him in some way publicly it is past time to abandon all hope for them.
I’ve been an All Black fan for 40 years. Now that they have allowed themselves to be politically high jacked and have nailed their colours to the mast I hope they lose every match from here to eternity.
Luckily I never have been a rugby fan whilst not unaware of rugby, it is not sport unless it involves an engine for me. Had a ’65 Springbok tour sticker on my schoolbag because they were handed out at school in those days.
’81 Tour vet, from outside the grounds of course. So I rather enjoy it when the ABs lose. In 1999 up North you would think the whole Royal Family had been dispatched or something.
After Key’s Rugby News cover I felt a line had been crossed though. Not just for the anti rugby minority like me but felt maybe some others would get what he had done.
I stopped watching ABs matches since the Rugby News-John Key cover.
Got plenty of other things to do with my time. Rugby, and most televised sport has been captured by corporate interests in recent decades. Who needs it?
I too have lost some respect for the AB, just as I have for the NATS.
How stupid of the ABs to endorse Key and NATS when half the country is against this government? The team should be non partisan and be for the entire country. One would think that the ABs would not be so very thick as not to understand that fact!
I think a common problem for New Zealanders is that they find it hard to put themselves in the position of others. I think this is in part because New Zealanders have not had to suffer the hardships that many others have. For example, does Israel Dagg have even the slightest notion what it is like to have a squad of policemen ransack his house for ten hours.This is what the leader and government he wanted us to vote for does to its enemies. Does Dagg lack all abilities for empathy and intellectual analysis. Is he (and Jonah) a man or just a boy in a man’s body.
Dagg’s father said they’d named him after the State of Israel because of its apparent “staunchness” against aggressive enemies. So, we’re not necessarily dealing here with the brightest or most enlightened geezers in the world.
‘It is hard to know the validity of your ideas as you have not given any dollar figures be it for the UBI or the tax takes. Isn’t it a little strange/silly/unfair to give the UBI to say, a millionaire? Will the amount raised based on the taxes you propose be enough to provide the services to the people and the country? Would be interesting to read an article from you that includes some actual fiscal details and any possible good or bad consequences of the ideas proposed.’
Going to have to read that but a quick skim indicates that he’s wrong:
1. It wasn’t the market that made us rich but a hell of a lot of protection against the market and NZers building a better NZ using our own skills and resources
2. High taxation on the rich isn’t just there to raise money but to also encourage people not to reach for to high an income (We cannot afford the rich)
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10.2.1
Your last point is critical – it is there to direct peoples motivations to sources of reward other than just making ever bigger $$$. Like contribution to society, development of community standing and respect, philanthropic and volunteer endeavours.
We’ve discussed this before – but I am quite fine with a 79% income tax rate set at a threshold of 10x the median full time wage (~$44K pa).
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 10.2.2.1
There’s a real easy way to avoid a high tax rate – don’t expect or demand too much income.
What we’ve seen over the last thirty years of neo-liberalism is that the rich keep taking more and more while saying that we can’t afford small increases to the poor. This has resulted in a few people using up vast amount of resources for little or no gain to the country.
After reading the “On Naval gazing” comments I figured that a lot of folk around here think that there is. I read that in a UK context originally & wondered if it actually translates to NZ.
On here the Nats get called Torys, and theres talk of the working class, but it seems to me that there arent a vast collection of folk out there in the real world who identify with those terms.
Down here in Chch, the tradies are doing well and not just in the building trades. The place is infested with new double cab utes that, at weekends have trail bikes etc on the back heading for some fossil fueled fun somewhere. The automotive repair workshops are busy fixing stuff, the Warehouse car park is chokka at the weekend, the supermarkets are full of people buying food (and liquor) and the bars are busy in the evenings.
So Im not seeing the “working people” struggling too much at the moment. To me, it seems that neither Labour nor the Greens had a message worthy of their attention.
I recognise that the non working are struggling big time but lets be honest, they struggled during the last Labour lead government too, so Im not seeing this as a “working class war”
LH, ask yourself what you aren’t seeing. Those who are struggling may be invisible to you. You aren’t seeing call centre workers who work anti social hours, you aren’t seeing privately contracted care givers to the elderly who work the minimum wage and who do a really tough job, you aren’t seeing cleaners, ditto minimum wage who also work anti social hours. There’s another working world that missed out on the rebuilding boom. They’re not in the bars at night because they’re working and couldn’t afford it if they wanted to to.
As for the turnover the warehouse is doing. Ask yourself why people are buying cheap imported shit that is going to break the minute they get it home and why stores that sell good quality well made NZ items are closing down.
Life isn’t the same as it was up until 2008. our living costs have increased beyond out means. (have a look at Stephanie Rodgers post on what’s behind the figures) Life is good for some but not everyone.
Fair comment Rosie. But that just makes the “working poor” group way smaller, and therefore electorally less valuable to Labour.
In the past Labour represented the workers, and a bunch of them (certainly down here) are doing okay and dont see that they need the Labour party to work for their interests.
Labour message (whatever it actually is) doesnt seem to be aspirational for voters.
The working poor are a big chunk of our working population. I haven’t got time to dig out the figures – hopefully someone has this info at their fingertips and can provide or you can google it!
I agree Labour did once solidly represent workers, and remember the Labour party was formed on the back of times of great social political unrest, eg, the 1913 Great Strike. Then they started turning away from the workers and towards the bosses in the neo liberal revolution of the 80’s, paved the way for the ECA brought in by National in 1990 and Labour never went quite far enough when they repealed it and replaced it with the ERA in 2000.
BUT! They have come back to the workers. You may remember their pre election policy of increasing the minimum wage to $16.25 by April 2015, removing the 90 day act from the ERA and a plan to review the Act. They have been strongly opposed Nat’s Employment Relations Amendment Act, which will no doubt be rushed through before Xmas. Wait till you see the fall out from that. Workers won’t know what has hit them.
So anyone on the minimum wage and/or in precarious work who didn’t vote for Labour has unfortunately shot themselves in the foot. Hopefully the review that Labour are undertaking will pinpoint how and why they couldn’t reach this group of voters. IMO, it’s a tragedy these policies won’t seen within the next 3 years.
and lol, that word “aspirational”, it’s a Crosby Textor Tory word, think Paula Bennett. and her idealogical fantasies. Fairness is a more appropriate word.
Im surprised that Labour didnt push those policies harder during the electioneering period tho, as they would dovetail nicely with a cry out “for a fairer society”.
Unfortunately, Labour chose the cryout of “Vote Positive”
It looked to me as though Cunliffe successfully hobbled himself by being ‘nice’ and seeking to ‘please everyone’.
Somebody who’s standing for leader has to state they are seeking a mandate to rid the party of careerists and dead wood. Then they have to do it.
Question. Why weren’t the ‘old guard’ thrown so far down the list pre-election that communication would have been by way of carrier pigeons following a torch beam into the darkness?
All good points, and the bottom line is that the level of backbone, nerve and internal Labour Party political sway needed to carry out what you say, simply did not exist.
“Question. Why weren’t the ‘old guard’ thrown so far down the list pre-election that communication would have been by way of carrier pigeons following a torch beam into the darkness?”
Question. What mechanisms exist within Labour to do that, and who has the power to carry it out?
I’ve been asking these kinds of questions for some time. They’re rarely answered. You’re a Labour member, yeah? Can you phone your local LEC and find out?
I don’t know who, or what, decides list placings, what the process is, or what/if oversight exists. That was kind of why I asked the question.
the current system, very much simplified, goes something like this:
1) Each Labour Party region submits a ranked “regional list” to the powerful central list Moderating Committee.
2) This regional list ranking is determined earlier on via “Regional List Conferences” where list candidates stand and speak to present their personal case, and delegates from the various branches and LECs in the region vote on their ranking. (in Region 6 – all electorates Waitaki southwards, including – it is usual to only have 5 or 6 list candidates to be ranked on the regional list. In Region 1, there are usually dozens…)
3) The central Moderating Committee has tonnes of people on it. From the various Labour Party sectors, affiliates, NZ Council reps and more.
4) The ‘regional list rankings’ from each of the regions are the single most significant input into the Moderating Committee’s production of the Labour Party list ranking. As you can imagine however, a lot of heated discussion and horse trading goes on to produce the final party list.
5) It has become customary, since Helen Clark days, to rank sitting MPs higher up the list to help ensure that they always get back in.
In future steps to democratise the party’s constitution, ensure ongoing broad renewal, and give ordinary members more power over caucus, much of this is going to have to change.
Hi LH. I think “A fairer society” was The Greens catch cry. There were many good policies that got drowned in the noise of the daily anti Cunliffe tirade from the media, the Judith Collins saga and the Dirty Politics saga.
Again, hopefully the Labour party review of what went wrong will cast more light on why these essential policies didn’t reach the ears who needed to hear about them most.
I have been thinking for a couple of weeks that LP salvation might be in seeing its union connections as a strength to be built on rather than an embarassing uncle to “put up with”.
If union membership across NZ increased by 10% in the next three years what, if any, impact on the next election? I wonder how many LP MPs are prepared to work on the ground in this way over the next three years?
Traditionally the organised working class were in industrial based unions – factories etc. that were part of the manufacturing sector. A lot of them were based in the industrial north of England and in Scotland. That is where the strongest working class movement and politics remain.
NZ has never been highly industrialised. The low income struggling classes, including the precariat, are in other sorts of jobs (if/when they have jobs), as Rosie outlines. People in such precarious circumstances and jobs are not as easy to organise.
Do you think it is possible for the LP to strengthen its ties with unions, to work, on the ground, for the next few years educating workplaces, workforces on membership benefits as a way to connect back with non voters and those swayed by the rightist propaganda? Is it feasible? I am not talking about media engagement but mp and union engagement. ?. Get union membership up by 10% in the next three years:-)
To be fair to…me 😉 I don’t tend to use the term ‘Tory’ in relation to The National Party, preferring to reserve it for the British Conservative Party.
As for class war – well, it’s always going on. Whether workers are engaged or not is another question, and the visibility of it waxes and wanes through time.
And to pick up on something Karol mentioned.
What the hell is going on when Labour loses support in its traditional heartlands where it’s now mocked as the ‘Red Tories’, while it simultaneously struggles to win votes against a right wing – heh – Conservative government in England and Wales?
I just thought the scenario could be instructive or illustrative in relation to any future direction the NZ Labour Party chooses to take. It’s the closest I can see to something resembling a laboratory experiment for a social situation.
My take on the NZ Labour Party, in relation to the available info for the British Labour Party in Scotland, and in England and Wales, is that unless it promotes genuinely left wing social democratic policies (as the SNP in Scotland does), then it’s toast.
And visible class war isn’t necessary for that to be true.
Thanks Bill, I really wasnt picking on your comments per se regarding the “Torys”. There are many on here who use that term regularly.
So how do you rally folk to an invisible class war? Surely Labour need to campaign on the back of visible stuff or else it wont capture the minds and hearts of voters?
Parliamentary parties rarely, if ever, adequately engage in class war – in a Social Democracy, they seek to contain it.
The SNP didn’t, as far as I know, stoke the fires of class discontent. All they did was propose acceptable social democratic policies that resonated with peoples’ sense of fairness or decency. And they did that successfully and in spite of all the clap trap coming from the British Labour Party, the Conservatives, the City of London and who-ever else who routinely and predictably squeal “TINA!” (there is no alternative)
edit I believe the NZ Labour Party was on the right track with a whole host of its policies. Unfortunately it undid all the potential it was building with the retirement age and compulsory savings nonsense.
Comrades. Time to say ta ta for awhile. Time to get back into a healthy head space and recover from the shock and distress of 20th September. No doubt there’s going to be work to be done on the ground again over the next 3 years and that will require some effort. You need good stores of energy for community based activity.
Theres never a dull moment these days. Right now we’ve got Nicky Hager’s house being raided, new Ministers and The President Of NZ, Barack Obama directing from afar the administration of our SIS and GCSB and our involvement in war. Just considering this takes energy that I don’t have right now, and it’s never ending. What will happen next week!?
There’s so many fine authors and posters here that I’ll continue to read and may pop in from time to to time and for weekend social too. I just thought it would be rude to bugger off without saying goodbye. Big ups to all who make this blog such vital place to visit for political analysis and for the occasional bit of entertainment from posters.
Yes, all the best Rosie. Thanks so much for all your hard work. Also for your emotional intelligence and considered comments here in ts. We will be the worse off without you, but I wholeheartedly support you to find a healthy headspace and some recovery time.
Good for your Rosie. I am in much the same boat and have a sense of gloom about our political and social discourse. I am a bit worn by it and depressed at the thought of more of our environment being eaten, no solutions for those living in cars, low wage earners continuing to subsidise business, all out spying, a lying PM who is about to send us to war and expose us to threats, it goes on …
Having recently spent some time in other NZ locales I see plenty of people with their blinkers on, unable to see past their noses (or rather, their nose-ring by which they are guided), with scant thought given to political realities.
Things will get well worse yet before they get better.
I check the site out from time to time but have run out of energy for posting and blog battles. Priorities have been re-arranged. Only singular snipes from afar for now … see ya
@ vto and Rosie
Don’t go for long periods. Come in and say hello on the Weekend thing on Friday.
Drop off a recipe, the latest book we should read, a link to a good lecture. You both are stalwarts and those are needed. We need an injection of good positive thought and pointers to new stuff, reminders of old. So drop in won’t you there on Friday, even if you want to distance yourself from the endless torment of seeing a good country go to the dogs. And spend all the household money on mindless betting on them.
Bye for now, Rosie. I have enjoyed and agreed with your values and thoughtful posts.
Take care. I will look forward to your future posts when you can. Cheers!
Will miss you very much, Rosie. Nourish yourself and heal deeply; all of us here can hold firm the fortresses til your return ! Kia kaha, my internet sister.
Sorry to see you go Rosie. Your posts always gave me a bit of a lift, and in the increasingly dark times ahead we will need all the help we can get to counter the right wing propaganda.
Take care of yourself – hope to see you back here one day.
Thank you Karen. I think we’ll get there. We just need to recharge our batteries and re group. By the time 2017 comes we must make sure we do our best at what ever level we work at to prevent 9 years turning into 12 years.
Sorry folks, didn’t mean to turn this into a leaving do, where one of those big cards gets signed by all your workmates, in our case, Comrades.
You can’t fault the energy level put in by Laila Harre´but you can fault some of the decisions. Pam should not have been hired and Hone should have camped in Te Tai Tokerau for a month. Labour put a lot of heave into the West Auckland end of Te Tai Tokerau when I know for a fact other Labour electorates resourcing were a shambles.
The Roadtrips were effective though, but maybe counterproductive ultimately timewise.
IMP raised Mana’s party vote by 10,000 and beat Māori, Hairdo and ACT yet those three snakes get parliamentary reps.
But really left disunity was the deciding factor. IMP was an incredible ask and at least Mana Movement will continue. Community action is where it is at while group think rules amongst the grasping kiwis.
“we may not be able to defeat the swine, but WE don’t have to join them”
one of my main beefs..aside from a seeming total absence of strategy..nobody seemed to be doing the/any thinking..
..is how there was this insistance to stand candidates in ak electorates..
..i made myself quit unpopular arguing against this..
..positing that our limited resources would be scattered to the winds..and to little/no avail..
..and that our overall campaign wd suffer..
..and this is what happened…
..i argued for a fast-moving/cohesive campaign-team..able to move where needed in auckland..and focusing especially on the parts of auckland that were in hones’ electorate..
..and campaigning solely for the party vote here in the rest of ak,,..
..but like i say..all i did was tread on those toes that insisted their local profiles were so big they/mana cd not afford not to stand them as electorate candidates..
..their individual-results in those electorates made a lie of those claims..
..i am just concerned they won’t learn from those mistakes..
Corkery’s blowout, the “fuck john key video”, Hone’s car crash, infighting on policy, the unfair biased treatment from MSM, the moment of truth….there are so many reasons why what could have been a great IMP result slipped away….
At the end of the day (oops a Keyism) Nats 47 Lab/Green 36 can easily be turned around with a good campaign next time. It has taken only days for the rockstar economy to be proven a lie, and that was the bedrock of Nats 47.
KK You are sooo clever. How do you think up such brilliant contributions to debates?
We are overcome with anticipation for your next scholarly pronouncement.
Genetically related to Cameron are you?
( sarc)
Why are the media out to get Cunliffe. They are obviously afraid of him. They know that with another 1000 days till 2017 he can get the Labour Party fighting fit and ready to take over. We must support him.
I think he said that Cunliffe’s position ‘is untenable’ without explaining what exactly he meant.
I did feel that that remark was unnecessary, unwise and unfair to have been made by him, considering he was the deputy, a senior member and a caretaker, though I am not sure if he was already in that position.
Yes, Parker used the word “untenable” talking about Cunliffe’s position, and damaged him badly. Its could be confirmed by Andrew Little’s candidacy, which will draw support from the unions.
David Cunliffe made some significant errors as Labour Leader, but he is still the standout choice by a country mile. In terms of experience, credibility and having survived the absolute worst that the NAT dirty politics machine through at him.
There are definitely things he needs to do very differently, and the team of advisors he put around himself need a big shakeup and change around. And he needs to deliver big time, for his supporters who backed him on his message of a ‘real red Labour’ and that is the message he is getting now.
Cunliffe remains a very strong candidate in this leadership race.
Looks like they are a pretty well-grounded & sensible branch who are on to some good work, even while the post-elections doldrums are hanging. They are generating community awareness about a significant event for workers’ rights & social justice for an upcoming commemorative public holiday and you might be eligible to submit an essay (are you old enough??) or contact them:
The not so Rock Star economy – on the slide downwards – all flash, little substance – who’d a guessed?
The economy is coming off the boil, the latest New Zealand Institute of Economic Research quarterly survey of business opinion shows.
Business confidence has fallen from 52 per cent net optimists late last year to a net 20 per cent in the September quarter this year.
[…]
n the past nine months or so, business intentions had been positive, but hiring, investment and sales had not followed, Eaqub said.
Moderating confidence and mixed economic news in recent months suggested a more uncertain economic outlook, NZIER said.
The survey showed costs and prices were up in the past six months, in line with inflation of about 2.5 per cent by early next year.
Business profit margins remained “razor thin” since the recession.
A moderation in activity and mixed messages on the capacity of businesses to grow meant that the Reserve Bank would take a “wait-and-see approach” on the next move in interest rates, NZIER said.
The institute expected the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates on hold at 3.5 per cent
I see Bill English that Master of Finance is now saying after he failed to get the promised surplus in 2014, and surprise! surprise! He might not get it in 2015 either.
Christ! Cullen got it nine years in a row, easily and without all the promises and excuses that English tries to foist upon us.
Bill you have no clothes on. 53 % of people see that.
Clemgeopin
Imagine the rout & hastily re-clothing (sorry I mean ‘rejection’) of Emperor Bill If the 23% of non voters could be persuaded to act & vote.
(It’s happened before and could happen again). Cheers!
So how far are we down the slippery slope towards corporate fascism while John Key is trying to sell us the TPPA? I thought using the 10 points of Naomi Wolf was handy. It seems we hit all 10 points! Are we a full blown fascist state already? No, but that slippery slope just got more slippery with Nicky Hager’s house being raided.
omg for ACT ! @tracey aka Rawshark .. how did you change your name ? Is it altogether new or can we amend existing ones ? thank you .. from rawshark-yeshe
when you change your name all your comments go into moderation until the first one gets checked.
yeshe, just watch out that the name text box doesn’t revert to your old name (it takes a while for the system to update, or I just had too many tabs open when I did mine).
Gigatown is an online and real world competition developed by Chorus to help educate and inspire New Zealanders about the possibilities that a country connected with ultra-fast broadband over fibre can provide.
Gisborne is in the FINAL FIVE towns, and we’re the only one in the North Island. If it won, Gisborne would get the fastest internet in the southern hemisphere (1 Gigabit per second (1Gbps) internet connection at the price you’d expect to pay for entry level broadband at 100Mbps, as well as a $200,000 community development fund.
This would be huge for Gisborne!
The town that wins is basically the one that makes the most noise about wanting it!
As you may know, Gisborne is in one of the economically backward regions with high unemployment and low incomes. But the people are so very lovely and friendly. It is also the home of some famous people such as Murray Ball (cartoonist/creator of Footrot Flats), Witi Ihimaera (author), Sir James Carroll (acting Prime Minister), Charles Chauvel (politician), Parekura Horomia (politician), Apirana Ngata (politician) and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (opera diva).
The town that wins this competition is basically the one that makes the most noise about wanting it! The place needs a hand up please.
Just jump onto http://gigatown.co.nz/, sign up/register with Gisborne as the town you support and please do the quiz. This could earn Gisborne lots of points!
There are 25 questions to answer. There are clues/links for the answers.
You can take the Fantastic Fibre Quiz as many times as you like until you get all 25 questions right (each of the questions has Gigaclues to help you out). When you have answered the 25 questions correctly, you will have earned one Gigapoint for Gisborne.
The town with the highest number of correctly completed quizzes will win.
There are other ways to earn points – just see the website !
To see how great this would be for Gisborne, watch about what happened in Chattanooga USA, after they won the same kind of competition: http://gigatown.co.nz/the-idea.
So, if you could help Gisborne get more points, that would be wonderful. Thanks very much.
@ wekarawshark,
Hi, good questions to which I don’t know the answers! I will email and try to find out the answers. Will let you know as soon as I hear back.
yes and no. I was asking specifically about Gisborne. My understanding is that the UFB isn’t given to the whole town, just parts of it (I’m assuming the CBD and more affluent parts of town. Might be some questions to ask there about what’s happening where you live, who decides where teh UFB goes). And that UFB is being rolled out anyway. Which begs the question of what Gigatown is really all about.
Sorry, I know some people are really excited about it, and I’m raining on your parade a bit, but it looks like more toys for the rich when others who are struggling could do with the support. It’s the great neoliberal promise – if we just put all this money into these sectors, then they will grow the economy and everything will be alright. Colour me cynical, but I think some businesses will do well out of this, many people won’t.
I have emailed your exact questions to Chorus. No reply yet. Will let you know when I hear back.
From the FAQs
[1] Even if gigabit broadband services aren’t available at your home address, there are still ways you’ll likely benefit from having the services in your town. Schools, businesses, hospitals and medical centres are being given priority in the ultra-fast broadband network build. Chorus has committed to completing the fibre build to these sectors by the end of 2015, and many already have the ability to connect to fibre today.
[2]The winning Gigatown will receive:
Gigabit connectivity – Chorus will make a special 1Gbps ultra-fast broadband service available in the winning Gigatown at entry level broadband prices.
A Gigatown development fund – a $200,000 fund provided by Chorus and Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect will support entrepreneurs and innovators taking new services to market over the gigabit fibre connection in Gigatown.
A Gigatown community fund – this is a $500,000 fund to be provided by Chorus over a three-year period. Organisations in the winning Gigatown community can apply to the fund to kick start community related developments that showcase how gigabit infrastructure and UFB can be activated for social good.
Gigabit connectivity:
Chorus provides wholesale telecommunications services which broadband providers use as the foundation for developing their retail phone and broadband services for New Zealand homes and businesses.
Chorus will make available in the winning Gigatown a special 1Gbps wholesale service, at a special price. This special ultra-fast broadband wholesale service (let’s call it the Gigatown Wholesale Service) will be available to broadband providers. Broadband providers can then design their actual retail services and sell these to home and business customers in the winning Gigatown. The service will be available for three years from the date it launches.
[3] The Gigatown development fund:
To enable the winning Gigatown to fully utilise the opportunity that Gigabit broadband service brings, Chorus has teamed up with Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect programme to make available a development fund of $200,000. This fund will support entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country to develop services in the winning Gigatown that utilise Gigabit broadband from a successful trial or prototype stage through to commercial launch.
More details on the Gigatown development fund will be available in October.
The Gigatown community fund:
Chorus has created a fund for the winning Gigatown community so that it can showcase how gigabit infrastructure and ultra-fast broadband can be activated for social good. Chorus will provide a $500,000 investment over three years to be split as follows:
$200,000 in 2015
$150,000 in 2016
$150,000 in 2017
We anticipate that applications for the Gigatown community fund will relate broadly to educational, cultural, civic, health and wellbeing community related projects.
We will work with the winning Gigatown on how best to implement this fund and will pro-vide more detail in 2015.
“The area covered by the Chorus ultra-fast broadband network won’t be altered if your town wins our Gigatown competition. Even if gigabit broadband services aren’t available at your home address, there are still ways you’ll likely benefit from having the services in your town. Schools, businesses, hospitals and medical centres are being given priority in the ultra-fast broadband network build. Chorus has committed to completing the fibre build to these sectors by the end of 2015, and many already have the ability to connect to fibre today.
Gigabit connectivity – Chorus will make a special 1Gbps ultra-fast broadband service available in the winning Gigatown at entry level broadband prices.
A Gigatown development fund – a $200,000 fund provided by Chorus and Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect will support entrepreneurs and innovators taking new services to market over the gigabit fibre connection in Gigatown.
A Gigatown community fund – this is a $500,000 fund to be provided by Chorus over a three-year period. Organisations in the winning Gigatown community can apply to the fund to kick start community related developments that showcase how gigabit infrastructure and UFB can be activated for social good.
Go gigatown Wanaka! I don’t need to spell out its attractions here as they will be self evident to anyone who has visited this truly special place. Outside assistance not required, but gratefully received. Refer links above
I have vivid memories as a kid of having a tomato shoved in my mouth. I mean highchair eating aged kid. wouldn’t shut up must have got to mum in the end.
Vege’s are evil, and yes I know it’s a fruit smartarses but hey, looks, tastes like a horrible vege, it’s a freakin vege.
While I agree with the comment about Ministers in general not needing degrees, in this case, given that the push is towards the Dept of Conservation and Tourism becoming more self funding, and less about conservation, I too think someone who can understand the science would be better.
I can’t decide if Barry as Minister is Key throwing DOC in a corner so it can be forgotten about, or if it’s a sly ploy at something more sinister.
Normally I’m in favour of targeted pophealth interventions, but I have concerns about:
the motivations for intervention (a specific line-item cost, rather than an identified population health problem),
targeting (half of the participants were already brushing),
targeting again (should the entire Canterbury population be receiving the texts, rather than just beneficiaries? Or are we only worried if you can’t afford to pay your own dental bill?), and
consent. When the participants were “rounded up” by Winz, were they in a real or perceived position to say “no” without losing their benefit?
The scheme was designed to address the “chronic” state of oral health in New Zealand and reduce the number of beneficiaries requesting expensive emergency dental care grants.
Here’s an idea. How about paying people enough so they can eat well, and educating them about what causes tooth decay (refined carbs) and then txt them to remind them to brush their teeth.
Apples – you owe me an apology. Grant Robertson’s Party vote was pitiful .His electorate vote was 19,000 and his PV was 9,000. I told you he was only pretending to get a PV. I was right. Traitor.
With a massive Green party vote, owing to a very strong Green candidate (James Shaw) and a very strong campaign working on a fertile ground. Grant gets a lot of Green vote splitting. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing that he can appeal across that left divide.
It’s simply not true that Grant “was only pretending to get a PV”, and I think it’s actually completely appalling that you’re calling Apples, who clearly worked very hard for the party at the last election, a “traitor”. Get over yourself.
lies win again. govt $3 bn in deficit… the bogus surplus has officially not transpired… but its ok cos they got re elected on the lie…and tax take down again…. somuch for rock star economy
“Why is she getting inVOLVED, Naomi Wolf?”
Unbelievably, The Panel continues to decline.
Radio NZ National, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Jim Mora, Penny Ashton, Dita Di Boni, Zara Potts
First the good news: Dita Di Boni is back, and she is as strong, eloquent and focused as she was when she decisively confronted and silenced John Bishop back on September 3.
Now the bad news: Jim Mora is still there. And Zara Potts is just another iteration of Susan Baldacci—shallow and, beneath all the chuckling, quite nasty….
JIM MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! PENNY ASHTON: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! MORA: Okay, author Naomi Wolf’s curious opinions about what’s going on with ISIS. ZARA POTTS: Yes, the feminist writer Naomi Wolf has criticized the New York Times for repeatedly calling ISIS “evil”. She says that is not the language of news reporting. MORA:[querulous tone] Why is she getting inVOLVED, Naomi Wolf? ZARA POTTS: Yes, well, she has a history of being outspoken about various issues. DITA DI BONI: But she’s correct: the New York Times has been deeply involved in the drumbeat for war. MORA: Yeah, but…. ZARA POTTS:[confused] Hmmmm. MORA: But this has gone on from time immemorial, hasn’t it. ZARA POTTS: Hmmmm…. MORA: I met her once, Naomi Wolf. She was very charming. She came to New Zealand several times, you know.
…..ad nauseam….
I flicked the avid New York Times reader Jim Mora the following email….
On the New York Times’ use of language
Dear Jim,
When Dita Di Boni made a very serious point about the extreme and partisan language used by the New York Times, you said: “But this has gone on from time immemorial, hasn’t it.”
Considering it has “gone on from time immemorial”, could you tell us the most recent occasion when a New York Times editorial used the word “evil” to describe the crimes of the U.S. or British regimes?
1.) How utterly appalling describing ISIS as “evil”.
You seem to be confused. Of course ISIS is evil, but so is Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United States and Great Britain. Every one of those regimes, of course, supported ISIS when it was simply creating chaos in Syria. One of them cut out the heart of a Syrian soldier and ate it on video; the United States and its “allies” continued to support them.
2.) Let’s call them freedom fighters instead.
That’s exactly what mainstream media WERE calling them until just a few months ago.
There is no such thing as evil. There is only human behaviour.
Nicely put, Te Reo. I agree. My point, though, is that if the New York Times describes ISIS as evil, then it should describe the United States, which is funding it in Syria even as it bombs it in Iraq, in the same language.
Yep, I agree with you there. Though the difference is that the behaviour of the US and allies is sanctioned within the western democratic process and can be said, in a broad sense, to be progressive. IS answer to noone and are entirely and proudly regressive.
1.) Though the difference is that the behaviour of the US and allies is sanctioned within the western democratic process and can be said, in a broad sense, to be progressive.
“Sanctioned within the western democratic process”? Come on, Te Reo, you’re not stupid. You know as well as I do that these decisions have nothing to do with democracy. How much democratic debate was there before Tony Abbott “committed” Australian bombers to the “campaign”? Who sanctioned the “US and allies” to fund the ISIS terrorists? (You are aware, I take it, that they are supporting those lunatics in Syria, even as they are bombing them in Iraq.) Is supporting ISIS progressive, in a broad sense? Or is the U.S. allowed to do what it wants?
2.) IS answer to noone….
Nor does Israel. Nor does the United States.
3.) ….and are entirely and proudly regressive.
So why do the United States, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Australia support them?
The west is not supporting IS in Syria, so your argument there doesn’t hold much water. ISIS is actually fighting the rebels that the west is supporting (though including the heart eating bloke you claim was ISIS, but actually isn’t).
As for Abbot etc. there is democratic debate. In fact, in one sense, you’re participating in it right now. Whether you get it or not, western governments (mostly) operate within the democratic process. The growing coalition against IS is an example of that.
1.) The west is not supporting IS in Syria,
Yes it is, and it has been doing so for more than three years. By the way, please stop saying “the west” when you mean the United States.
2.) ….so your argument there doesn’t hold much water.
It’s not my “argument”, it’s a fact.
3.) ISIS is actually fighting the rebels that the west is supporting
So “our” support for the “moderate rebels” is targeted, precision support, like “our” bombing of civilian areas in Iraq and Gaza.
4.) (though including the heart eating bloke you claim was ISIS, but actually
He was one of those “moderate rebels” that such outstanding journals as the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail were lionizing until recently.
5.) As for Abbot etc. there is democratic debate.
You’re joking, surely? Abbott railroaded the decision to bomb Iraq; it was as democratic as Howard’s decision to join the Coalition of the Willing in 2003.
6.) In fact, in one sense, you’re participating in it right now.
This is not parliament. How much meaningful, serious debate on the level of this forum is there in parliament?
7.) Whether you get it or not, western governments (mostly) operate within the democratic process.
Your demeaning and arrogant language —-“Whether you get it or not”—-does nothing to bolster your argument. Your entirely faith-based contention that Western governments “operate within the democratic process” demonstrates, worryingly, that you don’t do a lot of serious or critical reading. And the Nicky Hager book showed beyond any refutation that our government does NOT “mostly operate within the democratic process”. But then I would not be surprised to learn that you buy into the Labour Party’s line—reiterated by Andrew Little and Stuart Nash on television over the weekend—that all of this left wing obsession with democracy and secrecy was a “distraction”.
8.) The growing coalition against IS is an example of that.
The “growing coalition against IS”? A few politicians being bullied by phone calls from Washington into complying is not a “growing coalition” any more than it’s democratic or just or legal. Did you buy into the “Coalition of the Willing” lie as well?
Sorry, mate. I haven’t got time this morning to put you right, and I doubt you want to go much beyond headlines and hyperbole anyway. Your previous history of sketchy reliance on ‘facts’ that only make sense to yourself suggests I’d be wasting time that could be better put to use cleaning out the cat’s litter tray. But you could do some actual research yourself and see what comes of that.
Jeez, what a wanker you are, Moz. I’ve got a life, and educating you is not a priority. I’ve done it on occasion in the past because you seem nice, if a little bewildered, but frankly you don’t really need me. All you need is google and the ability to comprehend those tricky facty things. Clue: what you think ain’t always what is so.
Jeez, what a wanker you are, Moz. I’ve got a life, and educating you is not a priority.
That trademark humour again?
I’ve done it on occasion in the past because you seem nice, if a little bewildered, but frankly you don’t really need me.
I like you too, Te Reo. But how exactly am I “bewildered”?
All you need is google and the ability to comprehend those tricky facty things. Clue: what you think ain’t always what is so.
Ahhh! I get it. You’re upset at my pointing out that the U.S. has funded, armed and advocated for ISIS in its noble struggle against the satanic Assad government. I heard poor old Phil Goff tying himself in casuistical knots the other day, when he tried to say that supporting the people who cut out and eat the hearts of Syrian soldiers is the equivalent of supporting the Spanish Republic in the 1930s; for you to come out and admit the truth would be an act of disloyalty to the Labour Party and its line-up of similarly eloquent spokesmen.
Never mind the truth, of course. That’s for reprobates like Ellsberg, Chomsky, Assange, Manning, Snowden, and Hager. Loyalty to the Party line is all. This month we in the Labour Party have a particularly horrible rat that we all have to swallow: we are required to say that the people “we” (i.e., the Key government and its responsible Labour opposition) support in Syria are not ISIS, even though they are.
After all, that’s what dear old Phil Goff is doing. We owe it to him to stay on message.
The origins of Which Side Are You On?, sung during a St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performance by a flash mob supporting Michael Brown .
Alan Lomax, writing in the American Folk Song Book (1968), says “Florence Reece, a shy, towheaded Kentucky miner’s daughter, composed this song at the age of 12 when her father was out on strike.
someone who is really angry we are the Mad Monk’s little helper and paler shadow, just without the sincerity and oddity of that leader’s religious belief. Someone who is not letting National get all their pegs in the ground for this next three years unchallenged. Cunliffe carrying on seemed like a good idea in that sense. I almost feel like I want some leader to take the Labour Party reigns in a coup d’etat just so they can get into the business of opposition, because there is too much that came out of that election campaign that needs unrelenting opposition scrutiny on. And the opposition have just well and truly surrendered any momentum or moral authority for a good long while. It starts here. Start the campaign and the victory laps now and in three years it will feel real and the cracks will show as the Nats are under pressure. Keep the blow torch on over the revelations about the National party ministers bullying and lack of accoutability.
Last election they had a one seat majority and that was Banks. Here they’ve just got Dunne, Seymour and Ururoa-Flavell. It’s not a big gap.
So since Bill English is struggling with the deficit perhaps we could help him along. There is a provisional tax payment due soon so if all you people with cheque books write out a cheque to the IRD and put it in on the due date, not allowed to go over any more, it will support local employment, non bank, and if enough people do it then it should take an age to process.
[lprent: Yes: Part of denying breed. His arguments are circa 2005. I even put up a video to show him the minimum standard before people would bother telling him he was being stupid. Evidently that was too advanced for him. ]
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Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
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. ...
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. ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly Saunders, PhD Candidate, University of Canberra There has been much analysis and praise of Justice Michael Lee’s recent judgement in Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel Ten. Many people were openly relieved to read Lee’s “forensic” and “nuanced” application of law ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathy Gibbs, Program Director for the Bachelor of Education, Griffith University zEdward_Indy/Shutterstock Around one in 20 people has attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and often continues into adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed ...
The Fairer Future coalition of anti-poverty groups say Whaikaha must be properly funded going forward, and that to argue that poor financial management of the new Ministry is a red herring by the Prime Minister. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is today congratulating Hon. Paul Goldsmith on his appointment as Minister for Media and Communications and urges him to rule out state intervention in the private media sector. ...
Asia Pacific Report The West Papuan resistance OPM leader has condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Joe Biden, accusing their countries of “six decades of treachery” over Papuan independence. The open letter was released today by OPM chairman Jeffrey P Bomanak on the eve of ANZAC Day ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits and quirks of New Zealanders at large. This week: writer and one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2024, Lauren Groff.The book I wish I’d writtenIf I wish I’d written a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Fechner, Research Fellow, Social Marketing, Griffith University mavo/Shutterstock Imagine having dinner at a restaurant. The menu offers plant-based meat alternatives made mostly from vegetables, mushrooms, legumes and wheat that mimic meat in taste, texture and smell. Despite being given that ...
“Three Strikes is a dead-end policy proposed by a dead-end government. The Three Strikes law ignores the causes of crime, instead just brutalising people already crushed by the cost of living.” ...
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist An Australian-born judge in Kiribati could well face deportation later this week after a tribunal ruling that he should be removed from his post. The tribunal’s report has just been tabled in the Kiribati Parliament and is due to be debated by MPs ...
With its clear mandate for police use, political nuances, and nuanced public trust, Denmark's insights provide valuable considerations for Australia and New Zealand. ...
Books editor Claire Mabey reviews poet Louise Wallace’s debut novel. A famous poet once said to me that he’s always suspicious when a poet publishes a novel. I never really understood why but maybe it’s something to do with cheating on your first form. Louise Wallace is a poet. She’s ...
For a few months at the turn of the millennium, TrueBliss burned bright as the biggest pop stars in the country. Alex Casey chats to two superfans who still hold the flame. During a humble backyard wedding in Nelson, 1999, one of the cordially invited guests had to excuse themselves ...
How will the recent wave of job cuts impact ethnic diversity in the media? In November last year, I was working a very busy day in the newsroom of a large online news site, interviewing whānau about their concerns over the imminent closure of one of the few puna reo ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ruth Knight, Researcher, Queensland University of Technology Have you ever felt sick at work? Perhaps you had food poisoning or the flu. Your belly hurt, or you felt tired, making it hard to concentrate and be productive. How likely would you be ...
Despite heavy criticism and an ongoing select committee process, the Police Minister says the Government will forge ahead with a ban on gang patches. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Whiting, Lecturer – Creative Industries, University of South Australia Shutterstock Everyone has a favourite band, or a favourite composer, or a favourite song. There is some music which speaks to you, deeply; and other music which might be the current ...
A new survey says ‘outlook not great’ for those charged with building infrastructure, while RMA changes delight farmers and depress environmentalists, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. First RMA changes announced ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olli Hellmann, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Waikato Getty Images When New Zealanders commemorate Anzac Day on April 25, it’s not only to honour the soldiers who lost their lives in World War I and subsequent conflicts, but also ...
A leaked document shows the Canterbury/Waitaha arm of health agency Te Whatu Ora is scurrying to save $13.3 million by July. The “financial sustainability target”, which was “allocated” to Waitaha, is consistent with what’s happening in other districts, says Sarah Dalton, executive director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. ...
A look at the state of the previous government’s affordable housing scheme, and what could come next.Remind me: What’s KiwiBuild again?First announced in 2012, KiwiBuild was a flagship policy of the Labour Party heading into both its 2014 and 2017 election campaigns. With Jacinda Ardern as prime minister, ...
Labour in opposition will be shocked to learn which party had six years in power but squandered any chance to make real change. Grant Robertson’s valedictory speech was a predictably entertaining trip down memory lane. The acid-tongued incoming Otago University chancellor administered a sick burn to the coalition government. He ...
Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is seen some as its ‘silicon shield’ against invasion – but how will overseas expansion affect that protection? The post The state of Taiwan’s silicon shield appeared first on Newsroom. ...
There’s relief for building owners bending under the weight of earthquake strengthening rules – and costs – that came into force seven years ago. Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced a scheduled 2027 review of the earthquake-prone building regulations will now start this year. Owners will also get ...
Opinion: It has been announced that nine percent of roles at Oranga Tamariki will be disestablished, presumably to help fund the tax cuts promised by the coalition Government. I am reminded of the graphics used to illustrate pandemic events, where five thousand people are standing in a field and then ...
After more than two sleepless days, running through savage terrain, Greig Hamilton didn’t know if he was going to finish one of the most gruelling psychological assaults in sport. He was metres away from the finish line, a yellow gate made famous in a Netflix documentary; a race he’d dreamed ...
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The following interview with former Green Party MP Sue Kedgley came about because she features in the new memoir Hine Toa by activist Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku; the two knew each other at the University of Auckland in the early 70s, when they were both took on leadership roles in the ...
COMMENTARY:By Murray Horton New Zealand needs to get tough with Israel. It’s not as if we haven’t done so before. When NZ authorities busted a Mossad operation in Auckland 20 years ago, the government didn’t say: “Oh well, Israel has the right to defend itself.” No, it arrested, prosecuted, ...
NEWSMAKERS:By Vijay Narayan, news director of FijiVillage Blessed to be part of the University of Fiji (UniFiji) faculty to continue to teach and mentor those who want to join our noble profession, and to stand for truth and justice for the people of the country. I was privileged to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Three weeks from now, some of us will be presented with a mountain of budget papers, and just about all of us will get to hear about them on radio, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Lowry, Ice Sheet & Climate Modeller, GNS Science Hugh Chittock/Antarctica New Zealand, CC BY-SA As the climate warms and Antarctica’s glaciers and ice sheets melt, the resulting rise in sea level has the potential to displace hundreds of millions of ...
The government's plan to reintroduce a three strikes regime is being strongly opposed by lawyers, who argue there is no evidence it reduces crime or helps people rehabilitate. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dan Jerker B. Svantesson, Professor specialising in Internet law, Bond University Do Australian courts have the right to decide what foreign citizens, located overseas, view online on a foreign-owned platform? Anyone inclined to answer “yes” to this question should perhaps also ask ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giovanni E Ferreira, NHMRC Emerging Leader Research Fellow, Institute of Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney Last week in a post on X, owner of the platform Elon Musk recommended people look into disc replacement if they’re experiencing severe neck or back pain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University anek.soowannaphoom/Shutterstock NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey caught the headlines yesterday, courtesy of a blistering speech condemning the latest GST carve-up. New South Wales, he claimed, would be A$11.9 billion worse off over the ...
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See past the lies
Is Labour UK in for a leadership change. Rumours this morning are suggesting that Alan Johnson could be the one to replace Miliband. Looking at Johnson’s credentials would seem to indicate that he would be far better choice and at least he has the right background for a Labour Leader. Interesting times with a year to go to election.
Er, why would Labour change leader when they are set to win the next election outright*, even under the fairly hopeless Miliband? Johnson has been out in the wilderness for a couple of years and has expressly said he doesn’t want to return to the front benches in any capacity. Sounds like a right wing beat up to me.
*the polls have been less enthusiastic since the party conferences, but still have Labour within striking distance of outright victory. On the numbers the Tories would need to keep the coalition going and with the Lib Dem’s Vince Cable calling them liars overnight, that may not be a runner:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/oct/06/vince-cable-tory-budget-taxes-lie
Mmmm well maybe this would help
Latest YouGov: 2pt Conservative lead (Con 36%, Lab 34%, LD 7%, Ukip 13%). Implies that Labour would be 13 seats short of a majority, with 313 seats to the Tories’ 299. Implied Lib Dem seats: 11
Johnson is a rightwing Blairite clown. He defended the use of torture at Guantanamo, sacked David Nutt for daring to tell the truth about drugs and he voted for the Iraq War. Just because he used to be a postman, don’t get all starry eyed about him.
@ lurgee..
“..Johnson is a rightwing Blairite clown…”
..is he their nash..?
Prepare for DP then Ron. The Conservatives will be building their attack blogs now and dishing dirt, they saw how it worked. Keys led the way for them. Shown them how to pull it off.
Expect leaks and bad press on anything Labour has done in the past.
I’ll get mum to keep me posted. I’m sure the election year in the UK will be as weird as this one was here.
Well the craps starting, Key law changes this morning. Start with the mild ones, it’ll get worse.
He’s sorted distancing himself from any further backlash about his ministry by appointing a future scapegoat. Poor Findlay. Poor , Poor Findlayson.
Oh new saying, he’s using “in the end” now not “At the end of the day” he’s been learning.
I wonder how long it will be before JC is sneaked back into Cabinet like Smith was. 3 months? 6. I see an ipredict opportunity.
Key holds all the cards. Promoting Paula Benefit was his way of taking focus off Collins as a potential leader.
Key has learned that Collins is an incurably nasty piece of work and that she is just too toxic to have near the levers of government. Key has some standards.
Is it just me who thinks Bennett is in the position she’s in, precisely because she knows ‘not a lot’, but will be a good, keen lieutenant or ‘go to’ person for those passing instructions to the minister of finance?
All those months spent in the US absorbing ‘correct thinking’…anyone remember the US institute she attended?
Well It’s not for her keen intellect,but oh so willing.probably a fool (fall)girl.
edit me baby Rawshark,wheres my mummy an daddy
I think she thinks she knows a lot. She has cut a swathe through winz with her smiley outsterior and now is going to do the same to state housing.
I think she is dangerous…
Remember when cornered on cabinet club? She was a possum briefly as though she couldnt remember if it were a secret or not? Then she went to the taught default position of the Nats. She lied.
Be under no illusion, these folks are being extensively trained… Clones all…
http://www.3news.co.nz/politics/key-nothing-wrong-with-cabinet-club-donations-2014050717
I think she knows a lot.
Yea, I agree with you. No doubt at all that she’s a cunning wee shite. And dangerous. I was focusing on her (lack of) ability to think critically rather than on her (very honed) ‘street smarts’. A perfect lieutenant.
Like key she will be well trained… She doesnt need to “know” anything, just how to smile, make a joke and lie. She is well on the way to heading the nats
I like your new nick name.
last night i was thinking of Spartacus with Kirk Douglas and thought to myself why doesn’t everyone, if we could persuade them go to the police and say we are Rawshark. Oh the gears would grind to a halt then wouldn’t they.
I’m Rawshark.
You could probably google all the institutes that accept people with a GPA<0.8 and get a fair idea. She's been promoted because she is hopelessly in love with Key, devoted to the cult of Key, and too stupid to do anything except mouth slogans.
Bwhahahahahaha. Has this guy had a logic by-pass?
Either a logic bypass or using what sounds like logic in a way designed to confuse. Personally, I figure it’s the latter.
This is what happens when people attribute non legal definitions to public interest.
Slater pretends he writes things when he is actually being paid to post someone elses words as his as a deceit on his readers…
So Maggie Barry’s only qualifications for the position of Conservation Minister is a one year diploma in horticulture from Lincoln and a gardening show. A very poor appointment imo. Apart from which, anyone who ever heard her ramblings on radio would know she isn’t particularly blessed in the brains department.
I saw her at an election debate on public broadcasting a month or so ago. She not only is very light weight intellectually, but she seems to have an an inflated senses of her own abilities, and a bit of a bullying demeanour.
Fits right in with the likes of Collins, Brownlee, Paula Bennett, etc…. although at least one of these 3 demonstrates more bran power than Barry.
i went rummaging in my mags barry archives..
..and amongst other stuff..
..found these:
“..fake-tweets..an occaisonal series…
maggie barry..hashtag barrysnob..
i like going to third world countries to look at poor people…of course i am an expert on poverty…
maggie barry @ hashtag barrysnob..
..‘must get speaker to change house rules so that i am the only one allowed to call others ‘petal..’..mags..
I’m of the opinion that Bennett and Brownlee are relatively intelligent. They’re both dicks, but I think they’re smart.
Relatively is a word which requires comparison to something. Relative to two short planks, Brownlee and Bennett may be intelligent. Relative to the kea, our lovely problem solving mountain parrot, they are not. They cause problems. They spout slogans, and when that doesn’t work, they get nasty. I find it interesting that both of them have been reported as using violence against members of the public.
Dont get eon scarrow started on ms barry… According to him she was a foul mouthed woman off camera who treated the crew like slaves… Cue camera… Smile.
Think you may find that was Eon describing himself.
A arrogant wanker of the highest order
So he would be qualified to recognise one then.
😈
I don’t expect ministers to have university qualifications in the brief they manage. The department that they oversee is there to provide expert advice and competent management.
I do expect them to have demonstrated that they have a vision for the future and the skills to turn that vision into a reality.
There are upsides and downsides to a weak minister. On one hand the senior team at the department can get on with their own vision without the encumbrance of an unsympathetic minister. On the other hand the Treasury can kill a department plans if the minister is not strong enough to fight at the cabinet table.
Are there any newly appointed MEN in Key’s team that you would like to slag for being under qualified?
Key. Seriously.
And English, Parata, Bridges, Tolley.
These people are perfectly qualified for what they intend to do, and the level that they intend to perform at.
Touche
Ok, you are right from that POV.
This government will slowly destroy the caring, decent and fair NZ that we know and will work to enhance the wealthy and the corporates, the true beneficiaries of our nation that suck and siphon money from everywhere and everyone, increasing inequality and misery….And then they have the audacity to tell the poor, the less wealthy and the ordinary people what is wrong with us!
None that I’ve listened to extensively enough to form an opinion as to their apparent intelligence. A bias I do have though is that conservation is important to me and I’d rather see a person with a bare minimum of a science degree be appointed to this position over one who has, in recent times merely been responsible for asking patsy questions in parliament.
Bill english pretends to be a farmer but he is a university qualified career bureaucrat, cossetted his working life in the public service… No calls from the right for him to have some experience in the real world…
University qualifications are not necessarily an indication of brain power, and some with no formal qualifications are very smart.
Barry presents as an intellectual light weight.
Brownle never seemed to me to be that smart – Julie Ann Genter has run rings around him on many occasions. It may be an indication of mental laziness on Brownlee’s part – he may have untapped latent brain power.
NEW men in the cabinet is a hard ask – Key seems to have focused on some window dressing by promoting a few women.
Perhaps women have proven easier to train than the men of national?
The Gender-Gap in voting persists. While Men are now fairly-strongly (though by no means overwhelmingly) Right-leaning, Women remain pretty evenly-divided between Left and Right / Opposition and Government, albeit perhaps slightly favouring the Right by the smallest of margins this Election.
Presumably this Cabinet reshuffle aims, in part, to make further in-roads into the female demographic (or to further consolidate / reinforce those women who have already swung Right since 2005).
Mmm,you got me thinking.I was going to ask CV aka Colonial rawshark,three pieces an a coke,but swordfish.Is it partially cooked with mustard seed and lime juice.All smilies,must have a bit of humour.
I agree but the application of critical thinking and vigorously applying scientific method is unusual without sufficient training.
Never been to Uni didn’t finish high school, had a psychologist prep me for Chemo and help me through depression. She tested me and said I had an IQ of 160+
I’ve met Uni qualified IT people who were completely crap.
For example we had one guy come in and started sticking in disks and running diagnostics. But we all new the screen was freezing but the caps locks was functioning on the keyboard and that’s usually indicates the graphics card.
Some intelligent people just don’t get their kicks from a piece of paper that says they know about something.
From the top to the bottom staffer. The whole lot of them wouldn’t light up a bulb if they all put a concerted effort in.
You should hear Maggie when she’s sober.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/256305/labour-upset-govt-funding-fed-farmers
The Federated Farmers took every opportunity to attack Labour’s policies before the election, from memory they may have also attacked Labour’s monetary policy which could have lowered the kiwi $ leading to better returns. Well it turns out that they were receiving funding from the Nats, at the same time as vocally attacking their opponents…more dodgy stuff from the Nats.
What a sad tragedy that voters…47% of them…voted this bad government back in! Unbelievable stuff!
Labour didn’t have it together, the Greens were lacklustre in their campaign.
The Left fractured into little itty bitty parties who did not want to seem to work together and 1.2M or so NZers decided to stay at home (for 2 weeks) instead of voting.
Funding Fed Farmers makes no difference as they were never going to support anyone else than National. If Labour were in Govt though, Labour would never support its friends in a similar way.
I find the contradiction of the left very amusing.
It’s supposed to be all about equality and sharing, yet everyone thinks they’re the chosen one and can’t work with anyone else.
Hilarious.
What nonsense are you talking? Labour said they would be happy to be in coalition with the Greens and NZF. They ruled out cabinet positions for IMP but did not rule out accepting their support.
The only parties Labour would not deal with at all would be the RW parties, National, ACT and the CONS.
And the rwnjs go on about being all different and individual and the evils of collectivism but are the biggest authoritarian collectivists around.
help. How do I do the rolling eyes things ?
: roll : without the gaps
I had hope for a moment there that the lonely troles were going to be left in their own little echo chamber.
🙄
Test
Hey CV, do a post on this:
A counterfactual in which Labour-Greens are installed and legitimately support progressive/greenie/social/creative ngo’s.
Be an interesting ecosystem to work in.
That would be a very interesting ecosystem indeed, and would engage a lot of creativity and energy at the local and regional level as well. It would liven up the left at the grassroots and rebuild community involvement in left leaning activities.
BUT both the Greens and Labour have strong tendencies towards the centralisation of authority and power to Wellington. And the very tight control of budgets and funding year to year including requiring any bodies who are funded to expend a massive amount of time and energy jumping over hoops to get funding in the first place, and keeping that funding going forward.
My conclusion is that neither the Greens nor Labour are really culturally prepared to support and promote an NGO ecosystem as you suggest, despite its many merits.
Fed Farmers is primarily an advocacy group isn’t it?
Aren’t charities that are advocacy organisations having their funding cut? I’m confused…
Tories are smart enough to feed their friends and starve their enemies. The Left aren’t clever or capable enough to do that any more.
Feeding friends like this is not smart. it’s straight out arrogance imo.
Good on Damien O’Connor and Labour calling National out on this. I guess it won’t make much difference given the state of NZ’s civic engagement but.
The modern Left doesn’t know how to feed, support and grow its institutional friends any more. That’s why it has so few, and the Right have so many.
‘@ Colonial Viper 7 2 1The
‘The Left aren’t clever or capable enough’ – more c’s they aren’t – committed, to the country. But if the combined cronyism can cease, then a creation of the old Labour pragmatism, spirit and determination will wipe the bad c’s away. Less theories, ideologies and feelings, more solid service to the people and good outcomes.
edited
Mmmmm, cherry pie time!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nNHsA4WIFvc
So our national (party) rugby team lost to South Africa on the weekend. Perhaps this was due to their bad karma. I’ve always been a supporter of the All Blacks but I see them as politically compromised after the Rugby News cover with John Key dressed as an All Black just before the election and illegal tweets urging people to vote National on election day by Israel Dagg and Jonah Lomu.
re rugby player tweets and Key on the rugby front page
…lets face it the Rights PR campaign was / is both ruthless and superb
…the Left (coalition..ha ha) was disorganised and unprofessional…and left for dead
…that Election could and should have been won by a Left coalition
Yep, Left tactical and strategic UNITY would have done it easily.
Now speaking of unity where are Nicky Hager’s scribe brothers and sisters?
Dear Leader is intimidating those that exercise free speech.
If the weasel so called journos at the Herald and Stuff can’t even support him in some way publicly it is past time to abandon all hope for them.
I think they are out there working their phones trying to get the necessary info together……
For the big scoop where they name Rawshark
I’ve been an All Black fan for 40 years. Now that they have allowed themselves to be politically high jacked and have nailed their colours to the mast I hope they lose every match from here to eternity.
Luckily I never have been a rugby fan whilst not unaware of rugby, it is not sport unless it involves an engine for me. Had a ’65 Springbok tour sticker on my schoolbag because they were handed out at school in those days.
’81 Tour vet, from outside the grounds of course. So I rather enjoy it when the ABs lose. In 1999 up North you would think the whole Royal Family had been dispatched or something.
After Key’s Rugby News cover I felt a line had been crossed though. Not just for the anti rugby minority like me but felt maybe some others would get what he had done.
I stopped watching ABs matches since the Rugby News-John Key cover.
Got plenty of other things to do with my time. Rugby, and most televised sport has been captured by corporate interests in recent decades. Who needs it?
I too have lost some respect for the AB, just as I have for the NATS.
How stupid of the ABs to endorse Key and NATS when half the country is against this government? The team should be non partisan and be for the entire country. One would think that the ABs would not be so very thick as not to understand that fact!
I think a common problem for New Zealanders is that they find it hard to put themselves in the position of others. I think this is in part because New Zealanders have not had to suffer the hardships that many others have. For example, does Israel Dagg have even the slightest notion what it is like to have a squad of policemen ransack his house for ten hours.This is what the leader and government he wanted us to vote for does to its enemies. Does Dagg lack all abilities for empathy and intellectual analysis. Is he (and Jonah) a man or just a boy in a man’s body.
Dagg’s father said they’d named him after the State of Israel because of its apparent “staunchness” against aggressive enemies. So, we’re not necessarily dealing here with the brightest or most enlightened geezers in the world.
And Jonah, also a bright lombard was named so because..? something about whales wasn’t it.
This:
http://garethsworld.com/blog/tax-and-welfare/labour-green-party-ones-care-poverty/
Not sure of the consequences of his proposals.
This is my comment on that article there:
‘It is hard to know the validity of your ideas as you have not given any dollar figures be it for the UBI or the tax takes. Isn’t it a little strange/silly/unfair to give the UBI to say, a millionaire? Will the amount raised based on the taxes you propose be enough to provide the services to the people and the country? Would be interesting to read an article from you that includes some actual fiscal details and any possible good or bad consequences of the ideas proposed.’
Going to have to read that but a quick skim indicates that he’s wrong:
1. It wasn’t the market that made us rich but a hell of a lot of protection against the market and NZers building a better NZ using our own skills and resources
2. High taxation on the rich isn’t just there to raise money but to also encourage people not to reach for to high an income (We cannot afford the rich)
High taxation is there to encourage us to be poor, you reckon?
lol
“not being rich” != “being poor”
No, to discourage people from being greedy.
Your last point is critical – it is there to direct peoples motivations to sources of reward other than just making ever bigger $$$. Like contribution to society, development of community standing and respect, philanthropic and volunteer endeavours.
We’ve discussed this before – but I am quite fine with a 79% income tax rate set at a threshold of 10x the median full time wage (~$44K pa).
Course your fine with it.
You want everyone else to pay for you. Bit self-important.
There’s a real easy way to avoid a high tax rate – don’t expect or demand too much income.
What we’ve seen over the last thirty years of neo-liberalism is that the rich keep taking more and more while saying that we can’t afford small increases to the poor. This has resulted in a few people using up vast amount of resources for little or no gain to the country.
We cannot afford the rich.
It is not the rich that pay for anything – it is always the poor and middle. And that includes paying for the rich to be rich.
Serious question guys:
Is there a “class war” underway here in NZ?
After reading the “On Naval gazing” comments I figured that a lot of folk around here think that there is. I read that in a UK context originally & wondered if it actually translates to NZ.
On here the Nats get called Torys, and theres talk of the working class, but it seems to me that there arent a vast collection of folk out there in the real world who identify with those terms.
Down here in Chch, the tradies are doing well and not just in the building trades. The place is infested with new double cab utes that, at weekends have trail bikes etc on the back heading for some fossil fueled fun somewhere. The automotive repair workshops are busy fixing stuff, the Warehouse car park is chokka at the weekend, the supermarkets are full of people buying food (and liquor) and the bars are busy in the evenings.
So Im not seeing the “working people” struggling too much at the moment. To me, it seems that neither Labour nor the Greens had a message worthy of their attention.
I recognise that the non working are struggling big time but lets be honest, they struggled during the last Labour lead government too, so Im not seeing this as a “working class war”
LH, ask yourself what you aren’t seeing. Those who are struggling may be invisible to you. You aren’t seeing call centre workers who work anti social hours, you aren’t seeing privately contracted care givers to the elderly who work the minimum wage and who do a really tough job, you aren’t seeing cleaners, ditto minimum wage who also work anti social hours. There’s another working world that missed out on the rebuilding boom. They’re not in the bars at night because they’re working and couldn’t afford it if they wanted to to.
As for the turnover the warehouse is doing. Ask yourself why people are buying cheap imported shit that is going to break the minute they get it home and why stores that sell good quality well made NZ items are closing down.
Life isn’t the same as it was up until 2008. our living costs have increased beyond out means. (have a look at Stephanie Rodgers post on what’s behind the figures) Life is good for some but not everyone.
Fair comment Rosie. But that just makes the “working poor” group way smaller, and therefore electorally less valuable to Labour.
In the past Labour represented the workers, and a bunch of them (certainly down here) are doing okay and dont see that they need the Labour party to work for their interests.
Labour message (whatever it actually is) doesnt seem to be aspirational for voters.
The working poor are a big chunk of our working population. I haven’t got time to dig out the figures – hopefully someone has this info at their fingertips and can provide or you can google it!
I agree Labour did once solidly represent workers, and remember the Labour party was formed on the back of times of great social political unrest, eg, the 1913 Great Strike. Then they started turning away from the workers and towards the bosses in the neo liberal revolution of the 80’s, paved the way for the ECA brought in by National in 1990 and Labour never went quite far enough when they repealed it and replaced it with the ERA in 2000.
BUT! They have come back to the workers. You may remember their pre election policy of increasing the minimum wage to $16.25 by April 2015, removing the 90 day act from the ERA and a plan to review the Act. They have been strongly opposed Nat’s Employment Relations Amendment Act, which will no doubt be rushed through before Xmas. Wait till you see the fall out from that. Workers won’t know what has hit them.
So anyone on the minimum wage and/or in precarious work who didn’t vote for Labour has unfortunately shot themselves in the foot. Hopefully the review that Labour are undertaking will pinpoint how and why they couldn’t reach this group of voters. IMO, it’s a tragedy these policies won’t seen within the next 3 years.
and lol, that word “aspirational”, it’s a Crosby Textor Tory word, think Paula Bennett. and her idealogical fantasies. Fairness is a more appropriate word.
Thanks Rosie for the reply. Im learning stuff.
Im surprised that Labour didnt push those policies harder during the electioneering period tho, as they would dovetail nicely with a cry out “for a fairer society”.
Unfortunately, Labour chose the cryout of “Vote Positive”
It looked to me as though Cunliffe successfully hobbled himself by being ‘nice’ and seeking to ‘please everyone’.
Somebody who’s standing for leader has to state they are seeking a mandate to rid the party of careerists and dead wood. Then they have to do it.
Question. Why weren’t the ‘old guard’ thrown so far down the list pre-election that communication would have been by way of carrier pigeons following a torch beam into the darkness?
All good points, and the bottom line is that the level of backbone, nerve and internal Labour Party political sway needed to carry out what you say, simply did not exist.
“Question. Why weren’t the ‘old guard’ thrown so far down the list pre-election that communication would have been by way of carrier pigeons following a torch beam into the darkness?”
Question. What mechanisms exist within Labour to do that, and who has the power to carry it out?
I don’t know who, or what, decides list placings, what the process is, or what/if oversight exists. That was kind of why I asked the question.
Maybe somebody can enlighten?
I’ve been asking these kinds of questions for some time. They’re rarely answered. You’re a Labour member, yeah? Can you phone your local LEC and find out?
the current system, very much simplified, goes something like this:
1) Each Labour Party region submits a ranked “regional list” to the powerful central list Moderating Committee.
2) This regional list ranking is determined earlier on via “Regional List Conferences” where list candidates stand and speak to present their personal case, and delegates from the various branches and LECs in the region vote on their ranking. (in Region 6 – all electorates Waitaki southwards, including – it is usual to only have 5 or 6 list candidates to be ranked on the regional list. In Region 1, there are usually dozens…)
3) The central Moderating Committee has tonnes of people on it. From the various Labour Party sectors, affiliates, NZ Council reps and more.
4) The ‘regional list rankings’ from each of the regions are the single most significant input into the Moderating Committee’s production of the Labour Party list ranking. As you can imagine however, a lot of heated discussion and horse trading goes on to produce the final party list.
5) It has become customary, since Helen Clark days, to rank sitting MPs higher up the list to help ensure that they always get back in.
In future steps to democratise the party’s constitution, ensure ongoing broad renewal, and give ordinary members more power over caucus, much of this is going to have to change.
Hi LH. I think “A fairer society” was The Greens catch cry. There were many good policies that got drowned in the noise of the daily anti Cunliffe tirade from the media, the Judith Collins saga and the Dirty Politics saga.
Again, hopefully the Labour party review of what went wrong will cast more light on why these essential policies didn’t reach the ears who needed to hear about them most.
I don’t think the Labour Party review will be scoped to include analysing where and why the Greens struggled.
I have been thinking for a couple of weeks that LP salvation might be in seeing its union connections as a strength to be built on rather than an embarassing uncle to “put up with”.
If union membership across NZ increased by 10% in the next three years what, if any, impact on the next election? I wonder how many LP MPs are prepared to work on the ground in this way over the next three years?
doesnt seem to be aspirational for voters.
‘Tis time to challenge this vague, overused word “aspirational” that is really bullshit covered in feel-good glitter.
Traditionally the organised working class were in industrial based unions – factories etc. that were part of the manufacturing sector. A lot of them were based in the industrial north of England and in Scotland. That is where the strongest working class movement and politics remain.
NZ has never been highly industrialised. The low income struggling classes, including the precariat, are in other sorts of jobs (if/when they have jobs), as Rosie outlines. People in such precarious circumstances and jobs are not as easy to organise.
Do you think it is possible for the LP to strengthen its ties with unions, to work, on the ground, for the next few years educating workplaces, workforces on membership benefits as a way to connect back with non voters and those swayed by the rightist propaganda? Is it feasible? I am not talking about media engagement but mp and union engagement. ?. Get union membership up by 10% in the next three years:-)
To be fair to…me 😉 I don’t tend to use the term ‘Tory’ in relation to The National Party, preferring to reserve it for the British Conservative Party.
As for class war – well, it’s always going on. Whether workers are engaged or not is another question, and the visibility of it waxes and wanes through time.
And to pick up on something Karol mentioned.
What the hell is going on when Labour loses support in its traditional heartlands where it’s now mocked as the ‘Red Tories’, while it simultaneously struggles to win votes against a right wing – heh – Conservative government in England and Wales?
I just thought the scenario could be instructive or illustrative in relation to any future direction the NZ Labour Party chooses to take. It’s the closest I can see to something resembling a laboratory experiment for a social situation.
My take on the NZ Labour Party, in relation to the available info for the British Labour Party in Scotland, and in England and Wales, is that unless it promotes genuinely left wing social democratic policies (as the SNP in Scotland does), then it’s toast.
And visible class war isn’t necessary for that to be true.
Thanks Bill, I really wasnt picking on your comments per se regarding the “Torys”. There are many on here who use that term regularly.
So how do you rally folk to an invisible class war? Surely Labour need to campaign on the back of visible stuff or else it wont capture the minds and hearts of voters?
Parliamentary parties rarely, if ever, adequately engage in class war – in a Social Democracy, they seek to contain it.
The SNP didn’t, as far as I know, stoke the fires of class discontent. All they did was propose acceptable social democratic policies that resonated with peoples’ sense of fairness or decency. And they did that successfully and in spite of all the clap trap coming from the British Labour Party, the Conservatives, the City of London and who-ever else who routinely and predictably squeal “TINA!” (there is no alternative)
edit I believe the NZ Labour Party was on the right track with a whole host of its policies. Unfortunately it undid all the potential it was building with the retirement age and compulsory savings nonsense.
Comrades. Time to say ta ta for awhile. Time to get back into a healthy head space and recover from the shock and distress of 20th September. No doubt there’s going to be work to be done on the ground again over the next 3 years and that will require some effort. You need good stores of energy for community based activity.
Theres never a dull moment these days. Right now we’ve got Nicky Hager’s house being raided, new Ministers and The President Of NZ, Barack Obama directing from afar the administration of our SIS and GCSB and our involvement in war. Just considering this takes energy that I don’t have right now, and it’s never ending. What will happen next week!?
There’s so many fine authors and posters here that I’ll continue to read and may pop in from time to to time and for weekend social too. I just thought it would be rude to bugger off without saying goodbye. Big ups to all who make this blog such vital place to visit for political analysis and for the occasional bit of entertainment from posters.
Kia Ora.
All the best Rosie till next time.
Yes, all the best Rosie. Thanks so much for all your hard work. Also for your emotional intelligence and considered comments here in ts. We will be the worse off without you, but I wholeheartedly support you to find a healthy headspace and some recovery time.
Thanks weka. I think you put more effort in than I ever did! All the best.
Ta TM
CU Rosie, please pop by again before too long.
see ya rosie..
..once this leadership race is decided..i also intend to largely bow out from here..
..i want to focus on developing aspects of whoar ..vid-blogging etc..
..and tho’ this is a great venue for a battlefield of ideas..
..arguing here soaks up a lot of time/energy..
..and there isn’t much that can be done in practical terms ’till 2017..
..depressing..but true..
Good luck with your development endeavours phillip. You are one of the ones who has been most entertaining. I do enjoy your writing style.
Good for your Rosie. I am in much the same boat and have a sense of gloom about our political and social discourse. I am a bit worn by it and depressed at the thought of more of our environment being eaten, no solutions for those living in cars, low wage earners continuing to subsidise business, all out spying, a lying PM who is about to send us to war and expose us to threats, it goes on …
Having recently spent some time in other NZ locales I see plenty of people with their blinkers on, unable to see past their noses (or rather, their nose-ring by which they are guided), with scant thought given to political realities.
Things will get well worse yet before they get better.
I check the site out from time to time but have run out of energy for posting and blog battles. Priorities have been re-arranged. Only singular snipes from afar for now … see ya
The blinkers thing is one of the most disturbing aspects of our society in this time, imo. And I agree, things will get worse before they get better.
Always respected your take on our farming sector, and our marginalised groups, great insight.
Over n out.
@ vto and Rosie
Don’t go for long periods. Come in and say hello on the Weekend thing on Friday.
Drop off a recipe, the latest book we should read, a link to a good lecture. You both are stalwarts and those are needed. We need an injection of good positive thought and pointers to new stuff, reminders of old. So drop in won’t you there on Friday, even if you want to distance yourself from the endless torment of seeing a good country go to the dogs. And spend all the household money on mindless betting on them.
Will do Warbs. Weekend Social is the relaxed and happy flip side to our political discussion on TS. A healthy dose of calm.
As for movies, keep an eye out for Jimmy’s Hall by Ken Loach – it may well be his last movie. Set in Ireland in the 1930’s:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jimmys_hall/
Keep up with your thoughtful writings Warbs 🙂
Thanks, Rosie, and see you back here in the near future.
I appreciated your comments. You are one of the many bright shining lights.
Back at ya Kiwiri – I appreciated your comments too. Look forward to being back when we’ve something to work with and a new hope
Haere rā Rosie.
farewell joe90, of the impeccable musical tastes.
Bye for now, Rosie. I have enjoyed and agreed with your values and thoughtful posts.
Take care. I will look forward to your future posts when you can. Cheers!
Will miss you very much, Rosie. Nourish yourself and heal deeply; all of us here can hold firm the fortresses til your return ! Kia kaha, my internet sister.
Laugh loudly, and as often as you can ! 🙂
See you around Rosie 😀
Cheers rosie. It’s been a pleasure to meet you. Big thanks for all the Dunne work over the election campaign and commiserations that he wasn’t dusted.
Enjoy that Wellington summer. I miss it… sometimes 😉
Will miss your comments Rosie.
Since Sept 20th I’ve been less active on the comments side, but still been reading – and always enjoy your insights.
Kia kaha.
What the others said, Rosie. Hope you’re back soon.
Success in whatever you do, Rosie. I’ll miss your contributions.
Sorry to see you go Rosie. Your posts always gave me a bit of a lift, and in the increasingly dark times ahead we will need all the help we can get to counter the right wing propaganda.
Take care of yourself – hope to see you back here one day.
Thank you Karen. I think we’ll get there. We just need to recharge our batteries and re group. By the time 2017 comes we must make sure we do our best at what ever level we work at to prevent 9 years turning into 12 years.
Sorry folks, didn’t mean to turn this into a leaving do, where one of those big cards gets signed by all your workmates, in our case, Comrades.
Take Care 🙂
Very sorry to see you go Rosie. Feel free to come back, even for a quick visit when it is right for you.
Be well Rosie…
Keep speaking the truth… People will care when they can hear the truth through the noise. Bbring the truth to the people, one person at a time.
You’re a treasure Rosie. Pity there aren’t lots more of you. Take a break – have a kit kat – and we’ll see you again sometime down the track.
book titles we likely won’t see..
‘how to massage the media’ by pam corkery…
‘how to run a successful political election-campaign’
..by whoever the clown was who ran that dogs-breakfast/clusterfuck of an excuse for an election campaign..
..that was served up by internet-mana…
You can’t fault the energy level put in by Laila Harre´but you can fault some of the decisions. Pam should not have been hired and Hone should have camped in Te Tai Tokerau for a month. Labour put a lot of heave into the West Auckland end of Te Tai Tokerau when I know for a fact other Labour electorates resourcing were a shambles.
The Roadtrips were effective though, but maybe counterproductive ultimately timewise.
IMP raised Mana’s party vote by 10,000 and beat Māori, Hairdo and ACT yet those three snakes get parliamentary reps.
But really left disunity was the deciding factor. IMP was an incredible ask and at least Mana Movement will continue. Community action is where it is at while group think rules amongst the grasping kiwis.
“we may not be able to defeat the swine, but WE don’t have to join them”
one of my main beefs..aside from a seeming total absence of strategy..nobody seemed to be doing the/any thinking..
..is how there was this insistance to stand candidates in ak electorates..
..i made myself quit unpopular arguing against this..
..positing that our limited resources would be scattered to the winds..and to little/no avail..
..and that our overall campaign wd suffer..
..and this is what happened…
..i argued for a fast-moving/cohesive campaign-team..able to move where needed in auckland..and focusing especially on the parts of auckland that were in hones’ electorate..
..and campaigning solely for the party vote here in the rest of ak,,..
..but like i say..all i did was tread on those toes that insisted their local profiles were so big they/mana cd not afford not to stand them as electorate candidates..
..their individual-results in those electorates made a lie of those claims..
..i am just concerned they won’t learn from those mistakes..
..and will just do it all over again..in 2017..
and i agree that harre was one of the few bright spots in a dismal saga..
..it was a shame she was largely reduced to the role of going around and putting out fires..
“But really left disunity was the deciding factor”
IP, Mana and the GP were all willing to work with other parties.
You are relying on facts though wekarawshark.. I think thats the flaw here
Corkery’s blowout, the “fuck john key video”, Hone’s car crash, infighting on policy, the unfair biased treatment from MSM, the moment of truth….there are so many reasons why what could have been a great IMP result slipped away….
At the end of the day (oops a Keyism) Nats 47 Lab/Green 36 can easily be turned around with a good campaign next time. It has taken only days for the rockstar economy to be proven a lie, and that was the bedrock of Nats 47.
Heard Parker on morning report. There is your guy.
Such a refreshing change from Cunliffe who was often difficult to hear as he was always talking from so far inside his own anus.
@ KingKong
We’re lucky he didn’t have a huge one like yours then.
Monkey means he sounded like someone from national…
KK You are sooo clever. How do you think up such brilliant contributions to debates?
We are overcome with anticipation for your next scholarly pronouncement.
Genetically related to Cameron are you?
( sarc)
Why are the media out to get Cunliffe. They are obviously afraid of him. They know that with another 1000 days till 2017 he can get the Labour Party fighting fit and ready to take over. We must support him.
Parker not “my guy”. Unforgivable error telling the media and therefore the public that he had no confidence in DC.
I think he said that Cunliffe’s position ‘is untenable’ without explaining what exactly he meant.
I did feel that that remark was unnecessary, unwise and unfair to have been made by him, considering he was the deputy, a senior member and a caretaker, though I am not sure if he was already in that position.
Yes, Parker used the word “untenable” talking about Cunliffe’s position, and damaged him badly. Its could be confirmed by Andrew Little’s candidacy, which will draw support from the unions.
It is all over for David Cunliffe.
David Cunliffe made some significant errors as Labour Leader, but he is still the standout choice by a country mile. In terms of experience, credibility and having survived the absolute worst that the NAT dirty politics machine through at him.
There are definitely things he needs to do very differently, and the team of advisors he put around himself need a big shakeup and change around. And he needs to deliver big time, for his supporters who backed him on his message of a ‘real red Labour’ and that is the message he is getting now.
Cunliffe remains a very strong candidate in this leadership race.
I am afraid your optimism is unfounded. Time will tell, but the next leader will be eother Robertson or Little.
Hello,about the Penn/Andy Bay Labour party branch,where do I sign up,I will qualify.
Looks like they are a pretty well-grounded & sensible branch who are on to some good work, even while the post-elections doldrums are hanging. They are generating community awareness about a significant event for workers’ rights & social justice for an upcoming commemorative public holiday and you might be eligible to submit an essay (are you old enough??) or contact them:
http://thestandard.org.nz/labour-day-essay-competition-southern/
I asked everyone of my work mates who out of Robertson, Little or cunliffe would they prefer as labour leader. Just to help me in my coming vote.
Of the 4 of them 1 didn’t care or have an opinion he is 24.
the 58Yo and 70yo (I think their age group is important) Both said Cunliffe.
So what is this shit about him being disliked so much. Yeah only by Nat lovers because they know he’s got more skills than keys lies.
The not so Rock Star economy – on the slide downwards – all flash, little substance – who’d a guessed?
But… But… But john key is a great bloke.
Tracey, go wash you mouth out! With Soap.
I see Bill English that Master of Finance is now saying after he failed to get the promised surplus in 2014, and surprise! surprise! He might not get it in 2015 either.
Christ! Cullen got it nine years in a row, easily and without all the promises and excuses that English tries to foist upon us.
Bill you have no clothes on. 53 % of people see that.
True. Wish it was 60%.
Clemgeopin
Imagine the rout & hastily re-clothing (sorry I mean ‘rejection’) of Emperor Bill If the 23% of non voters could be persuaded to act & vote.
(It’s happened before and could happen again). Cheers!
So how far are we down the slippery slope towards corporate fascism while John Key is trying to sell us the TPPA? I thought using the 10 points of Naomi Wolf was handy. It seems we hit all 10 points! Are we a full blown fascist state already? No, but that slippery slope just got more slippery with Nicky Hager’s house being raided.
Congratulation ACT, you’ve managed to delete your 1999 Tamaki candidate Alex Swney.
/
Another ACT person accused of or found guilt of fraud or deceit…
omg for ACT ! @tracey aka Rawshark .. how did you change your name ? Is it altogether new or can we amend existing ones ? thank you .. from rawshark-yeshe
Just change it when you post. It’s not all new. The first one goes into moderation until Lprent checks it, I think. After that it’s business as usual.
Ok, cool. Thanks!
when you change your name all your comments go into moderation until the first one gets checked.
yeshe, just watch out that the name text box doesn’t revert to your old name (it takes a while for the system to update, or I just had too many tabs open when I did mine).
What? Who n ACT?.. No another one? What % is that now?
Rodel .. 100% I think.
No I think it’s still only about 30 % of ACTors convicted of fraud so far
But wait! There’s more I’m sure.
Gisborne needs your help!
Gigatown is an online and real world competition developed by Chorus to help educate and inspire New Zealanders about the possibilities that a country connected with ultra-fast broadband over fibre can provide.
Gisborne is in the FINAL FIVE towns, and we’re the only one in the North Island. If it won, Gisborne would get the fastest internet in the southern hemisphere (1 Gigabit per second (1Gbps) internet connection at the price you’d expect to pay for entry level broadband at 100Mbps, as well as a $200,000 community development fund.
This would be huge for Gisborne!
The town that wins is basically the one that makes the most noise about wanting it!
As you may know, Gisborne is in one of the economically backward regions with high unemployment and low incomes. But the people are so very lovely and friendly. It is also the home of some famous people such as Murray Ball (cartoonist/creator of Footrot Flats), Witi Ihimaera (author), Sir James Carroll (acting Prime Minister), Charles Chauvel (politician), Parekura Horomia (politician), Apirana Ngata (politician) and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (opera diva).
The town that wins this competition is basically the one that makes the most noise about wanting it! The place needs a hand up please.
Just jump onto http://gigatown.co.nz/, sign up/register with Gisborne as the town you support and please do the quiz. This could earn Gisborne lots of points!
There are 25 questions to answer. There are clues/links for the answers.
You can take the Fantastic Fibre Quiz as many times as you like until you get all 25 questions right (each of the questions has Gigaclues to help you out). When you have answered the 25 questions correctly, you will have earned one Gigapoint for Gisborne.
The town with the highest number of correctly completed quizzes will win.
There are other ways to earn points – just see the website !
To see how great this would be for Gisborne, watch about what happened in Chattanooga USA, after they won the same kind of competition: http://gigatown.co.nz/the-idea.
So, if you could help Gisborne get more points, that would be wonderful. Thanks very much.
A few questions. If Gisborne wins, will UFB be available to everyone, or just some parts of the town?
Isn’t UFB being rolled out in many places irrespective of Gigatown?
@ wekarawshark,
Hi, good questions to which I don’t know the answers! I will email and try to find out the answers. Will let you know as soon as I hear back.
Thanks and Cheers!
I just read the FAQs and I think the first few questions have the answers you are looking for. Do they?
http://gigatown.co.nz/faqs
yes and no. I was asking specifically about Gisborne. My understanding is that the UFB isn’t given to the whole town, just parts of it (I’m assuming the CBD and more affluent parts of town. Might be some questions to ask there about what’s happening where you live, who decides where teh UFB goes). And that UFB is being rolled out anyway. Which begs the question of what Gigatown is really all about.
Sorry, I know some people are really excited about it, and I’m raining on your parade a bit, but it looks like more toys for the rich when others who are struggling could do with the support. It’s the great neoliberal promise – if we just put all this money into these sectors, then they will grow the economy and everything will be alright. Colour me cynical, but I think some businesses will do well out of this, many people won’t.
I have emailed your exact questions to Chorus. No reply yet. Will let you know when I hear back.
From the FAQs
[1] Even if gigabit broadband services aren’t available at your home address, there are still ways you’ll likely benefit from having the services in your town. Schools, businesses, hospitals and medical centres are being given priority in the ultra-fast broadband network build. Chorus has committed to completing the fibre build to these sectors by the end of 2015, and many already have the ability to connect to fibre today.
[2]The winning Gigatown will receive:
Gigabit connectivity – Chorus will make a special 1Gbps ultra-fast broadband service available in the winning Gigatown at entry level broadband prices.
A Gigatown development fund – a $200,000 fund provided by Chorus and Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect will support entrepreneurs and innovators taking new services to market over the gigabit fibre connection in Gigatown.
A Gigatown community fund – this is a $500,000 fund to be provided by Chorus over a three-year period. Organisations in the winning Gigatown community can apply to the fund to kick start community related developments that showcase how gigabit infrastructure and UFB can be activated for social good.
Gigabit connectivity:
Chorus provides wholesale telecommunications services which broadband providers use as the foundation for developing their retail phone and broadband services for New Zealand homes and businesses.
Chorus will make available in the winning Gigatown a special 1Gbps wholesale service, at a special price. This special ultra-fast broadband wholesale service (let’s call it the Gigatown Wholesale Service) will be available to broadband providers. Broadband providers can then design their actual retail services and sell these to home and business customers in the winning Gigatown. The service will be available for three years from the date it launches.
[3] The Gigatown development fund:
To enable the winning Gigatown to fully utilise the opportunity that Gigabit broadband service brings, Chorus has teamed up with Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect programme to make available a development fund of $200,000. This fund will support entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country to develop services in the winning Gigatown that utilise Gigabit broadband from a successful trial or prototype stage through to commercial launch.
More details on the Gigatown development fund will be available in October.
The Gigatown community fund:
Chorus has created a fund for the winning Gigatown community so that it can showcase how gigabit infrastructure and ultra-fast broadband can be activated for social good. Chorus will provide a $500,000 investment over three years to be split as follows:
$200,000 in 2015
$150,000 in 2016
$150,000 in 2017
We anticipate that applications for the Gigatown community fund will relate broadly to educational, cultural, civic, health and wellbeing community related projects.
We will work with the winning Gigatown on how best to implement this fund and will pro-vide more detail in 2015.
Gigatown is a Chorus marketing ploy.
http://www.chorus.co.nz/fibre-rollout-map
Hi Wekarawshark,
I just received a reply from Chorus. Here it is:
“The area covered by the Chorus ultra-fast broadband network won’t be altered if your town wins our Gigatown competition. Even if gigabit broadband services aren’t available at your home address, there are still ways you’ll likely benefit from having the services in your town. Schools, businesses, hospitals and medical centres are being given priority in the ultra-fast broadband network build. Chorus has committed to completing the fibre build to these sectors by the end of 2015, and many already have the ability to connect to fibre today.
You can find out what areas in Gisborne will be covered by UFB here: http://www.chorus.co.nz/maps
The winning Gigatown will receive:
Gigabit connectivity – Chorus will make a special 1Gbps ultra-fast broadband service available in the winning Gigatown at entry level broadband prices.
A Gigatown development fund – a $200,000 fund provided by Chorus and Alcatel Lucent’s ng Connect will support entrepreneurs and innovators taking new services to market over the gigabit fibre connection in Gigatown.
A Gigatown community fund – this is a $500,000 fund to be provided by Chorus over a three-year period. Organisations in the winning Gigatown community can apply to the fund to kick start community related developments that showcase how gigabit infrastructure and UFB can be activated for social good.
Jon Dow | Social Media Consultant
Go gigatown Wanaka! I don’t need to spell out its attractions here as they will be self evident to anyone who has visited this truly special place. Outside assistance not required, but gratefully received. Refer links above
Gisbournes bigger than Tokoroa they have been laying optical fibre’s furiously around here.
Why is gizzy having trouble? Did you all vote Labour or something?
Tokoroa is an UltraFast town.
http://www.crownfibre.govt.nz/getting-ufb/rollout-timetable/
http://www.ultrafastfibre.co.nz/getting-connected/address-finder
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/10588017/Veges-linked-to-gastro-bug-outbreak
…just be careful with those veggies…eh..?
It’s not the veges, it’s the industrial food supply chain.
that’s why I stick to spare ribs 🙂
Every child knows veges are bad for you…
although, silver lining, gastro is a great ab toner…
I have vivid memories as a kid of having a tomato shoved in my mouth. I mean highchair eating aged kid. wouldn’t shut up must have got to mum in the end.
Vege’s are evil, and yes I know it’s a fruit smartarses but hey, looks, tastes like a horrible vege, it’s a freakin vege.
While I agree with the comment about Ministers in general not needing degrees, in this case, given that the push is towards the Dept of Conservation and Tourism becoming more self funding, and less about conservation, I too think someone who can understand the science would be better.
I can’t decide if Barry as Minister is Key throwing DOC in a corner so it can be forgotten about, or if it’s a sly ploy at something more sinister.
The Nanny State becomes the Mummy State.
The government’s now spending money texting beneficiaries to remind them to brush their teeth.
More or less expensive than fluoridation, I wonder…
The got results apparently but yeah – if I got a text reminding me to brush my teeth I would think WTF?
Normally I’m in favour of targeted pophealth interventions, but I have concerns about:
The scheme was designed to address the “chronic” state of oral health in New Zealand and reduce the number of beneficiaries requesting expensive emergency dental care grants.
Here’s an idea. How about paying people enough so they can eat well, and educating them about what causes tooth decay (refined carbs) and then txt them to remind them to brush their teeth.
Which I had one P Benefits number I’d text her daily to ask her to remember to pull the ladder up behind her fat ugly ass.
May be the beneficiaries should text the government back telling them to clean their own bums first, including Slater.
🙄 AKA baby Rawshark,are you my daddy.
edit Thanks it works,rolling eyes
Narratives from the 2014 Election: what do we learn?
A Fabians Reflection on Dirty Politics, Dotcom and Labour’s worst result with
Stephanie Rodgers, Colin James, Keith Ng and Richard Harman.
Monday October 13th, 5:30 PM through 7:30 PM
Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace,
Wellington
Register here.
http://www.fabians.org.nz/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/event/register&Itemid=56&id=116&reset=1
Apples – you owe me an apology. Grant Robertson’s Party vote was pitiful .His electorate vote was 19,000 and his PV was 9,000. I told you he was only pretending to get a PV. I was right. Traitor.
With a massive Green party vote, owing to a very strong Green candidate (James Shaw) and a very strong campaign working on a fertile ground. Grant gets a lot of Green vote splitting. That’s not a bad thing, it’s a good thing that he can appeal across that left divide.
It’s simply not true that Grant “was only pretending to get a PV”, and I think it’s actually completely appalling that you’re calling Apples, who clearly worked very hard for the party at the last election, a “traitor”. Get over yourself.
surprisurprise surprise
lies win again. govt $3 bn in deficit… the bogus surplus has officially not transpired… but its ok cos they got re elected on the lie…and tax take down again…. somuch for rock star economy
NO NO NO Tracey
This is the cusp!!!
Meanwhile the debt is now
92,708,999,987
interest per yr
4,534,689,018
“Why is she getting inVOLVED, Naomi Wolf?”
Unbelievably, The Panel continues to decline.
Radio NZ National, Tuesday 7 October 2014
Jim Mora, Penny Ashton, Dita Di Boni, Zara Potts
First the good news: Dita Di Boni is back, and she is as strong, eloquent and focused as she was when she decisively confronted and silenced John Bishop back on September 3.
Now the bad news: Jim Mora is still there. And Zara Potts is just another iteration of Susan Baldacci—shallow and, beneath all the chuckling, quite nasty….
JIM MORA: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
PENNY ASHTON: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
ZARA POTTS: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
MORA: Okay, author Naomi Wolf’s curious opinions about what’s going on with ISIS.
ZARA POTTS: Yes, the feminist writer Naomi Wolf has criticized the New York Times for repeatedly calling ISIS “evil”. She says that is not the language of news reporting.
MORA: [querulous tone] Why is she getting inVOLVED, Naomi Wolf?
ZARA POTTS: Yes, well, she has a history of being outspoken about various issues.
DITA DI BONI: But she’s correct: the New York Times has been deeply involved in the drumbeat for war.
MORA: Yeah, but….
ZARA POTTS: [confused] Hmmmm.
MORA: But this has gone on from time immemorial, hasn’t it.
ZARA POTTS: Hmmmm….
MORA: I met her once, Naomi Wolf. She was very charming. She came to New Zealand several times, you know.
…..ad nauseam….
I flicked the avid New York Times reader Jim Mora the following email….
On the New York Times’ use of language
Dear Jim,
When Dita Di Boni made a very serious point about the extreme and partisan language used by the New York Times, you said: “But this has gone on from time immemorial, hasn’t it.”
Considering it has “gone on from time immemorial”, could you tell us the most recent occasion when a New York Times editorial used the word “evil” to describe the crimes of the U.S. or British regimes?
Yours sincerely,
Morrissey Breen
Northcote Point
How utterly appalling describing ISIS as “evil”. Let’s call them freedom fighters instead.
Call them what you like, ISIS is (both directly and indirectly) a US creation.
1.) How utterly appalling describing ISIS as “evil”.
You seem to be confused. Of course ISIS is evil, but so is Saudi Arabia, Israel, the United States and Great Britain. Every one of those regimes, of course, supported ISIS when it was simply creating chaos in Syria. One of them cut out the heart of a Syrian soldier and ate it on video; the United States and its “allies” continued to support them.
2.) Let’s call them freedom fighters instead.
That’s exactly what mainstream media WERE calling them until just a few months ago.
There is no such thing as evil. There is only human behaviour.
There is no such thing as evil. There is only human behaviour.
Nicely put, Te Reo. I agree. My point, though, is that if the New York Times describes ISIS as evil, then it should describe the United States, which is funding it in Syria even as it bombs it in Iraq, in the same language.
Yep, I agree with you there. Though the difference is that the behaviour of the US and allies is sanctioned within the western democratic process and can be said, in a broad sense, to be progressive. IS answer to noone and are entirely and proudly regressive.
1.) Though the difference is that the behaviour of the US and allies is sanctioned within the western democratic process and can be said, in a broad sense, to be progressive.
“Sanctioned within the western democratic process”? Come on, Te Reo, you’re not stupid. You know as well as I do that these decisions have nothing to do with democracy. How much democratic debate was there before Tony Abbott “committed” Australian bombers to the “campaign”? Who sanctioned the “US and allies” to fund the ISIS terrorists? (You are aware, I take it, that they are supporting those lunatics in Syria, even as they are bombing them in Iraq.) Is supporting ISIS progressive, in a broad sense? Or is the U.S. allowed to do what it wants?
2.) IS answer to noone….
Nor does Israel. Nor does the United States.
3.) ….and are entirely and proudly regressive.
So why do the United States, Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Australia support them?
The west is not supporting IS in Syria, so your argument there doesn’t hold much water. ISIS is actually fighting the rebels that the west is supporting (though including the heart eating bloke you claim was ISIS, but actually isn’t).
As for Abbot etc. there is democratic debate. In fact, in one sense, you’re participating in it right now. Whether you get it or not, western governments (mostly) operate within the democratic process. The growing coalition against IS is an example of that.
1.) The west is not supporting IS in Syria,
Yes it is, and it has been doing so for more than three years. By the way, please stop saying “the west” when you mean the United States.
2.) ….so your argument there doesn’t hold much water.
It’s not my “argument”, it’s a fact.
3.) ISIS is actually fighting the rebels that the west is supporting
So “our” support for the “moderate rebels” is targeted, precision support, like “our” bombing of civilian areas in Iraq and Gaza.
4.) (though including the heart eating bloke you claim was ISIS, but actually
He was one of those “moderate rebels” that such outstanding journals as the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail were lionizing until recently.
5.) As for Abbot etc. there is democratic debate.
You’re joking, surely? Abbott railroaded the decision to bomb Iraq; it was as democratic as Howard’s decision to join the Coalition of the Willing in 2003.
6.) In fact, in one sense, you’re participating in it right now.
This is not parliament. How much meaningful, serious debate on the level of this forum is there in parliament?
7.) Whether you get it or not, western governments (mostly) operate within the democratic process.
Your demeaning and arrogant language —-“Whether you get it or not”—-does nothing to bolster your argument. Your entirely faith-based contention that Western governments “operate within the democratic process” demonstrates, worryingly, that you don’t do a lot of serious or critical reading. And the Nicky Hager book showed beyond any refutation that our government does NOT “mostly operate within the democratic process”. But then I would not be surprised to learn that you buy into the Labour Party’s line—reiterated by Andrew Little and Stuart Nash on television over the weekend—that all of this left wing obsession with democracy and secrecy was a “distraction”.
8.) The growing coalition against IS is an example of that.
The “growing coalition against IS”? A few politicians being bullied by phone calls from Washington into complying is not a “growing coalition” any more than it’s democratic or just or legal. Did you buy into the “Coalition of the Willing” lie as well?
Sorry, mate. I haven’t got time this morning to put you right, and I doubt you want to go much beyond headlines and hyperbole anyway. Your previous history of sketchy reliance on ‘facts’ that only make sense to yourself suggests I’d be wasting time that could be better put to use cleaning out the cat’s litter tray. But you could do some actual research yourself and see what comes of that.
Gotta go …..
TE REO PUTAKE: Sorry, mate. I haven’t got time this morning to put you right. Gotta go …..
TRANSLATION: “I concede.”
Jeez, what a wanker you are, Moz. I’ve got a life, and educating you is not a priority. I’ve done it on occasion in the past because you seem nice, if a little bewildered, but frankly you don’t really need me. All you need is google and the ability to comprehend those tricky facty things. Clue: what you think ain’t always what is so.
Jeez, what a wanker you are, Moz. I’ve got a life, and educating you is not a priority.
That trademark humour again?
I’ve done it on occasion in the past because you seem nice, if a little bewildered, but frankly you don’t really need me.
I like you too, Te Reo. But how exactly am I “bewildered”?
All you need is google and the ability to comprehend those tricky facty things. Clue: what you think ain’t always what is so.
Ahhh! I get it. You’re upset at my pointing out that the U.S. has funded, armed and advocated for ISIS in its noble struggle against the satanic Assad government. I heard poor old Phil Goff tying himself in casuistical knots the other day, when he tried to say that supporting the people who cut out and eat the hearts of Syrian soldiers is the equivalent of supporting the Spanish Republic in the 1930s; for you to come out and admit the truth would be an act of disloyalty to the Labour Party and its line-up of similarly eloquent spokesmen.
Never mind the truth, of course. That’s for reprobates like Ellsberg, Chomsky, Assange, Manning, Snowden, and Hager. Loyalty to the Party line is all. This month we in the Labour Party have a particularly horrible rat that we all have to swallow: we are required to say that the people “we” (i.e., the Key government and its responsible Labour opposition) support in Syria are not ISIS, even though they are.
After all, that’s what dear old Phil Goff is doing. We owe it to him to stay on message.
An interactive closer look at voting patterns in NZ.
Very interesting and quite revealing.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/interactives/2014/nzvote/home.html
Thanks!
That puts paid to the idea that Māori don’t vote Green
http://www.stuff.co.nz/interactives/2014/nzvote/green/home.html
The origins of Which Side Are You On?, sung during a St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performance by a flash mob supporting Michael Brown .
Alan Lomax, writing in the American Folk Song Book (1968), says “Florence Reece, a shy, towheaded Kentucky miner’s daughter, composed this song at the age of 12 when her father was out on strike.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Reece
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Which_Side_Are_You_On%3F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYr09q9dHSo
Yes quite awesome…
Which Side Are You On?:
Dropkick Murphys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKWfnO7fhQM&feature=youtu.be
Pete Seeger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iAIM02kv0g
Beautiful song.
Seeger’s version would be my fave.
Here’s a very nice Natalie Merchant rendition…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxfZtNEG1xU
And dear old William S Bragg…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbddqXib814
Labour needs a leader who can wield the spear of anger and wield it now.
To take out Cunliffe, or Robertson? It’s so confusing!
Grant Robertson is not fit to lead yet. It has to be David Cunliffe.
stop press: well known Cunliffe supporter Colonial Viper calls for Cunliffe to be speared! The tide really has turned against Cunliffe now
whoops good point
someone who is really angry we are the Mad Monk’s little helper and paler shadow, just without the sincerity and oddity of that leader’s religious belief. Someone who is not letting National get all their pegs in the ground for this next three years unchallenged. Cunliffe carrying on seemed like a good idea in that sense. I almost feel like I want some leader to take the Labour Party reigns in a coup d’etat just so they can get into the business of opposition, because there is too much that came out of that election campaign that needs unrelenting opposition scrutiny on. And the opposition have just well and truly surrendered any momentum or moral authority for a good long while. It starts here. Start the campaign and the victory laps now and in three years it will feel real and the cracks will show as the Nats are under pressure. Keep the blow torch on over the revelations about the National party ministers bullying and lack of accoutability.
Last election they had a one seat majority and that was Banks. Here they’ve just got Dunne, Seymour and Ururoa-Flavell. It’s not a big gap.
So since Bill English is struggling with the deficit perhaps we could help him along. There is a provisional tax payment due soon so if all you people with cheque books write out a cheque to the IRD and put it in on the due date, not allowed to go over any more, it will support local employment, non bank, and if enough people do it then it should take an age to process.
Feel free to file paper gst returns too.
When we are so consumed with what we are so sure that we are right,
(like Iprent is) it closes our mind.
(Hey, he tells us that he has a uni degree therefore in his mind he will brook no argument. He Knows.)
For e.g.
regarding ‘Man Made Global Warming’……..that we can’t even define the issue,,,,
Now he calls it, ‘Climate change.’
And he says that OUR mind is so made up that it is closed.
In his opinion we have no hope.
How sad.
hullo again.
If you were interested in a genuine discussion, Wikipedia wouldn’t be too difficult for you to grasp.
Are you a climate denier?
[lprent: Yes: Part of denying breed. His arguments are circa 2005. I even put up a video to show him the minimum standard before people would bother telling him he was being stupid. Evidently that was too advanced for him. ]