Note the personal attack on them by David Seymour for betraying their class.
Anyone who did not realise that Seynour and NACT are engaged in class war against those who do not have wealth/own property should be awakening from their sleep.
And David Seymour has really let this one 'zoooom' straight over. I can see why Seymour has framed it this way though as ACT likes its govt small.
My reading is that they wanted the tax arrangements to be such that they were taxed properly and so the funds went into the funds of Govt to add to the funds used by Govt for public services. Nothing to do with philanthropy etc.
Dear Joe90, please would you consider using the alternative title option when posting links without a descriptor in the web address? I like to know what I'm jumping to. That link was worth a read when I got there, though.
Once again, Labour shows it's poor on sound-bite messaging. You can present a rational argument in the background for those who read, but to drag the electorate your way you need two or three snappy slogans. Ram-raids, uppity Maoris and over-regulation are the only drums Luxon's banging.
From the article in the link, attack the richy-richy may not be the best strategy, I'm thinking. Attack no-tax/lo-tax company structures is a larger target, and would hoover up rich tax evaders as well. Now for the killer sound-bite.
Based on the Key/English efforts, no guarantee that it will actually deliver the tax switch being advertised. In this particular case, the concern would be that retailers (like supermarkets) wouldn't pass on all of the savings.
ACT represents those who have an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
The entitlement comes from the historical association of wealth and power.
Wealth means success, and success entitles them to have power.
The only things ACT supporters care about is the size of their bank accounts and nothing, but nothing, should get in the way of any exponential growth of these.
If ACT gets its way, the rich will be a whole heap richer and those at the bottom will be left to fight over the few crumbs that trickle down.
It is a disgusting irony that Federated Farmers Andrew Hoggard is standing for a party whose policies are almost identical to those of the the great Rogernome in the 1980s, and were responsible for so many suicides in the rural sector.
And what would Labour use the money for? They already use the taxpayer funds to pat for their campaign advertising. I received, with yesterdays mail, a leaflet from the PM saying how wonderful Labour is. In the smallest possible font the House of Representatives Crest was present to show that the taxpayer and not the Party was paying for it. I imagine it has probably been sent to every household in the country.
Why should the taxpayer have to pay for something that is purely a political ad?
parties are funded by a combination of state funds (aka taxpayer money) and private donations.
…
State funding is all the money political parties are allocated by the government (shout out to the taxpayer). Some state funding is through the Budget. Political parties are given sizable sums each year so that they can afford to employ people and keep thinking up new policies and ways to fix our problems.
Other state funding comes through the Electoral Commission. This is the independent crown entity that manages everything to do with elections (their mascot is the weird orange guy). They put aside a lump of cash that each party can only spend on media advertising. The parties don’t actually get this money in the hand, it’s kind of like a media voucher.
The National Party may start election year with a $2.3 million war chest raised from 24 big donors in 2022, while Labour has declared just $150,000 in large donations, according to Electoral Commission records.
I've already said how I think parties ought to be funded. No more than a small amount once annually from members, and every election voters at the polling station get given two vouchers with, say, $10 or $20 value. They then simply deposit one into the party donation box of their choice and they get to keep the other as a thank you for voting.
I would also make election day a mid-week public holiday, unpaid if you don't vote and paid if you do. That way, if you don't bother to vote on the day off and you earn, say, $35 an hour, it is the equivalent of a $280 dollar fine.
It is an interesting idea and I can see the first part of it working. As far as the payment for voting goes though it would seem to impose a massive penalty on those people who aren't eligible to vote.
“Sorry fella. You are here on a visa that allows you to work but not vote so you have to take a day off without pay.”
Meh – NZ is uniquely round-heeled when it comes to pissing away our citizens' franchise – they only need to be here for six months and they get to vote anyway. Something to do with the major parties, knowing they have alienated voters, looking for new marks potential supporters among those who have yet to experience their inadequacy.
Indeed why should the taxpayer pay for political ads?
My National MP who spend thousands over a couple of years, who was backed by the twisted logic and benign rulings of the system I dealt with in Wellington, in the end got to the insurmountable argument: “It’s legal.”
The bastard lost in the election. All the money he spent, our money, would’ve been well used by our local schools.
When I see these kinds of words being used, I see them as a form of self-reflection.
Is Willis resentful, jealous and envious of Labour being in government?
She wants the power.
That is why we get from National already the fear and envy tactics, the hyperbole and the cherry-picking of facts, the partial quotes, the accusations of secrecy and improper motivation.
That "late John Armstrong" was a lying user of a poisonous pen. He used his power to repeat untrue stories, especially one about a non-existent gift. He played a dirty power game for National.
Jealousy, envy, resentment. "… the accusations of secrecy and improper motivation"
At a personal level it can extend to stalking the individual, breaking into the individual's home, reporting the individual to the authorities for misdemeanors never committed and setting the person up by way of covert hoaxes. In the more serious cases it can also iclude violence to pets and damage to property.
Yep. It happened to me 30 plus years ago. All of it.
But because the perpetrator had links to high places including a high ranked sibling, she was shielded by the 'establishment' and never brought to justice.
Translate that story into politics and you have the same kind of behaviour occurring by National and ACT including the law breaking. Remember the DP years. Slater was never charged and sentenced by the police for his law breaking and nefarious conduct. But one of the victims was. Nicky Hagar. Slater knew people in high places and had a well metaphoricalplaced father.
Jealousy, envy and resentment. No difference whether it be personal or political – or a mix of both.
But if you know the ‘right’ people, you get off with not even the metaphorical wet bus ticket.
it's probably both. But Seymour misses the point that no matter how good an infrastructure fix we do now, it won't be enough if we don't massively and immediately mitigate the climate crisis.
Its a sub tropical low which is expected to form off the coast of Brisbane. Shouldn't pack the same punch as Gabrielle and looks like it will cross over the country quite quickly. Fingers crossed. 😮
Time for the Green Party display some recognition to its voters- As they are about to lose 1.
I for 1 did not give my party vote so that 1 of "their" MP's can leave the party and sit as an independent. I gave them my vote as they were more focused on the environment than any of the alternatives. As TGP has displayed an attitude of contempt to a voter as you have reduced your say in parliament by 10%. (I note that EK was pictured in some committee that was hearing on vaping as an independent yet was placed there as TGP allocation !!!!)
Regarding the allegations regarding Elizabeth Kerekere, if held true what were you doing to miss seeing and then reacting to these. If untrue then you are no better (Some could say that TGP is the worst example of a political party) than any other party in your manipulation into actively remove EK from parliament.
the GP took a stand a long time ago on waka jumping, on principles, and they can't toss that aside now for convenience sake because it would undermine their integrity and kaupapa. It would also be suicide in election year.
2. wait to see what the final list is like. Fingers crossed there are more overt environmentalists in the top ten. At that point, everyone's vote matters if truly you want strong environmentalists in parliament. Here's the interim list, imo it's worth voting Green to get Abel and Pham into parliament,
(had EK been forced to leave parliament via waka jumping, Abel would now be an MP, being next on the list. I'm annoyed he's not, but this is on EK as much as anyone. Look at the reasons for the GP not supporting waka jumping law if you want ot understand this better).
3. Shaw and Davidson have both said, many times, that there were patterns of behaviour from EK predating the cry baby message, but they were unable to act on them because people were afraid to come forward. Once EK hoisted herself on her own petard, people felt more able to speak up. The impression I have is that JS and MD knew there was a problem but didn't have any hard details or people willing to speak, which they needed for a formal investigation. It's too their credit that they waited for firm evidence before proceeding.
4. The process was decided by the whole of caucus, including EKm last year, in the wake of the report on bullying in parliament. I've not seen anything that shows JS and MD subverted or manipulated that process.
It's completely the wrong focus worrying about candidates before the list is set. There ought to be drama in selection.
What we need is a fully on fire Greens in the political arena scoring even better points than Act, so that Greens can grind back up to 10%. The focus needs to stay on policy not the usual pre-selection games.
Minor handbag squabble compared to the Labour list bloodbath through June and July as about 20 existing MPs realise they don't have jobs in 4 months and rapidly jump ship.
20 is optimistic. I smell zero sense of urgency from Labour, let alone the Greens.
Labour itself needs to tilt the political discourse since the Greens aren't able to. Budget 2023 is yet to do that job.
hopefully they're gearing up in private for the election campaign proper, but the year does seem to be getting on. Other elections the Greens have started early.
The same could be said of this EK issue until we have anything of substance, I am sure with EK’s departure the need for anything to be aired could now be viewed as redundant, so the issue goes away, and in the eyes of those concerned guilt is passed. Either her behaviour is beyond what is acceptable or she has been targeted for personal gain of others. I am trying to not be condemning to either side until there is more to support one of the claims. I note that this was reported 6 April of the txt how long can it take if there was some motivation to sort this out ???
I'd definitely like to know if the process they are using, that was established last year, is in the public domain. Someone could look that up I expect.
Either her behaviour is beyond what is acceptable or she has been targeted for personal gain of others.
Or there were some issues that needed to be investigated that were survivable for EK and she bailed before that process was completed. I'm sure there are other interpretations as well.
My reading of it, based on what I've seen MD and JS say, and the reporting from credible and relatively unbiased sources, is that there was a pattern of behaviour and the co-leaders decided to act now because it was going to be terrible for election year if they didn't.
Certainly from the outside, EK looks to me like a loose unit. Her behaviour during the BDMRR select committee raised red flags, but that could have been a one off and it wasn't like she was the only MP that displayed bias. But when you have multiple examples and people too afraid to speak, I think it's reasonable for the party to act from self preservation especially given the GP's history with election campaigns (something that EK seems to not take very seriously). Even the way she handled the call with members and how she resigned raised another set of red flags. Doesn't look like a team player or someone who has the interests of the party at heart.
I also think that if the issues around behaviour weren't real or weren't of a meaningful level, that JS and MD wouldn't have taken the positions they did. I trust them in that, especially JS because of how he behaved in the 2017 election campaign during the fallout from Turei's speech. It's not too hard to read between the lines in what he has and hasn't said, without going deeper into the kind of speculation that Edwards is doing.
I'll also say this. The gender/sex war has the potential to wreck the election. That could cost the Greens big time, and possible the left the election overall. If that sounds like hyperbole, it's based on watching what has happened in the UK, where in the end Labour had to accept that women have sex based rights. Because most people draw a line at saying people can literally change sex and society should be based around that.
In the local body elections, in Brighton, one of the most strongly identity politics places in the UK, Green councillors just lost their seats (to Labour). Anyone not paying attention to this is missing something really important. Many people rightly believe that trans people should have the same human rights as others, but aren't ok with the excesses of gender ideology.
I have no idea where the GP sit on the real politik of that, but if the election turns on 'what is a woman?' (and the right may indeed go down that track), then it has the potential to get nasty and I'm not sure the left has the capacity atm to parse what is going on with that because of the ideology. I hope it doesn't go down this track, but the potential is there. EK being out of the GP is a relief, because now at least is she goes off on one about genderism, the focus can be on her not the Greens.
Edwards typically pulls together a variety of opinion, and then draws his own conclusions.
In this piece, Edwards cites "long-time Green Party commentator Gordon Campbell", "leftwing political commentator Steven Cowan", "The Herald’s Thomas Coughlan", and of course the one and only "Leftwing blogger and Green voter Martyn Bradbury".
You could say this is 'informed' rather than 'unevidenced' speculation.
None of the people you name are Green Party people. MB regularly slags off the Greens, over a long period of time. I would guess Cowan has some anti-Green bias. I've read Campbell's piece, it was interesting. But when Edwards says things like this,
Activists within the Green Left Network, together with the Rainbow Greens, were keen to undermine and replace Shaw, seeing him as too conservative and the wrong demographic. And this year they’ve managed to force him to step aside from his long-held candidacy in the Wellington Central electorate, in favour of city councillor Tamatha Paul.
Where is the actual evidence that these assertions are true?
Weka, it isn't necessary to be a green party person to have inside information on what is happening within the party. The people Edwards quotes from are far from disconnected from Green Party politics.
As for Edwards assertions, what we do know, is that there was an attempt to dump James Shaw as leader of the party in mid 2022, and that followed the Greens voting to:
"remove the male co-leadership requirement from its constitution. It now requires a woman and one person of any gender (providing leadership pathways for non-binary and intersex)."
Regardless of the conclusions Edwards comes to, he is right about this:
The current policy environment is also highly favourable to the Greens. Voters say that they are especially concerned with issues which the Greens have the ability to campaign strongly on: climate change, housing, inequality, tax reform, and the cost of living.
Some tighter focus on the issues which matter to the electorate (and some party discipline over going off message) – should pay dividends for the GP.
I think they could definitely do well if they focused on those, but I'm less convinced they can break out of the 10% ghetto, and that is what is needed if we are to make serious efforts on climate and ecology. I hope they can pull something out of the bag. While I think Edwards was overstating the case and as I said, unevidenced, I do think the perception of the GP as too woke is a potentially a problem and I;m not sure if they know how to deal with that.
I disagree – on this matter he seems remarkably in tune with the feelings I, and many of my associates who have voted Green in the past, have expressed recently. I really think they need to give up the green brand, and maybe pitch as the rainbow party, social justice party, or something else – the environment really isn't a priority for them now, based on their actions over the last few years.
I'm sorry you have that impression because it's simply not true. Look at their policy. Scroll through their press releases, and SM. Yes, social justice is featured, but environmental issues are too. Do they have the balance between the two right. I don't think so. But I don't see the point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
National did what they did to manipulate those unable to handle simple complexity to cause disdain for the Greens among their own supporters.
Because National think they are so clever they can do this.
Rather than encourage them to think their strategy is working, how about just pondering this?
How much money can be spent in one year when it is allocated over 4 years and the first year is for the design of the programme in which the money is spent?
That question was clearly answered.
The second question is why not allocate the money to existing programmes.
She said the new programmes were set up because of liason with providers of existing programmes, as they saw a need to supplement them with new ones.
That question was clearly answered.
The third question was regarding the 200 16-17 year olds in motels and whether the new programmes would deal with this. She responded and Bishop intervened and said he did not want some list of spending allocations in response (related to existing programmes dealing with this particular matter) and the Speaker chimed in with his line, he was almost afraid to have the Minister answer the question again and then intervened when she began to after Bishop re-asked the question.
KNOWN FACT. National did not want the new programmes being set up to deal with housing delivery.
I would suggest you look at the programmes and see if you can find any relationship to this direction and things like Maori Health and National's opposition to that.
I thought the Speaker let her off very lightly. She should have been instructed to answer the question, or ejected from the House until she was prepared to do so.
All Ministers take the opportunity to add a little fluff of the question-that-they-really-want-to-answer to an official response – but they are required to actually answer the question as presented.
The $75M was allocated over 4 years for new initiatives.
2. The first part of the process was design and the money for them was to come in from July 2023
3. Existing programmes have their own funding allocations.
Bishop and his fans here are working to promote contempt for Greens and to overall question delivery by nit picking about new programmes set up to operate in the 2023-2026 period that a National victory would block.
The Speaker was inept, or deliberately hostile to the Minister. The explanation was obvious.
If I were the Greens and there was any continuance of it, not support the Speakers re-appointment.
National did what they did to manipulate those unable to handle simple complexity to cause disdain for the Greens among their own supporters.
Because National and their supporters think they are so clever they can do this.
REALITY CHECK.
How much money can be spent in one year when it is allocated over 4 years and the first year is for the design of the programme in which the money is spent?
That question was clearly answered.
The second question is why not allocate the money to existing programmes.
She said the new programmes were set up because of liason with providers of existing programmes, as they saw a need to supplement them with new ones.
That question was also clearly answered.
The third question was regarding the 200 16-17 year olds in motels and whether the new programmes would deal with this.
She responded and Bishop intervened and said he did not want some list of spending allocations in response (related to existing programmes dealing with this particular matter) and the Speaker chimed in with his line, he was almost afraid to have the Minister answer the question again and then intervened when she began to after Bishop re-asked the question.
"SPEAKER: That was a lot of information, but it didn't actually address the basic part of the question. Mr Bishop, do you want another question, or do you want to ask that one again?"
"SPEAKER: That still doesn't answer the question. I'm going to give the member an additional question."
SPEAKER: Yeah, I'm sure there is, but I'm on my feet and I'm about to make a ruling. Just simply reading out a long list of expenditure doesn't actually address the question that's being asked. The question was very clear around young people and transitional homes. I'm almost afraid to ask the member to say more, but I'll leave it to Mr Bishop, if he wants to ask that question again.
Doctor, Doctor I need you to give your insight on the politics of the left wing parties, for those of the right are perfection, except occasionally C. Luxon over whom some of even more angelic form have doubts.
From the Dottore who thought it important in the fires on the lawn of parliament to point out that a couple of people once said mean things about John Key too. These were equivalent and so Jacinda was just a whining big girls blouse, unlike Bill English or John Key who were real politician men.
There’s a reason the regular ACT aligned philosopher of a commenter introduced it.
So far however the only significant pre-budget announcement has been for Defence.
I am struggling to see the benefits from all those consultants that bullshit agencies like Education Review Office, Ministry of Pacific Peoples, Ministry for Culture and Hertitage and others are blowing out, when it's the basics of Police Education and Health that are begging for more salaried frontline staff.
If this government were a retail store I think I'd probably go ask for a refund.
Unless Robertson has an almighty trick up his sleeve as the Albanese government just pulled in the Australian budget this week, Labour are just not going to move the dial dial upwards.
While they keep insisting on doing these pre-Budget announcements to a 'business audience' it is apparent who they are most concerned about and it's certainly not workers, frontline or otherwise:
Speaking to a business audience at Parliament on Thursday morning, Grant Robertson said ministers were told if they wanted to progress particular opportunities, they had to look for savings opportunities within their ministries' existing budgets.
To be fair, most of the budget details uses complex figures and forecasts that would be way over the heads of the average Joe and Jill Bloggs and only the suits would understand them.
In case this wasn't a sarcastic response I would say speaking over the heads of laypeople represents a communication failure by a government that is supposedly for all, those besuited titans of industry and us mere mortals both. If we can have law written in plain language then there is no reason the pre-Budget announcement should be mostly business jargon.
Try and explain anything complex and it will go over the heads of most people, my kids lost me at the Masters level. I used to just sit there nodding, no wonder they nicknamed me Homer.
Perhaps they could adequately fund the Dunedin hospital to allow what was specified to be built. How they are a bunch of #%^ers to pull this and now we find there was $4BILLION that is now out there to be spent. How we have been let down by words and NO action. On this issue of the hospital they have funded this to fail the local community – A strong labour community at that !!!
Was so weak to see Labour MP Rachel Brooking defend the cuts in the ODT, then nek minnit Labour Minister of Health Verral 'restores' $70 million of the cuts …
… and still forget to tell us that the redesign would cost the whole project a year, which of course costs programme and redesign costs.
That MoH Major Capital team are just a law unto themselves.
I think Robertson has been excellent as a Finance Minister and he is a superb performer in the house.
But I agree with you here Herod. When he can find four thousand million dollars in his back pocket the penny-pinching on 100 million or so on the oh-so-politically sensitive and oh-so-needed Dunedin hospital looks stupid.
Unhappily, NZ's finance ministers have been almost universally lousy. Cullen would be the only one to rate above the international average, and he was no Keynes. The rest have been distinctly sub-par – as is reflected in national productivity and the largely unchallenged follies coming out of Treasury.
We are supposed to be a democracy – not a dictatorship of useless far-right economic pretenders stymying every plausible policy initiative. Our country is being left to rot.
Wow! Ginny just made Mercenary Mitchell look like a plodding, incompetent fool in the house again today! Either she's very good, or he's an idiot. [Probably both!]
Do they know what his excuses are for both enabling one of the top ten polluters in nz (according to stuff) the glenbrook steel mill..to just carry on in that role..for the foreseeable future..when he could have done differently..?
And now for doing nothing to stop deep sea mining..?
Parker/labour: putting the 'rad' in environmental-degradation..
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Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
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https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/132001093/wealthy-new-zealanders-say-they-want-to-pay-more-tax
Imagine a world where the wealthy were proud of how much tax the contributed, not of how much they avoided
Note the personal attack on them by David Seymour for betraying their class.
Anyone who did not realise that Seynour and NACT are engaged in class war against those who do not have wealth/own property should be awakening from their sleep.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kushlan-sugathapala-questioning-our-extremely-unfair-tax-system-is-not-being-envious/CIOF3JGJBBALPO2YCWZND6I3PE/
Can anyone provide a link without paywall?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/kushlan-sugathapala-questioning-our-extremely-unfair-tax-system-is-not-being-envious/CIOF3JGJBBALPO2YCWZND6I3PE/
And David Seymour has really let this one 'zoooom' straight over. I can see why Seymour has framed it this way though as ACT likes its govt small.
My reading is that they wanted the tax arrangements to be such that they were taxed properly and so the funds went into the funds of Govt to add to the funds used by Govt for public services. Nothing to do with philanthropy etc.
https://archive.li/0pfz9
Dear Joe90, please would you consider using the alternative title option when posting links without a descriptor in the web address? I like to know what I'm jumping to. That link was worth a read when I got there, though.
Once again, Labour shows it's poor on sound-bite messaging. You can present a rational argument in the background for those who read, but to drag the electorate your way you need two or three snappy slogans. Ram-raids, uppity Maoris and over-regulation are the only drums Luxon's banging.
From the article in the link, attack the richy-richy may not be the best strategy, I'm thinking. Attack no-tax/lo-tax company structures is a larger target, and would hoover up rich tax evaders as well. Now for the killer sound-bite.
I wonder what a tax trade-off of GST on food for a tax on capital gains will do?
(a la the Key & English – income tax & GST trade-off)
Based on the Key/English efforts, no guarantee that it will actually deliver the tax switch being advertised. In this particular case, the concern would be that retailers (like supermarkets) wouldn't pass on all of the savings.
Archive version from 10/5/23 https://archive.is/0pfz9
ACT represents those who have an overwhelming sense of entitlement.
The entitlement comes from the historical association of wealth and power.
Wealth means success, and success entitles them to have power.
The only things ACT supporters care about is the size of their bank accounts and nothing, but nothing, should get in the way of any exponential growth of these.
If ACT gets its way, the rich will be a whole heap richer and those at the bottom will be left to fight over the few crumbs that trickle down.
It is a disgusting irony that Federated Farmers Andrew Hoggard is standing for a party whose policies are almost identical to those of the the great Rogernome in the 1980s, and were responsible for so many suicides in the rural sector.
So much for caring about farmers!
Yip act/seymour belive in no taxs or benifits, wealth sharing should only be done by the wealthy choosing to donate.
Well, hiow about donating to Labour and Greens the difference?
And what would Labour use the money for? They already use the taxpayer funds to pat for their campaign advertising. I received, with yesterdays mail, a leaflet from the PM saying how wonderful Labour is. In the smallest possible font the House of Representatives Crest was present to show that the taxpayer and not the Party was paying for it. I imagine it has probably been sent to every household in the country.
Why should the taxpayer have to pay for something that is purely a political ad?
https://www.renews.co.nz/i-dont-know-anything-about-politics-where-do-parties-get-all-their-money-from/
Meanwhile:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-raises-unprecedented-23m-war-chest-from-richlist-donors-before-election-year/77GGZL32JRDMRNAEFJ7B4TGAUI/
I've already said how I think parties ought to be funded. No more than a small amount once annually from members, and every election voters at the polling station get given two vouchers with, say, $10 or $20 value. They then simply deposit one into the party donation box of their choice and they get to keep the other as a thank you for voting.
I would also make election day a mid-week public holiday, unpaid if you don't vote and paid if you do. That way, if you don't bother to vote on the day off and you earn, say, $35 an hour, it is the equivalent of a $280 dollar fine.
It is an interesting idea and I can see the first part of it working. As far as the payment for voting goes though it would seem to impose a massive penalty on those people who aren't eligible to vote.
“Sorry fella. You are here on a visa that allows you to work but not vote so you have to take a day off without pay.”
Meh – NZ is uniquely round-heeled when it comes to pissing away our citizens' franchise – they only need to be here for six months and they get to vote anyway. Something to do with the major parties, knowing they have alienated voters, looking for
new markspotential supporters among those who have yet to experience their inadequacy.War chest is an appropriate description for a party that loves dreaming up imaginary wars.
Indeed why should the taxpayer pay for political ads?
My National MP who spend thousands over a couple of years, who was backed by the twisted logic and benign rulings of the system I dealt with in Wellington, in the end got to the insurmountable argument: “It’s legal.”
The bastard lost in the election. All the money he spent, our money, would’ve been well used by our local schools.
To avoid having only the ads that are paid for by the rich. Think of it as having the taxpayer paying for democracy.
So a better regulation might cap political advertising spends – then we could mostly ignore the wretched self-aggrandizing numpties.
Some say that, while others donate heavily to ACT and similar, to avoid doing any such thing….
Imagine a world where politicians did what they promised, not whatever was necessary to get re-elected
Imagine a world where those who did not could not hang their heads in shame, because robust public processes dealt with them expeditiously.
"Jealousy", "envy", "resentment". The words used by Nicola Willis to describe a capital gains tax she says is being secretly prepared.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/nationals-nicola-willis-claims-labour-cooking-up-a-secret-capital-gains-tax-plan-from-labour
When I see these kinds of words being used, I see them as a form of self-reflection.
Is Willis resentful, jealous and envious of Labour being in government?
She wants the power.
That is why we get from National already the fear and envy tactics, the hyperbole and the cherry-picking of facts, the partial quotes, the accusations of secrecy and improper motivation.
can you cut and paste a couple of paras mac? I wont pay for the Herald.
No paywall there on that article, BG. Go get it for free.
Thanks….when I hit your link it blocked me…but when I searched for the article at the NZH site it was fine, as you said.
She is talking bollocks anyway.
As political journalist the late John Armstrong said:
“Never forget that politics boils down to power – winning it and, just as importantly, retaining it.
“The fascination comes in watching how politicians play the game.”
All politicians want to get their hands on the levers of power. Some want unbridled power. That's why the ordinary citizen must be vigilant.
That "late John Armstrong" was a lying user of a poisonous pen. He used his power to repeat untrue stories, especially one about a non-existent gift. He played a dirty power game for National.
The factors that are most important are why and how they use power and for whom.
Jealousy, envy, resentment. "… the accusations of secrecy and improper motivation"
At a personal level it can extend to stalking the individual, breaking into the individual's home, reporting the individual to the authorities for misdemeanors never committed and setting the person up by way of covert hoaxes. In the more serious cases it can also iclude violence to pets and damage to property.
Yep. It happened to me 30 plus years ago. All of it.
But because the perpetrator had links to high places including a high ranked sibling, she was shielded by the 'establishment' and never brought to justice.
Translate that story into politics and you have the same kind of behaviour occurring by National and ACT including the law breaking. Remember the DP years. Slater was never charged and sentenced by the police for his law breaking and nefarious conduct. But one of the victims was. Nicky Hagar. Slater knew people in high places and had a well metaphoricalplaced father.
Jealousy, envy and resentment. No difference whether it be personal or political – or a mix of both.
But if you know the ‘right’ people, you get off with not even the metaphorical wet bus ticket.
A CGT being secretly prepared?
We wish.
Typical National scaremongering.
Labour will no more implement a CGT tax than National will nationalize Air New Zealand.
It's not the fucking drains, Rimmer.
Michael Field
@MichaelFieldNZ
Global Forecasting Systems – which has accurately predicted Auckland's storms – is projecting this in eight days.
https://twitter.com/MichaelFieldNZ/status/1656016744639778816
it's probably both. But Seymour misses the point that no matter how good an infrastructure fix we do now, it won't be enough if we don't massively and immediately mitigate the climate crisis.
Wow, that is scary.
Its a sub tropical low which is expected to form off the coast of Brisbane. Shouldn't pack the same punch as Gabrielle and looks like it will cross over the country quite quickly. Fingers crossed. 😮
https://www.windy.com/?-30.468,178.682,5
For an idea of the rain intensity hit the rain/thunderstorm icon at top right.
Time for the Green Party display some recognition to its voters- As they are about to lose 1.
I for 1 did not give my party vote so that 1 of "their" MP's can leave the party and sit as an independent. I gave them my vote as they were more focused on the environment than any of the alternatives. As TGP has displayed an attitude of contempt to a voter as you have reduced your say in parliament by 10%. (I note that EK was pictured in some committee that was hearing on vaping as an independent yet was placed there as TGP allocation !!!!)
Regarding the allegations regarding Elizabeth Kerekere, if held true what were you doing to miss seeing and then reacting to these. If untrue then you are no better (Some could say that TGP is the worst example of a political party) than any other party in your manipulation into actively remove EK from parliament.
2. wait to see what the final list is like. Fingers crossed there are more overt environmentalists in the top ten. At that point, everyone's vote matters if truly you want strong environmentalists in parliament. Here's the interim list, imo it's worth voting Green to get Abel and Pham into parliament,
https://www.greens.org.nz/2023_candidates
(had EK been forced to leave parliament via waka jumping, Abel would now be an MP, being next on the list. I'm annoyed he's not, but this is on EK as much as anyone. Look at the reasons for the GP not supporting waka jumping law if you want ot understand this better).
3. Shaw and Davidson have both said, many times, that there were patterns of behaviour from EK predating the cry baby message, but they were unable to act on them because people were afraid to come forward. Once EK hoisted herself on her own petard, people felt more able to speak up. The impression I have is that JS and MD knew there was a problem but didn't have any hard details or people willing to speak, which they needed for a formal investigation. It's too their credit that they waited for firm evidence before proceeding.
4. The process was decided by the whole of caucus, including EKm last year, in the wake of the report on bullying in parliament. I've not seen anything that shows JS and MD subverted or manipulated that process.
Thanks for that weka…and well said.
cheers BG.
It's completely the wrong focus worrying about candidates before the list is set. There ought to be drama in selection.
What we need is a fully on fire Greens in the political arena scoring even better points than Act, so that Greens can grind back up to 10%. The focus needs to stay on policy not the usual pre-selection games.
Bryce Edwards has a piece published on TDB (Dr Bryce Edwards Political Roundup: The Civil war in the Greens | The Daily Blog) that set's out the internal warfare going on in the Greens. I genuinely hope the environmental arm win out. I genuinely doubt they will.
Minor handbag squabble compared to the Labour list bloodbath through June and July as about 20 existing MPs realise they don't have jobs in 4 months and rapidly jump ship.
20 is optimistic. I smell zero sense of urgency from Labour, let alone the Greens.
Labour itself needs to tilt the political discourse since the Greens aren't able to. Budget 2023 is yet to do that job.
hopefully they're gearing up in private for the election campaign proper, but the year does seem to be getting on. Other elections the Greens have started early.
Edwards is doing a hell of a lot of unevidenced speculation there.
The same could be said of this EK issue until we have anything of substance, I am sure with EK’s departure the need for anything to be aired could now be viewed as redundant, so the issue goes away, and in the eyes of those concerned guilt is passed. Either her behaviour is beyond what is acceptable or she has been targeted for personal gain of others. I am trying to not be condemning to either side until there is more to support one of the claims. I note that this was reported 6 April of the txt how long can it take if there was some motivation to sort this out ???
I'd definitely like to know if the process they are using, that was established last year, is in the public domain. Someone could look that up I expect.
Or there were some issues that needed to be investigated that were survivable for EK and she bailed before that process was completed. I'm sure there are other interpretations as well.
My reading of it, based on what I've seen MD and JS say, and the reporting from credible and relatively unbiased sources, is that there was a pattern of behaviour and the co-leaders decided to act now because it was going to be terrible for election year if they didn't.
Certainly from the outside, EK looks to me like a loose unit. Her behaviour during the BDMRR select committee raised red flags, but that could have been a one off and it wasn't like she was the only MP that displayed bias. But when you have multiple examples and people too afraid to speak, I think it's reasonable for the party to act from self preservation especially given the GP's history with election campaigns (something that EK seems to not take very seriously). Even the way she handled the call with members and how she resigned raised another set of red flags. Doesn't look like a team player or someone who has the interests of the party at heart.
I also think that if the issues around behaviour weren't real or weren't of a meaningful level, that JS and MD wouldn't have taken the positions they did. I trust them in that, especially JS because of how he behaved in the 2017 election campaign during the fallout from Turei's speech. It's not too hard to read between the lines in what he has and hasn't said, without going deeper into the kind of speculation that Edwards is doing.
I'll also say this. The gender/sex war has the potential to wreck the election. That could cost the Greens big time, and possible the left the election overall. If that sounds like hyperbole, it's based on watching what has happened in the UK, where in the end Labour had to accept that women have sex based rights. Because most people draw a line at saying people can literally change sex and society should be based around that.
In the local body elections, in Brighton, one of the most strongly identity politics places in the UK, Green councillors just lost their seats (to Labour). Anyone not paying attention to this is missing something really important. Many people rightly believe that trans people should have the same human rights as others, but aren't ok with the excesses of gender ideology.
I have no idea where the GP sit on the real politik of that, but if the election turns on 'what is a woman?' (and the right may indeed go down that track), then it has the potential to get nasty and I'm not sure the left has the capacity atm to parse what is going on with that because of the ideology. I hope it doesn't go down this track, but the potential is there. EK being out of the GP is a relief, because now at least is she goes off on one about genderism, the focus can be on her not the Greens.
Edwards typically pulls together a variety of opinion, and then draws his own conclusions.
In this piece, Edwards cites "long-time Green Party commentator Gordon Campbell", "leftwing political commentator Steven Cowan", "The Herald’s Thomas Coughlan", and of course the one and only "Leftwing blogger and Green voter Martyn Bradbury".
You could say this is 'informed' rather than 'unevidenced' speculation.
None of the people you name are Green Party people. MB regularly slags off the Greens, over a long period of time. I would guess Cowan has some anti-Green bias. I've read Campbell's piece, it was interesting. But when Edwards says things like this,
Where is the actual evidence that these assertions are true?
Weka, it isn't necessary to be a green party person to have inside information on what is happening within the party. The people Edwards quotes from are far from disconnected from Green Party politics.
As for Edwards assertions, what we do know, is that there was an attempt to dump James Shaw as leader of the party in mid 2022, and that followed the Greens voting to:
Green Party James Shaw co-leadership: MP Elizabeth Kerekere 'considering options' on challenge – NZ Herald
Whether Edwards is correct as to the motives behind this, only those involved can confirm.
Or selective and self serving depending on what he has chosen.
Regardless of the conclusions Edwards comes to, he is right about this:
Some tighter focus on the issues which matter to the electorate (and some party discipline over going off message) – should pay dividends for the GP.
I think they could definitely do well if they focused on those, but I'm less convinced they can break out of the 10% ghetto, and that is what is needed if we are to make serious efforts on climate and ecology. I hope they can pull something out of the bag. While I think Edwards was overstating the case and as I said, unevidenced, I do think the perception of the GP as too woke is a potentially a problem and I;m not sure if they know how to deal with that.
I disagree – on this matter he seems remarkably in tune with the feelings I, and many of my associates who have voted Green in the past, have expressed recently. I really think they need to give up the green brand, and maybe pitch as the rainbow party, social justice party, or something else – the environment really isn't a priority for them now, based on their actions over the last few years.
I'm sorry you have that impression because it's simply not true. Look at their policy. Scroll through their press releases, and SM. Yes, social justice is featured, but environmental issues are too. Do they have the balance between the two right. I don't think so. But I don't see the point in throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
Bryce Edwards is really starting to piss me off across a number of topics. I should do a Post this weekend to counter his biased pieces.
Yes please Incognito.!!
👍
Effing hell..!
Edwards reports on davidson's dismal record as minister for the homeless.
She was allocated$75 million to help the homeless..and she has failed to even spend $1 million…
W.t.f…!
Has davidson ever been asked about this epic fail on her part…?
I have voted green since forever..
The above has me thinking tpm..
I am sure both of them would have used that $75 million..
Seriously ..!..I am banging my head against the wall over this..
What excuses could davidson possibly offer..?
Yes, she was challenged in the House on 3rd May about this. Her responses were farcical. Three times the Speaker had to intervene.
Parliament TV On Demand – Parliament On Demand
Thank you for that…
Bluff/bluster/bullshit on a stick from davidson…
She explained nothing..
National did what they did to manipulate those unable to handle simple complexity to cause disdain for the Greens among their own supporters.
Because National think they are so clever they can do this.
Rather than encourage them to think their strategy is working, how about just pondering this?
How much money can be spent in one year when it is allocated over 4 years and the first year is for the design of the programme in which the money is spent?
That question was clearly answered.
The second question is why not allocate the money to existing programmes.
She said the new programmes were set up because of liason with providers of existing programmes, as they saw a need to supplement them with new ones.
That question was clearly answered.
The third question was regarding the 200 16-17 year olds in motels and whether the new programmes would deal with this. She responded and Bishop intervened and said he did not want some list of spending allocations in response (related to existing programmes dealing with this particular matter) and the Speaker chimed in with his line, he was almost afraid to have the Minister answer the question again and then intervened when she began to after Bishop re-asked the question.
KNOWN FACT. National did not want the new programmes being set up to deal with housing delivery.
I would suggest you look at the programmes and see if you can find any relationship to this direction and things like Maori Health and National's opposition to that.
If anyone wants to evaluate for themselves, both the questions and answers, as well as the Speaker's interventions – the link is here.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/document/HansS_20230503_051240000/6-question-no-6-housing-homelessness
Well, thank you! I tend to lean towards SPC.
I thought the Speaker let her off very lightly. She should have been instructed to answer the question, or ejected from the House until she was prepared to do so.
All Ministers take the opportunity to add a little fluff of the question-that-they-really-want-to-answer to an official response – but they are required to actually answer the question as presented.
2. The first part of the process was design and the money for them was to come in from July 2023
3. Existing programmes have their own funding allocations.
Bishop and his fans here are working to promote contempt for Greens and to overall question delivery by nit picking about new programmes set up to operate in the 2023-2026 period that a National victory would block.
The Speaker was inept, or deliberately hostile to the Minister. The explanation was obvious.
If I were the Greens and there was any continuance of it, not support the Speakers re-appointment.
The Speaker held her to account for being entirely unable to provide anything approaching a coherent reply. He was remarkably patient.
National did what they did to manipulate those unable to handle simple complexity to cause disdain for the Greens among their own supporters.
Because National and their supporters think they are so clever they can do this.
REALITY CHECK.
How much money can be spent in one year when it is allocated over 4 years and the first year is for the design of the programme in which the money is spent?
That question was clearly answered.
The second question is why not allocate the money to existing programmes.
She said the new programmes were set up because of liason with providers of existing programmes, as they saw a need to supplement them with new ones.
That question was also clearly answered.
The third question was regarding the 200 16-17 year olds in motels and whether the new programmes would deal with this.
She responded and Bishop intervened and said he did not want some list of spending allocations in response (related to existing programmes dealing with this particular matter) and the Speaker chimed in with his line, he was almost afraid to have the Minister answer the question again and then intervened when she began to after Bishop re-asked the question.
The Speaker, someone with both dignity and mana, disagrees with you. 3 times.
So you claim. But you can make no case for it being a reasonable one.
I'll let the speaker do that:
Three separate responses to three questions.
Hansard. 6. Question No. 6—Housing (Homelessness) – New Zealand Parliament (www.parliament.nz)
Yet the questions were answered.
The Speaker was wrong three times.
Perhaps you should write to him and tell him that. I'm sure he'll be very keen to hear from you.
I'd regard his admission of regret a personal matter.
.
Have a good evening, SPC,
Doctor, Doctor I need you to give your insight on the politics of the left wing parties, for those of the right are perfection, except occasionally C. Luxon over whom some of even more angelic form have doubts.
From the Dottore who thought it important in the fires on the lawn of parliament to point out that a couple of people once said mean things about John Key too. These were equivalent and so Jacinda was just a whining big girls blouse, unlike Bill English or John Key who were real politician men.
There’s a reason the regular ACT aligned philosopher of a commenter introduced it.
The good doctor is a political commentator. Do you have anything to say about what he actually said, or just about what you think about him?
Well fine Minister Robertson can find $4 billion to reprioritise for the upcoming budget.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/grant-robertson-to-reveal-size-of-savings-in-budget-2023/XQNO5BOK3RAARA5OHSR3LNPZUA/#:~:text=The%20Government%20has%20found%20%244,day%20spending%20for%20this%20Budget.
So far however the only significant pre-budget announcement has been for Defence.
I am struggling to see the benefits from all those consultants that bullshit agencies like Education Review Office, Ministry of Pacific Peoples, Ministry for Culture and Hertitage and others are blowing out, when it's the basics of Police Education and Health that are begging for more salaried frontline staff.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/government-s-billion-dollar-spend-on-consultants-under-attack-from-national.html
If this government were a retail store I think I'd probably go ask for a refund.
Unless Robertson has an almighty trick up his sleeve as the Albanese government just pulled in the Australian budget this week, Labour are just not going to move the dial dial upwards.
While they keep insisting on doing these pre-Budget announcements to a 'business audience' it is apparent who they are most concerned about and it's certainly not workers, frontline or otherwise:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/489670/watch-finance-minister-grant-robertson-makes-pre-budget-speech
To be fair, most of the budget details uses complex figures and forecasts that would be way over the heads of the average Joe and Jill Bloggs and only the suits would understand them.
In case this wasn't a sarcastic response I would say speaking over the heads of laypeople represents a communication failure by a government that is supposedly for all, those besuited titans of industry and us mere mortals both. If we can have law written in plain language then there is no reason the pre-Budget announcement should be mostly business jargon.
Try and explain anything complex and it will go over the heads of most people, my kids lost me at the Masters level. I used to just sit there nodding, no wonder they nicknamed me Homer.
That wasn't the audience of the speech.
They were the dedicated government-watchers and government-analysts.
Perhaps they could adequately fund the Dunedin hospital to allow what was specified to be built. How they are a bunch of #%^ers to pull this and now we find there was $4BILLION that is now out there to be spent. How we have been let down by words and NO action. On this issue of the hospital they have funded this to fail the local community – A strong labour community at that !!!
100%
Was so weak to see Labour MP Rachel Brooking defend the cuts in the ODT, then nek minnit Labour Minister of Health Verral 'restores' $70 million of the cuts …
… and still forget to tell us that the redesign would cost the whole project a year, which of course costs programme and redesign costs.
That MoH Major Capital team are just a law unto themselves.
I think Robertson has been excellent as a Finance Minister and he is a superb performer in the house.
But I agree with you here Herod. When he can find four thousand million dollars in his back pocket the penny-pinching on 100 million or so on the oh-so-politically sensitive and oh-so-needed Dunedin hospital looks stupid.
It will cost votes if not rectified.
Unhappily, NZ's finance ministers have been almost universally lousy. Cullen would be the only one to rate above the international average, and he was no Keynes. The rest have been distinctly sub-par – as is reflected in national productivity and the largely unchallenged follies coming out of Treasury.
We are supposed to be a democracy – not a dictatorship of useless far-right economic pretenders stymying every plausible policy initiative. Our country is being left to rot.
My understanding is that when washed up the albanese budget over promised (remind u of any other labour parties/leaders..)..
And turned out to be just another outing for neoliberal-incrementalism…
So yes…that is what we can expect from robertson/labour..
It has always been thus..since the time of douglas..
And of course this version of labour is echoed in other labour parties..in their bows in unison to the demands of the right/neoliberals..
And that poxy excuse for an ideology.. neoliberal-incrementalism..is what has got us all up shit-creek.. without a paddle..
“For the many not the few” is anathema to the neo Blairists of the NZ Labour Caucus.
Aotearoa NZ will not move forward until Rogernomics and Ruthanasia are retired for good by the new gens.
Maybe 'bullshit' agencies like Education Review Office will be got rid of with Act as a big part of the next government.
Anyone see them getting rid of that monitoring of schools? And if that model goes what replaces it? Or do they have none?
Wow! Ginny just made Mercenary Mitchell look like a plodding, incompetent fool in the house again today! Either she's very good, or he's an idiot. [Probably both!]
She's very good. One of Labour's better performers.
Is there something fundamentally wrong with local government?
Tauranga, Invercargill, Gore, and now West Coast.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/489694/fiery-talk-at-west-coast-council-not-a-wellington-issue-internal-affairs-says
Kaipara District Council, Wellington, Dunedin….
Any parker fanboys/girls out there..?
Do they know what his excuses are for both enabling one of the top ten polluters in nz (according to stuff) the glenbrook steel mill..to just carry on in that role..for the foreseeable future..when he could have done differently..?
And now for doing nothing to stop deep sea mining..?
Parker/labour: putting the 'rad' in environmental-degradation..
I said in a post a couple of weeks ago that Parker supports wind-farms being located in Outstanding Natural Landscape.
Like Chris Trotter, and many others, he is old school Labour without a green bone in his body.