I’m agreeing with The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell
Chris will say what he likes in the defence of social democracy. I give him beans for being a social democrat -Trotter that is. But I have never doubted in all the time I’ve know him, that he is a social democrat.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
No the labour party is just another liberal party, and some of us support the interests of labour. You know, working people who deserve more than sad platitudes from the weak and pitiful liberal class who goes after corporate money. The same liberals who say very little on workers rights, and are deathly silent on the poor and struggling in this country.
When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
I know a lot of you are the labour party cheer squad, but you are stuck at 30% with an ever increasing percentage of the population unwilling or unable to engage in politics.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
It’s not about labour failing, it would be nice if the labour party acknowledged they were the ones who opened the door to the ideology of extreme liberalism. That they hurt people by shifting the wealth away from the poorest in this country towards the already wealthy.
I don’t see that happening – do you?
Oh, and poppet’s, criticism does democracy make. If you wet liberals canny handle it, you can always go join the national party, they don’t take criticism well either.
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
Well, you got me there. Labour no more wants democracy than does National. Individuals don’t get rich when the people make the rules rather than the elites.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
Probably true there as well. The First Labour Government actually had a vision about the change that they wanted to bring about. The present Labour caucus seems more about keeping things as they are despite the obvious failings.
We need a new vision and we need to organise and work towards that vision.
And exactly what is that the Labour Party is proposing regarding the UBI?
All they have said is that they are proposing that there should be a debate about the concept. Everything else has simply been, as the comments on this site have been, about what people like to think it would mean.
Until Little comes out with at least a bit of detail they can’t really be said to have “done” anything.
I came up with one idea that I have suggested to my local MP, a good Labour fellow, I proposed that while Andrew is in bank-bashing mode he should instruct the banks that they must provide 1% mortgage loans to all union members who want them.
That would help the working people and revive the moribund union movement. Membership of the unions would rocket I should think.
He seemed very interested so I can imagine it being Labour policy in a week or two. It wouldn’t be any sillier than some of their other ideas.
“When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?” becomes a demand for a details and that something have been “done”.
You asked when was the last time Labour said anything that offered hope to the unemployed. DTB gave two recent examples. Alwyn then spun away as if you’d asked for something more than what you’d requested. Hence the parrot reference.
So an admission of guilt of what? Doing something other than gnashing my teeth whenever Labour caucus members open their mouths? If that’s a demonstration of your personal hope and vision, I’ll stick with dreary old “actually reading what the left wing parties say, rather than making shit up”.
Neither I, nor anyone else has the faintest idea of the details.
However if you are going to say that Little has done something for the unemployed with the little he has said about a UBI you would have to regard Key’s statements so far as doing something for the low and middle income New Zealanders.
I certainly wouldn’t say that about either of the parties announcements. You appear to be willing to go along with airy-fairy waffle though, at least as long as it is by your side.
I apologise. You did contribute to the UBI comments but yours were not in the category of “Oh how wonderful is Labour”.
I shall grovel for a few minutes.
I’m not sure on their take on the UBI. The framing is – well lose, and it is not being presented as a message of hope.
I think Bill here did a great piece on UBI and presenting it as something which can offer people hope.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
The hope I’m talking about is for people on benefits and not on benefits now!
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
You do realise that it’s possible for a political party to work on more than one thing at a time don’t you? And haven’t you forgotten that Labour promised 10,000 per year homes?
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
To some degree that’s all we’ve been getting since forever but it’s managed to change things for the better over time.
Nora the explorer, Of course I get how political parties work.
My problem is a party who uses the name labour, is weak on issues of labour. Especially the underemployed and the unemployed.
Defensive politics is a lose, lose proposition. Ever since, the fall of the third labour government, political, labour, and human rights have been on the decline. The left has been suckered into an endless back footed defensive position. You would think after 40 odd years, they might wake up to the fact it is not a winner.
People who vote – know it’s not a winner, and they don’t like it.
People want results, and to feel they are getting somewhere for themselves and/or their children. The style of politics which is defensive in nature, will never give people that feeling.
I’d like to see more comment on what could be done, along side the criticism. When I start asking for detail often I get brushed off or told off. It’s very easy to see what is wrong with Labour. Not so easy to see what they or we can do about it given the realities.
Labour are in opposition, hard to know how they could have offensive wins, but perhaps you could explain what you mean by that?
ffs adam, can we try and not talk in ideological stereotypes? Who are the liberal class exactly? Which of the people you talk to here do you consign to that? Who is the Labour cheer squad? I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that which tells me that the people saying that are either idiots, or disingenuous, or are not actually listening to what I am saying.
Yes there are Labourites here, and yes the odd one is rightish, but most aren’t. Then there is the larger number of people like myself who aren’t Labourites (many don’t even vote Labour) and who have a different perspective to yourself and to the Paganis of the world. I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that. CV’s strategy appears to be that if Labour collapsed something would rise in its place, but he won’t be up front about that and have an honest discussion about. I also really think much of what he does here re Labour is personal and as such it skews his behaviour and probably his politics.
Misrespresenting Labour and Little on immigration today is a low point even for him. I’m all for dissent, I just want honest dissent.
” I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that “.
That is ridiculous weka. You are part of the Green party Cheer Leaders organisation. Got your training from the Dallas Cowboys no doubt.
” I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that.”
I agree, I’m not wanting to change the labour party. Indeed I thought it I framed my argument as such. The labour party need to realise they are not the only people who want a better future for working people. My beef, is the fact they can’t handle criticism, especially when it is pointed out they are a liberal party.
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Colonial Viper has a right to be mad. It seems, rightly or wrongly that the labour party use Chinese as their fall guy. If it is concious decision to play on the hangover of the “yellow peril” argument, I’m standing with Colonial Viper all the way. It just feels like we are back to the same debate we had when the twit Twyford brought up home buying in Auckland.
So new low, I’m not so quick to judge. Lets wait and see.
I don’t know what ‘classical liberal terms’ means. When you start talking about people here on ts as liberals I have no idea who you are talking about and it just comes across as an easy pejorative (I don’t know why liberal is a pejorative, but it has a different meaning where I come from).
Hence I don’t understand what you said here,
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Can you please clarify in lay person terms?
*
Of course CV has a right to be mad. I’m seriously fucked off with Labour too, and with Labour party members, including CV. And all the lefties who moan about Labour but won’t vote Green. You have to remember I’ve never voted Labour, I’ve always been to the left of them. CV’s big problem now is that so many people here don’t trust him, including many of us who also don’t trust Labour, and they’ve got a right to that too.
I don’t know what Little did. To me it looks much more like his naive relationship with the media as anything. And I agree there may be conscious or even unconscious bias or prejudice against Asians. I’d guess it’s because it’s politically convient rather than overt racism, but CV knows Labour far better than I and I also know that racism is racism on the receiving end no matter the intent, so it’s not acceptable that Labour are still making these mistakes, or god forbid, making these political moves intentionally.
But, and it’s a big but, we simply don’t know. And all CV has done is throw some petrol on the fire of resentment on the standard about his Labour-bashing. He’s also taken an important issue and completely fucked up the narrative and pushed a whole bunch of people into a stupid arse conversation that will never get anywhere because now it’s contaminated with too many variables including his own bigotry about the left.
I’m also mindful of the fact that CV has had to put up with significant racism here on ts in previous conversations about Asian people in NZ. The conversation I’m remembering must be one of the standard’s lowest points and he and other people of Asian whakapapa shouldn’t have to deal with that.
Classical liberalism is a political ideology that values the freedom of individuals — including the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets — as well as limited government. It developed in 18th-century Europe and drew on the economic writings of Adam Smith and the growing notion of social progress. Liberalism was also influenced by the writings of Thomas Hobbes, who argued that governments exist to protect individuals from each other. In 19th- and 20th-century America, the values of classical liberalism became dominant in both major political parties. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to all forms of liberalism prior to the 20th century. Conservatives and libertarians often invoke classical liberalism to mean a fundamental belief in minimal government.
So I’d argue it is a set of ideas which means debate is discusses in a certain way. So it’s good to talk about, markets, individual rights, but bad to make any assertions of collectivity, culture or the environment.
National are very much a liberal party, thus when Hooton rants against them being liberal – he is being either disingenuous, or a totalitarian turd of epic proportions.
And whilst I think liberalism was great in the 18th century, in the 21st century it is the enemy. It ignores women, it ignores race, it accepts poverty as part of the human condition, it makes wealth the expression of good, and has made markets a god.
I’m a Christian Anarchist, as you know, so for me communality, the environment, and people living rewarding lives – is always my main goal. I don’t want limited government, I want us to work toward living without a state.
So framing of an argument becomes important. For example, not using sexist language, but that is not enough, actually think about ways when we write and talk to put to an end to patriarch. It’s about not writing in a way which assumes male privileged and power, and indeed challenges it. Note I’m still not the best at that, so I sorely miss the great women who use to write on the standard.
Long rant, I hope that clarifies what I was meaning.
A government is necessary – you have to have governments, it is essential, 7 billion people on the earth, we must have governments – it is imperative. There is so much to look after, leaving it up to a mass of individuals who are too busy with their own lives – would be a catastrophe.
And there is nothing wrong with men in power, I see nothing wrong with it, but all men, need a strong leader, especially a male role model, they can look up too. Men ‘in society’ need ‘strong male role models’.
Men (regarding their careers and professional lives) look up to other men, as women look up to other woman. It is because we relate to the same sex as ourselves – we just do. Not all the time, but most of the time.
We shouldn’t demean Men by taking away their patriarchal power, why? We should enhance it – and allow them to have the power they so rightfully deserve, men by nature are more naturally aggressive, and with an intelligent mind to match – tend to be great leaders, and protectors.
We must enhance this, and nurture this, so men become ‘whole’ – then when a strong woman comes along, they do not feel threatened, but intrigued, a non-threatened man will integrate with another power-house (a female), because she has different attributes to offer, and then success is more likely.
I think men and women, working together is how we will acquire ‘balance’.
But men, they are great leaders, and extremely inspirational, this should never be taken away from the man.
Little boys need STRONG men to look up too. We must have strong men IN POWER – we must.
Apart from Little saying nothing but “dairy crisis” I don’t know what he could have done. When you see the statements in context there is nothing radical in what he was saying. He expressed a preference for local workers to be used and wanted immigration regulated depending on conditions.
The pile up supported by some must have CT grinning from ear to ear. We have a PM who regularly redefines meanings of simple words depending on how much spin he applies but we have an opposition leader whose words are parsed and misconstrued and he is then attacked and written off by a bunch of nodding heads. Trotter should be ashamed of himself.
+100
In the last 8 years Labour has been controlled opposition, the illusion of choice.
I hate John Key, understand that, he is instrumental in destroying New Zealand sovereignty and stripping our assets,
but attacking the opposition doesn’t win votes, you have to demonstrate that your party is better for the country and the voters, otherwise voters wont give you the power to change anything.
Every political utterance must be part of a coherent comms strategy, or it is easily misused by others. Ooh, look what’s happening – who could have predicted it?
Sure, that’s the easy bit. But how do you do that and engage competently with the media? Some people are suggesting that whatever Little says and does is going to get manipulated because of CT and because of the media approach.
That’s a given,yes – so you plan your framing and key messages thoroughly anticipating it, and do not get led off-message or go all lawyerly and prevaricating on it.
I just have no idea why Labour does not seem to grasp this most fundamental ingredient of organised politics after years of having their noses rubbed in it.
Thousands of passengers will not have to pay to travel on some Auckland buses today, as part of a series of driver strikes.
First Union represents bus drivers working for Howick & Eastern Buses, and said its members would be refusing to take cash or AT HOP card fares today.
Howick & Eastern Buses serves many of the routes in east Auckland.
The action is the latest in a series of industrial actions by bus drivers across Auckland, who remain locked in disputes with the region’s bus providers.
A union spokesperson said the Howick & Eastern Buses drivers were fed up with attempts to remove overtime and weekend rates.
Thing is, considering the way that bus services in Auckland are now set up, I doubt if it’s going to hurt the bus companies at all. They’re paid by Auckland Transport and the money that they’re not collecting goes directly to Auckland Transport and not to the bus companies.
When will Andrew Little realise that anything he says that is mildly controversial will immediately be twisted and spun by the right and used by the Henrys and Hoskings of the media and their enablers to attack him, Labour and left politics generally?
Don’t they have the media training to ensure they keep statements clear with a few repetitive bullet points that everyone repeats?
Commentators here going on about Andrew Little not being able to get across in concise language what we need to hear and that Labour need media training. At least he looks and attempts to get it across in an honest manner, although he does speak quietly. He also has a pair of honest eyes. Our leader cannot articulate the English language at all, sounds like he is drunk all the time and lies so openly even a half wit would read through them. He also owns a pair of dead eyes which give me the creeps. Give Andrew a break, its National running scared and a MSM which is in the pay of the right. Labour has to dig deep and sock it to the government, anyone who lives in Auckland knows he is telling it as it is, something has to happen to this country and curbing immigration in the interim until we can get housing, employment and our traffic problem sorted is so sensible it beggars belief anyone would question otherwise.
and they also just voted to remove Tax Credits for 800.000 people (mainly on lower income) and to remove 30quid from disabled people who will sign up for a disability benefit from 2017 onwards.
fuck the sugar tax is just hogwash, like the cigarette tax. Peoples future health would be better if they could afford decent food at decent prices.
Removing GST from food would be a decent way to go about that.
“Short shift is meaningless”.
No it’s not. It is what you are likely to get if you are currently on a zero hour contract. Luckily our Government is changing that.
Judging by the unwillingness of the Herald to publish the comments section following opinion pieces critical of Labours’ stance on banks and immigration – I reckon Littles’ comments have struck a chord with voters.
Leaving National and its apologists (hi Claire,Audrey , Baz ,and Hosko) defending the Banks’ greed and uncontrolled immigration .
It’s a pity to see them all misusing the word ‘troll’ too, which has quite specific definitions online and isn’t the same as calling someone names. But I guess Hoskings and the Herald journalist still don’t know how the internet works.
Glen Grenwald on “objective” journalism and Donald Trump
“Large corporations hate controversy (it alienates consumers) and really hate offending those who wield political power (bad for business). Imposing objectivity rules on the journalists who work for their media divisions was a means to avoid offending anyone by forcing journalists to conceal their perspectives, assumptions, and viewpoints, and, worse, forcing them to dishonestly pretend that they had none, that they float above all that.” https://theintercept.com/2016/03/14/the-rise-of-trump-shows-the-danger-and-sham-of-compelled-journalistic-neutrality/
People up and arms and saying that Little’s comments weren’t targeting all immigrants, and that he was being carefully selective as to what he said, and it was all taken out of context… blah, blah, blah
It would be like National targeting specific groups that rort the benefit system, and wanting to take decisive action, but being accused by the left of bashing everyone on a benefit…
I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. They really don’t do anything for me, and are so stupid, they make announcements and give the whole media of New Zealand ammo to shoot them with. I’m talking immigration. Is Andrew a complete and utter dick or what. I mean did he think for a minute. A second on this.
In a climate where the press are looking to avenues to denigrate the opposition and have never written a pro piece since I can remember on any party Not National or right wing leaning, Andrew blathers on about immigration. When he does speak it’s a complete cock up and gets twisted all over the media with everyone laughing at him.
Seriously needs a slap to the head.
Between Labours multitude of own goal gaffs on and on stupidity of character and nationals piss poor performance on running the Nation you are wrecking the place.
If you cannot get it together and put up a decent publicity campaign, mindful of the press and attractive to voters on a professional level like Keys machine, fuck off.
If that sounds mean Labour needs it. Needs a bloody good kick up the arse, you send me multitudes of begging letters wanting money for this and that.. Money..
Do I have any Money.
Then you just do stupid things like bring up immigration when your opposition. Real popular subject, a favorite amongst the press of NZ who get a free kick labours leader and party card.
yessss, come to the dark side. Feel the fear and anger coursing through you. Unleash the power of your hate, young jedi, and take Jason Ede’s place at my side…
The absolute nadir of the chattering class is Mike “Contra” Hosking, with Mora just a tad better than he is. Mora is clearly more educated, smarter and sharper. He has a pleasant manner, only occasionally letting the mask slip and speaking curtly to guests who irritate him for whatever reason. Unlike Hosking or the equally dire Paul Henry, Mora is capable of speaking thoughtfully about most subjects.
Despite the massive advantage he has over the likes of Hosking, Henry and Larry “Lackwit” Williams, there is precious little difference in the quality of their programmes. Mora almost entirely eschews serious discussion, instead choosing to dwell on insultingly puerile topics straight off teenage-level Facebook pages, and employing dog-whistle appeals to bigotry as shamelessly as any Crosby Textor-driven National Party politician.
So, yes, Mora is the epitome of chattering class vacuity and vanity, but his superficial charm and (sadly under-used) intellect lift him just above the horror shows on the commercial stations.
They should be in prison of course, but at least these
two scoundrels have been forcefully repudiated by the voters
In the same week that President Hopey Changey presumes to lecture Cuba about human rights, and as two of the most loathsome people in the United States look to be heading for victory in the Republican and Democratic races, here’s something that makes you realize there’s still some decency in at least some voters over there….
Black Lives Matter Voters Oust Tamir Rice Prosecutor
About time.
“Police will have to smash a cloned hard drive and memory card seized during an “unlawful” search of the home of investigative journalist Nicky Hager before returning seized computer equipment and files tomorrow.
Hager and his lawyer Steven Price will be at the High Court at Auckland to witness the destruction of the hard drive and memory card, which contain copies of files made by detectives during the 2014 raid, according to a press release this afternoon.”
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Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is the only Cabinet member in favour of putting it all on green. As Finance Minister Grant Robertson finds himself with an enormous $7.5 billion surplus, the Government has begun intense, at times contentious conversations about whether to put the money on red or black at ...
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Back in 2011, journalist Nicky Hager published Other People's Wars, an expose on NZDF's activities over the previous decade of the "war on terror". NZDF didn't like this, and especially didn't like the fact that it was base don leaks from their own. So, they had the SIS investigate him ...
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The Best Way: Missing from the on-line voting debate is any reference to the voting system that produces turn-out figures ranging from 77 to 93 percent of registered voters. The voting system used to collect and count the votes cast in our parliamentary elections. The system that involves citizens making ...
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by Don Franks The Auckland City Mission is struggling with a 40 percent increase in demand for food parcels this year. A total of 23,020 were needed by June. Last month Missioner Chris Farrelly told the Herald the “cupboards are bare” and without an emergency food drive, he can’t see ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Massey Wellington Student Association had a sit-in today. Imagine a sit-in. On a campus. Against a women’s rights meeting. Did the ’60s really happen or did we fucking dream it? They gathered in the student square, an echo chamber. Sitting on soft pillows ...
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Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
The Workshop is a charitable trust for public good. The Workshop undertake research to find ways of communicating that will build support for the solutions that work to solve complex social and environmental problems. See their Report on Talking about Poverty and Welfare Reform below. ...
Being and Being Bought (Spinifex Press, 2013) by Kajsa Ekis Ekman A synopsis and commentary of Chapters 1-2 by Daphna Whitmore Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book She opens the discussion with a definition of ...
I make no claims to having much legal knowledge, so I defer to those trained in this area.I am very much enjoying this twitter stream from m'learned friend in Edinburgh, deciphering the legal arguments around the Scottish court challenge to Boris Johnson, based on the charmingly obscure principle of Nobile ...
Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
If you are not convinced terrorist Organisation ‘Extinction Rebellion’ is very, very dangerous – watch this video at one of their recent meetings. Not only is this obviously mentally ill Woman begging the other terrorists to promote killing and “eating” babies and children, if you watch carefully other members nod ...
The Ombudsman has been surveying people about their knowledge of the OIA and the right to information. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that widespread:The Chief Ombudsman says too many New Zealanders were in the dark over their right to access official information. Peter Boshier said an independent survey released yesterday on ...
In the wake of last Friday's climate strike, Peter McKenzie had an article in The Spinoff about protest strategies. The school strike movement is "polite" and cooperates with those in power because that's its kaupapa - its led by schoolkids who understandably don't want to risk arrest. But there's more ...
So, the latest ruminations on the gnews from Westminster (Again, sorry; I'll stop making that pun right now). This follows on from, and likely repeats bits of, my last post, on the suggestion that a Government of National Unity (GNU) should be set up and then oversee a referendum before ...
New Zealand likes to think of itself as not a racist country (despite being founded on the racist dispossession and subjugation of Maori). But for years, we've had a racist refugee policy, which basicly excludes refugees from Africa and the Middle East unless they already have relatives here. Now, the ...
Several people have asked me whether a particular repeat litigant could be declared a vexatious litigant, in light of their recent decision to appeal an adverse High Court ruling. My nascent tweet thread was getting ridiculously long, so it became this blog post instead.The short answer is: no. The particular ...
Appealing To The Past: Action Zealandia, like so many of the organisations springing up on the far-Right, across what they call the “Anglosphere”, is born out of the profound confusion over what a man is supposed to be in the twenty-first century and, more importantly, what he is supposed to do.THE STATUE OF ...
The attempts of anti-democratic transactivists to (often violently) disrupt women’s rights organising is largely ignored by those sections of the left most prone to misogyny and authoritarianism in New Zealand. In Britain, however, scores of trade union and left activists added their names to a letter in July, defending ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill. The Bill would establish an independent, quasi-judicial body to investigate and review potential miscarriages of justice, and refer them back to the Court of appeal if required. It would be a vital backstop to our judiciary, help ...
by The Spark On September 14, a total of 22 drones and cruise missiles struck two oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the Abqaiq processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Abqaiq is the largest oil production facility in the world. For a few days afterwards, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi national ...
How much will NeoLiberal irregulation of the building sector and subsequent leaky homes crisis cost us? $47 billion, according to a new book:The total cost to fix all of New Zealand's leaky homes would be $47 billion, probably. The estimate comes from a new book, Rottenomics written by journalist Peter ...
Below is the start of another excellent article on the Freer Lives blog. Click onto the link at the end of this extract to read the full article. The punch-a-terf, kill-a-terf message pervades social media, always righteously delivered, chin held high. By contrast, the dehumanised “terfs” themselves, that is gender-critical ...
The Reserve Bank is currently planning tighter banking regulation, requiring banks to hold enough local capital to survive a 1-in-200 year financial crisis in order to protect consumers. The big Aussies banks, those foreign leeches who suck $5 billion in profit out of our economy every year, don't like that, ...
Its the usual story: a police officer beats a handcuffed suspect so hard they break one of their own fingers. The IPCA investigates and concludes that the use of force was unlawful. And the police refuse to do anything about it:A man punched repeatedly in the face by a police ...
From time to time we add links to our blogroll. The latest blog we have added is Freer Lives. This is a Marxist gender-critical blog, based in Melbourne, Australia. On it you will find a bunch of excellent articles which use the tools of Marxist analysis to critique the rise ...
Last Friday say the largest protest in a generation, as 170,000 people joined the school strike and marched to demand real action on climate change. The demands of the school strike were simple and clear: declare a climate emergency, set a climate target of net-zero by 2040, impose a total ...
Labour is a rather middle of the road capitalist party and earlier this year we discussed how far from being ‘transformative’, Ardern’s government is. An article published this week in the Guardian, by Bryce Edwards (political scientist and commentator at Victoria University), looks at Ardern’s business as usual performance. Where ...
In the hours since my last interminable wittering about the possibility of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Britain, there has been a slight maybe development:A Corbyn-led caretaker government could then sit for several months while it enacted and delivered a referendum with the support of smaller parties and ...
Jeremy Clarkson says much like Greta Thunberg, Anne Frank “didn’t like what was going on”, but “she didn’t have a tantrum about it.” Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has offered praise to historical figure Anne Frank, comparing her favourably to 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who he attacked in ...
Press release by Speak Up For Women Lesbians from women’s rights group Speak Up For Women are furious at reports that Rainbow Tick are threatening Massey University with the removal of their ‘tick’ if they let the group’s event go ahead. The group has been under attack from trans ...
By Duncan Garner Before you jump down my throat, nobody cares about the environment more than me. I have a garden, and since my wife and I broke up, I’ve let it grow wildly out of control, so please don’t tell me I’m not doing enough for plants. They’re ten ...
Local government elections are upon us again. It is a fair bet that, when they are over, we will have all the usual complaints that, despite their undoubted importance, the turnout was depressingly low. So, why do local elections attract so little attention and involvement from the general public? I ...
Yesterday the High Court released its decision in Moncrief-Spittle v Regional Facilities Auckland Limited, on the (alleged) decision by the Auckland Council and Mayor Phil Goff to deny use of a public venue to a pair of visiting nazi grifters. Based on the information available back then, I said that ...
Image credit:45 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting a Blog I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. ...
So, more on the possibility of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Britain.Two things, first. The numbers in parliament make things very difficult. And anyone who is saying X will happen or Y is impossible is spinning. We can not tell and will not know until votes are actually ...
The government is promising tough action against climate change via the Zero Carbon Bill and a strengthened ETS. Meanwhile, the Overseas investment Office is granting foreign coal companies permission to expand coal mining:Coal Action Network Aotearoa has slammed a decision by the Overseas Investment Office to allow Bathurst Coal to ...
Don't You Dare Let Them Down, Jacinda! Many New Zealanders, especially young New Zealanders, continue to believe that change – real change – is possible. Do we have criticisms about the way in which Jacinda’s government has gone about “transforming” New Zealand? Of course we do. But the very fact ...
. . With some historical and present context, it should become readily apparent to Pakeha that the occupation at Ihumātao is not a free-for-all conflict for any and everyone to become involved in. First, some important dates: . 1840 . The year in which the Treaty of Waitingi was signed. ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
Another busy week, from speaking with world leaders on the world stage about climate change, to equipping our school leavers with everything they need to get ahead in life. ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says Air New Zealand has "an obligation to look after Kiwis", and urged the national carrier not to hike up their prices after Jetstar airline announced their withdrawal from regional flights this week. The Provincial Champion also expressed his disappointment at Jetstar’s decision on ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will help fund a new dredge for the Port of Greymouth to ensure the regional fishing fleet have a reliable and productive harbour, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today “Last year the movements of ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said he was "immensely disappointed" at the withdrawal of the Jetstar airline from regional routes. He has also warned national carrier Air New Zealand not to capitalise on the Australian budget airline’s decision by “gouging” regional air travellers. "Air New Zealand has historically challenged ...
International credit ratings agency Moody's gave a glowing assessment of New Zealand’s economy in its latest report, which ranks the country’s economic strength as "very high" while saying growth remains "robust". The report says it's expected New Zealand's economy will grow between 2.5 and 3 percent in the next few ...
The Coalition Government is allocating nearly $6 million to a campaign to stop Australian beekeepers marketing their products as "mānuka" honey. This move comes after Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones accused Australian honey producers of trying to steal what was indigenous to New Zealand. "The Aussies are trying to ...
The Provincial Growth Fund has provided $400,000 to Great South to help the agency drive Southland's regional economic development aspirations. The funding will allow Great South, which is Southland's economic development agency, to appoint a portfolio manager and a project support adviser, who will provide project management expertise and support ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The One Billion Trees Fund has just hit two significant milestones that will create more than 7,500 hectares of new forest cover, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Speaking at a celebratory dinner at Parliament to mark 100 years of the New Zealand Forestry Service, Minister ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
The Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service has resolved 608 insurance and EQC claims in its first year in operation, Minister Megan Woods has announced. The government service, which celebrates its first birthday today, provides a one stop shop to help Cantabrians still battling to get their homes repaired or rebuilt ...
Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the outlook ...
The Government is acting swiftly to strengthen NZTA’s regulatory role following a review into the Transport Agency, and Ministry of Transport’s performance as its monitor, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. An independent review by Martin Jenkins has found NZTA failed to properly regulate the transport sector under the previous ...
The Netherlands and New Zealand have a long-standing and close relationship based on many shared interests and values. We value the rule of law, our democracies, and multilateralism. And we value our environment – at home and globally. Right now there are major global challenges in all of these areas – ...
The Government is putting right a decade’s worth of underpayment to nurses, doctors and other health workers, says Health Minister Dr David Clark. Initial sampling of District Health Boards payroll records has found that around $550-$650 million is owed to DHB staff to comply with the Holidays Act. It’s expected ...
A strong surplus and low debt show the economy is performing well, and means the Government is in a good position to meet the challenges of global economic uncertainty. “The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape. This allows the Government to spend more ...
New applications from mining company OceanaGold to purchase land in Waihi for new tailings ponds associated with its gold mines have been approved. Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Associate Minister of Finance David Parker considered the applications under the Overseas Investment Act. Earlier this year, applications from OceanaGold to ...
New Zealanders in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay will witness Māori, Pākehā and Pacific voyaging traditions come together today as the Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla assembles for the first time, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis says. “Tuia 250 is a national commemoration and an opportunity for honest conversations ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker leaves tomorrow for Dubai, London and Berlin for a series of meetings to advance New Zealand’s trade interests. In Dubai he will visit New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 where construction is underway. There he will meet Minister of State for International Cooperation, Her ...
Confirmation that PHARMAC will fund two new cancer drugs is further evidence of the good progress the Government is making to improve the treatment of New Zealand’s leading cause of death, Health Minister David Clark says. From 1 December PHARMAC will fund alectinib (Alecensa) for ALK positive advanced non-small cell ...
An additional $2.7 million has been announced for the Government Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation on the first anniversary of the strategy’s launch. Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson gave the opening address to the first Sport NZ Women + Girls Summit in Wellington today, ...
As part of its work to ensure businesses can get the skilled workers they need, the Coalition Government is re-opening and re-setting the Parent Category visa programme, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. The move will: support skilled migrants who help fill New Zealand’s skills gaps by providing a pathway for ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has today announced Major General Evan Williams of the New Zealand Defence Force has been selected as the commander of a significant, longstanding peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. In December, Major General Williams takes over as Force Commander for the Multinational Force and Observers ...
A record number of nurses are now working to deliver health services to New Zealanders as the Government’s increased funding and new initiatives rebuild key workforces start to show results, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. • 1458 more DHB nurses since the Government took office • 106 more midwives ...
Farmer and former Nuffield scholar Mel Poulton has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Minister for Trade and Export Growth, David Parker, and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, announced today. The position supports key Government objectives, including raising the value of New Zealand agricultural goods and services. Mel is ...
New Zealand’s Pacific and Māori voyaging heritage is acknowledged and celebrated today as waka of the Tuia 250 voyage flotilla arrive in Tūranga / Gisborne. “Today we celebrate Tangata Whenua, the first people of Aotearoa, and the triumphs of the voyaging tradition that brought our ancestors here from Polynesia 1000 ...
“Fijian Language Week starts on Sunday and the theme reminds us how important it is that we each have something to anchor ourselves to, something that can help us pause and feel in control in a rapidly changing world,” says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “Family, culture, faith, ...
The Government is establishing an Airspace Integration Trials Programme to support the safe testing and development of advanced unmanned aircraft and accelerate their integration into the aviation system, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods announced today. The Government will work with leading, innovative aviation industry partners to test and ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today welcomed the NZ Transport Agency’s decision to fund urgent safety improvements and confirm the designation of the Ōtaki to North of Levin highway. Safety upgrades will be made along 23.4km of the existing state highway, running along SH1 from the end of the Peka Peka ...
New Zealand playing its part in Asia-Pacific and globally are behind changes announced today to the Coalition Government’s three year refugee quota policy, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. “We are proud to be a welcoming and inclusive nation committed to supporting some of the world’s most vulnerable people to rebuild ...
Creating thriving regions and inclusive local communities is the aim of the Welcoming Communities programme being rolled out across the country, says Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway today. A successful pilot of the scheme ran over the last 2 years led by Immigration New Zealand and involved ten councils across five regions ...
Takahē may be flightless but their population is flying high with the official count reaching 418 after a record breeding season that produced an estimated 65 juveniles, the Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage announced today. “The population reaching a high of 418 is great news for takahē which were considered ...
New Zealand is today taking action to reduce the potent global warming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, Climate Minister James Shaw and Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced today. “The global agreement to reduce these potent greenhouse gases is another step in New Zealand’s commitment to reduce global warming. It is estimated ...
The Wellington suburb’s successful opposition to a proposed Bottle-O shows how the system is biased towards communities with the organisation, capacity and resources to protest effectively, says Jenesa Jeram.For those unfamiliar with Wellington geography, Khandallah is a Very Nice place to live (Aucklanders: think Remuera). So when it was reported ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission conducted an inquiry into mortgage pricing as recently as last year. Now Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has asked it to do another, broader one, in order to ensure the banks’ ...
Dr Bryce EdwardsThe results of the local government elections appear to show that New Zealanders are generally supportive of a more diverse range of representatives, having voted in greater numbers for candidates from traditionally under-represented groups. The elections have therefore modernised our councils in a small but very significant ...
The Inquiry has today published Minute No 21. This Minute sets out how the Inquiry intends to proceed given that the Attorney-General the Hon David Parker has agreed to extend the Inquiry’s reporting date by three months to 31 March 2020. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grace Skrzypiec, Senior Lecturer, Flinders University Many Australian students don’t know the difference between banter and bullying, with some saying they joke about wishing their friend would “drown” or “die in a car crash”. More than 800 Australian students aged 11-16 took ...
But he did play a crucial role in helping journeyman Andy Foster knock over Justin Lester. Team Gone By Lunchtime size up the local elections, gaze plaintively at the dramas in the NZ First Party, and ask how bad the new poll is for Jacinda Ardern.Annabelle Lee-Mather, Ben Thomas and ...
In the fifth episode of Actually Interesting, The Spinoff’s monthly podcast exploring the effect Artificial Intelligence has on our lives, Russell Brown speaks to Ben Reid, executive director of the AI Forum, about the role of government in embracing and regulating AI.Subscribe to Actually Interesting via iTunes or listen on the player below.To ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Local government Henry Cooke (Stuff): How to lose an election: Over-promise or under-deliver Simon Collins ...
By RNZ Pacific A Solomon Islands province has agreed to lease a large island to a Chinese developer to develop into a special economic zone, weeks after the country opened diplomatic ties with China. But already cracks abound; there has been no official announcement and the provincial premier says the ...
The New Zealand First MP and Minister Shane Jones is still backing the firearms ban, despite being pictured with what appears to be an AR-15 semi-automatic while holidaying in Asia. ...
Everyone needs to be concerned about the draft National Policy Statement on Urban Development that the Ministry for the Environment has released. It is incompatible with the spirit of transparency and inclusiveness. ...
Prodigal Son is a new crime procedural coming hot and fresh to TVNZ 1 on Mondays at 8.30pm.Jean Sergent has a few reasons why you should be watching it. If you like serial killer shows, Michael Sheen, dark drama, Michael Sheen, twisted family dynamics, or Michael Sheen – strap yourself ...
Voters in the 2019 local elections have elected the largest number of new mayors in 30 years, with 26 candidates set to don mayoral chains for the first time later this month. ...
A team of investigators dedicated to stamping out violent extremism online is being set up with the government announcing $17 million in funding over four years. ...
In a major boost to efforts to counter violent extremism on the internet, the Government has promised $17m over four years to the Censorship Compliance Unit. ...
The final dinner party on Married at First Sight NZ brought an ugly misogyny to light. But it was far from the first time sexism reared its head this season, writes Alex Casey.It began with a man being edited out of the show after his domestic violence charges came to ...
The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) is recommending members hold on to potentially illegal shotgun shells containing steel shot until the law banning certain types of ammunition is clarified. ...
New collaborative gifting platform Joyable is looking to shake up how we group-purchase gifts. Co-founders (and sisters) Rochelle Sheldon and Kimberley Crossman explain how their latest venture works. Joyable (not to be confused with the social anxiety-reducing app of the same name) is a somewhat left-field move for co-founder Rochelle ...
The extraordinary battle for the Tron has ended in a way no one quite saw coming, with the city relinquishing its stranglehold on the title of New Zealand’s most embarrassing council. Angela Cuming reports.The Spinoff local election coverage is entirely funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a ...
On the eve of the announcement of the winner of the 2019 Booker prize, Spinoff books editor Catherine Woulfe outs herself as a giant know-nothing. Booker time. Tomorrow morning I will sit there refreshing Twitter like the drinking bird on The Simpsons. A winner will be announced. And I’ll be gripped ...
National's claim that things only went south when Phil Twyford took charge of transport is not supported by us at CEAC and we see that this begun in 2008 as we witnessed the change then while working as a partnership group with NZTA then. ...
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Chris Trotter is doing a hatchet job on Little and labour on henry at the moment.!!
Its probably not as impressive as the self-inflicted hatchet job that Littles carrying out on himself
Polly want cracker!
So true.
So fucking true
Pagani and Quinn must be rostered off today so compliant chris obliges with more muddle of the road criticism from his paid soapbox.
You don’t get the gig unless you stick to the Weldon script.
Trotter is part of the VRC now? Fuck me.
He is a paid commentator fulfilling a messaging requirement at weldons outlet. Thats your whacky conspiracy meme dude.
I repeat: fuck me.
It is a cold day in hell.
I’m agreeing with The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell
Chris will say what he likes in the defence of social democracy. I give him beans for being a social democrat -Trotter that is. But I have never doubted in all the time I’ve know him, that he is a social democrat.
…and how offensive, to claim he’s allowed himself to be bought off.
What are Dipshit Henry’s ratings like these days?
yep and CV is doing it on the other thread.
Labour must fail, or else the purists an dis-enchanted have a sad.
really who cares.?
So predictable, must be a smear or two due soon to prop up a meme they’ve chosen to go with.
I’ve always stayed away from the t word but trotter was concern trolling like pro
Thats his role as a mr reasonable. Another comfy well looked after tool of the machine.
No the labour party is just another liberal party, and some of us support the interests of labour. You know, working people who deserve more than sad platitudes from the weak and pitiful liberal class who goes after corporate money. The same liberals who say very little on workers rights, and are deathly silent on the poor and struggling in this country.
When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?
When was the last time the labour party did anything to enhancing democracy?
I know a lot of you are the labour party cheer squad, but you are stuck at 30% with an ever increasing percentage of the population unwilling or unable to engage in politics.
If one, just one of this current crop was half the man Peter Fraser was, I would cut you some slack. But not one of them is fit enough, nor humanistic, nor even socialist enough to come even close.
It’s not about labour failing, it would be nice if the labour party acknowledged they were the ones who opened the door to the ideology of extreme liberalism. That they hurt people by shifting the wealth away from the poorest in this country towards the already wealthy.
I don’t see that happening – do you?
Oh, and poppet’s, criticism does democracy make. If you wet liberals canny handle it, you can always go join the national party, they don’t take criticism well either.
Unconditional Basic Income
End of Zero Hours
So, not that long ago.
Well, you got me there. Labour no more wants democracy than does National. Individuals don’t get rich when the people make the rules rather than the elites.
Probably true there as well. The First Labour Government actually had a vision about the change that they wanted to bring about. The present Labour caucus seems more about keeping things as they are despite the obvious failings.
We need a new vision and we need to organise and work towards that vision.
And exactly what is that the Labour Party is proposing regarding the UBI?
All they have said is that they are proposing that there should be a debate about the concept. Everything else has simply been, as the comments on this site have been, about what people like to think it would mean.
Until Little comes out with at least a bit of detail they can’t really be said to have “done” anything.
I came up with one idea that I have suggested to my local MP, a good Labour fellow, I proposed that while Andrew is in bank-bashing mode he should instruct the banks that they must provide 1% mortgage loans to all union members who want them.
That would help the working people and revive the moribund union movement. Membership of the unions would rocket I should think.
He seemed very interested so I can imagine it being Labour policy in a week or two. It wouldn’t be any sillier than some of their other ideas.
Nice spin.
“When was the last time the labour party said anything to offer hope to the unemployed?” becomes a demand for a details and that something have been “done”.
Polly wanna cracker?
“Polly wanna cracker?”
An admission of guilt.
Hope or a vision. Nothing a liberal like yourself McFlock can understand ah?
“Admission of guilt” my arse.
You asked when was the last time Labour said anything that offered hope to the unemployed. DTB gave two recent examples. Alwyn then spun away as if you’d asked for something more than what you’d requested. Hence the parrot reference.
So an admission of guilt of what? Doing something other than gnashing my teeth whenever Labour caucus members open their mouths? If that’s a demonstration of your personal hope and vision, I’ll stick with dreary old “actually reading what the left wing parties say, rather than making shit up”.
So Alwyn what are the announced tax cuts in 2017?
Neither I, nor anyone else has the faintest idea of the details.
However if you are going to say that Little has done something for the unemployed with the little he has said about a UBI you would have to regard Key’s statements so far as doing something for the low and middle income New Zealanders.
I certainly wouldn’t say that about either of the parties announcements. You appear to be willing to go along with airy-fairy waffle though, at least as long as it is by your side.
I apologise. You did contribute to the UBI comments but yours were not in the category of “Oh how wonderful is Labour”.
I shall grovel for a few minutes.
Only a FEW minutes!!!!
Thank you
I’m not sure on their take on the UBI. The framing is – well lose, and it is not being presented as a message of hope.
I think Bill here did a great piece on UBI and presenting it as something which can offer people hope.
The other thing is, a UBI is fine, but what about the homeless and hungry right now – not some mythical time in the future?
The hope I’m talking about is for people on benefits and not on benefits now!
And the end of zero hour contracts is a win, but a defensive win. Which has been what the liberal elites have convince people they should do ever since big money came into the game.
You do realise that it’s possible for a political party to work on more than one thing at a time don’t you? And haven’t you forgotten that Labour promised 10,000 per year homes?
To some degree that’s all we’ve been getting since forever but it’s managed to change things for the better over time.
Nora the explorer, Of course I get how political parties work.
My problem is a party who uses the name labour, is weak on issues of labour. Especially the underemployed and the unemployed.
Defensive politics is a lose, lose proposition. Ever since, the fall of the third labour government, political, labour, and human rights have been on the decline. The left has been suckered into an endless back footed defensive position. You would think after 40 odd years, they might wake up to the fact it is not a winner.
People who vote – know it’s not a winner, and they don’t like it.
People want results, and to feel they are getting somewhere for themselves and/or their children. The style of politics which is defensive in nature, will never give people that feeling.
I’d like to see more comment on what could be done, along side the criticism. When I start asking for detail often I get brushed off or told off. It’s very easy to see what is wrong with Labour. Not so easy to see what they or we can do about it given the realities.
Labour are in opposition, hard to know how they could have offensive wins, but perhaps you could explain what you mean by that?
ffs adam, can we try and not talk in ideological stereotypes? Who are the liberal class exactly? Which of the people you talk to here do you consign to that? Who is the Labour cheer squad? I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that which tells me that the people saying that are either idiots, or disingenuous, or are not actually listening to what I am saying.
Yes there are Labourites here, and yes the odd one is rightish, but most aren’t. Then there is the larger number of people like myself who aren’t Labourites (many don’t even vote Labour) and who have a different perspective to yourself and to the Paganis of the world. I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that. CV’s strategy appears to be that if Labour collapsed something would rise in its place, but he won’t be up front about that and have an honest discussion about. I also really think much of what he does here re Labour is personal and as such it skews his behaviour and probably his politics.
Misrespresenting Labour and Little on immigration today is a low point even for him. I’m all for dissent, I just want honest dissent.
” I’ve had people insinuate that I’m part of that “.
That is ridiculous weka. You are part of the Green party Cheer Leaders organisation. Got your training from the Dallas Cowboys no doubt.
Even you should be able to tell the difference between one party and another. Hint, they have different names.
And don’t worry, I have plenty of criticisms of the Green Party.
” I just wish the people who want Labour to be a labour party would realise that they aren’t anymore and haven’t been for a long time and continually attacking Labour isn’t going to change that.”
I agree, I’m not wanting to change the labour party. Indeed I thought it I framed my argument as such. The labour party need to realise they are not the only people who want a better future for working people. My beef, is the fact they can’t handle criticism, especially when it is pointed out they are a liberal party.
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Colonial Viper has a right to be mad. It seems, rightly or wrongly that the labour party use Chinese as their fall guy. If it is concious decision to play on the hangover of the “yellow peril” argument, I’m standing with Colonial Viper all the way. It just feels like we are back to the same debate we had when the twit Twyford brought up home buying in Auckland.
So new low, I’m not so quick to judge. Lets wait and see.
I don’t know what ‘classical liberal terms’ means. When you start talking about people here on ts as liberals I have no idea who you are talking about and it just comes across as an easy pejorative (I don’t know why liberal is a pejorative, but it has a different meaning where I come from).
Hence I don’t understand what you said here,
Which raises the question, are you happy to hand the ideological debate to the Tories? Seriously, think about what you said – to me, it sound like you were happy to have the political debate framed in classical liberal terms. I know you are not, I’ve read what else you have written.
Can you please clarify in lay person terms?
*
Of course CV has a right to be mad. I’m seriously fucked off with Labour too, and with Labour party members, including CV. And all the lefties who moan about Labour but won’t vote Green. You have to remember I’ve never voted Labour, I’ve always been to the left of them. CV’s big problem now is that so many people here don’t trust him, including many of us who also don’t trust Labour, and they’ve got a right to that too.
I don’t know what Little did. To me it looks much more like his naive relationship with the media as anything. And I agree there may be conscious or even unconscious bias or prejudice against Asians. I’d guess it’s because it’s politically convient rather than overt racism, but CV knows Labour far better than I and I also know that racism is racism on the receiving end no matter the intent, so it’s not acceptable that Labour are still making these mistakes, or god forbid, making these political moves intentionally.
But, and it’s a big but, we simply don’t know. And all CV has done is throw some petrol on the fire of resentment on the standard about his Labour-bashing. He’s also taken an important issue and completely fucked up the narrative and pushed a whole bunch of people into a stupid arse conversation that will never get anywhere because now it’s contaminated with too many variables including his own bigotry about the left.
I’m also mindful of the fact that CV has had to put up with significant racism here on ts in previous conversations about Asian people in NZ. The conversation I’m remembering must be one of the standard’s lowest points and he and other people of Asian whakapapa shouldn’t have to deal with that.
Short handed cut and paste from Chegg.
Definition of Classical Liberalism
Classical liberalism is a political ideology that values the freedom of individuals — including the freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets — as well as limited government. It developed in 18th-century Europe and drew on the economic writings of Adam Smith and the growing notion of social progress. Liberalism was also influenced by the writings of Thomas Hobbes, who argued that governments exist to protect individuals from each other. In 19th- and 20th-century America, the values of classical liberalism became dominant in both major political parties. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to all forms of liberalism prior to the 20th century. Conservatives and libertarians often invoke classical liberalism to mean a fundamental belief in minimal government.
http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/classical-liberalism-53
So I’d argue it is a set of ideas which means debate is discusses in a certain way. So it’s good to talk about, markets, individual rights, but bad to make any assertions of collectivity, culture or the environment.
National are very much a liberal party, thus when Hooton rants against them being liberal – he is being either disingenuous, or a totalitarian turd of epic proportions.
And whilst I think liberalism was great in the 18th century, in the 21st century it is the enemy. It ignores women, it ignores race, it accepts poverty as part of the human condition, it makes wealth the expression of good, and has made markets a god.
I’m a Christian Anarchist, as you know, so for me communality, the environment, and people living rewarding lives – is always my main goal. I don’t want limited government, I want us to work toward living without a state.
So framing of an argument becomes important. For example, not using sexist language, but that is not enough, actually think about ways when we write and talk to put to an end to patriarch. It’s about not writing in a way which assumes male privileged and power, and indeed challenges it. Note I’m still not the best at that, so I sorely miss the great women who use to write on the standard.
Long rant, I hope that clarifies what I was meaning.
A government is necessary – you have to have governments, it is essential, 7 billion people on the earth, we must have governments – it is imperative. There is so much to look after, leaving it up to a mass of individuals who are too busy with their own lives – would be a catastrophe.
And there is nothing wrong with men in power, I see nothing wrong with it, but all men, need a strong leader, especially a male role model, they can look up too. Men ‘in society’ need ‘strong male role models’.
Men (regarding their careers and professional lives) look up to other men, as women look up to other woman. It is because we relate to the same sex as ourselves – we just do. Not all the time, but most of the time.
We shouldn’t demean Men by taking away their patriarchal power, why? We should enhance it – and allow them to have the power they so rightfully deserve, men by nature are more naturally aggressive, and with an intelligent mind to match – tend to be great leaders, and protectors.
We must enhance this, and nurture this, so men become ‘whole’ – then when a strong woman comes along, they do not feel threatened, but intrigued, a non-threatened man will integrate with another power-house (a female), because she has different attributes to offer, and then success is more likely.
I think men and women, working together is how we will acquire ‘balance’.
But men, they are great leaders, and extremely inspirational, this should never be taken away from the man.
Little boys need STRONG men to look up too. We must have strong men IN POWER – we must.
The Opposition need to stay on target. They started the week with Fonterra and banks.
PM is exposed so looks for a new hook.
Opposition obliges.
Labour Comms team needs far greater discipline.
Apart from Little saying nothing but “dairy crisis” I don’t know what he could have done. When you see the statements in context there is nothing radical in what he was saying. He expressed a preference for local workers to be used and wanted immigration regulated depending on conditions.
The pile up supported by some must have CT grinning from ear to ear. We have a PM who regularly redefines meanings of simple words depending on how much spin he applies but we have an opposition leader whose words are parsed and misconstrued and he is then attacked and written off by a bunch of nodding heads. Trotter should be ashamed of himself.
Trotter has no shame along with all these rent a quote DP tools like farrar, hooten, pagani etc
+100
In the last 8 years Labour has been controlled opposition, the illusion of choice.
I hate John Key, understand that, he is instrumental in destroying New Zealand sovereignty and stripping our assets,
but attacking the opposition doesn’t win votes, you have to demonstrate that your party is better for the country and the voters, otherwise voters wont give you the power to change anything.
Labour Comms team needs far greater discipline
How long have we been saying that? Since 2008?
“KEEP CHINESE CHEFS OUT, WE NEED MORE DECENT KIWIS COOKING IN OUR CHINESE RESTAURANTS”, jesus…
Have words lost their meaning? It was a comment to a question. It was not part of a PR strategy.
Every political utterance must be part of a coherent comms strategy, or it is easily misused by others. Ooh, look what’s happening – who could have predicted it?
What do you think Little should have said/done instead? (a guess given we don’t know what the original question was).
Um, not used Chinese as an example, at the bare minimum.
Sure, that’s the easy bit. But how do you do that and engage competently with the media? Some people are suggesting that whatever Little says and does is going to get manipulated because of CT and because of the media approach.
That’s a given,yes – so you plan your framing and key messages thoroughly anticipating it, and do not get led off-message or go all lawyerly and prevaricating on it.
I just have no idea why Labour does not seem to grasp this most fundamental ingredient of organised politics after years of having their noses rubbed in it.
Go the Bus Drivers!
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/299147/free-ride-for-some-auckland-bus-commuters
Excellent.
Thousands of passengers will not have to pay to travel on some Auckland buses today, as part of a series of driver strikes.
First Union represents bus drivers working for Howick & Eastern Buses, and said its members would be refusing to take cash or AT HOP card fares today.
Howick & Eastern Buses serves many of the routes in east Auckland.
The action is the latest in a series of industrial actions by bus drivers across Auckland, who remain locked in disputes with the region’s bus providers.
A union spokesperson said the Howick & Eastern Buses drivers were fed up with attempts to remove overtime and weekend rates.
Thing is, considering the way that bus services in Auckland are now set up, I doubt if it’s going to hurt the bus companies at all. They’re paid by Auckland Transport and the money that they’re not collecting goes directly to Auckland Transport and not to the bus companies.
However it is very good PR with the public who use the service.
It would also have one other positive effect.
It’ll show how much the buses are really in demand. Given such information AT and the council could very well draw up a plan to make buses free.
Unfortunately, that’s probably unlikely due to their sticking to the failed neo-liberal model.
Can AT review the contract if the money stops coming in?
I don’t know. There’s possibly something like that in the contracts.
When will Andrew Little realise that anything he says that is mildly controversial will immediately be twisted and spun by the right and used by the Henrys and Hoskings of the media and their enablers to attack him, Labour and left politics generally?
Don’t they have the media training to ensure they keep statements clear with a few repetitive bullet points that everyone repeats?
Labour never ever learn.
A much simpler short set of slogans that cant be twisted has been required for 8 years now…..fn amateurs.
Anything he says, full stop.
And it’s not just “the right” who make shit up about the most uncontroversial statements made by the Labour caucus.
“Media training” for the Labour party and anyone on the left is as useful as training on how to make friends with a rabid lion.
Then there are the people in the audience poking the gladitors with sticks, even the gladiators’ allies.
distinguishing a lion from a tabby is a good start.
every reporter is a lion.
some are more rabid than others
He’ll get attacked by the MSM and misreported even if he says that the sky is blue.
Commentators here going on about Andrew Little not being able to get across in concise language what we need to hear and that Labour need media training. At least he looks and attempts to get it across in an honest manner, although he does speak quietly. He also has a pair of honest eyes. Our leader cannot articulate the English language at all, sounds like he is drunk all the time and lies so openly even a half wit would read through them. He also owns a pair of dead eyes which give me the creeps. Give Andrew a break, its National running scared and a MSM which is in the pay of the right. Labour has to dig deep and sock it to the government, anyone who lives in Auckland knows he is telling it as it is, something has to happen to this country and curbing immigration in the interim until we can get housing, employment and our traffic problem sorted is so sensible it beggars belief anyone would question otherwise.
+ 1
+1+1
+1
Well said.
My goodness – the trolls are out in force this morning. Can’t they find anything better to do.
Meanwhile, in the UK they’re slapping a big sugar tax on fizzy drinks – a huge change in attitude – and hugely worrying for those multi-nationals like Coca-Cola, but really good for the people’s future health.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11606810
and they also just voted to remove Tax Credits for 800.000 people (mainly on lower income) and to remove 30quid from disabled people who will sign up for a disability benefit from 2017 onwards.
fuck the sugar tax is just hogwash, like the cigarette tax. Peoples future health would be better if they could afford decent food at decent prices.
Removing GST from food would be a decent way to go about that.
This is interesting, I hope the Kurds just do this.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/03/16/kurds-are-planning-a-breakaway-region-in-syria-and-it-wont-go-down-well/
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-federalism-idUSKCN0WI0ZT
And on the local front, Christchurch get’s the short shift again.
What the…
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/77971099/thousands-of-sheets-of-steel-mesh-sold-with-wrong-certification
More likely to see Syria re-formed as a confederation. Something like Iraq has already.
Shrift.
Short shift is meaningless.
“Short shift is meaningless”.
No it’s not. It is what you are likely to get if you are currently on a zero hour contract. Luckily our Government is changing that.
The likes of Barry Soper seem perfectly happy for all the jobs to go to immigrants, and for thousands of New Zealanders to get nothing.
As long and he gets his nasi goering, who gives a shit about young people being chucked on the scrapheap.
I think you might be more comfortable here:
http://nzfirstparty.org.nz/join.html
And you here
http://www.heritage.org/
Judging by the unwillingness of the Herald to publish the comments section following opinion pieces critical of Labours’ stance on banks and immigration – I reckon Littles’ comments have struck a chord with voters.
Leaving National and its apologists (hi Claire,Audrey , Baz ,and Hosko) defending the Banks’ greed and uncontrolled immigration .
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11606612
Shock horror ! Someone called Hosking a “git”, “arrogant”, and told him to “grow up”.
Get a life Hosking !
I think it is referred to as karma for the git
It’s a pity to see them all misusing the word ‘troll’ too, which has quite specific definitions online and isn’t the same as calling someone names. But I guess Hoskings and the Herald journalist still don’t know how the internet works.
Glen Grenwald on “objective” journalism and Donald Trump
“Large corporations hate controversy (it alienates consumers) and really hate offending those who wield political power (bad for business). Imposing objectivity rules on the journalists who work for their media divisions was a means to avoid offending anyone by forcing journalists to conceal their perspectives, assumptions, and viewpoints, and, worse, forcing them to dishonestly pretend that they had none, that they float above all that.”
https://theintercept.com/2016/03/14/the-rise-of-trump-shows-the-danger-and-sham-of-compelled-journalistic-neutrality/
IF anything Trump has been exposing Media corruption and bias, this makes me question Glen Grenwald’s objectivity.
Rupert Murdoch,Koch Bros, George Soro, Kissenger, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal,
partial list of people financing media campaigns against Trump,
Vilification of Trump on this site on a daily basis, sourcing their”information” from unknown bloggers, twitter and face-book journalists.
When media tries to shape my opinion, instead of provide me with facts so I can form an opinion of my own that is propaganda.
+100…Trumps enemies would make you want to support him
https://www.rt.com/shows/crosstalk/335214-trump-us-presidency-candidate/
‘People support Trump as politicians they hate, hate him’
https://www.rt.com/op-edge/335791-trump-clinton-us-primaries/
I’m sure he’s said worse things about others, e.g., Kim dotcom and hiw wee rant before the “moment of truth”..
argh shit, that was supposed to be in reply to North talking about all the rude words hosking gets called.
I was wondering what you were on about. But then it’s one of those days 😉
People up and arms and saying that Little’s comments weren’t targeting all immigrants, and that he was being carefully selective as to what he said, and it was all taken out of context… blah, blah, blah
It would be like National targeting specific groups that rort the benefit system, and wanting to take decisive action, but being accused by the left of bashing everyone on a benefit…
…oh wait.
I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. They really don’t do anything for me, and are so stupid, they make announcements and give the whole media of New Zealand ammo to shoot them with. I’m talking immigration. Is Andrew a complete and utter dick or what. I mean did he think for a minute. A second on this.
In a climate where the press are looking to avenues to denigrate the opposition and have never written a pro piece since I can remember on any party Not National or right wing leaning, Andrew blathers on about immigration. When he does speak it’s a complete cock up and gets twisted all over the media with everyone laughing at him.
Seriously needs a slap to the head.
Between Labours multitude of own goal gaffs on and on stupidity of character and nationals piss poor performance on running the Nation you are wrecking the place.
If you cannot get it together and put up a decent publicity campaign, mindful of the press and attractive to voters on a professional level like Keys machine, fuck off.
If that sounds mean Labour needs it. Needs a bloody good kick up the arse, you send me multitudes of begging letters wanting money for this and that.. Money..
Do I have any Money.
Then you just do stupid things like bring up immigration when your opposition. Real popular subject, a favorite amongst the press of NZ who get a free kick labours leader and party card.
Am I wrong?
Fk fkfkfkfkfk MORONS!
Yes, you are wrong. He didn’t bring up immigration, a journalist did.
Join the winning side Richard and vote Blue.
yessss, come to the dark side. Feel the fear and anger coursing through you. Unleash the power of your hate, young jedi, and take Jason Ede’s place at my side…
http://mediacdn.snorgcontent.com/media/catalog/product/d/a/darkside_fullpic.png
Ha ha good stuff.
http://iforce.co.nz/i/ofgodrrc.ziv.jpg
Some of us have real aspirations for our society, not just greed.
“I don’t think I can voter Labour anymore. …” Did you ever?
Is Jim Mora the nadir of what is commonly called the chattering class?
yes
The absolute nadir of the chattering class is Mike “Contra” Hosking, with Mora just a tad better than he is. Mora is clearly more educated, smarter and sharper. He has a pleasant manner, only occasionally letting the mask slip and speaking curtly to guests who irritate him for whatever reason. Unlike Hosking or the equally dire Paul Henry, Mora is capable of speaking thoughtfully about most subjects.
Despite the massive advantage he has over the likes of Hosking, Henry and Larry “Lackwit” Williams, there is precious little difference in the quality of their programmes. Mora almost entirely eschews serious discussion, instead choosing to dwell on insultingly puerile topics straight off teenage-level Facebook pages, and employing dog-whistle appeals to bigotry as shamelessly as any Crosby Textor-driven National Party politician.
So, yes, Mora is the epitome of chattering class vacuity and vanity, but his superficial charm and (sadly under-used) intellect lift him just above the horror shows on the commercial stations.
I second that.
They all qualify to be lifetime members of Kipling’s Bandalog.
Just in case you’re on the verge of throwing a rope over one of the rafters and ending it all due to the dire nature of the MSM in New Zealand…
Rejoice! Because it’s just as spirit-crushingly awful in Australia.
Watch, and laugh in a sick, sad “I’m only laughing because the alternative is too depressing to contemplate” kind of way…
New Zealand really needs a Jordan Shanks.
good stuff, i’ll put the rope back around the neighbour, they like Nact”s
They should be in prison of course, but at least these
two scoundrels have been forcefully repudiated by the voters
In the same week that President Hopey Changey presumes to lecture Cuba about human rights, and as two of the most loathsome people in the United States look to be heading for victory in the Republican and Democratic races, here’s something that makes you realize there’s still some decency in at least some voters over there….
Black Lives Matter Voters Oust Tamir Rice Prosecutor
About time.
“Police will have to smash a cloned hard drive and memory card seized during an “unlawful” search of the home of investigative journalist Nicky Hager before returning seized computer equipment and files tomorrow.
Hager and his lawyer Steven Price will be at the High Court at Auckland to witness the destruction of the hard drive and memory card, which contain copies of files made by detectives during the 2014 raid, according to a press release this afternoon.”
Ian, please please add the link to the article you’re quoting. Makes it much more powerful when shared in other forums. Thanks.
Oops.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11607327
Thanks.