I see that the Granny cant even put in working links. Anything new just defaults to the main page. And as they don’t seem to read e\mail over the weekend.
The latest Roy Morgan out yesterday will please both the Mana and Internet Parties, both now registering 1% on the Morgan,
That will probably stimulate further talks between the two, the jump in Mana’s % of support has probably been measured too lightly as much of that support will be centric to the Maori electorates,
2% measured support befor the real business of the election campaign cranks up into top gear will please supporters of both Parties, i won’t predict it but there is the possibility of the Mana/Interent alliance, if it happens, grabbing 5% of the vote in September…
This latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll on voting intention was conducted by telephone – both landline and mobile telephone, with a NZ wide cross-section of 810 electors from March 31 – April 14, 2014. Of all electors surveyed 5% (down 0.5%) didn’t name a party.
That’s of those surveyed. I wonder whether the number of refusals to actually engage in the poll has moved, and whether indeed that group is statistically different from the surveyed.
Yes, a promising start for Mana and Internet party, but I was hoping for 3% at least at this stage.
It is also a disappointing result for Labour and I suspect Labour’s downfall is mainly the Green party.
The Greens have their dedicated core support of around 10% of voters, but the Green party scares a lot of potential Labour voters including from other parties because of the fact or perception that the Greens will want to bring in too many of their extreme looking policies too suddenly and also that they may want to increase taxes such as for road transport, petrol, ETS etc and perhaps also due to their extreme positions on mining and deep sea oil exploration.
In my opinion, while the Green policies are laudable, the party should become more pragmatic and go slower in their lofty aims. People accept changes if they are brought about slowly over time and not forced too fast. People need a paradigm shift in their ways and thinking, but that takes time.
The Green party leaders should recognise these dangers and make their very SHORT list of main realistic policy positions for the NEXT term very very clear for the voting public and the other political parties. If they do not understand this political and common sense reality, and just continue as now, they will end up with around their usual 10% result, but will hugely damage the votes of Labour and the chance of a left wing government.
Time is short. They need to get pragmatic and act fast.
I agree draco – The Greens have got to get into power – we need them there and in terms of their policies going slower isn’t an option – going faster and making real change is necessary and essential.
Clemgeopin, can you please go and read GP policy, and the pay attention to what they actually do? It’s the perpeption that is the problem – there is nothing particularly extreme about GP policy, and they have in fact adapted to the pragmatic realities of NZ politics. Your comment contributes to misperception rather than promoting solutions.
btw, “The Green party leaders should recognise these dangers and make their very SHORT list of main realistic policy positions for the NEXT term very very clear for the voting public and the other political parties.”
Before the election the GP will release its 10 point list of what they want to work on if part of the govt. AFAIK they do this each election. Is that what you mean?
Yes, but they need to give out such a list now or asap so that voters have time to digest, warm up and feel comfortable to vote to help form a Labour led Government.
That short list should have moderate doable policies that do not scare too many voters away from helping to form a Labour led government.
A statement somewhat like this will be very helpful:
The Green party is keen to help form a Labour led coalition government.
To that end, during the next term of government, the following will be the policies that we will like to implement. These are all very good for the country and its people. Change takes time. We understand that too many changes can not be made too soon. We will proceed slowly , pragmatically and wisely. We think that Labour and the voters will be comfortable with our following core ten moderate policies for the next term.
[1] Raising the minimum wage to $16.00 immediately and work towards a living wage.
[2] Build more state houses. Stop non residents/non citizens buying residential houses in the cities.
[3] Introduce a moderate capital gains tax of 15% (excluding the family home).
[4] Support, educate and encourage businesses and public services to have targets to adopt sustainability as a core value over time.
[5]——
Yes, but should be clearly set out, short, succinct, easily understood with specific details of time line and costs. The MOST important point is not to frighten the voters away with too many sudden changes, nor being too expensive for individuals, businesses or the country. Slow, but steady wins the race in democratic politics unlike in a bloody revolution.
Given taht the GP increased their MPs from 9 to 14 using the strategy that karol linked to, I think it’s reasonable to assume that they know what they are doing.
I don’t know when this year’s list is coming out, but this isn’t new stuff for the GP. They’ve been developing skills and strategies for a long time. I trust them.
Can you give an example of something you think has frightened people? (a recent example).
@weka.
I am not frightened. The voters seem to be, going by the polls, media talk and from speaking to people.
People are concerned about a 11% party wielding too much power disproportional to their popular support. I think the policies that scare people would be their possible taxes on roading, farmers, petrol, ETS, pollution etc. Personally I have no problem with these if they are moderate and progressive slowly over time.
The primary focus at THIS election is to help form a Labour led left block government and implement a small portion of Green’s moderate policies in term 1.
If the Greens stand on their lofty heights persisting on fast paced and many drastic changes too suddenly, they will still get their usual hard core about 10% support, but will make it very hard for a Labour led government to form for a long time, because of the political reality at present as I explained earlier.
For this particular election, it should not be Labour that is endorsing the Green policies, but it should be the Green party that endorses the Labour core policies so that more voters can feel comfortable with Labour and Greens.
The Greens don’t have to feel like they they are lap dogs, but should recognise that the Labour party is the top dog here. Otherwise, NZF will be the primary beneficiary, probably forming the National led coalition, with Greens and Labour having to wait for many more years to have the power to make the necessary great changes.
“The Greens don’t have to feel like they they are lap dogs, but should recognise that the Labour party is the top dog here.”
Lolz. What you don’t seem to realise is that the GP don’t work in that paradigm. They’re more a care and share kind of party ;-p
And patently Labour aren’t the top dog. The GP have a better line up of talented people, better policies, better PR, better online and social media access to their voters etc. I’m sure there are things that Labour do better than the GP, but you seem to be mistaking historical voting patterns as a sign of competency.
“People are concerned about a 11% party wielding too much power disproportional to their popular support. I think the policies that scare people would be their possible taxes on roading, farmers, petrol, ETS, pollution etc. Personally I have no problem with these if they are moderate and progressive slowly over time.”
That’s all about perception, the Crosby/Textor effect, and the fact that the MSM can’t do their job properly. Can you tie some specifics in your list to actual policy and then say what is wrong with what the GP are proposing?
Also consider that any increases in environmental costs will be offset by things like more accessible healthcare and education. I still see no proof that the GP’s policies would mean that individuals would have less spare income.
From where I’m sitting, it’s looking to me that the Labour Party would be better spending their time getting their own house in order, rather than telling other parties how to help get them over the line.
This is why it’s all about misperception. When you actually look at GP policy, pretty much every time they are suggesting things that are well thought out and equitable.
Unfair comment!
Don’t blame the Labour party for my posts. I personally have nothing whatsoever to do with the Labour party! I am an independent thinker/poster interested in politics and left wing socialist principles.
NO. The 4 examples of policies I gave are pretty much the Green party policies I took from their website. You could add 6 more that seem moderate without frightening the people away and yet help implement many of the easily doable Green’s economic, social and environmental policies. If not, the writing is already on the wall as per the present polls.
Step1: Have doable moderate policies.
Setp2: Don’t scare the voters away from helping to form a Left block government.
Step3: Win the election and form a Labour led government.
Step4: Implement the agreed core policies in term 1.
Step5: Perform well, without being too much of a wagging dog, please the people and get re-elected with a fresh list of ten new policies for term2
You seem fixated on the perception that the GP frightens people. In fact they have moved towards being more middle NZ friendly in the last few years. And you seem to want the GP to be subservient to Labour. They are not an extension of Labour. It’s up to Labour to campaign for representation themselves, and not aim to gain power by pressuring the GP to be Labour’s tame lapdog.
The GP will have their agenda for this year’s election before long, I imagine. And they will more than likely have more funding.
Oh, dear! If such an arrogant, headstrong, heroic, smug attitude prevails widely in the Green camps, you guys will be shooting yourself in the foot as well as do tremendous collateral damage to the chances of a Labour led coalition government on Sept 20.
About 10% of people vote for Greens directly and a lot more are sympathetic to many of the Green principles but are scared to vote for Labour or a Labour led government because they are worried about too much of Green’s influence in such a government which might hit them on their back pocket. This fear drives them away from Labour towards National or NZF. You don’t agree I know! False, non fruitful, non pragmatic pride before a sorry fall!
“About 10% of people vote for Greens directly and a lot more are sympathetic to many of the Green principles but are scared to vote for Labour or a Labour led government because they are worried about too much of Green’s influence in such a government which might hit them on their back pocket.”
And here is the dilemma. The two big things that the GP are doing is working on poverty, and working on AGW. All the other things are important, but not as urgent. Solutions to poverty won’t make most NZers worse off financially, so when you say that you perpetuate the myth of the scarey Greens (and in fact do what you just accused karol of). The GP are currently the main party that is upholding traditional NZ values around fairness for all. They deserve to be supported for that.
Solutions to AGW will most definitely mean radical changes for all humans on the planet including the people in NZ currently fixated on their back pocket. But the alternative to that is to abandon the planet and the next generations to catastrophic environmental change that will be far far worse than anything the GP has ever proposed in terms of living within our means.
Because of that, I think they need to hurry up and make change more radically, but I also think that they have figured out how fast they can move to make effective change without scaring the horses.
Here’s the problem I see with your theory: the Greens are not traditionally a party of ‘safe’ or ‘moderate’ voters. Many of the votes they picked up in 2011 were likely disillusioned Labour supporters who wanted a stronger left/liberal voice.
If the Greens decided to sacrifice their own voter base for the sake of appearing ‘moderate’ (and I don’t think it would work anyway given how hard National hammer the idea that anything the Greens, or even Labour, do is automatically radical) they’d just lose votes, either to a going concern like Mana or more marginal voices like the Alliance. In which case you might start complaining that Mana needs to be more moderate so as not to frighten the horses, or lament at the wasted votes going to leftwing parties which won’t pass 5%.
I don’t see this as a successful strategy for the wider left.
Arrogant? And non-Green voters/members telling the Greens how to run their campaigns, and which policies to foreground? That isn’t arrogant.
I’m not a Green Party member, but in recent years I have voted for them because they have the policies and approaches nearest to my left wing values. I stopped voting Labour a few years back, because they have ceased to uphold the left wing values and policies that I favour.
And I do get irritated by those who want a Labour led government (are you a Labour voter?) or Labour Party members telling the Greens, and/or Green voters what we should be doing. To me, in recent years, there are More problems with Labour than the Greens.
And, like weka, I continue trust the Green Party strategies and principles.
My points are altruistic to help form a Labour led left coalition government. You can continue to have all the trust for the Green Party strategies and principles, sure, no problem, but you are one vote. To form the coalition government, you need lots of total votes, not just around 10%. I have a feeling that the Green supporters here have completely missed the points I have made in my posts and why I have made them. Please read them all again with an unbiased open mind. I am not against the Green party. I am for getting rid of this bad right wing government led by the popular Key and I am for helping to form the next Labour led government. If the Green supporters and leaders do not understand or consider the strategy I have stated due to any sense of false pride, cocky arrogance or due to not reading the voters political perceptions of Greens, they along with Labour may have to remain glued to the opposition benches once again for which of course they have great experience so far of warming them from their far backsides.
P.S : I have no axe to grind. Yes, I vote Labour MOSTLY. Read my posts slowly again to see the points I was making. May be some pragmatic electoral wisdom will dawn second time round.
Clemgeopin – I don’t agree with you, so I haven’t read your posts properly? Really? And you are the one that threw the “arrogant” word into the mix.
I also want a left government. So let Labour and the Greens get their acts together.
But that doesn’t mean Greens need to become subservient to Labour. They are two separate parties. The Greens offered to work with Labour. They declined. Ball’s in Labour’s court.
@Karol.
That too was an arrogant and cunning move that would have helped Greens get more votes and damage the Labour vote, as it would have scared even more people away. (not the core 11% green voters). Think about it.
The smarter strategic move would be for the Greens to publicly endorse the Labour’s policies and a Labour-led coalition government with a few core Green policies that the people can feel non-threatened with. Such a move will make more of the doubtful voters vote for Labour or Greens, helping both parties.
I am convinced I am correct. I understand you have a different view.
P.S : You might have carefully read what I wrote earlier, especially my first post, but you have interpreted my idea and intentions quite wrongly.
Sorry weka. That was supposed to be my reply for Marty mars, who wrote,
“I agree draco – The Greens have got to get into power – we need them there and in terms of their policies going slower isn’t an option – going faster and making real change is necessary and essential”
“..there is nothing particularly extreme about GP policy, and they have in fact adapted to the pragmatic realities of NZ politics…”
plus 1..
..and therein lies their problem..as there is little to differentiate them from labour..
..and perhaps the most stark example of that leeching/bleaching out of green values in the green party..
..is the twin-facts of a campbell live poll (16,000 voters..paying 50 cents each..) showing 84% support for ending the insanities of cannabis prohibition..
..and the second fact of the green party having that policy nowhere near their to-do list..
..what are they waiting for..?..100% support..
..does their fear-of-offending cause them to cower before the wishes of that prohibitionist 16%..?
..if not that..what..?
..and this is why the internet party..if boxing clever..will come out with a sensible/sane decriminalise/regulate/tax policy..
..and they will not only take away that pillar of previous green party support..
..they will also hoover up a sizeable number of those impatient at the blind-intransigence on this topic/subject..
..and a clearer marker of the epic-neglect of/by the green party of the constituency who first got them into parliament..
..is that at a time of decriminalisation breaking out like measles all over america..
..and nations like uraguay ending prohibition..
..what have we heard from the green party on this issue..?
..seizing/riding this wave of change..?
..that’s right..zip/zero/nada..
..and here’s a trainspotters’ question for you..
..who is the green party spokesperson on this issue..?
..i’ll betcha you don’t know..
..(hint:..he has the same hairdo as all those premature-balding men who do the total head-shave have..)
..see..!..you didn’t know..!..didya..?
..and nope..!..not even a press-release to be seen/within cooee..
..the silence is zen-like in its’ totalities….
..like i said..if the internet party boxes clever..
..that traditional pillar of the green party vote is there for them to just reach out and grab..
Harvard Medical School might be better off investigating the effect of police persecution, random stops, being threatened with weapons, and imprisonment on mental health. I’m just guessing, but I think those things could be far more damaging than a few casual puffs on a joint.
Whether the affair had damaged her politically was for others to judge, she said.
“But I think most people see that this is a situation where having my family attacked like this and brought into it in some way humanises me because I’ve never been seen as someone was particularly human.”
Well, it is Easter and the time of redemption. Our little deities certainly need some- though I don’t think that Judith knows where Damascus is.
On this theme, I wonder whether Judith, when her time comes to knock at the Pearly Gates, would actually notice St Peter, who is after all just another border control official.
Just thought I would repost this comment by ExKiwiforces summarizing an article in the Telegraph (Britain) . The comment appeared on Open Mike 16 April – it was posted late and I believe it might have been missed by a few people – I have added the links at the end:
“The US is an oligarchy, study concludes”
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country’s citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern Universities has concluded.
The report, entitled Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens, used extensive policy data collected from between the years of 1981 and 2002 to empirically determine the state of the US political system.
After sifting through nearly 1,800 US policies enacted in that period and comparing them to the expressed preferences of average Americans (50th percentile of income), affluent Americans (90th percentile) and large special interests groups, researchers concluded that the United States is dominated by its economic elite.
The peer-reviewed study, which will be taught at these universities in September, says: “The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organised groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.”
Researchers concluded that US government policies rarely align with the the preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favour special interests and lobbying oragnisations: “When a majority of citizens disagrees with economic elites and/or with organised interests, they generally lose. Moreover, because of the strong status quo bias built into the US political system, even when fairly large majorities of Americans favour policy change, they generally do not get it.”
The positions of powerful interest groups are “not substantially correlated with the preferences of average citizens”, but the politics of average Americans and affluent Americans sometimes does overlap. This merely a coincidence, the report says, with the the interests of the average American being served almost exclusively when it also serves those of the richest 10 per cent.
The theory of “biased pluralism” that the Princeton and Northwestern researchers believe the US system fits holds that policy outcomes “tend to tilt towards the wishes of corporations and business and professional associations.”
The study comes in the wake of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial piece of legislation passed in The Supreme Court that abolished campaign contribution limits, and record low approval ratings for the US congress.
The positions of powerful interest groups are “not substantially correlated with the preferences of average citizens”, but the politics of average Americans and affluent Americans sometimes does overlap. This merely a coincidence, the report says, with the the interests of the average American being served almost exclusively when it also serves those of the richest 10 per cent.
Quote; Courtesy of blue leopard
Fortuitously for humanity the civilisation destroying threat of climate change may be one of those “overlap” issues.
Al Gore for instance is most definitely a member of the 1% but has done more to bring the attention of the wider world to an awareness of this threat than any other single politician I could name.
What does this mean in practical terms?
It means that the accepted wisdom that climate change should not be made into an election battle ground is completely false and even self defeating for those wishing to unseat the current incumbent National Party, whose record on dealing with climate change is woeful. (but unfortunately little removed from where the opposition parties are centred)
So to unseat National and even unite conservative voters against them, there needs to be a clear demarkation between current government policy on coal mining, deep sea oil drilling and fracking and opposition policy.
Unfortunately, currently this is not the case:
“Labour says views on mining close to Govt’s”
David Parker was Energy Minister during the last Labour Government and said about $20 million was spent on seismic surveys to supply to big oil companies and entice them to New Zealand.
Labour’s finance spokesman, David Parker, says his party’s policies on oil, gas and mineral extraction are close to those of the Government.
“I don’t think we are much different from National,” Parker said. “They’ve continued on with the programme that we started in respect to oil and gas,” he said yesterday after a breakfast for the Mood of the Boardroom survey in which chief executives expressed strong support for mining.
In Auckland in the white bread suburb of Kohimarama at the far east end of Kepa Road on the left hand side in this predominantly well off area, on the corner of Godden Crescent and Kepa, and dominating the block, there is a large gated mansion with extensive grounds surrounded by a high bricked wall. Prominently pinned on the large wooden gates of this estate and facing the traffic is an an anti-deep sea oil drilling bill board.
A sign of the times?
The first swallow of spring?
Maybe, maybe not.
But while the blockheads in Labour still persist in supporting deep sea oil drilling, fracking and new coal expansion we will never know.
But while the blockheads in Labour still persist in supporting deep sea oil drilling, fracking and new coal expansion we will never know.
It’s not just support of drilling/mining/fracking but support of capitalism that requires ever increasing amounts of extraction of our scarce resources and for them to then be sold that is the real problem. Any idiot should be able to see that such policies will leave us without those resources and thus poor but our political parties still follow these outdated and unsustainable practices.
Reading Hobsbawm this morning, he suggested a 1000, 10,000 at the most, people decide what determines the global market and market-related human behaviour at the time his How to Change The World was published- 2011.
Thanks again Blue Leopard also I actually live overseas and have been since 1998 hence the reason it was posted very late NZ time.
On my last visit to NZ last mth I notice that NZ is slowly heading down this path and very disappointed that alot of the NZ Farmers are going back to a mono farming aka Dairying have they forgot problems of the 70’s and 80’s when it was wool and lamb?
Worthwhile reading for anyone interested in Labour’s progress (or lack thereof). Kiwi in America is an ex Labour activist with an in depth knowledge of the party.
Guest Post – Why is Labour Struggling in 2014? An Essay on the History of Labour’s Predicament
David asked me to guest post this while he was away so here’s some reading over this stormy Easter weekend (I’m in soggy Christchurch as I write this). With Labour consistently polling between 28 and 34% (current poll of polls has Labour at just under 31%) since its defeat in 2008, it has a number of problems convincing voters that they are an alternative government in waiting for the 2014 election. Labour’s problems are three fold and the purpose of this essay is to posit the origins of their problems by drawing on my time inside Labour to provide some explanations:
1 – Why its policies are less appealing to the vote rich centre ground of NZ politics
2 – Why Labour has such a shallow pool of caucus talent from which to choose an attractive leader
3 – How, under MMP, Labour have boxed themselves into a relatively narrow ideological centre left electoral corridor crowded out to the left by the Greens and Mana and to the right by National
KIA goes into detail on Labour’s recent history. He concludes:
Labour was once a great party. It attracted people of energy, passion and ability from many walks of life. It had reforming zeal usually tempered by the realism of its once broader membership base and if it went too far, the voters returned the Treasury benches to the safer hands of National.
Labour’s 1984 to 87 Cabinet, despite their leftist roots, embarked on a series of dramatic reforms that have transformed NZ into the more vibrant and dynamic economy it is today.
The left of the party waged a war so total and absolute to purge the party of that instinct that it has destroyed modern Labour and left it a shrunken left leaning shell of its former self that struggles to attract electable talent, will not rejuvenate its caucus, offers policies that excite only 25% of the country and fights with the Greens (who are seen as more pure and virginal) for the centre left vote.
The harder left base are tone deaf to the electoral realities of New Zealand politics believing that they will win the day if the great unwashed knew what was good for them and if the policies of the left were articulated better.
Without a major change of direction, Labour’s prescription is a recipe for long term electoral oblivion!
“Labour’s 1984 to 87 Cabinet, despite their leftist roots, embarked on a series of dramatic reforms that have transformed NZ into the more vibrant and dynamic economy it is today.
The left of the party waged a war so total and absolute to purge the party of that instinct …”
False premises lead to false conclusions Pete. That second sentence ought to have pricked up your little rat ears, even if the first didn’t.
Anything that comes from Pete George needs to be handled with long tongs, and studied from a safe distance to avoid his ailments.. Otherwise called a flew of wisdom.
Who is this person? “Who is the former Labour Party Activist”? Name?
To me it reads like more spin, more narrative about how Labour won’t win, won’t attract Talent (Does he mean like the likes of Simon Bridges? Hekia Parata?)
He lost me when he said changes in 1984 ++ brought about a more vibrant and dynamic economy”
Inequality and child poverty is at record highs, but we’re heading for 5.5% unemployed. That’s getting to Labour at it’s height under Clark and Cullen. National could fight this election on their economic handling alone, and win.
“5.5%”, There sure are a lot of Brooklyn Bridges for sale these days.
Ad, have you considered what the % would be if unregistered unemployed were included?
Not to mention you could likely double that % instantly if jobs of under one hour a week were also included.
Partisanship aside, a national employment statistic built on the premise that mowing a neighbour’s lawn twice a month, equates to ‘having a job’, is a fundamentally flawed statistic and only exposes the inherently corrupt reporting of economic realities facing New Zealand.
Not sure why so many commenters confuse banal fact from the stronger truth and power of media narrative. It’s a “rock star”, it’s China as our mouth-to-fire-hydrant epochal change, it’s increased job adverts, it’s sharemarket floats, it’s business confidence, it’s their string of political-commercial deals.
The MSM almost uniformly trumpet Key’s economic leadership, and reified the apparent results. Labour and the remainder of the progressives are generally fighting against this but are comprehensively losing the economic story.
But.. but.. but.. Pete George says he is an ex-Labour activist (and blatant Rogernome) ergo current Labour activists should be listening to what he says! (because logic)
Ah well Pete, when you’re spinning that fast, you’re bound to get dizzy.
(Back to pissing myself over “KIA’s” 2008 election post.)
The left of the party waged a war so total and absolute to purge the party of that instinct …”
That is bollocks. It was the right who started the war back in the late 70s and early 80s. Once in power they rode rough-shod over their ministerial colleagues including PM, David Lange. They used bullying and underhand tactics and openly demeaned colleagues who stood up to them. Finally those colleagues and many in the rank and file rose up against them. They were the authors of their own demise.
Has it ever occurred to you PG that your frequent partisan selections of supposedly informed data actually expose how arrogant and politically naive you really are?
is that the same kiwi in america who posted those bi-daily interminable screeds to persuade kiwiblog readers that obama had no chance of winning the democratic nomination..?
..and then went on to post bi-daily interminable screeds on how mccain was going to kick obamas’ arse..?
..is this the same sage that you now turn to for yr ‘fact-checking’/re-postable opinions….?
I agree with the general point in it that the caucus talent is thin, and that this is the primary cause of succession difficulties. I cannot think of any around me in my forties who would consider it.
I also agree that the rump of the Lange-Moore administration forms the ABC club that has actively fought renewal from day one.
I don’t buy the Clark conspiracy. I simply view comprehensive and systemic HR internal promotion and selection as being part of successful leadership.
The difficulties that David Cunliffe is facing are not caused by Helen Clark’s legacy. They are different.
Firstly to get where he is, those seeking to reform the party from within have had to engage in nearly a decade of careful momentum-building. This included the Labour Party constitutional reforms mentioned in the piece in 2012. Given the intransigence and hard internal attacks of the rump, there was no alternative but to spend considerable energy focussing inwards paving the way for change. This no doubt appeared unattractive and blunted grassroots political evangelical confidence, but strengthened party membership and mechanisms considerably.
Secondly, Cunliffe’s principle of meritocratic promotion of talent, rather than promotion for factional control, is going to take time to weed out the poor performers and invite talent to compete and win selection. National’s internal reforms of caucus have certainly been easier precisely because the churn enables more strivers to see a future pathway to power. Meritocratic promotion is in my view the only way to break down factions, but it’s root and branch, and it takes years.
Third, the policy platform is having to be rebuilt from scratch. It’s a different path from both Clark and Lange/Douglas. David Cunliffe has had only since the abrupt leadership change barely six months ago to get this going.
Finally, changing leader one year out from election has a massive drop in momentum internally. We can see that through the uneven changes in his leaders’ office. I am not yet convinced that the media team there are coherent, for example. That is only an illustration of the internal shifts that the entire supporter, membership and caucus groups have to go through.
On David’s side are a few things.
First, how close Labour got last time. In MMP it really is down to the wire. The essay writer appears to have left political activism under FPP and does not understand that it really is down to a 2-3% shift in National’s fortunes and all is in play.
Secondly, Labour understand their base far better, and are mobilising far better than previously.
Finally, it’s him. As Colin James said in March this year, when he’s at his best, David Cunliffe is better than John Key. The vital question is whether those around him allow him to enable his confidence, surefooted preparation, and his kind of future Prime Minister, to be made apparent.
I can go along with what Ad is saying. It IS going to be close, right down to the wire – but there are a number of things going for Labour which are “behind the scenes” so to speak, and time will tell if what is happening there will achieve the result we want.
A very good summing of Labour’s position Ad. Thanks.
But I don’t agree with the assumption that the caucus talent is thin. I think there is quite a bit of latent talent that, for various reasons, didn’t get a chance to see the light of day under the Clark/Goff/ Shearer regimes. Add to them the fact it seems likely a number of people will join the caucus later this year who will significantly boost the talent pool.
Good post!
Your last paragraph is so true.
“Finally, it’s him. As Colin James said in March this year, when he’s at his best, David Cunliffe is better than John Key. The vital question is whether those around him allow him to enable his confidence, surefooted preparation, and his kind of future Prime Minister, to be made apparent”
The key to success is a combination of …
Cunliffe, who can be very good,
The polices which should excite and benefit voters and the country,
and
The media managers who need to work much harder and smarter from now on..
Ad makes some good (and also thoughtful) points. I insert things like this into the mix to provoke thought (not not the numpties).
I agree the KIA is a but old school, but there’s a lot that can be learned from history.
I also think that meritocratic promotion is important. It’s a pity Labour didn’t start their rebuild five years ago, time is short for Cunliffe and as Ad says this approach takes time. But it’s important Labour sets themselves up for medium term rebuilding.
In the meantime they still stand a chance this election, albeit relying on at least one sizable coalition partner. And they will be hoping Dotcom doesn’t mess things up for the left, that’s out of Labour’s hands and there’s a sizable risk of it.
Cunliffe’s confidence is crucial for Labour’s chances this year. He can tend towards overconfident, he can’t let that get away on him but he also seems to swing to lacking in confidence. He needs to resolutely target September and stick to a solid plan – at the moment theirs no clear sign of that.
With a number of wild cards anything could happen this election – but for it to happen in Labour’s favour Cunliffe has to sharpen up and minimise the mistakes they have been making too often, which now means any policy release is looked at with suspicions of cock-ups, and every small mistake is magnified.
It’s not over yet for Labour but it won’t be easy either.
My reply to the post by kiwi in America post at kiwiblog is
FACT 1 – The Rogernomics era had no mandate from the party. It nearly destroyed Labour.
FACT 2 – It took till 1999-2002 and a Labour government that delivered on its manifesto to restore trust between caucus and party member – this lead to the end of any need for “New Labour”.
FACT 3 – However this alone was and is insufficient for restoration. The Labour Party is not yet over what Rogernomics did to it (but then nor is New Zealand).
To have a party based on democratic, and meritocratic, selection involves trust that candidates will remain loyal to the party and its manifesto. This was something completely breached in the 1980′s. So between 1987 and 2011, selection was based on a party faction patronage – this of course meant it was somewhat insulated from inclusive participation by the general public.
The Labour Party was so abused by its caucus in the 1980′s that only the recent party reforms, the retirement of the last of the 1980′s era personnel and the decline of the party factions of recent decades will enable renewal.
Too much focus on the people involved just obscures the circumstance in which they operated.
However
FACT 4 – Being expert in managing factions gave Clark an advantage in MMP.
The irony however is in that with a majority in caucus being of the ABC persuasion, when he was the choice of the wider party, we have continuance of the caucus and party divide that began their problems 30 years ago. And for the same reason, those dominant in caucus “knew better” (about policy or who should be leader).
FACT 5 – Cunliffe will only get confidence from his caucus if the membership of it changes or he wins an election.
FACT 6 – Labour Leaders are now required to retain the trust of their party, and thus the idea that a caucus leader can lead the party in new directions without first getting a mandate is now buried. The party can no longer be hijacked by turning its leader or finance spokesperson – a message to Treasury, whether in domestic and international aspect, as much as to the caucus.
Whether this makes for a more left wing party is harder to say. The party activist is less likely to want caucus to compromise for centrist votes, yet a more open party means more internal diversity and a broader base membership.
Well done Pete.
Your intention to derail this thread has worked.
32 comments and a lot of valuable energy burned dealing with your nonsensical comment.
Having just read that post over at Kiwiblog I think I know this person and the other person that he mention.
I was at that Christchurch LRC meeting, I almost remember what happen as I attending meeting and voted in keeping the monies in Christchurch for future elections. Like a few other people in that meeting we thinking long term as this would benefit the LRC in the coming battles.
We were hounded by Marian Hobbs and her supporters during for not supporting Head Office and we were distrusted from there on. I said to one union delegate on the way out at the end of the meeting us work class members are going to get f***ed over by this mob.
Having seen/ been to a lot of the Labour meetings between 93-98 including the first MMP list meeting, thinking that at the time there we are making some weird decisions party wise and sometimes selecting the wrong candidate when it was a shoe in for labour and now I know why.
Please don’t get me wrong I’m all for social justice, humans right and gay rights etc. But mustn’t come at the expense of the work class/ working poor and just because I didn’t go to university doesn’t mean I’m dumb I just didn’t to have any debit after studies. But I know a hell of a lot about peacekeeping / modern warfare that no university will ever teach me in a life time. I remember one Labour MP telling me I saying porkies about real peacekeeping, because this person university studies about peacekeeping/ peacemaking etc. was the real deal because the universities are always right. After that I have never renewed Labour membership since 2006 and that was the last time I voted.
If Labour wants to win it must be a Broad Church again and listen to those members who have real life/job experience and not just from people who went to university, or party room hacks or from the public service.
You put yourself forward as a fact checker, but can only have posted that rubbish in bad faith. The only type of ex-Labour activist who could have written that would now be in ACT, and probably has been since that vile grouping coalesced from medical waste. The only people here stupid enough to believe it would have already read it on Kiwibog anyway. Please hurry up and get banned again.
I didn’t put this forward as fact checking. I do a lot of things besides fact checking. I put this forward to promote thought and discussion.
I didn’t endorse what Kiwi in America posted. I thought that anyone seriously interested in why Labour are currently struggling would at least consider what was said. Some people have seen it as this and there’s been some interesting counter points made.
That others (mostly the same old) chose to ignore the message and attack the messengers is a symptom of some of Labour’s and the Left’s biggest problems – naturally negative politics and knee-jerk denial. How much of that is ingrained old school habits and how much is diverting from the current reality?
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s election New Zealand needs stronger and better parties across the political spectrum. That many of those who have an interest in politics are willfully blind and deliberately destructive, within parties and across political forums, is not a good sign for our future.
Pettiness and pissing on any perceived opponent are a pox on our politics.
Most people don’t vote for the nastiest and most negative numpties. The way things are heading it won’t be long before most people don’t vote.
Of course, Pete. It’s all for the discussion so it doesn’t matter if it’s factual.
And of course if you came across a few paragraphs of un-fact-checked opinion from, say, a unionist writing at TheStandard about what’s wrong with the ACT Party you’d be straight over to Kiwiblog to copypasta it.
I often put forward opinions (and facts, they are quite different things to opinions felix) to Kiwiblog to encourage discussion and provoke thought. And sometimes to Whale Oil. And sometimes the reactions are as pissy as they can be here.
This defamation case should be a shot across the bows of various internet wide-boys who think ‘defence of truth’ or ‘opinion honestly held’ is some kind of magic elixir or Get Out of Jail Free card. It’s worth noting the oh-so-easy-to-reach-for-until-you’re-tested ‘truth defence’ in this case was abandoned during the trial.
To my mind though, the way in which Courtney J has applied the threshold test under which honest opinion can be relied upon doesn’t necessarily take into account the way that blogs and social media sites function.
…
That’s why I’m slightly uncomfortable with the judgment. A comment on a blog post, when viewed in isolation or as part of the individual blog post and the thread of comments that follow, may not appear to have a factual basis. However, when viewed as part of a blogger or commentator’s history of blogging or commenting, may have a factual basis that is well known to others who frequent the blog.
That’s not to say that the defendants in Mr Karam’s defamation suit don’t richly deserve to have been found to have defamed Mr Karam. My concern is whether the case sets a precedent that doesn’t necessarily fit with the way that blogs and social media actually operate.
Do I detect some triumphalism from PG who is proving a pest resistant to approved control methods, and feels now protected by new measures. We have to watch out he can spread kauri die-back disease, so far uncontrollable.
I’ve just been made aware that forest parks such as Victoria and Pureroa – where Minister “unaware” Bridges is allowing mining exploration – have a special protective status conferred on them courtesy of the Conservation Act 1987.
This protection overrides the “sustainable management” principles under the Resource Management Act.
The Conservation Act and the management strategies (CMS) and plans (CMPs) that are created under it have the overriding principle of “protection”. This is contrasted with the overriding principle of New Zealand’s most important planning statute, the Resource Management Act 1991, which is “sustainable management” (s5, Resource Management Act 1991). Whilst there is often overlap between the RMA and the Conservation Act, the principle of protection has primacy over that of sustainable management.
The Conservation Act also sets up a hierarchy of consideration of activities occurring on public conservation land under s6(e):
” to the extent that the use of any natural or historic resource for recreation or tourism is not inconsistent with its conservation, to foster the use of natural and historic resources for recreation, and to allow their use for tourism”.
This hierarchy places the greatest weight on intrinsic value, followed by non-commercial recreation, and then by tourism. An important role in conservation advocacy in New Zealand is ensuring that these three separate considerations are maintained, rather than blurred..
It appears that Minister “Unaware” Bridges and his advisors have ignored the status of these forest parks where the overriding principle is of protection. This is extremely ignorant of them !
Hold your nose and nip over to Kiwiblog to read an essay by Kiwi in America who was a Labour Party member. It cogently points out the process to explain why Labour is polling so badly. I do not know if Labour can ever be in government again. That is a quite extraordinary sentence. A part of me hopes it is not true. Politics does not always have to be the same as it was in the past. You may not like the analysis but would be silly to avoid reading it.
Tivial and ill advised can be the only descriptions of Labour’s policy announcements over trailer registrations and truck traffic rules.
In trying to differentiate themselves from National, with such trivial matters, Labour are only reinforcing the public perception that there is little substantial difference between our two main political parties.
Labour’s truck ban could cover 0.7 per cent or 7 per cent of New Zealand’s motorways – depending on who you listen to.
There was some confusion about the impact of the policy, which was unveiled by leader David Cunliffe on Tuesday.
It would block trucks from using the outside lane on three or four-lane highways in an attempt to reduce congestion, especially logjams during public holidays.
What arrant nonsense. How many trucks operate on public holidays?
It may interest people to know that the Ministry of Transport deliberately confine traffic on the highway from Auckland’s holiday playground in Coromandel and slow it down on holiday weekends by erecting road cones that narrow the traffic to one very narrow lane. This is done deliberately to prevent even further congestion further up the motorway system in Auckland.
Yes, can’t say I was impressed either. I was waiting and hoping that perhaps this announcement appealed to some other section of New Zealanders that they were targeting. It makes very little sense to me why such an announcement was made and I agree with your summary on it.
Agree. They have smudged a future comprehensive transport policy launch.
They need to do this with clear differentiation to both National and Greens. Not sure if people agree, but housing and transport are the largest voter issues in Auckland, and that’s a third of Parliament and a third of the party vote. Transport issues are also very strong in provincial New Zealand, and ripe for harvest with clever policy not piecemeal picking.
Labour need to be as strong in transport as they were in housing. Greens have the sentiment so far in part because Julie Ann Genter is charming talented and works hard, and in part because Labour’s transport spokesperson is Darien Fenton, ’nuff said.
(maybe when the fossil fuels crisis hits we wont have to resort to riding our ponies to town after all)
Structural engineer Dr Judy Wood on evidence for FREE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY….based on Tesla’s discoveries a 100 years ago and the misuse of this technology as a weapon ( directed free energy) in the ‘dustification’ of the Twin Towers . She has written a book called ‘Where Did the Towers Go?’
She talks about ‘magnetic electrogravidic nuclear reactions’ ( cold fusion or low energy nuclear reactions)
She talks about how the public perception can be manipulated re the destruction of the Twin Towers and how it is important to always go back to the evidence in science and not try and make ‘evidence ‘ support a preconceived theory
This is mind blowing stuff with revolutionary implications if true
‘How to Disappear Completely – A Short Film on Dustification’
This Dr Judy Wood is good! ( imo not a hoaxer )…no theories on chemtrails or HAARP…just observations from a structural engineer
….for Woods the empirical evidence comes before any theory as to ‘who’ did it… or ‘why’ …or ‘how’…just phenomenological observations …and all the more gripping for this
Well, the West are all up in arms over Putin’s annexations and troop deployments, “shades of a resuming cold war”; words like ‘combustible’ with ‘world-wide’ implications being slung about, with six cities in the heavily industrial east of Ukraine experiencing disorder, while 35-40,000 Russian troops rest across the border, with military jet support. The narrative from Kiev describing ‘terrorism’; Kosovo anybody? and calls for further squeezing of Putin’s wealthy friends.
The genie is out of the lamp with the US deploying its Laser Weapon System, 40M to develop from earlier technology and a cost of $1 US dollar per ’round'(the platform and power technology remain expensive). Although the beam can be lowered in intensity to ‘non-lethal’, the scope for unintended consequences, war in space, hijacking through hacking… China wants to improve their space defense capabilities…’the history of foreign imposition is well-established in that nation’s psyche’.
Returns from international dairy market auctions are at a 14 month low, down 20% in the last 10 weeks while WPC and infant formulas sourced from Fontera are still banned from China despite what Key did, or did not do, while visiting there. Maybe he should have sent Collins, oh, wait…
16000 votes by text poll on Campbell Live return 84% support ‘Yes’ regarding the decriminalisation of cannabis in NZ
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists claim chronic staff shortages and under-funding ails our health sector.
At least the Police brass concede the benefits of greater female representation in their senior ranks.
Globally, urban drift continues at a rapid pace; 2-4B more people will fill cities that have not been built yet! YET Nick Smith suggested on Te Newz that “affordable” housing for NZ is likely to be 20 years away!
According to the released IPCC 5th Assessment Mitigation of Climate Change Report, compiled by over 1000 scientists, greenhouse emissions continue to rise at an alarming rate. “Energy revolution requires major political change”.
“Five things you’ve missed behind the scenes of the John Banks’ pre-trial hearings”
My comment – (yet to be published):
🙂 Well, I was one of the three people who made a complaint alleging electoral fraud against John Banks.
Had the Police not failed to prosecute John Banks, this case would not have been taken to Court through Graham McCready’s private prosecution, with which I assisted.
(I was the ‘process server’ who served the witness summonses which got Kim Dotcom, his lawyer, (former) bodyguard, and the CEO of Sky City into Court).
PS: I’m usually VERY well-behaved if my LAWFUL rights to freedom of expression are respected, and Auckland Council ‘Standing Orders’ (based upon the underpinning Local Government Official Information and MEETINGS Act 1987) are followed in a proper way.
(PPS: I, like Graham McCready have receive no public monies for the public interest work I choose do, as a self-funded ‘anti-corruption/anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’.
from The Good Doctor’s notes- 22 : 24, A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be considered the greatest. Jesus said to them,” The Kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that.
Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest and the one who rules, like the one who serves.
And here’s ladies and gentlemen, the expose of NZ’s so called rock-star economy – it’s a total fake.
Here are the 12 reasons why New Zealand’s economic bubble will end up in disaster:
The following paragraphs are particularly interesting.
” New research by Deutsche Bank finds NZ is the third-most over-valued country for housing in the world – at least in terms of of the home price-to-rent ratio’s percentage above its historic average.
Wall Street Journal analysis of the Deutsche Bank study notes Canada – the most overvalued market – is “very open to foreign investors” at a time of unprecedented global liquidity.
By contrast, Japan – the most undervalued market – is the most closed to foreign investment.”
Simple housing policy for left wing parties.
Copy Japan….close housing to foreign investment.
The context in which these measures have been proposed includes Australia’s declining performance on international measures of student achievement and the seemingly intractable achievement gap. In addition to this focus on teacher quality there are powerful new developments emerging in Australia. These have largely been copied from Britain and the USA, despite a lack of supporting evidence, something that epitomises the Australian approach to educational innovation where we have a tendency to copy the worst of both worlds.
Sounds remarkably like what this government is doing to our education system – ruining it in the name of ideology.
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
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Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
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Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
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Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is ...
Luxon will no doubt put a brave face on it, but there is no escaping the pressure this latest poll will put on him and the government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political ...
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler In the wake of any unusual weather event, someone inevitably asks, “Did climate change cause this?” In the most literal sense, that answer is almost always no. Climate change is never the sole cause of hurricanes, heat waves, droughts, or ...
Something odd happened yesterday, and I’d love to know if there’s more to it. If there was something which preempted what happened, or if it was simply a throwaway line in response to a journalist.Yesterday David Seymour was asked at a press conference what the process would be if the ...
Hi,From time to time, I want to bring Webworm into the real world. We did it last year with the Jurassic Park event in New Zealand — which was a lot of fun!And so on Saturday May 11th, in Los Angeles, I am hosting a lil’ Webworm pop-up! I’ve been ...
Education Minister Erica Standford yesterday unveiled a fundamental reform of the way our school pupils are taught. She would not exactly say so, but she is all but dismantling the so-called “inquiry” “feel good” method of teaching, which has ruled in our classrooms since a major review of the New ...
Exactly where are we seriously going with this government and its policies? That is, apart from following what may as well be a Truss-Lite approach on the purported economic “plan“, and Victorian-era regression when it comes to social policy.Oh it’ll work this time of course, we’re basically assured, “the ...
Hey Uncle Dave, When the Poms joined the EEC, I wasn't one of those defeatists who said, Well, that’s it for the dairy job. And I was right, eh? The Chinese can’t get enough of our milk powder and eventually, the Poms came to their senses and backed up the ute ...
Polling shows that Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has the lowest approval rating of any mayor in the country. Siting at -12 per cent, the proportion of constituents who disapprove of her performance outweighs those who give her the thumbs up. This negative rating is higher than for any other mayor ...
Buzz from the Beehive Pharmac has been given a financial transfusion and a new chair to oversee its spending in the pharmaceutical business. Associate Health Minister David Seymour described the funding for Pharmac as “its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff”. ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its ...
TL;DR: Here’s my top 10 ‘pick ‘n’ mix of links to news, analysis and opinion articles as of 10:10am on Monday, April 29:Scoop: The children's ward at Rotorua Hospital will be missing a third of its beds as winter hits because Te Whatu Ora halted an upgrade partway through to ...
span class=”dropcap”>As hideous as David Seymour can be, it is worth keeping in mind occasionally that there are even worse political figures (and regimes) out there. Iran for instance, is about to execute the country’s leading hip hop musician Toomaj Salehi, for writing and performing raps that “corrupt” the nation’s ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra A new Commonwealth Prac Payment will provide students with $319.50 a week when they are on clinical and professional placements. The payment will be means tested and start from July 1 next year, which ...
Asia Pacific Report About 500 people honoured Palestinian journalists in the heart of the New Zealand city of Auckland today for their brave coverage of Israel’s War on Gaza, now in its seventh month with almost 35,000 people killed, mostly women and children. Marking the annual May 3 World Press ...
The Government Communications Security Bureau denies hosting a foreign spying capability flagged by the watchdog, differentiating it from the system recently criticised. ...
RNZ News A group of academic staff at New Zealand’s largest university have expressed concern at the administration’s move to block a protest encampment that was planned to take place on campus calling for support for the rights of Palestinians. This week, the University of Auckland warned that while it ...
Genterwocky After a hard days marching, Sir Doocey calls in at the Village Tavern For a pint of ale and a pork pie. The grim villagers stare at him. “Do not be travelling on the forest road,” warns a crusty old beak. “And why is that, antique peasant?” Grins Sir ...
Political conferences after a party returns to power are usually a chance for some healthy, even unhealthy backslapping. Yet National Party president Sylvia Wood’s address to its mainland representatives on Saturday hardly contained the unalloyed delight that one might have expected following National’s escape from the wilderness of opposition. Yes, ...
Comment: Almost half the world is voting in national elections this year and artificial intelligence is the elephant in the room. There are genuine fears AI-generated or AI-edited deepfakes will potentially manipulate election outcomes not just in the US and UK, but critically in countries such as India. For that ...
Ahead of the reality franchise’s return to New Zealand, allow us to introduce the eight brides and grooms. Chuck on a veil and tie back your man bun, because it’s time to say “I do” to a new season of Married at First Sight NZ. The reality TV “social experiment” ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University Every year on June 1, student debt in Australia is indexed to inflation. In 2023, high inflation pushed the indexation rate to 7.1%, the highest since 1990. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Changes in the May 14 budget will cut the student debt of more than three million people, wiping more than $3 billion from what people owe. The government will cap the HELP indexation rate ...
Asia Pacific Report The prosecutor’s office at the International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed for an end to what it calls intimidation of its staff, saying such threats could constitute an offence against the “administration of justice” by the world’s permanent war crimes court. The Hague-based office of ICC Prosecutor ...
By Patrick Decloitre, RNZ Pacific correspondent French Pacific desk A women’s union in New Caledonia has staged a sit-in protest this week to support senior Kanak indigenous journalist Thérèse Waia, who works for public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie la Première, after a smear attack by critics. The peaceful demonstration was held on ...
New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring overseas recalls of Indian packaged spice products manufactured by MDH and Everest due to concerns over a cancer-causing pesticide. ...
By Stephen Wright and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews Fiji’s ranking in a global press freedom index has jumped into the top tier of countries with free or mostly free media after its government last year repealed a draconian law that threatened journalists with prison for doing their jobs. Fiji’s improvement ...
We might be in Invercargill but all anyone can talk about is Gore. Specifically, Salford Street. That’s where three-year-old Lachlan Jones lived, south of the centre of town, between the A&P Showgrounds and the Mataura River. Roughly 1.2 km away from the single level home he lived in with his ...
MONDAY I lined up the latest round of civil servants from city hall against the wall, and signalled for the firing squad to drop their rifles. I stepped up onto a wooden crate to look at the office workers in the eye. But that didn’t feel right, so I found ...
Keen hiker and second-year MSc student Liam Hewson wears two hats when he’s in the great outdoors. “The scientist in me appreciates nature and goes, ‘Oh, there’s that thing and there’s another thing,’ but then the tramper and the outdoorsy person in me thinks, ‘Cool bush.’” Born and bred in ...
After a long and illustrious career as a goal kicker, Dan Carter’s favourite way to unwind is… kicking goals. Why can’t he get enough of it? And what it’s like to watch him do it for an hour straight? A semicircle of people wielding cameras and phones has formed in ...
Dame Susan Devoy takes us through her life in television, including late night ER debriefs, her proudest CTI moment and the show she watches in secret. Quite aside from her four world champion squash titles, Dame Susan Devoy will likely go down in history as one of the best Celebrity ...
Hera Lindsay Bird reveals the best places in Ōtepoti to score more for your apocalypse-prep book hoard.Sometimes I get the feeling I’ve been killed in a car crash, and this second half of my life is just the brain unspooling itself, like one of those episodes of a hospital ...
ThreeNow’s new murder mystery series takes us on a dark, damp journey into the Australian wilderness.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. High Country is ThreeNow’s new Australian eight-part crime drama, set in a remote part of the Victorian highlands. It tells ...
Introducing a new way to read The Spinoff every weekend. After nearly 10 years of being an online magazine, we’re finally embracing the weekend liftout. Despite our best efforts to convince you otherwise, writers and editors at The Spinoff don’t work weekend. It is through the sheer power of technology ...
Tip one: let yourself be nurtured by this big old man. Tip two: don’t ask him to adopt you. So, you’ve arrived at your first session with a new therapist. He tells you to make yourself comfortable and you opt for the tweed armchair, hoping it makes you look like ...
I didn’t know books could open you back up; that there were books that stayed with you, where reading was like a chemical event. I knew nothing.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.Not too long ago, I was listening to the American ...
Former Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has already started training for the Enhanced games, though says he won’t start taking performance enhancing substances until about nine months out from the competition. The Australian world champion was the first athlete to be announced by Enhanced, but he says the organisation has had ...
Everyone thinks he’s dead. Every day they expect his body to be washed up along the coast. Most likely up Karitane way, the way the tide’s running. But nobody’ll be too surprised if his body’s never found. Even in death he wouldn’t have wished for such attention. He would have ...
Council members voted 21 to 4 in favour of Ahluwalia returning to the Laucala campus following a much-awaited meeting in Vanuatu this week. It comes as USP and its two unions — the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) and the Administration and Support Staff Union ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicola Henry, Professor & Australian Research Council Future Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University Shutterstock Following an emergency meeting of the National Cabinet this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a raft of measures to tackle the problem ...
Analysis - A poll showing the opposition is more popular than the government raises questions, politicians go through their 'trial by pay rise' and a Green MP loses her cool in the debating chamber. ...
The entire stretch of Tokomaru Bay on the East Coast will be subject to a joint customary marine title for two hapū, and extending up to four miles out to sea. A High Court judge has found the two groups, who during the case settled a dispute over boundaries for ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Hall, Lecturer, Media & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University A longstanding feud between TikTok and Universal Music Group seems to have finally reached an end, with both parties signing a deal that will see Universal-backed music returned to the social media ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Siobhan O’Dean, Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney After several highly publicised alleged murders of women in Australia, the Albanese government this week pledged more than A$925 million over five years ...
Political parties have now fully disclosed the donations they received last year - with National getting more than double the cash of any other party. ...
A Pacific regionalism expert has called out New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS military pact. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard de Grijs, Professor of Astrophysics, Macquarie University Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels All systems are “go” for tonight’s launch of China’s next step in a carefully planned lunar exploration program. Placed on top of a powerful Long March 5 rocket, the Chang’e 6 ...
National returned a massive donation the day after a Newsroom story linked the donors to a property being investigated for operating unlawfully as a migrant workers’ hostel. The party’s 2023 donation filings, released on Friday, show it returned a $200,000 donation from Buen Holdings on August 23. That was the ...
Pacific Media Watch New Zealand has slumped to an unprecedented 19th place in the annual Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index survey released today on World Press Freedom Day — May 3. This was a drop of six places from 13th last year when it slipped out of its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Political Historian and Administrator Officer, Australian Historical Association, Australian National University Australia has had its fair share of public record-keeping controversies in recent years. Some have been mere farce, as in the case of two formerly government-owned filing cabinets (containing ...
Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a United Nations-affiliated organization dedicated to fostering peace through civilian-led initiatives, has issued a statement in response to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. ...
A poem by Tessa Keenan, from AUP New Poets 10. Mātou These days we are a photograph; one of a farm strewn with cows that used to be bright harakeke or swamp. The kids point at it and say the sun sits behind a smudge (left by someone at Christmas); ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan (Faber & Faber, $25)The masterful Irish writer ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. Key facts Marriages and civil unions In ...
Marriage and civil union statistics record the number of marriages and civil unions registered in New Zealand each year, and divorce statistics record the number of divorces granted in New Zealand each year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lennon Y.C. Chang, Associate Professor of Cyber Risk and Policy, Deakin University Taiwan stands out as a beacon of democracy, innovation and resilience in an increasingly autocratic region. But this is under growing threat. In recent years, China has used a variety ...
In this excerpt from her new memoir, Dame Susan Devoy remembers her turn as star contestant on the 2022 season of Celebrity Treasure Island. The most anxious time of every day was pre-elimination, when you knew this could be your final day on the show. I felt such contradictory emotions, ...
A week that began in triumph ended in an all-too-familiar disaster for the Green Party. Duncan Greive asks if there’s something in the mission that breaks its best and brightest. A long, strange week for the Green party began with a fantastic poll result. On one level this is hardly ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Vanuatu’s former prime minister and opposition MP Ishmael Kalsakau has stepped down — just two days after he confirmed he was the rightful opposition leader. Kalsakau, MP for Port Vila, confirmed to ABC’s Pacific Beat, and the Vanuatu Daily Post on Thursday that he ...
What’s to blame for the coalition’s choppy start? Six months in, and the mojo meter is in the doldrums. A new poll would put National out of power and sees its leader, Chris Luxon, sliding in popularity. How much is it about policy, how much coalition management and a perception ...
The striking report goes far beyond the proposed repeal of the Oranga Tamariki Act’s Treaty of Waitangi provision, and its impact should be felt far beyond the unique circumstances of the claim it addresses. Earlier this week, the Waitangi Tribunal released an interim report on the government’s proposed repeal of ...
The world has been experiencing a productivity slowdown, from which New Zealand has not been exempt. COVID-19 temporarily boosted labour productivity, but more recently, productivity has retreated. The overall trend since 2007 has been one of slow productivity ...
What’s more wasteful than spending $315k on syrup and machine maintenance? Trying to drum up a controversy about it.Cast your mind back to the pre-pandemic idylls of 2019. A “rat” was a disgusting rodent and not a self-administered plague test; the sixth Labour government was in power; and the ...
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Dang ! Missed Mike’s tribute to the Anfield Lads (April 14). And me a Liverpool fan since a babe in arms.
It is certainly the beautiful game .
I see that the Granny cant even put in working links. Anything new just defaults to the main page. And as they don’t seem to read e\mail over the weekend.
The National Party broadsheet,(aka the Herald), was wonky the other day as well, might be in prep mode getting ready to put it behind the paywall…
Yep. Was just going to comment on it.
Wonder if someone that pays the coin to get the paywalled copy is then legally entitled to reproduce it on another site???…
Of course not.
The latest Roy Morgan out yesterday will please both the Mana and Internet Parties, both now registering 1% on the Morgan,
That will probably stimulate further talks between the two, the jump in Mana’s % of support has probably been measured too lightly as much of that support will be centric to the Maori electorates,
2% measured support befor the real business of the election campaign cranks up into top gear will please supporters of both Parties, i won’t predict it but there is the possibility of the Mana/Interent alliance, if it happens, grabbing 5% of the vote in September…
Speaking of Roy Morgan. Labour at 28.5% and the Greens at 11.5%.
All in all a great result for New Zealand.
The result will come in on September 20th.
I wonder if there’s been any movement in the undecided vote.
Please ignore him. You have, I am sure, better things to do with your time.
big bruv is a known troll on twitter
getting a bit spammy there Paul.
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5549-new-zealand-voting-intention-april-17-2014-201404170455
That’s of those surveyed. I wonder whether the number of refusals to actually engage in the poll has moved, and whether indeed that group is statistically different from the surveyed.
So much for Labours internal polling showing them at 34% . Another silly lie from Labour.
By that “logic”, Roy Morgan’s from two weeks ago, putting Labour at 32%, was a “silly lie” too.
But then logic isn’t your strong point is it?
The more these polls turn up the more I think that they should be banned.
Yes, a promising start for Mana and Internet party, but I was hoping for 3% at least at this stage.
It is also a disappointing result for Labour and I suspect Labour’s downfall is mainly the Green party.
The Greens have their dedicated core support of around 10% of voters, but the Green party scares a lot of potential Labour voters including from other parties because of the fact or perception that the Greens will want to bring in too many of their extreme looking policies too suddenly and also that they may want to increase taxes such as for road transport, petrol, ETS etc and perhaps also due to their extreme positions on mining and deep sea oil exploration.
In my opinion, while the Green policies are laudable, the party should become more pragmatic and go slower in their lofty aims. People accept changes if they are brought about slowly over time and not forced too fast. People need a paradigm shift in their ways and thinking, but that takes time.
The Green party leaders should recognise these dangers and make their very SHORT list of main realistic policy positions for the NEXT term very very clear for the voting public and the other political parties. If they do not understand this political and common sense reality, and just continue as now, they will end up with around their usual 10% result, but will hugely damage the votes of Labour and the chance of a left wing government.
Time is short. They need to get pragmatic and act fast.
It’s not the Greens with the extreme policies – that would be National, Act and the CCCP.
I agree draco – The Greens have got to get into power – we need them there and in terms of their policies going slower isn’t an option – going faster and making real change is necessary and essential.
Clemgeopin, can you please go and read GP policy, and the pay attention to what they actually do? It’s the perpeption that is the problem – there is nothing particularly extreme about GP policy, and they have in fact adapted to the pragmatic realities of NZ politics. Your comment contributes to misperception rather than promoting solutions.
Perhaps you have misunderstood the points I was making in my post.
perhaps I have and perhaps you could clarify if that’s the case.
btw, “The Green party leaders should recognise these dangers and make their very SHORT list of main realistic policy positions for the NEXT term very very clear for the voting public and the other political parties.”
Before the election the GP will release its 10 point list of what they want to work on if part of the govt. AFAIK they do this each election. Is that what you mean?
Yes, but they need to give out such a list now or asap so that voters have time to digest, warm up and feel comfortable to vote to help form a Labour led Government.
That short list should have moderate doable policies that do not scare too many voters away from helping to form a Labour led government.
A statement somewhat like this will be very helpful:
The Green party is keen to help form a Labour led coalition government.
To that end, during the next term of government, the following will be the policies that we will like to implement. These are all very good for the country and its people. Change takes time. We understand that too many changes can not be made too soon. We will proceed slowly , pragmatically and wisely. We think that Labour and the voters will be comfortable with our following core ten moderate policies for the next term.
[1] Raising the minimum wage to $16.00 immediately and work towards a living wage.
[2] Build more state houses. Stop non residents/non citizens buying residential houses in the cities.
[3] Introduce a moderate capital gains tax of 15% (excluding the family home).
[4] Support, educate and encourage businesses and public services to have targets to adopt sustainability as a core value over time.
[5]——
Etc..Etc.
You mean like this?
Yes, but should be clearly set out, short, succinct, easily understood with specific details of time line and costs. The MOST important point is not to frighten the voters away with too many sudden changes, nor being too expensive for individuals, businesses or the country. Slow, but steady wins the race in democratic politics unlike in a bloody revolution.
Given taht the GP increased their MPs from 9 to 14 using the strategy that karol linked to, I think it’s reasonable to assume that they know what they are doing.
I don’t know when this year’s list is coming out, but this isn’t new stuff for the GP. They’ve been developing skills and strategies for a long time. I trust them.
Can you give an example of something you think has frightened people? (a recent example).
@weka.
I am not frightened. The voters seem to be, going by the polls, media talk and from speaking to people.
People are concerned about a 11% party wielding too much power disproportional to their popular support. I think the policies that scare people would be their possible taxes on roading, farmers, petrol, ETS, pollution etc. Personally I have no problem with these if they are moderate and progressive slowly over time.
The primary focus at THIS election is to help form a Labour led left block government and implement a small portion of Green’s moderate policies in term 1.
If the Greens stand on their lofty heights persisting on fast paced and many drastic changes too suddenly, they will still get their usual hard core about 10% support, but will make it very hard for a Labour led government to form for a long time, because of the political reality at present as I explained earlier.
For this particular election, it should not be Labour that is endorsing the Green policies, but it should be the Green party that endorses the Labour core policies so that more voters can feel comfortable with Labour and Greens.
The Greens don’t have to feel like they they are lap dogs, but should recognise that the Labour party is the top dog here. Otherwise, NZF will be the primary beneficiary, probably forming the National led coalition, with Greens and Labour having to wait for many more years to have the power to make the necessary great changes.
“The Greens don’t have to feel like they they are lap dogs, but should recognise that the Labour party is the top dog here.”
Lolz. What you don’t seem to realise is that the GP don’t work in that paradigm. They’re more a care and share kind of party ;-p
And patently Labour aren’t the top dog. The GP have a better line up of talented people, better policies, better PR, better online and social media access to their voters etc. I’m sure there are things that Labour do better than the GP, but you seem to be mistaking historical voting patterns as a sign of competency.
“People are concerned about a 11% party wielding too much power disproportional to their popular support. I think the policies that scare people would be their possible taxes on roading, farmers, petrol, ETS, pollution etc. Personally I have no problem with these if they are moderate and progressive slowly over time.”
That’s all about perception, the Crosby/Textor effect, and the fact that the MSM can’t do their job properly. Can you tie some specifics in your list to actual policy and then say what is wrong with what the GP are proposing?
Also consider that any increases in environmental costs will be offset by things like more accessible healthcare and education. I still see no proof that the GP’s policies would mean that individuals would have less spare income.
From where I’m sitting, it’s looking to me that the Labour Party would be better spending their time getting their own house in order, rather than telling other parties how to help get them over the line.
To illustrate, if you are worried about petrol tax you should be looking at the Nats.
https://www.greens.org.nz/press-releases/petrol-tax-should-be-invested-public-transport
GP transport policy – https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/transport-policy
This is why it’s all about misperception. When you actually look at GP policy, pretty much every time they are suggesting things that are well thought out and equitable.
@Karol:
Unfair comment!
Don’t blame the Labour party for my posts. I personally have nothing whatsoever to do with the Labour party! I am an independent thinker/poster interested in politics and left wing socialist principles.
I completely disagree. With 11% support, that is not being pragmatic or wise, but suicidal for the Left cause of forming a well supported government.
So you want the GP to be more like Labour currently is? And joining in the already crowded fight for “middle NZ”?
NO. The 4 examples of policies I gave are pretty much the Green party policies I took from their website. You could add 6 more that seem moderate without frightening the people away and yet help implement many of the easily doable Green’s economic, social and environmental policies. If not, the writing is already on the wall as per the present polls.
Step1: Have doable moderate policies.
Setp2: Don’t scare the voters away from helping to form a Left block government.
Step3: Win the election and form a Labour led government.
Step4: Implement the agreed core policies in term 1.
Step5: Perform well, without being too much of a wagging dog, please the people and get re-elected with a fresh list of ten new policies for term2
ETC
You seem fixated on the perception that the GP frightens people. In fact they have moved towards being more middle NZ friendly in the last few years. And you seem to want the GP to be subservient to Labour. They are not an extension of Labour. It’s up to Labour to campaign for representation themselves, and not aim to gain power by pressuring the GP to be Labour’s tame lapdog.
The GP will have their agenda for this year’s election before long, I imagine. And they will more than likely have more funding.
Oh, dear! If such an arrogant, headstrong, heroic, smug attitude prevails widely in the Green camps, you guys will be shooting yourself in the foot as well as do tremendous collateral damage to the chances of a Labour led coalition government on Sept 20.
About 10% of people vote for Greens directly and a lot more are sympathetic to many of the Green principles but are scared to vote for Labour or a Labour led government because they are worried about too much of Green’s influence in such a government which might hit them on their back pocket. This fear drives them away from Labour towards National or NZF. You don’t agree I know! False, non fruitful, non pragmatic pride before a sorry fall!
I don’t think karol is a member of the GP.
“About 10% of people vote for Greens directly and a lot more are sympathetic to many of the Green principles but are scared to vote for Labour or a Labour led government because they are worried about too much of Green’s influence in such a government which might hit them on their back pocket.”
And here is the dilemma. The two big things that the GP are doing is working on poverty, and working on AGW. All the other things are important, but not as urgent. Solutions to poverty won’t make most NZers worse off financially, so when you say that you perpetuate the myth of the scarey Greens (and in fact do what you just accused karol of). The GP are currently the main party that is upholding traditional NZ values around fairness for all. They deserve to be supported for that.
Solutions to AGW will most definitely mean radical changes for all humans on the planet including the people in NZ currently fixated on their back pocket. But the alternative to that is to abandon the planet and the next generations to catastrophic environmental change that will be far far worse than anything the GP has ever proposed in terms of living within our means.
Because of that, I think they need to hurry up and make change more radically, but I also think that they have figured out how fast they can move to make effective change without scaring the horses.
Here’s the problem I see with your theory: the Greens are not traditionally a party of ‘safe’ or ‘moderate’ voters. Many of the votes they picked up in 2011 were likely disillusioned Labour supporters who wanted a stronger left/liberal voice.
If the Greens decided to sacrifice their own voter base for the sake of appearing ‘moderate’ (and I don’t think it would work anyway given how hard National hammer the idea that anything the Greens, or even Labour, do is automatically radical) they’d just lose votes, either to a going concern like Mana or more marginal voices like the Alliance. In which case you might start complaining that Mana needs to be more moderate so as not to frighten the horses, or lament at the wasted votes going to leftwing parties which won’t pass 5%.
I don’t see this as a successful strategy for the wider left.
Arrogant? And non-Green voters/members telling the Greens how to run their campaigns, and which policies to foreground? That isn’t arrogant.
I’m not a Green Party member, but in recent years I have voted for them because they have the policies and approaches nearest to my left wing values. I stopped voting Labour a few years back, because they have ceased to uphold the left wing values and policies that I favour.
And I do get irritated by those who want a Labour led government (are you a Labour voter?) or Labour Party members telling the Greens, and/or Green voters what we should be doing. To me, in recent years, there are More problems with Labour than the Greens.
And, like weka, I continue trust the Green Party strategies and principles.
EDIT: And I agree with weka & Stepahnie.
My points are altruistic to help form a Labour led left coalition government. You can continue to have all the trust for the Green Party strategies and principles, sure, no problem, but you are one vote. To form the coalition government, you need lots of total votes, not just around 10%. I have a feeling that the Green supporters here have completely missed the points I have made in my posts and why I have made them. Please read them all again with an unbiased open mind. I am not against the Green party. I am for getting rid of this bad right wing government led by the popular Key and I am for helping to form the next Labour led government. If the Green supporters and leaders do not understand or consider the strategy I have stated due to any sense of false pride, cocky arrogance or due to not reading the voters political perceptions of Greens, they along with Labour may have to remain glued to the opposition benches once again for which of course they have great experience so far of warming them from their far backsides.
P.S : I have no axe to grind. Yes, I vote Labour MOSTLY. Read my posts slowly again to see the points I was making. May be some pragmatic electoral wisdom will dawn second time round.
What evidence do you have that the GP leaders are cocky, arrogant or ignorant of voters’ perceptions?
Clemgeopin – I don’t agree with you, so I haven’t read your posts properly? Really? And you are the one that threw the “arrogant” word into the mix.
I also want a left government. So let Labour and the Greens get their acts together.
But that doesn’t mean Greens need to become subservient to Labour. They are two separate parties. The Greens offered to work with Labour. They declined. Ball’s in Labour’s court.
@Karol.
That too was an arrogant and cunning move that would have helped Greens get more votes and damage the Labour vote, as it would have scared even more people away. (not the core 11% green voters). Think about it.
The smarter strategic move would be for the Greens to publicly endorse the Labour’s policies and a Labour-led coalition government with a few core Green policies that the people can feel non-threatened with. Such a move will make more of the doubtful voters vote for Labour or Greens, helping both parties.
I am convinced I am correct. I understand you have a different view.
P.S : You might have carefully read what I wrote earlier, especially my first post, but you have interpreted my idea and intentions quite wrongly.
“that is not being pragmatic or wise”
What is ‘that’ in your sentence?
Sorry weka. That was supposed to be my reply for Marty mars, who wrote,
“I agree draco – The Greens have got to get into power – we need them there and in terms of their policies going slower isn’t an option – going faster and making real change is necessary and essential”
@weka..
“..there is nothing particularly extreme about GP policy, and they have in fact adapted to the pragmatic realities of NZ politics…”
plus 1..
..and therein lies their problem..as there is little to differentiate them from labour..
..and perhaps the most stark example of that leeching/bleaching out of green values in the green party..
..is the twin-facts of a campbell live poll (16,000 voters..paying 50 cents each..) showing 84% support for ending the insanities of cannabis prohibition..
..and the second fact of the green party having that policy nowhere near their to-do list..
..what are they waiting for..?..100% support..
..does their fear-of-offending cause them to cower before the wishes of that prohibitionist 16%..?
..if not that..what..?
..and this is why the internet party..if boxing clever..will come out with a sensible/sane decriminalise/regulate/tax policy..
..and they will not only take away that pillar of previous green party support..
..they will also hoover up a sizeable number of those impatient at the blind-intransigence on this topic/subject..
..and a clearer marker of the epic-neglect of/by the green party of the constituency who first got them into parliament..
..is that at a time of decriminalisation breaking out like measles all over america..
..and nations like uraguay ending prohibition..
..what have we heard from the green party on this issue..?
..seizing/riding this wave of change..?
..that’s right..zip/zero/nada..
..and here’s a trainspotters’ question for you..
..who is the green party spokesperson on this issue..?
..i’ll betcha you don’t know..
..(hint:..he has the same hairdo as all those premature-balding men who do the total head-shave have..)
..see..!..you didn’t know..!..didya..?
..and nope..!..not even a press-release to be seen/within cooee..
..the silence is zen-like in its’ totalities….
..like i said..if the internet party boxes clever..
..that traditional pillar of the green party vote is there for them to just reach out and grab..
..(this is a cartoon we did on this..)
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/original-whoar-cartoon-russel-norman-passes-the-dutchie-on-the-right-hand-side/
LOL! That is a great cartoon!
Harvard Medical School researchers think otherwise in new study –
Even casual use of cannabis alters brain, warn scientists
Broken link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10768847/Even-casual-use-of-cannabis-alters-brain-warn-scientists.html
@ seti:..
did you even read yr link..?
..or was it just a headline-grab..?
..here is the stinger-paragraph:
“.. Prof David Nutt, from Imperial College, London – said a sample of 40 was not big enough to draw conclusions.
Prof Nutt added:
“Whatever cannabis does to the brain its not in the same league as alcohol –
which is a proven neurotoxin.”
(time for ‘a cold one’..?..there..?..seti..?..
..to wash down yr pot-harrumph..?..)
Hey, you left out –
You know when Harvard Medical School attaches its name to a report that it carries some weight.
a tory govt fired nutt for his urgings to end prohibition..(yr point..?..)
..and the point he made..the sample deficiency of only 40..stands..
..how was that ‘cold one’..?
Yet the number one research institute has no problem with a small sample group.
And you assume any opposition to dope means I’m on the sauce? Well, as it turns out even a broken clock…
However, abstaining from alcohol does tend to increase one’s risk of dying
the reference to ‘sauce’ is to highlight the obvious hypocrises in our attitudes to different drugs..
..the current scramble to find something/anything bad to say about pot..
..(jim mora almost sobbed with relief at finding/in heralding this story yesterday..)
..but all around us the use of the major head/health-fucker/causer of violence..
..is normalised to the extent..it has long been that you are considered weird..
..if you don’t ‘sauce’..
..but if you want to out yrslf as a current user/walking example of those hypocrisies..?
..be my guest..
Nutt was sacked by Labour’s Alan Johnson.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/nov/02/drug-policy-alan-johnson-nutt
Harvard Medical School might be better off investigating the effect of police persecution, random stops, being threatened with weapons, and imprisonment on mental health. I’m just guessing, but I think those things could be far more damaging than a few casual puffs on a joint.
The attack by the Greens probably didn’t help much.
What attack?
“No Sebastian, put them down dear. You know what type of people eat crisps!” #overheardinwaitrose
“The array of anchovies in here makes going anywhere else irrelevant…wouldn’t you agree Felix?” #overheardinwaitrose
Nice parody site.
hehe.
I suspect a large number of them are fake.
the comments? or the social values of the customers of Waitrose? 🙂
if you want the source of the satire
http://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/the-overheard-in-waitrose-facebook-page-is-the-poshest-page
“It struck me as exactly the kind of thing you might hear in Waitrose and so the next day I made the page for satirical posts to do with middle class shoppers.”
Um yah.
Waitrose is where all the New Zealand lamb goes.
This one can go in the WTF file I think
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11240077
Do humans really talk about being humanised?
Someone pointed out this classic from last year:
http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/voight-kampff-test-of-the-day/
At least she got the joke.
Imagine Judith Collins as Labour leader
😉
collins is the joke
What gives you the impression that she got the joke?
This is the Herald’s desperate attempt to redeem her, I sense.
Ignore them, you have better things to do with your time I’m sure 😉
He he
Well, it is Easter and the time of redemption. Our little deities certainly need some- though I don’t think that Judith knows where Damascus is.
On this theme, I wonder whether Judith, when her time comes to knock at the Pearly Gates, would actually notice St Peter, who is after all just another border control official.
euthanised?
Just thought I would repost this comment by ExKiwiforces summarizing an article in the Telegraph (Britain) . The comment appeared on Open Mike 16 April – it was posted late and I believe it might have been missed by a few people – I have added the links at the end:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10769041/The-US-is-an-oligarchy-study-concludes.html
And the actual study:
http://www.princeton.edu/~mgilens/Gilens%20homepage%20materials/Gilens%20and%20Page/Gilens%20and%20Page%202014-Testing%20Theories%203-7-14.pdf
Fortuitously for humanity the civilisation destroying threat of climate change may be one of those “overlap” issues.
Al Gore for instance is most definitely a member of the 1% but has done more to bring the attention of the wider world to an awareness of this threat than any other single politician I could name.
What does this mean in practical terms?
It means that the accepted wisdom that climate change should not be made into an election battle ground is completely false and even self defeating for those wishing to unseat the current incumbent National Party, whose record on dealing with climate change is woeful. (but unfortunately little removed from where the opposition parties are centred)
So to unseat National and even unite conservative voters against them, there needs to be a clear demarkation between current government policy on coal mining, deep sea oil drilling and fracking and opposition policy.
Unfortunately, currently this is not the case:
“Labour says views on mining close to Govt’s”
David Parker was Energy Minister during the last Labour Government and said about $20 million was spent on seismic surveys to supply to big oil companies and entice them to New Zealand.
In Auckland in the white bread suburb of Kohimarama at the far east end of Kepa Road on the left hand side in this predominantly well off area, on the corner of Godden Crescent and Kepa, and dominating the block, there is a large gated mansion with extensive grounds surrounded by a high bricked wall. Prominently pinned on the large wooden gates of this estate and facing the traffic is an an anti-deep sea oil drilling bill board.
A sign of the times?
The first swallow of spring?
Maybe, maybe not.
But while the blockheads in Labour still persist in supporting deep sea oil drilling, fracking and new coal expansion we will never know.
Thanks blue leopard. Some reliable facts and critique. Very welcome and needed to back with concrete research our perceptions and feelings.
Yes, that is exactly why I thought I would repost ExKiwiforce’s comment – it would be a shame to miss such information.
It’s not just support of drilling/mining/fracking but support of capitalism that requires ever increasing amounts of extraction of our scarce resources and for them to then be sold that is the real problem. Any idiot should be able to see that such policies will leave us without those resources and thus poor but our political parties still follow these outdated and unsustainable practices.
Reading Hobsbawm this morning, he suggested a 1000, 10,000 at the most, people decide what determines the global market and market-related human behaviour at the time his How to Change The World was published- 2011.
Thanks again Blue Leopard also I actually live overseas and have been since 1998 hence the reason it was posted very late NZ time.
On my last visit to NZ last mth I notice that NZ is slowly heading down this path and very disappointed that alot of the NZ Farmers are going back to a mono farming aka Dairying have they forgot problems of the 70’s and 80’s when it was wool and lamb?
I figured that was why you posted so late. I thought your comment and lead was too good to be missed 🙂
Worthwhile reading for anyone interested in Labour’s progress (or lack thereof). Kiwi in America is an ex Labour activist with an in depth knowledge of the party.
KIA goes into detail on Labour’s recent history. He concludes:
Posted at: http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2014/04/guest_post_-why_is_labour_struggling_in_2014_an_essay_on_the_history_of_labours_predicament.html
“Labour’s 1984 to 87 Cabinet, despite their leftist roots, embarked on a series of dramatic reforms that have transformed NZ into the more vibrant and dynamic economy it is today.
The left of the party waged a war so total and absolute to purge the party of that instinct …”
False premises lead to false conclusions Pete. That second sentence ought to have pricked up your little rat ears, even if the first didn’t.
Anything that comes from Pete George needs to be handled with long tongs, and studied from a safe distance to avoid his ailments.. Otherwise called a flew of wisdom.
I just noted that the post came from kiwiblog and ignored it as it was obviously rubbish.
Who is this person? “Who is the former Labour Party Activist”? Name?
To me it reads like more spin, more narrative about how Labour won’t win, won’t attract Talent (Does he mean like the likes of Simon Bridges? Hekia Parata?)
He lost me when he said changes in 1984 ++ brought about a more vibrant and dynamic economy”
More vibrant and dynamic economy for who?
That’s exactly the bit that should set the alarms off.
Presumably PG and his mates are doing ok from it. That’s what counts, right?
Inequality and child poverty is at record highs, but we’re heading for 5.5% unemployed. That’s getting to Labour at it’s height under Clark and Cullen. National could fight this election on their economic handling alone, and win.
“5.5%”, There sure are a lot of Brooklyn Bridges for sale these days.
Ad, have you considered what the % would be if unregistered unemployed were included?
Not to mention you could likely double that % instantly if jobs of under one hour a week were also included.
Partisanship aside, a national employment statistic built on the premise that mowing a neighbour’s lawn twice a month, equates to ‘having a job’, is a fundamentally flawed statistic and only exposes the inherently corrupt reporting of economic realities facing New Zealand.
Not sure why so many commenters confuse banal fact from the stronger truth and power of media narrative. It’s a “rock star”, it’s China as our mouth-to-fire-hydrant epochal change, it’s increased job adverts, it’s sharemarket floats, it’s business confidence, it’s their string of political-commercial deals.
The MSM almost uniformly trumpet Key’s economic leadership, and reified the apparent results. Labour and the remainder of the progressives are generally fighting against this but are comprehensively losing the economic story.
I do believe it’s this bloke.
Our economy is far less vibrant than it was and the conformity has ratcheted way up.
Who is this person?
Only the author of the greatest Kiwiblog comment ever:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2008/11/senator_mccain.html#comment-505701
Remember when McCain won the 2008 election?
That’s gold.
You could have added the “kiwi in america” election day post in 2012 on why Romney would win.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/11/us_election_results.html#comments
And then the after match analysis
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/11/guest_post_kiwi_in_america_on_the_us_elections_results.html
I didn’t know about that. I’m meant to be writing today but damn, I may have to go and look for it.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2012/11/us_election_results.html#comment-1044239
This is a writer with some keen insights. We should definitely listen to them and their analysis of the Labour Party.
But.. but.. but.. Pete George says he is an ex-Labour activist (and blatant Rogernome) ergo current Labour activists should be listening to what he says! (because logic)
Ah well Pete, when you’re spinning that fast, you’re bound to get dizzy.
(Back to pissing myself over “KIA’s” 2008 election post.)
Loved the “Jewish effect”.
Such rich dark comedy. Great polishing Disraeli.
Concerned trolls gonna troll, I guess.
That is bollocks. It was the right who started the war back in the late 70s and early 80s. Once in power they rode rough-shod over their ministerial colleagues including PM, David Lange. They used bullying and underhand tactics and openly demeaned colleagues who stood up to them. Finally those colleagues and many in the rank and file rose up against them. They were the authors of their own demise.
Has it ever occurred to you PG that your frequent partisan selections of supposedly informed data actually expose how arrogant and politically naive you really are?
In much the same way as being stupid precludes one from knowing how stupid one is, Pete has no idea he is arrogant and naive.
is that the same kiwi in america who posted those bi-daily interminable screeds to persuade kiwiblog readers that obama had no chance of winning the democratic nomination..?
..and then went on to post bi-daily interminable screeds on how mccain was going to kick obamas’ arse..?
..is this the same sage that you now turn to for yr ‘fact-checking’/re-postable opinions….?
..really..?
It’s a thoughtful piece.
I agree with the general point in it that the caucus talent is thin, and that this is the primary cause of succession difficulties. I cannot think of any around me in my forties who would consider it.
I also agree that the rump of the Lange-Moore administration forms the ABC club that has actively fought renewal from day one.
I don’t buy the Clark conspiracy. I simply view comprehensive and systemic HR internal promotion and selection as being part of successful leadership.
The difficulties that David Cunliffe is facing are not caused by Helen Clark’s legacy. They are different.
Firstly to get where he is, those seeking to reform the party from within have had to engage in nearly a decade of careful momentum-building. This included the Labour Party constitutional reforms mentioned in the piece in 2012. Given the intransigence and hard internal attacks of the rump, there was no alternative but to spend considerable energy focussing inwards paving the way for change. This no doubt appeared unattractive and blunted grassroots political evangelical confidence, but strengthened party membership and mechanisms considerably.
Secondly, Cunliffe’s principle of meritocratic promotion of talent, rather than promotion for factional control, is going to take time to weed out the poor performers and invite talent to compete and win selection. National’s internal reforms of caucus have certainly been easier precisely because the churn enables more strivers to see a future pathway to power. Meritocratic promotion is in my view the only way to break down factions, but it’s root and branch, and it takes years.
Third, the policy platform is having to be rebuilt from scratch. It’s a different path from both Clark and Lange/Douglas. David Cunliffe has had only since the abrupt leadership change barely six months ago to get this going.
Finally, changing leader one year out from election has a massive drop in momentum internally. We can see that through the uneven changes in his leaders’ office. I am not yet convinced that the media team there are coherent, for example. That is only an illustration of the internal shifts that the entire supporter, membership and caucus groups have to go through.
On David’s side are a few things.
First, how close Labour got last time. In MMP it really is down to the wire. The essay writer appears to have left political activism under FPP and does not understand that it really is down to a 2-3% shift in National’s fortunes and all is in play.
Secondly, Labour understand their base far better, and are mobilising far better than previously.
Finally, it’s him. As Colin James said in March this year, when he’s at his best, David Cunliffe is better than John Key. The vital question is whether those around him allow him to enable his confidence, surefooted preparation, and his kind of future Prime Minister, to be made apparent.
I can go along with what Ad is saying. It IS going to be close, right down to the wire – but there are a number of things going for Labour which are “behind the scenes” so to speak, and time will tell if what is happening there will achieve the result we want.
😎
A very good summing of Labour’s position Ad. Thanks.
But I don’t agree with the assumption that the caucus talent is thin. I think there is quite a bit of latent talent that, for various reasons, didn’t get a chance to see the light of day under the Clark/Goff/ Shearer regimes. Add to them the fact it seems likely a number of people will join the caucus later this year who will significantly boost the talent pool.
Outline them, and what they have contributed.
Good post!
Your last paragraph is so true.
“Finally, it’s him. As Colin James said in March this year, when he’s at his best, David Cunliffe is better than John Key. The vital question is whether those around him allow him to enable his confidence, surefooted preparation, and his kind of future Prime Minister, to be made apparent”
The key to success is a combination of …
Cunliffe, who can be very good,
The polices which should excite and benefit voters and the country,
and
The media managers who need to work much harder and smarter from now on..
Yes great post Ad, nice to read something constructive and thoughtful.
I agree with Anne’s comment re talent in Labour
Ad makes some good (and also thoughtful) points. I insert things like this into the mix to provoke thought (not not the numpties).
I agree the KIA is a but old school, but there’s a lot that can be learned from history.
I also think that meritocratic promotion is important. It’s a pity Labour didn’t start their rebuild five years ago, time is short for Cunliffe and as Ad says this approach takes time. But it’s important Labour sets themselves up for medium term rebuilding.
In the meantime they still stand a chance this election, albeit relying on at least one sizable coalition partner. And they will be hoping Dotcom doesn’t mess things up for the left, that’s out of Labour’s hands and there’s a sizable risk of it.
Cunliffe’s confidence is crucial for Labour’s chances this year. He can tend towards overconfident, he can’t let that get away on him but he also seems to swing to lacking in confidence. He needs to resolutely target September and stick to a solid plan – at the moment theirs no clear sign of that.
With a number of wild cards anything could happen this election – but for it to happen in Labour’s favour Cunliffe has to sharpen up and minimise the mistakes they have been making too often, which now means any policy release is looked at with suspicions of cock-ups, and every small mistake is magnified.
It’s not over yet for Labour but it won’t be easy either.
That was some commentary from Pete George, but on the other hand it wasn’t really.
🙄
P.S
🙄
My reply to the post by kiwi in America post at kiwiblog is
FACT 1 – The Rogernomics era had no mandate from the party. It nearly destroyed Labour.
FACT 2 – It took till 1999-2002 and a Labour government that delivered on its manifesto to restore trust between caucus and party member – this lead to the end of any need for “New Labour”.
FACT 3 – However this alone was and is insufficient for restoration. The Labour Party is not yet over what Rogernomics did to it (but then nor is New Zealand).
To have a party based on democratic, and meritocratic, selection involves trust that candidates will remain loyal to the party and its manifesto. This was something completely breached in the 1980′s. So between 1987 and 2011, selection was based on a party faction patronage – this of course meant it was somewhat insulated from inclusive participation by the general public.
The Labour Party was so abused by its caucus in the 1980′s that only the recent party reforms, the retirement of the last of the 1980′s era personnel and the decline of the party factions of recent decades will enable renewal.
Too much focus on the people involved just obscures the circumstance in which they operated.
However
FACT 4 – Being expert in managing factions gave Clark an advantage in MMP.
The irony however is in that with a majority in caucus being of the ABC persuasion, when he was the choice of the wider party, we have continuance of the caucus and party divide that began their problems 30 years ago. And for the same reason, those dominant in caucus “knew better” (about policy or who should be leader).
FACT 5 – Cunliffe will only get confidence from his caucus if the membership of it changes or he wins an election.
FACT 6 – Labour Leaders are now required to retain the trust of their party, and thus the idea that a caucus leader can lead the party in new directions without first getting a mandate is now buried. The party can no longer be hijacked by turning its leader or finance spokesperson – a message to Treasury, whether in domestic and international aspect, as much as to the caucus.
Whether this makes for a more left wing party is harder to say. The party activist is less likely to want caucus to compromise for centrist votes, yet a more open party means more internal diversity and a broader base membership.
Well done Pete.
Your intention to derail this thread has worked.
32 comments and a lot of valuable energy burned dealing with your nonsensical comment.
Having just read that post over at Kiwiblog I think I know this person and the other person that he mention.
I was at that Christchurch LRC meeting, I almost remember what happen as I attending meeting and voted in keeping the monies in Christchurch for future elections. Like a few other people in that meeting we thinking long term as this would benefit the LRC in the coming battles.
We were hounded by Marian Hobbs and her supporters during for not supporting Head Office and we were distrusted from there on. I said to one union delegate on the way out at the end of the meeting us work class members are going to get f***ed over by this mob.
Having seen/ been to a lot of the Labour meetings between 93-98 including the first MMP list meeting, thinking that at the time there we are making some weird decisions party wise and sometimes selecting the wrong candidate when it was a shoe in for labour and now I know why.
Please don’t get me wrong I’m all for social justice, humans right and gay rights etc. But mustn’t come at the expense of the work class/ working poor and just because I didn’t go to university doesn’t mean I’m dumb I just didn’t to have any debit after studies. But I know a hell of a lot about peacekeeping / modern warfare that no university will ever teach me in a life time. I remember one Labour MP telling me I saying porkies about real peacekeeping, because this person university studies about peacekeeping/ peacemaking etc. was the real deal because the universities are always right. After that I have never renewed Labour membership since 2006 and that was the last time I voted.
If Labour wants to win it must be a Broad Church again and listen to those members who have real life/job experience and not just from people who went to university, or party room hacks or from the public service.
You put yourself forward as a fact checker, but can only have posted that rubbish in bad faith. The only type of ex-Labour activist who could have written that would now be in ACT, and probably has been since that vile grouping coalesced from medical waste. The only people here stupid enough to believe it would have already read it on Kiwibog anyway. Please hurry up and get banned again.
I didn’t put this forward as fact checking. I do a lot of things besides fact checking. I put this forward to promote thought and discussion.
I didn’t endorse what Kiwi in America posted. I thought that anyone seriously interested in why Labour are currently struggling would at least consider what was said. Some people have seen it as this and there’s been some interesting counter points made.
That others (mostly the same old) chose to ignore the message and attack the messengers is a symptom of some of Labour’s and the Left’s biggest problems – naturally negative politics and knee-jerk denial. How much of that is ingrained old school habits and how much is diverting from the current reality?
Regardless of the outcome of this year’s election New Zealand needs stronger and better parties across the political spectrum. That many of those who have an interest in politics are willfully blind and deliberately destructive, within parties and across political forums, is not a good sign for our future.
Pettiness and pissing on any perceived opponent are a pox on our politics.
Most people don’t vote for the nastiest and most negative numpties. The way things are heading it won’t be long before most people don’t vote.
Of course, Pete. It’s all for the discussion so it doesn’t matter if it’s factual.
And of course if you came across a few paragraphs of un-fact-checked opinion from, say, a unionist writing at TheStandard about what’s wrong with the ACT Party you’d be straight over to Kiwiblog to copypasta it.
For the discussion.
“I do a lot of things besides fact checking.”
Ain’t that the fucking truth.
I often put forward opinions (and facts, they are quite different things to opinions felix) to Kiwiblog to encourage discussion and provoke thought. And sometimes to Whale Oil. And sometimes the reactions are as pissy as they can be here.
For the discussion.
You sometimes do things besides petty bitching.
🙄
Yes I realise you post inane right-wing dribble on Kiwiblog too Pete.
Massive 🙄 for the t 🙄
roll up another.
If an election was held today, which party would get your party vote?
Ubuntu party South Africa. Finally a political party that gets it.
More views on the Karam versus Parker and Purkiss defamation case:
The Paepae: Defamation via Facebook and ‘a private website’
Occasional Erudite: The Joe Karam defamation case – what does it mean for blogs and social media?
🙄 …
Do I detect some triumphalism from PG who is proving a pest resistant to approved control methods, and feels now protected by new measures. We have to watch out he can spread kauri die-back disease, so far uncontrollable.
+1
I’ve just been made aware that forest parks such as Victoria and Pureroa – where Minister “unaware” Bridges is allowing mining exploration – have a special protective status conferred on them courtesy of the Conservation Act 1987.
This protection overrides the “sustainable management” principles under the Resource Management Act.
The Conservation Act and the management strategies (CMS) and plans (CMPs) that are created under it have the overriding principle of “protection”. This is contrasted with the overriding principle of New Zealand’s most important planning statute, the Resource Management Act 1991, which is “sustainable management” (s5, Resource Management Act 1991). Whilst there is often overlap between the RMA and the Conservation Act, the principle of protection has primacy over that of sustainable management.
The Conservation Act also sets up a hierarchy of consideration of activities occurring on public conservation land under s6(e):
” to the extent that the use of any natural or historic resource for recreation or tourism is not inconsistent with its conservation, to foster the use of natural and historic resources for recreation, and to allow their use for tourism”.
This hierarchy places the greatest weight on intrinsic value, followed by non-commercial recreation, and then by tourism. An important role in conservation advocacy in New Zealand is ensuring that these three separate considerations are maintained, rather than blurred..
It appears that Minister “Unaware” Bridges and his advisors have ignored the status of these forest parks where the overriding principle is of protection. This is extremely ignorant of them !
Judicial review.
Crikey Jenny catch up – it’s been playing all of last week.
Hold your nose and nip over to Kiwiblog to read an essay by Kiwi in America who was a Labour Party member. It cogently points out the process to explain why Labour is polling so badly. I do not know if Labour can ever be in government again. That is a quite extraordinary sentence. A part of me hopes it is not true. Politics does not always have to be the same as it was in the past. You may not like the analysis but would be silly to avoid reading it.
:rolleyes:
Or just read your mate’s comments before posting.
🙄
Tivial and ill advised can be the only descriptions of Labour’s policy announcements over trailer registrations and truck traffic rules.
In trying to differentiate themselves from National, with such trivial matters, Labour are only reinforcing the public perception that there is little substantial difference between our two main political parties.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11239969
What arrant nonsense. How many trucks operate on public holidays?
It may interest people to know that the Ministry of Transport deliberately confine traffic on the highway from Auckland’s holiday playground in Coromandel and slow it down on holiday weekends by erecting road cones that narrow the traffic to one very narrow lane. This is done deliberately to prevent even further congestion further up the motorway system in Auckland.
Yes, can’t say I was impressed either. I was waiting and hoping that perhaps this announcement appealed to some other section of New Zealanders that they were targeting. It makes very little sense to me why such an announcement was made and I agree with your summary on it.
Agree. They have smudged a future comprehensive transport policy launch.
They need to do this with clear differentiation to both National and Greens. Not sure if people agree, but housing and transport are the largest voter issues in Auckland, and that’s a third of Parliament and a third of the party vote. Transport issues are also very strong in provincial New Zealand, and ripe for harvest with clever policy not piecemeal picking.
Labour need to be as strong in transport as they were in housing. Greens have the sentiment so far in part because Julie Ann Genter is charming talented and works hard, and in part because Labour’s transport spokesperson is Darien Fenton, ’nuff said.
Food for thought on Easter Friday
(maybe when the fossil fuels crisis hits we wont have to resort to riding our ponies to town after all)
Structural engineer Dr Judy Wood on evidence for FREE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY….based on Tesla’s discoveries a 100 years ago and the misuse of this technology as a weapon ( directed free energy) in the ‘dustification’ of the Twin Towers . She has written a book called ‘Where Did the Towers Go?’
http://www.amazon.com/Towers-Evidence-Directed-Free-energy-Technology/product-reviews/0615412564
She talks about ‘magnetic electrogravidic nuclear reactions’ ( cold fusion or low energy nuclear reactions)
She talks about how the public perception can be manipulated re the destruction of the Twin Towers and how it is important to always go back to the evidence in science and not try and make ‘evidence ‘ support a preconceived theory
This is mind blowing stuff with revolutionary implications if true
Oh look, chemtrails with a side of HAARP.
//
lol…well she is a pretty convincing hoaxer to us chooks…better get back to my Easter Eggs
Biography for Dr Judy Wood…
http://janedoe0911.tripod.com/Wood_Bio.html
More Easter Friday serious entertainment:
‘How to Disappear Completely – A Short Film on Dustification’
This Dr Judy Wood is good! ( imo not a hoaxer )…no theories on chemtrails or HAARP…just observations from a structural engineer
….for Woods the empirical evidence comes before any theory as to ‘who’ did it… or ‘why’ …or ‘how’…just phenomenological observations …and all the more gripping for this
It is not true. The only implications are concerned with how easily people will believe anything they see on the internet.
zone out in area “52” this easter.
its the twilight zone for them.
Well, the West are all up in arms over Putin’s annexations and troop deployments, “shades of a resuming cold war”; words like ‘combustible’ with ‘world-wide’ implications being slung about, with six cities in the heavily industrial east of Ukraine experiencing disorder, while 35-40,000 Russian troops rest across the border, with military jet support. The narrative from Kiev describing ‘terrorism’; Kosovo anybody? and calls for further squeezing of Putin’s wealthy friends.
The genie is out of the lamp with the US deploying its Laser Weapon System, 40M to develop from earlier technology and a cost of $1 US dollar per ’round'(the platform and power technology remain expensive). Although the beam can be lowered in intensity to ‘non-lethal’, the scope for unintended consequences, war in space, hijacking through hacking… China wants to improve their space defense capabilities…’the history of foreign imposition is well-established in that nation’s psyche’.
Returns from international dairy market auctions are at a 14 month low, down 20% in the last 10 weeks while WPC and infant formulas sourced from Fontera are still banned from China despite what Key did, or did not do, while visiting there. Maybe he should have sent Collins, oh, wait…
16000 votes by text poll on Campbell Live return 84% support ‘Yes’ regarding the decriminalisation of cannabis in NZ
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists claim chronic staff shortages and under-funding ails our health sector.
At least the Police brass concede the benefits of greater female representation in their senior ranks.
Globally, urban drift continues at a rapid pace; 2-4B more people will fill cities that have not been built yet! YET Nick Smith suggested on Te Newz that “affordable” housing for NZ is likely to be 20 years away!
According to the released IPCC 5th Assessment Mitigation of Climate Change Report, compiled by over 1000 scientists, greenhouse emissions continue to rise at an alarming rate. “Energy revolution requires major political change”.
Hope is stronger than fear…(The Hunger Games). Take a little walk to the edge of town…
-Woof
US Laser weapon (LaWS)
Thanks, and for the cigar my friend.
Hi folks – FYI
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/five-things-youve-missed-behind-scenes-john-banks-pre-trial-hearings-sf
“Five things you’ve missed behind the scenes of the John Banks’ pre-trial hearings”
My comment – (yet to be published):
🙂 Well, I was one of the three people who made a complaint alleging electoral fraud against John Banks.
Had the Police not failed to prosecute John Banks, this case would not have been taken to Court through Graham McCready’s private prosecution, with which I assisted.
(I was the ‘process server’ who served the witness summonses which got Kim Dotcom, his lawyer, (former) bodyguard, and the CEO of Sky City into Court).
PS: I’m usually VERY well-behaved if my LAWFUL rights to freedom of expression are respected, and Auckland Council ‘Standing Orders’ (based upon the underpinning Local Government Official Information and MEETINGS Act 1987) are followed in a proper way.
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com
(PPS: I, like Graham McCready have receive no public monies for the public interest work I choose do, as a self-funded ‘anti-corruption/anti-privatisation Public Watchdog’.
Have a GREAT Easter! 🙂
Penny
Your slogan ‘ I Try Harder.’ You are living up to it. Have a great Easter and I hope a bit of fun away from stressful politicing.
Seen this?
http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/299227/keys-tough-choice-over-collins
Cheers!
Penny Bright
from The Good Doctor’s notes- 22 : 24, A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was to be considered the greatest. Jesus said to them,” The Kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that.
Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest and the one who rules, like the one who serves.
Good Easter Friday thoughts from Jesus the Gnostic of the wisdom streams
🙂 , not as harsh as The Passion .
Meanwhile….
The world’s 200 richest people added $24.9b billion yesterday. Prince Alwaleed gained $873m. http://ow.ly/vSq7F
https://twitter.com/BBGBillionaires/statuses/456689799017938944
And here’s ladies and gentlemen, the expose of NZ’s so called rock-star economy – it’s a total fake.
Here are the 12 reasons why New Zealand’s economic bubble will end up in disaster:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jessecolombo/2014/04/17/12-reasons-why-new-zealands-economic-bubble-will-end-in-disaster/
More detailed analysis soon, from the same author.
In that article there is a link to this NBR article.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-third-most-over-valued-housing-market-world-deutsche-bank-149973
The following paragraphs are particularly interesting.
” New research by Deutsche Bank finds NZ is the third-most over-valued country for housing in the world – at least in terms of of the home price-to-rent ratio’s percentage above its historic average.
Wall Street Journal analysis of the Deutsche Bank study notes Canada – the most overvalued market – is “very open to foreign investors” at a time of unprecedented global liquidity.
By contrast, Japan – the most undervalued market – is the most closed to foreign investment.”
Simple housing policy for left wing parties.
Copy Japan….close housing to foreign investment.
SNAP!!!
Happy Easter Philip Ure and Xstasy!
xox
Hey Chook,
Dr Judy Wood is an amazing person. Her view is provocative and threatening to world order.
…thanx Philj….glad someone found it interesting!….i was riveted….she makes structural engineering interesting!
Why free market will not fix problems with teachers and teaching
Sounds remarkably like what this government is doing to our education system – ruining it in the name of ideology.
All the world’s happy.
http://www.wearehappyfrom.com/
happy watching a Tribute to the Beatles on ONE.
sweet; not cloudy with meatballs today, just cloudy. Oh wait, a meatball will be along soon enough.