MMP is not a first past the post system. An individual party has not won with 51% of the vote. MMP is, however, a system designed for the formation of coalition governments by those who can agree on their common interests. Over half of the electorate voted for change. If over half of the electorate can agree their common interests, and work accordingly, they have moral authority under MMP to govern.
‘Change’ was not a candidate on the voting paper I saw.
People voted for parties. Those parties need to sort out a coalition / governing arrangement.
Realistically, National are in the stronger position. Winston dislikes the Greens and Labour would have to divide the baubles of office between themselves, NZ 1st and the Greens.
People trying to convince themselves that Lab-Green-NZ 1st is just around the corner are setting themselves up for disappointment. Another one. gluttons for punishment.
Peter; you raised this mistake below in “Parentheses” firstly (see below) and that needs to be corrected firstly before you inject your ‘new’ views.
“So logically those who support Labour are a minority.
Get used to it, and don’t squeal.”
Peter 78
24 September 2017 at 12:33 am
The bottom line is that only one third of the voters chose Labour as their party vote.
So logically those who support Labour are a minority.
Get used to it, and don’t squeal.
[lprent: Looks you can’t use a calculator. But figure it like this National got 998,813 on the night out of 3,252,269 enrolled voters – that will be less than a third.
In other words National are a minority. Please don’t squeal as you try to chisel a thought into your dimwitted head. ]
Reply
Robert Guyton 78.1
24 September 2017 at 12:40 am
MMP. How many voted for a not-National/left wing party?
In any case, Winston will decide our fate – National or Labour/Green. Why would he choose National? We are all merely guessing. Who has solid grounds for claiming one way or the other? No one. It’s up in the air. Which means celebrating National’s success is a mistake.
Different parties do not necessarily have diametrically opposed views. Green voters I assume would be happy with a Labour lead government.
What party would the majority of NZ First voters wish to lead the Government?
Certainly none I have spoken to would want to be anywhere near the Greens who would be required to form a majority coalition with Labour. Winston would have to “share” any compromises with the Greens. And they are diametrically opposed.
NZ First with National would allow a greater degree of compromise, so let’s see what transpires. it’s now time to sit back and enjoy the ride – nothing we can do now until the kingmaker does his thing.
Certainly none I have spoken to would want to be anywhere near the Greens who would be required to form a majority coalition with Labour. Winston would have to “share” any compromises with the Greens. And they are diametrically opposed.
You appear to be talking to ex-National Party voters who are a minority in NZ1st.
And most NZ1st policy can be related with Green Party policy – they tend to the same direction. It doesn’t match National Party policy at all. National Party policy is essentially diametrically opposed to everybody else except possibly ACT.
I’m sorry Peter, but try as I might, I cannot see a coalition between Winston and the Greens lasting more than about 22 minutes. It’s one thing to form a coalition between three parties, quite another to ensure that it is stable.
I can see the trolls -“National is in a stronger position” are out.
Actually no, National are not in a stronger position than Labour. They screw over their coalition partners as they screw over the country- once bitten twice shy.
Winston worked as foreign minister under Clark and was screwed over by National when he was deputy MP and treasurer. NZ First dropped from 13.4% party votes in 1996 – after a coalition with the Natz they were out of parliament with 4.3%.
Act used to be a viable party – no longer. Gone are the conservatives, United Future and the Maori party.
Natz are weasels. A vote against them is a vote for change and a new coalition. They will drop their pants to agree to a coalition and then screw them by lunchtime and have them of parliament.
For democracy to flourish they need to form a coalition and get back to a proper democracy in this country – this is more important than any policy changes to be agreed.
Protect democracy first. Start by reform the electoral finance act. Two make lying at elections illegal. Three, increase the time for new residents to become citizens and be able to vote so parties can’t import in Right wing or vote for bribes, votes for themselves.
Over in the UK the papers are correctly calling it a “hung Parliament”
You are so correct, national have been damaged and “National are not in a stronger position than Labour.”
They are mortily wounded now by lies and more lies simply that have caught up with them,
They are now a liability no other party doesnt want to be tacked onto now so Winston will aviod any association with them.
The labour coalition is made with Winston and then as the booksare openned we will see just how much this lying government robbed so many of our assets aand sold us down the river leaving us much worse off than we ever knew.
To be fair, the smear campaigns of lies have been as much a feature of his government as it was of his election campaign, so it’s hardly surprising that he’d lie about having the moral authority to govern.
Of more concern is the fact that 46% of the people who cast ordinary votes endorsed that approach to government.
”Of more concern is the fact that 46% of the people who cast ordinary votes endorsed that approach to government.”
aye , makes one look at his countrymen with sadness.
I find it amazing that those who most vociferously complained about Metiria’s lies 23 years ago turn around and find excuses for Blinglish’s and Nationals. These people have no ethical compass.
Yup & Looks like charter schools are on borrowed time.. “Repeal the amendments to the Education Act 1989 that allowed the creation of Charter Schools at the same time as reviewing Section 156 of the Designated Character Schools section within the same Act.” http://www.nzfirst.org.nz/education
Did anyone else here Winston say he might not go with the elites?
It was in his final speech before he caught the ferry. I haven’t found any other reference to it.
Jacinda Winston and James can form a government. And Jacinda and James did not throw Winston under the bus We no who did that.
So lets Watch JOSEPH fight and get a smile on go Joseph
Yes, it was Winston himself.
He saw he wasn’t getting much traction in the face of Jacinda mania, so he manufactured an issue.
It didn’t work, but the oddities of MMP have still put him in a strong position.
I agree, eco maori, I think they can too. They do at least have the ‘for the many not the few’ in common, and I think they have enough sense not to die in a ditch over pet projects when there is so much at stake – and surely Winston has had enough time to observe that as National have a habit of eating their young, his party could well end up as lunch if he went with them
Bring back all regional rail freight & passenger now!!!
Government now musr recognise the increasing population is causing a need for regional rail passenger services.
1/ This will bring down the carbon emissions and take trucks off our regional roads that are falling apart as we speak.
2/ This is causing us all massive road repair biills.
3/ And with more trucks on our roads more deaths will occur on our roads under trucks.
4/ NZTA claims each road death fatality now costs us $3.4 Million each to our economy.
What if Labour and Greens decide to wait for 2020 to try to get into Government…. Make this clear (e.g. don’t negotiate with NZ First). Weaken Peter’s bargaining position with National and see what ensues?
A burning issue.
National is selling us down the river to China.
‘Expert calls for inquiry into Chinese ‘threat’
One excerpt.
‘Brady has put together a list of individuals and companies that have been major donors to New Zealand’s political parties. They include Zhao Wu Shen and his wife Susan Chou.
In 2007 Chou donated $41,000 to Labour. Then in 2010, she donated $200,000 to National, in 2011 she donated a further $100,000, and in 2014, her family company Contue Jinwan Enterprise Limited donated $200,212.36. The couple joined in the exclusive fund-raising charity dinner for Chinese rich-listers hosted by National MP Yang Jian and attended by John Key in 2014; which raised $200,000 for National’s election campaign.
Shen had once been the biggest shareholder in the secure online file storage site, Mega.
Gao Wei has been a major donor to the National Party in recent years via his company Alpha laboratories (NZ) Limited. He donated $112,000 to National in 2017; and $50,000 in 2014. Gao has very close links with senior New Zealand and senior Chinese political figures.
In 2011 Shi Deyi (also known as Stone Shi) donated $56,500 (via Oravida NZ) to National and secured a game of golf with John Key in return. The photo of the match is still used in Oravida publicity. Shi donated a further $30,000 via Oravida in 2013,in 2016 he gave $50,000, and then a further $50,000 in 2017.
Stone Shi is now a rotating chair of a Red Capitalists organisation, the Shanghai Entrepreneurs Association This is a grouping of 2,000 of the most powerful companies in China, and is under the supervision of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce as well as the United Front Work Department.
In 2013 Ms Fan Xiaomiao donated $62,132.18 to the National Party and in 2011 she and her husband Zhang Yaxun donated $43,526.41. Zhang and his wife own Henan Province Zhou Fan Investment Company and have seven companies in New Zealand, mostly involved in agriculture.
GMP Dairy Ltd, run by Karl Ye, donated NZ$25,338 to the New Zealand National Party in 2015 GMP paid for two National MPs, Jamie-Lee Ross and Stuart Smith to visit China in 2016.
In 2017 Lang Lin, owner of Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry (NZ) Ltd donated $150,000 to National. Lang’s company is backed by the Chinese government investment firm CITIC (China International Trust and Investment Company) who are sponsoring his bid to expand China’s racing industry through importing New Zealand race horses. CITIC was set up under United Front Work Department auspices.’
Might be worth polishing off your Bruce Jesson on the interrelationships of British interests in New Zealand up to the early 1980s, and of the mix of ownership and imputed influence that different governments have in New Zealand, especially the US. That would make for a richer exercise.
Looking at the party vote in electorates, after the preliminary count, Labour have increased the number of general roll electorates where it is the largest party from 4 to 15 (this year, like 2014, Labour easily swept the 7 Maori seats). Pleasingly it looks as if it Labour will not come worse than second in any seat, which it did in 5 electorates last time round (Auck Central, BoP, Helensville, Tauranga and Well Central).
Specials may see another another 6 electorates switch blue to red (current Nat to Lab margin):Wigram (117), Palmerston North (337), Te Atatu (389), Mt Roskill (611), New Lynn (702), Auck Central (739).
In terms of reducing the margin between Labour and National, Labour did best in these electorates (decrease in margin National to Labour):
Port Hills (8,355)
Nelson (7,834)
Epsom (7,519)
New Plymouth (7,248)
North Shore (7,001)
Ilam (6,866)
Well Central (6,864)
D South (6,405)
Chch Central (6,327)
National lost ground to Labour in all seats bar 3, Mangere, Manakau East and Manurewa. As of the preliminary count, the National vote in these seats is still lower than that 2014, its just that the Labour vote in these electorates is markedly down on 2014. In terms of what sort of trend can be gleaned from this, Labour also did not do as well in closing its margin to National/or increasing its margin over National in these general roll seats (improvement in margin): New Lynn (349), Kelston (533), Mt Roskill (1,578), Te Atatu (1,622), Botany (2,160). These eight seats are all in Auckland, they contain the 4 electorates where Labour was the largest party by party vote in 2014. It may be a case of diminishing returns. It could just be, given the relative small size of Auckland electorates, that more people voted outside of their electorates, and specials will change this.
Would be great if Winston and Jacinda could work as co-leaders.
Winston is a statesman and Jacinda is the energy. James could be deputy. Then we would have the “change team” so badly sought and needed in NZ. And , thank you and sorry to Gareth. The average public can be slow learners as their free time to consider new ideas is very limited in this day and age. Be patient.
I don’t think Winston will will go with any of them, he will offer National confidence and supply only. I think that’s the best we can hope for as there isn’t a snow balls chance in hell he would go with the greens. And if he went with Labour his ex National supporters would punish him next time.
Not go with the Greens – being repeated endlessly – remember Winston does surprises, he moves with the times up to a point and he is pragmatic – look how long he has been in parliament
If Winnie gives only confident and supply does this mean that the Government would be without sufficient numbers and would not be able to pass any laws for the next 3 years. This might be the only hope we have, to keep them crippled and powerless.
What staggered me is the huge margins which the Nat electorates won by – are there no conservative critial thinkers in this country – are they all just robotic fluffy brains.
I can see the suicide stats will soar in the next 3 years – what a tragic and shameful legacy the Nats are going to leave for the history books.
What has Brexit got to teach us, (and how alike is our situation to that of Greece? Don’t believe what we are told, read about our and their financial situation).
Ever since Theresa May embarked on her ill-conceived journey towards an ill-defined hard Brexit, I have been warning my friends in Britain of what lies ahead. The EU would not negotiate with London, I told them. Under the guise of negotiations it would force May and her team to expend all their energies negotiating for the right to . . . negotiate.
Meanwhile, its media cheerleaders would work feverishly towards demeaning London’s proposals, denigrating its negotiators and reversing the truth in ways that Joseph Goebbels would have been proud of…
Right on cue came the leaks that followed the dinner that the prime minister hosted for Jean-Claude Juncker in 10 Downing Street on April 26 — their explicit purpose being to belittle their host. Then came the editorials by the usual suspects — the journalists that Brussels uses to leak its propaganda — deploring the “lack of preparation” by the British — using Berlin’s and Brussels’s favourite put-down that “they have not done their homework”.
As I promised on the day I resigned from Greece’s finance ministry, after my prime minister’s capitulation to that same Brussels-Berlin cabal, I wear their loathing with pride.
But I worry that Brussels and Berlin may succeed in damaging Britain, as they previously succeeded in damaging my people.
Yanis Varoufakis – In January 2015, Varoufakis was appointed as the Minister of Finance, and led negotiation with Greece’s creditors during the Greek government-debt crisis. However, he failed to reach an agreement with creditors, leading to the 2015 Greek bailout referendum.
The day following the referendum, on 6 July 2015, Varoufakis resigned as Minister of Finance and was replaced by Euclid Tsakalotos. On 24 August, Varoufakis voted against the third bailout package, and in the ensuing September snap election, did not stand for re-election. Varoufakis has since appeared in numerous debates, lectures, and interviews. In February 2016, he launched the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25), and subsequently backed a Remain vote in the UK’s European Union membership referendum 2016.
On 2 April 2016, in reaction to tension between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the IMF, Varoufakis said there was underway “an attrition war between a reasonably numerate villain (the IMF) and a chronic procrastinator (Berlin)” as to Greek debt relief.
In April 2016, Varoufakis publicly supported the idea of a basic income.[40] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanis_Varoufakis
So now election night has passed it’s time for media to stop speculating on outcomes, instead, they could do some investigative journalism on a number of important matters that need addressing.
Cause let’s face it, media following around Winnie and the other leaders asking who they are going with is just gossip chasing.
PS Congratulations to the opposition parties of NZ, looking forward to the results of the specials. MMP 😀
This is something that needs to be investigated.
Has the National Party become a puppet of the Chinese government?
‘According to Brady, New Zealand underestimates its importance to China, mistakenly thinking it’s just a small player at the bottom of the world.
“First, the New Zealand government is responsible for the defence and foreign affairs of three other territories in the South Pacific: Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau — which potentially means four votes for China at international organisations. New Zealand is a claimant state in Antarctica and one of the closest access points there; China has a long-term strategic agenda in Antarctica that will require the cooperation of established Antarctic states such as New Zealand. New Zealand has cheap arable land and a sparse population and China is seeking to access foreign arable land to improve its food safety. New Zealand now supplies 24 percent of China’s foreign milk, and China is the biggest foreign investor in New Zealand’s dairy sector”.’
Labour will only win the argument when it gains some courage, like it is in the UK…..
Taking on big business.
‘Labour has accused big business leaders of “siphoning away” taxpayers’ money into their own pockets, leaving young British people without the future prospects they deserve.’
Well that was fun my son and I just changed cv joint in my his truck and I missed the fight I heard Joseph won big upps to him and hjs team I will watch the fight now It has been great reading all your post and I have learned a lot from my fellow bloggers I hope Winston will team up with Labour and the Greens all the best to everyone on thestandard.
One of my devices doesn’t have the Reply tab on it I’m worndering what’s up be cause I will be going to where there is only cell ph coverage !!!!!!!!!!
If our brothers and sisters in the USA can start to organised together. Don’t you think we should. It is not enough to think politicians can actually change anything without external pressure from the outside.
To right adam we have to keep them honest I will still Be posting on the standard for a while It helps me keep my stress levels down especially when I see the Kiwi wit in Its Truest form on this site,
We need a sort of Blip’s list of the new exotic diseases and plants that continue to destroy our natural resource of being an island. Biosecurity can never stop this by being properly peopled and being thorough, they can only try and do their best.
This flood of tourists are going to spread every known disease on the planet here and those companies will have to pay into a remedial fund.
Teaching excellence in the hard poverty area of one person in the Ted Talk on Radionz. ‘The majority of my students don’t feel loved. That’s why the Principal says that if nobody loves you today, I tell you I do to the kids. That and a system of acceptable behaviour that is non-negotiable has resulted in her being respected – and loved. Listen to:
Linda Cliatt-Wayman: What Can We Do To Empower Students Living In Poverty?
My slogan, what we need today is – kindness and practicality.
Radio New Zealand
about 1 hour ago
Rethinking School – 24 September
From TED Radio Hour, about 1 hour ago
For most of modern history, humans have placed smaller humans in institutions called schools. But what parts of this model still work? And what must change? This hour, TED speakers rethink education.
Tyler DeWitt: How Do We Get Kids Hooked On Science?
Andreas Schleicher: What Are The Keys To A Successful Education System?
Sal Khan: Can Technology Help Create A Global Classroom?
Linda Cliatt-Wayman: What Can We Do To Empower Students Living In Poverty?
A good idea that ed biz can try. Get your students to do their classwork on the internet, the educator found that youtube was good. When they come to school the teacher can tutor them, answer their questions, give them one on one when needed. The youngsters seem to learn better out of the noise and stress of the classroom, and come to school with the thinking done and questions ready about problems. That came from Can technology help,,,,,
My gravatar has gone weird. It’s kind of doing a “kilroy was here” with just the top little bit of it peeking out over a blank space instead of a full square. Does it look like that on other people’s machines? Everyone else’s gravatar is displaying normally on my machine.
NZ Passport recipient, the billionaire Peter Thiel, of Facebook’s board, was an advisor to the Trump campaign, and Facebook’s collusion with Russian funders of fake news advertisements is now front and center in the Trump Russia story.
Well Isn’t he one of keys bills M8 there a lot of questions to be asked on that subject we have had OUR ELECTION HACKED BUY HUME well we no from history that they have been doing that for years and than cry when someone returns the favor. We don’t need foreigners interfering in OUR ELECTION they are only have there interest which is money we need to look after OUR people.
Good fight Joseph I’VE got some good advice for your camp but I will not put it out there as everyone else’s would no and that’s not wise.
I’ve been trying to give up smoking for a few years now The longest I stopped was 2 weeks and that was because our fishing trip took 3 weeks longer and we ran out it’s had to kick that habbet I see some one else has Given up big upps to Winston for kicking the habbit .I wonder if the there going to step up the intimated today!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊
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Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
COMMENTARY:By Ronny Kareni Since the atrocious footage of the suffering of an indigenous Papuan man reverberates in the heart of Puncak by the brute force of Indonesia’s army in early February, shocking tactics deployed by those in power to silence critics has been unfolding. Nowhere is this more evident ...
Analysis - Nicola Willis is holding firm on tax cuts despite the economic outlook being worse than forecast and critics urging her to wait, writes Peter Wilson for The Week In Politics. ...
Opposition MPs and unions are criticising a proposal by New Zealand’s Ministry of Pacific Peoples to cut staff by 40 percent. The country’s largest trade union — The Public Service Association — says the ministry has informed staff that it is looking to shed 63 of 156 positions. Opposition MPs ...
A poem by Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 2024 featured poet Carin Smeaton. Daughtr of the 90s when she gets promoted to usherette a baby blu eel carries her all the way up to mothership she’s hovering high she lets the underaged in to see keanu reeves she lets the only lonely ...
Analysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. My earlier article – Can ‘Good’ be the Greater Evil? – looked at the issue of how wars should end, and how Good versus Evil ...
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 AMMA by Saraid de Silva (Moa Press, $38)A stunning debut novel reviewed by Brannavan ...
From Steve Martin to Ricky Stanicky, a pick’n’mix of things worth watching and listening to this long weekend. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. If you’re at a loss for something to occupy yourself with this Easter, don’t panic: The Spinoff’s got ...
Jesus had dinner with his 12 disciples right before he died. Noted historian Madeleine Chapman finds out who really deserved to be there.First published in 2018 but let’s be honest, the subject is timeless. As you sit on your couch this Easter Sunday, eating a chocolate egg you know ...
The newly-promoted Northern League club is on a mission to return to the National League for the first time in two decades. Plenty about domestic football in New Zealand has changed in that time – but the sense that this amateur competition is not an entirely level playing field remains. ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
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And so it continues….
MMP is not a first past the post system. An individual party has not won with 51% of the vote. MMP is, however, a system designed for the formation of coalition governments by those who can agree on their common interests. Over half of the electorate voted for change. If over half of the electorate can agree their common interests, and work accordingly, they have moral authority under MMP to govern.
‘Change’ was not a candidate on the voting paper I saw.
People voted for parties. Those parties need to sort out a coalition / governing arrangement.
Realistically, National are in the stronger position. Winston dislikes the Greens and Labour would have to divide the baubles of office between themselves, NZ 1st and the Greens.
People trying to convince themselves that Lab-Green-NZ 1st is just around the corner are setting themselves up for disappointment. Another one. gluttons for punishment.
Go back to National Peter we rubbished you on last night’s blog post when you raised this shoddy fake/flawed suggestion. https://thestandard.org.nz/election-night-2017/
Er … did you read what he posted?
What, exactly, are you disagreeing with?
Peter; you raised this mistake below in “Parentheses” firstly (see below) and that needs to be corrected firstly before you inject your ‘new’ views.
“So logically those who support Labour are a minority.
Get used to it, and don’t squeal.”
Peter 78
24 September 2017 at 12:33 am
The bottom line is that only one third of the voters chose Labour as their party vote.
So logically those who support Labour are a minority.
Get used to it, and don’t squeal.
[lprent: Looks you can’t use a calculator. But figure it like this National got 998,813 on the night out of 3,252,269 enrolled voters – that will be less than a third.
In other words National are a minority. Please don’t squeal as you try to chisel a thought into your dimwitted head. ]
Reply
Robert Guyton 78.1
24 September 2017 at 12:40 am
MMP. How many voted for a not-National/left wing party?
In any case, Winston will decide our fate – National or Labour/Green. Why would he choose National? We are all merely guessing. Who has solid grounds for claiming one way or the other? No one. It’s up in the air. Which means celebrating National’s success is a mistake.
Different parties do not necessarily have diametrically opposed views. Green voters I assume would be happy with a Labour lead government.
What party would the majority of NZ First voters wish to lead the Government?
Certainly none I have spoken to would want to be anywhere near the Greens who would be required to form a majority coalition with Labour. Winston would have to “share” any compromises with the Greens. And they are diametrically opposed.
NZ First with National would allow a greater degree of compromise, so let’s see what transpires. it’s now time to sit back and enjoy the ride – nothing we can do now until the kingmaker does his thing.
You appear to be talking to ex-National Party voters who are a minority in NZ1st.
And most NZ1st policy can be related with Green Party policy – they tend to the same direction. It doesn’t match National Party policy at all. National Party policy is essentially diametrically opposed to everybody else except possibly ACT.
I’m sorry Peter, but try as I might, I cannot see a coalition between Winston and the Greens lasting more than about 22 minutes. It’s one thing to form a coalition between three parties, quite another to ensure that it is stable.
I can see the trolls -“National is in a stronger position” are out.
Actually no, National are not in a stronger position than Labour. They screw over their coalition partners as they screw over the country- once bitten twice shy.
Winston worked as foreign minister under Clark and was screwed over by National when he was deputy MP and treasurer. NZ First dropped from 13.4% party votes in 1996 – after a coalition with the Natz they were out of parliament with 4.3%.
Act used to be a viable party – no longer. Gone are the conservatives, United Future and the Maori party.
Natz are weasels. A vote against them is a vote for change and a new coalition. They will drop their pants to agree to a coalition and then screw them by lunchtime and have them of parliament.
For democracy to flourish they need to form a coalition and get back to a proper democracy in this country – this is more important than any policy changes to be agreed.
Protect democracy first. Start by reform the electoral finance act. Two make lying at elections illegal. Three, increase the time for new residents to become citizens and be able to vote so parties can’t import in Right wing or vote for bribes, votes for themselves.
SAVENZ, 100%
Over in the UK the papers are correctly calling it a “hung Parliament”
You are so correct, national have been damaged and “National are not in a stronger position than Labour.”
They are mortily wounded now by lies and more lies simply that have caught up with them,
They are now a liability no other party doesnt want to be tacked onto now so Winston will aviod any association with them.
The labour coalition is made with Winston and then as the booksare openned we will see just how much this lying government robbed so many of our assets aand sold us down the river leaving us much worse off than we ever knew.
English is already claiming the moral authority to govern….he who leads a party that lied its way (hopefully not) back into government.
Yes just as shonky did using the Maori party, act and UF to flog assets, gut education/health, slam supershity through etc.
Let’s see how Bill goes working with the politician they’ve been trying to kill off in public since Key came on the scene.
Winston will be enjoying this, it’s his wet dream come true.
To be fair, the smear campaigns of lies have been as much a feature of his government as it was of his election campaign, so it’s hardly surprising that he’d lie about having the moral authority to govern.
Of more concern is the fact that 46% of the people who cast ordinary votes endorsed that approach to government.
”Of more concern is the fact that 46% of the people who cast ordinary votes endorsed that approach to government.”
aye , makes one look at his countrymen with sadness.
“Of more concern is the fact that 46% of the people who cast ordinary votes endorsed that approach to government.”
100%
A post on this once the dust settles?
I find it amazing that those who most vociferously complained about Metiria’s lies 23 years ago turn around and find excuses for Blinglish’s and Nationals. These people have no ethical compass.
Looks like Act are now irrelevant. I note NZfirst are no fans of TPPA and a lot of other National policies
http://www.nzfirst.org.nz/policies
You can be sure that Winston’s first demand will be no Act.
Yup & Looks like charter schools are on borrowed time.. “Repeal the amendments to the Education Act 1989 that allowed the creation of Charter Schools at the same time as reviewing Section 156 of the Designated Character Schools section within the same Act.”
http://www.nzfirst.org.nz/education
Did anyone else here Winston say he might not go with the elites?
It was in his final speech before he caught the ferry. I haven’t found any other reference to it.
I thought he was cagey and urged folk not to speak out of turn. Time will tell.
It was the words Winston use in his finale speech last nite that gives me hope for the left
Jacinda Winston and James can form a government. And Jacinda and James did not throw Winston under the bus We no who did that.
So lets Watch JOSEPH fight and get a smile on go Joseph
Yes, it was Winston himself.
He saw he wasn’t getting much traction in the face of Jacinda mania, so he manufactured an issue.
It didn’t work, but the oddities of MMP have still put him in a strong position.
The most likely combination for the left is Labour-NZ 1st, with the Greens offering confidence and supply. 2005 all over again. How did that work out?
I agree, eco maori, I think they can too. They do at least have the ‘for the many not the few’ in common, and I think they have enough sense not to die in a ditch over pet projects when there is so much at stake – and surely Winston has had enough time to observe that as National have a habit of eating their young, his party could well end up as lunch if he went with them
First transport change must be;
Bring back all regional rail freight & passenger now!!!
Government now musr recognise the increasing population is causing a need for regional rail passenger services.
1/ This will bring down the carbon emissions and take trucks off our regional roads that are falling apart as we speak.
2/ This is causing us all massive road repair biills.
3/ And with more trucks on our roads more deaths will occur on our roads under trucks.
4/ NZTA claims each road death fatality now costs us $3.4 Million each to our economy.
That’s part of NZ1st’s, Green’s and Labour’s policies. National still want to tear it down and have more and bigger trucks.
What if Labour and Greens decide to wait for 2020 to try to get into Government…. Make this clear (e.g. don’t negotiate with NZ First). Weaken Peter’s bargaining position with National and see what ensues?
That will be a hell three years.
it could be a good way to kill of nzf for good , as national devours its partners every time ,
A burning issue.
National is selling us down the river to China.
‘Expert calls for inquiry into Chinese ‘threat’
One excerpt.
‘Brady has put together a list of individuals and companies that have been major donors to New Zealand’s political parties. They include Zhao Wu Shen and his wife Susan Chou.
In 2007 Chou donated $41,000 to Labour. Then in 2010, she donated $200,000 to National, in 2011 she donated a further $100,000, and in 2014, her family company Contue Jinwan Enterprise Limited donated $200,212.36. The couple joined in the exclusive fund-raising charity dinner for Chinese rich-listers hosted by National MP Yang Jian and attended by John Key in 2014; which raised $200,000 for National’s election campaign.
Shen had once been the biggest shareholder in the secure online file storage site, Mega.
Gao Wei has been a major donor to the National Party in recent years via his company Alpha laboratories (NZ) Limited. He donated $112,000 to National in 2017; and $50,000 in 2014. Gao has very close links with senior New Zealand and senior Chinese political figures.
In 2011 Shi Deyi (also known as Stone Shi) donated $56,500 (via Oravida NZ) to National and secured a game of golf with John Key in return. The photo of the match is still used in Oravida publicity. Shi donated a further $30,000 via Oravida in 2013,in 2016 he gave $50,000, and then a further $50,000 in 2017.
Stone Shi is now a rotating chair of a Red Capitalists organisation, the Shanghai Entrepreneurs Association This is a grouping of 2,000 of the most powerful companies in China, and is under the supervision of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce as well as the United Front Work Department.
In 2013 Ms Fan Xiaomiao donated $62,132.18 to the National Party and in 2011 she and her husband Zhang Yaxun donated $43,526.41. Zhang and his wife own Henan Province Zhou Fan Investment Company and have seven companies in New Zealand, mostly involved in agriculture.
GMP Dairy Ltd, run by Karl Ye, donated NZ$25,338 to the New Zealand National Party in 2015 GMP paid for two National MPs, Jamie-Lee Ross and Stuart Smith to visit China in 2016.
In 2017 Lang Lin, owner of Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry (NZ) Ltd donated $150,000 to National. Lang’s company is backed by the Chinese government investment firm CITIC (China International Trust and Investment Company) who are sponsoring his bid to expand China’s racing industry through importing New Zealand race horses. CITIC was set up under United Front Work Department auspices.’
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/18/48616/expert-calls-for-inquiry-into-chinese-threat
You should do a whole post on this.
Might be worth polishing off your Bruce Jesson on the interrelationships of British interests in New Zealand up to the early 1980s, and of the mix of ownership and imputed influence that different governments have in New Zealand, especially the US. That would make for a richer exercise.
Yes, we have been a colony for a long time.
Having just escaped being a British colony, we seem hell bent on being a US and then Chinese colony.
Looking at the party vote in electorates, after the preliminary count, Labour have increased the number of general roll electorates where it is the largest party from 4 to 15 (this year, like 2014, Labour easily swept the 7 Maori seats). Pleasingly it looks as if it Labour will not come worse than second in any seat, which it did in 5 electorates last time round (Auck Central, BoP, Helensville, Tauranga and Well Central).
Specials may see another another 6 electorates switch blue to red (current Nat to Lab margin):Wigram (117), Palmerston North (337), Te Atatu (389), Mt Roskill (611), New Lynn (702), Auck Central (739).
In terms of reducing the margin between Labour and National, Labour did best in these electorates (decrease in margin National to Labour):
Port Hills (8,355)
Nelson (7,834)
Epsom (7,519)
New Plymouth (7,248)
North Shore (7,001)
Ilam (6,866)
Well Central (6,864)
D South (6,405)
Chch Central (6,327)
National lost ground to Labour in all seats bar 3, Mangere, Manakau East and Manurewa. As of the preliminary count, the National vote in these seats is still lower than that 2014, its just that the Labour vote in these electorates is markedly down on 2014. In terms of what sort of trend can be gleaned from this, Labour also did not do as well in closing its margin to National/or increasing its margin over National in these general roll seats (improvement in margin): New Lynn (349), Kelston (533), Mt Roskill (1,578), Te Atatu (1,622), Botany (2,160). These eight seats are all in Auckland, they contain the 4 electorates where Labour was the largest party by party vote in 2014. It may be a case of diminishing returns. It could just be, given the relative small size of Auckland electorates, that more people voted outside of their electorates, and specials will change this.
Is someone here going to do a review of the Greens electoral performance?
Aren’t you an author?
Would be great if Winston and Jacinda could work as co-leaders.
Winston is a statesman and Jacinda is the energy. James could be deputy. Then we would have the “change team” so badly sought and needed in NZ. And , thank you and sorry to Gareth. The average public can be slow learners as their free time to consider new ideas is very limited in this day and age. Be patient.
Winston doesn’t have the personal skills to be a co-leader and would be an appalling PM. He’s a grouchy, self-centered misogynist.
Also with the demise of the Maori party the interests of maori would be represented more in the “Change Party”
I don’t think Winston will will go with any of them, he will offer National confidence and supply only. I think that’s the best we can hope for as there isn’t a snow balls chance in hell he would go with the greens. And if he went with Labour his ex National supporters would punish him next time.
Interesting idea….
Not go with the Greens – being repeated endlessly – remember Winston does surprises, he moves with the times up to a point and he is pragmatic – look how long he has been in parliament
You’d be wrong there. There’s more overlap between NZ1st and Greens policies than there are between National and NZ1st.
True but he’d (well, NZ1st would) still get in. The other way he wouldn’t.
If Winnie gives only confident and supply does this mean that the Government would be without sufficient numbers and would not be able to pass any laws for the next 3 years. This might be the only hope we have, to keep them crippled and powerless.
What staggered me is the huge margins which the Nat electorates won by – are there no conservative critial thinkers in this country – are they all just robotic fluffy brains.
I can see the suicide stats will soar in the next 3 years – what a tragic and shameful legacy the Nats are going to leave for the history books.
What has Brexit got to teach us, (and how alike is our situation to that of Greece? Don’t believe what we are told, read about our and their financial situation).
https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2017/09/10/for-europes-sake-britain-must-not-be-defeated-op-ed-in-the-sunday-times-1092017/
Ever since Theresa May embarked on her ill-conceived journey towards an ill-defined hard Brexit, I have been warning my friends in Britain of what lies ahead. The EU would not negotiate with London, I told them. Under the guise of negotiations it would force May and her team to expend all their energies negotiating for the right to . . . negotiate.
Meanwhile, its media cheerleaders would work feverishly towards demeaning London’s proposals, denigrating its negotiators and reversing the truth in ways that Joseph Goebbels would have been proud of…
Right on cue came the leaks that followed the dinner that the prime minister hosted for Jean-Claude Juncker in 10 Downing Street on April 26 — their explicit purpose being to belittle their host. Then came the editorials by the usual suspects — the journalists that Brussels uses to leak its propaganda — deploring the “lack of preparation” by the British — using Berlin’s and Brussels’s favourite put-down that “they have not done their homework”.
As I promised on the day I resigned from Greece’s finance ministry, after my prime minister’s capitulation to that same Brussels-Berlin cabal, I wear their loathing with pride.
But I worry that Brussels and Berlin may succeed in damaging Britain, as they previously succeeded in damaging my people.
Yanis Varoufakis – In January 2015, Varoufakis was appointed as the Minister of Finance, and led negotiation with Greece’s creditors during the Greek government-debt crisis. However, he failed to reach an agreement with creditors, leading to the 2015 Greek bailout referendum.
The day following the referendum, on 6 July 2015, Varoufakis resigned as Minister of Finance and was replaced by Euclid Tsakalotos. On 24 August, Varoufakis voted against the third bailout package, and in the ensuing September snap election, did not stand for re-election. Varoufakis has since appeared in numerous debates, lectures, and interviews. In February 2016, he launched the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25), and subsequently backed a Remain vote in the UK’s European Union membership referendum 2016.
On 2 April 2016, in reaction to tension between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the IMF, Varoufakis said there was underway “an attrition war between a reasonably numerate villain (the IMF) and a chronic procrastinator (Berlin)” as to Greek debt relief.
In April 2016, Varoufakis publicly supported the idea of a basic income.[40]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yanis_Varoufakis
On Varoufakis’ book Adults in the Room: My Battle with Europe’s Deep Establishment
3 May 2017 https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/03/yanis-varoufakis-greece-greatest-political-memoir
Yanis Varoufakis: Is Capitalism Compatible With Democracy? : NPR
http://www.npr.org/2016/11/04/500126088/is-capitalism-compatible-with-democracy
Nov 4, 2016 – Yanis Varoufakis proposes a provocative idea: democracy is not compatible with capitalism. He argues … Related TED Link: Yanis Varoufakis’s TED Bio.
I wonder if Winston will be starting to think about what sort of legacy he will leave behind? self serving, or hero of the people?
Hero of the people hopefully.
Aye to that
Spain ups the ante.
The Spanish authorities have moved to place all policing in Catalonia under central control to stop the disputed independence referendum on 1 October.
Col Diego Pérez de los Cobos has been put in charge of Catalan and central police forces in the autonomous region.
The order was justified as a way to achieve better co-ordination. But the Catalan authorities rejected it, saying it was an unacceptable interference.
Thousands of extra police are being sent to the region to block the vote.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41373977
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2017/09/this-is-how-civil-wars-start.html
Heather du Plessis-Allan admires liars.
we need a better media.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11925611
Ed, we need a better media. Have you only just found that out ?
No, Du Plessis-Allan has just Googled “dead cats”.
So now election night has passed it’s time for media to stop speculating on outcomes, instead, they could do some investigative journalism on a number of important matters that need addressing.
Cause let’s face it, media following around Winnie and the other leaders asking who they are going with is just gossip chasing.
PS Congratulations to the opposition parties of NZ, looking forward to the results of the specials. MMP 😀
This is something that needs to be investigated.
Has the National Party become a puppet of the Chinese government?
‘According to Brady, New Zealand underestimates its importance to China, mistakenly thinking it’s just a small player at the bottom of the world.
“First, the New Zealand government is responsible for the defence and foreign affairs of three other territories in the South Pacific: Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau — which potentially means four votes for China at international organisations. New Zealand is a claimant state in Antarctica and one of the closest access points there; China has a long-term strategic agenda in Antarctica that will require the cooperation of established Antarctic states such as New Zealand. New Zealand has cheap arable land and a sparse population and China is seeking to access foreign arable land to improve its food safety. New Zealand now supplies 24 percent of China’s foreign milk, and China is the biggest foreign investor in New Zealand’s dairy sector”.’
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2017/09/18/48616/expert-calls-for-inquiry-into-chinese-threat
x 100%
Labour will only win the argument when it gains some courage, like it is in the UK…..
Taking on big business.
‘Labour has accused big business leaders of “siphoning away” taxpayers’ money into their own pockets, leaving young British people without the future prospects they deserve.’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-conference-jeremy-corbyn-barry-gardiner-business-siphoning-piles-of-cash-a7963841.html
A lot of us have been saying that for years now and all we’ve seen is Labour continuously kowtowing to business.
Well that was fun my son and I just changed cv joint in my his truck and I missed the fight I heard Joseph won big upps to him and hjs team I will watch the fight now It has been great reading all your post and I have learned a lot from my fellow bloggers I hope Winston will team up with Labour and the Greens all the best to everyone on thestandard.
One of my devices doesn’t have the Reply tab on it I’m worndering what’s up be cause I will be going to where there is only cell ph coverage !!!!!!!!!!
If our brothers and sisters in the USA can start to organised together. Don’t you think we should. It is not enough to think politicians can actually change anything without external pressure from the outside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy01SAjTtjM&ab_channel=TeleSUREnglish
To right adam we have to keep them honest I will still Be posting on the standard for a while It helps me keep my stress levels down especially when I see the Kiwi wit in Its Truest form on this site,
The latest sharp cut in the NZ environmental body –
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife/audio/201859578/tackling-red-needle-cast
We need a sort of Blip’s list of the new exotic diseases and plants that continue to destroy our natural resource of being an island. Biosecurity can never stop this by being properly peopled and being thorough, they can only try and do their best.
This flood of tourists are going to spread every known disease on the planet here and those companies will have to pay into a remedial fund.
Teaching excellence in the hard poverty area of one person in the Ted Talk on Radionz. ‘The majority of my students don’t feel loved. That’s why the Principal says that if nobody loves you today, I tell you I do to the kids. That and a system of acceptable behaviour that is non-negotiable has resulted in her being respected – and loved. Listen to:
Linda Cliatt-Wayman: What Can We Do To Empower Students Living In Poverty?
My slogan, what we need today is – kindness and practicality.
Radio New Zealand
about 1 hour ago
Rethinking School – 24 September
From TED Radio Hour, about 1 hour ago
For most of modern history, humans have placed smaller humans in institutions called schools. But what parts of this model still work? And what must change? This hour, TED speakers rethink education.
Tyler DeWitt: How Do We Get Kids Hooked On Science?
Andreas Schleicher: What Are The Keys To A Successful Education System?
Sal Khan: Can Technology Help Create A Global Classroom?
Linda Cliatt-Wayman: What Can We Do To Empower Students Living In Poverty?
A good idea that ed biz can try. Get your students to do their classwork on the internet, the educator found that youtube was good. When they come to school the teacher can tutor them, answer their questions, give them one on one when needed. The youngsters seem to learn better out of the noise and stress of the classroom, and come to school with the thinking done and questions ready about problems. That came from Can technology help,,,,,
My gravatar has gone weird. It’s kind of doing a “kilroy was here” with just the top little bit of it peeking out over a blank space instead of a full square. Does it look like that on other people’s machines? Everyone else’s gravatar is displaying normally on my machine.
NZ Passport recipient, the billionaire Peter Thiel, of Facebook’s board, was an advisor to the Trump campaign, and Facebook’s collusion with Russian funders of fake news advertisements is now front and center in the Trump Russia story.
Well Isn’t he one of keys bills M8 there a lot of questions to be asked on that subject we have had OUR ELECTION HACKED BUY HUME well we no from history that they have been doing that for years and than cry when someone returns the favor. We don’t need foreigners interfering in OUR ELECTION they are only have there interest which is money we need to look after OUR people.
Good fight Joseph I’VE got some good advice for your camp but I will not put it out there as everyone else’s would no and that’s not wise.
I’ve been trying to give up smoking for a few years now The longest I stopped was 2 weeks and that was because our fishing trip took 3 weeks longer and we ran out it’s had to kick that habbet I see some one else has Given up big upps to Winston for kicking the habbit .I wonder if the there going to step up the intimated today!!!!!😊😊😊😊😊😊