A strange seeming ‘flip-flop’ from Shane Jones who as early as Friday was reported as saying that He didn’t see Himself as Leader of the Party,
Having entered the Parliament with big wraps based around His Oxford University education Jones hasn’t impressed and His time on the front Bench under David Shearer made Him conspicuous only by His deafening silence,
Could He match it in the House with Slippery the Prime Minister, my opinion would say No and Slippery would simply make Him a laughing stock by ruthlessly exploiting Jone’s ‘baggage’,
In a contest where everyone could be said to have ‘a chance’ i would be so rude as to give Shane Jones none…
agreed, that’s what I thought he said too. Is this his way of projecting that HE doesn’t see himself as leader but others do so he is being a good team player????
He’s there to take votes off Cunliffe, thereby increasing Robertson’s chances. Don’t think it will work, but shows there is still an anti-Cunliffe mindset with the ABCer’s who are not yet ready to let that go.
This is something I would like to know: will the numbers of votes from the caucus, unions and members be made public? It would be quite outrageous if, say, two thirds of the members were overridden by two thirds of the caucus and just over half of the union vote. This would deepen divisions rather than heal them. At the same time, refusing to publish the results would breed mistrust. There are supposed to be 10 days of public meetings, and a caucus genuinely seeking unity would pay close attention to the members’ responses at those meetings.
It may however prove divisive at a time when unity is desired, and lend evidence to claims that Labour politicians are out of touch with their members.
It’s a STV situation where people vote for their first and second preference. If people vote first-preference for Shane and he comes 3rd in the race, his votes are distributed to the 2nd preference nominated by his voters. So ultimately it doesn’t change the race.
Lanth, you will have to have patience to explain that to the myriad of commenters who see Jone’s in the election only as part of the dark plotting of the ABCer’s…
He made a good point, that the labour party lost a huge chunk of its vote, and having a much more pro-active leadership – like him – would attract back those voters. As a green voter I agree, labour would do better, but under Shearer-Robertson the Labour party has been a wet fish. So the question is, whose to be Cunliffe’s deputy?
And fairly bland, poli-speak, cliched performances from both Jones and Robertson on Firstline this morning.
God spare us! Still – I’ve already decided to put my vote elsewhere, so the outcome of the contest is really a question of whether or not Labour will get either a party or electorate vote back (bearing in mind I’m in Robertson’s electorate).
Is it just me or is Shane Jones a bit of a misogynist? Doesn’t he mistake careless put-downs for plain speech? Didn’t I hear him refer to women as geldings during the “manban” fuss? And last November didn’t he compare Cunliffe’s expulsion to the backbenches to getting rid of a maggot or termite eating away at the wood of the meeting house? I was indignant at the time because he had achieved nothing in politics while Cunliffe …
I’m off to the Greens forever if Cunliffe doesn’t win this contest. Robertson is great but not ready. Oh dear.
Jones the boofhead. What the fuck is he doing throwing his hat in the ring? It is clearly a manoeuvre, which surely all those entitled to vote in this process will recognise in a flash. I predict the slug will declare well before the vote.
Just listened to RadioNZ National interview a ‘Professor’ of politics for some strange reason, Her claim is that Labour even if the Party changes Leaders cannot win the 2014 election,
i have to wonder where ‘they’ find these people as i found this particular Prof’s analysis to be that of a simpleton and it seems tragic that University’s have such people in front of New Zealand kids supposedly giving them a decent education,
Her analysis, and good on RadioNZ for pointing this out to Her, was totally flawed in that Her belief is that Labour have to claw support off either National or the Green Party to ‘win’ the next election,
The fact that there are some 800,000 registered voters out there who last election did not cast a vote seemed to have escaped the ‘Prof’ and the new Labour leader need only engage 1-3% of these non-voters to topple the present government…
I heard part of it live and there was no reference to the connection. However since that time she appeared on Q&A in her role as a political scientist. She was biased in her musings and haven’t seen her on the programme for a couple of years.
Massey University
Dr Claire Robinson heads the Institute of Communication Design in Massey University’s College of Creative Arts. Claire has a PhD in politics and is an occasional media commentator on New Zealand politics. Her area of research expertise is in political advertising, political marketing, leadership image and election campaigns. Prior to her academic career she spent time as a New Zealand foreign service officer and as a Private Secretary for the Minister of
Women’s Affairs (the Rt Hon Jenny Shipley). Claire is also a graphic designer and paints on canvas in her spare time. Claire has two children.
Watever she is Robinson’s certainly capable of sharp arrogance when challenged.
I recall emailing her within the last couple of years about some idiotically facile piece of National Party apologism she was up to on Q + A I think. I guess I wasn’t exactly gushing in my email but her response – ” Get fucked ! ” – completely trumped my vigour.
Massey Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey agreed with my subsequent email to him in which I suggested it was inappropriate for such rubbish-girl talk to come from the mouth of a publicly paid “associate” professor as she then was.
It might be “enough said” fo you but fairness, and accuracy would require that you point out that her job for Shipley was in a public servant role, and had NO political connotations.
On the other hand I was not impressed at all with her analysis and her making fairly sweeping conclusions on a sample of 5 elections. Of those five 2 (1999 and 2008) were where we had tired out governments and 2 (2002 and 2011) were ones where the opposition party didn’t seem to even realise that continuing with the same old policies and faces wasn’t going to hack it.
Interestingly in 84, labour won mainly because Jones’s party took a large % of the vote from the nats as I recall.
I wonder if the outlier in this is the Craig party.
Although they would take votes from act and nats BUT provide an collation partner for Nats- not an option in 84.
It highlights that the winning candidate should be developing a campaign that is the first step in next year’s election campaign. Robertson & Jones are more focused on just winning the leadership: Short termism.
Hopefully Team Cunliffe is taking time working out their (2014) election strategy.
@karol
When it comes to having a team, can Cunliffe have a preference for a Deputy which he then discusses with caucus, can he have a short-list of his own, or is it up to the caucus only? It would seem that having someone he could work with and rely on would be the best partnership for the top two.
Her argument does seem a bit weak! The polls don’t show any clear winner at the moment and the interest that a Labour leadership challenge is generating will likely counter out any negative views about Shearer resigning. As a side note, the non vote at the last election had nothing to do with Shearer.
I don’t agree that the non voter will miraculously come back to Labour just because of a change in leader. Poverty and hardship are the main reasons people don’t vote, both of which have increased markedly under a National government. Many people simply don’t have the time or resources to be engaged in politics anymore.
The other issue here is that Labour appears to be divided. It will take time for Labour to show that it is unified and ready to govern. It will also take a considerable effort to convince many that Labour can work constructively with the Greens and NZ First. Whether 15 months is enough time is yet to be seen.
So at the moment I’m picking another three years of National, as per the usual cycle.
I’m talking about the right vs left polling phillip ure, which is too close to call. I think there’s little doubt that David Cunliffe would win the Labour leadership race. Has he announced he’s standing yet?
There is of course enough time for Labour to get its act together, but whether that time is used constructively is yet to be seen.
If Labour can show that it’s united behind their new leader, they convey their policy well to the public (especially non voters) and are able to develop enough interest is yet to be seen. A biased media is still their biggest hurdle in many ways. Until they do all those things, then it’s likely National will have another term in power.
National have always had three terms except for the second National government, which had four.
“Poverty and hardship are the main reasons people don’t vote”
Must have been the rich who voted the first Labour government in. Maybe because they didn’t like to see the poverty and hardship of the depression inflicted on their fellow Kiwis?
“I don’t agree that the non voter will miraculously come back to Labour just because of a change in leader.”
Who has said that they will? Most people I’ve seen are saying that Labour will need to make specific efforts to engage the non-voters. Implication is that that wasn’t going to happen under Shearer or the ABCs.
Her argument as I remember it was that no party has ever come from a position behind this far out from an election as Labour is now.
My immediate reaction is to think of the Roy Morgan poll which gives Labour/Greens a majority at the moment.
The only question for me is whether the two will actually agree to a coalition in 2014, rather than the Greens go with National who I expect will be still the largest party then. Conventional wisdom seems to indicate that Labour/Greens is far more likely, if they command a majority or can find a majority between them.
Though there is still just a little bit of work to be done ‘twixt then and now. First, the Labour leadership ( I will enjoy my vote) and then into electioneering mode. Ah, the smell and sound of the guns are calling…………
Anyone supporting Jones wants a Tory government. He should be expelled. Even he must realise he’s damaged goods. Where the hell do these people get their egos from?
I heard that James Caygill, son of David, is thinking of standing in Christchurch seat. Would Labour accept the son or daughter of an axe murderer? A little discernment of past connections and what the name reflects is needed here, even if he is a rabid social democrat, which is unlikely. (I have commented before on the large amount of men’s names that come from the bible. Do they come from wealthier families where the names seems to provide gravitas, probity and conformity with values – so good for conveying confidence in tv endorsements?)
Talking about David Cunliffe with family, he hasn’t made a real impression yet. If he gets the Leader position and decides on the policies to push and has the methods and cost and outcomes worked out, he can then stress these strongly and who and how they will help all NZs and also employment. Those would be winning words.
Also promise tighter controls with caps and detailed scrutiny on government expenditure going on each IT project. What a bloody way to throw money down the gurgler. The extent of mismanagement and feckless spending in some notable cases seems to indicate corruption or at the least extreme incompetence, resulting from the Peter Principle. And generally sizing up our present situation with IT, the results show corruption of the theories and scenarios fed to us about how helpful and useful an aid this technology would be.
In the interests of site performance, I’ve dropped the feed thumbnails until I look at why it is slowing the site down so much. I may turn off the feed entirely again later if it still causes issues.
Don’t know if it’s related but I was running the ghostery plug in on fire fox and noticed my quad core was running at 30-40% at idle.
Disabled it and problem solved
I tracked it down to the bit of code that was causing the server side problem. The plugin is caching the images held for the various feeds at the server – good. However it is not caching the thumbnails that it is producing at 48×48 – bad. Furthermore because of how the images were being called, it was also bypassing the caching on both the APC memory cache and the CDN – *very bad*.
Consequently whenever the anyone viewed the page, all of the images on the Feed were being reduced and clipped down to 48x48px images. A horrendously expensive and completely unnecessary operation that sucked server CPU when you are doing a hundred or so of them for every page view.
The front page does exactly the same thing for its thumbnails. However they are prebuilt and stored in the media library. So they don’t cause the same problems.
Ok that worked really really well. Here is the main web server CPU averages over 15 minute periods over the last two weeks. Date/times are in UTC, so they’re about 12 hours behind.
I’d already been concerned earlier in the week with the GCSB debates with the average CPU. Prior to the last two weeks it seldom went over 50% on this system.
You can see the rapid increase on the afternoon of the 22nd with the shearer announcement (spiked on teh announcement followed by the site getting overwhelmed) and that continued throughout friday despite beefing up the caching and putting in refresh rationing.
On Friday night (well Saturday morning) I kicked in another server which helped a bit on saturday and sunday. But it was max 50% capacity of the main server. It was pretty clear I hadn’t figured out the actual problem.
This morning I looked at the colossal rise. The debugging code I put in allowed me to pin it down to the RSS Feed, so I turned off the most recent update to that – the images. The CPU dropped away and despite having a lot more traffic than we had on friday, the server started acting well. Cut the second server out after midday, and dropped the cache time down (the spike is mostly due to the cache reloading). Still handled the Cunliffe announcement without problems.
It was a hot day – not a desperate one. Damn good thing as I was pulling off RC1 for the next release at work and didn’t have time to baby anything.
Its got all the signs of being a false flag. Launching a chem attack on civilians a day or two after UN inspectors arrive in the country? When the inspectors were staying just a few km’s away?
Assad knows that chem weapon use is the perfect reason for NATO to go postal on him, and such an action is the last thing he would want to provoke.
There is little doubt that a chemical weapon attack has taken place. The Syrian government is blaming terrorists. They have however allowed the UN inspectors into the area where approximately 300 people have died from the attack. This is not the first attack where chemical weapons are likely to have been used on Syrian civilians and rebel forces.
The UN chemical weapons inspectors have been in Syria since at least May 2013. The Syrian government had previously tried to keep them out of the country.
You’re assuming that Assad has control of what his forces do and that they respect NATO enough to not initiate war? I can assure you that they have very little respect for foreign forces and there is very little strategy to this war…there is really only hatred.
It is more likely that Syrian government forces have used the chemical weapons and less likely that those fighting against the regime have used the weapons on their own forces to initiate NATO’s involvement. It is very unlikely that western forces have used chemical weapons against civilians in a false flag event as an excuse to go to war.
Unlike Iraq, there is very little for the US to gain. The humanitarian reason hasn’t been enough so far to initiate NATO joining the war. If there is proof that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons, then NATO would be fighting the Syrian regime alongside al-Qaeda operatives who have come over the boarder from Iraq. The Al Nusra Front or Al-Qaeda affiliated Syrian Rebels have vowed revenge for the chemical attack.
In this case, the age old saying ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ doesn’t apply. That’s why the Syrian atrocities have been allowed to continue without proper intervention for so long.
It is very unlikely that western forces have used chemical weapons against civilians in a false flag event as an excuse to go to war.
it is a mere coincidence that the insurgents from Jordan who had been undertaking chemical weapons training with UK/US asymmetric instructors, entered the area 4 days prior along with the simultaneous bombings of mosques in the Lebanon.
Not a very reputable source Poission. The article states the U.S. training to Syrian rebels was in anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons…nothing about chemical weapons training.
These soldiers have been getting trained since at least 2012. They have not been deployed into the area just before the chemical weapon attack occurred. Your long bow appears to have snapped!
you are so quick to jump to judgement there jackal..and are peddling american empire spin..
..some facts for you..
..those attacked were in damascus..(ie..under the control of assads’ troops..)
..the assad regime..had asked for the un inspectors to come back into syria..in an attempt to clear the previous allegations against them..
..and they actually arrived in the country the day before this attack..
..so to accept your yapping along with the views of the dogs of war..
..we have to believe the assad regime launched a chemical-weapons-attack..on their own people/supporters..
..the day after un inpectors..there at the request of the assad regimeto clear their name of previous allegations..arrived in the country to investigate..
Actually, the chemical weapon attack happened in Eastern Ghouta. That’s an area with strong opposition leanings, and is a major supply route to the front lines in the fighting in east Damascus.
I don’t see any Syrian regime soldiers amongst those wounded or dying?
There are war atrocities occurring phillip ure. Negotiations have completely failed. How do you propose to stop those atrocities against civilians from occurring if NATO isn’t to intervene?
Is that just a slip of the tongue there P’s b? Don’t include New Zealand or me or those around me in that “west” thanks. That “west” are a bunch of war-mongering murderers just like ghengis khan, the british empire, hitler’s attempts, te rauparaha, or any other prick intent on expansion or grabbing what belongs to someone else. i.e. pretty much every arsehole human who has ever lived.
When you talk of the US or the UK or the French, that is them, it is not “us”.
Why on earth would “we” consider doing god knows what in Syria?
Why would you express that thought in that way?
What on earth was going through your mind when you tapped that?
Why didn’t “we” do something to stop the atrocity that was Iraq? Or Afghanistan?
When the western govts intervene via nato or something else, as far as I’\m concerned that’s ‘western intervention’. I might not approve, you might not. But it’s still the west.
It’s not wrong to say ‘the US’ invaded Iraq because Michael Moore opposed it.
But if an argument is being made that NATO, or whoever, should intervene, but we shouldn’t, then that’s just cowardice.
Why the fuck should anyonebe advocating that some other buggers should fix something?
Personally, I think Syria is a clusterfuck. But that doesn’t change
a) what’s happening,
b) what people in the west reckon when it hits there teevee screens, or
c) the pressure that puts on our governments.
Here’s a brief rundown of some of the complications:
What I’m saying is, before we ‘do something’ we should have a clear idea of what we want to achieve, what that would take, and think about whether or not we’re prepared to do that.
I reckon the answer to that final question is “no”. So we shouldn’t do anything because we won’t be able to do anything good.
I see what you’re trying to say, sort of… but this doesn’t necessarily follow at all “But if an argument is being made that NATO, or whoever, should intervene, but we shouldn’t, then that’s just cowardice. ”
Why would that follow?
Other countries take full advantage of their advantages, be they geographical or military or something else, and so should we. We live right at the end of the world ffs, not in the middle east. We can afford to stay well out of pretty much everything and so we should. There is also far smaller case to be made for ‘standing next to your mates’ than is nearly always made out.
Ffs, the British were going to abandon us to the Japs in WWII. The same pommy bastards also failed to stand by us following our most recent terrorist attack by the French government in the centre of bloody Auckland. And then they had the further gall to harangue us over not standing next to them over the Salman Rusdie death threats.
Friends like that we do not need.
Are there any factual acts by the poms (for example) to counter those fact acts which point to them never standing next to us in the same way? I would like to hear them if they exist….
Yeah well, it’s opinion. But I reckon that if someone is making a moral argument that someone has to send their youth off to to die in a meat grinder to prevent something from happening, then it follows that they should support sending their own youth.
Can’t see how you can get form ‘x is bad and must be stopped’, to ‘so therefore those guys should sacrifice to stop it but not me’.
“if someone is making a moral argument that someone has to send their youth off to to die in a meat grinder to prevent something from happening, then it follows that they should support sending their own youth”
True completely, perhaps we were talking across each others bows.
But, curiousity, you seem to have a pretty good grasp of things international – what do you think of the point just above regarding the poms treatment of us relative to our treatment of them since, well, probably Gallipoli if not before… or since forever actually…
A couple of recent posts highlighted the fact that what is here in NZ from England is the Crown, nothing else. And the Crown is its own entity separate from the british people and certainly entirely separate from us people here. So much so that ‘our’ armed forces are not ours at all and belong to the crown and serve to look after that crown first and foremost (this has been demonstrated too as I understand it – during the Fiji coup where ‘directions’ from lange were ignored because they had not come from the crown (i.e. G-G)).
..and are you seriously telling me..that from your keyboard wherever..you are able to discern fact from spin..
Which is essentially what you’re also doing phillip ure.
The initial retarded argument was that because Bush lied about WMD’s, that automatically makes the reports about the Syrian regime killing Syrian’s with chemical weapons lies as well.
You might note that Germany was also under the control of the Nazi’s when they committed similar atrocities against Polish, Romany and Jewish people in Germany. The area of control has very little significance compared to the people in it.
Your argument is that the Syrian regime categorically hasn’t used chemical weapons on civilians in Eastern Ghouta. Mine is that they likely have, mainly because the rebels wouldn’t kill their own families.
I’ve seen no evidence that western operatives or those they’ve trained have killed hundreds of innocent civilians in Syria with chemical weapons just to initiate a war. You have nothing to base such an argument on apart from historic references to western agent provocateurs.
Let’s wait and see what the UN inspectors have to say eh!
“The initial retarded argument was that because Bush lied about WMD’s, that automatically makes the reports about the Syrian regime killing Syrian’s with chemical weapons lies as well.”
It was no such argument at all actually mr jackal, if you had read carefully…. it was a question, around an organisations credibility when its credibility has proved to be non-existent in the past. Like anything John Key says. kapiche?
And I just love the way that folk seemingly in touch with the details of who what where in some far flung war torn land equate that ‘knowledge’ with some superior understanding of the human condition and its history (rolly eyes thingy..)
The US and the west in general has zero appetite for getting involved. Countries act in their percieved best interest right? So what interest is there in getting dragged into that clusterfuck? What would they be hoping to achieve, and how could they eventually get the outcome they would want?
The US simply can’t afford to deploy the forces necessary to control the outcome, particulalrly given that the war isn’t contained within Syria.
Far more likely is that Assad recognises that NATO isn’t going to do anything more than fire a few missiles (which in the context of a civil war isn’t all that scary) and has decided to use chems for about the only thing they are good for; Scaring the shit out his opponents’ civilian base.
The US and the west in general has zero appetite for getting involved. Countries act in their percieved best interest right? So what interest is there in getting dragged into that clusterfuck?
Any discussion on Western motives and interests in the ME needs to include two words: Israel, and Iran.
and has decided to use chems for about the only thing they are good for; Scaring the shit out his opponents’ civilian base.
Assad has been making good military gains using plain old conventional means. Going to unconventional warfare is neither helpful nor necessary to his cause.
This of course is speculation and doesn’t mean that he didn’t do it, or that out of control elements in his military didn’t do it.
“Assad has been making good military gains using plain old conventional means. ”
In some areas, and losing ground in other areas. But the insurgency is still raging. The idea that either side is on the ascendency is pretty weak. Using chems sends a signal that no one is coming to help his opponents and that he can do what he wants.
The US approved the shipment of heavy arms to the rebels a couple of months ago and has also been moving carrier groups into the area. Israel has also launched several airstrikes against Assad facilities. I think those are pretty clear signs of help for Assad’s opponents.
But a) that’s vastly different from wanting to be involved in a shooting war, and b) they did so after umming and ahing for over a year, and c) Israel’s actions are not aimed at ‘helping the rebels’ but at detering Assad from trying to use attacks on Israel to bloster support.
And carrier groups are used for airstrikes, which are coming and will achieve 2/5 of fuck all in Syria, but will stop western calls to ‘do something’.
Read the KB post and comments on this ‘expose’ last night when TS was down – and still cannot decide whether I am gobsmacked – or really just don’t care.
Still, it will be interesting to see what Key has to say – and the general public – when it goes mainstream news here!
Comment from Facebook says it better than the Daily Mail ever could:
“Must have a publicist, this is derivative crap that has been done better so many times before, fucking rich kids “look at me” moment, will get art pimp soon”
Yes, the Paris College of Art is totally risking its reputation by promoting at Paris Design Week a student whose work is terrible just because her daddy is the premier of a country they don’t give a fuck about.
That is a completely plausible situation. The idea that tastes in art may vary is blasphemy.
That’s a bit simplistic, the wealthy and powerful always pass some of that on to their children no matter how old or what gender. They carry the mantle and only with a violent effort can they throw it off.
hmmmmm. i didn’t think the picture was at all erotic in any sense at all …more clumsy and cartoonish so it never occurred to me. i thought it was a kind of pun about the only time he needed to use his panic room … maybe I’m wrong.
If Cunliffe wanted to play the long devious game he could
not enter race stating he wants to help unify the party
say he supports Robertson
solidifies his reputation with the public at large by churning out reasonable press releases, interviews, backing Robertson etc etc
Because Labour under Robertson would lose the next election he could then (regretfully and with great humility of course) step up and accept the leadership of the Labour party and almost guarantee being the PM of NZ in 2017
Whereas even if he becomes leader of Labour its not that certain Labour will win the next election…
Granted Labour has a better chance under Cunliffe than Robertson but might be a better option for Cunliffe to play healer rather than leader
I have been getting my comments wiped when I have made a reply. Error… I hadn’t put my details – but I had. And usually I don’t need to as I am greeted with them in the identity window. This is a new comment and I have the identity window with my details showing. So does making a reply more likely to result in rejection?
I just mention it in case anybody has had difficulty. Off to do the chores anyway. Perhaps the system provides a comment lock to stop over-use sort of like a diet control on the refrigerator!!
Anyway CV what I was trying to do was thank you for a very clear explanation on the direction from which Labour has moved and the change that has resulted. (Would interest everyone on here –
see 26/8/13 Robertson throws his hat in ring Colonial Viper …
26 Aug 2013 at1:26am
(He has really been burning the after-midnight oil.)
I picked up a book at random – Death of a Cad MC Beaton. And came on this piece which seems to echo CV’s comments on the liberal elite and their broken connection with the working class. The playwright Henry Withering…was beloved by the Communists, Trotskyites, Marxists, and Liberals. To them, he was what they wanted most, a genuine ex-Eton schoolboy, son of a landed family who had opted to join the class war.
Yesterday’s public meeting in Johnsonville, “No more Dunne deals”, hosted by Ohariu People Power went really well. There was a reasonable turnout and the speakers were fantastic. They covered four aspects of Dunne’s influential voting on bills that have passed and bills yet to be passed.
Adi Leason, one of the Ploughshares 3 that brought down the Waihopai spy domes spoke about the GCSB, and his personal experience of that day, the trial and other events. What a privilege to hear this humble and easy going man speak. I’ve always admired and respected what they did.
Helen Kelly spoke about the current employment law changes. One thing that stood out to me was the way in which Helen explained how the govt has manipulated the narrative around the worker – boss relationship, how they have used this time of unemployment and job insecurity as leverage against the worker and created a feeling that the worker should be grateful for work, no matter how appalling the conditions or pay. “you’ll accept what you’re given and be grateful” sort of thing. She spoke of the narrative that the employer is seen as being a charity provider and how this power imbalance creates a climate in which such draconian law can be past with greater ease. (my understanding of Helen’s words, not an actual quote)
Ian (didn’t catch his last name) from the Salvation Army spoke of the SkyCity deal and how this will affect their most vulnerable clients who are gambling addicts and talked of the rise of cases of gambling addiction in NZ over the years and gambling’s link with poverty and family break down.
John Maynard, president of the Postal Worker’s Union and one of the organisers of O.P.P spoke of the TPPA and gave some back ground about their work around asset sales opposition.
It look s like there will be a follow up meeting in two weeks to discuss idea’s around further activity. Being fairly new to this electorate I left feeling more hopeful, and uplifted. There was a sense of that positive constructive anger arising from the audience, that you sometimes feel at meetings such as this.
If you missed this meeting and you live in this electorate and would like to get involved check out this:
No worries karol. There was a lot more to the meeting but unfortunately I forgot my notebook and only had the back of a tiny shopping list to scrawl notes on. Thanks to authors/mods of the Standard for allowing me to discuss it…..another blog never replied to my request to post the meeting info…….
Also, big ups to all those busy people around the country quietly going about their activist work and political/social activities in general. I wonder how much work goes under the radar. Am starting to reconsider my facebook ban as I think there is info there that I’m missing out on.
I find facebook useful. Provided you remember that it is a completely public forum beloved by (amongst others) jonolists and creeps like Whaleoil and Judith Collins you won’t have a problem. I also find it useful for bringing certain people’s blood pressure to the explosive level with some barbed comments that someone will forward to the recipient…
“I also find it useful for bringing certain people’s blood pressure to the explosive level with some barbed comments that someone will forward to the recipient…”
Chuckle:-)
I do recall you mentioning the usefulness of facebook to another commenter a while ago who was wanting to find sources of info and news. Hmm. Might have to consider getting over my hang ups with fb, part of which is creepy lurkers such as you mention.
i don’t live in the electorate but did think of coming over for that meeting, my suggestion, if you have access to a photocopier and paper, start a guerilla campaign of letterbox anti-Dunne leafleting,
You don’t necessarily have to ‘do’ the whole of the electorate in the one hit, so a few packets of copy paper will go a long way until you can access your next supply….
Thats a good idea bad12. I wonder to what degree the residents of the electorate know or care about the list of Dunne’s ill’s. If not they need educating via leaflet drops, maybe posters, and by other means, what ever they may be. He still continues to be talked up in the local free papers, so there needs to a be counter to that.
It’s a large and relatively conservative electorate it seems, with a mix of wealth and genuine poverty. (just in my neighbourhood theres a sharp contrast between wealth and poverty, but entire suburbs seem to have either an affluent, average of poor vibe going on) Hope to learn more from the more long term residents of the area at the next meeting.
Rosie, talking of Dunne’s electorate i just got back from a little mission out Johnsonville way, to your question whether the average head in the Ohariu electorate cares i am ever the optimist,
At one time Ohariu was said to be the most monied and most degreed electorate in New Zealand, whether this still holds true isn’t a matter i have put much research into, but as you probably know Ohariu could be said to be one of the crucial electorates along with Epsom for National at the 2014 election,
The beauty of an anti-Dunne campaign in Ohariu is that while crucial that seat does not need to elect a Labour representative in order to topple this National Government, a National representative being elected in Ohariu could well spell the death of the present National Government,
i have been there befor, in the Ohariu electorate with a nasty little piece of politicing after the 1991 National benefit cuts, with a crew of 6 we managed to leaflet most of the electorate with what could be best described as an extremely nasty piece of anti-National Party propoganda, in a single day,
How ‘well’ we did with our little Ohariu campaign i cannot scientifically judge and Lolz, in a life is stranger than fiction twist of fate i am now hoping that Dunne is toppled in 2014 and am only slightly concerned that with the departure of Charles Chauvel National could win the seat…
Interesting bad12. (Supreme effort with your leafleting back in ’91 as well!)
I agree that the priority is to get rid of Dunne in 2014, he is the thorn in the side of NZ. In saying that, Katrina Shanks NAT, came third behind CC in the last two elections, so maybe it’s possible with a really good candidate Labour may be able to win it.
Would Epsom ever dump ACT, my opinion, Yes in the blink of an eye if Banks fails to get the ‘nod’ from Slippery the Prime Minister in another ‘chimps tea party’ akin to the fiasco of 2011,
Given a free rein to campaign a National candidate is likely to wipe the floor with the abysmal Banks although there has to be many in that electorate with enough smarts to know that a National win in that seat,(as well as Ohariu), would leave National struggling to form a Government,
The arithmetic based upon the 2011 election numbers says that if National candidates were to win both those seats they would have the same number of seats in the house as they have now, made up of +2 electorate MP’s and -2 List MP’s,
With regards to Ohariu, perhaps as another commenter suggested a David Cunliffe lead Labour Party can entice Charles Chauvel back from the UN…
Hooten this morning
“Cunliffe with his extremist environmental views”.
Comment please – Is this correct? What are they? Extreme, measured against what? Is it exaggerated and mischievous comment from Trumpet?
Is it a putdown to make Cunliffe sound flaky to the rabid do-nothings-environmentally on the right?
Hooton is a joke, he panders out the latest line from a right wing think tank. You know you can’t trust anything he says, one way or other, because he attacks himself. for example, when undermining the anti-GSCB debate he said only politically activists watch Campbell live, and care about privacy. I can think of a whole list of non-activist groups very wary of government encroachment from the far right, business, to criminal gangs, who most particularly won’t be watching campbell live.
You’re still paying attention to what Hollow Matthew says? You think it has any substantial basis?
Translated, the lying shill is saying that the Right is crapping themselves because they know Cunliffe will probably be Labour leader, and they know he can kick the shit out of them.
Key is now familiar to the country and his liar mentality is all to ever present to many. Labour lost a lot of votes, people want more than tinkering badly at the edges just too look like he Key is doing something. The case is clear, NZ reliance on food exports alone, in a world when increasing added value means everyone on the food chain has to be paid well, is hardly going to be led by a man who does not believe in paying living wages. An integrated world economy means better models of redistribution of wealth than we have yet to see. Neither, Saudi welfare, or neo-liberal non-welfare models are efficient or stable.
Just read that speech. Strikes me as reasonably hard headed and honest – within the obvious limitations of a social democratic context. It’s the Hooten’s of the world who are reckless and extremist. Fuck them.
As Cunliffe says in that speech in relation to achieving necessary change/shifts in perception in spite of vested interests and their insistence of a the three monkey mentality (see, hear and speak no ‘evil’) ;-
… is it possible to take on the bastards and win? Yes it is. Who gains when we do this? Everyone.
“Hooten this morning
“Cunliffe with his extremist environmental views”.”
The environmental extremists in New Zealand would have to be people who willingly eat the environment today rather than nurture it to provide for today and tomorrow.
The environmental extremist tag belongs firmly with the right wing and especially this National government.
Calling the greens arrogant and a ‘fringe’ party, what a cheek. Apparently 15% is fringe yet he wasn’t labelling nzfirst or act as fringe. He clearly would prefer Labour won outright or work with wintson rather than having the greens in coalition.
I think he’s scared to see the Greens in government, become popular with the NZ public and therefore destroy any chances of future National/right-wing governments.
I think what’s holding the greens down around 12-13% in the polls is the idea that they’re crazy nutters; something that Key tries to reinforce every chance he gets. I don’t think they’re crazy nutters, and once they get into government they can prove it.
bad12
You do take the tone here down more than a peg (of whisky perhaps). /sarc
A peg is an informal unit of measurement of alcoholic spirits; it is similar to a jigger more used in cocktails.) All good fodder for binding politicians together and loosening political restraints. A few, plus a few more, and everything will seem possible. Everything except what is most needed in our society and that is restraints on drinking hours and bottle stores and sale points.
On this good news day, here is another piece .. never thought I would be thanking the tobacco companies for delaying TPPA until next year !! It’s stuck — maybe we can have another chance now stub it out for good .. especially with David Cunliffe in charge …
Indeed, the chair of yesterdays public meeting in J’ville, Sandra Grey, jokingly said you can bypass the prying eyes of the spy’s under the new GCSB Act AND save the postal service at the same by posting all your communications in the mail!
Roads are built for cars, pavements for pedestrians. A basic right to life should be afforded cyclists, since we build pavements, roads, to best protect walkers and road users. Its wrong to allow cyclists to cycle on dual carriageways, or past parked cars whose doors fly out. State highways should be for heavy freight, not for cyclists. Pavements should have speed limits for cyclists, i.e. running speed of a professional runner. Road furniture, signage, should be removed as technology allows, and city centers become car deserts. As a cyclist to see cyclist in Australia on a three lane carriageway was shocking, what are they thinking, that is so dumb. Hilly roads should never have a cycle lane, its absurd, counter to the purpose of a bicycle, low energy movement. New thoroughfares should be built for the needs of cyclists.
That has to be the stance of someone who doesn’t mind if Labour gets to form the next govt or not. Maybe he likes being in opposition. Does he get paid more if he gets to be Deputy?
A group of disgruntled red-zone residents, calling themselves the Quake Outcasts and Fowler Developments Limited, have won their High Court battle against the Government over the Crown’s offer for their land.
The Quake Outcasts group, representing about 40 residents, sought a judicial review of the Government’s compensation policy for red-zoned land. They called the offer an “abuse of power”.
A High Court decision from Justice Graham Panckhurst, released this afternoon, sided with the residents and criticised both Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) chief executive Roger Sutton for their part in the issue.
Brownlee says government will be appealing. If this wasn’t such a compelling defeat then maybe we could accept this. But it is a compelling decision and government shouldn’t be appealing. Government will lose this case at the Court of Appeal, that’s fine, but what’s next is legislation. When this government loses anything in the courts it legislates to overturn the result it doesn’t agree with. That’s not right because the more this happens the weaker our democracy becomes. In this case we’ve got average struggling people who’ve done average things like buy a bit of land, who’ve then been treated unfairly. That’s clear. This government then wants to change this to ensure these people are treated unfairly. It’s as if the government thinks it’s there to defeat citizens, not represent their interests. This just cannot be a society that anyone would want to live in – where government wants to oppose or destroy anything that’s good for it’s citizens. It’s as if government has declared war on its people.
Native Affairs right now – if there’s one thing that makes me puke it’s the fabulously botoxed and face-worked Tamakis, male and female, dining out on being Maori !
And as for the Bogus Bishop’s prideful raving about being invited to the US by Martin Luther King’s daughter (was it the daughter, Bernadine ?), I saw her the other night on TV lambasting all the
evil “-isms” and the “-ias” – homophobia being one of her targets.
Wonder if she’s aware of the homophobia and the hatred by which the Bogus Bishop remunerates himself so handsomely ?
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
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 ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
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 ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
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 ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
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 ...
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. ...
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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 ...
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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’ ...
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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. ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
Renowned musician, advocate, and proud born and raised daughter of Tauranga, Ria Hall, is announcing her candidacy for Mayor of Tauranga and Pāpāmoa Ward for the upcoming election on July 20th. ...
The new Aotearoa histories curriculum is rich with potential. There’s still work to be done, but the education minister’s criticisms about ‘balance’ miss the mark, argues primary school teacher Jessie Moss. In 2015, Ōtorohanga College students presented to parliament a petition signed by more than 10,000 people calling for a ...
For too long our so-called national bird has maintained its stranglehold on the economy of regional New Zealand. Thanks to the fast track legislation, we will have our revenge. Theories abound on what ails New Zealand’s economy. National leader Chris Luxon has posited that we’re negative, wet, whiny, and inward-looking; ...
Comment: The debate over the future relationship between news and social media is bringing us closer to a long-overdue reckoning. Social media isn’t trying to kill journalism, because social media has never really cared about journalism. Social media is resolutely in the attention business. News propels some attention — perhaps ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 6 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
For the past 12 years, Georgia-Rose Brown has balanced on the brink of making an Olympic Games – but always landed gracefully on the wrong side. Reaching the Olympics is a dream the gymnast has harboured since she was a six-year-old; a dream that would dwindle every four years, yet ...
Late one afternoon in March 1860 a man in a thin green velveteen jacket and a wide-awake hat arrived on foot at a sheep station named Glenmark, about 65 kilometres north of Christchurch. The man was in his mid-fifties but he looked older. Several people who met him that day ...
If building one of Auckland’s possible waterfront stadiums was funded privately, it would need to hold a sold-out Ed Sherran concert every weekday for 25 years. That’s Rob Hamlin’s finding – he’s a senior marketing lecturer at the University of Otago. “It’s not going to happen; forget about it,” he ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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Jones has declared, every race needs an outsider!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11114293
A strange seeming ‘flip-flop’ from Shane Jones who as early as Friday was reported as saying that He didn’t see Himself as Leader of the Party,
Having entered the Parliament with big wraps based around His Oxford University education Jones hasn’t impressed and His time on the front Bench under David Shearer made Him conspicuous only by His deafening silence,
Could He match it in the House with Slippery the Prime Minister, my opinion would say No and Slippery would simply make Him a laughing stock by ruthlessly exploiting Jone’s ‘baggage’,
In a contest where everyone could be said to have ‘a chance’ i would be so rude as to give Shane Jones none…
agreed, that’s what I thought he said too. Is this his way of projecting that HE doesn’t see himself as leader but others do so he is being a good team player????
He’s there to take votes off Cunliffe, thereby increasing Robertson’s chances. Don’t think it will work, but shows there is still an anti-Cunliffe mindset with the ABCer’s who are not yet ready to let that go.
You are on the money, Kenny.
Jones has no chance but does have a price.
The ABCs are buying votes with promises.
There are a number of MPs who need a high list position if they are to get back into Parliament, They are the ones who are in the pocket of Robertson.
This is something I would like to know: will the numbers of votes from the caucus, unions and members be made public? It would be quite outrageous if, say, two thirds of the members were overridden by two thirds of the caucus and just over half of the union vote. This would deepen divisions rather than heal them. At the same time, refusing to publish the results would breed mistrust. There are supposed to be 10 days of public meetings, and a caucus genuinely seeking unity would pay close attention to the members’ responses at those meetings.
“It would be quite outrageous if, say, two thirds of the members were overridden by two thirds of the caucus and just over half of the union vote.”
No it wouldn’t. That’s the rules of the game.
It may however prove divisive at a time when unity is desired, and lend evidence to claims that Labour politicians are out of touch with their members.
“will the numbers of votes from the caucus, unions and members be made public?”
No, according to Mike Williams on Nine to Noon this morning.
Thanks Weka – I did not listen to the radio this morning.
It’s a STV situation where people vote for their first and second preference. If people vote first-preference for Shane and he comes 3rd in the race, his votes are distributed to the 2nd preference nominated by his voters. So ultimately it doesn’t change the race.
So if one doesn’t want him to win, is it better to not rank Jones on the voting paper at all, or to put him as far down the list as possible?
Make him 3rd preference.
only if an incomplete ballot invalidates the vote (i.e. all those wonderfuls who’d put a name in the top slot and leave the rest of the form blank).
Lanth, you will have to have patience to explain that to the myriad of commenters who see Jone’s in the election only as part of the dark plotting of the ABCer’s…
Personally I don’t see Shane entering as an ABC plot, but merely him wanting to get the Deputy position.
I think if Cunliffe wins he’ll give it to Grant, but if Grant wins there’s a good chance he’d give it to Shane.
Apparently caucus chooses the deputy.
Yes, but I think that’s more of a negotiation, rather than either the leader or the caucus choosing someone without regards for what the other wants.
He made a good point, that the labour party lost a huge chunk of its vote, and having a much more pro-active leadership – like him – would attract back those voters. As a green voter I agree, labour would do better, but under Shearer-Robertson the Labour party has been a wet fish. So the question is, whose to be Cunliffe’s deputy?
“Jones’ hat in ring
List MP Shane Jones is entering the race for the Labour leadership, saying he believes he can attract blue-collar workers back to the fold.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11114293
If he wins, a disaster for progressive politics in New Zealand.
Jones is a not an Electorate MP.
Jones lacks the strength the comes from fighting, winning and holding a seat.
Jones would be a disaster for the Labour Party.
@ Boadicea….plus Jones wouldnt attract the 50% women vote
And fairly bland, poli-speak, cliched performances from both Jones and Robertson on Firstline this morning.
God spare us! Still – I’ve already decided to put my vote elsewhere, so the outcome of the contest is really a question of whether or not Labour will get either a party or electorate vote back (bearing in mind I’m in Robertson’s electorate).
if you think they were a dire pair of clowns on firstline..go to the radio nz website..and listen to their appearances on nine-to-noon..
..despite being asked repeatedly about policies to differentiate from national..
..robertson said:..’oh..!..we’ve got lots..!’..then he said..’i haven’t got any specific ones for you..but we will be rolling them out..’..
..and the rest of it was just wall-to-wall unadulterated aspirational bullshit..
..and yes..of course jones is there at the bidding of the right in labour..
..it is an attempt to muddy the waters of what is an otherwise clear two-horse race..
..and i hafta say..having seen robertson on both firstline and nine-to-noon..i am totally over him..
..and electing such a non-person as leader of the labour party will be a disaster/cluster-fuck of epic proportions..for labour..
..and will provide a major vote-burst for both the green party..and mana..
..so if that is what labour wants..?..that is what they will get with robertson..
..phillip ure..
It’s obvious. The devious, “no-show” Jones is there to game the preferences process, to (the ABCs’ hope) Cunliffe’s disadvanatge.
As for this “blue collar” bullshit, in reality the man’s a pompous, right leaning elitist cynically selling illusions.
Is it just me or is Shane Jones a bit of a misogynist? Doesn’t he mistake careless put-downs for plain speech? Didn’t I hear him refer to women as geldings during the “manban” fuss? And last November didn’t he compare Cunliffe’s expulsion to the backbenches to getting rid of a maggot or termite eating away at the wood of the meeting house? I was indignant at the time because he had achieved nothing in politics while Cunliffe …
I’m off to the Greens forever if Cunliffe doesn’t win this contest. Robertson is great but not ready. Oh dear.
Agreed completely.
Jones the boofhead. What the fuck is he doing throwing his hat in the ring? It is clearly a manoeuvre, which surely all those entitled to vote in this process will recognise in a flash. I predict the slug will declare well before the vote.
Jones is only worth ignoring.
Boofhead. Apt description of the day:-)
Agree all. No idea how he got a reputation as some kind of masterful orator.
Actually yes I do, there are always going to be a certain number of idiots who are easily impressed by superficial waffle for waffle’s sake.
Utterly useless bastard.
+100,000,000,000 %
Just listened to RadioNZ National interview a ‘Professor’ of politics for some strange reason, Her claim is that Labour even if the Party changes Leaders cannot win the 2014 election,
i have to wonder where ‘they’ find these people as i found this particular Prof’s analysis to be that of a simpleton and it seems tragic that University’s have such people in front of New Zealand kids supposedly giving them a decent education,
Her analysis, and good on RadioNZ for pointing this out to Her, was totally flawed in that Her belief is that Labour have to claw support off either National or the Green Party to ‘win’ the next election,
The fact that there are some 800,000 registered voters out there who last election did not cast a vote seemed to have escaped the ‘Prof’ and the new Labour leader need only engage 1-3% of these non-voters to topple the present government…
Claire Robinson?
http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/mnr/mnr-20130826-0815-political_analyst_thinks_labours_left_leader_change_too_late-048.mp3
Claire Robinson worked in Prime Minister, Jenny Shipley’s office as a political strategist (or some such thing) in the late 1990s. Enough said.
not listening to the interview but was that connection divulged?
I heard part of it live and there was no reference to the connection. However since that time she appeared on Q&A in her role as a political scientist. She was biased in her musings and haven’t seen her on the programme for a couple of years.
Thanks for the tip: Here is a profile of Claire Robinson:
Indeed enough said, no wonder i describe that particular piece of political analysis from that particular ‘Prof’ as the work of a simpleton…
Watever she is Robinson’s certainly capable of sharp arrogance when challenged.
I recall emailing her within the last couple of years about some idiotically facile piece of National Party apologism she was up to on Q + A I think. I guess I wasn’t exactly gushing in my email but her response – ” Get fucked ! ” – completely trumped my vigour.
Massey Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey agreed with my subsequent email to him in which I suggested it was inappropriate for such rubbish-girl talk to come from the mouth of a publicly paid “associate” professor as she then was.
Had the misfortune of working with her at Massey some years ago. Not especially bright, no imagination, unable to put together a coherent argument.
Alas, not the worst of the management there by a long shot.
It might be “enough said” fo you but fairness, and accuracy would require that you point out that her job for Shipley was in a public servant role, and had NO political connotations.
On the other hand I was not impressed at all with her analysis and her making fairly sweeping conclusions on a sample of 5 elections. Of those five 2 (1999 and 2008) were where we had tired out governments and 2 (2002 and 2011) were ones where the opposition party didn’t seem to even realise that continuing with the same old policies and faces wasn’t going to hack it.
That lady don’t know shit from clay. She based her assumptions by looking back to 1990. She should have looked back to 1984.
Interestingly in 84, labour won mainly because Jones’s party took a large % of the vote from the nats as I recall.
I wonder if the outlier in this is the Craig party.
Although they would take votes from act and nats BUT provide an collation partner for Nats- not an option in 84.
It highlights that the winning candidate should be developing a campaign that is the first step in next year’s election campaign. Robertson & Jones are more focused on just winning the leadership: Short termism.
Hopefully Team Cunliffe is taking time working out their (2014) election strategy.
@karol
When it comes to having a team, can Cunliffe have a preference for a Deputy which he then discusses with caucus, can he have a short-list of his own, or is it up to the caucus only? It would seem that having someone he could work with and rely on would be the best partnership for the top two.
Sure there will be discussions, but it comes down to a caucus vote in the end.
a caucus vote only in this case ?
For the deputy position, its a caucus vote only, yes.
Interesting .. thx CV
Her argument does seem a bit weak! The polls don’t show any clear winner at the moment and the interest that a Labour leadership challenge is generating will likely counter out any negative views about Shearer resigning. As a side note, the non vote at the last election had nothing to do with Shearer.
I don’t agree that the non voter will miraculously come back to Labour just because of a change in leader. Poverty and hardship are the main reasons people don’t vote, both of which have increased markedly under a National government. Many people simply don’t have the time or resources to be engaged in politics anymore.
The other issue here is that Labour appears to be divided. It will take time for Labour to show that it is unified and ready to govern. It will also take a considerable effort to convince many that Labour can work constructively with the Greens and NZ First. Whether 15 months is enough time is yet to be seen.
So at the moment I’m picking another three years of National, as per the usual cycle.
“..The polls don’t show any clear winner at the moment ..”
(um..!..the tvone-poll showing cunnliffe at 29%..ardern second..and robertson a distant 4th..?..10% wasn’t it..?..)
..sand i don’t buy into yr bleak inevitability predictionof another key term..
..between now and the end of next year is plenty of time for cunnliffe to both see off key..
.. articulate a coherent new direction for labour/for the voters..
..phillip ure….
I’m talking about the right vs left polling phillip ure, which is too close to call. I think there’s little doubt that David Cunliffe would win the Labour leadership race. Has he announced he’s standing yet?
There is of course enough time for Labour to get its act together, but whether that time is used constructively is yet to be seen.
If Labour can show that it’s united behind their new leader, they convey their policy well to the public (especially non voters) and are able to develop enough interest is yet to be seen. A biased media is still their biggest hurdle in many ways. Until they do all those things, then it’s likely National will have another term in power.
National have always had three terms except for the second National government, which had four.
“Poverty and hardship are the main reasons people don’t vote”
Must have been the rich who voted the first Labour government in. Maybe because they didn’t like to see the poverty and hardship of the depression inflicted on their fellow Kiwis?
“I don’t agree that the non voter will miraculously come back to Labour just because of a change in leader.”
Who has said that they will? Most people I’ve seen are saying that Labour will need to make specific efforts to engage the non-voters. Implication is that that wasn’t going to happen under Shearer or the ABCs.
Her argument as I remember it was that no party has ever come from a position behind this far out from an election as Labour is now.
My immediate reaction is to think of the Roy Morgan poll which gives Labour/Greens a majority at the moment.
The only question for me is whether the two will actually agree to a coalition in 2014, rather than the Greens go with National who I expect will be still the largest party then. Conventional wisdom seems to indicate that Labour/Greens is far more likely, if they command a majority or can find a majority between them.
Though there is still just a little bit of work to be done ‘twixt then and now. First, the Labour leadership ( I will enjoy my vote) and then into electioneering mode. Ah, the smell and sound of the guns are calling…………
Shane Jones and Robertson presenting a united front on RNZ right now.
Hmm….
A deal done over the weekend in an attempt to shut cunliffe out?
Anyone supporting Jones wants a Tory government. He should be expelled. Even he must realise he’s damaged goods. Where the hell do these people get their egos from?
I heard that James Caygill, son of David, is thinking of standing in Christchurch seat. Would Labour accept the son or daughter of an axe murderer? A little discernment of past connections and what the name reflects is needed here, even if he is a rabid social democrat, which is unlikely. (I have commented before on the large amount of men’s names that come from the bible. Do they come from wealthier families where the names seems to provide gravitas, probity and conformity with values – so good for conveying confidence in tv endorsements?)
Talking about David Cunliffe with family, he hasn’t made a real impression yet. If he gets the Leader position and decides on the policies to push and has the methods and cost and outcomes worked out, he can then stress these strongly and who and how they will help all NZs and also employment. Those would be winning words.
Also promise tighter controls with caps and detailed scrutiny on government expenditure going on each IT project. What a bloody way to throw money down the gurgler. The extent of mismanagement and feckless spending in some notable cases seems to indicate corruption or at the least extreme incompetence, resulting from the Peter Principle. And generally sizing up our present situation with IT, the results show corruption of the theories and scenarios fed to us about how helpful and useful an aid this technology would be.
Is he standing for National?
In the interests of site performance, I’ve dropped the feed thumbnails until I look at why it is slowing the site down so much. I may turn off the feed entirely again later if it still causes issues.
Don’t know if it’s related but I was running the ghostery plug in on fire fox and noticed my quad core was running at 30-40% at idle.
Disabled it and problem solved
From what I’ve read the new version has a few bugs, apparently one is causing pages in tabs to load in an infinite loop.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ghostery/
Maybe you could ask everyone to disable it on the standard and see if that improves performance?
I tracked it down to the bit of code that was causing the server side problem. The plugin is caching the images held for the various feeds at the server – good. However it is not caching the thumbnails that it is producing at 48×48 – bad. Furthermore because of how the images were being called, it was also bypassing the caching on both the APC memory cache and the CDN – *very bad*.
Consequently whenever the anyone viewed the page, all of the images on the Feed were being reduced and clipped down to 48x48px images. A horrendously expensive and completely unnecessary operation that sucked server CPU when you are doing a hundred or so of them for every page view.
The front page does exactly the same thing for its thumbnails. However they are prebuilt and stored in the media library. So they don’t cause the same problems.
Ok that worked really really well. Here is the main web server CPU averages over 15 minute periods over the last two weeks. Date/times are in UTC, so they’re about 12 hours behind.
I’d already been concerned earlier in the week with the GCSB debates with the average CPU. Prior to the last two weeks it seldom went over 50% on this system.
You can see the rapid increase on the afternoon of the 22nd with the shearer announcement (spiked on teh announcement followed by the site getting overwhelmed) and that continued throughout friday despite beefing up the caching and putting in refresh rationing.
On Friday night (well Saturday morning) I kicked in another server which helped a bit on saturday and sunday. But it was max 50% capacity of the main server. It was pretty clear I hadn’t figured out the actual problem.
This morning I looked at the colossal rise. The debugging code I put in allowed me to pin it down to the RSS Feed, so I turned off the most recent update to that – the images. The CPU dropped away and despite having a lot more traffic than we had on friday, the server started acting well. Cut the second server out after midday, and dropped the cache time down (the spike is mostly due to the cache reloading). Still handled the Cunliffe announcement without problems.
It was a hot day – not a desperate one. Damn good thing as I was pulling off RC1 for the next release at work and didn’t have time to baby anything.
I’ll fix the Feed thumbnails later in the week.
Hands up who believes the US allegation that Syria has used chemical weapons? Wasn’t that one heard before around WMD in Iraq?
Obama the Key-wise liar.
Big boys and certainly big toys but at the end of the day they are simply bullies in the playground, nothing more.
Its got all the signs of being a false flag. Launching a chem attack on civilians a day or two after UN inspectors arrive in the country? When the inspectors were staying just a few km’s away?
Assad knows that chem weapon use is the perfect reason for NATO to go postal on him, and such an action is the last thing he would want to provoke.
There is little doubt that a chemical weapon attack has taken place. The Syrian government is blaming terrorists. They have however allowed the UN inspectors into the area where approximately 300 people have died from the attack. This is not the first attack where chemical weapons are likely to have been used on Syrian civilians and rebel forces.
The UN chemical weapons inspectors have been in Syria since at least May 2013. The Syrian government had previously tried to keep them out of the country.
You’re assuming that Assad has control of what his forces do and that they respect NATO enough to not initiate war? I can assure you that they have very little respect for foreign forces and there is very little strategy to this war…there is really only hatred.
It is more likely that Syrian government forces have used the chemical weapons and less likely that those fighting against the regime have used the weapons on their own forces to initiate NATO’s involvement. It is very unlikely that western forces have used chemical weapons against civilians in a false flag event as an excuse to go to war.
Unlike Iraq, there is very little for the US to gain. The humanitarian reason hasn’t been enough so far to initiate NATO joining the war. If there is proof that the Syrian regime has used chemical weapons, then NATO would be fighting the Syrian regime alongside al-Qaeda operatives who have come over the boarder from Iraq. The Al Nusra Front or Al-Qaeda affiliated Syrian Rebels have vowed revenge for the chemical attack.
In this case, the age old saying ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ doesn’t apply. That’s why the Syrian atrocities have been allowed to continue without proper intervention for so long.
It is very unlikely that western forces have used chemical weapons against civilians in a false flag event as an excuse to go to war.
it is a mere coincidence that the insurgents from Jordan who had been undertaking chemical weapons training with UK/US asymmetric instructors, entered the area 4 days prior along with the simultaneous bombings of mosques in the Lebanon.
Got a link for that? Also, I think travellerev might have a nice used tinfoil hat to sell you.
No problem
http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Syrian-rebel-forces-trained-by-West-are-moving-towards-Damascus-324033
Not a very reputable source Poission. The article states the U.S. training to Syrian rebels was in anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons…nothing about chemical weapons training.
These soldiers have been getting trained since at least 2012. They have not been deployed into the area just before the chemical weapon attack occurred. Your long bow appears to have snapped!
Yes and what were they getting trained in,
http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/09/sources-defense-contractors-training-syrian-rebels-in-chemical-weapons/
‘To train Syrian rebels on how to secure chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria’ that belonged to the Syrian regime.
What is trying to be ascertained is are the rebels recidivist criminals.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505
Seems like 2013 is the year that the Tinfoil Hat Wearers won the internet.
http://www.infowars.com/us-trained-rebels-moved-towards-damascus-days-before-chemical-attack/
lol
the internet has always been the domain of tinfoil hat wearers.
Reality is the elusive ground for them. What’s the scorecard, in your opinion?
you are so quick to jump to judgement there jackal..and are peddling american empire spin..
..some facts for you..
..those attacked were in damascus..(ie..under the control of assads’ troops..)
..the assad regime..had asked for the un inspectors to come back into syria..in an attempt to clear the previous allegations against them..
..and they actually arrived in the country the day before this attack..
..so to accept your yapping along with the views of the dogs of war..
..we have to believe the assad regime launched a chemical-weapons-attack..on their own people/supporters..
..the day after un inpectors..there at the request of the assad regimeto clear their name of previous allegations..arrived in the country to investigate..
..really..?
..phillip ure..
Actually, the chemical weapon attack happened in Eastern Ghouta. That’s an area with strong opposition leanings, and is a major supply route to the front lines in the fighting in east Damascus.
I don’t see any Syrian regime soldiers amongst those wounded or dying?
There are war atrocities occurring phillip ure. Negotiations have completely failed. How do you propose to stop those atrocities against civilians from occurring if NATO isn’t to intervene?
The question is, how would western intervention stop the atrocities?
There is no point putting our toes in unless we are prepared to commit, and I don’t see that comitment coming.
“… putting our toes in …”
Is that just a slip of the tongue there P’s b? Don’t include New Zealand or me or those around me in that “west” thanks. That “west” are a bunch of war-mongering murderers just like ghengis khan, the british empire, hitler’s attempts, te rauparaha, or any other prick intent on expansion or grabbing what belongs to someone else. i.e. pretty much every arsehole human who has ever lived.
When you talk of the US or the UK or the French, that is them, it is not “us”.
Why on earth would “we” consider doing god knows what in Syria?
Why would you express that thought in that way?
What on earth was going through your mind when you tapped that?
Why didn’t “we” do something to stop the atrocity that was Iraq? Or Afghanistan?
fucking hell
Yeah that could have been clearer.
When the western govts intervene via nato or something else, as far as I’\m concerned that’s ‘western intervention’. I might not approve, you might not. But it’s still the west.
It’s not wrong to say ‘the US’ invaded Iraq because Michael Moore opposed it.
But if an argument is being made that NATO, or whoever, should intervene, but we shouldn’t, then that’s just cowardice.
Why the fuck should anyonebe advocating that some other buggers should fix something?
Personally, I think Syria is a clusterfuck. But that doesn’t change
a) what’s happening,
b) what people in the west reckon when it hits there teevee screens, or
c) the pressure that puts on our governments.
Here’s a brief rundown of some of the complications:
https://twitter.com/levinsonc/status/371570807912153090
What I’m saying is, before we ‘do something’ we should have a clear idea of what we want to achieve, what that would take, and think about whether or not we’re prepared to do that.
I reckon the answer to that final question is “no”. So we shouldn’t do anything because we won’t be able to do anything good.
I see what you’re trying to say, sort of… but this doesn’t necessarily follow at all “But if an argument is being made that NATO, or whoever, should intervene, but we shouldn’t, then that’s just cowardice. ”
Why would that follow?
Other countries take full advantage of their advantages, be they geographical or military or something else, and so should we. We live right at the end of the world ffs, not in the middle east. We can afford to stay well out of pretty much everything and so we should. There is also far smaller case to be made for ‘standing next to your mates’ than is nearly always made out.
Ffs, the British were going to abandon us to the Japs in WWII. The same pommy bastards also failed to stand by us following our most recent terrorist attack by the French government in the centre of bloody Auckland. And then they had the further gall to harangue us over not standing next to them over the Salman Rusdie death threats.
Friends like that we do not need.
Are there any factual acts by the poms (for example) to counter those fact acts which point to them never standing next to us in the same way? I would like to hear them if they exist….
Yeah well, it’s opinion. But I reckon that if someone is making a moral argument that someone has to send their youth off to to die in a meat grinder to prevent something from happening, then it follows that they should support sending their own youth.
Can’t see how you can get form ‘x is bad and must be stopped’, to ‘so therefore those guys should sacrifice to stop it but not me’.
“if someone is making a moral argument that someone has to send their youth off to to die in a meat grinder to prevent something from happening, then it follows that they should support sending their own youth”
True completely, perhaps we were talking across each others bows.
But, curiousity, you seem to have a pretty good grasp of things international – what do you think of the point just above regarding the poms treatment of us relative to our treatment of them since, well, probably Gallipoli if not before… or since forever actually…
A couple of recent posts highlighted the fact that what is here in NZ from England is the Crown, nothing else. And the Crown is its own entity separate from the british people and certainly entirely separate from us people here. So much so that ‘our’ armed forces are not ours at all and belong to the crown and serve to look after that crown first and foremost (this has been demonstrated too as I understand it – during the Fiji coup where ‘directions’ from lange were ignored because they had not come from the crown (i.e. G-G)).
“.That’s an area with strong opposition leanings.”
..but it is under assad control..so assad attacked his own area of control..?
..the day after the weapons-inspectors arrived..(invited by the regime..)..?
..in an attempt by the regime to ‘clear its’ name of such allegations..?
..care to address that..?..(2nd attempt here..)
..and are you seriously telling me..that from your keyboard wherever..you are able to discern fact from spin..
..and in yr mind there is no way this was done by the american-backed/supplied forces..
..as a (fact-indicating) clumsy attempt to discredit assad/justify cruise-missile attacks..?
..really..?
..no doubt you also supported the invasion of libya..?
..and you can’t see the similar patterns of mis-information/propaganda..?
..again being used to justify military-intervention by the american empire..and their mercenaries..?
..(..many of those mercenaries the same ones america used in libya..?..)
..really..?
phillip ure..
phillip ure
Which is essentially what you’re also doing phillip ure.
The initial retarded argument was that because Bush lied about WMD’s, that automatically makes the reports about the Syrian regime killing Syrian’s with chemical weapons lies as well.
You might note that Germany was also under the control of the Nazi’s when they committed similar atrocities against Polish, Romany and Jewish people in Germany. The area of control has very little significance compared to the people in it.
Your argument is that the Syrian regime categorically hasn’t used chemical weapons on civilians in Eastern Ghouta. Mine is that they likely have, mainly because the rebels wouldn’t kill their own families.
I’ve seen no evidence that western operatives or those they’ve trained have killed hundreds of innocent civilians in Syria with chemical weapons just to initiate a war. You have nothing to base such an argument on apart from historic references to western agent provocateurs.
Let’s wait and see what the UN inspectors have to say eh!
“The initial retarded argument was that because Bush lied about WMD’s, that automatically makes the reports about the Syrian regime killing Syrian’s with chemical weapons lies as well.”
It was no such argument at all actually mr jackal, if you had read carefully…. it was a question, around an organisations credibility when its credibility has proved to be non-existent in the past. Like anything John Key says. kapiche?
And I just love the way that folk seemingly in touch with the details of who what where in some far flung war torn land equate that ‘knowledge’ with some superior understanding of the human condition and its history (rolly eyes thingy..)
Are you saying the US launched the Chem attack?
Please.
The US and the west in general has zero appetite for getting involved. Countries act in their percieved best interest right? So what interest is there in getting dragged into that clusterfuck? What would they be hoping to achieve, and how could they eventually get the outcome they would want?
The US simply can’t afford to deploy the forces necessary to control the outcome, particulalrly given that the war isn’t contained within Syria.
Far more likely is that Assad recognises that NATO isn’t going to do anything more than fire a few missiles (which in the context of a civil war isn’t all that scary) and has decided to use chems for about the only thing they are good for; Scaring the shit out his opponents’ civilian base.
Any discussion on Western motives and interests in the ME needs to include two words: Israel, and Iran.
Assad has been making good military gains using plain old conventional means. Going to unconventional warfare is neither helpful nor necessary to his cause.
This of course is speculation and doesn’t mean that he didn’t do it, or that out of control elements in his military didn’t do it.
“Assad has been making good military gains using plain old conventional means. ”
In some areas, and losing ground in other areas. But the insurgency is still raging. The idea that either side is on the ascendency is pretty weak. Using chems sends a signal that no one is coming to help his opponents and that he can do what he wants.
The US approved the shipment of heavy arms to the rebels a couple of months ago and has also been moving carrier groups into the area. Israel has also launched several airstrikes against Assad facilities. I think those are pretty clear signs of help for Assad’s opponents.
But a) that’s vastly different from wanting to be involved in a shooting war, and b) they did so after umming and ahing for over a year, and c) Israel’s actions are not aimed at ‘helping the rebels’ but at detering Assad from trying to use attacks on Israel to bloster support.
And carrier groups are used for airstrikes, which are coming and will achieve 2/5 of fuck all in Syria, but will stop western calls to ‘do something’.
Cockburn reckons this could be the unravelling of the colonial divvy up.
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n11/patrick-cockburn/is-it-the-end-of-sykes-picot
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/patrick_cockburn_covering_syrias_complicated_civil_war_20130731/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sykes%E2%80%93Picot_Agreement
NZ100%Pure Key …. poor child .. now I am speechless …
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401561/Does-know-shes-Daughter-New-Zealand-Prime-Minister-bizarre-erotic-photoshoot-posing-octopus-Big-Macs.html
Each to their own, I suppose …………
Read the KB post and comments on this ‘expose’ last night when TS was down – and still cannot decide whether I am gobsmacked – or really just don’t care.
Still, it will be interesting to see what Key has to say – and the general public – when it goes mainstream news here!
I don’t think her work or work choices should be judged by who her father is. Plenty to judge in the art itself 😉
(an ffs Daily Mail, 20 yr old women are no longer owned by their fathers).
Comment from Facebook says it better than the Daily Mail ever could:
“Must have a publicist, this is derivative crap that has been done better so many times before, fucking rich kids “look at me” moment, will get art pimp soon”
Like father like daughter?
Exactly what I think of her photos, OAK. I’m loathe to even call them art.
Yes, the Paris College of Art is totally risking its reputation by promoting at Paris Design Week a student whose work is terrible just because her daddy is the premier of a country they don’t give a fuck about.
That is a completely plausible situation. The idea that tastes in art may vary is blasphemy.
That’s a bit simplistic, the wealthy and powerful always pass some of that on to their children no matter how old or what gender. They carry the mantle and only with a violent effort can they throw it off.
Another distraction, she can do what she wants, who cares.
She appears to have always shunned family pic’s when shonkey is flogging the homely image, at least he knows where she is.
Here is a laugh – Kim Dotcom has tweeted that he want the picture where she has a cherry in her mouth and a red gun for his red “panic room”.
“This is my “red room” aka panic room. Look at Stephanie’s artwork. It’s a perfect match with the red hair & red gun. pic.twitter.com/1akU1Poa8t
I would like to buy this artwork by Stephanie Key. Who can put me in touch with her agent? pic.twitter.com/5l0Upxggt6 “
EDIT – hope these photo links work
http://t.co/1akU1Poa8t
http://t.co/5l0Upxggt6
best laugh in ages !! I love KDC’s constant front footing Key .. may it remain all the way thru the high coiurts next year !
He wants erotica of John Key’s daughter in his panic room? Bit creepy.
hmmmmm. i didn’t think the picture was at all erotic in any sense at all …more clumsy and cartoonish so it never occurred to me. i thought it was a kind of pun about the only time he needed to use his panic room … maybe I’m wrong.
“i thought it was a kind of pun about the only time he needed to use his panic room …”
Sorry, not quite getting that…???
If Cunliffe wanted to play the long devious game he could
not enter race stating he wants to help unify the party
say he supports Robertson
solidifies his reputation with the public at large by churning out reasonable press releases, interviews, backing Robertson etc etc
Because Labour under Robertson would lose the next election he could then (regretfully and with great humility of course) step up and accept the leadership of the Labour party and almost guarantee being the PM of NZ in 2017
Whereas even if he becomes leader of Labour its not that certain Labour will win the next election…
Granted Labour has a better chance under Cunliffe than Robertson but might be a better option for Cunliffe to play healer rather than leader
Awww, little concern tr0ll, how kind of you.
What makes you think Cunliffe would sacrifice Labour and the left for his own personal career development?
No concern really, just what I’d be advising Cunliffe…sacrifice Robertson and become the beloved saviour of Labour
winsome’s woeful wanderings wherein weakness is willingly worrying …
yeshe
Deserves a 😀
why thank you, greywarbler !
Too risky. By 2015 he could easily have Little and Ardern snapping at his heels.
Greywarbler 14
26 August 2013 at 10:32 am
I have been getting my comments wiped when I have made a reply. Error… I hadn’t put my details – but I had. And usually I don’t need to as I am greeted with them in the identity window. This is a new comment and I have the identity window with my details showing. So does making a reply more likely to result in rejection?
I just mention it in case anybody has had difficulty. Off to do the chores anyway. Perhaps the system provides a comment lock to stop over-use sort of like a diet control on the refrigerator!!
Anyway CV what I was trying to do was thank you for a very clear explanation on the direction from which Labour has moved and the change that has resulted. (Would interest everyone on here –
see 26/8/13 Robertson throws his hat in ring Colonial Viper …
26 Aug 2013 at1:26am
(He has really been burning the after-midnight oil.)
I get a wee bit excitable over this politics stuff and seem to do my best thinking in the evenings 🙂
CV
Thank goodness someone (you and TS too) get interested enough, in bland, stoic, resilient NZ, to get thinking and exercised about politics.
I picked up a book at random – Death of a Cad MC Beaton. And came on this piece which seems to echo CV’s comments on the liberal elite and their broken connection with the working class.
The playwright Henry Withering…was beloved by the Communists, Trotskyites, Marxists, and Liberals. To them, he was what they wanted most, a genuine ex-Eton schoolboy, son of a landed family who had opted to join the class war.
Greywarber, sir/ma’am
With my recommendations – Chris Hedges – it’s a long video but even if you watch 15 mins I think you will get something worthwhile from it.
Has anyone seen a link to the interview on National Radio this morning with Grant Robertson and Shane Jones this morning?
http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20130826-0910-the_labour_party_leadership_battle-048.mp3
Mike Williams just said that Cunliffe will be making a statement this afternoon at 2.30pm from his New Lynn electorate office.
David Cunliffe, via Mike Williams on RadioNZ National is said to be making a statement from His New Lynn electorate office at 2.30 this afternoon…
Yesterday’s public meeting in Johnsonville, “No more Dunne deals”, hosted by Ohariu People Power went really well. There was a reasonable turnout and the speakers were fantastic. They covered four aspects of Dunne’s influential voting on bills that have passed and bills yet to be passed.
Adi Leason, one of the Ploughshares 3 that brought down the Waihopai spy domes spoke about the GCSB, and his personal experience of that day, the trial and other events. What a privilege to hear this humble and easy going man speak. I’ve always admired and respected what they did.
Helen Kelly spoke about the current employment law changes. One thing that stood out to me was the way in which Helen explained how the govt has manipulated the narrative around the worker – boss relationship, how they have used this time of unemployment and job insecurity as leverage against the worker and created a feeling that the worker should be grateful for work, no matter how appalling the conditions or pay. “you’ll accept what you’re given and be grateful” sort of thing. She spoke of the narrative that the employer is seen as being a charity provider and how this power imbalance creates a climate in which such draconian law can be past with greater ease. (my understanding of Helen’s words, not an actual quote)
Ian (didn’t catch his last name) from the Salvation Army spoke of the SkyCity deal and how this will affect their most vulnerable clients who are gambling addicts and talked of the rise of cases of gambling addiction in NZ over the years and gambling’s link with poverty and family break down.
John Maynard, president of the Postal Worker’s Union and one of the organisers of O.P.P spoke of the TPPA and gave some back ground about their work around asset sales opposition.
It look s like there will be a follow up meeting in two weeks to discuss idea’s around further activity. Being fairly new to this electorate I left feeling more hopeful, and uplifted. There was a sense of that positive constructive anger arising from the audience, that you sometimes feel at meetings such as this.
If you missed this meeting and you live in this electorate and would like to get involved check out this:
https://www.facebook.com/events/191126214392342
Thanks, Rosie. Excellent report about an important campaign.
+1
No worries karol. There was a lot more to the meeting but unfortunately I forgot my notebook and only had the back of a tiny shopping list to scrawl notes on. Thanks to authors/mods of the Standard for allowing me to discuss it…..another blog never replied to my request to post the meeting info…….
Also, big ups to all those busy people around the country quietly going about their activist work and political/social activities in general. I wonder how much work goes under the radar. Am starting to reconsider my facebook ban as I think there is info there that I’m missing out on.
I find facebook useful. Provided you remember that it is a completely public forum beloved by (amongst others) jonolists and creeps like Whaleoil and Judith Collins you won’t have a problem. I also find it useful for bringing certain people’s blood pressure to the explosive level with some barbed comments that someone will forward to the recipient…
“I also find it useful for bringing certain people’s blood pressure to the explosive level with some barbed comments that someone will forward to the recipient…”
Chuckle:-)
I do recall you mentioning the usefulness of facebook to another commenter a while ago who was wanting to find sources of info and news. Hmm. Might have to consider getting over my hang ups with fb, part of which is creepy lurkers such as you mention.
i don’t live in the electorate but did think of coming over for that meeting, my suggestion, if you have access to a photocopier and paper, start a guerilla campaign of letterbox anti-Dunne leafleting,
You don’t necessarily have to ‘do’ the whole of the electorate in the one hit, so a few packets of copy paper will go a long way until you can access your next supply….
Thats a good idea bad12. I wonder to what degree the residents of the electorate know or care about the list of Dunne’s ill’s. If not they need educating via leaflet drops, maybe posters, and by other means, what ever they may be. He still continues to be talked up in the local free papers, so there needs to a be counter to that.
It’s a large and relatively conservative electorate it seems, with a mix of wealth and genuine poverty. (just in my neighbourhood theres a sharp contrast between wealth and poverty, but entire suburbs seem to have either an affluent, average of poor vibe going on) Hope to learn more from the more long term residents of the area at the next meeting.
Rosie, talking of Dunne’s electorate i just got back from a little mission out Johnsonville way, to your question whether the average head in the Ohariu electorate cares i am ever the optimist,
At one time Ohariu was said to be the most monied and most degreed electorate in New Zealand, whether this still holds true isn’t a matter i have put much research into, but as you probably know Ohariu could be said to be one of the crucial electorates along with Epsom for National at the 2014 election,
The beauty of an anti-Dunne campaign in Ohariu is that while crucial that seat does not need to elect a Labour representative in order to topple this National Government, a National representative being elected in Ohariu could well spell the death of the present National Government,
i have been there befor, in the Ohariu electorate with a nasty little piece of politicing after the 1991 National benefit cuts, with a crew of 6 we managed to leaflet most of the electorate with what could be best described as an extremely nasty piece of anti-National Party propoganda, in a single day,
How ‘well’ we did with our little Ohariu campaign i cannot scientifically judge and Lolz, in a life is stranger than fiction twist of fate i am now hoping that Dunne is toppled in 2014 and am only slightly concerned that with the departure of Charles Chauvel National could win the seat…
Interesting bad12. (Supreme effort with your leafleting back in ’91 as well!)
I agree that the priority is to get rid of Dunne in 2014, he is the thorn in the side of NZ. In saying that, Katrina Shanks NAT, came third behind CC in the last two elections, so maybe it’s possible with a really good candidate Labour may be able to win it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Chariu
Would Epsom ever dump ACT?
Would Epsom ever dump ACT, my opinion, Yes in the blink of an eye if Banks fails to get the ‘nod’ from Slippery the Prime Minister in another ‘chimps tea party’ akin to the fiasco of 2011,
Given a free rein to campaign a National candidate is likely to wipe the floor with the abysmal Banks although there has to be many in that electorate with enough smarts to know that a National win in that seat,(as well as Ohariu), would leave National struggling to form a Government,
The arithmetic based upon the 2011 election numbers says that if National candidates were to win both those seats they would have the same number of seats in the house as they have now, made up of +2 electorate MP’s and -2 List MP’s,
With regards to Ohariu, perhaps as another commenter suggested a David Cunliffe lead Labour Party can entice Charles Chauvel back from the UN…
Hmmm. Thanks for your knowledgeable analysis of the scenario. Feels to me there is a sense of hope returning.
Hooten this morning
“Cunliffe with his extremist environmental views”.
Comment please – Is this correct? What are they? Extreme, measured against what? Is it exaggerated and mischievous comment from Trumpet?
Is it a putdown to make Cunliffe sound flaky to the rabid do-nothings-environmentally on the right?
Hooten trumpeted for Shearer to be leader
Hooton is a joke, he panders out the latest line from a right wing think tank. You know you can’t trust anything he says, one way or other, because he attacks himself. for example, when undermining the anti-GSCB debate he said only politically activists watch Campbell live, and care about privacy. I can think of a whole list of non-activist groups very wary of government encroachment from the far right, business, to criminal gangs, who most particularly won’t be watching campbell live.
You’re still paying attention to what Hollow Matthew says? You think it has any substantial basis?
Translated, the lying shill is saying that the Right is crapping themselves because they know Cunliffe will probably be Labour leader, and they know he can kick the shit out of them.
Kick the shit of Key, not likely but it will certainly be a lot more even…which means interesting
as you say winsome, ‘not likely’ .. more simply just guaranteed that David Cunliffe will kick the proverbial out of your beloved liar.
Key is now familiar to the country and his liar mentality is all to ever present to many. Labour lost a lot of votes, people want more than tinkering badly at the edges just too look like he Key is doing something. The case is clear, NZ reliance on food exports alone, in a world when increasing added value means everyone on the food chain has to be paid well, is hardly going to be led by a man who does not believe in paying living wages. An integrated world economy means better models of redistribution of wealth than we have yet to see. Neither, Saudi welfare, or neo-liberal non-welfare models are efficient or stable.
This, according to Hooton.
http://www.labour.org.nz/news/speech-the-dolphin-and-the-dole-queue
Good on Lynn Freeman for standing up to Hooton’s blatant anti-GP spin.
Just read that speech. Strikes me as reasonably hard headed and honest – within the obvious limitations of a social democratic context. It’s the Hooten’s of the world who are reckless and extremist. Fuck them.
As Cunliffe says in that speech in relation to achieving necessary change/shifts in perception in spite of vested interests and their insistence of a the three monkey mentality (see, hear and speak no ‘evil’) ;-
Indeed.
“Hooten this morning
“Cunliffe with his extremist environmental views”.”
The environmental extremists in New Zealand would have to be people who willingly eat the environment today rather than nurture it to provide for today and tomorrow.
The environmental extremist tag belongs firmly with the right wing and especially this National government.
Hooten on RadioNZ National talking up Shane Jones vis a vis Jones and Winston Peters get along socially,
The narrative running through my mind as Hooten was speaking was to ponder whether the 2, Jones and Peters are Porn watching, Whisky drinking Wankers,
Perhaps wee Matty might enjoy joining such a duo…
Yes…. so much spinning going on there from MH, and narrow thinking by MW, I’m getting dizzy.
Lolz, Hooten is such a concern tr0ll this morning.
Hooton’s second name from this morning can be spelt P-a-n-i-c.
Gawd he cant stand the greens can he.
Calling the greens arrogant and a ‘fringe’ party, what a cheek. Apparently 15% is fringe yet he wasn’t labelling nzfirst or act as fringe. He clearly would prefer Labour won outright or work with wintson rather than having the greens in coalition.
I think he’s scared to see the Greens in government, become popular with the NZ public and therefore destroy any chances of future National/right-wing governments.
I think what’s holding the greens down around 12-13% in the polls is the idea that they’re crazy nutters; something that Key tries to reinforce every chance he gets. I don’t think they’re crazy nutters, and once they get into government they can prove it.
bad12
You do take the tone here down more than a peg (of whisky perhaps). /sarc
A peg is an informal unit of measurement of alcoholic spirits; it is similar to a jigger more used in cocktails.) All good fodder for binding politicians together and loosening political restraints. A few, plus a few more, and everything will seem possible. Everything except what is most needed in our society and that is restraints on drinking hours and bottle stores and sale points.
Lol. Thats a highly disturbing mental image bad12…………….
Lol Rosie, my Doctor will be overjoyed to have such a second opinion which backs up His observation that i present a highly disturbed mental image…
hooton has or still is doing work for the mining companies.
i think we need to move onto more grave matters than the trivialities of ego/politics..
…and to (wo)man-up to a serious problem facing the nation..
..namely..the chronic overuse of that punctuation-abomination/tautology..
..the sniveling/insinuating/craven blight on the written word..that is the comma..
..something needs to/must be done..!
..matters are getting out of control..
http://whoar.co.nz/2013/elmore-leonard-i-hated-the-film-adaptations-of-my-books-comment-ed-and-why-i-have-much-disdain-for-both-the-semi-colon-and-the-comma-neither-of-which-i-use/
phillip ure..
Cunliffe is standing. Great.
On this good news day, here is another piece .. never thought I would be thanking the tobacco companies for delaying TPPA until next year !! It’s stuck — maybe we can have another chance now stub it out for good .. especially with David Cunliffe in charge …
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/9088198/Tobacco-clause-might-burn-free-trade-agreement
Thanks for that link. Great – anything to delay and hopefully destroy the TPPA negotiations is welcome.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/9088516/Early-retirement-option-unveiled
– In other news, if the costings make sense then this should happen
Mike Williams on RadioNZ National just now, ”Labour Party members will be able to vote in the upcoming contest ‘online’,
You will get a postal vote with a personal code which will allow you to cast the vote via the internet,
Good skills Labour…
Mind you a moment after i posted that comment i thought of the poor old postal workers who are facing cuts,
Save a postal workers job, vote in the Labour leadership election by snail mail!!!…
Indeed, the chair of yesterdays public meeting in J’ville, Sandra Grey, jokingly said you can bypass the prying eyes of the spy’s under the new GCSB Act AND save the postal service at the same by posting all your communications in the mail!
Roads are built for cars, pavements for pedestrians. A basic right to life should be afforded cyclists, since we build pavements, roads, to best protect walkers and road users. Its wrong to allow cyclists to cycle on dual carriageways, or past parked cars whose doors fly out. State highways should be for heavy freight, not for cyclists. Pavements should have speed limits for cyclists, i.e. running speed of a professional runner. Road furniture, signage, should be removed as technology allows, and city centers become car deserts. As a cyclist to see cyclist in Australia on a three lane carriageway was shocking, what are they thinking, that is so dumb. Hilly roads should never have a cycle lane, its absurd, counter to the purpose of a bicycle, low energy movement. New thoroughfares should be built for the needs of cyclists.
Anyone doubts that Shane Jones is a fucking idiot should listen to this: http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/ntn/ntn-20130826-0910-the_labour_party_leadership_battle-048.mp3
in which he says that Labour needs to win “in the high 40s” to be able to “govern with moral authority”.
FFS can someone take this useless nag behind the barn and put him out of his misery?
ps Grant comes very fucking close to saying the same thing too, and unlike Jones he’s supposed to be smart enough to know better.
That has to be the stance of someone who doesn’t mind if Labour gets to form the next govt or not. Maybe he likes being in opposition. Does he get paid more if he gets to be Deputy?
Embarrassing defeat for government in court.
Brownlee says government will be appealing. If this wasn’t such a compelling defeat then maybe we could accept this. But it is a compelling decision and government shouldn’t be appealing. Government will lose this case at the Court of Appeal, that’s fine, but what’s next is legislation. When this government loses anything in the courts it legislates to overturn the result it doesn’t agree with. That’s not right because the more this happens the weaker our democracy becomes. In this case we’ve got average struggling people who’ve done average things like buy a bit of land, who’ve then been treated unfairly. That’s clear. This government then wants to change this to ensure these people are treated unfairly. It’s as if the government thinks it’s there to defeat citizens, not represent their interests. This just cannot be a society that anyone would want to live in – where government wants to oppose or destroy anything that’s good for it’s citizens. It’s as if government has declared war on its people.
Native Affairs right now – if there’s one thing that makes me puke it’s the fabulously botoxed and face-worked Tamakis, male and female, dining out on being Maori !
And as for the Bogus Bishop’s prideful raving about being invited to the US by Martin Luther King’s daughter (was it the daughter, Bernadine ?), I saw her the other night on TV lambasting all the
evil “-isms” and the “-ias” – homophobia being one of her targets.
Wonder if she’s aware of the homophobia and the hatred by which the Bogus Bishop remunerates himself so handsomely ?