The Greens standing a candidate in February’s Mt Albert by-election presents disgruntled Labour supporters an opportunity to send Labour a message by voting Green.
It was interesting to hear Labour’s campaign manager using one of Key’s lines, stating the party was “relaxed” about the Greens’ decision.
Labour supporters in Mt Albert won’t be disgruntled – Chairman – they’ll be pleased to see the two parties working cooperatively together, but they won’t forget their main target will be to retain the seat for Labour.
Green is no longer my color of choice. Any party who wants increases in refugee quotas (remember it isn’t just them, it’s also the people they get to sponsor into the country) when we can’t even house our own is unacceptable.
The problem isn’t the refugee quota of 1,000 its minuscule compared to the immigration number that’s being used to keep the ponzi economy afloat. We probably need additional people anyway with declining birth rates.
Nonsense, the economy is booming from immigration the problem is National managing the housing situation, i.e none for purely ideological grounds. Which leaves the market to rort everyday kiwis out of the dream. Aspirational failure that Key rightly read and you cant, Key failed, he jumped, you can never fail, never conceed, even to the reality that growing world population and stagnating kiwi birthrates due to neolibs ising cgild rearing costs, feed into the fear of invasion less we keep up our pop. growth, i.e if we dont they will come on their terms not ours.
The economy is not booming from immigration – in fact when taking the increase in numbers from immigration into account the gdp per capita remains static. Not that that is any more a measure of an effective economy than any other.
Government mismanagement means it isn’t.
A housing market so overheated that thousands of homes aren’t rented out is government mismanagement.
Immigration and refugees have nothing to do with it, other than bringing new skills, new demand and economic activity.
Every single person brings in new skills and new ways of doing things. We just need to make sure society (if we insist on a market economy) is positioned to adapt and utilise those skills in a way that provides income to the immigrant.
Food is always the go-to starter, but trade and overseas connections also contribute from an early stage. Society also needs to ensure speedy certification that meets NZ standards in more formally qualified areas, such as building and surgery, so those skills don’t atrophy in taxi drivers or kitchen hands.
But really, you’re talking a false dichotomy: certifying immigrants and training current citizens (immigrants are “our people”, too) should be done together, not as one or the other.
More people, from home and abroad, should mean more productivity and activity. That’s what people do. NZ is still incredibly over-resourced per capita, looking at our land and seas. If we can’t handle <100k immigrants in an otherwise aging population, that's a travesty in economic mismanagement.
But really, you’re talking a false dichotomy: certifying immigrants and training current citizens (immigrants are “our people”, too) should be done together, not as one or the other.
No, that’s not what I’m doing. Immigrants are being brought into NZ for their skills – skills that we already have here thus there’s no new skills brought in. Construction is a good example of this.
More people, from home and abroad, should mean more productivity and activity.
That’s a rather stupid and ill-informed opinion. The only way to get higher productivity is through automation. Through the removal of jobs and replacement of them with machinery.
NZ is still incredibly over-resourced per capita, looking at our land and seas.
Actually, we’re probably at the limits of what we can handle sustainably. The filth in our waterways is proof enough of that.
If we can’t handle <100k immigrants in an otherwise aging population, that's a travesty in economic mismanagement.
/facepalm
That’s a massive misunderstanding of reality.
To handle 100k+ immigrants per year requires that the productivity to build the infrastructure to support them needs to be diverted away from supporting everyone here. That diversion isn’t happening in the first place and there’s no productivity increase from them to allow it to happen.
Our waterways are the result of poor management, not overproduction.
Doing the wrong things in the wrong way on the wrong land type.
Automation increases individual productivity. Immigrants increase the number of individuals who can be that productive.
Construction is an excellent example, I agree: we have thousands of vacant homes in aspeculator’s market, import hundreds of construction workers, have thousands of unemployed and young people who can be trained in construction, and yet we still have a massively overpriced housing market alongside homeless people. That’s a broken system, and immigration has nothing to do with it.
Immigrants come in, obey the law, build new businesses, and buy stuff to live and love. Just like everyone else: they’re not a drain on society, they’re a tap flowing in. They’re not the proble: incompetent government is the problem.
Our waterways are the result of poor management, not overproduction.
Doing the wrong things in the wrong way on the wrong land type.
There’s still a limit to how many people we can pack into the land area that we have. No amount of wishful thinking is going to change that.
Automation increases individual productivity. Immigrants increase the number of individuals who can be that productive.
Wrong. Automation doesn’t increase a person productivity at all. It shifts it from doing one task to doing another. Of course, that new task may result in more of the original task being done.
That’s a broken system, and immigration has nothing to do with it.
And yet immigration is seen as it’s solution as we import more builders. Those imported builders don’t bring new skills or higher productivity.
Just like everyone else: they’re not a drain on society, they’re a tap flowing in.
To cater to their needs requires diversion of resources. This is a physical fact. We need to build more houses for them, more roads, and more power stations. All of these takes resources that could be utilised elsewhere. That’s basic real world economics.
Immigration has a cost – that’s a given. The question is if it has any benefits and so far we’re not really seeing any.
You, like many people, have this idea that immigration == good and you simply don’t question that even going so far as to make up BS to justify it like like having increased numbers of dishes available at the local takeaway which simply doesn’t happen because we all don’t buy takeaways on a daily basis in this country which is what’s needed to support having a large number of takeaways.
Yes, there are physical limits to population density. We’re still sparsely-populated compare tomany nations around the world.
And if automation doesn’t increase a person’s productivity, why do farmers buy tractors?
You pointed to Hickey talking about wage depression caused by immigration. Completely true, because our labour market is incompetently managed. Go to a minimum wage level that equals the living wage, tie visas to DoL rather than individual employers as soon as a personal grievance is filed, and crack down on things like employer-provided accommodation charges and kickbacks. There’d be no employer incentive to prioritise unskilled immigrants over local youth, and therefore less incentive for immigrants to choose NZ in the first place.
Your problem is that you think there’s a difference between immigrants and people born here. There isn’t, really. We all have the same potential to produce more than we consume as a trace percentage of GDP.
Oh, and yes – at the street corner I have a Chinese takeaway. Close to work I can buy korean, cambodian, turkish, thai, japanese, phillipine, french, and italian food. There’s even a roast meat & vege takeout place with kumara and everything. Or I skip it all and just have an espresso from another place. I try to avoid the american chains also in the area. Most of those places weren’t in town thirty years ago. Nobody eats at every place on every day,, but somehow they all manage tobe going concerns.
GST went up, it was neutral for the poorest yet grew in lower taxes for the wealthy. Just like economies do better when fuel is getting cheaper, that it looks like tax cuts cause growth, rather the opposite i think. So, massive investment in alternative energy cuts into growth, which in tern means taxes cuts, Keys great tax switch raised the cost of living for nz, hurt business startup, underwrote the wealrhiest debt by giving them more in their pocket to pay mortgages, etc, and so kept the housing market booming. Key then failed to address structural rorts in housing that force prices higher, from few players in the market, etc,
National have never been good managers of the economy, that requires a long view when they are hired by, funded by shorters.
“Any party who wants increases in refugee quotas (remember it isn’t just them, it’s also the people they get to sponsor into the country) when we can’t even house our own is unacceptable.”
You would be ignoring their announced housing policies then. Some parties are capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.
I’d rather we cut immigration to about 5,000 year and offer half of the those 5,000 places to refugees myself. The extra cost of support for refugees as they come into the country would be a worthwhile investment.
I’ve been fortunate over the past 20 years to have offered employment to 3 refugees – 2 of whom it was their first position in NZ and were ludicrously over-qualified for the roles (to the point I was almost embarrassed offering it to them). They were excellent employees – motivated, hard-working and enthusiastic. Once they got some NZ experience they, of course, moved on to better things (I’ve acted as a referee for all 3). They are all high functioning, integrated and proud NZ citizens with families who are successful and genuine Kiwis. In my experience bring on more refugees.
Heavens, The Chairman, using a word that another man has used is not unusual, since we share a common language and there are only so many words available to fit a concept or context.
I mean, John Key used a word that I used at a regional Labour conference when I said that I was so relaxed about a remit not being adopted that I could almost fall over. That was about 1987.
According to Chairman, whenever anyone uses the word ‘relaxed’, they’re running one of Key’s lines, and should probably pay him royalties for the privilege. But why stop there? What about other Keyisms, like “Look, most Nu Zillanders…”, or “Akshully, I think you’ll find that…”? There’s money to be made here, and it would be most remiss of the former PM to let such a potentially lucrative opportunity pass him by.
One of the great excuses. “They did it too.” Absolutely absolves one of all blame, and personal accountability.
Heard it all the time as a teacher.
Key’s use of the word relaxed could mean “don’t care/not interested/don’t want to be held to a position/do care but don’t want to be seen to be disturbed by it”.
His actual use of language was not relaxed, but carefully constructed, even in its lack of definition and meaning, to allow double meaning and wriggle room.
Imprecision in language also endeared him to many of his listeners.
Of interest now only to political pundits, historians and linguistic academics.
That the Green Party is putting up a candidate to stand in the Mt Albert by-election is intriguing and interesting, considering that Labour and the Greens have a Memorandum Of Understanding to work together.
That this agreement doesn’t stop the airing of differences between the two parties is a good thing for democracy.
In the Northland by-election the Green Party issued what amounted to a free pass to the Labour Party to continue supporting deep sea oil drilling in Northland without any challenge.
By standing down in Northland the Green Party made sure that this issue was never discussed by the remaining main contenders, because Labour, National and New Zealand First, were all in agreement over this contentious and hot local issue denying the locals from hearing the debate on the pros and cons of deep sea oil exploration and drilling in their electorate.
In my opinion by standing down in Northland the Green Party did the voters of Northland a disservice by not allowing a discussion and evaluation of the merits or not on this hot topical issue.
Obviously deep sea oil drilling off their coastline will not be the burning topical issue that it was in Northland.
So what will be the main bone of contention in the debates between the two main candidates, in the Mt Albert by-election?
Presumably because both parties position themselves in the Left/progressive part of the political spectrum they will be in broad agreement on most other topics.
But the Labour and the Green Party still disagree about climate change and the need to urgently transition away from fossil fuels. So could this disagreement, which has become concretised around Labour’s fanatical support for deep sea oil drilling, be a topic of debate in this rather unlikely arena?
Could the Mt Albert by-election be made into the first ever electoral race in this country where climate change featured as a major election issue of difference between the two candidates?
Could the Mt Albert by-election become a referendum on deep sea oil drilling and climate change?
It is possible.
It all depends on how the Green Party approach this contest.
I would urge them to take up this strategy, (and for several, maybe not so obvious reasons).
Firstly; the Mt Albert by-election is a safe forum where this difference could be aired and debated without risking this division giving advantage to the National Party, (who are not standing a candidate), so whatever the result, there is no chance of it upsetting the proportionality parliament.
Secondly; polls cited by Greenpeace HERE indicate that 80% of the population are opposed to deep sea oil drilling. So the Green Party candidate should be onto a sure winner if she agressively took up opposition to deep sea oil drilling in her campaign, as opposed to the Labour Party’s support for deep sea oil drilling.
Thirdly; polls indicate that over 50% of the population want more government action on climate change, so if the Green Party made signifcant gains with this strategy it would be a serious whip for the government, which is dragging the chain on climate change.
And lastly; climate change is the most pressing issue of the 21st century it is well past the time it had a proper airing during an election in this country.
+1 Jenny.
I think that the Labour Party stance on deep sea oil may have changed a bit now Goff and Shearer have gone (at least I hope so), but having a Green Party candidate means there will be more discussion about climate change and, as you say, this is a good thing. Genter and Ardern will be able to show how their two parties can have some policy differences but still work together amicably.
Another positive sign, Phil Goff voting against deep sea oil in this country in his new role leading role as Mayor of our biggest city.
A respectful and collegiate contest in Mt. Albert where this major policy difference between the two parties is openly and fully thrashed out, and then put to the electorate for their decision. Could, depending on the result, strengthen the MOU putting, it on a more solid basis, putting the Labour Green coalition in a much stronger position to tackle the governement.
After housing, climate change is the governement’s worst performing portfolio. The Green Party and the Labour Party generally agree on housing issues, if they could also get agreement on climate issues then they would have two major agreed policy positions to challenge the government over.
It will.be a conversation between themselves, I suggest nobody will be listening including the media, waste of time barring protecting the democratic process so unfortunately a necessity
With National withdrawing and the Greens standing, the by-election has now become a contest between the left, thus the media will be watching. Most enjoy a fight.
And if the Greens give this a good crack, they have a lot to gain.
If they do it right, and I think that they will, it won’t be a fight. It’ll be an open discussion which will show which way the country as a whole want to go with environmentalism.
A really great exposition as to why Representative Democracy doesn’t work. The people don’t actually get to discuss and decide – the bought and paid for politicians do.
Agreed: “Representative Democracy doesn’t work. The people don’t actually get to discuss and decide – the bought and paid for politicians do.”
But.
This country does love its ‘winners, losers, battlers’ story. There’s fair amany would prefer FPP so they can snuggle up with their popcorn and opinions.
Change on this is slower than snails sliding backwards…
“Could the Mt Albert by-election become a referendum on deep sea oil drilling and climate change?”
Indeed it could, Jenny.
The Green economy could also be further promoted as a way to boost skills, employment and exports.
The Mt Albert by-election presents the Greens with an opportunity to differentiate themselves from Labour, highlighting all the issues they believe Labour solutions are lacking.
They’ll need to select a strong candidate that is competent and up to the task.
“Could the Mt Albert by-election become a referendum on deep sea oil drilling and climate change?”
Indeed it could, Jenny…..
…..They’ll need to select a strong candidate that is competent and up to the task.
The Chairman
The suggested front runner Julie-Ann Genter is certainly a strong candidate, I have heard her speak, she is a strong and principled speaker, no doubt about it, Genter would give a very good account of herself against Lucinda Adern.
But if the Green Party really wanted to make a statement, and shake things up, I would suggest that the Green Party put up their spokesperson for climate change as their candidate in the Mt Albert by-election.
And who is that you might ask?
None other than Green Party leader James Shaw. The Green Party has reserved the climate change portfolio to leader, the only political party to do so, showing the importance that the Green Party regard this issue. Though National come close giving this portfolio to their Deputy.
Labour on the other hand have ranked this issue very low in their list of important portfolios to hold. So low in fact that their last holder of this post, Moana MacKey, got bumped off the bottom of the list. The current holder of this shadow portfolio for Labour is mid-ranked Dr Megan Woods.
Putting up their leader to challenge for the Mt. Albert seat is admittedly a high risk strategy, but like most high risk bets, if it is successful carries the biggest pay off.
Putting up the Leader will certainly raise the stakes, show that the Greens take this by-election seriously and provide the necessary high profile shock value that will grab the attention of the media and the voters, and indeed the country.
Climate change is the biggest political and moral issue of all time. It is about time that we gave it the profile and attention it deserves.
And if the Greens throw everything they have at it, this is the most likely strategy to succeed in taking the seat off Labour.
Anything less will be just another Ho Hum by-election with low voter and media interest with the resultiing low turn out.
The stakes have never been higher.
So let the contest begin. And may the best candidate win.
(2) At the last Election, National successfully portrayed the Opposition parties as hopelessly divided. The MOU was supposed to undermine that strategy. Why do you assume a conflict-obsessed media focussing entirely on Opposition party divisions as Labour and the Greens go aggressively head-to-head in Mt Albert – constitutes strategic genius ??? As opposed to, say … oh I don’t know … complete fucking madness ?
“At the last Election, National successfully portrayed the Opposition parties as hopelessly divided”
Indeed.
“The MOU was supposed to undermine that strategy.”
Only to an extent. The MOU ceases at the end of the election.
This working together while also opposing each other does undermine the perception of a united front, thus reinforces the divided perception National portrayed so well.
Perhaps an insider can better explain the rationale behind the strategy. Personally, I think it leaves voters confused.
From the time stamp on your comment, Chairman, you made it before my preceding comment. And you are right. If Genter makes a good run in Mt Albert and lifts the Green Party vote running with a climate change, deep sea oil campaign. Then Shaw would be right to try the same strategy in Wellington against Robertson. The downside will be that this will all be lost in the background of a General Election.
What I have since suggested, is that Shaw doesn’t wait for Wellington but strikes now, when he will virtually have the stage to himself and will be able to grab the attention of the whole country.
“Unsettling and Ominous – Climate Alarm Bells of 2016”
Climate alarm bells should be going off in every country, every city, every household. We are losing ground as we struggle to fight climate change and global warming. The climate action trends witnessed in 2016 are both unsettling and ominous.
Without heroic — but improbable — efforts, the 2 °C world is but magical thinking…..
“……actions speak louder than words.
After giving lip service to climate change by meeting with Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio, Trump then proceeded to name three staunch climate deniers to key positions, leaving little doubt about climate policy during his term of office. It should be crystal clear that Trump will take a wrecking ball to Obama’s climate legacy….
……Trump is visibly not the kind of leader the world needs at this crucial time in human history.
But while the world needs the climate change equivalent of Winston Churchill, we just elected Neville Chamberlain. And that may well be exactly how future generations will remember him if he leaves behind a world of ever-worsening climate impacts. (Joe Romm)
Maybe New Zealand could give that Churchillian climate change leadership that the world needs.
Afterall despite our size, we gave a world lead on the Welfare State, we gave a world leader on Women’s Sufferage, we gave a world lead on anti-nuclear, we gave a world lead in isolating apartheid South Africa, and we have just given a world lead in calling out Israel on their illegal annexation through settlements of Palestinian territory.
Let us not go through another election cycle where climate change barely rates a mention but instead becomes a major battleground of contention between the major parties before the voting public.
The Mt Albert by-election could represent the first salvo in the battle to make New Zealand a world leader on climate change.
“Putting up the Leader will certainly raise the stakes, Jenny. And it’s something the Greens should seriously consider.
But how will that leave them for Wellington?”
The Chairman
Personally I don’t see a problem.
If Shaw becomes the MP for Mt Albert, Green Party stock would be greatly increased and the Greens could stand Genter in Wellington with a the chance of making a really good showing.
Mt Albert voters will not have climate change at the top of their concerns. Some mix of housing, transport, education, employment and crime seems most likely. Parties will campaign accordingly, just as they did in Mt Roskill.
“Mt Albert voters will not have climate change at the top of their concerns.”
Sacha
That would require leadership.
Of course the majority of Mt Albert voters dont’ have climate change as the top of their concerns.
Strangely neither was apartheid top of New Zealanders concerns before 1981
(And apart from the ranting and raving from one lone back bench Independent Constitutionalist Party anti-Socialist MP for Epping). The threat of facism in Europe, was not the top of the British people’s concerns in 1938′ 39′. Bread and butter issues related to lifting Britain out of the Great Depression was the main political concern of the day. Most British people could barely have pointed out Poland on the map.
The thing that brought these seemingly, (at the time), neglible issues to the forefront of public attention was leadership.
Just this week New Zealand has shown a flash of this rare quality on the world stage in the UN.
World wide, leadership in fronting up to the threat of climate change, is the single biggest missing incredient needed, before we can begin to properly address climate change.
Time will tell if our New Zealand political leaders are up to the task of providing that leadership.
By-elections are locally focused. You would need visible impact of climate change in the electorate already or a well-publicised imminent happening like a contentious rugby tour, resource interruption or national military threat to galvanise voters above their more day-to-day pressing concerns.
While by-elections are generally more locally focused, it doesn’t mean voters totally overlook wider issues. Especially when they are one of the defining issue between the two.
And speaking of being more locally focused, as Russel Norman once said, Green issues are Auckland issues.
“By-elections are locally focused. You would need visible impact of climate change in the electorate already or a well-publicised imminent happening like a contentious rugby tour, resource interruption or national military threat to galvanise voters above their more day-to-day pressing concerns.”
Sacha
And/Or, one other thing.
Leadership
Remarkable*
Uncompromising
Fearless
Leadership
That is all it will take and that is what is the missing ingredient.
Sacha even, if all the other things you mentioned happened all at once and together – without leadership to hi-lite and and channel them into a coherent narrative and direction, it would still be business as usual.
And I don’t buy it that it has to be a local issue. With the internet everything is local. And Zero degrees C at the North pole in the Northern winter heralds something terrible in the wings for humanity.
“Large numbers concerned by and will act on climate change”
“A strong majority of New Zealanders are concerned about climate change and taking actions that reduce household emissions, according to a recent survey.
Researchers at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, an independent, not-for-profit research institute, and Victoria University of Wellington designed the survey of about 2200 New Zealanders aged 18+. The survey was conducted by Horizon Research Limited from 28 July to 1 September 2014 with support from the Sustainable Business Council.
The survey showed that about 87% of New Zealanders are at least somewhat concerned about the effects of climate change on society in general.
63% are concerned or very concerned about the societal effects of climate change and 58% are concerned or very concerned about the personal effects.
“Mt Albert voters will not have climate change at the top of their concerns. Some mix of housing, transport, education, employment and crime seems most likely. Parties will campaign accordingly, just as they did in Mt Roskill.”
Sacha
Pretty uninspiring assessment of the opportunities opened up by the Mt Albert by-election, by Sacha.
While “large numbers” of New Zealanders will look to the stars, some would keep us looking at the ground.
National has stood down, and the two remaining Left Parties have a rare unencumbered chance to put their differing visions of the future to the voters. Will they take it? Or will they stick with Sacha’s grey lifeless formula for this election.
Chairman you make me smile. Labour and Greens supporters will be thrilled, because they have a choice, both candidates are intelligent, switched on, classy ladies.
National party voters are going to be the ones whom are disgruntled, they have no choice, none, nothing, nada. Their government has abandoned them, spinning the narrative of ‘strategy’ LMFAO… any whom buy in to that excuse are either simply naive or desperate to have a reason that justifies the action.
Labour and Greens have the opportunity to not only enlighten voters about their party policy, but also to show the public how well they work together, and these classy ladies will eliminate dirty politics from this by election.
It’s MMP baby 😀 I’m a Red/Green voter, and I love being able to choose two parties. Some may vote for one candidate, because they best represent their electorate, but they may vote for another party in the general. And that’s the beauty of it. It will be a difficult choice, because both ladies are outstanding in Parliament, but either way it’s a win thanks to the MOU.
How would Green and Labour Party differences over climate change and deep sea oil drilling work themselves out? The differences between Obama and Trudeau over climate change and arctic oil drilling may be of some relevance.
“Arctic Drilling Ban Reveals Crucial Difference Between Obama and Trudeau on Climate”
The historic announcement by President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau that both countries would ban oil and gas development in Arctic and Atlantic waters was a major victory to protect our oceans and the people who depend on them, and a real victory for our climate.
But the difference between how the White House and the Prime Minister’s Office explained this announcement reveals a major rift between the leaders in their understanding of how to address the climate threat.
At the end of November, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau failed a key test of his understanding of what is required to stop climate change by approving the Kinder Morgan and Line 3 pipelines. During his speech he defended his actions:
“I have said many times that there isn’t a country in the world that would find billions of barrels of oil and leave it in the ground while there is a market for it.”
But just weeks later, the U.S. did exactly that. As part of President Obama’s announcement to permanently ban oil and gas development in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, the White House released a fact sheet explaining its justification.
“…if lease sales were to occur and production take place, it would be at a time when the scientific realities of climate change dictate that the United States and the international community must be transitioning its energy systems away from fossil fuels.”
In essence, the White House is saying that further offshore oil and gas development in these areas fails a climate test — that these projects aren’t in line with the action needed to meet international goals to fight climate change. This is a crucial signal that President Obama and his team are finally beginning to understand that action to restrict the supply of fossil fuels is ultimately required to reach a safe climate future.
Notably, the joint statement from both leaders on their effort to block Arctic drilling mentioned climate but failed to point out this crucial justification for the decision. This points to the fact that Trudeau isn’t aligned with Obama on climate action.
Prime Minister Trudeau continues to cling to an ideological and dangerous assertion that his government has no responsibility to restrict fossil fuel supply in the middle of a global climate crisis.
Garibaldi, do you really feel that the Nat’s are going to ask their voters to vote for an opposition party?
Crikey Nat’s haven’t even got the balls to stand a candidate, ummm we are too gutless to stand a candidate because we prefer if you vote Greens, lmfao yeah right. So your question appears to be invalid.
Not all Labour and Greens supporters will be thrilled. There are a number of disgruntled Labour supporters out there.
With National out of the game and with Labour expected to win this safe seat, it’s an opportunity for them to send Labour a message while ensuring the seat remains left.
Auckland Transport and other dimwits are trying to change the intercity bus terminal to Manakau 22 km away from the CBD.
Nice to see that Kiwis and tourists are going to be dumped off so that high roller gamblers can be accommodated more easily with public money at the convention centre. 100% pure inconvenience to travellers, but don’t worry about that!
Nice time at Xmas to dump bad news. Someone should look into the legality of this bake and switch.
Previously, Auckland Transport communications manager Sharon Hunter said: “The bus terminal was a condition of the resource consent for the existing SkyCity and its removal would require a change of condition under the Resource Management Act.”
So two issues there, the push by Sky City to remove it the public Intercity bus terminal and why this is being allowed.
And WTF what dimwit idiot thought that Manakau was a good place for an interchange 22km away???? That’s right, the ‘brains’ of Auckland Transport – that’s what 1 billion of public money a year buys us!
Lots of interchanges are now at full capacity. This is what happens when bus routes are expanded to meet the present demand but there’s been decades of neglect.
In other words, the problems that AT are facing are an accumulation of decades of building for cars and ignoring public transport.
Extraordinary lack of commonsense, let alone thinking on that one, saveNZ. Hope the new mayor gets onto it ….. and gives whoever it was the dunce’s cap.
One of the earlier Herald/Fairfax stories claimed SkyCity had not asked for this; AT was pushing it. Lord knows why. Good chance for new Mayor to remind them for whose interests they work.
Have you ever used the existing Manakau “interchange”? Or should I say “bus stop” or more correctly 3 person bus shelter outside the Manakau Mall on a wet and windy day waiting 20 mins for your intercity bus to come along – if your lucky and it hasn’t been gridlocked on the way south.
I don’t care if the Interchange is to be the central hub or not – Manukau NEEDS some form of bus interchange and it needs it NOW.
This is the year when we were finally forced to acknowledge what we have exiled.
No. This is the year that we rejected the agreements that we made with the serpent 30+ years ago. This is the year that neo-liberalism got rejected by the people and the rich and powerful are upset by it.
But she does not kill the serpent. Instead, she reveals its true nature, and in doing so she changes it and everything around it.
And so how the monetary system really works is now out in the public domain. How the corruption of the rich is seen for what it is and is then rejected by the people.
Yes, these things are now known and changes are coming because of them.
Nusra’s hand is felt most strongly in Aleppo, where the group has set up camp in a former children’s hospital and has worked with other rebel groups to establish a Shariah Commission in the eye hospital next door to govern the city’s rebel-held neighborhoods.
The entire article makes for interesting reading if you’ve any interest in the development/shift in the story we were told about Syria.
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Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
Hundreds of engineers are losing their jobs and leaving our shores due to infrastructure project delays, creating "significant" risk to our nation's development, says the head of New Zealand's engineering body. ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown says the deal with China “complements, not replaces” the relationship with New Zealand after signing it yesterday. Brown said “The Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) 2025-2030” provides a structured framework for engagement between the Cook Islands ...
The government should not set military style academies into youth justice law, the children's commissioner says, despite its first bootcamp getting a glowing report. ...
The infamous over-the-suit T-shirt worn by the PM at a Parliament barbecue has gone on sale to raise funds for children living in poverty, in a TradeMe auction. ...
MONDAYSheriff Seymour rode slowly down the main street of Dodge on his faithful white horse Atlas Network.He liked what he saw.Children were being fed free lunches prepared by kind people who collected the scraps from an offal rendering plant.“Very strongly flavoured liver, such as ox liver, can be soaked overnight ...
Once upon a time it was all about being an astronaut, a firefighter or doctor; but these days kids have their sights set on becoming vloggers or YouTubers.That’s according to a 2019 study by Lego that surveyed 3000 children between the ages of eight to 12 from the US, the ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on the week that was. From the moment I started high school and realised almost every other girl in my year was at least partially interested in what the boys were up to, I realised that I would be single for life. The feeling wasn’t one of ...
The Pacific profiles series shines a light on Pacific people in Aotearoa doing interesting and important work in their communities, as nominated by members of the public. Today, Selina Alesana Alefosio.All photos by Geoffery Matautia.On a bright Sunday morning from her grandparent’s home in Pito-one, I spoke with ...
The White Lotus star reflects on her life in TV, including the local ad reference that doesn’t work in Australia, and her bananas co-star on Neighbours.Morgana O’Reilly was scrolling her phone next to her sleeping son on an idle Saturday morning when she got the call confirming that she ...
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The Greens standing a candidate in February’s Mt Albert by-election presents disgruntled Labour supporters an opportunity to send Labour a message by voting Green.
It was interesting to hear Labour’s campaign manager using one of Key’s lines, stating the party was “relaxed” about the Greens’ decision.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/87898480/green-party-to-stand-against-labour-in-mt-albert-byelection
Labour supporters in Mt Albert won’t be disgruntled – Chairman – they’ll be pleased to see the two parties working cooperatively together, but they won’t forget their main target will be to retain the seat for Labour.
Very confident and complacent there, Jenny.
But of course, you don’t speak for all Labour supporters in Mt Albert.
A big turnout for the Greens may just be the wake up call Labour requires.
Green is no longer my color of choice. Any party who wants increases in refugee quotas (remember it isn’t just them, it’s also the people they get to sponsor into the country) when we can’t even house our own is unacceptable.
Labour are also committed to raising the refugee quota.
The problem isn’t the refugee quota of 1,000 its minuscule compared to the immigration number that’s being used to keep the ponzi economy afloat. We probably need additional people anyway with declining birth rates.
Indeed, it’s minuscule compared to immigration.
IIRC, the Greens are looking at limiting the number of people who can enter as immigrants.
It’s another area that sets them apart from Labour which they can highlight and let the voters decide what they prefer.
Nonsense, the economy is booming from immigration the problem is National managing the housing situation, i.e none for purely ideological grounds. Which leaves the market to rort everyday kiwis out of the dream. Aspirational failure that Key rightly read and you cant, Key failed, he jumped, you can never fail, never conceed, even to the reality that growing world population and stagnating kiwi birthrates due to neolibs ising cgild rearing costs, feed into the fear of invasion less we keep up our pop. growth, i.e if we dont they will come on their terms not ours.
The economy is not booming from immigration – in fact when taking the increase in numbers from immigration into account the gdp per capita remains static. Not that that is any more a measure of an effective economy than any other.
The economy should be booming, period.
Government mismanagement means it isn’t.
A housing market so overheated that thousands of homes aren’t rented out is government mismanagement.
Immigration and refugees have nothing to do with it, other than bringing new skills, new demand and economic activity.
That’s just it. They’re often not bringing new skills and in some cases the skills they bring are sub-par.
What I’m saying there is that if we trained up some of our people we’d get better skills.
Every single person brings in new skills and new ways of doing things. We just need to make sure society (if we insist on a market economy) is positioned to adapt and utilise those skills in a way that provides income to the immigrant.
Food is always the go-to starter, but trade and overseas connections also contribute from an early stage. Society also needs to ensure speedy certification that meets NZ standards in more formally qualified areas, such as building and surgery, so those skills don’t atrophy in taxi drivers or kitchen hands.
But really, you’re talking a false dichotomy: certifying immigrants and training current citizens (immigrants are “our people”, too) should be done together, not as one or the other.
More people, from home and abroad, should mean more productivity and activity. That’s what people do. NZ is still incredibly over-resourced per capita, looking at our land and seas. If we can’t handle <100k immigrants in an otherwise aging population, that's a travesty in economic mismanagement.
No, that’s not what I’m doing. Immigrants are being brought into NZ for their skills – skills that we already have here thus there’s no new skills brought in. Construction is a good example of this.
That’s a rather stupid and ill-informed opinion. The only way to get higher productivity is through automation. Through the removal of jobs and replacement of them with machinery.
Actually, we’re probably at the limits of what we can handle sustainably. The filth in our waterways is proof enough of that.
/facepalm
That’s a massive misunderstanding of reality.
To handle 100k+ immigrants per year requires that the productivity to build the infrastructure to support them needs to be diverted away from supporting everyone here. That diversion isn’t happening in the first place and there’s no productivity increase from them to allow it to happen.
Our waterways are the result of poor management, not overproduction.
Doing the wrong things in the wrong way on the wrong land type.
Automation increases individual productivity. Immigrants increase the number of individuals who can be that productive.
Construction is an excellent example, I agree: we have thousands of vacant homes in aspeculator’s market, import hundreds of construction workers, have thousands of unemployed and young people who can be trained in construction, and yet we still have a massively overpriced housing market alongside homeless people. That’s a broken system, and immigration has nothing to do with it.
Immigrants come in, obey the law, build new businesses, and buy stuff to live and love. Just like everyone else: they’re not a drain on society, they’re a tap flowing in. They’re not the proble: incompetent government is the problem.
There’s still a limit to how many people we can pack into the land area that we have. No amount of wishful thinking is going to change that.
Wrong. Automation doesn’t increase a person productivity at all. It shifts it from doing one task to doing another. Of course, that new task may result in more of the original task being done.
And yet immigration is seen as it’s solution as we import more builders. Those imported builders don’t bring new skills or higher productivity.
To cater to their needs requires diversion of resources. This is a physical fact. We need to build more houses for them, more roads, and more power stations. All of these takes resources that could be utilised elsewhere. That’s basic real world economics.
Immigration has a cost – that’s a given. The question is if it has any benefits and so far we’re not really seeing any.
You, like many people, have this idea that immigration == good and you simply don’t question that even going so far as to make up BS to justify it like like having increased numbers of dishes available at the local takeaway which simply doesn’t happen because we all don’t buy takeaways on a daily basis in this country which is what’s needed to support having a large number of takeaways.
Yes, there are physical limits to population density. We’re still sparsely-populated compare tomany nations around the world.
And if automation doesn’t increase a person’s productivity, why do farmers buy tractors?
You pointed to Hickey talking about wage depression caused by immigration. Completely true, because our labour market is incompetently managed. Go to a minimum wage level that equals the living wage, tie visas to DoL rather than individual employers as soon as a personal grievance is filed, and crack down on things like employer-provided accommodation charges and kickbacks. There’d be no employer incentive to prioritise unskilled immigrants over local youth, and therefore less incentive for immigrants to choose NZ in the first place.
Your problem is that you think there’s a difference between immigrants and people born here. There isn’t, really. We all have the same potential to produce more than we consume as a trace percentage of GDP.
Oh, and yes – at the street corner I have a Chinese takeaway. Close to work I can buy korean, cambodian, turkish, thai, japanese, phillipine, french, and italian food. There’s even a roast meat & vege takeout place with kumara and everything. Or I skip it all and just have an espresso from another place. I try to avoid the american chains also in the area. Most of those places weren’t in town thirty years ago. Nobody eats at every place on every day,, but somehow they all manage tobe going concerns.
I’m hungry.
GST went up, it was neutral for the poorest yet grew in lower taxes for the wealthy. Just like economies do better when fuel is getting cheaper, that it looks like tax cuts cause growth, rather the opposite i think. So, massive investment in alternative energy cuts into growth, which in tern means taxes cuts, Keys great tax switch raised the cost of living for nz, hurt business startup, underwrote the wealrhiest debt by giving them more in their pocket to pay mortgages, etc, and so kept the housing market booming. Key then failed to address structural rorts in housing that force prices higher, from few players in the market, etc,
National have never been good managers of the economy, that requires a long view when they are hired by, funded by shorters.
“Any party who wants increases in refugee quotas (remember it isn’t just them, it’s also the people they get to sponsor into the country) when we can’t even house our own is unacceptable.”
You would be ignoring their announced housing policies then. Some parties are capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.
Too many people mix up immigration vs refugee quota. Huge difference.
I’d rather we cut immigration to about 5,000 year and offer half of the those 5,000 places to refugees myself. The extra cost of support for refugees as they come into the country would be a worthwhile investment.
I’ve been fortunate over the past 20 years to have offered employment to 3 refugees – 2 of whom it was their first position in NZ and were ludicrously over-qualified for the roles (to the point I was almost embarrassed offering it to them). They were excellent employees – motivated, hard-working and enthusiastic. Once they got some NZ experience they, of course, moved on to better things (I’ve acted as a referee for all 3). They are all high functioning, integrated and proud NZ citizens with families who are successful and genuine Kiwis. In my experience bring on more refugees.
Heavens, The Chairman, using a word that another man has used is not unusual, since we share a common language and there are only so many words available to fit a concept or context.
I mean, John Key used a word that I used at a regional Labour conference when I said that I was so relaxed about a remit not being adopted that I could almost fall over. That was about 1987.
So… Labour did it toooo?!
According to Chairman, whenever anyone uses the word ‘relaxed’, they’re running one of Key’s lines, and should probably pay him royalties for the privilege. But why stop there? What about other Keyisms, like “Look, most Nu Zillanders…”, or “Akshully, I think you’ll find that…”? There’s money to be made here, and it would be most remiss of the former PM to let such a potentially lucrative opportunity pass him by.
“So… Labour did it toooo?!”
One of the great excuses. “They did it too.” Absolutely absolves one of all blame, and personal accountability.
Heard it all the time as a teacher.
Key’s use of the word relaxed could mean “don’t care/not interested/don’t want to be held to a position/do care but don’t want to be seen to be disturbed by it”.
His actual use of language was not relaxed, but carefully constructed, even in its lack of definition and meaning, to allow double meaning and wriggle room.
Imprecision in language also endeared him to many of his listeners.
Of interest now only to political pundits, historians and linguistic academics.
Surprising quite how quickly he has faded into the background.
Don’t count on it. I’m sure they’ll drag him out for the election campaign(of course he’ll be a knight by then).
be in New York or somewhere by then
To differentiate themselves from National, Labour should try to avoid using Key’s well known line.
Nevertheless, I doubt Labour are relaxed about it.
Losing to the Greens would be a heavy blow Labour would want to avoid and the rivalry will further impact upon Labour’s war chest.
“Labour should”
Another attack line, disguised as an even handed attempt to help.
“You should” and “You orter” are often not used to be offer assistance, but the opposite.
This whole thread, The Chairman, is an attack on Labour, but disguised. Also known as, I believe, concern trolling.
Be open, man.
Of course it’s an attack line. However, what’s been overlooked is it’s an attack designed to strengthen and improve, not destroy.
It’s better for Labour to get the wake up call now than it is to lose in the general election.
‘Hey Labour, stop using our cool ideas.’
Ennathaday, pfft.
That the Green Party is putting up a candidate to stand in the Mt Albert by-election is intriguing and interesting, considering that Labour and the Greens have a Memorandum Of Understanding to work together.
That this agreement doesn’t stop the airing of differences between the two parties is a good thing for democracy.
In the Northland by-election the Green Party issued what amounted to a free pass to the Labour Party to continue supporting deep sea oil drilling in Northland without any challenge.
By standing down in Northland the Green Party made sure that this issue was never discussed by the remaining main contenders, because Labour, National and New Zealand First, were all in agreement over this contentious and hot local issue denying the locals from hearing the debate on the pros and cons of deep sea oil exploration and drilling in their electorate.
In my opinion by standing down in Northland the Green Party did the voters of Northland a disservice by not allowing a discussion and evaluation of the merits or not on this hot topical issue.
Obviously deep sea oil drilling off their coastline will not be the burning topical issue that it was in Northland.
So what will be the main bone of contention in the debates between the two main candidates, in the Mt Albert by-election?
Presumably because both parties position themselves in the Left/progressive part of the political spectrum they will be in broad agreement on most other topics.
But the Labour and the Green Party still disagree about climate change and the need to urgently transition away from fossil fuels. So could this disagreement, which has become concretised around Labour’s fanatical support for deep sea oil drilling, be a topic of debate in this rather unlikely arena?
Could the Mt Albert by-election be made into the first ever electoral race in this country where climate change featured as a major election issue of difference between the two candidates?
Could the Mt Albert by-election become a referendum on deep sea oil drilling and climate change?
It is possible.
It all depends on how the Green Party approach this contest.
I would urge them to take up this strategy, (and for several, maybe not so obvious reasons).
Firstly; the Mt Albert by-election is a safe forum where this difference could be aired and debated without risking this division giving advantage to the National Party, (who are not standing a candidate), so whatever the result, there is no chance of it upsetting the proportionality parliament.
Secondly; polls cited by Greenpeace HERE indicate that 80% of the population are opposed to deep sea oil drilling. So the Green Party candidate should be onto a sure winner if she agressively took up opposition to deep sea oil drilling in her campaign, as opposed to the Labour Party’s support for deep sea oil drilling.
Thirdly; polls indicate that over 50% of the population want more government action on climate change, so if the Green Party made signifcant gains with this strategy it would be a serious whip for the government, which is dragging the chain on climate change.
And lastly; climate change is the most pressing issue of the 21st century it is well past the time it had a proper airing during an election in this country.
+1 Jenny.
I think that the Labour Party stance on deep sea oil may have changed a bit now Goff and Shearer have gone (at least I hope so), but having a Green Party candidate means there will be more discussion about climate change and, as you say, this is a good thing. Genter and Ardern will be able to show how their two parties can have some policy differences but still work together amicably.
I agree Karen.
Another positive sign, Phil Goff voting against deep sea oil in this country in his new role leading role as Mayor of our biggest city.
A respectful and collegiate contest in Mt. Albert where this major policy difference between the two parties is openly and fully thrashed out, and then put to the electorate for their decision. Could, depending on the result, strengthen the MOU putting, it on a more solid basis, putting the Labour Green coalition in a much stronger position to tackle the governement.
After housing, climate change is the governement’s worst performing portfolio. The Green Party and the Labour Party generally agree on housing issues, if they could also get agreement on climate issues then they would have two major agreed policy positions to challenge the government over.
It will.be a conversation between themselves, I suggest nobody will be listening including the media, waste of time barring protecting the democratic process so unfortunately a necessity
With National withdrawing and the Greens standing, the by-election has now become a contest between the left, thus the media will be watching. Most enjoy a fight.
And if the Greens give this a good crack, they have a lot to gain.
Red,it’s a waste of time talking to RWNJs anyway, but I do take your point about our inept, corrupt, commercially owned media.
If they do it right, and I think that they will, it won’t be a fight. It’ll be an open discussion which will show which way the country as a whole want to go with environmentalism.
If they do it right it will be a good clean fight/political debate, with both trying to convince voters of their merit.
Neither a fight nor an argument as neither produces a better, more informed outcome.
No. They’ll have a discussion that includes the people of Mt Albert.
Fight as in political debate.
It’s a by-election – not a party conference.
A really great exposition as to why Representative Democracy doesn’t work. The people don’t actually get to discuss and decide – the bought and paid for politicians do.
Agreed: “Representative Democracy doesn’t work. The people don’t actually get to discuss and decide – the bought and paid for politicians do.”
But.
This country does love its ‘winners, losers, battlers’ story. There’s fair amany would prefer FPP so they can snuggle up with their popcorn and opinions.
Change on this is slower than snails sliding backwards…
“Could the Mt Albert by-election become a referendum on deep sea oil drilling and climate change?”
Indeed it could, Jenny.
The Green economy could also be further promoted as a way to boost skills, employment and exports.
The Mt Albert by-election presents the Greens with an opportunity to differentiate themselves from Labour, highlighting all the issues they believe Labour solutions are lacking.
They’ll need to select a strong candidate that is competent and up to the task.
The suggested front runner Julie-Ann Genter is certainly a strong candidate, I have heard her speak, she is a strong and principled speaker, no doubt about it, Genter would give a very good account of herself against Lucinda Adern.
But if the Green Party really wanted to make a statement, and shake things up, I would suggest that the Green Party put up their spokesperson for climate change as their candidate in the Mt Albert by-election.
And who is that you might ask?
None other than Green Party leader James Shaw. The Green Party has reserved the climate change portfolio to leader, the only political party to do so, showing the importance that the Green Party regard this issue. Though National come close giving this portfolio to their Deputy.
Labour on the other hand have ranked this issue very low in their list of important portfolios to hold. So low in fact that their last holder of this post, Moana MacKey, got bumped off the bottom of the list. The current holder of this shadow portfolio for Labour is mid-ranked Dr Megan Woods.
Putting up their leader to challenge for the Mt. Albert seat is admittedly a high risk strategy, but like most high risk bets, if it is successful carries the biggest pay off.
Putting up the Leader will certainly raise the stakes, show that the Greens take this by-election seriously and provide the necessary high profile shock value that will grab the attention of the media and the voters, and indeed the country.
Climate change is the biggest political and moral issue of all time. It is about time that we gave it the profile and attention it deserves.
And if the Greens throw everything they have at it, this is the most likely strategy to succeed in taking the seat off Labour.
Anything less will be just another Ho Hum by-election with low voter and media interest with the resultiing low turn out.
The stakes have never been higher.
So let the contest begin. And may the best candidate win.
Putting up the Leader will certainly raise the stakes, Jenny. And it’s something the Greens should seriously consider.
But how will that leave them for Wellington?
(1) Who the flying feck is “Lucinda Adern” ???
Any relation to Jacinda Ardern ???
(2) At the last Election, National successfully portrayed the Opposition parties as hopelessly divided. The MOU was supposed to undermine that strategy. Why do you assume a conflict-obsessed media focussing entirely on Opposition party divisions as Labour and the Greens go aggressively head-to-head in Mt Albert – constitutes strategic genius ??? As opposed to, say … oh I don’t know … complete fucking madness ?
Well, Labour and Greens could make it so that it’s an obvious coalition with them talking about how they’ll work together to address climate change.
“At the last Election, National successfully portrayed the Opposition parties as hopelessly divided”
Indeed.
“The MOU was supposed to undermine that strategy.”
Only to an extent. The MOU ceases at the end of the election.
This working together while also opposing each other does undermine the perception of a united front, thus reinforces the divided perception National portrayed so well.
Perhaps an insider can better explain the rationale behind the strategy. Personally, I think it leaves voters confused.
It would be an interesting test of the climate change as election winner theory.
Tell you what Jenny, if this strategy is successful in Mt Albert, Robertson will be worried Shaw will repeat it in Wellington.
From the time stamp on your comment, Chairman, you made it before my preceding comment. And you are right. If Genter makes a good run in Mt Albert and lifts the Green Party vote running with a climate change, deep sea oil campaign. Then Shaw would be right to try the same strategy in Wellington against Robertson. The downside will be that this will all be lost in the background of a General Election.
What I have since suggested, is that Shaw doesn’t wait for Wellington but strikes now, when he will virtually have the stage to himself and will be able to grab the attention of the whole country.
Desperate times require desperate acts.
http://www.boomerwarrior.org/2016/12/unsettling-ominous-climate-alarm-bells-2016/
Maybe New Zealand could give that Churchillian climate change leadership that the world needs.
Afterall despite our size, we gave a world lead on the Welfare State, we gave a world leader on Women’s Sufferage, we gave a world lead on anti-nuclear, we gave a world lead in isolating apartheid South Africa, and we have just given a world lead in calling out Israel on their illegal annexation through settlements of Palestinian territory.
Let us not go through another election cycle where climate change barely rates a mention but instead becomes a major battleground of contention between the major parties before the voting public.
The Mt Albert by-election could represent the first salvo in the battle to make New Zealand a world leader on climate change.
The stakes could not be higher
Personally I don’t see a problem.
If Shaw becomes the MP for Mt Albert, Green Party stock would be greatly increased and the Greens could stand Genter in Wellington with a the chance of making a really good showing.
I agree, Shaw should seize the larger spotlight the Mt Albert by-election presents.
Mt Albert voters will not have climate change at the top of their concerns. Some mix of housing, transport, education, employment and crime seems most likely. Parties will campaign accordingly, just as they did in Mt Roskill.
Climate change is a rather major issue, therefore it’s illogical to assume a number of Mt Albert voters wouldn’t see it as one of their top concerns.
Moreover, as it’s one of only a limited number of differences between the two opposing parties, it will be a defining matter.
The Greens stance on cannabis (which Little personally opposes) will result in less crime and no doubt be another (defining matter).
If it was showing up as a major issue in regional party polling, one of them would have been talking about it by now.
The Greens do talk about it.
That would require leadership.
Of course the majority of Mt Albert voters dont’ have climate change as the top of their concerns.
Strangely neither was apartheid top of New Zealanders concerns before 1981
(And apart from the ranting and raving from one lone back bench Independent Constitutionalist Party anti-Socialist MP for Epping). The threat of facism in Europe, was not the top of the British people’s concerns in 1938′ 39′. Bread and butter issues related to lifting Britain out of the Great Depression was the main political concern of the day. Most British people could barely have pointed out Poland on the map.
The thing that brought these seemingly, (at the time), neglible issues to the forefront of public attention was leadership.
Just this week New Zealand has shown a flash of this rare quality on the world stage in the UN.
World wide, leadership in fronting up to the threat of climate change, is the single biggest missing incredient needed, before we can begin to properly address climate change.
Time will tell if our New Zealand political leaders are up to the task of providing that leadership.
By-elections are locally focused. You would need visible impact of climate change in the electorate already or a well-publicised imminent happening like a contentious rugby tour, resource interruption or national military threat to galvanise voters above their more day-to-day pressing concerns.
While by-elections are generally more locally focused, it doesn’t mean voters totally overlook wider issues. Especially when they are one of the defining issue between the two.
And speaking of being more locally focused, as Russel Norman once said, Green issues are Auckland issues.
This would also be a view held by our current Mayor who voted with the majority of his councilors against deep sea oil drilling.
And/Or, one other thing.
Leadership
Remarkable*
Uncompromising
Fearless
Leadership
That is all it will take and that is what is the missing ingredient.
Sacha even, if all the other things you mentioned happened all at once and together – without leadership to hi-lite and and channel them into a coherent narrative and direction, it would still be business as usual.
And I don’t buy it that it has to be a local issue. With the internet everything is local. And Zero degrees C at the North pole in the Northern winter heralds something terrible in the wings for humanity.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/87891043/temperatures-around-north-pole-leap-close-to-melting-point
*(meaning, remarked on)
I guess we will all see, won’t we.
Large Numbers
https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/404/large-number
Pretty uninspiring assessment of the opportunities opened up by the Mt Albert by-election, by Sacha.
While “large numbers” of New Zealanders will look to the stars, some would keep us looking at the ground.
National has stood down, and the two remaining Left Parties have a rare unencumbered chance to put their differing visions of the future to the voters. Will they take it? Or will they stick with Sacha’s grey lifeless formula for this election.
Just a dash of realism about prospects in a byelection. Hoping for more from the general election, certainly.
Sorry to break the news to you Sacha, but as for the prospects for hoping for more from the general election. It is not looking good.
Rather than break new ground, it looks at this stage to be same ‘ol same ‘ol.
Chairman you make me smile. Labour and Greens supporters will be thrilled, because they have a choice, both candidates are intelligent, switched on, classy ladies.
National party voters are going to be the ones whom are disgruntled, they have no choice, none, nothing, nada. Their government has abandoned them, spinning the narrative of ‘strategy’ LMFAO… any whom buy in to that excuse are either simply naive or desperate to have a reason that justifies the action.
Labour and Greens have the opportunity to not only enlighten voters about their party policy, but also to show the public how well they work together, and these classy ladies will eliminate dirty politics from this by election.
It’s MMP baby 😀 I’m a Red/Green voter, and I love being able to choose two parties. Some may vote for one candidate, because they best represent their electorate, but they may vote for another party in the general. And that’s the beauty of it. It will be a difficult choice, because both ladies are outstanding in Parliament, but either way it’s a win thanks to the MOU.
So what would happen if the Natz told their supporters to vote Green in the by-election? Labour would throw their toys out of the cot.
How would Green and Labour Party differences over climate change and deep sea oil drilling work themselves out? The differences between Obama and Trudeau over climate change and arctic oil drilling may be of some relevance.
https://www.desmogblog.com/2016/12/23/arctic-drilling-ban-reveals-crucial-difference-between-obama-and-trudeau-climate
“Arctic Drilling Ban Reveals Crucial Difference Between Obama and Trudeau on Climate”
Garibaldi, do you really feel that the Nat’s are going to ask their voters to vote for an opposition party?
Crikey Nat’s haven’t even got the balls to stand a candidate, ummm we are too gutless to stand a candidate because we prefer if you vote Greens, lmfao yeah right. So your question appears to be invalid.
@ garibaldi
I wouldn’t be surprised if some of their supporters became a little mischievous.
@ Cinny
Not all Labour and Greens supporters will be thrilled. There are a number of disgruntled Labour supporters out there.
With National out of the game and with Labour expected to win this safe seat, it’s an opportunity for them to send Labour a message while ensuring the seat remains left.
Auckland Transport and other dimwits are trying to change the intercity bus terminal to Manakau 22 km away from the CBD.
Nice to see that Kiwis and tourists are going to be dumped off so that high roller gamblers can be accommodated more easily with public money at the convention centre. 100% pure inconvenience to travellers, but don’t worry about that!
Nice time at Xmas to dump bad news. Someone should look into the legality of this bake and switch.
Previously, Auckland Transport communications manager Sharon Hunter said: “The bus terminal was a condition of the resource consent for the existing SkyCity and its removal would require a change of condition under the Resource Management Act.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11247034.
So two issues there, the push by Sky City to remove it the public Intercity bus terminal and why this is being allowed.
And WTF what dimwit idiot thought that Manakau was a good place for an interchange 22km away???? That’s right, the ‘brains’ of Auckland Transport – that’s what 1 billion of public money a year buys us!
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2016/12/21/just-when-you-couldnt-despise-auckland-transport-or-corrections-anymore-than-you-currently-do/
Britomart would have been an ideal spot but apparently it wasn’t future proofed when built and is now overloaded with buses and at full capacity.
That be banks once again, what a guy! I see the original plan had it, but the idiot in a cost cutting measure, removed it.
Got to love the neo-cons, putting con into almost everything.
Lots of interchanges are now at full capacity. This is what happens when bus routes are expanded to meet the present demand but there’s been decades of neglect.
In other words, the problems that AT are facing are an accumulation of decades of building for cars and ignoring public transport.
Extraordinary lack of commonsense, let alone thinking on that one, saveNZ. Hope the new mayor gets onto it ….. and gives whoever it was the dunce’s cap.
Where in the herald link does it say that Auckland transport want to do this ? It’s all sky city – and I think they will be pushing shit up hill.
One of the earlier Herald/Fairfax stories claimed SkyCity had not asked for this; AT was pushing it. Lord knows why. Good chance for new Mayor to remind them for whose interests they work.
Have you ever used the existing Manakau “interchange”? Or should I say “bus stop” or more correctly 3 person bus shelter outside the Manakau Mall on a wet and windy day waiting 20 mins for your intercity bus to come along – if your lucky and it hasn’t been gridlocked on the way south.
I don’t care if the Interchange is to be the central hub or not – Manukau NEEDS some form of bus interchange and it needs it NOW.
You mean like this?
Read about the Lindworm at Dark Mountain.
No. This is the year that we rejected the agreements that we made with the serpent 30+ years ago. This is the year that neo-liberalism got rejected by the people and the rich and powerful are upset by it.
And so how the monetary system really works is now out in the public domain. How the corruption of the rich is seen for what it is and is then rejected by the people.
Yes, these things are now known and changes are coming because of them.
Another consequence of the housing bubble:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/12/26/housing-shortfall-hurting-women-fleeing-domestic-violence/?utm_hp_ref=au-homepage
From the New York Times back in 2013…
The entire article makes for interesting reading if you’ve any interest in the development/shift in the story we were told about Syria.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/world/middleeast/islamist-rebels-gains-in-syria-create-dilemma-for-us.html
Wes Clark Jr. what a legend! Be warned some of the language is a bit rough.
Labour versus Greens is not a picture of collaboration but of a fight amongst the Left. Totally dysfunctional.
Given that both Paul Goldsmith and that ACT sock puppet who looks like Rimmer are in Cabinet, I think you’re over-stating this “fight” thing.
Sheesh it’s the holidays Fisiani, time to put the crack pipe down, and try rehab.
Two groups are not able to fight among themselves, fisiani, just between you and me. 🙂