Search Results

  1. Up the spout, round the bend and down the tubes.

    Written By:  Bill -  Date published: 11:43 am, November 28th, 2017 -  34 comments
    Categories: capitalism, Environment, global warming, Globalisation, International, Politics, science, sustainability, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, useless
    Tags: , , , , ,

    It’s no longer really working out (kicking the AGW can down the road), but we seem to be hooked into a peculiar form of madness even as everything appears to be coming apart at the seams. It’s beyond me…

  2. Once again: National lost the election

    Written By:  Matthew Whitehead -  Date published: 9:17 pm, November 26th, 2017 -  154 comments
    Categories: democracy under attack, election 2017, MMP, national, nick smith, nz first
    Tags: ,

    A rebuttal of Nick Smith’s claim to have “won the 2017 election, but lost the coalition negotiations.”

  3. Labour to seek consensus over child poverty

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:03 am, November 25th, 2017 -  111 comments
    Categories: benefits, bill english, Carmel Sepuloni, class war, Economy, employment, jacinda ardern, jobs, journalism, labour, national, paula bennett, Politics, same old national, welfare
    Tags:

    Jacinda Ardern intends to reach out to National to try and furnish a bi partisan approach to dealing with child poverty.  It is a good idea, but I don’t like her chances.

  4. Queensland State Election and Coal

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 10:22 am, November 22nd, 2017 -  9 comments
    Categories: australian politics, climate change, Environment, global warming, International, Mining, sustainability
    Tags: , ,

    The Queensland election is turning into one of those rare and weird ones in which a large-scale environment-versus-economy fight looms largest.

  5. Tampa, Ardern and positioning small countries

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 7:30 am, November 16th, 2017 -  41 comments
    Categories: australian politics, China, Globalisation, helen clark, International, jacinda ardern, labour, Politics, trade, us politics
    Tags:

    There are major similarities between Helen Clark’s decision to accept into New Zealand refugees from the Tampa boat and Jacinda Ardern’s pushing for New Zealand to accept refugees based on Manus Island.

  6. Minister puts sustainability, and government’s reputation at risk

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 7:45 am, November 15th, 2017 -  33 comments
    Categories: Environment, labour, national, sustainability
    Tags: , , ,

    A guest post by Christine Rose on Fishing Minister Stuart Nash’s strange decision to delay the implementation of video surveillance on fishing ships and the implications for endangered Maui’s dolphins.

  7. Measuring the honeymoon

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 8:27 am, November 14th, 2017 -  34 comments
    Categories: polls
    Tags:

    One of the things that I like about the Horizon poll is that it is unashamedly qualitative and highlights data beyond what is required for idiot talking heads needing a soundbite. Horizon breaks down some of the demographics to look at who is giving the government their honeymoon.

  8. The House’s Man

    Written By:  Matthew Whitehead -  Date published: 6:50 am, November 11th, 2017 -  60 comments
    Categories: accountability, labour, Parliament
    Tags: , ,

    How is Trevor Mallard doing as speaker? Early signs are good.

  9. Trust, Labour and the TPPA

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 6:05 am, November 5th, 2017 -  96 comments
    Categories: Economy, International, labour, trade
    Tags: ,

    A look at Labour’s PR around the TPPA-11, and a campaign by Action Station to stop the signing.

  10. Jacinda Ardern, Donald Trump and political manners

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 2:42 pm, November 2nd, 2017 -  12 comments
    Categories: Donald Trump, International, jacinda ardern, Politics, us politics
    Tags:

    In terms of style and approach Jacinda Ardern is radically different to Donald Trump.

  11. The repeal of the Hobbit law

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 12:24 pm, October 29th, 2017 -  70 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, jobs, john key, journalism, national, national/act government, Politics, same old national, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, Unions, workers' rights
    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    Labour has indicated that as a priority it wishes to repeal the Hobbit law, a clumsy attempt in breach of International Law to prevent workers in the film industry from organising collectively and to divert attention from the fact that the National Government had been played by Warner Brothers.

  12. Better roads rather than fighting to maintain them against trucks.

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 9:13 am, October 25th, 2017 -  46 comments
    Categories: Economy, public transport, transport
    Tags: , , , , , , ,

    Truckers don’t own the roadways. We do. If Ken Shirley wants a stricter adherence to user pays, then he should start with his trucking members. In the meantime the best thing we can do for improving the roading network is to get large trucks off of the road – they damage it way too much.

  13. The mess that the new government inherits

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 11:47 am, October 23rd, 2017 -  51 comments
    Categories: accountability, climate change, Dirty Politics, Economy, economy, education, Environment, global warming, health, housing, labour, national, poverty, useless, water
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

    This post is too long to read. Its purpose is to serve as reference material, a “one stop” snapshot of where we are as a country. The mess that the new government inherits. The consequences of the nine long wasted years of National. The magnitude of the challenge ahead of us.

  14. Don Presland obituary

    Written By:  advantage -  Date published: 6:30 am, October 23rd, 2017 -  23 comments
    Categories: labour, Unions, wages, workers' rights
    Tags: , ,

    Long time Unionist and Labour supporter Don Presland died last week. Family friend Ad writes about Don’s decades of standing up for workers’ rights and in celebration of the life of a really good man.

  15. Today is a win-win with Winston

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 8:48 am, October 19th, 2017 -  103 comments
    Categories: accountability, act, election 2017, electoral systems, First Past the Post, greens, jacinda ardern, labour, MMP, national, nz first, political parties, Politics, same old national, united future, winston peters
    Tags:

    It appears that Winston is about to announce the decision of the NZ First party about their coalition partner today. For those who seem to think that coalitions should be formed with rapidity, they simply shouldn’t. That is the path to making stupid decisions, and I am yet to hear a single good reason to do it.

  16. A letter to my middle-class, well meaning, professional, liberal friends and family

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 10:24 am, October 18th, 2017 -  4 comments
    Categories: activism, benefits, class, class war, greens, Metiria Turei, welfare
    Tags: , ,

    A post about the responsibility to advocate for change in a visible way.

  17. Sean Plunket resigns from Broadcasting Standards Authority

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 9:02 am, October 14th, 2017 -  44 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, broadcasting, Media, twitter
    Tags: , ,

    Anyone feeling for Sean Plunket?

  18. Anatomy of a plonker

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 6:39 am, October 12th, 2017 -  30 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, broadcasting, Media, twitter, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags: , ,

    “Anyone else feeling for Harvey Weinstein?” – Sean Plunket

  19. Guest post: Deconstructing yet another National has moral right to govern argument

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 9:15 am, October 11th, 2017 -  41 comments
    Categories: election 2017, greens, internet party, labour, mana, national, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    A guest post by Swordfish on the implausibility of the claims by Dr Claire Robinson’s odd claim that the 2017 election result was a win for the status quo.

  20. Arrival

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 11:28 am, October 9th, 2017 -  61 comments
    Categories: Deep stuff, film, greens, political alternatives, sustainability
    Tags: , ,

    Incognito writes about the need for a new narrative in politics and how the Green movement is providing one that takes us beyond neoliberalism and unfettered capitalism.

  21. Election night coverage

    Written By:  weka -  Date published: 1:18 pm, September 23rd, 2017 -  13 comments
    Categories: democratic participation, election 2017, journalism, Media, news, radio, The Standard, youtube
    Tags:

    Some places for lefties to follow the counting and take part in the talking.

  22. Two ticks red

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 7:33 am, September 22nd, 2017 -  25 comments
    Categories: bill english, greens, jacinda ardern, john key, labour, national, same old national, youtube
    Tags:

    Who I am going to vote for and why.

  23. Campbell: Ten Reasons For Not Voting National

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 7:03 am, September 19th, 2017 -  33 comments
    Categories: accountability, election 2017, national
    Tags: , , , , , , , ,

    Gordon Campbell sets out ten reasons not to vote National. Well referenced and compelling. Standardistas may wish to add their own entries to the list.

  24. David Farrar has no idea about business nor apparently the role of government for business.

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 1:38 pm, September 18th, 2017 -  44 comments
    Categories: blogs, David Farrar, Politics
    Tags:

    I see that David Farrar, the National parties favourite paid polling poodle, is trying to spin up the old line about politicians not being business people. He sounds like a blithering idiot. He also obviously knows bugger all about real business and I’m not sure that he really understands what government is about for businesses. Perhaps he should get some training in running a business?

  25. The Herald reverts to type

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 12:27 pm, September 16th, 2017 -  45 comments
    Categories: election 2017, jacinda ardern, john key, labour, Media, Politics, superannuation, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    John Armstrong has come out in the Herald swinging wildly and claiming without evidence that Jacinda Ardern’s campaign has stalled, and criticized her policy positions but because he thinks they are only a bit better than National’s.

  26. Greening the place up

    Written By:  Robert Guyton -  Date published: 10:22 am, September 14th, 2017 -  50 comments
    Categories: election 2017, greens
    Tags: , ,

    It’s a simple equation; Labour plus The Greens equals real progress, real change, real hope.

  27. National MP Jian Yang was investigated by SIS for possible ties to Chinese Government

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 2:04 pm, September 13th, 2017 -  168 comments
    Categories: China, International, national, same old national, Spying
    Tags:

    Newsroom and the Financial Times have reported that National MP Dr Jian Yang was educated at a Chinese University specialising on training spies and was investigated by the SIS for possible links to the Chinese Government.

  28. This is how you change the Government – electorate vote Goldsmith if you are on the Epsom roll

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 1:05 pm, September 11th, 2017 -  32 comments
    Categories: Abuse of power, act, budget 2017, campaigning, Deep stuff, democracy under attack, national, Politics, same old national, vote smart
    Tags: ,

    For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.

  29. Liar Joyce’s shifting goal posts and zero budgets

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:13 am, September 6th, 2017 -  16 comments
    Categories: accountability, economy, national, Steven Joyce, useless
    Tags: , , , , ,

    Hopelessly compromised Steven Joyce is trying to shift the goalposts from his thoroughly exposed $11.7bn lie to Labour’s “zero budgets”. He’s clutching at straws…

  30. Even Kiwiblog won’t defend Joyce’s $11.7 billion claim

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 11:58 am, September 5th, 2017 -  15 comments
    Categories: bill english, blogs, David Farrar, dpf, election 2017, making shit up, Media, national, Politics, same old national, spin, Steven Joyce, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    David Farrar has put up and then amended a post suggesting that there is a $11.7 billion hole in Labour’s policy financials. It appears that even he does not believe there is a $11.7 billion discrepancy in Labour’s accounts.

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