Search Results

  1. Shhh! It’s the ‘P’ word.

    Written By:  Bill -  Date published: 5:01 pm, November 18th, 2013 -  340 comments
    Categories: capitalism, class, feminism, patriarchy, racism, religion, sexism, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags: , ,

    You don’t have to be white and male and financially wealthy to assume a prominent position within systems of patriarchy, but it helps. And you don’t have to be financially strapped and black and female to feel the full weight of patriarchy always pressing down on you, but it helps.

  2. Coleman’s disgracefully cowardly display

    Written By:  Eddie -  Date published: 8:38 am, November 15th, 2013 -  151 comments
    Categories: referendum, same old national
    Tags:

    National’s, weird, favourite line at the moment is to say ‘we’re going to ignore the asset sales referendum and the opposition are hypocrites because they ignored the smacking referendum’. Russel Norman finally had had enough yesterday, and asked Jonathan Coleman just who had been PM when the referendum happened. Coleman’s answer was textbook cowardliness.

  3. Thanks Wikileaks

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 12:05 pm, November 14th, 2013 -  38 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    Wikileaks have released the TPP advanced draft chapter on intellectual property. It includes the government positions on the main issues, including all those where the New Zealand negotiators are opposed to the US. As citizens we should all support our New Zealand negotiators and insist that  the Key government does not cave in to US interests. The stakes are too high.

  4. Why insurance should be a state monopoly

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 4:25 pm, November 11th, 2013 -  100 comments
    Categories: Economy
    Tags:

    The seeming purpose of having competition is to prevent monopoly pricing and excessive profits but, as Steve Keen shows, all businesses use the same pricing model with about the same level of profits. If they did use the pricing model that economists say that they should use they’d actually go broke. Having a state insurance system has a whole different economic basis.

  5. Everything you wanted to know about the Chorus deal …

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:19 am, November 6th, 2013 -  108 comments
    Categories: capitalism, Economy, infrastructure, john key, national, same old national, telecommunications
    Tags:

    The Chorus fibre roll out deal with the Government is one of those issues that promises to embarrass the Government deeply, more deeply than us lefties may think.  Because amongst the ranks of this Government’s supporters are those who hold close to principles.  They not be our principles but nevertheless from the view of the right are just as if not more important than ours.  One of the most important is the sanctity of the market.  This is why some on the right are distraught at the generosity being shown to one of our largest corporates.

  6. Take us this day our daily statins

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 3:53 pm, November 2nd, 2013 -  11 comments
    Categories: labour, political parties
    Tags:

    Reflecting on the generational changes of the Labour party membership, it isn’t hard to see why the more elderly have problems with such large changes. But after all not all of the population are dependent on their daily statins like me. Some of them are interested in if their kids will grow up to have jobs and will stay in this country.

  7. David Cunliffe Speech to 2013 Labour Party Conference – Building a future for all

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 2:57 pm, November 2nd, 2013 -  142 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, labour
    Tags:

    David Cunliffe’s speech notes for his speech to today’s Labour Party Conference

  8. Press freedom and politics

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 12:13 pm, October 30th, 2013 -  27 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    Rebekah Brooks, once Rupert Murdoch’s favourite editor, is in the dock in London charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Rupert then turned his attention to his former home, Australia, again focussing the weight of his tabloids on Labor, first Gillard then Rudd.  With a few exceptions, when it comes to politics it is the proprietors or the boardrooms that make the decisions, not the editors.

  9. The “cabbage boat” defence.

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 4:30 pm, October 18th, 2013 -  33 comments
    Categories: act, john banks, local body elections, national, national/act government
    Tags:

    It’s starting to look pretty shredded. Increasingly, it seems that John Banks has “got nothing to hide” – behind. The key question is what Banks knew when he signed a declaration recording known donations as anonymous. Paul Holmes did put the question directly to Banks on Q+A last year. He didn’t get a straight answer; Banks tried the cabbage boat defence.

  10. The Land of the Free

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 10:13 am, October 16th, 2013 -  15 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    The Republican majority in the US House of Representatives changed their standing orders to remove the right of any Representative to move that a Senate resolution be adopted. Watch Rep Chris van Hollen explain it. If his motion was allowed to come to the floor, there would be enough moderate Republicans in the House who would support the Democrats, and the gridlock that threatens the world economy would be removed. No wonder the Republicans are tanking in the polls.

  11. Useless

    Written By:  Zetetic -  Date published: 10:33 pm, October 2nd, 2013 -  81 comments
    Categories: you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    So John Key goes out into the world to represent our interests and what does he get? His good mate David Cameron tells him to get stuffed when he asks for better access to the UK for Kiwis. A meeting with the Queen that made us look like a bunch of hicks. A “hard hitting” […]

  12. Radio New Zealand apologises to David Cunliffe

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 10:35 am, September 26th, 2013 -  78 comments
    Categories: blogs, david cunliffe, radio, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags: ,

    rnz logoRadio New Zealand has issued an apology to David Cunliffe following Matthew Hooton’s recent smearing of him.  If only Cameron Slater would do the same because he is starting to get pretty obsessional about Cunliffe.  This may not be a bad thing as he is rapidly turning the Collins faction of the National Party into New Zealand’s equivalent of the Tea Party

  13. “Predistribution”: From Miliband to Cunliffe

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:11 am, September 23rd, 2013 -  41 comments
    Categories: benefits, capitalism, david cunliffe, democratic participation, education, housing, infrastructure, labour, minimum wage, poverty, social democracy, wages, workers' rights
    Tags: ,

    Ed Miliband got the idea of pre-distribution from Jacob Hacker. Cunliffe has followed.  Can “pre-distribution” underpin a new direction for the left in NZ: one relevant to the challenges of the 21st century, especially in countering the too wide inequality gap & re-instating social democracy?

  14. Wendy Brandon: DC’s chief of staff

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 6:45 am, September 19th, 2013 -  65 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, labour
    Tags: ,

    Ok, I’m very pleasantly surprised. David Cunliffe has made a very interesting choice for chief of staff. Based on what I know about the task, she looks like a damn good fit for the role. In fact I’m just surprised that he managed to attract her at all for the thankless task.

    I’ve always thought that the Chief of Staff role should be exercised by someone who was more managerial and staff orientated rather than being deeply embedded in the political game.

  15. Bryce Edwards needs to find a clue

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 1:04 pm, September 13th, 2013 -  22 comments
    Categories: blogs, leadership
    Tags: , ,

    Here’s a gem from his latest NZ Politics Daily.

  16. Axe the Copper Tax

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 12:38 pm, September 12th, 2013 -  39 comments
    Categories: same old national, telecommunications
    Tags: ,

    social welfare not corporate welfareA coalition of organisations as diverse as InternetNZ, TUANZ, a number of corporates, Unite Union and even Kiwiblog are starting a campaign to oppose Government plans to stop the cost of copper broadband connections to retail users being reduced to the fair price determined by the Commerce Commission so that Chorus can recover unbudgeted costs on the fibre rollout.

  17. Assessing the contenders’ campaigns

    Written By:  Michael Foxglove -  Date published: 7:18 am, September 12th, 2013 -  101 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, grant robertson, leadership, Shane Jones
    Tags:

    Robertson had to show some flare, show he’s more than an affable apparatchik, that he’s capable of wowing crowds and raising his profile: Not achieved

    Jones had to show he had some real depth under the bravado and not start saying weird things under pressure: Not achieved

    Cunliffe had to show he that he can meter his charismatic side to avoid gaffes and that he was genuinely something different from the B Team that’s led Labour since Clark: Achieved.

  18. When fear tactics backfire 2 – and GCSB roundup

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:20 am, August 21st, 2013 -  46 comments
    Categories: activism, david shearer, john key, Spying
    Tags: , , , , , ,

    John Key (the PM who has on multiple occasions overspent the budget on his own protection staff) really dug himself a hole when he accused opposition leaders of wanting to “run for the hills” in case of a terrorist attack. Not only did David Shearer get to remind him of the occasions that he has been under fire – and run to help – but now some other voices have chimed in too.

  19. Paula Bennett plans legislative witch hunt

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 8:32 am, August 18th, 2013 -  87 comments
    Categories: child welfare, national, paula bennett, same old national
    Tags:

    WitchhuntPaula Bennett’s latest idea is to remove the rights of natural justice for state employees who do not take the proposed child abuser vetting test, even though the test has not even been designed.  Even for Paula the stupidity of this idea is extreme …

  20. Submit to prevent SkyCity corruption

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 8:57 am, August 14th, 2013 -  5 comments
    Categories: auckland supercity, community democracy, corruption, democratic participation, politicans
    Tags: ,

    The SkyCity deal still needs some urgent attention from members of the public interested in getting a submission to the select committee. They close on Thursday 22 August next week. The politically corrupting influence of the gaming industry means that members of the public will have to push the politicians to stop them giving SkyCity these extraordinarily lucrative and destructive concessions for a economic pittance.

  21. The Failed Estate – An Australian Blog to follow

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 8:57 am, August 12th, 2013 -  10 comments
    Categories: australian politics, blogs
    Tags: , , ,

    Rupert murdoch puppet masterWith Australian elections just around the corner quality Australian political blogs will be in demand.  If you want to read a refreshingly progressive and sophisticated analysis of Australian Politics I recommend Jim Parker’s blog Failed Estate.  He writes with precision on issues such as the state of Australia’s media, the undermining of Julia Gillard, and the festering sore that is the boat people issue.

  22. Chorus of opposition to Key-Dunne spying Bill continues

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:45 am, August 7th, 2013 -  15 comments
    Categories: accountability, john key, national, Spying
    Tags: , , , , , ,

    Yesterday Opposition parties filibustered, and successfully delayed the passage of the Key-Dunne spying Bill. This buys more time to protest, and to put pressure on MPs.

    We have never before seen in New Zealand such a broad and ongoing chorus of opposition to government legislation as we are seeing with this Bill. Just yesterday alone…

  23. “The Big Issue”: councils & transport

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:57 am, August 5th, 2013 -  16 comments
    Categories: activism, assets, auckland supercity, Conservation, cycleway, greens, infrastructure, labour, local body elections, local government, public transport, sustainability
    Tags: ,

    Campbell Live last Wednesday focused on transport: funding & Auckland versus the regions; public transport & roads; the revolutionary Congestion Free Network plan.  City Vision (supported by Labour & the Green Party – with a major focus on transport) & 2 Future West candidates launch their Auckland council campaigns.

  24. Poverty Watch 42

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 7:49 am, August 3rd, 2013 -  86 comments
    Categories: national, paula bennett, poverty
    Tags: , ,

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the CPAG report on the links between poverty and child abuse, and why it shows that government policy is misguided. Green MP Holly Walker tries to get a straight answer out of Paula Bennett.

  25. John Key trashes the Constitution

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 8:14 am, August 2nd, 2013 -  55 comments
    Categories: john key, same old national, uncategorized
    Tags: , ,

    john key is confusedJohn Key is getting into the habit of trashing important constitutional principles.  The freedom of the press, the independence of Parliamentary Services and the principle that even the Prime Minister is subject to Parliament and the Privileges Committee have all been attacked recently.  What next?

  26. Key throws Thorn to the wolves

    Written By:  Eddie -  Date published: 7:12 pm, August 1st, 2013 -  146 comments
    Categories: brand key, Media
    Tags: , ,

    In a desperate move to stop the spygate political scandal from reaching into National’s machine, Key has thrown Parliamentary Services head, Geoff Thorn, to the wolves (if you think he jumped I’ve got a bridge you may be interested in buying).

  27. ImperatorFish: A letter from a Kiwi terrorist

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 4:37 pm, August 1st, 2013 -  Comments Off on ImperatorFish: A letter from a Kiwi terrorist
    Categories: Satire
    Tags:

    Scott has a letter from one of them thar Nu Zild terrists.

  28. This is Key’s scandal

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 12:49 pm, July 31st, 2013 -  64 comments
    Categories: accountability, dpf, john key, making shit up, Media, Parliament, spin, Spying
    Tags: , , ,

    Key’s loyal retainers are trying to keep him out of the Vance spying scandal. Major players are straight-out lying. Sadly for Key, the evidence of the timeline is clear. This is his scandal, start to finish.

  29. Reaction to housing policy

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:17 am, July 31st, 2013 -  134 comments
    Categories: housing, labour, Media
    Tags: ,

    Labour will be pleased at the reaction to its Latest housing policy, from Vernon Small, John Armstrong and (knock me down with a feather) Colin Espiner. Opinion polling is also in favour.

  30. A king is born: Long Live Inequality!

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:54 am, July 25th, 2013 -  87 comments
    Categories: accountability, class war, climate change, democracy under attack, john key, poverty, same old national, slippery, spin, Spying, uk politics, unemployment, welfare, workers' rights
    Tags:

    UK children born on the same day as the new prince will get a silver penny: but their lives will be vastly different.  Left foot Forward spells out the inequalities between these new born.  John Key gushes over the new prince, while his government slashes, burns and fuels inequalities.

  31. New blog – Anton Oliver

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 5:20 pm, July 24th, 2013 -  46 comments
    Categories: blogs, Conservation, sustainability
    Tags: ,

    Check out this post by former All Black Captain Anton Oliver on the blog over at New Zealand Story.

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