The challenges for the Mt Albert candidates

Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, May 6th, 2009 - 45 comments
Categories: mt albert - Tags: , , ,

Bit of a group effort this one.

John Boscawen MP – Boscawen is mad as a hatter and pretty damn ignorant. So he should appeal to the hard-right voters. In Parliament, he has argued against the Waterview tunnel and for a surface motorway. That’s not going to fly with the people of Mt Albert, especially the rightwingers who don’t want to see the values of their homes and rental properties hurt. Not a serious contender but he will campaign seriously. No Epsom-style deal with National here – Boscawen is too pigheaded for a start.

Melissa Lee MP – she’s going to have to come up with a good answer to the question ‘why won’t National give Aucklanders their referendum on the supercity?’ because she’s going to be asked it at every public meeting. Clue – ‘it’s too complicated’ won’t cut it. On top of that, she’s going to have to defend a Black Budget and rising unemployment. Joyce isn’t going to drop her in it by announcing National will cancel the Waterview tunnel in favour of a surface motorway but she will be expected to have an answer on where National stands. Clue – ‘um’ won’t cut it. Lee is prideful and prone to outbursts when challenged, that’s a ticking time bomb that might go off in her face.

Russel Norman MP – Russel’s main position is that there shouldn’t be a tunnel or a surface motorway. The danger for Russel is that this will make him be seen as an arrogant outsider preaching to the people of Mt Albert who are very strongly in favour of the tunnel. Right now the people of Mt Albert are having to contend with their roads being jammed every morning with commuters going from the outer suburbs to the CBD ‘rat racing’ through their suburb. An Aussie from Wellington telling them they shouldn’t get Waterview and there should be some undefined mass public transport instead won’t be popular. If he manages to poll well he will cement his place as male co-leader. If he can’t the Greens will know they need to look elsewhere. The other challenge for Russel is to not be seen as cozying up to National and only criticising Shearer, it will hurt the Greens at the national level if they are seen to be selling out like the Maori Party.

David Shearer – yeah, he’s got the international pedigree but does he actually give a damn about local issues that matter to the voters in Mt Albert, and can he drop the language of the international player to communicate accessibly with ordinary Kiwis? He is the front-runner – it has always been a Labour seat, the gap between National and Labour nationally is narrowing, his party is on the locals’ side when it comes to Waterview and the supercity but he still needs to give those people a reason to bother going to vote for him. The people of Mt Albert are used to having, in Helen Clark, a representative who was a major figure at the national and international levels while simultaneously an attentive local MP. Shearer has to show he’s got the potential to give them at least a good deal of what they got from Clark.

45 comments on “The challenges for the Mt Albert candidates ”

  1. Rich 1

    “An Aussie from Wellington” – so you think racist “attack lines” will fly well with the population of Mt Albert?

    • r0b 1.1

      Racist? Ummm – racist? Really? Racist? Odd world you live in Rich.

      The original post is good stuff however, some useful points highlighted.

    • the sprout 1.2

      umm Rich, aren’t you being very racist to assume ‘Aussie’ is necessarily pejorative?
      chump.

  2. Barry Sanders 2

    I’m glad to read such an impartial analysis of the Mt Albert by-election.

  3. dad4justice 3

    “Boscawen is mad as a hatter and pretty damn ignorant”

    I know who is stark raving mad , just look at the state of country after a corrupt Labour fucked it!

  4. Hey this would make a good “one of these things is not like the other”.

    Funny election, the only ability for Mount Albert to get a local MP is to vote Shearer. Fine by me actually.

    • jerry 4.1

      Ah no…. if Russell gets the nod Dave Clendon comes in on the list – Dave is a local man see here.

      • lprent 4.1.1

        And he didn’t stand as a candidate – why? Wasn’t Russell selected unopposed?

        • the sprout 4.1.1.1

          Dave Clendon is a great guy, I’ve met him several times and I’ve been consistently impressed. He’s genuine, calm, considered, courteous, and pretty smart.
          Norman on the other hand just comes across as snearing, arrogant and altogether out of touch with any constituency, including the average green voter.

          • mickysavage 4.1.1.1.1

            I agree with your description of Dave Clendon. Parliament needs more people like him. He is intelligent, dedicated and principled.

            Perhaps that is why he did not stand? He realises that this current Government does not deserve any support from the Greens, such is the appalling record on environmental issues that it has already developed.

            And by standing it may be that National’s chances for the seat will be increased …

    • mike 4.2

      “Funny election, the only ability for Mount Albert to get a local MP is to vote Shearer. Fine by me actually.”

      Shearer is more right wing than Key so fine by me too…

      • mickysavage 4.2.1

        You guys must have riding instructions. The powers that be decide Shearer is a threat so the call goes out, “keep saying he is right wing based on a couple of words in a 12 year old paper he wrote so that hopefully we will cast doubt in the mainstream and amongst left wingers.”

        The trouble is, it is really dishonest. You throw words at him to hurt him without even caring if the words should actually be used.

        Shearer is a humanitarian. His commitment to the poorest people in the world is astounding. I know a few people who have made huge commitments to the poor but his commitment is way above theirs.

        So instead of throwing two words at him, “right wing”, maybe you should use more words to actually analyse him.

        I understand now, if you did this you may actually lose the advantage.

        Political advantage is so much more important than truth, especially to right wingers.

        • gobsmacked 4.2.1.1

          Agree with Micky Savage.

        • the sprout 4.2.1.2

          agreed ms. i have some problems with Shearer as a candidate but his humanitarian credentials are impeccable and his statements about the use of mercenaries in very exceptional and limited circumstances were fair i thought.
          let them keep slinging the mud, it’ll only boomerang. none of his competitors from the other parties come even remotely close in terms of service track record. i hope they do try to make it an issue – hoist, petard, etc.

  5. gobsmacked 5

    Rich

    The words “be seen as” are relevant here.

    Analysis of possible voter behaviour means analysis of their reasons, including bad ones.

    Some people (not many, but some) won’t vote for an Asian-New Zealander. Some people (probably more) won’t vote for the millionaire. Etc.

    There’s a reason Maori want the Maori seats.

  6. hvillvoter 6

    Funny election, the only ability for Mount Albert to get a local MP is to vote Shearer. Fine by me actually.

    We must have different definitions of what local means – on what basis are you saying that Shearer is the only local?. When did Shearer last live in the electorate? He owns a house in the electorate but is he living there, as we are told he has to quit his UN job so presumably he is living in a hotel having just jetted in? If his loyalty is so great to Mt Albert why did he stand previously in Whangaeri?

    Whats wrong with the questioning of the tunnel option? Do you think the price tag represents a good use of billions of dollars? Or dont you think the voters will question the price tag so long as it goes underground?

  7. Nick 7

    I know John Boscawen quite well. Your reference to him being as “mad as a hatter” is wrong and obnoxious.

    • Rex Widerstrom 7.1

      Yes, besides which David Garrett was duly elected to the position of Caucus Mad Hatter and Ignoramus, thus entitling him to a well-deserved “phlegm replenishment allowance”. Typical lefties, no respect for democracy 😛

      Seriously, John Boscawen – whether you agree with him or not – is a man of principle and far from an ignoramus. I’m sure he doesn’t need me to defend him but you do your analysis a disservice by resorting to innacurate, ad hominem simplicity simply because he represents a party you don’t like (with good reason, of late, I’d agree) and presumably because he contributed to rubbing Labour and the Green’s faces in the ill-conceived mess that was the EFA.

      • mickysavage 7.1.1

        Rex

        “Yes, besides which David Garrett was duly elected to the position of Caucus Mad Hatter and Ignoramus …”

        It must have been a close result …

    • lprent 7.2

      Ummm I suspect that is a matter of opinion. I’ve heard some pretty freaky stories about his mood changes in inappropriate settings – usually after being challenged about his opinion being incorrect. But that is all hearsay…

      • the sprout 7.2.1

        I’ve seen him behave in exactly the unstable manner you describe lprent. The guy is really quite frightening.

      • Rex Widerstrom 7.2.2

        Oh, so he has a short fuse and dislikes (some) critics? Then move over, Boscawen, there’s a long queue of people waiting to join your tea party, me included 😀

        There’s a fine line between principle and pigheadedness and it’s often crossed. I for one have a season ticket.

        I can think of the immediate past PM as another example of this. Given the choice I’d take it over wimpish poll-chasing any time, and as a result perversely admire many people whose actual policies I have very little truck with. At least they’re predictable and you know where you stand.

        Besides, misusing words like “mad” and “ignorant” leave us having to find new terms to describe The Garrotte (as I see toad has coined below, and I shall be sure to steal from henceforth).

        • the sprout 7.2.2.1

          Rex I respect you as an intelligent contributor even if I don’t always agree with your pov. But I’ve seen Boscawen go off in a way that just leaves his audience flabberghasted, and in a way that can only be described as highly dysfunctional insofar as his outbursts completely undermine any credibility or support he may have just built up prior to such an episode. What I’m talking about is WAY beyond a ‘short fuse’ or ‘dislike of criticism’ – that I can understand.

          • Rex Widerstrom 7.2.2.1.1

            Hmmm… okay. Haven’t witnessed it myself (though our exchanges have been confined to email, I was critical of the execution of the anti-EFA media ads) but I’ll take your word for it Sprout since you’re not someone who tends to indulge in hyperbole or ad hominems.

            Mind you, lock me in a Caucus room with The Garrotte once a week and force me to listen to a diatribe on the virtues of anal rape as a crime deterrent and I suspect I’d begin to lose my marbles too.

          • the sprout 7.2.2.1.2

            yep fair enough Rex, it may be that i caught him after a session with Garrotte and that would destablize the even the most composed character. let’s give him one more strike 😉

    • Steve 7.3

      Well Nick, you know what they say about Birds of a Feather!

  8. dad4justice 8

    Nick the demented filth over here are nothing but “wrong and obnoxious.”

  9. toad 9

    Nick said: I know John Boscawen quite well. Your reference to him being as “mad as a hatter’ is wrong and obnoxious.

    You are correct Nick. The ACT MP suffering the most obvious signs of mercury poisoning (which is where the “mad as a hatter’ expression came from) has to be The Garrotte.

    Boscawen is sane and sensible in comparison to Garrett (but maybe not in comparison to anyone else who is allowed out into the community).

  10. Kgero 10

    “That’s not going to fly with the people of Mt Albert, especially the rightwingers who don’t want to see the values of their homes and rental properties hurt.’

    So left wingers dont care about the value of their property to the same extent as right wingers?

    • the sprout 10.1

      no, but i think right-wingers would be more likely to base their vote on it.

  11. toad 11

    the sprout said: But I’ve seen Boscawen go off in a way that just leaves his audience flabberghasted..

    And his effort to tag on to Russel Norman’s questions in Parliament to the Minister of Transport yesterday was absolutely pathetic.

    I guess that as ACT’s Mt Albert candidate, he thought he had to ask something (the last supplementary). But how tragic!

  12. Trevor Mallard 12

    I think that Dpf whaleoil and others have done David Shearer a great favour by giving him great profile so early in the campaign. His name recognition has gone through the roof.

    • mike 12.1

      Trev you of all people should know that all publicity is not good publicity…

      But I think Shearer is a real find. Hell the way Labours turning blue under Goff I’m seriously considering for voting for them in 2011

  13. Well Boscawen can now run on the platform of being tough on gangs after voting for the gang patch bill. Of course he has told ACT voters they can go suck a lemon if they want personal freedoms. I have covered the gang patch vote at Loco Burro Politics.

  14. Hi Mike

    You bypassed my previous comment so I will post it again.

    You guys must have riding instructions. The powers that be decide Shearer is a threat so the call goes out, ?keep saying he is right wing based on a couple of words in a 12 year old paper he wrote so that hopefully we will cast doubt in the mainstream and amongst left wingers.?

    The trouble is, it is really dishonest. You throw words at him to hurt him without even caring if the words should actually be used.

    Shearer is a humanitarian. His commitment to the poorest people in the world is astounding. I know a few people who have made huge commitments to the poor but his commitment is way above theirs.

    So instead of throwing two words at him, ?right wing?, maybe you should use more words to actually analyse him.

    I understand now, if you did this you may actually lose the advantage.

    Political advantage is so much more important than truth, especially to right wingers.

    Care to debate?

    • Zaphod Beeblebrox 14.1

      By dragging up the fact that Shearer was trying to stop people being slaughtered in Africa (and later in Iraq) the blogs are making the guy look even better,
      BTW Melissa Lee saying ‘she knows NZ better’ is just dumb.

  15. Mike. you are whistling into the wind, try thinking for yourself instead of parroting DPFs line on Kiwiblog. Shearer is a brilliant candidate for Labour with an amazing past, helping the world’s poorest and afflicted. He obviously cares a great deal for the less fortunate and will be a great voice to encourage all New Zealanders to take responsibility and care for each other. One of the great goals of the left-wing, the protection, security and the provision of opportunity for all New Zealanders.

  16. Kev 16

    One has to agree with the comments concerning Melissa Lee. Her unscripted performance on Morning Report on Monday must have left voters in Mt Albert in no doubt as to what a light weight she is. Maybe she’s the original National-lite! She thought the main issue would be the economy but couldn’t face up to the Super City nor the SH20 connection questioning from Sean Plunket. Personally I’m looking forward to witnessing one of those explosions you’ve mentioned she can be prone to. At least David Shearer will recognise the strength of the device when it goes off!

    • calltoaccount 16.1

      Does anybody have a link to Lee’s Morning Report interview? Here’s hoping…

      • r0b 16.1.1

        The post above mentions “Monday” – Morning Report for Monday is here, I can’t see anything on Lee.

        Morning Report on Tuesday is here, with a couple of pieces on Lee. The first piece (07:22) has an interview, not sure if it’s the one you’re looking for.

        • calltoaccount 16.1.1.1

          Thanks for that, it’s the Tuesday page, the second one on Lee. Sean held fire, even when stonewalled with 1) crime, 2 ) economy, and finally (in response to Sean’s supercity question), 3) “people will have an opportunity to have their say”.

          Let’s hope the fuse is lit and it isn’t a long one …

  17. gingercrush 17

    Too much is made of someone being local or not. That whole argument is itself stupid. Very few MPs ever represent electorates where they live and in Auckland that is even more unlikely. Being local doesn’t in itself mean you will become a good electorate MP, likewise representing an electorate where you don’t live doesn’t mean you won’t do a good job at it.

    Shearer has a house in the electorate. Lee used to live there while Boscawen has connections to the electorate and Norman has said he will shift to that electorate. While I don’t agree with the Greens or Labours policies, I think both could be excellent electorate MPs. But Lee and even Boscawen could represent the Mt. Albert electorate equally well. Rather than argue over that shit. How about talking about the local issues instead. That is surely more important.

  18. deemac 18

    other immigrants have said to me they think it is bizarre that Lee (and Norman for that matter) can stand when already an MP. It’s like “I want to be your MP but if you don’t elect me, what do I care – I’m already an MP!”.
    If she’s so confident she should resign her list place. No? Didn’t think so.
    BTW, wasn’t D4J banned for life? I presume that meant HIS life. He adds nothing but sad puke. Why I we still enduring it?

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    Two articles by Karl du Fresne bring media coverage of the new government into considerations.  He writes –    Tuesday, November 28, 2023 The left-wing media needed a line of attack, and they found one The left-wing media pack wasted no time identifying the new government’s weakest point. Seething over ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • PHILIP CRUMP:  Team of rivals – a CEO approach to government leadership
    The work begins Philip Crump wrote this article ahead of the new government being sworn in yesterday – Later today the new National-led coalition government will be sworn in, and the hard work begins. At the core of government will be three men – each a leader ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago
  • Black Friday
    As everyone who watches television or is on the mailing list for any of our major stores will confirm, “Black Friday” has become the longest running commercial extravaganza and celebration in our history. Although its origins are obscure (presumably dreamt up by American salesmen a few years ago), it has ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    3 days ago
  • In Defense of the Media.
    Yesterday the Ministers in the next government were sworn in by our Governor General. A day of tradition and ceremony, of decorum and respect. Usually.But yesterday Winston Peters, the incoming Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister, of our nation used it, as he did with the signing of the coalition ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Tuesday, Nov 28
    Nicola Willis’ first move was ‘spilling the tea’ on what she called the ‘sobering’ state of the nation’s books, but she had better be able to back that up in the HYEFU. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • PT use up but fare increases coming
    Yesterday Auckland Transport were celebrating, as the most recent Sunday was the busiest Sunday they’ve ever had. That’s a great outcome and I’m sure the ...
    3 days ago
  • The very opposite of social investment
    Nicola Willis (in blue) at the signing of the coalition agreement, before being sworn in as both Finance Minister and Social Investment Minister. National’s plan to unwind anti-smoking measures will benefit her in the first role, but how does it stack up from a social investment viewpoint? Photo: Lynn Grieveson ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Giving Tuesday
    For the first time "in history" we decided to jump on the "Giving Tuesday" bandwagon in order to make you aware of the options you have to contribute to our work! Projects supported by Skeptical Science Inc. Skeptical Science Skeptical Science is an all-volunteer organization but ...
    4 days ago
  • Let's open the books with Nicotine Willis
    Let’s say it’s 1984,and there's a dreary little nation at the bottom of the Pacific whose name rhymes with New Zealand,and they've just had an election.Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, will you look at the state of these books we’ve opened,cries the incoming government, will you look at all this mountain ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: Stopping oil
    National is promising to bring back offshore oil and gas drilling. Naturally, the Greens have organised a petition campaign to try and stop them. You should sign it - every little bit helps, and as the struggle over mining conservation land showed, even National can be deterred if enough people ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Don’t accept Human Rights Commission reading of data on Treaty partnership – read the survey fin...
    Wellington is braced for a “massive impact’ from the new government’s cutting public service jobs, The Post somewhat grimly reported today. Expectations of an economic and social jolt are based on the National-Act coalition agreement to cut public service numbers in each government agency in a cost-trimming exercise  “informed by” head ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • The stupidest of stupid reasons
    One of the threats in the National - ACT - NZ First coalition agreements was to extend the term of Parliament to four years, reducing our opportunities to throw a bad government out. The justification? Apparently, the government thinks "elections are expensive". This is the stupidest of stupid reasons for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • A website bereft of buzz
    Buzz from the Beehive The new government was being  sworn in, at time of writing , and when Point of Order checked the Beehive website for the latest ministerial statements and re-visit some of the old ones we drew a blank. We found ….  Nowt. Nothing. Zilch. Not a ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago
  • MICHAEL BASSETT: A new Ministry – at last
    Michael Bassett writes – Like most people, I was getting heartily sick of all the time being wasted over the coalition negotiations. During the first three weeks Winston grinned like a Cheshire cat, certain he’d be needed; Chris Luxon wasted time in lifting the phone to Winston ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Luxon's Breakfast.
    The Prime Minister elect had his silver fern badge on. He wore it to remind viewers he was supporting New Zealand, that was his team. Despite the fact it made him look like a concierge, or a welcomer in a Koru lounge. Anna Burns-Francis, the Breakfast presenter, asked if he ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • LINDSAY MITCHELL:  Oranga Tamariki faces major upheaval under coalition agreement
     Lindsay Mitchell writes – A hugely significant gain for ACT is somewhat camouflaged by legislative jargon. Under the heading ‘Oranga Tamariki’ ACT’s coalition agreement contains the following item:   Remove Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 According to Oranga Tamariki:     “Section ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • BRIAN EASTON:  Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record. Brian Easton writes – 1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago
  • Cathrine Dyer's guide to watching COP 28 from the bottom of a warming planet
    Is COP28 largely smoke and mirrors and a plan so cunning, you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel? Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: COP28 kicks off on November 30 and up for negotiation are issues like the role of fossil fuels in the energy transition, contributions to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Top 10 news links at 10 am for Monday, Nov 27
    PM Elect Christopher Luxon was challenged this morning on whether he would sack Adrian Orr and Andrew Coster.TL;DR: Here’s my pick of top 10 news links elsewhere at 10 am on Monday November 27, including:Signs councils are putting planning and capital spending on hold, given a lack of clear guidance ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the new government’s policies of yesteryear
    This column expands on a Werewolf column published by Scoop on Friday Routinely, Winston Peters is described as the kingmaker who gets to decide when the centre right or the centre-left has a turn at running this country. He also plays a less heralded but equally important role as the ...
    4 days ago
  • The New Government’s Agreements
    Last Friday, almost six weeks after election day, National finally came to an agreement with ACT and NZ First to form a government. They also released the agreements between each party and looking through them, here are the things I thought were the most interesting (and often concerning) from the. ...
    4 days ago
  • How many smokers will die to fund the tax cuts?
    Maori and Pasifika smoking rates are already over twice the ‘all adult’ rate. Now the revenue that generates will be used to fund National’s tax cuts. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The devil is always in the detail and it emerged over the weekend from the guts of the policy agreements National ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • How the culture will change in the Beehive
    Perhaps the biggest change that will come to the Beehive as the new government settles in will be a fundamental culture change. The era of endless consultation will be over. This looks like a government that knows what it wants to do, and that means it knows what outcomes ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • No More Winnie Blues.
    So what do you think of the coalition’s decision to cancel Smokefree measures intended to stop young people, including an over representation of Māori, from taking up smoking? Enabling them to use the tax revenue to give other people a tax cut?David Cormack summed it up well:It seems not only ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #47
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 19, 2023 thru Sat, Nov 25, 2023.  Story of the Week World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief  Exclusive: Simon Stiell says leaders must ‘stop ...
    5 days ago
  • Some of it is mad, some of it is bad and some of it is clearly the work of people who are dangerous ...
    On announcement morning my mate texted:Typical of this cut-price, fake-deal government to announce itself on Black Friday.What a deal. We lose Kim Hill, we gain an empty, jargonising prime minister, a belligerent conspiracist, and a heartless Ayn Rand fanboy. One door closes, another gets slammed repeatedly in your face.It seems pretty ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago
  • “Revolution” is the threat as the Māori Party smarts at coalition government’s Treaty directi...
    Buzz from the Beehive Having found no fresh announcements on the government’s official website, Point of Order turned today to Scoop’s Latest Parliament Headlines  for its buzz. This provided us with evidence that the Māori Party has been soured by the the coalition agreement announced yesterday by the new PM. “Soured” ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago
  • The Good, the Bad, and the even Worse.
    Yesterday the trio that will lead our country unveiled their vision for New Zealand.Seymour looking surprisingly statesmanlike, refusing to rise to barbs about his previous comments on Winston Peters. Almost as if they had just been slapstick for the crowd.Winston was mostly focussed on settling scores with the media, making ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • When it Comes to Palestine – Free Speech is Under Threat
    Hi,Thanks for getting amongst Mister Organ on digital — thanks to you, we hit the #1 doc spot on iTunes this week. This response goes a long way to helping us break even.I feel good about that. Other things — not so much.New Zealand finally has a new government, and ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • Thank you Captain Luxon. Was that a landing, or were we shot down?
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Also in More Than A FeildingFriday The unboxing And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Cans of Worms.
    “And there’ll be no shortage of ‘events’ to test Luxon’s political skills. David Seymour wants a referendum on the Treaty. Winston wants a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Labour’s handling of the Covid crisis. Talk about cans of worms!”LAURIE AND LES were very fond of their local. It was nothing ...
    6 days ago
  • Disinformation campaigns are undermining democracy. Here’s how we can fight back
    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Misinformation is debated everywhere and has justifiably sparked concerns. It can polarise the public, reduce health-protective behaviours such as mask wearing and vaccination, and erode trust in science. Much of misinformation is spread not ...
    6 days ago
  • Peters as Minister
    A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.1990-1991: Minister of Māori Affairs. Few remember Ka Awatea as a major document on the future of Māori policy; there is not even an entry in Wikipedia. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    7 days ago
  • The New Government: 2023 Edition
    So New Zealand has a brand-spanking new right-wing government. Not just any new government either. A formal majority coalition, of the sort last seen in 1996-1998 (our governmental arrangements for the past quarter of a century have been varying flavours of minority coalition or single-party minority, with great emphasis ...
    7 days ago
  • The unboxing
    And so this is Friday and what have we gone and done to ourselves?In the same way that a Christmas present can look lovely under the tree with its gold ribbon but can turn out to be nothing more than a big box holding a voucher for socks, so it ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • A cruel, vicious, nasty government
    So, after weeks of negotiations, we finally have a government, with a three-party cabinet and a time-sharing deputy PM arrangement. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has put the various coalition documents online, and I've been reading through them. A few things stand out: Luxon doesn't want to do any work, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Hurrah – we have a new government (National, ACT and New Zealand First commit “to deliver for al...
    Buzz from the Beehive Sorry, there has been  no fresh news on the government’s official website since the caretaker trade minister’s press statement about the European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement. But the capital is abuzz with news – and media comment is quickly flowing – after ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago
  • Christopher Luxon – NZ PM #42.
    Nothing says strong and stable like having your government announcement delayed by a day because one of your deputies wants to remind everyone, but mostly you, who wears the trousers. It was all a bit embarrassing yesterday with the parties descending on Wellington before pulling out of proceedings. There are ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Coalition Government details policies & ministers
    Winston Peters will be Deputy PM for the first half of the Coalition Government’s three-year term, with David Seymour being Deputy PM for the second half. Photo montage by Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: PM-Elect Christopher Luxon has announced the formation of a joint National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government with a ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • “Old Coat” by Peter, Paul & Mary.
     THERE ARE SOME SONGS that seem to come from a place that is at once in and out of the world. Written by men and women who, for a brief moment, are granted access to that strange, collective compendium of human experience that comes from, and belongs to, all the ...
    1 week ago

  • New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement
    A significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Further humanitarian support for Gaza, the West Bank and Israel
    The Government is contributing a further $5 million to support the response to urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel, bringing New Zealand’s total contribution to the humanitarian response so far to $10 million. “New Zealand is deeply saddened by the loss of civilian life and the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 weeks ago

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