Who are the real enemies of the centre left?

Written By: - Date published: 11:22 am, July 15th, 2017 - 80 comments
Categories: activism, capitalism, class war, democratic participation, Economy, election 2017, greens, International, journalism, labour, national, Politics, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, TOPS, uk politics, us politics - Tags:

Simon Wilson wrote this piece offering advice to Labour and the Greens about how to win this election.  The advice caused a considerable amount of blowback in twitterland.  And while some of it is accurate other parts I disagreed with completely.

His article is about the seven enemies of a left wing victory, think seven deadly sins and you get the drift.

The first were Steven Joyce, Paula Bennett and Bill English who he thought would stop disgruntled Nats from drifting over to Labour.  I would disagree in that Bennett’s role, one that she is now performing poorly, is to attract erstwhile labour supporters over to National through her solo mum turned good story.  People are seeing through this.  And English is the weakest National leader I have ever seen.  He is no John Key and National’s slide in the polls is clearly because people realise he is not up to the job.

The second was Winston Peters who will be a grumpy vote hoover upper.  No argument there.  I suspect he will tour the country talking about how bad things are and then go into coalition with National after being promised lots of baubles of office.  Time will tell.

The third was a group he describes as the “hard left”.  From the article:

Enemy number three is the hard left, the very vocal sector who, strange but true, regard the fight against “neoliberalism” as more important than the campaign to get Labour and the Greens into government. Some are party members, but most are probably not. They have been emboldened by Jeremy Corbyn’s “success” and believe that surge of popularity for radical left politics can be replicated here. The Nats don’t have a ginger group like this: Matthew Hooton, for example, is probably the fiercest right-wing critic of the government’s centrist tendencies, but in election year, especially on twitter and in his NBR column, his focus is on discrediting the actual opposition, Labour and the Greens.

This is a startling comment.  Throughout the world timid parties of the left are getting slaughtered whereas parties that have a stronger direct view of how things have to change are inspiring people, particularly the young, to support them.  Corbyn’s success is the perfect example as is Spain, Greece, France, the United States …

Labour was meant to be dead and buried in the UK.  The Parliamentary party was at war with itself and the treachery that was displayed by MPs towards Corbyn was appalling.  They should have been consigned to the dustbin of history.  Instead of this Corbyn looks like he is ready to take over as soon as the current Government folds.  So Simon’s minimisation of the effect is not justified.

The fourth enemy is “the right-wing commentariat, whose general approach is ridicule”.  I agree with him entirely on this aspect.  This has been the right’s approach to politics in the last decade and its effect is clear.  The intent is to sap the desire of voters to seek progressive change.  A sleepy disinterested electorate is one that will normally return the right.

The fifth enemy according to Wilson is Gareth Morgan’s TOP party.  He is correct in that removing even one or two percent of the vote from the major progressive parties could be the winning or the losing of the election.  Things are that tightly balanced.  He is wrong to think that voters will only come from Labour and the Greens.  The very small blue green sector of National could be prey to his campaign.

The sixth enemy is Labour and Greens battling for each other’s vote.  This is correct to an extent although the logical conclusion from this is that Labour should move right and allow the Greens more space on the left.  My very strong impression is that apparent division between Labour and the Greens weakens their attractiveness.

The seventh enemy is Labour’s and the Green’s membership.  Wilson says this:

Again, the Nats have it easy: their membership exists to get them elected. But Labour and Greens memberships exist to change the world. Almost everything each party does will disappoint one part or another of its core support, and those people are often reluctant to keep their disappointment to themselves. Both parties will tell you about the value of open democratic debate, but for all the merits of that idea (which are very real) it’s not terribly useful at election time.

He is right about National existing to retain power.  Nothing else seems to be important.  And he is also right that Labour’s and the Green’s membership exists to change the world.  But to claim that the passion of progressive activists and open debate is somehow a weakness ignores how vital the membership is to each of the parties.

Without political activism the right will win every time.  My estimate at the last election is that National outspent Labour by a factor of eight to one.  Political activism is the only thing that rebalances what would otherwise be a very one sided playing field.

He then comments on leadership and how a radical policy platform need not be a left policy platform.

But being radical doesn’t have to mean being radical left. Qualitatively better primary healthcare doesn’t have to be a “leftist” issue. Nor does good public transport in Auckland. Nor do clean water, preservation of the conservation estate, effective measures to fight climate change and making poverty history. These things are all centrist politics in New Zealand now – the great general swathe of voters believes they are desirable – but they are not being addressed with radical determination.

What about putting an end to the absurd advantages that property investment enjoys, causing so much misery for the people who do not benefit from those advantages? That’s a classic leftist issue, right? Maybe. Except it’s not only the left that cares about the lack of social housing and the difficulties of first-home buyers. Nor is it only the left that cares about the distortions to our economy and long-term savings caused by the favoured status of property. It should not be hard for a decent political party to generate support in most parts of the country, and most parts of the political spectrum, to fix this stuff.

The basic problem is that quality healthcare and public transport and housing can only be solved by active Government intervention in the market which by definition is a left approach.  Those pesky lefties complaining about neoliberalism may actually be formulating a solution to these problems.

His last paragraph is one that I agree with.

Time’s nearly up, Labour, the Greens. Ten weeks to go, and you guys have to blitz this country with heart and soul and inspiration and determination. With a spirit that tells us all you’re going to win. You have to make us believe you. And you have to do it now.

He is right.  If we want to change the Government now is the time.  And it will depend primarily on activists, without whose passion and spirit neither Labour nor the Greens can succeed.

Activists and the hard left are not the enemy of progressive parties.  They form a fundamental part of these parties and are the reason why they succeed against all of the odds.

80 comments on “Who are the real enemies of the centre left? ”

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  1. Siobhan 1
    15 July 2017 at 12:08 pm

    In the UK they had a good turnaround in voter turnout, and pre and post election Labour had MASSIVE increases in membership…that’s success, that’s something the Party can build on and signals to one and all, and to the party itself, that they are on the right track.

    It would be good to know how Labour NZs membership is going in light of these ‘game changing’, ‘clear choice’ policies.

    I’d like to think that the movement in the polls is more than just the waxing and waning of soft right/left/centrist voters, who vote over very short term perceived benefits and policies.
    It would be uplifting to see a Labour Party really reaching out to the disenfranchised voter, who, after all, as the strugglers and the folk not benefiting from the free market neo liberal world, are the people Labour should represent.

    I just self moderated and moved this comment because it makes more sense here in relation to point 7.
    Maybe someone on this thread could give some insight to Party membership figures/movement???

  2. Wainwright 2
    15 July 2017 at 12:12 pm

    His ‘analysis’ is all over the show. Shutting down exploitive property investment isn’t leftist policy because people who aren’t left support it? What?

  3. Red 3
    15 July 2017 at 12:18 pm

    Hes right about hard left, the civilised left seem to tolerate there extreme rump even to point of viloence as we see in Europe and labour he US, this puts the center off and taints the left The center right don’t tolerate the extreme right nor is it as vocal or representative, mainly the odd blowhard or fringe group The lefts sanctimonious thinking the have the patent on Feminism and all so called minority groups also does it no favours in building broad appeal in that all these groups are individuejs firsts and not necessarily carbon copy clones te political views and thought

    • Ed 3.1
      15 July 2017 at 12:20 pm

      ‘ the civilised left’
      The left acceptable to extreme right wing ideologues like red – because they have succumbed to neoliberalism.
      ‘the hard left’ – those advocating social democratic policies you would find in Norway, Germany, Sweden, Denmark…..

      • Stuart Munro 3.1.1
        15 July 2017 at 2:02 pm

        This why I think NZ needs a genuine hard left. Facing a few decades in a re-education camp would make people like Red genuinely appreciative of the moderation of folk who merely want a well run country with no more rorts for the asset looters. There’s really no reason asset looters should be treated any differently from other looters. That means shot, under any government, left or right.

        • Wayne 3.1.1.1
          15 July 2017 at 4:36 pm

          Stuart’s usual commitment to democratic politics. Stalin would be proud.

          • Stuart Munro 3.1.1.1.1
            15 July 2017 at 6:26 pm

            Stalin would be proud of you Wayne – you’re the abusive authoritarian.

            You’ve utterly misrepresented your policies and driven your country into poverty, desperation and international disgrace,

            Have you no shame?

            Well, you’re a Gnat, it goes without saying that you not only support the criminal enterprises of your colleagues, but that you insist that these malefactors should escape the consequences of their wrongdoing.

            The international parallel you should consider is the demise of the vile kleptocracy of Chun Do Hwan, which came to a bad end. A harbinger of the demise of you and all your crude and stupid accomplices? Let us hope so.

            • Ed 3.1.1.1.1.1
              15 July 2017 at 6:33 pm

              Theose who imposed neoliberalism on New Zealand are certainly 5th columnists and traitors.

    • joe90 3.2
      15 July 2017 at 12:49 pm

      The center right don’t tolerate the extreme right

      Pick a day ending in y and head over to the purported centre right sewer site run by Farrar and you’ll find his centre right commenters going beyond merely tolerating and actively approving extreme right positions.

    • Matthew Whitehead 3.3
      15 July 2017 at 12:51 pm

      Please define “civilised left,” what does that mean to you, Red? Are you referring to the centre-left, the labour party, or something less specific?

      As for the rest of your post, having enemies in politics is almost as good as having friends. It is absolutely a perfectly solid tactic in an MMP environment to pick 30% of the population and deliberately piss them off to please your core supporters. You may need to accept that as far as the “hard left” are concerned, you are in their 30% target range.

    • WILD KATIPO 3.4
      15 July 2017 at 1:08 pm

      There is a world of difference between identity politics and that of the social justice warrior and basic things that affect large numbers of people like this :

      … ” But being radical doesn’t have to mean being radical left. Qualitatively better primary healthcare doesn’t have to be a “leftist” issue. Nor does good public transport in Auckland. Nor do clean water, preservation of the conservation estate, effective measures to fight climate change and making poverty history. These things are all centrist politics in New Zealand ” …

      These are things that affect all of us. Yet so does the negative fall out from neo liberalism. In fact , much of the malaise described above we experience now is a direct result of 33 years of neo liberal policy.

      So it is not ‘ radical’ at all to oppose a methodology that is destructive . And the only logical answer to that destructive ideology is what we had before – Keynesian economics with government regulation and intervention. Not to strangle business but to knock off the rough edges of opportunists who would seek to manipulate and rort the systems in place.

      That’s why we have laws. To regulate. To prevent criminal advantage. To safeguard the best interests of the general community and to prevent a sliding back into the feudal era.

      I was called ‘ radical’ by Wayne not so long ago.

      Which was ironic considering he was a National party MP quite recently , – yet the very same thing I advocated existed under his beloved National party pre 1984.

      Go figure.

    • adam 3.5
      15 July 2017 at 7:05 pm

      Name one person on the hard left in NZ who supports violence Red. Just one.

      You can’t, and like all your arguments – lies and BS,

  4. red-blooded 4
    15 July 2017 at 12:24 pm

    It was an interesting piece and there’s plenty to think about there, and in your reply, Micky. In general I’d agree with you that activism and the hard left are integral to any left movement or party. After all, the core of any such movement or party is the sense of urgency and caring that propel people into activism. The core beliefs of any left party will be formed around the issues and priorities of its activist. Having said that, I do get what Wilson is saying. Plenty of people on this site and other regularly bag Labour and sometimes the Greens for not being “pure” enough, as if only their version of the left kaupapa is the true one, and anything that deviates from it or makes compromises is therefore impure and not worthy of support. I worry about this.

    Yes, we have to examine and evaluate each policy, but we also have to have a wide enough vision to see the raft of policies and how they fit together, and the direction in which a set of policies is moving. Let’s remember, too, that if we don’t act together and do all that we can, we will have another three years of National and their buddies cutting services so that they can cut taxes and riding roughshod over the people and issues that any left activist cares about. We need a sense of urgency and we need to commit to acting together. People can support different parties and work within them to help form their policies and priorities – that’s positive activism. Throwing stones from the outside doesn’t achieve anything positive, though, especially this close to an election.

  5. rhinocrates 5
    15 July 2017 at 12:33 pm

    Once again, “The voters don’t deserve us!”

    After the East Berlin rising in 1953, Bertolt Brecht sarcastically commented that the government should dismiss the people and appoint a new one.

    The Spinoff has a bad case of Guardianitis.

    http://www.jonathan­cook.net/blog/2017­06­14/monbiot­still­cant­admit­medias­core­problem/

    Jonathan Cook’s analysis of Monbiot and other Guardianistas’ “Oh shit, my head was so far up my own arse I didn’t see that coming” after Jeremy Corbyn’s surge.

    His column argues that the Guardian and other liberal media failed to recognise “the most dynamic political force this nation has seen for decades” because of organisational flaws. Their staff – all middle-class graduates – are unrepresentative of the wider population, and the journalists operate in herds, inevitably making them susceptible to groupthink. In short, he argues, journalists reflect their class interests and their reporting becomes an echo chamber.

    But this is to mistake the symptom for the cause…

    The Guardian may not have a Rupert Murdoch pulling the strings from behind a curtain, but it is as much a media corporation as the Mail or the Sun. Like supermarkets, media outlets brand themselves to win market share. The Guardian is Waitrose to the Daily Mail’s Tesco.

    The Guardian is a media corporation not least because it is as dependent on advertising as its rivals. That makes it not only deeply embedded in a neoliberal capitalist system, but dependent on it for survival.

    It is not accidental that the Guardian’s journalists are almost all Oxbridge graduates, that they are almost all white and middle or upper class, and that the great majority come from London and the home counties. They were selected that way precisely so they would not reflect other class interests – interests that might challenge the very ideological assumptions the Guardian depends on and upholds.

    The Spinoff should stick to recaps of reality TV shows and jafa celeb gossip. Supposedly they’re good that that. It’s the same with The Listener which subsists by provoking and soothing middle-class anxieties in an endless cycle.

  6. marty mars 6
    15 July 2017 at 12:42 pm

    Fuck, 10 weeks to go

    that is 70 days ish

    what day are we going to do it

    what day are we going to fight

    today, yesterday, tomorrow

    70 days to go

    opps 69 to go now

  7. Incognito 7
    15 July 2017 at 12:51 pm

    The main and real enemies of the (centre) left are the same threats to democracy – the question is asked within this framework, isn’t it?

    These are: apathy, lack of cultural, social & political awareness, and fear.

    Everything else stems from these root causes IMO.

    This isn’t, or shouldn’t be, a question that concerns only the left and be left to only the left to answer and then sort out – it might seem convenient but it will not be sustainable. It is a question that needs to be faced and addressed by all of us who value democracy and living in a free & fair society – yes, I know, these are relative and loaded terms.

    One way to possibly tackle the current problems is to consciously embrace (the) values that underpin democracy and then act and enact upon these, daily and everywhere.

    Others have shown and led the way, in fact again quite recently, but it’s has been there in open view all along …

  8. Sanctuary 8
    15 July 2017 at 12:54 pm

    “….Enemy number three is the hard left, the very vocal sector who…”

    “…The Spinoff has a bad case of Guardianitis…”

    Exactly. Newsflash for Simon Wilson – the Guardian liberal echo chamber has been eating humble pie by the truck load since the UK election for saying almost exactly the same bullshit you are peddling. I assume Simon Wilson still gets his news via sailing ship, because the rubbish he is peddling is dead and buried in those who like to keep up.

    It is very telling that he managed to come up with seven enemies, without identifying Blairist third wayism as the worst enemy of them all – because, of course, Wilson and all the rest of the downtown chatterati like him are still unreconstructed “third way” liberals who actually think the Labour and Green parties ought to be representing the more enlightened middle class (just like him) rather than the uncouth working class, the undeserving underclass and that irksome part of the environmental movement that shows up middle class consumption.

    Labour’s vocal left is frustrated at Labour’s seeming incurable political complacency, inward looking bickering*, and timidity. Those are valid complaints. If that spills the tea at Simon Wilson’s genteel political vicar’s tea party then tough shit, bro.

    *It seems to me whoever leaked Labour’s internal poll results has, like the disloyal UK PLP, decided the election is lost and are already looking to ensure Little isn’t leader afterwards so that nice Mr. Robertson can be leader instead….

    • rhinocrates 8.1
      15 July 2017 at 1:06 pm

      How could Robertson be leader? He’d have to study yoga intensely before he could be limber enough to stab himself in the back.

    • Sacha 8.2
      15 July 2017 at 1:19 pm

      “whoever leaked Labour’s internal poll results ” – the original tv3 story was clear that it was one of UMR’s corporate customers who did, not anybody from Labour (who did not even have the results yet).

      • Sanctuary 8.2.1
        15 July 2017 at 2:07 pm

        And they did that all by themselves, do you think?

      • James 8.2.2
        15 July 2017 at 9:29 pm

        Why would Corp clients have labour’s polling before them ?

        • Pedro 8.2.2.1
          16 July 2017 at 3:02 am

          Why would corporate clients be entitled to Labour’s internal polling at all!

        • Dennis Frank 8.2.2.2
          16 July 2017 at 7:41 pm

          Yeah, interesting eh? When I heard Paddy say that I figured that Labour must have agreed to a part-funding of the poll, with the UMR corporate client also part-funding it. That’s the only possible legitimate way for the corp leaker to have got the results that I can think of.

          The obvious alternative is a UMR staffer’s misbehaviour: opposed to Labour, doing a non-traceable leak to damage them. That only seems feasible if Labour was sole funder of their own poll, in which case they’d be threatening to sue UMR for breach of contract right now unless UMR outed their delinquent. If Labour keeps quiet about the leak all next week, it means they lack this leverage.

    • WILD KATIPO 8.3
      15 July 2017 at 1:19 pm

      @Sanctuary

      … ” Labour’s vocal left is frustrated at Labour’s seeming incurable political complacency, inward looking bickering*, and timidity ” …

      Yeah , but they are like this because one half believes in pre 1984 economic policy (generally the party membership ) while the other half ( caucus ) are in agreement with Nationals neo liberalism – barring a few peripheral areas – almost to present to the public some form of minor differences to vote for.

      The same disease afflicted the UK Labour party until Corbyn cleansed the temple from all the dishonest money lenders…

      • Red 8.3.1
        15 July 2017 at 4:58 pm

        The left hate each other more than the right, if you are not of the correct left idealogy or stray 1 degre god help you A bit like monty python life of Brian, the Judeas people front are not to be confused with the heretical people’s front of Judea

        • Ed 8.3.1.1
          15 July 2017 at 4:59 pm

          Still fomenting discord…..

        • Incognito 8.3.1.2
          15 July 2017 at 5:01 pm

          😱

        • adam 8.3.1.3
          15 July 2017 at 7:07 pm

          More BS from Red, I have a beer with anybody on the left I’ve argued with here, any day of the week.

          You on the other hand…

        • Sara Matthews 8.3.1.4
          24 July 2017 at 8:15 pm

          I’m very centre left, and must admit that I’m no fan of people to the left of me, I believe we can work together but for that to happen Labour needs to hold the centre ground and anything left of that is for the Greens or a more progressive party. These views often get me called a right wing troll etc, but really I’m just more conservative than others here. The left is a broad church we need to embrace that and truly represent and appreciate all progressives.

          • Robert Guyton 8.3.1.4.1
            24 July 2017 at 8:36 pm

            “I’m very centre left, and must admit that I’m no fan of people to the left of me”

            QFT

            Astonishing unintended reveal, Sara. You won’t know what I mean. Hei aha.

    • mickysavage 8.4
      15 July 2017 at 8:51 pm

      It seems to me whoever leaked Labour’s internal poll results has, like the disloyal UK PLP, decided the election is lost and are already looking to ensure Little isn’t leader afterwards so that nice Mr. Robertson can be leader instead….

      I understand UMR sends its results to corporate clients. The leak could have come from anywhere.

  9. RedLogix 9
    15 July 2017 at 1:48 pm

    It’s not the policies, it’s the inability of the party leaders to sell them. It was a graphic lesson on why upskilling the leaders – let’s call it inspirationalising them – is now so critical for both Labour and the Greens.

    Oh there are easy teachable formulas to ‘own the room’, give stirring speeches and do ‘feel good’. But lacking all conviction it wears off quickly.

    There is NO algorithm for authenticity. There is no ‘upskilling’ to teach integrity. You cannot buy and sell honesty.

    • greywarshark 9.1
      15 July 2017 at 4:35 pm

      Time’s nearly up, Labour, the Greens. Ten weeks to go, and you guys have to blitz this country with heart and soul and inspiration and determination. With a spirit that tells us all you’re going to win. You have to make us believe you. And you have to do it now.

      He is right. If we want to change the Government now is the time. And it will depend primarily on activists, without whose passion and spirit neither Labour nor the Greens can succeed.

      Activists and the hard left are not the enemy of progressive parties. They form a fundamental part of these parties and are the reason why they succeed against all of the odds.

      That’s right. Be impressive, but not divisive is the slogan for the next 70
      69,68,67…. days.

      And always keep in mind the role that formidable cunning, financial advantage and pragmatism that Gnashionals have, similar to what was portrayed by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in Goodbye Again
      The Music Teacher BBC2, 1966.
      which google will let you read on page 55/56.
      Goes like this, but longer.
      Mr Stigwell, as integrity. I don’t suppose you’ve come across that in your chequered career have you? Look boy, if I … That’s a valuable thing and I’m willing to pay for it. I’ll give you a hundred guineas an hour.
      DUDLEY: That’s …

  10. Sanctuary 10
    15 July 2017 at 2:08 pm

    “…There is NO algorithm for authenticity. There is no ‘upskilling’ to teach integrity. You cannot buy and sell honesty…’

    Perfectly put.

    • WILD KATIPO 10.1
      15 July 2017 at 2:28 pm

      So why do we bang on about ‘authenticity ‘ , ‘ integrity ‘ and ‘ honesty ‘ … when we have a system dominated by a dishonest and immoral organization whose goal is to … ‘return the world back to its fee market setting as it was in the 19th century with Great Britain ‘

      … such as the Mont Pelerin Society Antipodean branch calling themselves the New Zealand Initiative / Business Roundtable ?

      ( and who were the main instigators and financial backers for neo liberal reform under Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson – and still are under the current National party )

      Don’t you ever get the feeling that we are all being played for fools and that someone is roaring at us with hollow mocking laughter ?

      • Red 10.1.1
        15 July 2017 at 5:03 pm

        Bloody lizard men, Zionist, illuminati, neoliberal inducing chem trails ,Al gore, Papists UN etc its all so easy to see if you just connect the dots just like John Nash did 😀

      • Incognito 10.1.2
        15 July 2017 at 5:12 pm

        So why do we bang on about ‘authenticity ‘ , ‘ integrity ‘ and ‘ honesty ‘ …

        Because it is the only real antidote available to us; we’re the cause and we’re the cure.

        Don’t listen and give in to those voices calling themselves Red; they like to play us for fools – can’t you hear their hollow mocking laughter here on TS?

  11. greywarshark 11
    15 July 2017 at 5:00 pm

    Chris Trotter from Bowalley Road is prepared to stick pins in the Labour bottom. He reckons he has to keep stooping lower to find it.

    The explanation for Labour’s failure is to be found in the arrogance and lack of imagination of its caucus. Though the party membership understood the need for a clear reaffirmation of Labour’s core principles, its MPs remained wedded to Clark’s cautious incrementalism.

    Without a Don Brash-like “defender of the faith” to re-energise Labour’s base and reassert its claim to leadership of the Left, the party’s share of the vote fell to 27 percent in 2011 and 25 percent in 2014.

    Four lacklustre leaders in nine years have not only sapped the morale of the party membership, they have also contributed to a pronounced loss of public confidence in the political competence of the Left as a whole.

    • rhinocrates 11.1
      15 July 2017 at 8:35 pm

      …and a pathway to the front benches for junior MPs that is blocked to all but the those whose sycophancy is greater than their talent. Labour’s not going to attract and keep new membership and candidates when they see that their careers will go nowhere.

      They may as well recruit by digging up the graves of the Bourbons – a house that believed in divine right and “forgot nothing and learned nothing”.

      And Wilson has the gall to blame the party’s own membership and activists!

      • Jenny Kirk 11.1.1
        15 July 2017 at 8:54 pm

        rhinocrates ” …and a pathway to the front benches for junior MPs that is blocked to all but the those whose sycophancy is greater than their talent. Labour’s not going to attract and keep new membership and candidates when they see that their careers will go nowhere.”

        I just don’t know where some of you guys come from, what you read or listen to, but you are way off beam with that comment, rhinocrates.

        Labour has attracted a great stable of new keen intelligent articulate candidates for this election round – many of them quite outstanding, AND placed them high on the List so they’re sure to get into Parliament.

        and what’s more, the current Labour MAORI MPs all decided to stand for their electorates only, so that new keen intelligent articulate MAORI candidates had more chance of getting into the Labour caucus from the List.

        I think some of you guys just listen to the mainstream media too too much, and don’t do enough of your own thinking or observing, or even finding out about things. All doom and gloom – just as the Paddy Gowers like you to be.

        • rhinocrates 11.1.1.1
          16 July 2017 at 11:41 am

          Like O’Connor? /sarc Certainly not the trougher I’m stuck with in my electorate. As psychologists like to say, the best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour.

        • Sara Matthews 11.1.1.2
          24 July 2017 at 8:22 pm

          We have some fantastic newcomers standing in this election, and yes several of them are Maori, heres hoping they can win a few seats between them or we get enough votes to get them in on the list.

    • Jenny Kirk 11.2
      15 July 2017 at 8:49 pm

      greywarshark – You have just quoted a perfect example of Simon Wilson’s thesis :

      “Enemy number three is the hard left, the very vocal sector who, strange but true, regard the fight against “neoliberalism” as more important than the campaign to get Labour and the Greens into government.”

      Chris Trotter . In fact that’s who I thought SW was thinking of when he wrote that.

      • Incognito 11.2.1
        15 July 2017 at 9:51 pm

        Jenny Kirk, I do have some sympathy for those so-called “hard left”. It seems that they’re concerned because they consider Labour neoliberal or a softer gentler version but neoliberal nevertheless. As such, Labour doesn’t and won’t offer the necessary radical change to and for a better society for all.

        Often, many words are uttered that mean (slightly) different things to different people such as: liberalism & neoliberalism, social democracy, progressive, etc. I think these confuse more than that they clarify and thus we seem to be going around in circles of misunderstanding, misjudgement, miscommunication, and political misery.

        I don’t speak on behalf on anybody and I fully expect to get corrected. Nor am I as astute as Simon Wilson or Chris Trotter; this is my honest opinion and understanding of the apparent in-fighting – it has been going on for a very long time now …

        To be more accurate, I do have considerable sympathy for those “hard left” and their frustrations but quite possibly I’m not so outspoken (or brave enough) …

      • McFlock 11.2.2
        15 July 2017 at 10:08 pm

        Maybe it’s because I don’t follow tory commentators, but I’m having difficulty thinking of a “voice of the right” (even self-described) who shits on the nats as much as our voices of the left (like Bradbury or trotter) shit on Labour and even the greens.

        • greywarshark 11.2.2.1
          15 July 2017 at 10:30 pm

          I don’t think they have your patience to wait for the end of the rainbow to be reached. and that will be never. The concrete gets harder every election and we are buried in it in our boots. Perhaps at this stage it is so hard that we can step out, abandon our boots and run across to where we can move again to home, family, living wages, paid weekly,all or part of the weekend free or proper compensation for anti-social hours and other golden dreams.

          • rhinocrates 11.2.2.1.1
            16 July 2017 at 12:00 pm

            For a few, the end of the rainbow has a clear and close geographical location – it’s in Bellamy’s.

            For the rest of us, hype isn’t very nutritious and repeatedly broken promises are bitter. I’ve heard it all before, again and again. ‘A fresh approach’ is fucking insulting. If NZ Labour had any backbone, they’d adopt a UK style ‘For the many, not the few,’ at least, but they’re too scared of upsetting those few, so they come up with that anodyne, content-free nonsense.

          • McFlock 11.2.2.1.2
            16 July 2017 at 7:03 pm

            That doesn’t actually contradict Wilson’s point.

            You might have some fantasy path where we have natinal governments up until the socialist dream is achieved, but to me that seems even less likely than incrementalism.

        • UncookedSelachimorpha 11.2.2.2
          16 July 2017 at 1:09 am

          Don Brash is arguably trying to shit on the Natz with his Hobson’s pledge garbage, where he accuses the Natz of not being racist enough (paraphrasing here, but I think I’ve given the gist of it).

          • rhinocrates 11.2.2.2.1
            16 July 2017 at 12:02 pm

            Not to mention Hooton, though that might have been because he felt jilted.

          • McFlock 11.2.2.2.2
            16 July 2017 at 7:04 pm

            Is he? It makes me happy that the nats have to put up with that 🙂

        • Sara Matthews 11.2.2.3
          24 July 2017 at 8:25 pm

          Add to that Bradford and Pagani, the latter has been particularly scathing recently.

          • mauī 11.2.2.3.1
            24 July 2017 at 8:34 pm

            What did Pagani say?

          • lprent 11.2.2.3.2
            24 July 2017 at 8:52 pm

            Josie Pagani is in my opinion, a gormless incompetent idiot who has done nothing particularly useful in her life. She is mostly known for being a very dumb observer and particularly stupid critic of the left..

            Do you have any other pearls of wisdom from the stupid wing of the ‘left’? No populist wanking masquerading as political theory about practices from the failed wing of the left – the progressives?

            See – it is easy to be a critic. All you have to do is expose the inner bigot. Josie does that better than I do.

  12. mosa 12
    15 July 2017 at 6:39 pm

    National and the “brighter NZ future is the real enemy ”

    http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/nationals-new-zealand.html

    Will this story be covered…………not likely !

    • Muttonbird 12.1
      15 July 2017 at 6:46 pm

      It’ll all be someone else’s fault. That’s how they roll.

    • Ed 12.2
      15 July 2017 at 6:49 pm

      ‘A homeless man has been found dead, huddled under his sleeping bag at the back of a church – the second known such death of a homeless person in two weeks as a polar blast grips the nation.

      The man was found on Tuesday morning as Manurewa Methodist Church set up its weekly soup kitchen for the homeless.’

      Manurewa mum Beverley Losefa, who organises the soup kitchen, thought he was sleeping in. But when they served the first cup of tea and he still hadn’t risen she became worried.

      Police were called and confirmed the man had died, before they cordoned off the area.’

      Shame on this nation.

    • Jenny Kirk 12.3
      15 July 2017 at 8:56 pm

      of course not, Mosa. The MSM like to cover this stuff up. Thank goodness to people like No Right Turn who remind us about this ….. if we’d forgotten, or not read about it.

  13. Penny Bright 13
    15 July 2017 at 7:53 pm

    UPDATE FROM HER WARSHIP IN THE HAGUE!
    15 July 2017 8:04 am

    Join the dots folks!

    Where could the public money come from to provide SOCIAL welfare for the vulnerable poor and needy?

    By cutting CORPORATE welfare for the undeserving rich and greedy!

    International research has PROVEN that contracting out (privatisation of public services formerly provided
    in-house under the ‘public service’ model) is TWICE as expensive!

    So! Let’s OPEN THE (public) BOOKS and CUT OUT THE (private) CONTRACTORS!

    Shouldn’t PUBLIC money benefit the PUBLIC majority – not the PRIVATE minority?

    Time to look after the PUBLIC 99% – not the CORPORATE 1%?

    (Please SHARE if you agree?
    🙂

    Here’s a blast from the past – a Press Release I made in 2011, when I stood as an Independent against John Banks in Epsom.

    (I have been persistent and consistent on these matters for some years – and now folks are getting it!

    YAY! 🙂

    https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/m.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1111/S00095/wheres-nationals-corporate-welfare-reform.htm

    Where’s National’s ‘corporate welfare’ reform?
    By: Penny Bright
    Published: Thu 3 Nov 2011 05:28 PM

    PRESS RELEASE: Independent Candidate for Epsom Penny Bright:

    “How many billion$ of public monies could be saved by ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’?

    3 November 2011

    Where’s National’s ‘corporate welfare’ reform?

    Which of the maor political parties are pushing for ‘corporate welfare’ reform and shrinking the long-term dependency of the private sector on our public monies?

    Where is the ‘devilish detail’ at both local and central government level – which shows EXACTLY where our public rates and taxes are being spent on private sector consultants and contractors?

    Why aren’t the names of the consultant(s)/ contrators(s) – the scope, term and value of these contracts, published in Council or central government Annual Reports – so this information on the spending of OUR public monies is available for public scrutiny?

    Where are the publicly-available ‘Registers of Interests’ for those local government elected representatives, and staff responsible for property and procurement, in order to help guard against possible ‘conflicts of interest’ between those who ‘give’ the contracts and those who ‘get’ the contracts?

    Where’s the ‘transparency’?

    Given that New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be the least corrupt country in the world – along with Denmark and Singapore, according to Transparency International’s 2010 ‘Corruption Perception Index – shouldn’t we arguably be the most transparent?

    Going back a step – where are the New Zealand ‘cost-benefit’ analyses which prove that the old ‘Rogernomic$ mantra – public is bad – private (contracting) is good’ can be substantiated by FACTS and EVIDENCE?

    At last – someone – somewhere has actually done some substantial research – which proves the opposite.

    That ‘contracting out’ services that were once provided ‘in-house’ is actually TWICE as expensive.

    “USA Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.

    http://www.pogo.org/pogo-files/reports/contract-oversight/bad-business/co-gp-20110913.html

    Executive Summary

    Based on the current public debate regarding the salary comparisons of federal and private sector employees, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO)[1] decided to take on the task of doing what others have not—comparing total annual compensation for federal and private sector employees with federal contractor billing rates in order to determine whether the current costs of federal service contracting serves the public interest.

    The current debate over pay differentials largely relies on the theory that the government pays private sector compensation rates when it outsources services.

    This report proves otherwise: in fact, it shows that the government actually pays service contractors at rates far exceeding the cost of employing federal employees to perform comparable functions.
    POGO’s study analyzed the total compensation paid to federal and private sector employees, and annual billing rates for contractor employees across 35 occupational classifications covering over 550 service activities.

    Our findings were shocking—POGO estimates the government pays billions more annually in taxpayer dollars to hire contractors than it would to hire federal employees to perform comparable services.

    Specifically, POGO’s study shows that the federal government approves service contract billing rates—deemed fair and reasonable—that pay contractors 1.83 times more than the government pays federal employees in total compensation, and more than 2 times the total compensation paid in the private sector for comparable services. ”
    ____________________________

    The implications of this both nationally and internationally are HUGE.

    If NZ central government figures are comparable with those of USA Federal Government – could the current NZ $82 billion central government spend be sliced in half by $40 billion ‘CUTTING OUT THE CONTRACTORS’
    …”

    Penny Bright
    Independent Candidate for Tamaki.

    • Keepcalmcarryon 13.1
      15 July 2017 at 8:15 pm

      Your post reads as spam Penny
      Re the actual topic: Why do here have to be 7 enemies? What if there is just one enemy and it IS neoliberalism?
      Or the author could pretend there isn’t an elephant in the room and waffle on about all sorts of less relevant issues.

      • greywarshark 13.1.1
        15 July 2017 at 9:13 pm

        KCCC
        A Kiwi of the knocker type. Try not keeping calm yourself do more and spend less time on cutting tall poppies down. Some NZs are so negative that just being born must have used up all their forward thrust and since then its just been gravity. Try some levity! And say good on Penny, you might be OTT, but you’re trying and doing that 105% which makes up for your lack KCCCCCCc.

        • Keepcalmcarryon 13.1.1.1
          15 July 2017 at 9:38 pm

          A bit negative of you greyrawshark.
          When the left of politics can sort its act out it won’t need criticising will it!
          I don’t know Penny but the last few posts I’ve seen have truly read as spam – hard to read massive post that’s off topic.
          On the other hand your entire post is a personal attack with no attempt to discuss the OP. Do you appreciate irony?

          • greywarshark 13.1.1.1.1
            16 July 2017 at 12:57 pm

            I appreciate iron and understand how an iron can be used to erase annoying quirky outliers sticking up. You consider her posts as spam, they are hard to read, they are massive, they are off topic. Why bother to tell us this, she is out there doing her thing, different from you, irritates you. So just leave her alone instead of passing judgment, flattening her with your knocking ideas. Do you understand self-censorship and humility about your desire to be right?

  14. Ethica 14
    15 July 2017 at 8:49 pm

    Meanwhile Labour candidate Ginny Andersen and her team knocked on 500 doors today. That is how you win a marginal electorate.

    • Jenny Kirk 14.1
      15 July 2017 at 8:57 pm

      Yes !!! Good on Ginny and her mates – out in the cold, doing it hard, and getting somewhere. Great to hear ! (We were out figuring out how to put up hoardings!)

    • James 14.2
      15 July 2017 at 9:32 pm

      Indeed it is.

  15. Ad 15
    15 July 2017 at 9:05 pm

    I’m surprised that Simon Wilson didn’t mention that the real enemies of the centre left are the multimillionaires – from the Brethren Church to Barfoot and Thompson to Tony Astle to Mr Goodfellow himself – who consistently bankroll the National Party such that their media campaigns are overwhelming, their policies are warped towards specific kinds of capital formation, and their voter turnout has the most spectacularly targeted turnout campaign.

    The real enemy of the centre left are the brutal capitalists who fund to eradicate the centre left.

    The rest is Simon pump-priming guilt amount the bourgeoisie.

  16. newsense 16
    16 July 2017 at 5:00 pm

    I think, though I don’t know, that Simon has grown up in a household where reds where hated or seriously disdained.

    I grew up in a household where you were grateful for everything, but had to stand up for what was yours. New Zealand was an example of a place that gave people a chance and had great equality. If you wanted to work hard, you could get ahead.

    I think he just doesn’t like the working class that much, probably because he hasn’t lived with them.

    In the same way I don’t know many people who ride horses, sail yachts, belong to business associations or that kind of thing. I’ve got no idea who these people are. Almost.

    I know who some of the young scrappers are. They don’t all look like Chloe Swarbrick and they can’t all be represented by her.

    I really liked his Metro. I like his repping public transport, urban design and New Zealand writing. He repped the unions during the Ports of Auckland debate, which was highly unusual, even from the Labour Party.

    But I think that radical left is a vague term. What is radical in the age of radical austerity?

    I think dismissing the struggles of many to housing, warmth, decent employment, respect, inclusion and a leg up as radical, when for many it was taken for granted not a generation ago, is hypocritical.

    They’re not asking for award wages or even a guarantee that Christmas and Easter are public holidays!

    Surely you remember Sunday trading? That was happening in Aussie 10 years ago.

    The current and the past solutions are not looking flash right now. We need leadership, not tired categories.

  17. newsense 17
    16 July 2017 at 5:36 pm

    A real Labour government is much better with criticism from the left.

    If it is only listening to criticism from the right, then it’s on its last legs.

    The left has to be brought in.

    Free trade agreements have to be given as much scrutiny- available to the public- as beneficiaries are. The public need to be patronised less.

    While giving one sandwich to poor kids for every sandwich some well meaning liberal buys is perhaps a good idea, universality is better.

    No one misses out. No one is branded as the poor kids. Their respect is left intact.

    This needs someone from the ‘radical left’ say Owen Jones or at least someone younger than John Minto or Joe Carolan- no disrepect lads, but!- to write a reply and submit it to the Spinoff. A Nandor for our times. Remember when Labour and the Greens were damn cool? I do! Can you remember how uncool Helen Clark was? No? She was, but she did for that…

    If David Seymour and Judith Collins can get their stuff published there, then some ‘radical left’ activist of whom Simon is so afraid should write a reply. IMO.

    No not Martyn Bradbury either.

    Any new Labour MPs wanna take the challenge on?

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    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    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 in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
    New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 mins ago

  • Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder list
    The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 hours ago

  • Judicial appointments announced
    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in Singapore
    Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa.  The summit is co-hosted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Value of stopbank project proven during cyclone
    A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
    Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul.    “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago

  • Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac Day
    Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 hours ago

  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    18 hours ago

  • Government commits $20m to Westport flood protection
    The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago

  • Taupō takes pole position
    The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Cost of living support for low-income homeowners
    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners.  “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government backing mussel spat project
    The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Government focused on getting people into work
    Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Clean energy key driver to reducing emissions
    The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forward
    The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago

  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Government consults on extending coastal permits for ports
    RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Inflation coming down, but more work to do
    Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • School attendance restored as a priority in health advice
    Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sector
    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International Congress
    Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector.    "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Removing red tape to help early learners thrive
    The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tape
    Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationship
    Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.   Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ ties
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.  During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.  The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Finance Minister travels to Washington DC
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.  “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlords
    The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being considered
    State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns Iranian strikes
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel.    “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says.    "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plans
    Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand Chair
    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.   “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti.  “I have asked her to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Roads of National Significance planning underway
    The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Navigating an unstable global environment
    New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States.    “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ welcomes Australian Governor-General
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for Winter
    Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and the US: an ever closer partnership
    New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Joint US and NZ declaration
    April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperation
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research.   “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

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