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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  • Defence ministerial meeting meant Collins missed the Maori Party’s mischief-making capers in Parli...
    Buzz from the Beehive Maybe this is not the best time for our Minister of Defence to have gone overseas. Not when the Maori Party is inviting (or should that be inciting?) its followers to join a revolution in a post which promoted its protest plans with a picture of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • Threats of war have been followed by an invitation to join the revolution – now let’s see how th...
     A Maori Party post on Instagram invited party followers to ….  Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, Join the REVOLUTION! & make a stand!  Nationwide Action Day, All details in tiles swipe to see locations.  • This is our 1st hit out and tomorrow Tuesday the 5th is the opening ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Top 10 for Tuesday, December 4
    The RBNZ governor is citing high net migration and profit-led inflation as factors in the bank’s hawkish stance. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere on the morning of Tuesday, December 5, including:Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr says high net migration and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • Nicola Willis' 'show me the money' moment
    Willis has accused labour of “economic vandalism’, while Robertson described her comments as a “desperate diversion from somebody who can't make their tax package add up”. There will now be an intense focus on December 20 to see whether her hyperbole is backed up by true surprises. Photo montage: Lynn ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • CRL costs money but also provides huge benefits
    The City Rail Link has been in the headlines a bit recently so I thought I’d look at some of them. First up, yesterday the NZ Herald ran this piece about the ongoing costs of the CRL. Auckland ratepayers will be saddled with an estimated bill of $220 million each ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 days ago

  • And I don't want the world to see us.
    Is this the most shambolic government in the history of New Zealand? Given that parliament hasn’t even opened they’ve managed quite a list of achievements to date.The Smokefree debacle trading lives for tax cuts, the Trumpian claims of bribery in the Media, an International award for indifference, and today the ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Cooking the books
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis late yesterday stopped only slightly short of accusing her predecessor Grant Robertson of cooking the books. She complained that the Half Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU), due to be made public on December 20, would show “fiscal cliffs” that would amount to “billions of ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Most people don’t realize how much progress we’ve made on climate change
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The year was 2015. ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars was at the top of the music charts. Jurassic World was the most popular new movie in theaters. And decades of futility in international climate negotiations was about to come to an end in ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Of Parliamentary Oaths and Clive Boonham
    As a heads-up, I am not one of those people who stay awake at night thinking about weird Culture War nonsense. At least so far as the current Maori/Constitutional arrangements go. In fact, I actually consider it the least important issue facing the day to day lives of New ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • Bearing True Allegiance?
    Strong Words: “We do not consent, we do not surrender, we do not cede, we do not submit; we, the indigenous, are rising. We do not buy into the colonial fictions this House is built upon. Te Pāti Māori pledges allegiance to our mokopuna, our whenua, and Te Tiriti o ...
    Bowalley Road
    5 days ago

  • You cannot be serious
    Some days it feels like the only thing to say is: Seriously? No, really. Seriously?OneSomeone has used their health department access to share data about vaccinations and patients, and inform the world that New Zealanders have been dying in their hundreds of thousands from the evil vaccine. This of course is pure ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • A promise kept: govt pulls the plug on Lake Onslow scheme – but this saving of $16bn is denounced...
    Buzz from the Beehive After $21.8 million was spent on investigations, the plug has been pulled on the Lake Onslow pumped-hydro electricity scheme, The scheme –  that technically could have solved New Zealand’s looming energy shortage, according to its champions – was a key part of the defeated Labour government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • CHRIS TROTTER: The Maori Party and Oath of Allegiance
    If those elected to the Māori Seats refuse to take them, then what possible reason could the country have for retaining them?   Chris Trotter writes – Christmas is fast approaching, which, as it does every year, means gearing up for an abstruse general knowledge question. “Who was ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • BRIAN EASTON:  Forward to 2017
    The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies. Brian Easton writes – The two coalition agreements – one National and ACT, the other National and New Zealand First – are more than policy documents. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Fossils
    When the new government promised to allow new offshore oil and gas exploration, they were warned that there would be international criticism and reputational damage. Naturally, they arrogantly denied any possibility that that would happen. And then they finally turned up at COP, to criticism from Palau, and a "fossil ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • GEOFFREY MILLER:  NZ’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    Geoffrey Miller writes – New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the government’s smokefree laws debacle
    The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out – for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Top 10 links at 10 am for Monday, December 4
    As Deb Te Kawa writes in an op-ed, the new Government seems to have immediately bought itself fights with just about everyone. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Here’s my pick of the top 10 news and analysis links elsewhere as of 10 am on Monday December 4, including:Palau’s President ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • Be Honest.
    Let’s begin today by thinking about job interviews.During my career in Software Development I must have interviewed hundreds of people, hired at least a hundred, but few stick in the memory.I remember one guy who was so laid back he was practically horizontal, leaning back in his chair until his ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Geoffrey Miller: New Zealand’s foreign policy resets on AUKUS, Gaza and Ukraine
    New Zealand’s international relations are under new management. And Winston Peters, the new foreign minister, is already setting a change agenda. As expected, this includes a more pro-US positioning when it comes to the Pacific – where Peters will be picking up where he left off. Peters sought to align ...
    Democracy ProjectBy Geoffrey Miller
    6 days ago

  • Auckland rail tunnel the world’s most expensive
    Auckland’s city rail link is the most expensive rail project in the world per km, and the CRL boss has described the cost of infrastructure construction in Aotearoa as a crisis. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • First big test coming
    The first big test of the new Government’s approach to Treaty matters is likely to be seen in the return of the Resource Management Act. RMA Minister Chris Bishop has confirmed that he intends to introduce legislation to repeal Labour’s recently passed Natural and Built Environments Act and its ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    6 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume III
    Time to revisit something I haven’t covered in a while: the D&D campaign, with Saqua the aquatic half-vampire. Last seen in July: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/07/27/the-song-of-saqua-volume-ii/ The delay is understandable, once one realises that the interim saw our DM come down with a life-threatening medical situation. They have since survived to make ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    6 days ago

  • Chris Bishop: Smokin’
    Yes. Correct. It was an election result. And now we are the elected government. ...
    My ThinksBy boonman
    7 days ago

  • 2023 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
    A chronological listing of news and opinion articles posted on the Skeptical Science  Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Nov 26, 2023 thru Dec 2, 2023. Story of the Week CO2 readings from Mauna Loa show failure to combat climate change Daily atmospheric carbon dioxide data from Hawaiian volcano more ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Affirmative Action.
    Affirmative Action was a key theme at this election, although I don’t recall anyone using those particular words during the campaign.They’re positive words, and the way the topic was talked about was anything but. It certainly wasn’t a campaign of saying that Affirmative Action was a good thing, but that, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    7 days ago

  • 100 days of something
    It was at the end of the Foxton straights, at the end of 1978, at 100km/h, that someone tried to grab me from behind on my Yamaha.They seemed to be yanking my backpack. My first thought was outrage. My second was: but how? Where have they come from? And my ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Look who’s stepped up to champion Winston
    There’s no news to be gleaned from the government’s official website today  – it contains nothing more than the message about the site being under maintenance. The time this maintenance job is taking and the costs being incurred have us musing on the government’s commitment to an assault on inflation. ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • What's The Story?
    Don’t you sometimes wish they’d just tell the truth? No matter how abhorrent or ugly, just straight up tell us the truth?C’mon guys, what you’re doing is bad enough anyway, pretending you’re not is only adding insult to injury.Instead of all this bollocks about the Smokefree changes being to do ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • The longest of weeks
    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.Friday Under New Management Week in review, quiz style1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • Suggested sessions of EGU24 to submit abstracts to
    Like earlier this year, members from our team will be involved with next year's General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The conference will take place on premise in Vienna as well as online from April 14 to 19, 2024. The session catalog has been available since November 1 ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Under New Management
    1. Which of these best describes Aotearoa?a. Progressive nation, proud of its egalitarian spirit and belief in a fair go b. Best little country on the planet c. Under New Management 2. Which of these best describes the 100 days of action announced this week by the new government?a. Petulantb. Simplistic and wrongheaded c. ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago

  • While we wait patiently, our new Minister of Education is up and going with a 100-day action plan
    Sorry to say, the government’s official website is still out of action. When Point of Order paid its daily visit, the message was the same as it has been for the past week: Site under maintenance Beehive.govt.nz is currently under maintenance. We will be back shortly. Thank you for your ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    1 week ago

  • Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needs
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says.  ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activity
    New Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga begins
    The Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says.  “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in Dubai
    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • Study shows need to remove distractions in class
    The Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says.   The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Minister sets expectations of Commissioner
    Today I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • New Zealand needs a strong and stable ETS
    New Zealand needs a strong and stable Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) that is well placed for the future, after emission units failed to sell for the fourth and final auction of the year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.  At today’s auction, 15 million New Zealand units (NZUs) – each ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • PISA results show urgent need to teach the basics
    With 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids.  The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Collins leaves for Pacific defence meeting
    Defence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Working for Families gets cost of living boost
    Putting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Post-Cabinet press conference
    Most weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago

  • Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrapped
    The Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago

  • NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in Gaza
    New Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Condolences on passing of Henry Kissinger
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Backing our kids to learn the basics
    Every child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through trade
    I would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber.  I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, Auckland
    Good morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States.  This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic Priority
    Good morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

  • Coalition Government unveils 100-day plan
    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    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
    2 weeks ago

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