democracy under attack

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I thank Margaret Thatcher …

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:03 am, April 9th, 2013 - 314 comments

… for her major contribution to my political education: of the need to combat the extensive, destructive power of the “neoliberal” elites. I lived in London during the entire time Thatcher was prime minister. It was a time of major change; of political activism; of hope; of disillusionment.

Democracy for sale

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:49 am, April 2nd, 2013 - 43 comments

The Nats have sold favours to Hollywood, to Sky City, to Rio Tinto (work in progress), and now with the “Petrobras law” it looks very much like they’re selling us out on our right to protest too.

How austerity is destroying Britain… coming soon near you

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments

A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.

Pokies and corruption?

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:15 am, March 31st, 2013 - 61 comments

Significant International Affairs files, relating to dodgy Pokies’ trusts, going missing, SkyCity convention centre deals made through flawed government processes. No corruption in NZ, just governance through sloppy processes? Cui bono?

Mining & the sly dismantling of conservation protections

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:00 am, March 28th, 2013 - 32 comments

Cuts to DOC, the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill [3rd reading today], permits allowing the exploration for minerals on Schedule 4 land: here is the stealthy NAct MO in action, to undermine the strong public protests against Schedule 4 mining. [Update: the Bill is #6 on today’s Final Order Paper]

Democracy needs straight answers to straight questions

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:57 am, March 21st, 2013 - 49 comments

The current Speaker in the House, David Carter, is a disaster. Yesterday he let the government get away with avoiding providing serious answers to important questions: a government ploy? Russel Norman has complained. Democracy needs the government to be held to account.

Auckland housing: Brown vs Smith

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:54 am, March 7th, 2013 - 53 comments

Nick Smith, of the forked tongue, is challenging Auckland council’s plan for affordable compact housing. It will do nothing for housing affordability, transport, the environment. It is undemocratic, over-rides the council, and will enrich developers.

TPPA: US, corporate dominance – let’s do ACTION!!

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:00 am, March 5th, 2013 - 38 comments

TTPA talks under way in Singapore. Jane Kelsey leads critical discussion in NZ: Obama skewing the agenda in favour of US corporates; pharmaceuticals, internet, copyright & more; John Key’s dodgy figures. In Aussie today, a seminar on the TPPA & corporate dominance over women’s rights & health provisions.

Think tanks & global-local networks

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:52 am, February 20th, 2013 - 25 comments

George Monbiot exposes how well-funded right wing ‘think tanks’ and individuals operate through networks including the AEI, IEA & Koch. These have links to the NZ Initiative (BRT & NZ Institute). The coming DailyBlog may help challenge such influential networks and their destructive ‘neoliberal’ politics.

De-regulation, de-democratisation

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 11:52 am, February 9th, 2013 - 26 comments

Is it just me or does the argument for a four year term of Parliament look a lot like the argument that’s presented for deregulation? It’s the same dropkicks who say that government needs to get out of the way of business to create jobs who are saying that the people need to get out of the way of government and let it govern with less ‘regulation’ in the form of elections.

NRT: Pillaging the Rakaia

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:14 pm, February 7th, 2013 - 35 comments

No Right Turn with the latest on National’s ongoing annexation of Canterbury.

NRT: Not even pretending anymore

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:20 pm, January 21st, 2013 - 66 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on the Nats’ contempt for democracy in Canterbury. Elections remain on hold so that the commissioners’ agenda can be completed without unwelcome input from urban representation.

NRT: Reported back

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:45 am, December 11th, 2012 - 9 comments

This Bill strips Cantabrians of their democratic rights and extending the Canterbury dictatorship for another three years. And why? Because given a democratic choice, Canterbury’s voters might vote the “wrong” way and prevent National’s farmer-cronies from stealing their water.

Something rotten in the state…

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:58 am, December 11th, 2012 - 88 comments

As an outsider watching the struggles in the Labour Party unfold, I am becoming increasingly despondent about the state of Left wing politics in NZ. Right now, NZ, and those of us who party vote Green/Mana, require a strong, democratic and solidly left wing Labour Party.

I, Vipertacus

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:28 pm, December 8th, 2012 - 192 comments

Just wanted to say, seeing so many of the regulars change their name in honour of Colonial Viper is awesome. That tells me this is a real community. We discuss, argue, fight, and we respect. We’re not like the disgrace of an MP who has hounded CV into silence because she can’t handle honest criticism. Proud of you lot for standing beside our own.

When ideology fails: a Dickensian Govt

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:05 am, December 6th, 2012 - 53 comments

The Key government’s sham and failed ideology of freedom and democracy can be seen in two Bills that were before the House this week. This government is increasingly autocratic and anti-democratic, while enabling the powerful to exploit and control the powerless, including children.

NRT: More dictatorship from Brownlee

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:06 am, November 23rd, 2012 - 11 comments

No Right Turn on the Nats’ contemplating yet another way to trample on democracy in Christchurch.

John Key Selling (out) New Zealand

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:21 am, November 11th, 2012 - 56 comments

John Key’s selling out of NZ workers’ rights, tourism industry and identity to Hollywood, the TPP and US corporates, has reached a new low. OIA papers reveal the extent to which Warners is dictating the NZ government’s promotion of 100% Middle-earth.

NRT: National’s tyranny

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 1:55 pm, October 30th, 2012 - 43 comments

No Right Turn on the overthrow of local democracy in Canterbury…

“Privacy assured!” Politics, the police & surveillance

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:45 am, October 16th, 2012 - 27 comments

Public trust in the police is at a new low. But what of the trust in our government? How much collusion is there between the police, government, spy agencies and foreign governments? However, citizens are also using the technologies of the surveillance society to hold the government and state authorities to account.

Key needs to read the GCSB Act

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:37 am, October 2nd, 2012 - 23 comments

Key says that we would all be very scared if he had control over the GCSB. That’s wrong. Key is the only democratic control on our spies and he has extraordinary oversight. Every warrant the spooks need has to be approved by Key. Is he exercising that role properly, or is he just signing whatever the GCSB puts under his nose?

Ombudsman: Government secrecy “highly dangerous”

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:17 am, September 28th, 2012 - 31 comments

The Chief Ombudsmen has attacked the government’s moves to keep official information secret, calling them “highly dangerous”. The ongoing GCSB and John Banks scandals show just how important it is to be able to hold the government – at all levels – to account.

Nat’s oppose transparency (again)

Written By: IrishBill - Date published: 7:50 am, September 20th, 2012 - 29 comments

Well it’s official. The government has no interest in allowing you to know how your money is being spent.

That’s been made clear in their opposition to Darien Fenton’s port transparency bill – a bill designed simply to make publicly owned ports subject to the Official Information Act.

When they talk about “accountability” and “responsibility” and “the social contract”, remember they’re talking about it for you. Not for them or their powerful mates.

The Canterbury dictatorship

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:34 am, September 13th, 2012 - 15 comments

Puddleglum at The Political Scientist has written an encyclopedic and scathing critique of the Nats’ dictatorship in Canterbury.

Known unknowns

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:44 pm, September 12th, 2012 - 8 comments

My OIA request for the Police file of their investigation into Banks’ anonymous donations arrived today. John Key had said the law would be changed if “they could find the time.” Today David Carter found the time to say the law will be tightened before the 2013 elections.It will be very important that all the lessons from this sorry affair can be properly considered at select committee.

NRT: Extended

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:14 am, September 8th, 2012 - 25 comments

No Right Turn on the Nats’ continuing contempt for democracy in Canterbury.

Turn off turnout – National’s 2014 strategy?

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 3:56 pm, August 27th, 2012 - 41 comments

Depress turnout among low-income voters by changing the enrolment rules – it’s an old right-wing trick. The Republicans are doing it in the US – it looks like National may try it on here. They should not succeed.

Nats back to censoring the press

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:43 am, August 24th, 2012 - 102 comments

The Government has injuncted* RNZ from running a story based on a leaked Kiwirail document that shows National’s under-investment in Kiwirail will make the tracks more dangerous and less useable at a time when it is firing 200 maintenance staff. Brownlee’s excuse? “the media outlet that wanted to publish an opinion about that document was going to do so in a most irresponsible way”

On Democracy

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 2:54 pm, August 14th, 2012 - 97 comments

KJT defends the principle of Democracy against the same old arguments. Most of the objections apply to any system which allows the public a say in Government. As again we have the party in Government telling us, “We won the election. We can do whatever we want. A dictatorship.