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Politics

Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation

Categories under Politics

Sepuloni: Labour to increase Jobseeker benefit

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, May 3rd, 2021 - 58 comments

Some good news from over the weekend.  Labour is planning to significantly increase the level of Jobseeker benefit.

Can we trust David Seymour?

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, May 1st, 2021 - 48 comments

David Seymour has got himself into a little bit of trouble. He filed a Parliamentary Pecuniary interests return that was not, ahem, correct.

The Most Blacks

Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, April 30th, 2021 - 45 comments

The New Zealand Rugby Union is currently in the process of selling its soul to the devil, in this case a private equity firm called Silver Lake.  This made me reflect on what the NZRU is selling.

National’s election review leaked

Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, April 29th, 2021 - 20 comments

It was only a matter of time.  Tova O’Brien at Newshub has been leaked a copy of the abridged version of the National Party election review.  

Boris Johnson’s and Dominic Cummings’ very public fallout

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, April 27th, 2021 - 17 comments

Over in the UK Boris Johnson and his former chief advisor Dominic Cummings have had a very public fallout.  And ever since it happened there have been very public leaks of damaging information which incredibly have not as yet damaged the Conservative Party’s standing.

The five eyes beat up

Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, April 24th, 2021 - 33 comments

There has been a conservative sourced beat up of Aotearoa New Zealand for not using an intelligence gathering treaty grouping to publicly attack China.

Biden is serious about climate change

Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, April 24th, 2021 - 70 comments

One of the many regretful aspects of the Trump presidency was the United States open hostility to doing anything about climate change. It looks like Joe Biden will do his best to make up for lost time.

Too much too far?

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 23rd, 2021 - 97 comments

As we lead up to Budget 2021, there’s much more shape to the whole direction of this government.

National’s very bad day

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, April 22nd, 2021 - 86 comments

Yesterday was a day where National focussed on dog whistle racism, supported religious extremists and moaned about workers receiving a modest increase in the minimum wage.

DHBs to go

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, April 21st, 2021 - 101 comments

Television New Zealand has reported that Andrew Little is to announce that district health boards are to go

Putting Five Eyes in its place

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 pm, April 20th, 2021 - 19 comments

Following her speech to the NZ China Council, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta wanted to be very clear that in speaking out about issues with other countries, New Zealand would not be doing it in concert with Five Eyes partners. She expressed a view that New Zealand did not agree with Five Eyes remit encroaching beyond intelligence, and that this had been communicated to Five Eyes partners. Good.

Its official – Transmission Gully is a fiasco

Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, April 20th, 2021 - 19 comments

A damning report into National’s PPP contract for construction of Transmission Gully has concluded that the maximum price the government would pay was set too low, project bidders soon worked this out and that proposals were “value managed down” or made cheaper on designs and timelines that created risks that would eventually manifest themselves after procurement once construction commenced.

The European Super League – a proposal that has united Britain

Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, April 20th, 2021 - 28 comments

There are few issues where UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former Labour Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn see eye to eye, yet this proposal has achieved just that. Rarer still to have the Second Heir to the Throne comment on such matters saying it would be “damaging.”

The Problem with Personification in Politics

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 19th, 2021 - 12 comments

It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.

Einstein versus Trump*

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 18th, 2021 - 10 comments

Einstein tried to explain complex things and understand reality; Trump tried to explain it away and distort reality.

The daily critics whinge

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, April 16th, 2021 - 22 comments

I was just reading a post by Bryan Gould on his current perspective on news media in “The Government v. the people”. It resonated because some news and opinion media are getting tedious. It made me reflect on my current habits because much of what he is discussing is that I remember as something in my rear view mirror. Not what I do today.

National’s housing policy

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, April 16th, 2021 - 30 comments

National has released its housing policy and the proposals are predictable.  Free up more land, loosen up the RMA, and require Councils in high growth areas to urgently review their district plans.

Bridges supports Judith at this time

Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, April 14th, 2021 - 10 comments

Simon Bridges had added to rumours of a leadership challenge by pledging support for Judith Collins as leader “at this time”.

Donations trouble for Māori Party and National

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, April 13th, 2021 - 14 comments

The Electoral laws about donations are pretty clear.  Receive a donation over $30,000 and you should tell the Electoral Commission about the report within the next ten working days.  But the Maori Party and the National Party have both managed to recently breach this simple requirement.

The politics of the Covid vaccination roll out

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, April 12th, 2021 - 91 comments

Poor National.  Faced with a Government response to Covid that has been superb it is reduced to criticising the Government for not rolling out the Covid vaccine quickly enough.

Well done John Edgar

Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, April 10th, 2021 - 11 comments

I’d thought I’d take a moment to celebrate the life of John Edgar, who passed away a few days ago.

The Covid India issue

Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, April 9th, 2021 - 29 comments

This is a desperately difficult issue. India is currently experiencing a surge in Covid cases.  And faced with the prospect of quarantine beds being overrun if current trends continue the Government has taken the step of banning people entering the country if they have been in India during the two weeks prior to travel.

Bridges is back?

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, April 9th, 2021 - 16 comments

Judith Collins has more reasons to be worried.  There is a rumour of a SImon Bridges-Chris Luxon leadership ticket potentially having a run for the leadership of the National Party.

Click bait frenzy

Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, April 8th, 2021 - 69 comments

Media has been awash with discussion about Mike Hosking’s recent interaction with Jacinda Ardern.  She was invited onto his show, agreed to appear, was grilled on isolation facility beds, and gave responses.  End of story you would think.

Go well Kiri Allan

Written By: - Date published: 7:57 pm, April 6th, 2021 - 10 comments

Kiri Allen has announced that she is receiving treatment for stage three cervical cancer.

Bubble bubble toil and trouble

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, April 6th, 2021 - 42 comments

An announcement on the Trans Tasman bubble is expected this afternoon.

The biggest grifter

Written By: - Date published: 12:21 pm, April 5th, 2021 - 17 comments

The New York Times is reporting that the Trump Campaign sucked in a whole lot of republican voters by asking for urgent donations but then treating them as regular rather than one off donations unless donors discovered and clicked on a well hidden check box.

Greta Thunberg is now 18

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 2nd, 2021 - 59 comments

Greta Thunberg is now aged 18.  And her activism is still strong.

Ports of Auckland – time for change

Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 31st, 2021 - 5 comments

Auckland Council has released the Ports of Auckland Independent Health and Safety Report and the recommendations are damning.

National’s leadership problem

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, March 30th, 2021 - 42 comments

Chris Luxon’s maiden speech last week and another example of multiple leaks of details of a caucus meeting highlight how precarious Judith Collins’ tenure as National Party leader is.  But does someone have the numbers to replace her?

About Grant Robertson’s bright line tax statement

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, March 28th, 2021 - 217 comments

Media has been abuzz with comment about how last election Grant Robertson has backtracked on a promise on not extending the bright line test.  Should politicians stick to their pronouncements no matter what?  Or should they change their minds if circumstances demand a change in course?