greens

Categories under greens

No categories

How do the Greens grow their base?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:34 am, February 3rd, 2015 - 105 comments

Following on from yesterday’s discussion of the future for Labour – what next for the Greens?

Green Party announcement – Russel Norman to stand down as leader

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 10:50 am, January 30th, 2015 - 237 comments

Twitter has gone berserk about an announced Green Party press conference for 11 am today. Initial speculation is that a Green MP may be standing down. Update: One News has tweeted Russell Norman has resigned as leader. Update: Russel’s Norman’s statement added.

Metiria Turei’s speech prepared for Ratana

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:00 am, January 24th, 2015 - 88 comments

Metiria Turei’s speech prepared for delivery at Ratana has attracted some attention for her strong criticism of John Key’s revisionism of Aotearoa’s history in suggesting that Aotearoa was settled peaceably.

RMA reforms … be very afraid

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:00 am, January 20th, 2015 - 97 comments

Nick Smith today announced proposed changes to the Resource Management Act. It is likely he will resuscitate the reforms that were stalled after Peter Dunne refused to support them last year. ACT’s David Seymour has said he will support the changes even though he did not know what they are. Treasury are to release a paper with proposals for change. Updated lprent – yep National stupidity reprised.

‘The future will be green or not at all’

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:41 am, January 2nd, 2015 - 275 comments

Yesterday, on Outspoken at RNZ, Craig McCulloch interviewed Jeanette Fitzsimons, Gareth Morgan and Metiria Turei on the future of the Green Party. Morgan wants the Greens to shift away from “scary” economic policies. Turei and Fitzsimons explain why not.

Top MP tweeters ….?

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:54 am, December 29th, 2014 - 27 comments

Claire Trevett in the NZ Herald has an article on her chosen top MP tweeters, now that Judith Collins has vacated her (alleged) position as “Minister of Twitter” Not quite my list of top tweeters… and yours?

Europe & the anti-austerity left

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:42 am, December 24th, 2014 - 28 comments

The UK Green Party is gaining in popularity as many people turn away from the 3 established parties. The radical left Syriza party in Greece could possibly gain power in their election – what powerful international right wing forces would then be unleashed?

A good speech

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:25 am, December 11th, 2014 - 17 comments

A good speech from Green MP James Shaw in Parliament’s closing session yesterday.

Dirty political money – why isn’t it illegal?

Written By: lprent - Date published: 7:30 pm, November 26th, 2014 - 39 comments

The Greens have released information that shows National having 77% of their donations in the last 3 years ($3.375 million) funnelled to them in non-public quite large donations. What are they providing for that? Well amongst other things it pays for sleazeballs like Jason Ede. But what legislation?

Lessons from the ’30s and 40’s: culture and the left

Written By: karol - Date published: 2:05 pm, November 10th, 2014 - 70 comments

We often look to the first Labour Government for core left wing values, & a political way forward. As well as massively restructuring of the NZ economy, work, welfare & housing, that Government aimed to restructure NZ culture & to combat capitalist-dominated popular culture.

Turei for peace & freedom: rejects politics of fear

Written By: karol - Date published: 3:00 pm, November 5th, 2014 - 102 comments

Metiria Turei delivered a very strong speech in response to Key’s ministerial statement on national security. I give her a standing ovation! Update #1: link to video of Turei’s speech. #2 -YT video Turei’s speech. Link to Kennedy Garham’s speech

Campbell Live on ‘Feed the Kids Bill’

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:24 am, November 5th, 2014 - 14 comments

The main message from Campbell Live last night is we really need the “Feed the Kids” Bill to pass it’s first reading: then the Bill will go to Select Committee, so everyone can have a conversation. Update: reading postponed ‘cos Key’s war statement debate gets priority.

Feed the Kids Bill – act today

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:03 pm, November 4th, 2014 - 9 comments

Only one day to support the Feed the Kids Bill.

About climate change …

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:11 pm, November 3rd, 2014 - 162 comments

The IPCC has released a further report refining previous research and announcing with practical certainty that climate change is happening because of the production of greenhouse gasses. It proposes that we stop burning fossil fuels, and change the electricity generation system so that by 2050 the vast bulk of the world’s power is produced by renewable means. The diagnosis is clear as are the remedies. And meanwhile Tim Groser thinks the Greens are to blame for the recent drop in the milk price …

The power & the pressure

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:00 am, October 14th, 2014 - 115 comments

We need a new green left direction, now and for the future. A future Labour-Green-Mana coalition government could provide such a direction. The original NZ Values Party Manifesto provides an important Blueprint.

About those other police complaints …

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 6:51 pm, October 6th, 2014 - 52 comments

Police action in obtaining a warrant to search Nicky Hager’s home in politically charged circumstances raises issues why in other politically charged incidents no similar action has been undertaken.

Local Bodies: Greens Immediately Become the Opposition.

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:16 am, September 27th, 2014 - 63 comments

bspout at Local Bodies was well up on the Greens list, but as the Greens only got 10%, he didn’t get into parliament. But as he says, with Labour navel gazing and NZ First lacking experience, the greens are currently the only effective opposition at present.

Labour obviously never worked out MMP

Written By: lprent - Date published: 8:59 am, September 26th, 2014 - 104 comments

Perhaps it is time for activists to have two parties. The one that specialises in electorates and the one that focuses on party vote. Because it is becoming evident that Labour is unlikely to ever manage to make the transition to being a MMP party. Their MPs clearly don’t care for the party or the brand.

NRT: MMP, electorates, and misaligned incentives

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:18 pm, September 22nd, 2014 - 165 comments

No Right Turn points out the underlying truth of voting in an MMP environment. For the party electorate seats don’t matter much. Running electorate only campaigns are not productive. He is wrong in ascribing them no value. They provide a base for campaigning.

Next time …

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:59 am, September 21st, 2014 - 174 comments

National has an outright majority and the left has gone backwards. Some thoughts on what may have happened.

Green Watch

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:00 pm, September 20th, 2014 - 43 comments

I am hoping for a good proportion of the vote for the Green Party. They got !!% of the vote in 2011, resulting in them having 14 MPs. Updated

The tweets are alive….

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:48 am, September 19th, 2014 - 5 comments

… with pre-election day fervour. It’s an election that’s going down to the wire. The energy is there for the left to keep talking to people, and to encourage as many as possible to get out and vote. It’s Suffrage Day – reporting via the telegraph in 1893 to the internet today. On-going updates

Three final polls

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:15 am, September 19th, 2014 - 98 comments

Three last polls and National’s support is declining, Labour’s improving and the Greens are stable. Things are getting very close with Winston Peters looking more and more likely to hold the balance of power. This election will be decided vote by vote.

Greens buoyant

Written By: karol - Date published: 5:53 pm, September 18th, 2014 - 14 comments

John Key & National’s empty facade – its lack of vision for NZ – has been exposed. Opposition parties have continued to campaign positively, focusing on people, fairness, & the environment. [Update] NZ Herald video

Stability vs Change

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:22 am, September 18th, 2014 - 79 comments

This election there are two very different visions of the future on offer. I know which I prefer.

Blue on the polls

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 12:04 pm, September 14th, 2014 - 62 comments

Landline polls are a traditional gripe for lefties. But this election polls look seriously out of whack with reality. Is National at 55%, 50%, 48% or 46%? But it’s always far too large for a party at National’s current stage in the political cycle. Just unbelievable and highly unlikely.

Bombs Away?

Written By: Bill - Date published: 5:00 pm, September 12th, 2014 - 73 comments

So much for any abatement of dirty politics…

NRT: Fundamental incomprehension

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:54 pm, September 10th, 2014 - 37 comments

Idiot Savant nails the basic issue that commentators like John Armstrong and many others simply don’t understand about the Greens. They aren’t particularly interested in the political game. They are interested in effecting change. But that’s the problem with the galley: they don’t think policy matters. The idea that some victories aren’t worth winning is something they just don’t understand.

Tories! Scared of Internet/Mana? I have the solution …

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 7:19 am, September 5th, 2014 - 64 comments

Labour are going to lead the next Government. So what’s a Tory voter to do to keep the damge to a minimum? If the possibility of Hone Harawira and Laila Harre being Ministers in the Cunliffe administration is keeping you up at night, then Te Reo Putake has the answer.

Labour’s broadcasting policy: public service TV-RNZ

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:03 pm, August 31st, 2014 - 40 comments

Labour’s broadcasting policy includes setting up a new public service TV channel, to be located with RNZ, incorporating RNZ values. The Greens are open to the idea. NZ First has a similar policy. Laila Harre makes some good points about public broadcasting and industrial relations. [Update: RNZ report; video clip added]