political parties

Health disasters – useless Coleman in all kinds of shit

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 9:59 am, August 4th, 2017 - 36 comments

The Health system is riddled with crises and useless Minister Jonathan Coleman is in all kinds of shit. He doesn’t seem to care any more and we won’t front up for interviews. Coleman is a disgrace.

This is why we need the Greens in government

Written By: weka - Date published: 7:15 am, August 4th, 2017 - 247 comments

Metiria Turei speaks from the heart about how hard it is to be on welfare, and the need for a more compassionate, caring welfare system.

Don’t expect the impossible of Ardern

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:01 am, August 4th, 2017 - 29 comments

I enjoy a ray of hope as much as the next leftie, and Jacinda Ardern is off to an incredible start, but let’s not burden her with impossible expectations.

“It’s still the same Labour Party”

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 12:28 pm, August 3rd, 2017 - 58 comments

Steven Joyce wouldn’t front yesterday, but today National have worked out their attack lines. Leave popular Jacinda alone and attack Labour as tired and lacking in new ideas (projection, much?). Labour has a raft of new policy, to go with needed older one’s like 2013’s Kiwibuild of 100,000 affordable homes. Journos need to learn their policy so they don’t let National’s fake news through…

Women, know your place!

Written By: weka - Date published: 12:11 pm, August 3rd, 2017 - 54 comments

What decade are we in again?

The big mo #LetsDoThis

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:19 am, August 3rd, 2017 - 18 comments

Jacinda Ardern’s ascension to Labour’s leadership appears to have given the Party that most important of campaign phenomena, momentum.

The Ardern effect – and why this leadership change was different

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:01 am, August 3rd, 2017 - 60 comments

With donations and volunteers flooding in, I think it’s fair to say that reaction to Jacinda Ardern has exceeded all expectations. Why was this leadership change different? Two reasons…

Lifeline funding cut

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 1:10 pm, August 2nd, 2017 - 58 comments

Funding to Lifeline has been cut in favour of an organisation with a family link to Bill English. It may be completely innocent as all the interested parties claim. But it’s not a good look to be destroying Lifeline, an organisation doing world class work in an area of desperate need. You don’t easily replace that experience.

She ain’t no show pony

Written By: weka - Date published: 10:27 am, August 2nd, 2017 - 123 comments

“She’s got charm, she’s warm, she’s funny, she’s incredibly intelligent, her values are rock solid. I think you are looking at someone there who is going to change the fortunes of the Labour Party, lift the vote, and change the government.” – James Shaw.

Solidarity forever

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 7:23 am, August 2nd, 2017 - 65 comments

Andrew Little has stood aside for Jacinda Ardern because he thought the Labour movement needed fresh legs. Time to acknowledge him and support her.

Acclaim for Jacinda Ardern

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 6:30 am, August 2nd, 2017 - 119 comments

Changing leaders this close to an election was a political gamble for Labour, but it has already paid off. The commentary is almost universally positive, the reviews for Ardern are glowing. Donations are flowing in. Activists are energised and people are talking.

So NZ Labour wanted the Headlines.

Written By: Bill - Date published: 3:29 pm, August 1st, 2017 - 50 comments

Well, now they have them. But…

Greens and the Māori Party on the new Labour leaders

Written By: weka - Date published: 12:57 pm, August 1st, 2017 - 27 comments

Coalition partners in the wings, game on for the left.

Labour leadership announcement – livestream

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:44 am, August 1st, 2017 - 49 comments

The livestream is over. A very impressive performance from Jacinda Ardern.

Thank you Andrew – go well Jacinda!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:13 am, August 1st, 2017 - 54 comments

Unlike lprent I am not discouraged by Little stepping down. New leadership is a real opportunity for Labour. Little: “As leader, I must take responsibility for these results. I do take responsibility and believe that Labour must have an opportunity to perform better under new leadership through to the election.”

Ok, I’m pissed off with the Labour caucus again. Time to switch

Written By: lprent - Date published: 10:44 am, August 1st, 2017 - 129 comments

I think that Andrew Little standing down was a mistake. I can’t think of anyone in the Labour caucus capable of doing anything much between now and the election. Labour should have just stayed the course and worked harder to get rid of National out of government.

Little gone

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 10:10 am, August 1st, 2017 - 187 comments

Andrew Little has stepped down – expects Jacinda to replace him.

ACT in blue – gives up all pretense

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 10:04 am, August 1st, 2017 - 10 comments

Labour leadership meeting

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:33 am, August 1st, 2017 - 169 comments

At 10:30 this morning there is a Labour caucus meeting where the subject of the leadership will be discussed. If Andrew Little decides to step down rumours suggest that a Jacinda Ardern / Kelvin Davis ticket is being considered.

NZF members are lefties – will they get a say in choosing government?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:03 am, August 1st, 2017 - 19 comments

Current polls leave National/minor and Labour/Green both short of majority. The chances of NZF determining the shape of the next government are increasing. I’ve always assumed that Peters would go with National, but maybe not, if NZF members get a say.

Metiria’s gamble pays off in latest poll

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, July 31st, 2017 - 157 comments

To what must be intense annoyance from angry right-wing pundits, Metiria Turei’s gamble seems to have paid off for The Greens, an indication (though mind that margin of error) that there could be a real appetite for a Corbyn-style political revolution this election.

This is no ordinary election (f*ck the polls)

Written By: weka - Date published: 6:30 am, July 31st, 2017 - 122 comments

This isn’t a set in stone election, it’s one that is in the midst of change, quite possibly big change. The Greens opened a door, what can we do to step through?

National’s 2017 election list

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 12:52 pm, July 30th, 2017 - 21 comments

National’s 2017 list has been announced and it has a very same old same old feel about it.

A tale of three immigrants

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:52 am, July 29th, 2017 - 26 comments

The Government is refusing to allow a Tongan family with a very sick child and an American family who ran a very successful cafe from staying in New Zealand but rolled out the red carpet to an uber rich American who did not meet all of the requirements.

Reactions to Metiria – the political and the personal

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:04 am, July 29th, 2017 - 181 comments

There are basically two kinds of reaction to Metiria’s bombshell, the practiced “outrage’ of the usual political operatives, and the support of the ordinary people. I think that the louder the operatives shout, the more that people are going to side with the under-dog.

Blind to the facts on Auckland rail

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:03 am, July 28th, 2017 - 59 comments

Ben Ross at The Spinoff “The government’s continued support of the road freight industry in preference to expanding the role of rail, in the face of the data in this report, makes a complete mockery of its claim to prudent economic management. It makes, instead, a pretty good case for incompetence, or cronyism, or both.”