political parties

Nick Smith becomes Minister of Government Information

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:05 am, February 24th, 2017 - 62 comments

The Government intends to change the definitions of various indicators in an effort to solve some of the country’s most serious problems.

Forest and Bird takes it the Government in the Supreme Court

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:10 am, February 24th, 2017 - 25 comments

The Crown is seeking to overturn the Court of Appeal decision obtained by Forest and Bird which is preventing Conservation land in the Hawkes Bay from being used for the controversial Ruataniwha dam.

2017

Written By: advantage - Date published: 7:48 am, February 23rd, 2017 - 130 comments

The left is facing the possiblity of its fourth election loss in a row. What type of campaign should it run this year to win?

Kaupapa Pākehā

Written By: weka - Date published: 10:50 am, February 22nd, 2017 - 329 comments

What if we based our politics on relationships not power?

Nick Smith screws up again

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 9:21 am, February 22nd, 2017 - 20 comments

We should probably just schedule this as a monthly post.

Maryan Street defers to Raymond Huo

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:43 pm, February 20th, 2017 - 13 comments

For very human reasons former Labour Party President and Labour List MP Maryan Street has confirmed that if Jacinda Ardern wins the Mt Albert by election this weekend she will not seek to return to Parliament via the list.

He Kawenata ki Waenga i Te Roopu MANA me Te Paati Māori

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:51 pm, February 20th, 2017 - 54 comments

The agreement between the Mana Movement and the Māori Party.

The Greens in Te Tai Tokerau

Written By: weka - Date published: 2:13 pm, February 20th, 2017 - 13 comments

Te Tai Tokerau looks to be a hotly contested seat in the 2017 general election, and the Greens are entering the fray there for the first time, with new candidate Godfrey Rudolph.

Māori Mana deal in Te Tai Tokerau

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 12:18 pm, February 20th, 2017 - 166 comments

As reported on Stuff: “Hone Harawira gets clear Te Tai Tokerau run for Mana not running against Maori Party in other seats”.

Duncan Webb for Christchurch Central

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:58 am, February 20th, 2017 - 40 comments

Another strong Labour selection in an interesting electorate.

John Key – Mr 2%

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:00 am, February 20th, 2017 - 43 comments

John Key’s support as preferred Prime Minister has plunged in the latest Colmar Brunton poll. And he has been seen playing sponsored golf for a Japanese businessman with unusual characteristics.

National’s one-trick election pony – the eternal mirage of tax cuts

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:04 am, February 20th, 2017 - 46 comments

As Finance Minister Bill English effectively ruled out tax cuts, but it’s election year, and so of course the Nats can’t help but trot out their one-trick election pony again.

Greg O’Connor responds

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:00 pm, February 18th, 2017 - 86 comments

In a guest post, Labour’s Ōhāriu candidate Greg O’Connor responds to some of the topics of comments in the post “Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu” and elsewhere on the blogs.

Bungling Brownlee under fire

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 8:23 am, February 18th, 2017 - 34 comments

Gerry Brownlee is a walking disaster. Such is the depth of National’s talent pool that he is ranked number 4 in their lineup.

Helen White for Auckland Central

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 7:28 am, February 18th, 2017 - 33 comments

Looks like a strong candidate – all the best in Auckland Central!

Good ideas in Gisborne

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 1:28 pm, February 17th, 2017 - 97 comments

Andrew Little’s announcement yesterday in Gisborne of Labour’s pledge of up to $20million to build a prefabricated timber plant there is a much-needed boost to the area and a sign that Labour’s 100,000 new house pledge first made by David Shearer in 2012 has legs.

What’s the deal? There isn’t one.

Written By: weka - Date published: 7:17 am, February 17th, 2017 - 132 comments

What are the Greens up to then?

Kia Kaha Canterbury

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:00 am, February 16th, 2017 - 35 comments

It seems almost inevitable that the recent fires in Canterbury and the Hawkes Bay are the result of climate change and the harbingers of things to come.

Marama Fox vs Bill English – who will blink?

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 6:49 am, February 16th, 2017 - 167 comments

Marama Fox and Bill English have painted themselves into a bit of a corner, and Fox is threatening to “walk away from the Government”. Key would have handled this better.

English “will be taken down by housing”

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:40 pm, February 14th, 2017 - 67 comments

In the middle of a housing crisis “Housing New Zealand documents obtained under the Official Information Act show that there are nearly 2,500 empty state houses, more than 500 of which have been empty for over a year.”

Government will not support victims of domestic violence

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:33 am, February 14th, 2017 - 19 comments

The Government is refusing to support Jan Logie’s bill aimed at helping the victims of domestic violence despite the bill receiving support from the ANZ and Business New Zealand supporting the bill going at least to select committee.

Greens stand aside in Ōhāriu

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:47 am, February 14th, 2017 - 114 comments

Putting aside misgivings for the sake of the greater good is a mark of political maturity which many politicians and commentators could learn from.

Is this the impossibility turning point?

Written By: advantage - Date published: 8:11 am, February 14th, 2017 - 49 comments

There’s a wonderful fiction still propelling the world that the 21st century will bring an ever-expanding arc of freedom and prosperity to the vast majority of humanity but the reality seems to be anything but.

Watch Bill English lying through his teeth on housing

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 2:03 pm, February 13th, 2017 - 36 comments

English is a less convincing liar than Key.

Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 5:52 pm, February 12th, 2017 - 150 comments

The former Police Association president has been confirmed as a Labour’s candidate for Wellington’s Ōhāriu electorate.

Bloomberg warns world of New Zealand’s toxic trusts

Written By: advantage - Date published: 7:56 am, February 12th, 2017 - 21 comments

Bloomberg magazine has highlighted how foreign trusts are damaging New Zealand’s reputation and are being used for criminal activity.

Deborah Russell for New Lynn

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:23 pm, February 11th, 2017 - 69 comments

Senior Lecturer and tax law expert Deborah Russell has won the Labour selection for New Lynn – congratulations! You’re going to make a fantastic MP! Also Paul Eagle selected for Rongotai.

Support party exposes National’s lie – government in disarray!

Written By: Natwatch - Date published: 10:19 am, February 10th, 2017 - 56 comments

With this vicious infighting exposed the government is clearly in total disarray.

Key gives up on us, keeps International Democratic Union.

Written By: Mike Smith - Date published: 9:00 am, February 10th, 2017 - 33 comments

The Herald informs us that Key is going on the speaking circuit and will go back into finance (not that he ever left). Like John Howard before him, he also intends to carry on chairing the International Democratic Union of right-wing parties. Not a surprise.

Poto Williams’ statement after meeting with Willie Jackson

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:45 pm, February 9th, 2017 - 257 comments

“Reducing our shocking rates of sexual and domestic violence is something I am passionate about and I am proud to be Labour’s spokesperson on these issues. It’s one of the reasons I want to change the Government and I am totally focused on helping win this election for Labour.”