political parties

Budget Smudgeit

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 2:43 pm, May 30th, 2024 - 80 comments

Early comments on the budget. Basically tax cuts are being paid by more borrowing. There is no way this can be described as being fiscally neutral.

The Budget Day Protests

Written By: weka - Date published: 8:33 am, May 30th, 2024 - 18 comments

Protests by Māori and Tangata Tiriti against government policy are underway on the day of the National government’s first budget. Carkoi and Hikoi are taking place in many locations across the country.

What does the Government have against Māori wards?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 1:27 pm, May 28th, 2024 - 49 comments

The Government is moving with urgency to reverse Labour’s repeal of referenda for Māori wards on local councils.

What is that word that starts with “C” and ends with “orruption”?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:11 am, May 26th, 2024 - 46 comments

The past fortnight has seen a number of breaking stories each of which raises concerns about the motivations and goals of this Government. It makes you wonder whether the pursuit of self interest is an embedded feature as opposed to a bug.

The Luxon Government’s War on Nature

Written By: weka - Date published: 6:10 am, May 25th, 2024 - 10 comments

“But the truth is that real gains only ever come out of a mobilised civil society and achieving a mobilised civil society is exactly what we have to do.”

– Russel Norman

Making up for lost time

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 8:34 am, May 22nd, 2024 - 39 comments

Guest post by Nigel Haworth where he discusses Labour membership’s desire for taxation reform and why it is important that Labour decides on its position as soon as possible.

Speech time

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:02 am, May 21st, 2024 - 6 comments

In the past week Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have both delivered future vision themed speeches. With some dramatic contrasts.

Charter schools are back

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:53 am, May 16th, 2024 - 69 comments

Following on from the decision to cut $103 million a year from the school lunch programme the Government has announced the return of chartered schools at a cost of $153 million over four years.

Celebrating the ending of a policy that no longer exists

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:22 am, May 15th, 2024 - 31 comments

As part of its coalition agreement NZ First is wanting to end a policy that has already ended. And the Government is struggling to work out what to do.

The Waitangi Tribunal v Karen Chhour

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:08 am, May 12th, 2024 - 109 comments

The Waitangi Tribunal has released a scathing interim decision relating to the Government’s intention to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989.

A one term Government?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:16 am, May 5th, 2024 - 86 comments

The Government is less than 12 months away from a change in the Deputy Prime Ministership and the transition will be a smooth one. Labour needs to be getting ready now. Because for the first time in this Country’s history this could be a one term National led Government.

In defence of Julie Anne Genter

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:01 pm, May 2nd, 2024 - 203 comments

Yesterday in Parliament Julie Anne Genter lost her cool when Matt Doocey misrepresented what the last Government’s NLTP priorities were. Should she be sanctioned? Or should she get a medal for pointing out that Doocey was totally wrong?

Right wing plunges in latest poll

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 6:05 pm, April 29th, 2024 - 52 comments

The latest One News Verian poll suggests that the right is in trouble.

The Treaty of Waitangi and Oranga Tamariki

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 4:35 pm, April 29th, 2024 - 8 comments

Minister for Children Karen Chhour has resisted attempts by the Waitangi Tribunal to get her to explain how removing requirements to improve outcomes for Māori children is not a breach of the Treaty.

The Jack Tame and James Shaw korero

Written By: weka - Date published: 9:54 am, April 29th, 2024 - 22 comments

This is politics as it should and could be: human, honest while retaining boundaries, insightful without the need for politicking.

This is fine

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 8:50 am, April 27th, 2024 - 8 comments

There is absolutely nothing to worry about if the Fast-track Approvals Bill gets passed into law and Shane Jones gets extraordinary powers to decide on consent applications which normally would be subject to enormous rigour and oversight.

The list

Written By: advantage - Date published: 10:14 am, April 21st, 2024 - 11 comments

Making a major infrastructure deal happen takes years of planning, exceptionally qualified people on all sides, and in New Zealand it takes about ten years of your life. Until now.

Towards Banana Republic Status

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:25 am, April 17th, 2024 - 27 comments

There is a bill before Parliament right now that has the potential of blowing a rather big hole in our reputation as an open and transparent democracy.

At least Chris Bishop sleeps in a well made bed

Written By: weka - Date published: 8:26 am, April 17th, 2024 - 85 comments

Having a decent home is a human right

The first Ministerial scalp?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:34 am, April 14th, 2024 - 27 comments

Already we have what looks like an odds on favourite for the first Ministerial scalp.

National only wants to help tenants *

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:22 am, April 12th, 2024 - 48 comments

* get evicted more easily.

A sustainable environment should be a human right

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:18 am, April 10th, 2024 - 47 comments

James Shaw’s attempt to create a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is expected to be voted down soon by Parliament. But the New Zealand Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights have shown a willingness to recognise a right to a sustainable environment that some politicians refuse to.

Back on Track?

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:05 am, April 7th, 2024 - 71 comments

National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?

The Government thinks that Local Government should determine what works best for them*

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 9:07 am, April 5th, 2024 - 22 comments

* unless they want to set up Maori wards.

The future of UK Labour and what it means for Aotearoa

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 10:09 am, April 2nd, 2024 - 55 comments

It appears almost inevitable that Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But his taking the party to the right and an active drive to rid the party of left wingers raises the spectre that his Goverment would be a pale immitation of its predecessors.