Archive for August, 2005

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  Maori seats - by frog

  
  
  
  Today’s audioblog (mp3, 0.8MB, 6.32 mins) is Metiria talking about whether the Maori seats should be entrenched and why. Enjoy. read more
  August 31, 2005 6:14 pm - 3 Comments
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  TV3 poll - by frog

  
  
  
  National has jumped into the lead in tonight’s TV3 poll, with a two-point lead over Labour: 41% plays 39%. The Greens and NZ First are both on 6%. As I suspected it might have been, Molesworth and Featherston‘s calling of the election for Labour appears a little premature What does this poll tell us? National’s [...] read more
  August 31, 2005 6:08 pm - 11 Comments
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  Moving New Zealand - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s nice of the Dominion Post to call Labour’s transport policy a “Green Party-look-alike” and “a watered-down version of the Green Party’s transport policy”. The Greens have had a significant influence on transport policy over the past three years, which has seen very large increases in the public transport and overall transport budgets. We’re looking [...] read more
  August 31, 2005 11:29 am - 5 Comments
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  How happy is Bill? - by frog

  
  
  
  During the current blow-up over Don Brash’s inbox, I have been wondering what Bill English must be making of the current state of his party. Is he still bitter about how a more extreme leader emerged to take over the National Party, propelled by Business Roundtable and Act types? Mr English has been dutifully silent [...] read more
  August 31, 2005 11:03 am - 4 Comments
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  Get out to vote - by frog

  
  
  
  If you’re not going to be in your electorate on September 17, I’d suggest you investigate casting an advance vote. Today is the first day advance votes can be cast, and a list of polling places, by electorate, can be found here. read more
  August 31, 2005 10:49 am - 6 Comments
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  Is victory around the corner? - by frog

  
  
  
  Respected tipsheet Molesworth & Featherston has called the election for the LPG team. Its latest edition says: Yes, yes, nothing is ever over until it’s over and a week, not to mention three, is a long time in politics. But the initial reaction to the tax cut package from National, added to the email leak [...] read more
  August 31, 2005 10:23 am - 4 Comments
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  Voting students - by frog

  
  
  
  Talking about “the student vote” is a little demeaning, because it can suggest that students vote as a bloc and only care about “student issues”. Nevertheless, journalists – because shorthand is inevitable in the media – continue to go down this path. For example, it has become fashionable to say that Labour’s student loan policy [...] read more
  August 31, 2005 9:26 am - 3 Comments
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  Audioblog mark two - by frog

  
  
  
  Today’s second audioblog (mp3, 1.3MB, 11.23mins) is a wide-ranging interview with Rod. Speaking from Christchurch, Rod discusses various issues that have arisen on the campaign trail today, including attacks on the Greens from National. read more
  August 30, 2005 4:52 pm - No Comments
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  Cause and effect - by frog

  
  
  
  Today’s audioblog (mp3, 0.6MB, 4.55mins) is Sue K talking about the Greens’ health policy, which was released today. I talked to her about renaming the Ministry of Health, tackling the root causes of ill health, and helping prevent people from having adverse reactions to the medicines they’re taking. read more
  August 30, 2005 3:26 pm - 11 Comments
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  Don vs Jeanette - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s becoming very clear that New Zealanders face a stark choice on September 17 when it comes to the sense of national identity they want projected by their government. Don Brash and Jeanette have had a bit of a duel on this subject today. Don started with a speech in Tauranga, in which he said: [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 2:26 pm - 2 Comments
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  Oh dear - by frog

  
  
  
  The “Brash propelled into the National leadership by the Business-Roundtable” email furore has just turned a further degree uglier. Gerry Brownlee fronted National’s race policies on Campbell Live last night because Dr Brash didn’t want to face questioning over the emails. He has now said that Labour was behind the leaks. Steve Maharey has shot [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 11:15 am - 18 Comments
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  “We have a government” - by frog

  
  
  
  Radio NZ’s various leaders’ debates are now online. The Brash-Clark debate is here. The third parties’ debate is here. The economics spokespeople’s debate is here. In the finance debate, there was an exchange between Kim Hill, Michael Cullen and Rod which was quite revealing about the state of play between Labour and the Greens (in [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 10:56 am - 9 Comments
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  Another support party bites the dust - by frog

  
  
  
  So, National only has one prospective coalition partner left: United. At face value, National started the campaign with four options, but three of them are no longer options: Maori Party: It has ruled out supporting a National-led Government because of Don Brash’s divisive and assimilationist race policies. NZ First: It will not sign up to [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 10:37 am - 6 Comments
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  Assimilation, anyone? - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday, I wrote that Brash’s Orewa speech “did more to damage our social cohesion and race relations than any other in many years, more dangerous than any of Winston Peters’ anti-Asian mutterings because this was a man who could be our Prime Minister.” I stand by that description. Curiously, those who seek to defend Brash [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 8:25 am - 16 Comments
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  Failing the sniff test - by frog

  
  
  
  When the numbers are really big, be very suspicious of them. I was rather blown away when I heard Labour and National agents claiming in the media that millions of people had logged on to their student loan and tax calculators. Last week, Tau Henare and Laila Harre were invited on to Linda Clark’s Radio [...] read more
  August 30, 2005 7:40 am - 2 Comments
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  Teaching illusion - by frog

  
  
  
  On this day when Don Brash tries to revive his ugly Maori-baiting, I thought it might be valuable to revisit his original Orewa speech. It’s a speech that was so successful in boosting National’s popularity that the party still has a link to it from its front page more than 18 months after it was [...] read more
  August 29, 2005 3:42 pm - 12 Comments
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  Son of Orewa - by frog

  
  
  
  Today’s audioblog (mp3, 1.4MB, 6.02mins) is Metiria talking about Don Brash’s latest foray into the race debate. Enjoy. read more
  August 29, 2005 1:34 pm - No Comments
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  A vote for the environment - by frog

  
  
  
  If the environment could vote, which party’s box would it tick? Well, environmental organisations up and down the country have got together and rated all the parties’ policies for their Vote for the Environment campaign. Launched this morning by the Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand (ECO), Forest & Bird and Greenpeace, the campaign [...] read more
  August 29, 2005 11:55 am - 9 Comments
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  Bigotry replugged - by frog

  
  
  
  So, National is today returning to its old stomping ground of race. While this is predictable, it is nevertheless very sad. I, and I suspect a sizeable chunk of the National caucus, long for a day when both major parties seeking to lead a government spurn the politics of racial divisiveness. As Jeanette has just [...] read more
  August 29, 2005 10:29 am - 27 Comments
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  Foot in mouth disease - by frog

  
  
  
  Britain’s Guardian had it about right when it said in an editorial on Saturday: It comes as a surprise to learn that some there still think women are unsuited to the rough and tumble of political life. And it is even more of a surprise that this idea should come from the leader of New [...] read more
  August 29, 2005 9:49 am - 7 Comments