Mike Treen

…if the Maori Party were to get two seats like now, which is certainly possible, then that would theoretically be enough to forms a Labour/Greens/Maori Party government. I believe the Maori Party would be desperate to form a government with Labour to prove they can go with either party – that they aren’t National’s poodle. 

I really wonder what sort of advice is being given the leaders of the Labour Party and the Greens.

The installation of Jacinda Adern as Labour Party leader is the last throw of the dice for Labour in terms of trying to achieve a greater resonance with voters by simply changing the leader.

The government has partially backed down from some changes to immigration policy that would have reduced the flow of cheap labour to New Zealand employers. The changes maintain the essence of the policy which was to keep access to cheap labour from abroad, and keep that labour vulnerable and easily exploited when here.

I was a little surprised when NZ First leader Winston Peters announced that a binding referendum on the abolition of the Maori seats and reducing the size of Parliament would be bottom line issues for him. It is impossible for Labour and the Greens to agree to these terms. That means NZ First is saying that they will only form a government with National – assuming they agree.

As the election gets closer, everyone has an opinion on what needs to be done for their party to be successful.

Summary of the June, 207, CTU Economic Bulletin

The days of capitalism are numbered because it can’t get the basics right – including the right to life itself. People need jobs, housing, health care, education. To achieve those goals for all requires a radical attack on wealth inequality.

Statistics NZ figures released this week have confirmed that New Zealand is in recession on a per capita basis as the economy has declined for two-quarters when measured on this basis.