Guest and sponsored opinion pieces published on The Daily Blog, offering diverse perspectives within clear editorial guidelines.
In essence then the National led Government has washed its hands of any direct involvement in providing housing in Tauranga and a well-respected charity – the IHC, has provided it with the cover and the excuse to do this.
Sleepy New Zealand might feel a world away from the political storms brewing in the US and Europe. We are not as isolated as it may seem. The NZ election might not be til next year, but 2016 showed important possibilities and dangers for those who want to see progressive change.
The US State Department has denied an entry visa to 15 year old Palestinian Ahed Tamini . She has been invited by FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America) to take part in an US speaking tour beginning in mid-January, No Child Behind Bars , Living Resistance.
Deliberately excluding route protection for future rail to the airport is one of the most irresponsible planning decisions I have witnessed during my time in Auckland local government.
People have been digesting the appointment of Stephen Bannon as Trump’s chief strategist and the sudden rise in overt racism and Nazi symbology. There are people saying “Heil Trump”, giving Nazi salutes, and spray-painting swastikas in alarming numbers. The US is a large, populous, diverse country, but there is clearly something of significance here beyond just a few ignorant teenagers with spraycans and emotional issues.
Psychology tells us we have huge, indomitable confirmation bias. We find rational arguments to justify our intuitive position. Is it so hard to believe, when a candidate like triggers ALL of the modules in our morality matrix, that he won? That in a polarised election the one who ticks all the morale boxes was going to lose?
The Winston Peters myth is constantly evolving, but he often likes to paint himself as a political outsider. Winnie likes to portray himself as straight talking, and standing up to the establishment. To give him credit, the fact he can sometimes pull this off is a master class in political spin. The reality is, Winston Peters has more claim to being the political establishment as any other New Zealand MP.
A lot of people shared this article on my facebook feed recently, Behold, Māori politics’ great realignment. Or, don’t believe the hype. Clickbait alert – Godfrey Morgan suggests the latter option. But I didn’t really like it.
what are the hidden assumptions behind the evaluations of political reputations? Unless these assumptions are tested and critiqued, John Key’s actual historic role as an agent of the international finance capital cannot be understood.
My take on the matter is that it is racism, Institutional Racism that does not like the independent Māori doing well and being successful. Pākahā dominated institutions still want to apply Pākehā rules and tell Māori what to do and how to do it.