Patrick Gower Plays Fantasy Cabinet Football. Loses. – A Response From An NZ First Perspective
Way back towards the start of the year, when questions about what role NZ First might potentially play in and…
Setting the Agenda
Political analysis and commentary shaping the progressive debate in Aotearoa New Zealand, focused on power, policy, and accountability.
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Four Limericks For The Queen’s Birthday
When the Red Party courted the Green
There was little romance to be seen. -
Ireland Rising 1916 to 2016
I have just returned from an overseas trip that took me to Ireland, the UK, and US.
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Budget 2016 – Who wins; who loses; who pays?
There is absolutely zero doubt in my mind that the 2016 Budget is geared 100% toward building up a surplus for tax cuts to be announced next year. Just in time for the 2017 Election. John Key and Bill English have strongly indicated as much with their “kite-flying” with hints of cuts-to-come.
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MUST READ – A Greek-style Fiscal Crisis in Auckland?
The New Zealand government is trying to exploit Auckland’s housing crisis rather than to solve it or to ease it. Its agenda appears to be threefold: to unseat a non-compliant Council, to force the sale of productive assets owned by the people of Auckland, and to reward those who seek to financially profit by holding rural land.
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Unconvinced: Why Chris Trotter Is So Sceptical About The Labour-Green “Understanding”
Independent critical analysis is not considered helpful. Whenever someone like Paul Henry asks someone from the Left for their opinion, the only acceptable response, apparently, is: “Hooray for our side!”
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One Party Media
“Newstalk ZB, Radio Live’s Sean Plunkett and TV3’s Paul Henry operate like mini Fox News outlets reproducing the neoliberal outlooks and prejudices of the Party”
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The Labour-Greens Agreement – Reactions From An NZ First Perspective
Unquestionably the biggest political news of this week was the joint announcement by Labour and the Greens of a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ to take them through to the next Election.
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The lonely man on the street – Lifewise
When John* came to Lifewise in March, he had been homeless for nearly 30 years. He had moved to Auckland looking for work, hoping to start a new life but had spent nearly 20 years doing odd jobs, looking for a place of his own, moving from one boarding home to another.
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Get married stay married and you won’t be poor
The Family First report, Child Poverty: Don’t Mention Family Structure by Lindsay Mitchell extols the value of the institution of marriage. According to her, family structure is the elephant in the room when child poverty solutions are discussed.