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!”
The issue with the Labour Green announcement was the lack of sizzle, or for that matter sausage. The line being floated that it won’t ultimately work because NZers some how can’t understand it however is a bit silly and desperate.
Huddled around one computer in our office, my colleagues and I clapped and cheered as we watched via livestream the leadership of Labour and the Greens announce that finally, the two biggest Opposition parties will be formally working together to change the Government.
“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”
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.
China’s current role as the world’s leading industrial nation is the result of its unique history as an former empire, a British colony, a ‘socialist’ republic and today, a new imperialist power.
This announcement has been surprisingly clumsy. Why the hell didn’t they agree on a basic policy platform and which electorates they would and wouldn’t stand in against each other? Those two things could now be the focus of media attention rather than the fact that their Memorandum of Understanding – the most colourless and visionless name ever – is as hollow as National’s Housing Policy.
The Greens and Labour need to look like a confident functioning Government in waiting, that’s the point of this, but it all seems a bit clumsy and rushed.
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.
Once the social media campaign begins to link the TPPA to the warship visit, a showdown will be set and the Government’s only hope is that the legislation is voted in early and the sense of fury amongst the protest movement dissipates.