Political Leadership and #MarriageEquality
Change is a tough thing sometimes. This post is about political change, its history in New Zealand, and why Labour MPs need to grasp the nettle and support Marriage Equality, as a core part of Labour's...
View ArticleOlympics
Have you been watching? I've seen the odd bit on Prime and plan to see the closing ceremony this morning. Britain's neurosis about whether it would be able to pull the event together has been a sight...
View ArticleCampaign School mulling
I've spent the weekend in Hamilton at the first Young Labour campaign school. It's been an interesting couple of days for a number of reasons. The turnout was fantastic — around about sixty attendees...
View ArticleEquality matters to us all
Equality is one of the most interesting values and principles of the labour movement, at least in part because we live in the Era of Freedom in so many ways. Individual choices and the right to be left...
View ArticleThe depoliticisation of economics
I was having a discussion on Facebook last night, sparked by my previous post, about why it is that there is so much more passion among parts of the left for marriage equality than more...
View ArticleEducation matters
Pleased with David Shearer's speech on education yesterday, two aspects in particular: 1. Making the link, explicitly, between poverty/inequality/social inclusion and educational success. We have a...
View ArticleThe $78 billion
A new study out today (Stuff, Herald), which cost you and I $1,000,000 or so, shows what we already knew: that if everyone on a benefit stayed on it forever, it would cost us all a pile of cash. The...
View ArticlePlanet Key/National ""Facts"" #1
This is one for the books. Media, some fact checking? ANY fact checking? Please? From the Dominion Post on Friday 14 September, page 2: PM: economy on track - just ask the Aussies Prime Minister John...
View ArticleResponding to the New Zealand doldrums
It just keeps on getting worse. Today's reactionary announcement by the Government that it wants to cut the incomes of vulnerable young people comes at the same time as NZIER reports lowering business...
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On dealing with child poverty
In a rather interesting post this morning, David Farrar over at Kiwiblog argued that National needs to do several things to regain momentum. Responding to rising concern about child poverty was one of...
View ArticleShould your ISP have to hold your hand?
In the security session at the Australian Internet Governance Forum this morning (see www.igf.org.au for info), an interesting dilemma about security responses by ISPs came up. There is the prospect...
View ArticleInflation is not the problem
This morning, we learned that consumer price inflation in the year to 30 September was 0.8%, the lowest in thirteen years. Inflation is not the problem. Growth and exports are. David Parker is right:...
View ArticleTaming globalisation
2008 changed everything. The intellectual foundation of the policy framework we have used for thirty years was cut to pieces. The excuses and evasions of those in power across the West delivering...
View ArticleChanging Labour this weekend
Labour's annual conference meets in Auckland this weekend. It's the most important conference in a generation. Changes are on the table that will fundamentally change Labour, bringing it closer to the...
View ArticleMy marriage equality submission
If you're interested...Submission to the Government Administration Committee on the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill 2012 Dear Committee members,Introduction1. This personal submission...
View ArticleConference 2012
In many ways, the Labour Party conference last weekend was a triumph. A set of issues mean it doesn't feel like that right now, but in the longer term it will be seen that way.Why?I work in the...
View ArticleThe Government Administration Ctte and #MarriageEquality
I said my piece this morning before the Select Committee hearing submissions on Louisa Wall's Marriage Equality legislation.I started with a story about my brother's wedding and reception, a hot balmy...
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#NetHui South
So I am in Dunedin at the university for NetHuiSouth— a conference that is part of InternetNZ's effort to bring multi-stakeholder Internet governance out to the provinces. There's a strong focus on...
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Housing for all
100,000 new affordable houses. Backed up by a clear workable plan for achieving it, and an ideological shift to embrace the possibility of the government as a practical force for change. All...
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Two negotiations, one target: the Internet & our brighter future
This month two important negotiations happen that could affect anyone who uses the Internet.In Auckland, there is a negotiating round for the Trans Pacific Partnership, a managed economic and trade...
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