Tag Archive for 'New Zealand'

“He can’t tell a kiwi from a kangaroo”

Published
by
Mark
1 month, 1 week ago
in Economics, International and Politics
. 22 Comments

Tony Abbott’s been claiming again that New Zealand is an object lesson in why we don’t need the level of economic stimulus delivered by the Rudd government. Abbott, who said in an interview in 2003 that he found economics a “bore”, first made this claim on the 7.30 Report back in January. Peter Martin was quick to point out that New Zealand had gone through a recession in five consecutive quarters.

In a withering column, Peter Hartcher asks:

Tony Abbott is trying to restrain Barnaby Joyce from blurting nonsense, but who will restrain Tony Abbott?

Is Abbott deliberately mendacious, or just ill-informed and sloppy with the truth?

Prince William comes to town

Published
by
Mark
2 months ago
in Australiana, Culture, Media, NSW Government and Politics
. 104 Comments

A number of the commenters on the earliest political memories thread recalled having been taken as schoolkids to see Her Maj, and a number of us also recalled weird little pledges and scratchy recordings of ‘God Save the Queen’ being a feature of the beginning of our primary school days (in my case, in Joh’s 70s Queensland). In that context, I was interested to read Idiot/Savant’s account of Prince William’s underwhelming reception in Auckland, despite all attempts by the media to talk the visit up. You can read it here. The punchline?

That’s so beautifully kiwi. The Brits may be obsessed with hierarchy and deference and publicly displaying their loyalty to the unelected scion of an undemocratic institution – but we have better things to do. Like enjoying ourselves in the sun. The British royal-watchers call this “a distinct pro-republican feeling”, but its more that we just don’t give a damn – the monarchy is simply utterly irrelevant to our lives. Though from a republican view, that irrelevance is a two-edged sword; not giving a damn also tends to mean not giving a damn about getting rid of them. Hence the slow drift to republicanism; no-one cares about them, but no-one cares enough to finally sign the paperwork to get them out of our lives either…

I think that holds true in this Antipodean Colony too.

Our pollies only seem to revive the spectre of Republicanism when there’s a bit of political advantage to be gained.

Kevin Rudd, though, does want to have a beer with Prince William.

The Daily Terror comments:

The hype surrounding his arrival is similar to that of his parents’ visit to Australia in 1983 when hordes of royal fans lined the streets to see Prince Charles and Diana.

Not so far as I can see. It seems, rather, that it’s just a photo op for Kristina Keneally. And maybe KRudd, if he can get himself, uninivited, onto the Prince’s dance card.

Comparing FOI regimes: NZ vs Australia

Published
by
Idiot/Savant
11 months, 4 weeks ago
in International, Policy and Politics
. 12 Comments

A couple of years ago I wanted to trace the government’s decision-making process on how forestry and agriculture would be included in its then-planned (and now “suspended”) Emissions Trading Scheme. So I wrote to the Minister and asked. Within a couple of months (there was a screwup with the post) I had a thick binder containing every Cabinet paper and minute on the issue over the previous eighteen months – hundreds of pages in total. It cost me nothing.

This is not an unusual experience for me. What makes it possible is New Zealand’s freedom of information law: the Official Information Act 1982.

The OIA was passed around the same time as Australia’s Freedom of Information Act. But as the above story shows, it produces quite different results. Journalists, academics, lobby groups, opposition politicians and ordinary troublemakers like me are routinely given sensitive documents they would never be allowed to see in Australia. This allows us not only to build a better picture of what our government is doing – it also allows us to hold it to account. Continue reading ‘Comparing FOI regimes: NZ vs Australia’

LP augmented!

Published
by
Kim
1 year, 3 months ago
in Blogging and Notices
. 6 Comments

As some may have already noticed, we’ve been joined on an ongoing basis by our two resident NZ election bloggers – Deborah of In a strange land and Idiot/Savant of No Right Turn. [Among other things, we're hoping to promote more cross-Tasman conversation, but there's no topic restriction.] As you will notice in the future, after the sad demise of The Road to Surfdom, Helen of Cast Iron Balcony fame will also be cross-posting from time to time here.

We’re very excited to have these fine folks on board, and hope everyone will welcome them heartily to LP!

Greens back in the spotlight after the WA election?

Published
by
Mark
1 year, 6 months ago
in Activism, Federal Elections and State/Territory Elections
. 42 Comments

With all the attention on the role of Brendon Grylls and the Nationals as the kingmakers in the WA election result, the improvement in the Greens’ vote has slipped under the radar somewhat. Counting subsequent to election night has seen their vote climb to almost 12% of the Legislative Assembly total according to the WAEC (which is interestingly slightly higher than the Greens’ vote in the Legislative Council).

But, if the Fin Review is to be believed, the significance of a 4% plus swing to the Greens hasn’t escaped the attention of ALP wonks. “Labor hardheads” are quoted by the paper as concerned by the vote in Fremantle, and the implications for the seats of Federal Ministers such as Lindsay Tanner, Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek. “Labor strategists” are cited as concerned about a drift away among “left-leaning voters”.

This is hardly rocket science. Any modern managerialist ALP government is bound to disappoint at least some left voters after the initial euphoria of a Tory defeat has worn off. And the Greens nationally are going to have a much bigger profile with a balance of power role in the Senate and new Senators who may develop a high profile. The article, however, leaves us none the wiser as to how “Labor strategists” think their party should respond.

Continue reading ‘Greens back in the spotlight after the WA election?’