liberation

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – Whaleoil blogger bankrupt, Cohen as Trump’s Judas, Trump and Kim Jong Un

 

Thursday 28 February 2019

 

1) Political blogger Cameron Slater is bankrupt

 

The facts:

The head of the Whaleoil blog site has declared bankruptcy and pulled out of all political work. A post on the Whaleoil site gave details of Cameron Slater’s bankruptcy and his recent stroke which, according to the post, has left Slater incapacitated.

 

Cameron Slater was once one of New Zealand’s leading political commentator. He had very close contacts in parliament, including with former Prime Minister John Key. However, Slater’s star status rapidly diminished after has was implicated in dirty politics by author Nicky Hager. Due to Hager’s expose of dirty politics in New Zealand, Slater went from being the right’s most loved attackman, to being a pariah cut off from political access.

 

Analysis:

Cameron Slater led the blog revolution in Aotearoa, and he acted to transform the nature of political reporting in this country. His coverage of politics was unashamedly biased, and his closeness with the National Party was never a secret. He was once New Zealand’s most well-known political blogger, and was sort after by mainstream media due to his inside knowledge of the goings-on in Parliament.

However, despite his previous popularity, Slater is loathed by many, especially those on the left. He has been written off by his opponents as a gutter blogger, who lacks integrity and morals.

Despite the hatred often levelled at the Whaleoil blogger, Slater has at times played an important role in exposing political scandals. The Whaleoil blogger exposed the hypocrisy of former Conservative Party head Colin Craig, who preached a moral conservative form of politics while at the same time attempting to engage in an extramarital affair.

Slater also exposed details of an extramarital affair of former Auckland Mayor Len Brown. And the blogger revealed how Brown, while engaging in an affair, had been receiving free hotel rooms and upgrades totalling more than $32 000. Casino and hotel operator SkyCity was one of the corporates providing free hotel rooms for the former Mayor. The honourable Mayor Len Brown publicly backed the previous National-led Government's controversial SkyCity convention centre deal.

 

So, love him or hate him, there is no denying that Slater transformed political reporting in NZ, and did at times reveal the hypocritical, if nor corrupt, goings on of some of his political opponents.

 

2) Donald Trump’s former lawyer plays the role of Judas.

The facts:

Donald Trump has been labelled a "racist," a "conman" and a "cheat" by his former lawyer Michael Cohen. In a congressional testimony, Michael Cohen also said that Trump effectively conspired with WikiLeaks, via the President’s political advisor Roger Stone. The WikiLeaks release of emails from Hillary Clinton during the last US Presidential election acted to severely discredit the former Senator and First Lady. Both Michael Cohen and Roger Stone are currently facing prison time.

 

Analysis:

Will these revelations from Trump’s former lawyer act as a fatal blow for the President? Hardly. Republicans can easily dismiss Cohen’s testimony as a desperate attempt to curry favour with prosecutors and the courts, in an attempt to reduce his prison time.

Of course, these accusations do strengthen the case for Trump’s impeachment. But as long as Trump’s party - the Republicans - control The Senate, Trump remains reasonably safe from prosecution and impeachment.  

Also, the use of Trump's former confidants against the President helps to build a narrative that there is a conspiracy against the President coming from the Democrats in collusion with the so-called deep state. Trump supporters at times refer to intelligence agencies such as the CIA and FBI as being part of a deep state acting to thwart the President.

 

3) Trump meets his so-called best friend Kim Jong Un in Vietnam

 

The facts:

The US President and the North Korean leader have met for a second time to nut out a deal of North Korean denuclearisation.

 

Analysis:

For International Relations expert, this meeting is an extraordinary event. Meetings between top international leaders usually involve months of preparation and are carefully managed by Government top officials. Not the case with Trump, apparently. And in the case of North Korea, the position of the US has been to delay any meetings with North Korean leaders until a deal is already in process. However, Trump is his own man and is not afraid to dispense with US protocol.

And in this case, just maybe the President’s erratic and idiosyncratic political mode of operation might just bring peace to the Korean peninsula.

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis - Vatican crisis, former NZ PM guilty, sunglasses name ban

 

Wednesday 27 February 2019

 

1) The Vatican City State is in crisis-mode as one of its senior leaders has been prosecuted.

 

The facts:

The Vatican State’s former financial head, Cardinal George Pell, has been found guilty of child sexual abuse. He is the highest positioned Catholic and Vatican leader to of received a sex abuse conviction. Cardinal Pell was found guilty by an Australian jury of sexually abusing two boys. The Cardinal was the third highest ranked leader in the Catholic hierarchy.

 

The Catholic Church is currently in crisis mode, with accusation after accusation of widespread sexual abuse of children by church clergy. The head of the Church, Pope Francis, has just led a summit on child sexual abuse in the Church. The Pope lay central blame for the Church’s history of abuse on Satan. Satan is a mythical fallen angel who seduces humans into sinful acts.

 

Analysis:

Under the leadership of the so-called woke pope, Pope Francis, the Vatican has undergone a public relations campaign to manage accusations of abuse and corruption in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis’ down-to-earth manner and ostensible liberalism endeared him to many. However, this latest scandal, with the prosecution of one of Pope Francis’ closest confidantes, is perhaps a turning point for the Church.

The Vatican’s moral standing and political influence may well have received a fatal blow with the prosecution of the Catholic Church’s third highest ranked official. The Pope and his fellow clergy may well blame the figure of Satan for the Church’s woes. But the Catholic Church’s explanations for its own sins, reveal an organisation in deep denial of its inherent contradictions and its endemic corruption.

 

2) Former NZ Prime Minister Jenny Shipley found liable for 6 million dollars.

 

The facts:

The NZ High Court has ruled that Dame Jenny Shipley and five other former company directors are liable for the collapse of property and construction company Mainzeal. Jenny Shipley was New Zealand’s first woman Prime Minister. She was head of a National-led Government from 1997 to 1999.

 

As with many other former senior politicians, Shipley is on several boards from which she receives lucrative compensation. She is chairperson of the China Construction Bank NZ, a subsidiary of the China-controlled bank. Shipley is also an executive board member of the state-funded New Zealand China Council. Her closeness to the Chinese state has been questioned, including by deputy PM Winston Peters.

 

Analysis:

The fall from grace of Dame Jenny Shipley is both a personal blow to the former PM, as well as a blow to New Zealand’s standing on corruption indexes. Shipley has attained several lucrative positions on both private and public boards over the years since she was PM. Shipley, like many former politicians, has been able to leverage her past pubic service, as an elected politician, to gain wealth and power in her post-parliamentary al life.

The light that has been shone on the dodgy activities of the former PM, while acting as a director in a private construction company, point to the endemic rotating door between parliament and lucrative positions in the business world. The term “revolving door” refers to the ease with which politicians and high public bureaucrats can easily shift between public and private roles.

 

3) Sunglasses brand name banned in Aotearoa.

 

The facts:

A Christchurch sunglasses brand has had its trading name banned by the Companies Office. The sunglasses brand’s name is "Happy To Sit On Your Face". The New Zealand Companies Office has told the sunglasses company that the name “Happy To Sit On Your Face" is "offensive". The New Zealand Companies Office is the government agency responsible for administering New Zealand's business registers. The Office has offered no further explanation for its ban.

 

Analysis:

This action by a government agency to ban a company trading name is highly questionable. For some the name “Happy To Sit On Your Face" may be offensive, and for others just a bit of a laugh.

Should the state be acting as a moral-police as it has in this case? And more fundamentally, do people actually have an inherent right to not be offended?

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – Gender identity bill deferred, Muffin Break vs millennials, political Oscars

 

Tuesday 26 February 2019

 

1) Gender self-identification has been put on hold

 

The facts:

An amendment to the Births, Deaths, Marriages and Relationships Registration Bill has been deferred. The amendment would have liberalised the process of declaring gender on birth certificates. The bill would allow for a person to more easily change their gender on a birth certificate through a simple process of self-declaration.

 

The amendment would also have introduced the option of an "X" gender option, alongside Male and Female. There would also be the option of "parent" on a child's birth certificate, as well as "mother" and "father". NZ first MP and Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin has said the bill is currently on hold due to a lack of public consultation over the proposed reforms.

 

Analysis:

So, why has the liberalisation of gender options and gender identification on birth certificates been put on hold? The reality is that the government has now realised that there is in fact significant opposition to such a move. A cultural war on gender-identity has been bubbling away for the past year in NZ over this question of gender self-identity.

This cultural war is not between the usual suspects of liberals versus conservatives. Instead, this cultural war over gender identity is one predominantly between transgender advocates versus trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs)/ gender critical feminists.

 

Transgender advocates argue that people should be able to easily change their gender legally. The process should come down to self-identification. However, trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs)/ gender critical feminists believe that allowing what they see as “biological men” to self-declare as women acts to erase the category of women. Trans exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs)/ gender critical feminists argue that gender-identity reforms amount to a war on women, and an attack on women’s rights.

 

Expect to see a heating up of this cultural war over the very concept of what it means to be a woman or a man.

 

2) Muffin Break boss criticises so-called entitled millennials.

 

The facts:

Muffin Break general manager Natalie Brennan believes that millennials should be prepared to work for free. And she is aghast that young people want to always be paid when working. The Muffin Break boss has said that millennials should be prepared to do unpaid work in the form of internships, and work experience. But according to Brennan, literally no one is walking through her door to ask for an unpaid job.

 

Analysis:

So, are millennials self-entitled brats? Hardly. What the Muffin Break boss is asking for is for young people to slog their guts out for free, in the process of making profits for her company.

Living costs are at an all-time high in Western countries, and for millennials to survive they must work long hours to pay the bills. Young people just don’t have the option of working for nothing. Even millennials who study full-time generally need at least part-time work to get by. It seems that it is not millennials that are self-entitled, but instead bosses who want to exploit young people.

 

3) Politics simmered away in the background of this year’s Oscars.

 

The facts:

Arguments around identity were present at this year’s Oscars, especially with controversial film Green Book winning best picture. The film has been slammed for portraying a “white savour narrative”. Black director Spike Lee was incensed over Green Book winning best film. Lee was recognized by the Oscars with a win for Best Adapted Screenplay for his film BlacKkKlansman.

 

Analysis:

The Oscars continue being a focus for debates around identity politics, with arguments that the voices of subjugated people continue to be marginalised at the awards. But should art be judged separate from politics? Or should politics be at the heart of art? That is, should artistic endeavours, such as film, be judged and critiqued on the basis of the political message they implicitly or explicitly convey. A question with no clear answer.

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

Cartoons about the proposed capital gains tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott - Stuff 23 February 2019

 

Body - NZ Herald 25 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 26 February 2019

 

Hubbard 23 February 2019

 

Evans - Daily Blog 25 February 2019

 

Bromhead - NZ Herald 26 February 2019

 

Walker - Sunday News 25 February 2019

 

Bromhead - NZ Herald 3 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 26 January 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – New rental rules, the war on Lime, Jordon Peterson’s NZ tour

 

Monday 25 February 2019

 

1) The details of the Government's healthy homes standards were released yesterday

 

The facts:

The government is getting tough on landlords. Housing Minister Phil Twyford has announced that every rental home in New Zealand will by law be required to have a heater in the living room and an extractor fan in the kitchen and bathroom. The rules will come into effect from mid-2021.

 

According to the Housing Minister, nearly 600,000 households rent in New Zealand. Twyford estimated that about 200,000 families live in rental homes that do not have ceiling or underfloor insulation. He said that The Ministry of Health has reported that 6000 children are hospitalized each year due to unhealthy homes. The Minister said that such children are nearly four times more likely to be re-hospitalised and 10 times more likely to die in the following 10 years.

 

But is the Government going far enough with its clamp down on unhealthy homes? The Green Building Council has said that the Government’s announcement was not good enough. The New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) is a non-profit membership organisation that promotes better buildings. The Council head Andrew Eagles said that four years is too long to wait for these new standards to become law.

 

And what do landlords have to say about these new rules? A representative for property investors, Andrew King, said the new regulations would lead to rents going up. The head of the New Zealand Property Investors' Federation (NZPI) said that new insulation rules would be the main driver of any increase in rents.

 

Analysis:

The Government's new healthy homes standards are part of its drive against poverty, and especially against the effects of poverty on children. Housing Minister Phil Twyford has put forward a strong case for more stringent regulation of the rental market. His discussion of the health effects on children living in unhealthy homes points to the need for an immediate upgrade of rental properties.

However, these changes will not be enforced for another four years, leaving renters in sub-standard properties up till that time. Added to this, renters are facing an increase in rents, as property investors are forced to upgrade their properties. Any increase in rents will hurt the poorest who will be forced to juggle their budgets to meet this increase in living costs. Therefore, should the government be looking at tightly regulating the actual cost of rental properties for tenants?

 

2) Lime scooter ban

 

The facts:

Lime Scooters have retaliated against a ban imposed on the e-scooters by Auckland and Dunedin city councils. Lime has asked users of its scooters to show their support for the company, by sending emails to local government politicians. So far over 2391 emails had been sent to Dunedin local body politicians via the Lime scooter app.

Both the Auckland and Dunedin city councils have put a ban on Lime on the basis of alleged injuries to riders. Lime has claimed that the problem with its scooters breaks only occurred in very rare circumstances. The company claims the problem has been fixed.

 

Analysis:

Lime has a responsibility to provide safe scooters to the public. And the number of reported accidents should be of concern. Riders also have a responsibility to use the e-scooters sensibly and with caution.

Were the DCC and AC right in taking Lime scooters of our streets? And was safety really the pressing issue? The vast majority of road accidents are caused by cars. Cars are a killer, yet a ban on cars would be rightly seen as unacceptable and draconian. Have local government bureaucrats and politicians therefore acted in a draconian and undemocratic manner with their war on this highly popular form of alternative transport?

 

3) And finally, Jordon Peterson came and spoke and conquered

 

The facts:

The controversial psychologist Jordan Peterson has packed out venues in NZ. And the media has followed the public intellectual with a keenness usually reserved for pop stars. Peterson has been accused by his opponents of being racist, sexist and transphobic. His supporters hail him as a motivational speaker who has saved lives and who has encouraged the transformation of alienated young males in particular.

 

Analysis:

Peterson’s views are rightly controversial. The Canadian psychologist promotes archaic views on gender relations, and flirts with racialist views on race and IQ. However, Peterson is no Nazi. And he is extremely articulate and knowledgeable.

His ideas are becoming increasingly popular, and Peterson can be seen as part of a wave of rightwing anti-PC popular speakers and writers. Peterson's ideas need to be challenged. But the left in NZ has failed to seriously challenge the Canadian psychologist. Peterson needs to be debated and challenged. But decrying him as beyond the pale, and at the same time failing to come up with well researched counter-arguments, means that the NZ left lost in its battle against Jordon Peterson.

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – Infrastructure crisis, Lime scooter ban, Feel the Bern 2020

 

Thursday 21 February 2019

 

1) New Crown entity to deal with infrastructure crisis

 

The facts:

The Government is aiming to get serious about New Zealand’s infrastructure crisis. The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission – Te Waihanga – has been set up to deal specifically with what the government has labelled as New Zealand's "unprecedented infrastructure deficit". Transport and urban infrastructure will be the likely focus of the new independent Crown entity. Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones said that this “infrastructure deficit” is most present in “housing unaffordability, congestion, poor-quality drinking water and lost productivity". The Infrastructure Commission will act as a "shop front" for private companies aiming to invest in New Zealand.

 

Analysis:

 

The Coalition Government wants to be seen to be doing stuff. At the moment, the Labour-led administration is facing a serious risk of being seen as a government that is big on talk, but deficient in action. The KiwiBuild scheme, in particular, has been portrayed as an ongoing failure, with only a handful of so-called affordable house being built so far.

 

So now the government is launching a new Crown entity to deal with New Zealand’s infrastructure crisis. As with Kiwibuild, the new Infrastructure Commission will work with private enterprise to boost investment in New Zealand. However, such an approach has so far failed to work with Kiwibuild. Therefore, the Government will need to make sure that The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission – Te Waihanga -  does actually deliver.

 

If the Commission fails to deliver on infrastructure, then this Government risks being seen as a “do nothing” regime.

 

2) Council wars on Lime scooters

 

The facts:

Local Government in Wellington and Dunedin are proposing heavy restrictions on the use of Lime scooters. And the Auckland Transport chairman Lester Levy has issued a stern warning to Lime, stating that its electric scooters could be banned from Auckland by Friday. Concerns have been raised over safety defects with Lime scooters. In particular, concerns have been raised over problems with the scooters’ front wheels locking. This locking problem has allegedly caused several injuries.

 

Analysis:

 

Since the rollout of Lime scooters in NZ, local government has shown a keenness to heavily regulate this alternative form of transport. And the threat of a ban from Auckland City Council bureaucrat Dr Lester Levy points to a full-on war between local government and Lime scooters.

 

Safety should be a central concern with Lime scooters and other forms of e-transport. However, local government politicians and bureaucrats seem to be whipping up hysteria over the use of e-scooters. The dangers of Lime scooters should be compared with the dangers of other forms of transport including cars, bicycles and trucks. There are of course no proposals to ban cars, trucks or bicycles from city roads.

 

3) Bernie is back

 

The facts:

Self-styled democratic socialist Bernie Sanders could be the next President of the United States. The leftwing senator is now officially in the 2020 presidential race. The race for the Democratic presidential nomination will be very tight, with their being 10 contenders at the last count. And the big question is whether Hillary Clinton will throw her hat into the ring.

 

Analysis:

 

The announcement of Bernie Sanders candidacy for Democratic Presidential nominee will enliven the leftwing of the Democrats. The Democrats are currently at war with themselves, with the party’s new leftwing at battle with the centrists who have held reign over the party for decades now. If Bernie does become the Democrats nominee for President, could we see a split in the party, as we are currently witnessing with the UK Labour Party? The groundswell support for self-labelled socialist figures in the Democratic Party points to the ongoing rise of radical and anti-Establishment politics in the United States, both in terms of leftwing radicalism and rightwing populist radicalism.

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative analysis – Political poll, UK Labour split, Huawei OK in UK

Tuesday 19 February 2019

 

1) Labour up and National down in latest TVNZ poll

 

The facts:

The latest Colmar Brunton poll confirms that Labour is now the most popular political party in Aotearoa. An earlier TV3 Newshub poll had shown Labour jumping ahead of National in support.

In this latest poll, Labour has 45 per cent, up two percentage points The Nats are on 42 per cent, down four percent. And in terms of the minor parties, the Green party are on 6 per cent, up one percent. And New Zealand First is only on 3 per cent, down one percent. 

Jacinda is the most popular politician, on 45 percent as preferred PM. And National MP Judith Collins is dead equal with her leader on 6 percent as preferred PM.

  

Analysis:

Looking at both the latest TVNZ poll and the earlier TV3 Newshub poll, we can safely say that the direction we are witnessing is Labour’s growing support at the expense of National’s. Also, the general direction for the minor parties is one of declining support, with the Greens being just above the 5 percent threshold to get back into parliament. And with NZ First being on only 3 percent, the party would be wiped out if an election were held today.

In regard to the minor parties, the big unanswered question is why are the minor parties are doing so poorly? New Zealand’s proportional electoral system – MMP – is meant to encourage a diversity of political parties. Yet the overwhelming majority of political support is for the two major parties – Labour and National.

Perhaps the reason for such a low level of support for minor parties is that media gives to much attention to Labour and National. Therefore, too little focus is given to the smaller parties. Or maybe the minor parties have failed to differentiate themselves clearly from Labour and National. Or perhaps the shift to a more presidential-style of political leadership, with both the two major parties, has led to the public equating governance with solely the National or Labour parties.

 

2) The UK Labour Party is in crisis, with the resignation of 7 of MPs.

 

The facts:

Seven Labour party politicians have quit over what they have seen as the party’s poor approach to Brexit, anti-Semitism, and other concerns. This is the most significant split in UK Labour since 1981 when four MPs quit to form the centrist Social Democratic Party. It is expected that the seven MPs who have just quit Labour, will form a new centrist political party.

 

Analysis:

A spilt in UK Labour has been on the cards for quite a while now. Centrist and right-of-centre MPs in UK Labour continue to feel deeply uneasy, if not outrightly hostile, about the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. Jeremy Corbyn is significantly to the left of most of his colleagues, and was voted in on the back of overwhelming support from members of affiliated trade unions, the general party membership, and paid-up party supporters.

So, will this right-wing spit from UK Labour hurt the party? Perhaps, but we need to take into account that the seven MPs who have left Labour represent only a small fraction of the overall number of Labour MPs who remain in the party. The seven ex-Labour politicians only make up a small percentage of Labour's 256 MPs.

For Corbyn to effectively push back against this split, he needs to show he is in firm control of his caucus, and that he has the loyal backing of his MPs. If he can achieve this, then any new centrist party is likely to sink without a trace. But that is a big “if”.

 

3) And finally, The UK gives the OK to Huawei

 

The facts:

The Chinese company Huawei has effectivity been give the go ahead to roll out a 5G network in the UK. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has determined that any possible risk from Huawei’s involvement in UK telecoms projects can be “managed”.

The Trump administration is currently placing pressure on its five eyes partners to ban Huawei from any 5G network involvement. Ostensibly this call for a partial boycott of Huawei is on the basis of security concerns.

 

Analysis:

This dismissal by Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre over security concerns with Huawei will be deeply embarrassing for the NZ government. The Labour-led administration has followed American advice, and effectively banned Huawei from any 5G network involvement in NZ. With the UK now ignoring The Trump administration’s advice on Huawei, will NZ Labour now be seen as cravenly deferring to the United States on security concerns?

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9amhere. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

John Moore: Critical politics alternative political roundup – China-NZ backlash, National Party ad, Dunedin stadium

Monday 18 February 2019

 

1) New Zealand continues to suffer from Chinese blowback

The facts:

New Zealand-Chinese relations continue to deteriorate with reports of a significant drop in students from China enrolling in NZ schools. A large number of last-minute cancellations by Chinese foreign students have been noted, and overall Chinese student numbers are down by over 1000. This comes after a reported drop in Chinese tourist numbers.

 

The drop in both student and tourist numbers coincides with the NZ Government’s ban on Chinese company Huawei from rolling out a 5G network in this country. However, the Labour-led Government has effectively dismissed the link between a drop in student numbers from China, and the Chinese government blowback against New Zealand. Education Minister Chris Hipkins put the decline in Chinese student numbers down to "competition from other destinations, China improving its own education system and the growth of international schools in China".

 

Analysis:

The NZ Government is clearly being disingenuous with its claims that a sudden drop in Chinese student numbers is all down to a competitive international education market. And the Government’s general dismissal of any concerns over Chinese-New Zealand relations points to a desperate attempt by Government Ministers to publicly manage a very serious crisis.

 

The New Zealand economy is already beginning to feel the pain from the Chinese blowback over the Huawei 5G debacle. The NZ Government is now paying for its decision to side with its traditional ally the United States, and agree to the Trump administration’s call for a ban of Huawei’s 5G technology.

 

So, will the public in New Zealand come to see that there is a clear link between a downturn in economic activity between China and New Zealand, and the Huawei debacle? If it does, then this government might also receive blowback from the New Zealand electorate.

 

2) National’s sexist ad on KiwiBuild

 

The facts:

 

National has released an attack ad, pointing out the deficits with the government’s KiwiBuild scheme. The ad has been accused of being deeply sexist. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has labelled the ad as being straight from the "1970s era".

 

The advertisement shows a man explaining to a young woman, in a patronizing tone, how Labour's KiwiBuild scheme has missed targets. The interaction between the supposedly naive young woman and the man has been cited by various critics as an example of "mansplaining".

 

Analysis:

What the hell is National up to with putting out an attack ad steeped in old fashioned gender stereotypes? Can we put this down to the Nats being a male chauvinist party? Not really, as the National party is in fact no longer the party of old white rich men. And the Nats generally project themselves as socially liberal these days.

 

Maybe what is going on here is an example of trolling by the National Party. That is, the party has consciously commissioned an ad that portrays archaic gender stereotypes, and is indeed patronising to women. With this trolling, the Nats have aimed to tap into so-called outrage culture and to get a bite from liberals and leftists. Then the leaders of National can cynically sit back, and decry the alleged hysteria that has been whipped up over this advertisement.

 

Sounds like a conspiracy, right? Perhaps. But National is not adverse from whipping up a cultural war to distract from their own lack of alternative policies and lack of big ideas.

3) And finally, its ten years since the DCC voted to have a mega stadium built in Dunedin

The facts:

The Forsyth Barr Stadium has been hailed as a huge success by many, with the stadium attracting international pop stars as well as top level sporting events. But the actual costs and benefits to the city continue to be in dispute

 

Analysis:

Certainly, the stadium is a great asset for people in Dunedin and the South Island as a whole. But the political process of the decision to build the stadium was deeply undemocratic. Ten years ago, the Dunedin City Council voted 10-5 for the stadium. This was despite an overwhelming majority of city residents being opposed to the stadium being built. A sad day for democracy.

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Thursday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Also check out the Radio One Week in politics on Friday from 8.30-9.00am

Both the Daily political roundup and the Week in politics can be accessed as podcasts:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

 

Critical politics alternative political roundup with John Moore: Polytechnic reform; Islamophobia in Dunedin; media crackdown in Philippines

Thursday 14 February 2019

 

1) All polytechnics are to merge under a major government reorganisation of the vocational education sector.

 

The facts:

The Labour-led government will set up a new national body – the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology - which will control all of the current 16 independent polytechnics. The institutes of technology and polytechnics sector is currently undergoing a crisis, with plummeting student numbers and rising deficits. The cause of this significant drop in student numbers has been put down to the record low unemployment rate. The argument goes, that young people are choosing employment over study and training due to the strong employment market.

 

Analysis:

The proposed merger of all of New Zealand’s polytechnics is a bold move by the government. Labour has taken an ongoing crisis in the vocational education sector and has utilised this crisis to push through radical reforms. However, it is still open to question whether a centralised model will deliver better education for polytechnic students?

A highly-centralised model of administering the current 16 polytechnics could lead to a more planned and efficient model of education delivery. And savings could be made. However, centralised administrative control more-often-than-not also goes along with heightened bureaucratic control. And so, the voices of polytechnic students, staff, and the wider population may end up being squashed.

Hundreds of jobs could be loss in the process of the governments restructuring of the vocational education sector. And the likely loss of jobs will be of concern to polytechnic workers and employee representatives including the TEU – The Tertiary Education Union.

So, will these bold reforms lead to the government’s vision of a system of training and skills development that is “more flexible and more nimble”, and that will “get people with the rights skills into the right jobs much faster?”

 

 

2) Islamophobic attack in Dunedin

 

Facts:

A woman in Dunedin has told the local media that she witnessed an attack on three Muslim women in the city last week. The women said she saw three skinheads attempt to pull the hijabs off the women. The skinheads allegedly hurled racist abuse at the three Muslim women. The woman was disappointed that no one other than her intervened to stop the attack.

 

Analysis:

Hate-fuelled crimes are seldom reported in Dunedin. And specific attacks on Muslims seem to be very rare. However, we live in a period where politics based on racism, xenophobia and religious bigotry has become normalised.

New Zealand is certainly not immune from the rise of nationalist and xenophobic politics internationally. And various international alt-right figures are becoming well-known here. For example, more moderate alt-right figure such as Milo Yiannopoulos and Jordon Peterson are becoming popular amongst a layer of youth in New Zealand. And of course, the Trump presidency will have had some impact in normalising xenophobic attitudes in New Zealand.

 

This reported attack on three Muslim women in Dunedin may be an isolated incident. But racism, anti-Islam bigotry and xenophobia are all too present in this country. Therefore, the reportage of such bigoted attacks may well become more common.

 

3) Press freedom under attack in the Philippines

 

The facts:

The head of a news website critical of the Philippine’s government has been arrested at her headquarters in Manila. The Philippine’s government has accused the CEO of Rappler news site of "cyber-libel" over a news article on a businessman's alleged ties to a former judge.  Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte has had Rappler in his sights, accusing the news outlet of "fake news”.

 

Press freedom advocates see the Duterte regime as engaging in a war against freedom of the media

 

Analysis:

Philippine’s President Rodrigo Duterte is acting to squash his country’s democratic and political freedoms. His regime is now well known for its brutality, which include the President’s campaign to have both drug dealers and drug users killed by police and by vigilantes.

 

Despite, or perhaps because of, the authoritarian nature of his regime, Duterte remains popular with large layers of the Philippine’s population. Duterte is a populist nationalist in the mould of Trump. He has gained mass support through his get tough on crime polices, and his ostensible advocacy for the poor majority in his country.

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Friday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9amhere. 

Or listen to this roundup as a podcast:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

Critical politics radio roundup with John Moore: Ardern statement; China-NZ blowback; Iran revolution anniversary

Wednesday 13 February 2019

 

1) Jacinda Ardern gave her opening Statement to Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

The facts:

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern discussed the progress of her Government, as well as the Government’s ongoing agenda. She gave her statement under the three themes of economy, wellbeing and leadership. Ardern also emphasised that this government has been, and will continue to be, a careful manager of the Government books. In this regard, the Prime Minister sited the self-imposed budget responsibility rules of the coalition government.

Analysis:

Ardern’s statement to parliament was aimed to both highlighted the government’s reform agenda, while making clear that the government is a prudent manager of the economy. The government’s wellbeing agenda was emphasised, especially in relation to the wellbeing of youth. Jacinda also emphasised this government’s commitment to raising the material situation for Maori and Pacifica. Overall the PM’s statement will raise the expectations of the general electorate in regards to poverty reduction, Maori and Pacifica advancement, and the shift to sustainable low emissions economy.

However, the government’s reform agenda is still severely restrained by the self-imposed budget responsibility rules. These budget responsibility rules seriously limit the government in terms of spending and investment, and mean that the coalition can, in reality, only have a reform-lite programme. Therefore, heightened expectations of what this government can achieve will only be partially fulfilled.

 

2) Chinese company Huawei is attempting to win the hearts and minds of New Zealanders.

The facts:

Huawei has put out an advertisement in today’s papers, arguing against the Governments ban on Huawei 5G plans in this country. Huawei’s campaign is led with the slogan “5G without Huawei would be like rugby without New Zealand".

This advertising campaign by Huawei is a public response to the decision by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in December to block a proposal from Spark to use 5G equipment from the Chinese firm. THE GCSB ban on Huawei 5G plans was made because of a claim of a "significant network security risk".

Analysis:

The Labour-led Government will not be happy with this propaganda effort by Chinese company Huawei. The Government’s decision to ban Huawei’s 5G rollout has already led to retaliations by the Chinese government. And now Huawei, with the presumed approval of the Chinese government, is engaging in an ostensibly light hearted campaign against the NZ government.

The government will perhaps come to regret its decision to ban the Chinese company from being involved in NZ’s digital infrastructure, especially as the consequences for New Zealand’s relationship with China become clearer.

 

3) 40th anniversary of the Iran revolution.

The facts:

It’s 40 years since radical Shia Islamists took power in Iran. In February 1979, the Islamic leader the Ayatollah Khomeini ended centuries of monarchic rule in Iran.

Initially a coalition of Islamists, liberals and leftists made up the new revolutionary republican government. However, the Islamists hold on the government and the overall state apparatus eventually became hegemonic. Secular liberals and leftists, who initially supported the Iran revolution, generally met an eventual bloody fate at the hands of their former Islamist radical allies.

Analysis:

The 1979 Iran revolution was one of the most significant historical events of the 20th Century. The revolution provided a blueprint and a model for radical Islamists striving for hard-line and militant religious regimes. Despite being a Shia dominated revolution, the Iran revolution influenced many radical Islamists throughout both the Shia and Sunni Muslim world. The consequences of this religious revolution are still playing out today, where Islamic religious identity continues to be a significant dimension of world political struggles.

 

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This political roundup by John Moore is an extension on the five-minute breakfast political roundup that John gives on Radio One Dunedin, Monday to Friday at 9am.

Check out the Radio One Breakfast political roundup streamed live each morning at 9am here. 

Or listen to this roundup as a podcast:
On Radio One Podcasts
On iTunes

 

 

Cartoons of National Party leader Simon Bridges (updated)

 

Murdoch - Stuff 31 July 2019

 

Bromhead - NZ Herald 31 July 2019

 

Hubbard - 30 July 2019

 

Hubbard - 26 July 2019

 

 

Body - NZ Herald 6 July 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 6 July 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 4 July 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 28 June 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 27 June 2019

 

Body - NZ Herald 22 June 2019

 

Hubbard - 13 June 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 11 June 2019

 

Tremain - ODT 31 May 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 30 May 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 30 May 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 28 May 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 21 May 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 11 May 2019

 

Tremain - ODT 11 May 2019

 

Emmerson - Herald 2 May 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 2 May 2019

 

Craig - ODT 1 May 2019

 

Hubbard - 1 May 2019

 

Murdoch - Stuff 30 April 2019

 

Hubbard - 15 April 2019

 

Hubbard - 28 March 2019

 

Tremain - ODT 14 March 2019

 

Hubbard - Stuff 12 March 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 7 March 2019

 

Bell - Stuff 4 March 2019

 

Body - NZ Herald 2 March 2019

 

Hubbard - 26 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 26 February 2019

 

Bell - Stuff 25 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 20 February 2019

 

Tremain - ODT 15 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 13 February 2019

 

Murdoch - Stuff 13 February 2019

 

 

Body - NZ Herald 9 February 2019

 

Bell - Stuff 4 February 2019

 

Hubbard - 4 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 2 February 2019

 

Body - NZ Herald 2 February 2019

 

Body - NZ Herald 28 January 2019

 

Hubbard - 26 January 2019

 

Bell - Stuff 10 December 2018

 

 

 

Murdoch - Stuff 12 December 2018

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 6 December 2018

 

Tremain - ODT 5 December 2018

 

 

Hubbard - 5 December 2018

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 4 December 2018

 

Scott - Stuff 4 December 2018

 

Scott - Stuff 29 November 2018

 

Tremain - ODT 10 November 2018

 

Murdoch - Stuff 7 November 2018

 

Hubbard - 6 November 2018

 

Hubbard - 29 October 2018

 

 

Hubbard - 16 October 2018

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 24 October 2018

 

Scott - Stuff 23 October 2018

 

Hubbard - 24 October 2018

 

Hubbard - 22 October 2018

 

Murdoch - Sunday Star Times 21 October 2018

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 20 October 2018

 

Body - NZ Herald 20 October 2018

 

Slane - Listener 19 October 2018

 

 

Hubbard - 18 October 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cartoons about Waitangi 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 7 February 2019

 

Hubbard - 6 February 2019

 

Murdoch - Stuff 6 February 2019

 

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 6 February 2019

 

Emmerson - NZ Herald 5 February 2018

 

 

Slane - 4 February 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NZ Herald 6 February 2019

 

The Press 6 February 2019