Posts by Craig Young
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Josie is at least practical, although I don't always agree with her. Trottersky isn't.
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And now it begins. TV3's Paul Henry (what a surprise) brings on failed National Party strategist Michelle Boag and Mr Flakey Loose Wheel "Leftist" Chris Trotter:
Why can't Trotter bother to educate himself about actual red/green coalitions and why does the media keep to running to him as a 'left' political commentator? Is he really that lazy and off the planet? Apparently. I hope Trots gets hammered by the real, practical left for this latest ex cathedra pontification.
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And finally, here are my references:
Charles Lees: The Red/Green Coalition in Germany: Politics, Personalities and Power: Manchester: Palgrave: 2000.
Werner Reutter: Germany on the Road to Normalcy: Politics and Policies of the Red/Green Federal Government: 1998-2002Manchester: Palgrave: 2004
Franko Zelko and Caroline Brinkman: Green Parties: Reflections on the First Three Decades: Washington DC: Heinrich Boll Foundation: 2006.
Elizabeth Bomberg: Green Parties and Politics in the European Community: London: Routledge: 1998.
Tad Shull: Redefining Red and Green: Ideology and Strategy in European Politics: Albany: State University of New York Press: 1999
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So, what about factoring in NZF?
What about 'traffic light coalitions' that might conceivably include Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First? These have existed overseas. In particularly, the Czech Republic may offer some interesting insights into how this might unfold. Rather like New Zealand First, the Czech Peoples Party is predominantly targeted at elderly voters and its political existence is marginal, depending on whether or not it is acting as a protest vote or taking advantage of the cyclical weakness of one of the major Czech political parties. However, in Denmark, the Danish Peoples Party has aligned itself with the centre-right Conservatives and Liberals in government over the last decade, which might hearten New Zealand First (and National?), or not. Similarly, in 2007, the Polish Peoples Party formed a coalition with the centre-right Civic Platform, the major winner in that year's national election. However, again, in Slovakia, its Peoples Party formed a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (2006-2010). Thus, if Winston Peters chose to play a more constructive role in current New Zealand electoral politics, he would have precedents on both sides of his prospective balancing act. The Czech Republic and Slovakia offer one set of examples, while Denmark and Poland offer the other option. However, the Czech Republic seems to be the only example of a 'traffic light' coalition arrangement.
Winston could go either way, judging from the behaviour of his counterparts and closest political equivalents elsewhere.
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Here's something I wrote back in 2015 about a possible Labour/Green coalition back then before Cunliffe's cockup:
In Germany, Social Democrat Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder led a successful and effective Social Democrat/Green coalition (1998-2005) for two Bundestag terms. In Finland, Social Democrat Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen's government included Cabinet minister representation from both the Green League and Finnish People's Party (akin to New Zealand First), so it might be interesting to focus on how that worked (1995-2002). Iceland saw (out lesbian) Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdasdottir lead a 'red/green' coalition in power for four years (2009-2013). There are therefore ample examples of functional and stable social democratic/green coalitions in place within Western Europe should anyone wish to consult them for precedents. In Canada, the centrist Liberal Party and Green Party of Canada also have an informal 'red/green' relationship in the House of Commons. I would suggest that instead of unsubstantiated and subjective opinion, television news and current affairs programmes research these prior instances, as indeed should Labour and the Greens themselves. Germany, Finland and Iceland suggest that a red/green coalition is stable and workable.
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!!!FFS!!! Sorry, Russell, but this seems to keep happening over and over with public transport drivers -buses, taxis, Uber, whatever. Their management's human resource section seem to be lazy-to-incompetent when it comes to training them about their responsibilities toward disabled clients and service users. Service user discrimination against all people with disabilities is illegal under the Human Rights Act 1993.
And when I say disabled, it's not only people with autism/neurodiversity concerns that it happens to. Wheelchair users, blind and visually impaired people with guide dogs and so on and so on.
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Shades of Elizabethan England. What next? I know, let's bring back the pillory, whipping and the poorhouse!
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Hard News: Approved by lunchtime, in reply to Bart Janssen,
I tend to agree with Bart about this one, Matthew. Evidence-based public policy and eventual legislation are the optimal way to proceed on many issues. It's why I support both medicinal cannabis and genetically modified crops.
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At least this'll make it easier to decriminalise medipot as a first step- that is, when NORML and ALCP get real about reform and stop faffing around doing civil disobedience in defence of recreational use instead getting medical use penalties off the statute books first. Why does New Zealand have such useless pot lobby groups?
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I'm going to hold my nose and vote for change because I think this is a first, faltering step on the way toward more comprehensive redefinition of our political culture. Key should have stepped back and not become so closely associated with the Yes campaign, it has muddied the issue too much.