Posts by Craig Young
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
If Collins falls, that could have major strategic consequences, given that she's a senior Cabinet Minister in a core portfolio of high importance. It could sow antagonism between Key and Collins, dent her leadership aspirations but also clear Steven Joyce's probable role as Key's ultimate successor. Or not, or might even sow Joyce/Collins animosities in any post-Key National leadership contest and caucus.
-
Hard News: Spring Timing, in reply to Phil Wallington,
Uh, what about Germany's Social Democrat/Green governments?
-
Hard News: Spring Timing, in reply to Brent Jackson,
So do I.
-
Hard News: Spring Timing, in reply to Emma Hart,
Actually, Emma, I hope they do. It is long since time that that facile religious social conservative party with a thin garnishing of mixed fiscal conservative and other Mac-policies was exposed for what it really is, with greater investigative scrutiny than some political commentators have managed.
-
Actually, McCully has ruled that out in a media release in Stuff.co.nz. One wonders if the Nats want that particular tea appointment to get cold, given that Colin Craig is far from the undiluted fiscal conservative that the lazier members of the straight media would like us to believe. Here's my latest little nail in the Con Party coffin...
-
Define diversity, though. Auckland also houses a shitload of fundamentalist Christian homophobes and transphobes- Bob McCoskrie/Family First, Colin Craig/the Conservative Party, Family Life International (conservative Catholics), Ian Wishart/Investigrunt, Sky TV fundamentalist channel Shine Television, etc. And also note the Con Party's anti-Treaty perspectives and its stated intent to make it more difficult for foreign workers to enter the country.
So okay, I'm a Canterbury boy and I won't make excuses for my home town ChCh's white supremacist moron problem. Lianne Dalziel and the ChCh Police need to crack down hard on those nauseating racist misfits and their attempted intimidation of Christchurch's East and South Asian communities.
However, Auckland's diversity can be overstated...
-
This whole scandal is primarily one of significance and magnitude. Mr Brown’s extramarital affair may have been a lamentable betrayal of his marriage vows, but neither infidelity or adultery are regarded as criminal acts within New Zealand, although they may serve as grounds for divorce…unlike Augustan era Rome, many African nations, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and the US states of Michigan, Maryland, Wisconsin, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah, Florida and Alabama, although admittedly, the “offence” carries variable penalties and isn’t actively enforced in some US jurisdictions.
I think the best way to deal with political scandals is to ask the following set of questions to assess magnitude or significance: what is the political culture of the nation in question like? What is the nature of the scandal in question, financial or sexual? What is the magnitude and gravity of the scandal in question- as in, how much money is in stake in terms of a financial scandal, or was there rape or child sexual abuse involved in the case of a sexual scandal?
Personally, I’m unhappy with aspects of the Brown mayoralty, unlike many other leftist political commentators- particularly over his administration’s attacks on already marginalised street sex workers in Papatoetoe and his repressive council anti-begging ordinance. Do I think he should be sacked for those? No, but I wish the mayor and some of his councillors would realise how draconian, unjust and potentially harmful both are and retract both measures. Let’s face it, Auckland badly needs a Single Transferable Vote electoral system.
However, this particular scandal is of lesser significance than the corpulent cavortings of the crack cocaine-imbibing Toronto mayor Rob Ford, who does need to either resign or be removed from office- probably the latter, I’d imagine.
-
Good for them! How about some more coverage of disability discrimination issues on the business end, though? I've covered three instances of that in recent issues of a diabetes prevention newsletter which I currently edit- WINZ, ACC and the Employment Court.
-
Unfuck Putin, the horse and the PR photoshoot he rode in on...a backgrounder...
-
So, Prime Minister…you’re talking coalition with the Conservative Party, along with their “bottom line,” binding citizens referenda. And yet, your government wants the rest of us to believe that the centre-right is the epitome of “fiscal responsibility” and limited government spending.
Do I spot a contradiction here?
“Blue Elephant: The Conservatives, Binding Referenda and Public Spending”
http://www.gaynz.com/blogs/redqueen/?p=5310