Category Archives: New Zealand Politics

Posts that deal with issues current in New Zealand politics

What ground is ‘left’ when it comes to land, assets – and nationalism?

Posted on 29th Feb, 2012 by Puddleglum

It’s the issue that won’t go away [and here], so it’s probably a good time to ask “Where should the left stand on the land (and ‘our’ assets)?” “Stand in the place where you live” – so sang REM in what … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Freedom, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing, National Identity, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on What ground is ‘left’ when it comes to land, assets – and nationalism?

‘Not Electioneering’, Key-style

Posted on 10th Feb, 2012 by Puddleglum

‘Nothing to do with me‘, says Key (and Joyce). After all, John Key explicitly announced in the first minute of the one hour Radio Live ‘PM’s Hour’ that it was an “election free zone”. But that raises the question of … Continue reading →

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Out of control

Posted on 2nd Feb, 2012 by Puddleglum

Sometimes, you just can’t keep things under control in politics. You know how it goes –  somehow Treasury documents get accidentally posted on websites; somehow the government’s majority ‘control’ over partially privatised state assets just isn’t what you thought it … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Free Market, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Boil; Pour; Stew – Drink?

Posted on 30th Jan, 2012 by Puddleglum

The way to get tea so strong you could stand the teaspoon up in it and produce that almost unbearably metallic, bitter tannin taste in your mouth is to follow the age old recipe: Boil; Pour; Stew. Well, they call … Continue reading →

Posted in New Zealand Politics, Political Polls, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

(Communication) Breakdown?

Posted on 23rd Jan, 2012 by Puddleglum

It was all too predictable. After voting for a controversial 14.4%, $68,000, backdated salary increase for its ‘CEO’, Tony Marryatt, a few weeks before Christmas, the Christchurch City Council – or, more precisely, Mayor Bob Parker and Tony Marryatt himself … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Shearer on ‘How big is my politics?’

Posted on 19th Jan, 2012 by Puddleglum

Q. What’s the difference between Donald O’Connor, Jimmy Durante and David Shearer? A. All three of them express the naive belief that “It’s bigger than both of us!” but only two of them have the excuse that they were singing … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, Labour, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Election Prediction No. 1 – Fewer than 30,000 people will vote for John Key

Posted on 12th Nov, 2011 by Puddleglum

It’s clear that fewer than 30,000 New Zealanders will end up voting for Prime Minister John Key in the upcoming elections. It’s also clear that somewhere north of 1,000,000 New Zealanders will, after voting day, think that they have voted … Continue reading →

Posted in New Zealand Politics, Political Polls, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cut throat politics

Posted on 11th Oct, 2011 by Puddleglum

It doesn’t take long to collect examples of throat-slashing gestures on the internet: Here, here, here and here – and that’s just for starters on the first google page. Interestingly, they are all incidents in highly charged, competitive, high stakes … Continue reading →

Posted in Labour, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Cut throat politics

Green with envy

Posted on 11th Sep, 2011 by Puddleglum

As many know, Christchurch has been divided into four zones: Red; orange, white and green. Less well known – but increasingly apparent -there are interesting emotional and social psychological divisions emerging in a way that neatly maps onto that zoning. … Continue reading →

Posted in Earthquakes, New Zealand Politics, politics of envy | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Believing what you need to believe

Posted on 6th Sep, 2011 by Puddleglum

It’s a common belief that politics and policy-making would be better if it availed itself of the fruits of scientific endeavour. Some call it ‘evidence-based policy‘ and it is often those on the left who call for much more of … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Human Wellbeing, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments