Archive for December, 2007

Newsflash- Democracy found, alive and well.

December 21st, 2007

Today we have fairer and more transparent laws governing electoral financing than we did at the start of the week. No amount of hysteria or hyperbole will change that. The legislation is , as with all legislation in the MMP era, a compromise. It is not perfect, it will be open to some interpretation (just as previous laws governing electoral financing have been) it includes things I like and don’t like, but it has had a crack at creating a level playing field. 

From what I have read in the New Zealand Herald and heard from the National Party, you would think we have never had any limits on spending on elections in New Zealand, that we should not have them, and no other country has them either.

Of course we have had limits, but as Andrew Geddis says in his book the real question is what is the correct balance between ‘participant freedom’ and ‘participant equality’ in the funding of elections.  This piece of legislation has been about adjusting that balance to provide for more equality.  As the 1986 Royal Commission said

If elections are to be fair and our demoracy is to prosper it is important that the effects of inequality are minimised.

So is the rebalancing really so unreasonable as to see old soldiers, Hitler and god knows what/who else invoked by opponents? Of course not.  We now have some limits- on direct promotion of candidates and parties. Not on issues. Issues based advertising remains, except for the need to be upfront about who you are and how much you are spending, pretty much open slather. This is not the end of the world.

Like a lot of people there are things I would like to have seen dealt with in this debate - including the issue of public funding for political parties. I would love to see a mature debate on this issue, and perhaps the panel and citizens jury that is being set up can make a start.  Given what we have seen from opponents of this legislation I see little hope for such a debate.

For all the steam and stamping of feet from Mr Angry English and friends, one thing I did not hear much about was what National would have done to make electoral financing more transparent and fair. It would have been nice to have heard that they too wanted to create a fair and open process.  In reality, despite the rhetoric, they don’t want those things. They want to be able to make use of vast sums of money from here and overseas and not to have to let you know about where it comes from. Â 

A final thought. Does anyone else think that the Herald placing a banner headline above all stories relating to the Bill that says “Democracy Under Attack” and then immediately below such a headline asking for feedback on the question  “Is the Bill an attack on democracy” is just slightly leading?. Â 

This is the same week when a Minister of the Crown was the subject of a private prosecution.  Democracy is still going strong- even when it delivers outcomes you just don’t like, and it will still be here when we get back from our holidays. 

Anyway- after that long rant. Merry Christmas and festive greetings to one and all. In the New Year you will see quite a few changes on the site, which I hope you will enjoy.  Come on back y’hear!

Posted in Uncategorized.  |   0 Comments

meanwhile, on the bright side of life.

December 17th, 2007

I think it was Colin James who said if a martian were to have come to New Zealand and visited the Labour and National party conferences this year they would think that the poll numbers we are currently hearing should be the polar opposite that they are now.  

Labour is full of energy and vigour- selecting new, young and vibrant candidates for next year’s election, prepared to debate new policy initatives and as alive and well as it has been in my time as a member.  National on the other hand is dull, uninspiring and lacking in vision, hoping to coast to victory.  The heat of an election campaign will not be so easy for them of course.

The job for Labour  is to transfer this energy and vision into voter support.  It is a big job, but it can be done.  Why the poor polling?- well it has been a difficult year.  Labour in government has made mistakes, there has been some ill-discipline and sections of the media are in crusading mode.  But I still believe that New Zealanders want a government that looks after our people and our environment, that supports a fair go for all Kiwis no matter their wealth or background, creates opportunity and supports those in need.   Labour embodies these values, far more than National, and has the team to deliver on them.

In the hubub around the Electoral Finance Bill and sideshows that the media wish to fixate on its easy to think we are all off to hell in a hand basket.  Let’s just look at the last week for three examples of things that show we are on the right track

First we have the news that our 15 year olds continue to stack up well internationally in terms of core educational achievement.  As this article in the Herald (somewhat buried under the EFB hysteria) notes we are effecitvely third equal in the world in science, fourth equal in reading and sixth equal in Maths.  There is still work to do in terms of the ‘tail of under-acheivement’ especically for Maori and Pacific students- but these results are something to be proud of.

I am also proud that last week we saw a 28 year low in unemployment in New Zealand.  Just 20,000 people are on the unemployment benefit. Ruth Dyson’s press release highlights the initatives that the government has put in place that have helped create this situation. 

And then this weekend we have the news that an in-principle settlement for the Taranaki Whanui (Wellington) iwi has been agreed.  On paper this looks like a just settlement- one that will go a considerable to making redress for past wrongs and providing a stable base for future development for Maori in our area.   The agreements for some public buildings and sites to transfer ownership, but stay in public use is a mature and welcome step. Further north the basis of an enduring partnership with Tainui over management of the Waikato River is also something to be proud of.

I will post seperately on the Electoral Finance Bill.  Suffice to say that I strongly support the principle of fair, transparent electoral finance laws in New Zealand.  The Bill has done much to support these principles, and create a level playing field.  It is not an attack on democracy, it is in fact bringing us into line with the kind of laws present in many democracies. 

But in the end I believe come next year the EFB will not be the basis on which most people cast their votes. I take nothing for granted, but I think New Zealanders will look at the quality of schools, the support for early childhood education, the reduced cost of going to the doctor, the jobs that have been created, and the vision for a sustainable New Zealand, and they will know that the future lies with Labour. Â

Posted in Social Justice, Education and Uncategorized.  |   0 Comments

Face the music Mr Key

December 1st, 2007

In the early 1990s a flatmate and I used to have a ritual of watching the Simon Barnett hosted Face the Music.  The format of the show was based around guessing the name and artist of a song based on the first few bars.  My flatmate was legendary- she would hit the cushions we used as fake buzzers seconds into most tracks.

It is with similar speed I noted the sound of Coldplay’s Clocks on John Key’s banal DVD.  The hilarious double meaning of the lyrics (previously discussed here) and the fact that Chris Martin is a left leaning musician make this a bad enough choice, but now in this morning’s Herald we have the National Party claiming the music was composed by an Auckland aritst. Really? 

I think John Key better have another listen, and particularly take note of Graeme Downes’ words in this morning’s article

If I were approached by a lawyer to furnish a report for the prosecution of copyright infringement against the music on the DVD I would happily do so. If approached by a lawyer to furnish a report in its defence, I would decline.

Time for a recall of the DVD perhaps?

I am off overseas for work this week. We are well under way with planning for the campaign. Thanks very much to those who have offered to help out, and if anyone else wishes to do so just drop me a line.

Posted in Uncategorized.  |   1 Comment

Grant's Tweets