Panic has gone viral quicker than the Ebola virus, thanks to social media.
Not that there isn't something to worry about. Part of an entire continent is presently at risk - that's Africa not America.
Read MoreThe original broad church
I know this will make me even more unpopular on The Standard and The Daily Blog. Being Catholic will probably be seen as another reason to question my right to represent the Left; which is odd, given that there is a proud tradition of social justice in the Catholic church.
Read MoreSusan St John accuses
Susan St John accuses me of “visionless pro-work rhetoric” for writing in my blog about Labour’s position on extending the Working For Families tax credit to families not in work.
Read MoreLabour must change
If just changing the leader was the solution, then Labour would have solved its problems long ago. We've had three leaders since 2008.
Read MoreStop spinning the debate
I’m not sure attempts to spin expectations around tonight’s leaders’ debate are credible.
Read MoreAccording to its TV ad, National has fixed the economy
#Team Key is channeling #Team New Zealand in their TV ads. Space age boats, elite performers surging out ahead in an 8-1 lead - what could possibly go wrong?
Read MoreThe politics of vilification
The specifics in the Hagar book are devastating. To focus on them, the left should take Nicky Hager’s advice and avoid the politics of vilification.
Read MoreLabour sticks to its knitting and wins
Labour’s campaign launch was a hit yesterday for one reason; Labour does best when it talks about making ordinary people better off.
Read MoreWhy red-zoning provincial New Zealand will never be an option
New Zealand makes no economic sense in a global market place.
Read MoreWhat does Labour do now?
First, stop blaming the media.
Read More‘Vote Positive’ means sound positive too
Labour’s new election slogan is a challenge for the party to focus exclusively ‘on the positive things that matter to Kiwi families’, as the PR promises.
That means rejecting the rhetoric that has New Zealand going to hell in a hand basket, and avoiding negative distractions that make Labour look like the party of dead trees, slow trucks and extinct birds
Read MoreAcronyms and secret handshakes no way to sell a trade deal
When it comes to signing trade deals there are two principles which should never be up for negotiation; the net benefit to your country has to outweigh any concessions, otherwise what’s the point? And you never trade away fundamentals, like the right to legislate to protect your environment, the health of your citizens, or your education system.
National's self-serving hypocrisy on election year pamphleteering
Over the weekend an 8-page taxpayer-funded advertisement for the National party arrived in our letterbox (I've tweeted a picture). Page after page laid out in National's party colours and font, bursting with photos of the PM, and of MPs Hekia Parata and Chris Finlayson. Also someone called 'Paul Foster-Bell' is prominently pictured in it, but goodness only knows who he is.
Read MoreHere’s what to do about inequality
If a large majority of us are worried about inequality and National is making the problem worse, not better, why isn’t the Left doing better politically?
Say no to the Cup of Te
No way should Labour do a 'Cup of Te' deal.
Labour should stand up for its own strong values.
Read MoreThe Left starts to fracture - and thats a good thing
I'm picking that Laila Harre's appointment as leader of the Internet Party will be good for Internet-Mana, but the impact on this year's election will be determined by the relationship with Labour. If Internet-Mana do well this year, though, there might be an important shake-up that will strengthen the broad left in the longer term.
Read MoreA taxonomy of scandal
A scandal can be distinguished from a controversy. Immigration policy became controversial in the 90s, the foreshore and seabed in the 2000s. Even though there were bungles, and offensive views and policies were aired, the underlying issue was always sharp disagreement over core values and policies.
In a scandal, the underlying issue is wrong-doing.
Read MoreMr Joyce claimed nine mistakes in David Parker's interview. None stacked up.
If Steven Joyce is right that David Parker told ‘nine lies’ about the economy on The Nation last weekend, then he must believe the economy is already in full boom; growth has peaked and needs to be slowed; exporters are whingers; the hot New Zealand dollar is nothing to worry about; that not selling enough products to the world to pay for all the things we buy from other countries isn’t a problem - hell, we’ve been doing it for forty years - let’s do it for another forty!
And there is no housing bubble in Auckland - David Parker made it up.
Read MoreFonterra should hang its head in shame
How is Fonterra allowed to stay in business when it does this? Here is our dairy monopoly, enjoying its special status as the New Zealand economic engine (while threatening that economy with botch up after botulism botch up), now employing low paid ‘slave’ labour and getting away with it.
Here's what a real bloke sounds like
I was going to write something about Kelvin Davis, the new Labour MP taking over from Shane Jones. But his own words say it all. This is impressive. He speaks from the heart and embodies Labour principles effortlessly. How did he ever end up too low on the Labour list not to make it back into parliament in 2011...No, don't answer that. That's another blog.
So here is Kelvin's first statement as Labour MP in waiting:
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