frogblog

Germany’s Green Party on Saturday elected Cem Oezdemir as one of its co-leaders, the first time one of Germany’s major parties has elevated a child of Turkish immigrants to such a high position.
The German Greens, probably the world’s oldest and largest Green Party (depending on whether you count the Values Party as part of New […]

The most interesting part of the Maori Party’s agreement with National (pdf) is the clause on collective responsibility:
The Maori Party agree to be bound by collective responsibility in relation to their Ministerial portfolios and their Associate Minister responsibilities. When the Maori Party Ministers speak about issues within their portfolios and Associate Minister responsibilities, they will […]

My intent is to foster a debate as much as to express my own, personal opinion on the matter. But yes, I believe that Sam Lotu-liga should resign as either the Auckland City Councilor for Tamaki-Maungakiekie, or as MP for Maungakiekie. Holding two such offices simultaneously does have some historical precedent, but does anyone really […]

The Herald is rightly pouring cold water on Rodney Hide’s lock ‘em up rhetoric. 
The “three strikes and you’re out” penal policy was a good line in an election pitch but unless its application is narrowed in the small print of the policy it would require a fearful increase in prison accommodation.
New Zealand has one […]

From what I could tell from the radio yesterday evening and this morning the Maori Party are engaged in series of 40 ’speed hui’, each about one hour long, where Maori electorate voters are get to hear the broad parameters of the deal that the Maori Party has struck with National, but not the specifics.  […]

Nelson’s police force has taken up bicycling.  Good on them, especially for this bit of ‘kiwi ingenuity’:
The special lights and sirens can be ordered from the United States for about $US300 ($NZ520), but police had rigged their own up for about a 20th of the cost.
The siren was more like an air horn than those […]

theyworkforyou.co.nz has a sobering post following the election results which notes:
Two parties which New Zealand has just elected into power, National and Act, voted in favour of the New Zealand Government joining the USA-led war coalition. This coalition invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003. For those of you that missed my previous post here’s that […]

After voters got a chance to know in time for the election Labour has finally declared it has taken $100,000 from a company called Resource Finance Ltd, which is registered at the same address as the infamous Vela Fishing Ltd.
There are still no declarations from National or the other parties, including United Future, although perhaps […]

Yesterday’s Herald has John Key on MMP:
Key says the referendum on MMP will be held in two parts - a binding plebiscite on election day 2011 on whether MMP should be retained or ditched, and a second binding plebiscite on what might replace it.
This list, he indicated, could include first-past-the-post (the predecessor […]

As I understand the electoral law, I’m not allowed to post new web content tomorrow until the close of polling booths at 7pm. And from 7pm onwards I intend to be at the Green Party Party, not in front of a computer typing.  So this is me signing off for the day.  Expect coverage to […]