Category: Uncategorized

Poll of Polls update – 20 August 2014

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I am keeping an eye on the central Elections seeming they dominate my Twitter feed as is at the moment. For me I am keeping a close eye on the “Government (or Economy) is heading in the right direction” numbers as they can give an insight to more deeper down feelings of the electorate.

Put it this way while some consider that particular aspect to the realm of Political Junkie or Wankery status, no government has survived rather long when that Right Direction number hits below 50 and sits that way for a sustained period.

For National’s sake that 7 point drop in that particular aspect better be the last…

jononatusch's avatarOccasionally Erudite Publications

The latest Roy Morgan poll has just been released. The polling window runs from 4 August to 17 August, meaning that been a quarter and a third of the polling was done following the release of Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics book. We’ll need to wait for further polling before the real impact of the book and its fallout can be seen.

The results of the Roy Morgan will undoubtedly be somewhat of a disappointment for Labour and the Greens. National is up 2% to 48%, while on the left, Labour drops 2.5% to 27.5%, and the Greens drop 0.5% to 11.5%. That’s a 9% gap between National and a Labour/Greens bloc.

The big mover of the minor parties is NZ First, up 1.5% to 6.5%. That’s the highest they’ve been in the Roy Morgan since September 2013, and it’s the party’s second highest poll result this year from any of…

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A rugby analogy Key may understand

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I will be keeping an eye on Elections 2014

Pete George's avatarYour NZ

John Key seems to be missing the point about widespread fed-up-ness about dirty politics. Like really annoyed fed up pissed-offedness about how appallingly some of our politicians and their hangers on carry on.

Key seems to like rugby analogies so here’s one that might help.

Back in the old days rugby was much dirtier, and not just because fields were much muddier. The dark arts of the game were legend.  Most players didn’t stick the boot in but a mongrel minority got away with moronic mayhem.

Then television came along and gradually exposed it. So the authorities clamped down on foul play. It took a while but it worked. 

Today rugby is played harder and more competitively, but without much of the past nastiness and dirtiness.

Back in the old days politics was dirty – it was equivalent to a type of rugby where punching and stomping and back road-mapping and eye…

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Council Cutting the Spin

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Well reductions in the Communications, PR and Marketing Department

 

In the continued drive for efficiencies and cost control (despite an OPEX surplus at $212 million on the last set of audited figures) the Marketing Department is next up on the blocks (after Planning) for the “review.”

From Radio NZ and Todd Niall

Auckland Council cuts marketing budget

Updated at 6:56 am today

 

The council has cut 38 jobs and brought more work in-house to save $4.3 million this year, and slightly more after that.

The spending on communications and marketing will fall to nearly $8.5 million.

The council said work has been centralised, and around $1.5 million saved through less outsourcing.

The re-structuring of communications and marketing is the largest cut from a series of reviews that have been underway. It has made 109 other staff redundant over the past year.

A larger review is nearly complete in the chief planning officer’s department which employs 538 staff.

Auckland Council has gone on the front foot, announcing the cuts in communications and marketing, 10 days before it unveils the first version of its proposed 10 year budget.

While there is no direct link between the two, the council is keen to portray itself as being rigorous with internal spending, before beginning debate on how much should be spent around the city.

The council has lifted its target for efficiency savings to $240 million a year, as it begins the task of setting the 10-year budget, called the Long Term Plan.

That may bring new charges for Aucklanders and a multi-billion dollar cut over the next decade, to the previously-forecast level of spending on new assets.

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Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/252342/auckland-council-cuts-marketing-budget

 

You can hear report Todd Niall’s take on here:

 

I will be interesting to see what has happened to the Planning Department after their review. We shall know the results next month.

 

On bloggers, corruption and honour

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Quoting:
On Bloggers and Journalists

Please be aware, though, that not all bloggers and journalists are of the same grimy stripe: Some are honest and honourable.

You may not agree with what we write, but we are genuine and up front about what we believe and why.

We do not always get things right, but we own up when we are wrong.

You can disagree with us without fearing retaliation, because we believe in honest discussion and debate.

And we believe it is not too much to expect others, including our government, to uphold those same standards.

Talking Auckland has gotten it wrong before. When that I happened I both made those personal apologies up front and sure that I wouldnt repeat the mistake that got me in strife in the first place.

Yes I can be controversial and hard, but I also give praise and credit where it is due. Just ask Auckland Transport 😉
But at the end of the day I try to uphold to my high standards when blogging. A pity certain other compatriots can not thus we all get tarred

Save Our Schools NZ's avatarSave Our Schools NZ

no to corruption

I’m glad that at last there is a focus on the low-level, hateful, dishonest work of Cameron Slater.  He is an embarrassment to bloggers and journalists everywhere.

I am glad the focus has turned to him allegedly being paid to share ghost-written blog posts done by others such as the tobacco lobbyists where he just add his name to the end and pretends they are by him.  

For money.  

Lots of money.

I am glad people are finally being forced to consider just how far and how deep his spiderweb goes into government.

I am glad the mainstream media has been forced, in some cases at least, to confront the reality that bloggers and journalists of this ilk are unreliable at best and, at worst, dangerous to democracy and free speech.

The irony is immense

This is not just whimsical pondering from me.  I was “oiled” myself.  Thousands of the “Whale…

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Dirty Politics Summary

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Whatever your politics and style what we are seeing here is a rather interesting chill on our democracy.

I know when the Len Brown saga broke the amount of sleaze being fired across with beyond it by all means. The consequences went far above and beyond what the Mayor did, it went as far as acting as a paralysing force against the Council something only just recently the City has rid of (we are back to normal Council) politics.

Having been approached by opponent Palino last May to assist writing South Auckland policy (before walking away (I voted for Len by the way)) the aftermath of the election sent chills through me.

Chills insofar as the muck being fires from that pocket of the Centre Right in a game of win at all cost (usually this ends as MAD).

However, the City had a saving grace through the fact we were damn well lucky we had a Deputy Mayor who led the City through those dark periods something the opposition failed to realise then and still now. However, that opposition so to say will be served their beans in due time and their allies sullied by Association charges. Meaning the Centre Right have effectively neutered themselves in the 2016 elections.

Of note I have noticed Carrack Graham paying a bit more attention into Auckland Council affairs. This is something to watch carefully and closely.

Slater and Graham’s politics are not wanted in the Super City a 21st Century progressive and inclusive City