Geoffrey Miller

New Zealand geopolitical analyst & Arabic/Russian learner

Category: Politics

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Politics

Union head says government departments failing to protect workers

By Geoffrey Miller The National Secretary of the Unite union, Gerard Hehir, says government departments are failing to ensure low-paid hotel cleaners are given personal protective equipment while the hotels are housing returning New Zealanders in quarantine. Hehir gave the Democracy Project podcast an example of a Christchurch hotel which told its employees that they could wear protective equipment, but only if they supplied it themselves. Hehir, whose union mainly represents workers in primarily low-paid jobs in the hospitality industry, said the situation was “outrageous”. “The Ministry of Health generally are supplying protective gear, but what we’ve found is that...

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Politics

Covid-19 pandemic unlikely to bring fundamental change to Iran, NZ-based Iranian academic says

By Geoffrey Miller A New Zealand-based academic from Iran says the coronavirus pandemic is unlikely to spark fundamental change in the country. Iran was one of the first countries outside China to see a major outbreak of the coronavirus. Figures from Johns Hopkins University on Sunday showed there were 35,408 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country, with 2,517 deaths, making it one of the worst-affected countries worldwide. But Sirous Amerian, a doctoral candidate at Massey University’s Centre for Defence and Security Studies, told the Democracy Project podcast that he is pessimistic about any longer-term reforms arising from the Covid-19...

Politics

Forget the spaghetti pizzas – it’s substance voters are looking for

Get ready for more spaghetti pizzas, selfies and walkabouts on university campuses. It’s that time again when politicians pull out all the stops to do what they think will make young people vote for them. How bad can it get? At the 2014 election, Kim Dotcom spent some $4m largely targeting the youth vote. Symbolic of this attempt was a series of dance party events called the “Party Party” – the most memorable outcome of which was Dotcom leading a “f**k John Key” chant. Internet Mana later used the chant in an online campaign video. But the party ended in...

Politics

Germany’s failed anti-anti-establishment strategy: the case of the Alternative for Germany (AfD)

On Sunday 13 March, the Alternative for Germany party enjoyed stunning electoral success. The party won 15% of the vote in the southern German state of Baden-Württemberg, pushing the Social Democrats into fourth place behind the Greens and the CDU. In Rhineland-Palatinate, a smaller state to the north, the 12.6% was more than double the traditional third parties, the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP). And in Saxony-Anhalt, a state in the former East Germany, the 24.2% won by the AfD, as the party is abbreviated in German, meant that it towered above any other party except the CDU. But you...

Cunliffe and Robertson

Politics

New Zealand’s increasingly dangerous level of political vitriol

A long thin country, marked by its diversity of landscapes. A small population, outflanked by bigger and more powerful neighbours. An increasingly multicultural society with a significant indigenous group. It could be New Zealand. But it’s Sweden. Like New Zealand, Sweden long had a tradition of personal, retail politics in which politicians rub shoulders with voters as apparent equals. That’s what one expects in a small country. But there is one big difference between Sweden and New Zealand. Sweden has suffered not one, but two political assassinations. The first, in 1986, was the murder of then Prime Minister Olof Palme. The...

Politics

11 “game-changers” which weren’t for the 2014 New Zealand election

1. Advance voting Gareth Hughes at The Daily Blog, 2 September 2014 I believe advance voting will be a game-changer this Election. Young Kiwis in particular are notorious for voting in low numbers but this Election it doesn’t matter what the weather is like on September 20, how big the lines are, or if there’s something else on – everyone can vote from tomorrow or any day over the next seventeen days. Elections always take place on a Saturday to minimise disruption to the working week. But for young Kiwis, many of whom work part-time jobs on a Saturday (or...

Politics

Top tweets on the TVNZ leaders’ debate between John Key and David Cunliffe

Below are some of the top tweets on tonight’s TVNZ leaders’ debate between John Key and David Cunliffe. In roughly reverse chronological order. (To be updated) Good point from Gordon Campbell: “hard to imagine David Shearer carrying Labour’s banner in that debate last night” http://t.co/Dxg9wpGxfp — Mr Howell (@jeffieh) August 29, 2014 Green Party companion leaders’ debate: The Greens take an inclusive approach to being excluded. So when we wer… http://t.co/yBKKdiE2m3 — Frog Blog (@frog_blog) August 29, 2014 During last night’s Leaders debate I was struck by the fact that Key accepted all of Cunliffe’s basic assumptions. http://t.co/PCuwzeJkw8 — Jamie Whyte...

Politics

Top tweets on the Top 100 Twitter accounts to follow for the election

On Sunday 17 August, the Herald on Sunday published a “Top 100” list of Twitter accounts to follow for the 2014 New Zealand General Election. The list was curated by myself and Bryce Edwards. Here is the reaction from Twitter to the list. Top100 tweeters to follow this election. “Dotcom’s reach is 3 times greater than John Key’s. An absolute must-follow” http://t.co/e5sM4bzhfR — Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 16, 2014 @bryce_edwards @GeoffMillerNZ Thanks for the mention 🙂 — Colmar Brunton (@ColmarBruntonNZ) August 16, 2014 @bryce_edwards @GeoffMillerNZ Your list is obviously shit. — Steve Braunias (@SteveBraunias) August 16, 2014 @SteveBraunias @bryce_edwards @GeoffMillerNZ...

Politics

Exclusive: Who is Simon Lusk? Lessons from his Master’s thesis on Ecampaigning (2001)

In my previous post, I looked at why Simon Lusk is such an important figure in Nicky Hager’s book Dirty Politics. His strategy to change National from within represents the end which justifies the means – the questionable tactics which have been covered extensively by New Zealand media since the book’s release on Wednesday, 13 August 2014. In this post, I look exclusively at Simon Lusk’s Master’s thesis in politics, which he wrote at the University of Otago in 2001. The thesis, called Ecampaigning, looks at how political parties can harness the internet to target potential voters. The 137 page...

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