Geoffrey Miller

New Zealand geopolitical analyst & Arabic/Russian learner

Category: Politics

Politics

Gerry Effed-off

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] The Otago Daily Times reported today that former ACT MP and now Otago Regional Councillor Gerry Eckhoff was annoyed about being excluded from a workshop on air quality, because he had made a submission to council on the matter in a private capacity prior to being elected: As a former Act New Zealand MP, and having sat on a select committee, he had more than illustrated he could not be accused of predetermination or bias, he said. It was ‘‘insulting’’ to suggest otherwise. ‘‘Councillors say it’s not personal. It’s just a matter of process. I do not see...

Politics

ACT vs. New Zealand First

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] The latest Roy Morgan poll finds that New Zealand First has increased its support from 3.5% to 5.5%. ACT, however, continues to be down in the cellar at 1%, where it has been pretty much for the last two years. Now, I’m no fan of the Duncan Garner-style breathless commentary (“will come as a massive blow to the…”) on individual polls, but I think it might be useful to look at the differences in ACT and NZ First behaviour in recent weeks. First and foremost, New Zealand First found itself a winning issue for its potential constituents. The...

Politics

On Newztext

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] A major resource for anyone writing about a New Zealand political topic is the Newztext database. This is a online subscriber-only database but is commonly accessible through institutions. When I was writing my dissertation, I had access to the database through the University of Otago. If you don’t belong to such an institution, however, don’t despair. Newztext is also freely available through many public libraries and is quite likely accessible simply by going to your local library’s website (click here for a list of every library in the country) and entering your library card number and PIN. What’s...

Politics

ACT contesting Wellington Central

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] Party newsletter ACTion! reported today that ACT will be contesting the Wellington Central seat at the 2008 election, with the candidate to be “unveiled” next Thursday. By the sound of the announcement it must be a stellar candidate, who knows, perhaps a former MP or city councillor? Or someone from media or sport? Whoever it is, he or she will have to be well known to Wellingtonians to have any chance of winning the seat. Richard Prebble held this seat from 1996-1999, but the electoral boundaries have since changed, making this a harder seat for ACT to win....

Politics

‘The Economist’ and school vouchers

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] In an earlier post I mused over whether ACT would bring back a voucher scheme as a key policy. Here’s a reason why not. This week’s issue of The Economist (which recently unlocked the walled garden that was its website and made its content freely available) reports on the failure of school voucher systems in the United States: Mr [Michael] Bloomberg [New York City mayor] has not been as brave with schools as Mr Giuliani was with crime. Oddly given his belief in competition, the former media mogul shunned the most radical option—vouchers that allow parents to shop...

Politics

Comment by Craig Foss MP on Rodney Hide

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] This comment from Craig Foss (first-term National MP) was posted at his blog. It’s facetious but he makes his point: Identity Fraud at Parliament The Inland Revenue Department was reviewed by Parliaments Finance and Expenditure Committee this morning. During the review, a guy came in and sat down in Rodney Hide’s, from the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers Party, (ACT), designated seat. This person then took Mr Hides call to speak and proceeded to wax lyrical about what a great job IRD were doing! He was also very generous, almost loving in his praise of the Labour party!...

Politics

Response from Stephen Franks to dissertation

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] After submission, I sent copies of my dissertation to a number of figures connected in some way to ACT, including former MPs. Stephen Franks, an ACT MP from 1999-2005, sent me this response after reading a couple of weeks ago. I have been holding off publishing it as I wanted to seek his permission to post it here. Today I have received permission to publish it in a slightly modified version supplied to me by Franks. I have also received comments from another person and will reproduce these in due course. Anyone who wishes to comment on my...

Politics

‘We’re Here to Help’ reviews and links

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] I keep meaning to write a fuller post on Craig Heatley, seeing he generated some discussion in the comments in a post a few days ago. Until I get around to that, here are some reviews and links of We’re Here to Help. I still haven’t seen the film yet, but hope to do so soon. The reviews I have found are universally positive and usually take the view that the film is non-partisan and is a classic example of the proverbial “little guy” taking on the big guns and winning. For example, back in October, David Farrar...

Politics

ACT 2008 Annual Conference

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] Early notice of the 2008 ACT Annual Conference has been in the member-only e-mail newsletter ACTion! for a couple of weeks now. It will be on March 14/15, at the Waipuna Hotel & Conference Centre in Auckland. Funnily enough, I happen to be coming to Auckland that weekend, so I hope to be able to go along at least on the Saturday to cover it for Douglas to Dancing. I’m expecting something bold and new at the conference. I think it will be the first of the election year party conferences, so ACT has a good opportunity to...

Politics

Hide vs. Mallard – part II

[text-blocks id=”act-party”] I’m pleased to see Margaret Wilson threw out Hide’s complaint about Trevor Mallard. Hide did not do himself any credit with this – a real “sideshow” to promoting policies if ever there was one: [Wilson] said the ACT Party leader did not raise the matter in time and had not done it the right way. “If a member wishes to have the Speaker refer the matter to the Privileges Committee, the member must act immediately…. Mr Hide said he was disappointed by Ms Wilson’s response. “It is difficult to imagine what constitutes a breach of privilege if punching...

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