Geoffrey Miller

New Zealand geopolitical analyst & Arabic/Russian learner

geoffreymiller.info

Politics

‘The Economist’ and school vouchers

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 around beyond...

Politics

Comment by Craig Foss MP on Rodney Hide

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! Who was...

Politics

Response from Stephen Franks to dissertation

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 research in...

Politics

‘We’re Here to Help’ reviews and links

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 of Kiwiblog...

Politics

ACT 2008 Annual Conference

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 get itself...

Politics

Hide vs. Mallard – part II

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 an MP...

Politics

We’re Here to Help premiere

I’d have to agree with Dave Henderson, on whose “battle” with the IRD the new film (on general release from tomorrow) We’re Here to Help is based. This is what was reported in the Press this morning: Henderson said all the Labour MPs were invited to the premiere of We’re Here to Help in Riccarton last night, but none arrived. “It is time they got over it,” said Henderson, 52. “I’m just a Kiwi boy and they screwed up and it is about time they acknowledged it and fixed it.” Henderson said the Inland Revenue Department was “cowardly” for not...

Politics

Comments in ODT on Geoff Robinson vs. Rodney Hide

For the benefit of readers living north of the Waitaki River, I reproduce comments by Clarke Isaacs, radio reviewer for the Otago Daily Times (7/11/07, p. 28): The normally mild-mannered, even-handed Geoff Robinson, co-presenter of Radio New Zealand National’s Morning Report, was uncharacteristically aggressive the Tuesday before last when interviewing Act New Zealand leader Rodney Hide about his intended complaint to the much-publicised right-cross Cabinet Minister Trevor Mallard landed on National’s Tau Henare. Robinson’s interviewing partner, the feisty, no-holds-barred Sean Plunket, might have to look to his laurels should Robinson find that he quite likes a fiery questioning style when...

Politics

Ron Smith – update

Following my previous post, I sought comment from Dr. Ron Smith. His response: Dear Geoffrey, I am overseas at the moment. I will hope to have a look at your dissertation late November, when I get back. I am no longer involved with ACT, though I have some contact with ACT and former ACT persons. Regards Ron Smith This is pretty much what I expected to hear. As I understand it there are a lot of people around who were enthusiastic about ACT in its incipient and more wealthy phase around the mid-1990s, but who dropped off as the party...

Politics

Ron Smith and nuclear power

In the latest issue of the New Zealand International Review (November/December 2007, pp. 2-5), there is an article by Dr. Ron Smith, who is head of international relations at the Political Science department at the University of Waikato. Smith is a regular contributor to the Review and his latest article advocates the introduction of nuclear power to New Zealand. Here is the ACT connection: in the party’s formative phase, Smith was foreign affairs spokesman and was quoted in some media reports around 1996. Although I don’t have exact figures on hand at the moment, I believe he was ranked at...

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