some right some wrong

Well the people have spoken

My predictions and how they turned out

My pick		What happened	MP’s
ACT gone	Wrong	Banks elected in Epsom, 1.2% Party vote	1 MP
United Future gone	Wrong	Dunne elected, below 1% Party vote	1 MP
NZF and Winston back 6%	Correct	6.8% Party vote	8 MP’s
Greens 13%	Mostly correct	10.6% Party vote	13 MP’s
Labour 28%	Correct	27.1% Party vote	34 MP’s
National 47%	Correct	48% Party vote	60 MP’s
Maori 2% (3 electorate)	Correct	1.4% Party vote	3 MP’s
Mana 4% (2 electorate)	Wrong	1% Party vote	1 MP

So I picked part of the mood but overestimated how much influence Mana could exert for a brand new political movement.

The fact that goff didn’t resign on the night says everything about him – still in denial, still delusional. All of the deadwood Labour caucus should resign and give the party a chance to rebuild and get some credibility.

Key has got enough to govern and it doesn’t matter if the Māori Party vote with him or not – but they will.

I am very happy for the Greens – 13 MP’s that is amazing and will really make a difference – but the numbers are against them and we must remember that the agenda of National is very destructive indeed.

Go after beneficiaries and solo parents

Sell our assets

Mine and exploit our land and water

And so much more – I’m afraid we are in for a very bad time, a horrible time and 48% of people that voted, voted for it.

What to do?

What we always do, rebuild our strength and then go forth into the battle to fight for the rights of the oppressed and disadvantaged, to fight for equality and fairness, to fight for community and cooperation. That we will fight is a given – rest now friends, for your strength will be soon enough be called upon.

holding the heat

I've talked about my voting intentions before - I am going to give both my votes to Mana and I'll also be voting for MMP. It may sound strange but I don't really care what happens at the election - whatever the result - that is what we will deal with. If people vote for john key and the right wing policies - it won't surprise me, after all I live in this colonised country and I know the mentality of the people - that is why i blog.

So I'm not too attached to the result - the type of policies that I want take time to bring to fruition and they are resisted by the powers that be at every turn - ho hum - that is the reality.

My prediction

ACT gone
United Future gone
NZF and Winston back 6%
Greens 13%
Labour 28%
National 47%
Maori 2% (3 electorate)
Mana 4% (2 electorate)

who governs is anyones guess but it will be interesting to watch the machinations as that poisoned chalice bounces around like a hot potato.

their swords are sharp

Maps has some awesome posts up at the moment and this one which outlines a discussion between Labour candidate Carmel Sepuloni and Maps, was especially interesting.

Carmel, who had parked a car emblazoned with campaign slogans beside the cafe, was initially very friendly, asking me about myself and about my voting intentions. When I went beyond pleasantries, though, and began to ask some questions about Labour's policies and election strategy, she quickly became defensive. Although Carmel talked with me for five or so minutes, she asked me not to repeat some of the things she said. This request seemed to me very odd: we were talking, after all, about the details of a general election campaign, not about some sensational murder trial or international spy ring.

and for some humour Rob Guyton is constantly exercising his wicked sense of that quality and this post from him, entitled "this man suffers from worms" is a good example. His blog is aways interesting and offers strong green perspectives - plus that sense of humour.

song in my head

I woke this morning with this song in my head - don't know why. After checking out some videos and discarding the Hole version, which I quite like, I decided to put up this one by Julie Driscoll. The video is beyond cool and there are many super funny aspects - like the massive solo and very quiet moments. Julie can sing, although i am concerned about her coat and, well, the dancing - it is difficult to dance in front of the camera like that I am sure so I'll not be too harsh. Great video and great song.

representing us

It could be argued that Hone Harawira, Mana Party leader ripping into Phil Goff the labour leader is a bit of a waste of time, but when Labour are contesting seats against Mana, it is fair and necessary and the points Hone has raised are the same ones I have wondered about.

NZH

"... many people remembered Phil Goff being a willing participant in the days when Labour was selling state assets and introducing GST "and I think that lack of credibility is coming back to haunt him now"

I know that goff has said he made a mistake dah dee dah - he did and it was a very, very big one IMO - selling those assets - apology and all made up now? - no! because the tenor of goff has not changed. Sure he may have regrets about this issue but he is still of the same mindset regarding many things. Hone relates it like this

"An old lady from down south told me that 'MANA is where Labour should be'" said Mr Harawira "and a lot of Labour voters are coming to MANA now because they don't see Phil Goff as the one to stand up to National"

Yep - look at the Mana lineup

"Annette Sykes - the best Maori rights lawyer in the country, John Minto - the 1981 anti-apartheid leader and worker's rights advocate, and Sue Bradford - the country's most well-known beneficiaries activist" "I'd put my crew up against any other team in the house, especially on the issues of Maori rights, human rights, workers rights and the rights of the poor"

and Hone sums up well with

Mr Harawira said that the choice was simple "the Labour leader who is leaving town or the MANA team, fresh for the battle and with the experience and the courage to do the business"

The courage to do the business and what is the business?

to oppose the National / Act / Maori Party government selling off state assets, and slashing funding in health, education and welfare.

It's a family business, a whānau business - everyone's welcome - join the waka.

past actions more important than future promises

We know that the gnats want to sell our assets and the weasel words about mixed ownership and so on are just smokescreens. Pita Sharples has clarified the position of the Māori Party

NZH

Dr Sharples issued a statement this morning saying the party did not support any asset sales at all.

there you go - quite clear - but what's this?

"While our party position is that we oppose the sales of assets, we are also placed with the responsibility of advancing the best position for our constituency - and unlike other parties - that means we need to listen and respond to the proposals our constituents put forward to Parliament."

Listen and respond - sadly I cannot take Pita seriously because when it came down to it last time over the Foreshore and Seabed the 'listening' was not there, not even slightly. In fact the evidence was there that most Māori opposed the solution but they still rammed it through. So i don't trust your assertions Pita and I don't trust that you would hold the line in any meaningful way.

i am a son of my mother

I've been away for a few days driving trucks down country. The highlight was catching up with mum, cooking her a big pot of dahl, discussing the election and hearing that Mana will be getting two ticks from her in South Dunedin.

like mother like son

leaders leading

I watched most of the minor leaders debate tonight and it was good - in terms of the fakery of politics and the media anyway. Hone was superb - what a rangatira he is, I am very proud to support Hone and Mana - they are our hope. Winston was good too, at his rousing best with the best steely glint in the business. Tariana was pretty good and spoke well but got a bit rattled by Hone. I was interested to hear her say that they wouldn't go into coalition with Act - but then r0b on the standard clarified that she means they aren't in one now, even though both Act and the Māori Party are in coalition with National - go figure.

Big realisation for me - i am still angry at tariana for what has happened and i know this because when i watch her it is like watching a loved relative. I am angry because i still care but my anger is my stuff and it's heart stuff and disappointment stuff.

The election is 10 days away - get people enrolled and make sure you are - we have a new political movement to get into the house.

underreported struggles 55

More essential underreported struggles from Ahni at Intercontinetal Cry this month.

In an historical event, the Tanzania government has offered a traditional land certificate to the Hadzabe, an Indigenous People that even now, some believe to be extinct. The move, hailed by the villagers and supporting organizations, will ensure land tenure for the nomadic tribe. This is the first time in Tanzania's history the government has provided a land certificate to a "minority tribe".

The Elder "Mamos" or Spiritual leaders of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, have expressed profound concern over plans to build a new seven-star hotel on their ancestral land within the Tayrona National Park in northern Colombia. The Mamos warn that the site for the proposed hotel is located on sacred lands that are supposed to be held inviolate.

Fortescue Metals Group (FMG), a massive iron ore mining company based in Australia, is trying to get out of a state order that forces the company to protect any burial sites they encounter on Yindjibarndi lands in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The company also wants to avoid its legal obligation to consult the Yindjibarndi. "There are 250 [sites] or more in this country, some very important places for our religious ceremonies," says Michael Woodley, chief executive of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation (YAC). Any number of those sites could be at risk.

Visit Intercontinetal Cry to read about these issues and many others.

the keycup runneth over

I thought the teacup incident would die down as the spin merchants made it about privacy rights but I was wrong - this is now the big election angle for the left. The latest walkout by key will not go down well I think, his smarmy lies are not believed as easily, he has lost some of his political lustre as his true qualities come to the fore. key apparently said some smartarse comments about brash and the elderly and all of the opposition parties sense blood. They sense it because it is there - they hung everything on key but the forgot one thing - the man himself.

goff has a real opportunity now to assist key in losing it on camera at the last leaders debate. Forget economics and all of the bullshit and focus on credibility, needle him, provoke him and laugh at him and then watch the fireworks - they may not come but it will be fun anyway and what have you got to lose goff - not much.

flailing banks

Epsom - well that is a big joke now isn't it, now that key has had his cup of tea with banks. it doesn't matter if it is called strategic or tactical voting there is something not quite right about it. Perhaps I wouldn't be so down on it if Hone and Pita had sorted out some of the same. I cannot understand anyone taking ACT seriously i mean, come on, look at them - brash, banks WTF - sorry I just cannot take them seriously but maybe banks will get in and his brand of nastiness will once again enter parliament - remember he has been a cabinet minister, a senior minister and then look at this -



it shows what sort of person banks is and he is the type of person who generalises about ethnicities to create fear and score political points - a racist and lowlife.

Hattip The Standard

comfortably numbers

I watched the 'leaders' debate last night with four friends aged 16, 25, 36 and 41. Unsurprisingly there was some humour but we all came away saying - "what about the real issues" What about the environment, what about clean water and air, what about people. Key and Goff are deep within the dominant paradigm of 'economic growth', economic this and that and they concentrate around this area because it is safe for them, it is numbers - they don't want to talk about real issues - hell that might make the debate messy. So goff got the hits in and key got the hits in and the adversial system was the winner on the day. You a liar! No, you a liar! - guess what - they are both liars and one of them will be the figurehead for this country, the so-called leader and that made us all wish for a better world. 

If we don't stand up and fight for a better world, for people, then we are doomed to more of their useless lines and dismal future.


Time to go in a different direction.



Hat tip for video - Tumeke

Papatūānuku - not for sale, never for sale!

Asset sales are a classic area where The Mana and Māori parties differ and disagree and thank goodness for that!

NZH

In its election manifesto, the Maori Party does not support asset sales, but during the minor parties leaders' debate this morning on TVNZ programme Q+A, co-leader Pita Sharples said he would support the proposal if shares could not be overseas-owned.

He would not say if that would be a bottom-line for any post-election coalition negotiations.

Hone and Mana don't muck around with those types of statements

"New Zealanders should absolutely be in charge of our core services, in terms of housing, in terms of water, in terms of electricity."

He said the private sector would make the companies worse.

"Ordinary New Zealanders care, because we already bloody own them ... Why on earth are we selling assets that we already own back to ourselves? There's something seriously wrong with that policy."

The comments highlight differences between the parties and emphasise one of the reasons why Mr Harawira quit the Maori Party - because he said the Maori Party were working for corporate Maori and iwi, at the expense of everyday Maori.

At the expense of everyday Māori! Selling assets are not part of any kaupapa - it is what our Tūpuna fought against and what we still fight against. Papatūānuku is not for sale to anyone - this is non-negotiable for me.

the shame of blame

National have now said what they are going to do about welfare and as expected they will treat people on benefits poorly. Their belief is that it is the fault of those people, they haven't tried hard enough and the gnats will incentivise them to get out there and find the non-existant jobs. The gnats say


Stuff

National yesterday said it would scrap the benefit system and replace it with three new benefits. Under the policy, the majority of beneficiaries would go on to the Jobseeker benefit and be expected to work, at least part-time unless they are found to be temporarily exempt.

The Supported Living Payment would replace the invalid's benefit for those who are permanently and severely disabled, severely mentally ill or terminally ill, while those currently on a sickness benefit would be classed as jobseekers. Solo parents whose youngest child is under 14 would go on Sole Parent Support, while those whose youngest child is older than five would be expected to work part-time.

The catch comes for those beneficiaries who had a subsequent child while on a benefit. They would be required to look for work once their youngest child was 12 months old, if their previous children were over five.

Yes you read it right - look for work after 12 months! I totally oppose these ideas - they are nasty, idiotic and will be devestating for many Māori.

RadioNZ

The Maori Party is refusing to say whether the National's welfare policy would be a deal-breaker if the two parties were to form a coalition after the election.

That isn't good enough for me - that is weak and part of the reason The Mana Party has formed - and why I support them.


If you cannot support and protect the members of our society that need it most then you have no place in the people's hearts.

Can Māori represent non-Māori

One of the reasons I have decided to keep on blogging is that I cannot find hardly any site discussing the election from a non labour/gnat viewpoint - notwithstanding the greens of course. The usually interesting Standard site is now overrun by newbie labour supporters barking every nanosecond about how great labours new campaign is, how goff won the debate by losing it and so on. I don't even bother with the right blogs. I'm looking forward to some of our great Māori blogs offering up some good debate and insight - we need it and we want it. 


The question raised by the post before this one is important - can non-Māori represent Māori? Does it matter? Can Māori represent non-Māori - may be an even better way to frame it. The Mana Party represents both Māori and non-Māori - the Māori Party says that they only represent Māori. Do they really? What about the F&S Act - did they represent Māori then?

What do you think and why do you think it?  

Thanks Jacque for getting me thinking about this issue.