Category Archives: Uncategorized

There have been many things said about the escalating debacle involving the occupation in and around Parliament grounds in Wellington. I’ve already blogged an assessment in my previous Political Bytes post:  Rights, responsibilities and far right agendas. Much has changed since then. Abuse and intimidation (including threats of violence) has increased for residents, local workersContinue reading “Wellington now faces a public health emergency”

In 1981, although not a leader, I was an active participant in the massive protests against the Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand. South Africa was then under the tyrannical racist apartheid dictatorship responsible for the denial of fundamental democratic and repression of the large majority of its population. The protests were part of anContinue reading “Rights, responsibilities, François-Marie Arouet and far right agendas”

Tensions between the United States (along with its allies including neighbouring Australia) and China are widening to an alarming concern despite being temporarily side-lined by the more public scrap between the United States (and NATO) and Russia over Ukraine. The conflict language with China is starting to escalate to a militarist tone but is couchedContinue reading “Behind the ‘war’ against China”

There are few things more annoying than being snookered. I was well into writing this blog when the Guardian published a column on the same subject and with a similar conclusion. The columnist Morgan Godfery, is a progressive political and unionist activist currently employed as an academic at Otago University.Cooperation agreement with Labour toxic for Greens IContinue reading “Should Greens ditch cooperative agreement with Labour?”

Last year I began publishing a new blog (in addition to Otaihanga Second Opinion on health systems and policies) called Political Bytes. The intention was to provide a left-wing comment on politics. To say the least publication was very, very, very, very, very, very infrequent. My objective in 2022 is to reduce the number ofContinue reading “What do you know about politics if politics is all you know?”

One of my enjoyments is reading the New York Review of Books. Mainly I read the political, historical and health and education system articles rather than fiction (I enjoy fiction but not articles about fiction). Its broadly liberal democrat politics are not mine (I’m further to the left) but I admire the insights arising outContinue reading “Illusions wobbling liberal democracy”

The 2020 general election produced the most powerful government New Zealand has ever had since proportional representation (mixed member representation) began in 1996. With three year terms we have now had nine elections under this system. For the first time we have elected a majority government. The first eight elections required coalition partners. But canContinue reading “Is there a difference between a powerful government and a house of cards?”

This is the first issue of my new political blog, Political Bytes, which is intended to be short and pithy with both a New Zealand and international focus. It is quite different in focus and length from my more specific health systems blog Otaihanga Second Opinion at https://otaihangasecondopinion.wordpress.com/ The lazy use of words annoys me.Continue reading “Neoliberalism – a misunderstood ideology”