Geoffrey Miller

New Zealand geopolitical analyst & Arabic/Russian learner

Category: Politics

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...

Politics

Who is Simon Lusk? Examining the crucial figure in Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics

Largely lost in the discussion of Nicky Hager’s Dirty Politics is a key figure – Simon Lusk. Simon Lusk has his own chapter in the book– Chapter 5, “Simon Lusk’s Plan”. He also features heavily in Chapter 6 – “El Rushbo of Aotearoa”. In this chapter, the role of Lusk in ending Rodney Hide’s leadership of the Act Party is discussed. The Hide issue has been well discussed in the media over the past few days, and Andrew Geddis offers a useful summary. Chapter 5 details Lusk’s plan to back right-wing candidates in safe National seats. Hager includes Facebook conversations...

Politics

#Hagerbook: How did Martyn Bradbury know what was in “Dirty Politics”?

On Monday, Martyn Bradbury posted “3 guesses about Nicky Hager’s new book” on The Daily Blog. The post is so short that it’s worth quoting in full: 3 guesses about Nicky Hager’s new book Nicky is about to inject some critical analysis into politics with the launch this Wednesday of his brand new book. Here are my 3 guesses on his book. 1 – Right wing spin doctors in Wellington will be crying harder than Matthew Hooton post the Hollow Men. 2 – We won’t hear from the Taxpayer Union for a while. 3 – This won’t be the only...

Politics

Moderator “bias” in TV leaders’ debates – Mike Hosking vs. John Campbell

#81959809 / gettyimages.com In New Zealand, this week has seen some discussion about Mike Hosking hosting leaders’ debates on state-owned, but independent and commercially-driven broadcaster TVNZ. It has been reported that Labour leader David Cunliffe is considering boycotting them because of Mike Hosking’s alleged leanings towards National, the main centre-right party. Hosking last year introduced current National Party leader and Prime Minister John Key at Key’s “State of the Nation” speech, telling the audience “We have bright prospects for the future, so long as you keep them [National] in Government”. The right has been quick to compare Hosking’s supposed right-wing...

Cunliffe and Robertson

Politics

Three reasons why David Cunliffe’s apology for being a man might have been a smart move

This post was originally published at Liberation. The majority view seems to be that David Cunliffe’s apology on Friday for ‘being a man’ was a mistake. But a contrary view could be that the apology was a very deliberate and calculated risk. Here are three reasons why Cunliffe’s apology might have been a smart move.  1. Voters are talking about Cunliffe There’s only one thing worse than being talked about – not being talked about. There are 74 days until the election on 20 September. If Labour and Cunliffe win every one of these days – in terms of media attention and focus...

TV3 political editor and then Labour leader Phil Goff, 2011 (original image)

Politics

Twitter lists: New Zealand media and politics/New Zealand foreign policy

I manage two Twitter lists. The first list is for New Zealand political and media-related Twitter accounts. This list is called NZ media/politics+. The list has 1700+ members, including journalists, broadcasters, producers, current and former members of parliament (MPs), parliamentary candidates, parties, unionists, lobby groups, academics, diplomats, bloggers and other commentators. The second list has 700+ accounts that are related in some way to New Zealand foreign policy – including diplomatic missions, New Zealand and foreign diplomats, journalists, analysts, commentators and organisations. This list is called Foreign policy & trade NZ. These lists are not intended to be partisan or...

Success or failure

Politics

Three reasons why the Internet Party might not be successful

This post was originally published at Liberation. In my first post, I looked at why the Internet Party might be successful. Here, I look at why it might not be. 1. Ideology  In the last post, I concluded by looking at the Internet Party’s chances of taking the mantle of a populist party. But the downside of being populist is ideological incoherence. The unveiling of the deal with Mana was met by the wave of scepticism from the Establishment – perhaps symbolised best by TV3 political editor Patrick Gower, wholabelled the arrangement as ‘one of the dirtiest deals in New Zealand political history’. Internet...

Kim Dotcom

Politics

Three reasons why the Internet Party might be successful

This post was originally published at Liberation. The Internet Party has a funder, a leader and now a shortlist of 22 enthusiastic prospective candidates who are seeking a place on the party’s inaugural list. But how likely is the party to succeed? In the following two posts, I look at three reasons why the Internet Party may succeed – and three reasons it might not. The Internet Party is up and running. Here are three reasons why it might succeed: 1. Resources Where: Albany Street in Dunedin, just along from the now closed Captain Cook Tavern.When: A wet Monday afternoon in June. What:...

Bundestag

Politics

Five reasons why the German election matters for New Zealand

This post was originally published at Liberation. In this post I provide some comparative insights into the lessons of the recent German election for New Zealand politics. The lessons are the following: 1. The electoral system is the same, 2. The German election shows the danger of a 5% threshold, 3. Angela Merkel is John Key, 4. A coalition is possible that does not include the biggest party, 5. Credibility matters. 1. The electoral system is the same Germany was the model for the mixed member proportional (MMP) voting system that New Zealand adopted in 1996. While it will always be easier culturally and...

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