Bryce Edwards: Political round-up: January 20

Photo / NZ Herald

'How big is my politics' asks The Political Scientist blog in an insightful post focusing on David Shearer's comments about the Christchurch recovery and rebuild. Shearer's approach to issues to date appears to be based on 'bi-partisan' solutions. De-politicisation is generally seen as good if it reduces petty points scoring, but this blog says Shearer takes it too far, mistakenly believing 'that all that is needed to solve most controversial and significant issues is a good sit down, chin-wag and get together - see: Shearer on 'How big is my politics?'.

The debate over Labour's Red Alert blog continues, and today Scott Yorke has a very funny post that pokes fun at Clare Curran and Trevor Mallard's obsession with David Farrar - see: Red Alert: The Best Is Yet To David Farrar. Meanwhile, David Farrar refutes claims by Clare Curran that he has attacked and undermined Red Alert, pointing out that Labour activists and supporters have been the most vocal critics recently - see Farrar's post: Red Alert.

Clare Trevett in the Herald looks at large donations to political parties for the election campaign - particularly union donations to the Labour Party, including $18,500 from the Maritime Union which represents workers at the Ports of Auckland. While Labour received over $120,000 from unions, National received over $490,000, mostly from corporates. Full details of all political donations won't be available until May - see: Wharf-row union among big donors to Labour.

The Maritime Union looks set to play one of its trump cards in the Ports of Auckland dispute, with TVNZ reporting a meeting with the International Transport Workers Federation to organise international support if the Ports of Auckland follow through with their contracting-out proposal - see: International concern grows over Ports of Auckland dispute.

While employment law prevents other workers taking action within New Zealand to support the union, most of the 400,000 ITF members in more than 200 major ports around the world don't have the same restrictions. Saving a few dollars per container as it's loaded in Auckland might not seem like such a bargain if it remains stuck on a ship in some foreign port. Asked by Mike Hosking if the ITF can actually have any influence, ITF President Paddy Crumlin's response was 'we'll test our arm, put it that way' - listen here.

Brian Edwards wholeheartedly supports a 'nanny ban' on smoking in public spaces in Auckland, and Amelia Wade reports that he is not alone. An Otago University study has directly linked smoking and binge drinking, showing that smokers are almost three times more likely be hazardous drinkers. Associate Professor Nick Wilson also accuses the Government of merely tinkering with alcohol laws saying that taxpayers are landed with the costs while alcohol and tobacco industries take the profits - see: Dave Williams' Hit booze in smoking battle: experts and Govt 'pathetically weak' on booze: expert.

The Government may also face criticism that it is pandering to SkyCity casino as it negotiates concessions in return for the company building a $350 million convention centre in Auckland. John Hartevelt reports that SkyCity has asked for a thousand extra pokie machines and relaxation of rules around promotion of gambling, which has the Problem Gambling Foundation concerned - see: Minister, casino play cards close to chest on pokies and convention centre.