NZ POLITICS DAILY: February 11th 2014

The main issues in NZ politics today are the New Zealanders fighting in Syria, Kim Dotcom's Internet Party, the Greens, NZ-Australian relations, the electricity market, and inequality, poverty and employment. [Read more below]

Today’s links

New Zealanders fighting in Syria

Andrew Geddis (Pundit): Taking away our freedom to fight

Gordon Campbell (Scoop): On our response to Syrian jihadis, and Syrian refugees

Patrice Dougan (Herald): Kiwi fighters being misinformed, says Syrian

Felix Marwick, and Michael Sergel (Newstalk ZB): Authorities have power to monitor Kiwis

Stuff: Cunliffe queries PM's Syria news

Briar Marbeck (TV3): Kiwis fighting in Syria 'silly' - Key

Claire Trevett (Herald): We'll watch returning fighters, says Key

Radio NZ: Revelation of would-be Syria fighters 'risky'

TVNZ: Key reveals Kiwis fighting with rebels in Syria

Radio NZ: Govt cancels passports for would-be fighters

Andrea Vance (Stuff): Kiwis fighting with Syrian anti-govt forces

Herald: Kiwis fighting in Syria - PM

Kim Dotcom

Isaac Davison (Herald): One in five Kiwis would consider voting for Dotcom's party – poll

Patrick Gower (TV3): One in five would consider voting for Dotcom

Patrick Gower (TV3): Labour, Greens willing to free Dotcom

Russell Brown (Public Address): The Uses of Dotcom

NBR: Labour/Greens open to blocking Dotcom extradition; Giant German sets deadline for Internet Party 'self destruct'

Eric Crampton (Offsetting behaviour): DotCom bets: they just got more complicated

Briar Marbeck (TV3): Key: 'Fair enough' if Greens break extradition treaty

Martyn Bradbury (Daily Blog): Internet Party will endorse other Party if sub 5%

Ele Ludemann (Homepaddock): Will Dotcom support Labour/Greens?

Pete George (Your NZ): Dotcom – “we’ll self destruct”

Pete George (Your NZ): Peter Dunne and Dotcom – nichts

Pete George (Your NZ): Winston Peters and Kim Dotcom

Keeping Stock: Vote LabourGreen; keep Kim Dotcom

Greens

Radio NZ: Nauru MP backs New Zealand MP's chaos claim

Laura McQuillan (Newstalk ZB): Logie won't apologise for Nauru comments

Radio NZ: NZ MP stands by comments about Nauru camps

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The Green Party self-assessment

Radio NZ: Nauru rejects NZ politican claims, demands apology

No Right Turn: Challenging the "Pacific solution" II

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): More on the Greens list

David Kennedy (Local Bodies): First they ignore you...

Frank Macskasy (Daily Blog): Kiwiblog – still happily fomenting mischief…

NZ-Australia relations 

Peter O’Neill (Timaru Herald): Editorial: Not fair, but what to do?

Radio NZ: PM says buy Australasian made

Will Matthews (Left Estate): What An Idiot

TVNZ: Australians will want Kiwi products back - John Key

TV3: Ardern: Abbott's attitude 'not good enough'

Hamish Rutherford (Stuff): Good and bad tax news – Key

Duncan Garner (RadioLIVE): Why should Australia make it easier for Kiwis?

Matthew Backhouse (Herald): Key labels Cunliffe an 'idiot' over Aussie call

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): NZ Herald on Buy Australia

Eric Crampton (Offsetting Behaviour): Trans-Tasman sad

Inequality, poverty, employment

Colin James (ODT): A low-wage downside and the “living wage”

3 News Online Staff (TV3): Govt 'blind' to realities of economy – NZ First

Liam Dann (Herald): Reporting season is real crowd-pleaser

Newswire: Employment strategies are working – Joyce

Michael Foreman (Stuff): Half an hour to earn a pint

Third Culture Commentary: Who needs a break?

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Migrants increase our income

Frank Macskasy (Daily Blog): When the Rich Whinge about paying tax

Bryce Edwards (Liberation): Top tweets about Damien Grant’s defence of tax cheats

Big Gay Out

Herald: Key defends joining beer pong game at Big Gay Out

NBR Staff (NBR): I could drink Key under the table – Cunliffe

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): Beer Pong

NZ-US relations

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): US looking to NZ expertise on Pacific initiatives

Stacey Kirk (Stuff): US issues warning on tobacco packaging

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Battle lines drawn over plain packaging for tobacco

Isaac Davison (Herald): Most MPs set to back plain-package smokes

Electricity

James Weir (Stuff): NZ Power plan won't fix energy hardship – report

Radio NZ: Report faults Labour-Greens power plan

James Weir (Stuff): Critics slam power report

Brian Fallow (Herald): Left's power plan 'could boost prices'

Newswire: Labour, Greens trash electricity report

Waitangi  Day and Maori politics

Liam Hehir (Stuff): Our ritual airing of grievances

Radio NZ: Students call for Te Reo recognition

Colin Hogg (Herald): Waitangi Day as entertainment

Paul Casserly (Herald): George Costanza and Waitangi Day

Felix Marwick (Newstalk ZB): Political Report: Food for thought over Waitangi Day

Whaling and fishing

John Armstrong (Herald): Rebuke shows NZ means business

Stacey Kirk (Stuff): Ambassador summoned over breach

Claire Trevett (Herald): McCully puts Japan envoy on the mat

3 News Online Staff (TV3):Labour: Govt 'must pressure Japanese on whalers'

Michael Field (Stuff): Fishing firms lied about catches

Auckland rail link

Stuff: Push to start rail link earlier

Bernard Orsman (Herald): $250m fast-track offer derailed

Newswire: Key: Brown has to make a good case on rail plan

Len Brown

Bernard orsman (Herald): 'Disturbing' cost blowout questioned

Lynn Prentice (Daily Blog): Jordan Williams: running the shell game

Education

Radio NZ: School drops Christian studies class

Nicholas Jones (Herald): Teacher: Key a 'good kid'

Gerard Direen (Stuff): Education - it's not that simple

Stuff: State school moves religious classes

Derek Chapman (Stuff): Good teachers forced out of teaching

National Party

David Farrar (Kiwiblog): The race for Hunua heats up

Rob Salmond (Polity): Moral mandates in Europe

Pete George (Your NZ): National good, Labour bad on ipredict

Air NZ

Giovanni Tiso (Bat, Bean, Beam): Writing social

Matthew Beveridge: An example of the dangers of social media

Other

Patricia and David Schnauer (Herald): Chance for Act to rise above rabble

Martin Devlin (NZCPR): An Arrogant Affront To Democracy In New Zealand

The Press: TV advert ban no real answer

Newswire: New Expats party plans to contest election

Daily Blog: The Daily Blog Watch – 10/11 February 2014

NZPSA: Valuing Our Vote: Improving Voter Turnout in New Zealand

Lindy Laird (Northern Advocate): Challenge to PM: Swim in toxic lake

Dominion Post: Tolerance makes for a strong society

No Right Turn: A restoration of democracy in Canterbury?

Daily Blog: Guest Blog: Pride & Prejudice: an Asian Muslim feminist on racism and queerness in NZ

Deborah Hill Cone (Herald): Talk therapy, not drugs, is often what's needed

Martin hanson (Stuff): Heeding the minority's advice is hurting the planet

Kevin Foley (Timaru Herald): There's a downside to flags and such trappings

Stuff: Today in politics: Tuesday, 11 February

Taranaki Daily News: Elderly at the mercy of the state

Patrick Leyland (Progress Report): More on Manukau East…

Taranaki Daily News: Consumption must reduce

Ele Ludemann (Homepaddock): No residential requirement for representation

Tim Selwyn (Daily Blog): TV Review: Hosking Henry