Politics Central

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More than 30 million Americans have cast early ballots ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, eclipsing the 2014 early totals nationally and suggesting a high overall turnout for contests that could define the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.
At least 28 states have surpassed their 2014 early votes. And perhaps even more indicative of the unusual enthusiasm this midterm cycle, some states are approaching their early turnout from the 2016 presidential election.
Here's a look at some highlights:
MASSIVE TURNOUT
The 30.6 million ballots includes data from 48 states, with several of those still collecting absentee ballots and welcoming in-person early voters. The total early vote in 2014 was 28.3 million in an election where more than 83 million Americans voted. That was a low turnout (about 36 percent) even by usual standards of a midterm, when there's an expected drop off from presidential elections.
Forecasters aren't predicting that overall turnout this year will hit 2016 levels (137.5 million; more than 60 percent of the electorate), but Democratic and Republican analysts, along with independent political scientists, say turnout could approach 50 percent, levels not seen for a midterm since the turbulent 1960s.
BOOMS IN STATES NOT USED TO EXCITING MIDTERMS
It's one thing to see Virginia more than doubling its 2014 early turnout. Voters there showed their intensity last year in their governor's race, with record absentee ballot requests and returns and a solid turnout for both parties.
But then there's Tennessee. The state has settled firmly into Republican-dominated territory. In 2014, there wasn't a single statewide race that received national attention or a truly competitive House election.
But with an open Senate seat thanks to the retirement of Republican Bob Corker, voters are more than eager this year. Through Thursday, early turnout was 217 percent of what it was in 2014. It's even approaching early turnout from 2016, at 80 percent of that presidential-year mark.
Several other states with competitive Senate or governor's races — Texas, Nevada, Georgia, among others — are nearing double the 2014 early totals.
DEMOCRATS EDGING REPUBLICANS NATIONALLY
In states that require party registration, Democrats have cast 41 percent of the early ballots, compared to 36 percent for Republicans. Party strategists on both sides say they are far exceeding their usual numbers in key locales — urban strongholds for Democrats and more rural counties for Republicans.
A word of caution from prognosticators: The party analysis isn't always an indicator of final outcomes. There are crossover voters, even in this hyperpartisan era. And there are independents and third-party voters, as well. For the record, those latter groups account for about 23 percent of the ballots in party registration states.
For the scorekeepers, though, Virginia, among the states that doesn't have party registration, is replicating its 2017 voting boom — and Democrats swept the top offices last year even amid strong GOP turnout.
YOUNG VOTERS IN FLORIDA
Trends in Florida's early voting suggest a surge in young voters, a group that historically has low turnout in midterm cycles.
Of the 124,000 Floridians aged 18 to 29 who had voted in person at early polling stations as of Thursday, nearly a third did not vote in the presidential election in 2016, according to analysis by University of Florida political science professor Daniel Smith. About half of those new voters were newly registered.  
"There are newly energized voters who sat out in 2016, or have registered since then, who are turning out. There's no question about that," Smith said.  
In contrast, for people 65 and older who had voted early and in person, about 7 percent didn't vote in 2016. 
NEW VOTERS IN...

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The primary teachers' union says the Government's pledge to fund 600 Learning Support Coordinators is a huge deal.
The Prime Minister has announced the roles will be filled from 2020, by qualified teachers.
They will be tasked with ensuring children with learning needs, such as autism, get the support they need.
NZEI President Lynda Stuart told the Weekend Collective the need for more support for children with additional learning needs has never been greater.
"We've been crying out for this role to be acknowledged, to be fully funded, and for there to be professional development, so to hear this announcement today, NZEI members are absolutely delighted."
Stuart says it's a huge deal for educators, our children and their families.
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The Minister of Immigration is within his rights to grant residency to a controversial drug dealer.
The National Party's Michael Woodhouse has demanded Iain Lees-Galloway explain why he used his power of "absolute discretion" to cancel deportation liability and grant residence to Karel Sroubek, also known as Jan Antolik.
Immigration lawyer Richard Mcleod says that we likely will never know why Sroubek was granted residency, but Lees-Galloway is allowed to do it and likely has strong reasons for granting the exemption. 
He says that there have been strict conditions imposed on the residency.
"It doesn't seem to be a soft touch there." 
LISTEN TO RICHARD MCLEOD TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE

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The dramatic saga that has dominated political headlines for the last few weeks has raised questions over how to report mental health. 
Jami-Lee Ross shook up Parliament when he made several startling allegations about his leader Simon Bridges. The credibility of his claims was drawn into question when Ross' mental health was brought up, with the rogue MP admitting he had had a mental breakdown several weeks prior.
Political commentator Bryce Edwards says there is a lot to learn from this saga, but he has yet to see a consensus around how reporters and politicians should act moving forward. 
Edwards told The Weekend Collective that it shows we do need to take mental health seriously. 
"I think we've learnt that we often look for the good guy and the bad guy, and sometimes it's not as simple as that."
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If Jami-Lee Ross wasn't a politician, no one would care what he has to say.
That's the view of commentator Sean Plunkett. He told The Weekend Collective that this past week has been a big drama over nothing. 
He says that Ross' comments have been used by a media that decided they would be damaging to Simon Bridges and his leadership before they had even heard anything.
LISTEN TO SEAN PLUNKETT TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE

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The Deputy Prime Minister doesn't think Simon Bridges or Paula Bennett will survive the Jami-Lee Ross saga, but says it will take a while before heads roll.
The National Party leader has stayed staunch in the face of media attention after a week of accusations from rogue MP Ross.
Winston Peters told The Weekend Collective that the Party will wait before it acts.
"They'll want to put distance between this event before they move on. First of all, Paula Bennett, and then [Bridges]. That's the way it usually happens. You pick off the weakest one first and then you go for the top one."
Peters says it's ironic that the first use of the waka jumping legislation might go to Simon Bridges, despite the National Party's opposition to the Bill.
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LISTEN TO PHIL TWYFORD TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE
Auckland's rough sleepers will now get the chance to take hot showers and get their laundry washed for free.
A custom-built van with a built in shower in the back, two washing machines and two dryers, begun operating today in central Onehunga.
It won't always stick around there though, it's set to make its way around Auckland and, soon, the rest of the country.
Orange Sky Australia started the initiative four years ago with a single van. It now has 27 operating around the country, relying on more than 1400 volunteers.
Brand manager Benjamin Knight told the Herald they can usually get through 12 loads of washing and up to 10 showers in a two- or three-hour shift.
He said the appliances on board were run by a diesel-powered generator and, ideally, they would plug into power and water sources wherever possible too.
Knight said New Zealand's rate of homelessness was particularly alarming and they hoped to have the same "massive" impact that they've had across the ditch.
About 800 people were sleeping rough in Auckland last month, along with another 2874 people, including 1299 children in temporary and emergency accommodation, according to initial figures released from the Ira Mata, Iri Tangata: Auckland's Homeless Council.
Knight said it's expected that like any new service, it'll take time for people to warm to it and take advantage of it.
He said it was just a matter of time before more of the vans were brought in and rolled out around New Zealand.
The service is partly funded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
The Minister for Housing and Urban Development Phil Twyford said while support services are working hard to reduce homelessness and get roofs over people's heads, the laundry service goes some way to bringing rough sleepers one of the simple things many take for granted.

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LISTEN TO JOHN MINTO TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOUT PENNY ABOVE
Mourners are arriving at St Matthew-in-the-City for the funeral of activist Penny Bright.
Bright died 10 days ago at Mercy Hospice, aged 64, after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
People are signing her plain plywood casket before it is taken into the church under a guard of honour with streamers in her favourite colours of black, red an white.
Inside the central city Anglican Church are many of Bright's banners, such as 'New Zealand is a polluted, corrupt TAX HAVEN'.
Among the mourners are Maori activist Tama Iti and Council of Trade Union convenor Marney Ainsworth who first met Bright in 1996 when firefighters were losing their jobs.
"Her contribution has been phenomenal to honest process and getting people off their high horse," said Ainsworth.
Lisa Prager, a close friend and fellow activist, earlier told the Herald the service would be "a state funeral for a fallen warrior".

Bright's partner of 13 years, who simply goes by the name of Julian, also said, "It will be a celebration of her achievements and what she did for Aucklanders. It will be a very Penny Bright funeral."
Despite her illness, Bright was still battling Auckland Council to establish how much ratepayers' money was spent pursuing her refusal to pay rates on her Kingsland home in a quest to "open the books".
"She was still talking politics on her deathbed. That was the nature of the woman," said Julian.
Today, family, activist friends and politicians gather inside the central city Anglican Church that has opened its doors to gays and lesbians, held civic memorial services for the victims of Aids and welcomed Nelson Mandela to thank New Zealand for its role in ending apartheid.
Apartheid in South Africa put Bright on the path to political activism when she started a branch of Hart - Halt All Racist Tours - while at Kuranui College in the Wairarapa in the early 1970s.
The veteran protester shot to prominence in Auckland 20 years ago through the Water Pressure Group, set up to oppose "user pays" for water. She was evicted and dragged from council meetings, arrested more than 40 times and was not afraid to harangue mayors, bureaucracy, police and the judiciary.
She stood, unsuccessfully, for Parliament and the Auckland mayoralty on numerous occasions, referring to herself, tongue-in-cheek, as "Her Warship".
Prager earlier said the church will be filled with "as much good humour, love and laughter as we can muster".
"It will be a celebration and taste of her wonderful life and who she is."
Prager and other activist friends will be among the speakers. There will be poems and readings and a "very uplifting" song in the middle of the service.
Julian is to close the public farewell before a private wake for family and close friends.
 

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The Government has enough money, so they should scrap the petrol taxes.
That's Simon Bridge's view on the petrol tax. 
National's leader has launched a petition to try and convince the Government to drop their tax increases in the face of increasing fuel prices.
Bridges told The Weekend Collective that the Government's budget surplus announced this week shows they don't need the taxes to fund their transport plans. 
"When you've got a $5.5 billion surplus, the reason the Government has more money is because you as a Kiwi have less."
Bridges says the only thing the Prime Minister can do to affect the cost at the bump is drop them.
LISTEN TO SIMON BRIDGES TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE

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