Written By: - Date published: 12:15 am, February 9th, 2012 - 186 comments
It’s slipped down the news agenda but is about to come back up it: The Ports of Auckland Dispute. Tony Gibson is wasting our money on his union-busting campaign that will result in reduced profits for ratepayers. Sign up to make him see sense.
Written By: - Date published: 1:59 pm, February 8th, 2012 - 66 comments
Shame you couldn’t raise it to a living one though. The working poor will appreciate the extra $1000 per year coming this April, but it still won’t cover their bills…
Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, January 31st, 2012 - 86 comments
News in on the Herald says the Maori party are talking the talk over National’s latest insult to Maori.
Will they quit the Government? Or will the smell of those limo seats mean another backdown in a couple of weeks?
Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, January 24th, 2012 - 39 comments
There are a couple of nice pieces in the Herald today on upstanding ACT MP John Banks – on his advising arrested Kim Dotcom on residency and the Overseas Investment Commission, and on his “National” billboards…
Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, January 13th, 2012 - 88 comments
Ecological economist Brian Davey explains how while we need to fix the problems of peak oil and climate change, we’re not going to get anywhere until we deal with the psychopathic elite of bankers who have control of the world economy.
Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, December 21st, 2011 - 25 comments
Key’s anti-politician image is slipping – particularly as Labour’s new ‘anti-politician’ leader shows it up. Reasonable? Willing to accept good ideas from the other side of the house? That man is not Key…
Written By: - Date published: 2:44 pm, December 19th, 2011 - 111 comments
The new Labour line-up is announced. Parker Finance, Ardern Social Development, Cunliffe Economic Development (plus Assoc Finance) round out the top five.
Written By: - Date published: 11:36 pm, December 16th, 2011 - 5 comments
Investigative journalism (remember that?) has opened up Bell Pottinger, the UK’s top PR/lobby firm. Inside they’ve found some seriously dodgy dealing that goes right to the top of British Government. There’s a call for a register of lobbyists and their interests – isn’t that something we should have here as well?
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, December 13th, 2011 - 340 comments
Labour have come out of their caucus after their vote on who should succeed Phil Goff as leader. The new leadership team is David Shearer and Grant Robertson.
Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, December 11th, 2011 - 90 comments
This is for anyone who’s struggled to keep up with the Labour leadership contest, whether currently at the Auckland meeting or not.
Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, December 6th, 2011 - 35 comments
Steven Joyce isn’t a big believer in democracy. He has overruled Treasury, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry for the Environment to make sure that the government keeps control of Auckland’s transport funds, and Auckland Transport is unaccountable to Aucklanders.
Written By: - Date published: 6:50 am, December 4th, 2011 - 194 comments
A tough decision for Labour looms – go for the gamble on the hero, or back the proven performer? (This post should have been on Friday night but got munched by Wordpress…)
Written By: - Date published: 2:18 pm, November 30th, 2011 - 47 comments
Labour would do well out of a long, positive leadership contest with all the contenders getting well-known by the country as they express their vision. If we can’t get Phil to stay, how about we have Annette hold the reigns as interim leader for the duration of the contest?
Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, November 28th, 2011 - 37 comments
In 2005 the UK Conservatives badly lost a third election in a row and their leader announced his intent to resign. But they organised a well-run contest to replace him, and by the time he won David Cameron had gone from unknown outsider to popular public figure, and the once ‘toxic’ Conservatives were electable again.
Written By: - Date published: 5:03 pm, May 11th, 2011 - 33 comments
Hone has done what he said he would and resigned, effective May 20. There will be a by-election in Te Tai Tokerau.
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 pm, March 26th, 2011 - 63 comments
The latest media frenzy about a Phil Goff coup is rapidly dying down. The Government passed some controversial legislation in double-quick time with little coverage and somebody made a killing on iPredict. Coincidence?
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, March 21st, 2011 - 41 comments
There was already going to be too little money in Budget 2011 for maintenance of public services. Now what little there was is being further slashed in the name of Christchurch. An Earthquake Levy is not an option, rather we’ll all pay through increased borrowing and 25% cuts in services like police, transport, justice and social services.
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, March 20th, 2011 - 67 comments
US, UK and French forces have begun attacks on government targets in Libya. French planes flew reconnaissance yesterday and fired the first shots today. They have destroyed a number of armoured vehicles and tanks. UK submarines have attacked air defence targets and their planes have fired missiles. In total US & UK forces have fired …
Written By: - Date published: 8:04 am, March 13th, 2011 - 37 comments
Gerry Brownlee promised the West Coast a stimulus package. The government has now ruled that out. Those with whom John Key so public sympathised will not get what they were promised; they’ll be left to pick up the tab, whilst he works on his next PR opportunity.
Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, March 12th, 2011 - 72 comments
National will reject Auckland Council and Aucklanders’ view on what their future city should look like. Instead they propose One ever more sprawling city, with ever more sprawling motorways, ever more cars clogging its veins, ever less community, and ever less government money.
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, March 11th, 2011 - 10 comments
Last National government: split Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. This National government: merge Agriculture and Fisheries. In times of economic recession and disaster National know the really important things to focus on. Just as long as they keep those civil servants busy and away from helping the public we’ll all be fine.
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, March 10th, 2011 - 33 comments
Digested: the Reserve Bank cuts rates, the dollar weakens, oil prices rise and Sovereign Homes goes out of business.
Written By: - Date published: 6:35 am, March 10th, 2011 - 45 comments
National are to allow battery farming style early childhood education. From July the government will allow 75 stressed under-2 year-olds in one room, unable to form a relationship with any one teacher.
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 am, March 8th, 2011 - 40 comments
TVNZ7, and New Zealand public service television as a whole, looks to be coming to an end in June next year. TVNZ has been told their only responsibility is to return to the government a 9% return on investment per annum; their response is that they see pay-TV as their future. Sky is now “a frenemy”.
Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, March 4th, 2011 - 70 comments
New Zealand has won the rights to host the U20 Football World Cup in 2015.
Written By: - Date published: 12:25 pm, March 2nd, 2011 - 36 comments
Simon Power is not going to stand for re-election in November.
Written By: - Date published: 1:12 pm, February 28th, 2011 - 128 comments
Tapu Misa’s latest piece in the Herald is just so right I can’t really add anything to it. She nicely sums up the Welfare Working Group’s message: “We’re not saying it’s your fault you can’t get a job. We’re just saying you’re a malingering freeloader who’s not trying hard enough.”
Written By: - Date published: 3:21 pm, February 23rd, 2011 - 62 comments
Radio New Zealand are reporting that Hone Harawira and the Maori Party have decided to go their separate ways after the Maori Party disciplinary committee recommended he be thrown out. In a more peaceful resolution than the acrimony that has surrounded their dispute, they have decided that Hone can stick to Te Tai Tokerau, and …
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, February 21st, 2011 - 23 comments
The Salvation Army has a Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit that comes out with some very well researched material. Their State of the Nation is compelling reading and their fear of the government’s welfare proposals coming out tomorrow speaks volumes.
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 pm, February 20th, 2011 - 4 comments
On a day when I’ve heard of 3 smaller businesses shutting down due to National’s economy, Big Business too is waking up to the flaws in National’s ways. The push through, don’t consult, override the wishes of the people mentality even chafes the corporates when it’s not in their favour.
Written By: - Date published: 3:40 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 34 comments
The Oz Job Expo was in Auckland this weekend, and 6000 people turned up and were willing to pay $15 to look for the job they couldn’t find in New Zealand. With much lower unemployment in Australia, job adverts way up since 2008 instead of way down here, and wages on average 30% higher, who could blame them?
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