Written By: - Date published: 5:57 pm, February 17th, 2012 - 37 comments
Paula Bennett, in her rush to action, has a Green Paper that intends to create a White Paper that may result in some legislation that she hopes will help “vulnerable children”. But, much as National have spurned attempts from other parties for a non-partisan action on child poverty and looking after our nation’s children, we …
Written By: - Date published: 1:40 pm, February 14th, 2012 - 18 comments
You may have noticed the ads about The Standard for the MMP Review that the Electoral Commission announced yesterday.
Now’s your chance to have your say on what MMP will look like in the future.
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, February 8th, 2012 - 19 comments
The UN High Level Panel on Global Sustainability has delivered a report about creating a future that’s sustainable economically, socially and environmentally. Our government and political parties should be looking at it and measuring themselves against it.
Written By: - Date published: 6:43 am, February 7th, 2012 - 216 comments
The Herald looks like it has an excellent series this week, on Auckland: A city divided by income. It’s an issue that has been waiting to be examined in the local context in more depth. It’s been quite a big issue in the UK for a while, with The Spirit Level making an impact before …
Written By: - Date published: 12:56 pm, January 31st, 2012 - 89 comments
We’ve been told about how bad poverty is here, and how bad it is for our future by the excellent Inside New Zealand documentary – but will it take an outside view to wake us from our slumber?
If so then Christians Against Poverty‘s John Kirkby is willing to provide it for us.
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, January 27th, 2012 - 31 comments
Income inequality is one of the major issues of our time, and is being discussed globally. But our government doesn’t appear to be listening. Now a new organisation is aiming to raise awareness of the issue, and pressure our politicians to do something about it.
Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, January 18th, 2012 - 23 comments
There’s a documentary on BBC World Service about the Wealth Gap – how the top 0.1% keep earning more and more. Looks worth a listen…
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, December 22nd, 2011 - 59 comments
“Once in office, you’ve got to do something. That is why having a plan matters.” – Simon Power, 2011, valedictory speech to parliament
Written By: - Date published: 10:47 pm, December 15th, 2011 - 218 comments
Mighty River Power is first on the block, to be sold in the third quarter of next year (weather conditions permitting).
Written By: - Date published: 6:42 pm, December 15th, 2011 - 22 comments
There was a very good science piece on Nine-to-Noon this morning, covering some of Kathryn Ryan’s trip to Antarctica. It got me thinking: we need a lot more science in our media – we’d get a better country out of it.
Written By: - Date published: 11:20 pm, December 13th, 2011 - 89 comments
Canada is to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol, making it one of 2 nations in the world to be formally outside it. What will National do when the inevitably large fines roll in for us under their eviscerated ETS?
Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, December 13th, 2011 - 46 comments
Peter Dunne has – according to Alcohol Action NZ spokesperson Professor Doug Sellman – “deliberately suppressed” the biggest and best survey on Kiwi attitudes to drink legislation this country has (not) seen.
Written By: - Date published: 4:56 pm, December 12th, 2011 - 37 comments
Sorry to interrupt the politics with sport, but this is our first test victory in Australia since before our strike bowlers Southee and Bracewell were born. And only our 3rd victory in Australia ever.
Written By: - Date published: 1:47 pm, December 12th, 2011 - 69 comments
The new cabinet is out, and the Biggest Loser is Anne Tolley.
Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, December 7th, 2011 - 62 comments
The OECD has a report out blasting increasing income inequality, and saying trickle down doesn’t work for wealth or social mobility. New Zealand had the greatest increase in inequality in the Western World. So what are we going to do to fix it?
Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, December 6th, 2011 - 33 comments
Tax take is down, deficit is up, growth forecasts for next year are down. Nice to be told all this one week after the election, eh? Still John and Bill are relaxed and optimistic that the future will still be bright.
Written By: - Date published: 5:02 pm, November 29th, 2011 - 68 comments
In what must be a record for broken promises, National have on Day 1 of government delivered a letter to Forest and Bird that they will renege on their promise of public consultation before allowing mining on public conservation land. Denniston will be mined, without the public having a say.
Written By: - Date published: 2:51 pm, November 28th, 2011 - 62 comments
Not wanting to get into a fight with my fellow lefties who advocated a vote for NZ First, but did you want an 8th NZ First MP instead of the excellent Raymond Huo?
The dangers of voting strategically…
Written By: - Date published: 6:32 am, November 25th, 2011 - 5 comments
This election is a referendum on Asset Sales – will you vote to save our Assets?
Written By: - Date published: 6:42 am, November 21st, 2011 - 151 comments
Phil Goff said yesterday we had “Six days to save our assets” – now we have 5. Here’s what University of Auckland’s economics professor thinks about asset sales, and some more reasons why we desperately need to avoid a National-led government on November 27.
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, November 9th, 2011 - 47 comments
National want it both ways. They’ve brought us economic recovery through their brilliance (we’ve just not felt it yet), but also the lack of a recovery is not their fault and is in fact why all the stats are so bad. Here’s a reminder of what they’ve said…
Written By: - Date published: 5:01 pm, November 8th, 2011 - 73 comments
Not as much fun as a Letterman Top Ten, but here’s John Key’s vital statistics – his record to be judged on. (h/t Phil Goff…)
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, November 2nd, 2011 - 9 comments
National have a rubbish short-term plan for Government debt: Asset Sales.
But they have no plan at all for the private debt that is forecast to blow out worse than ever under their policies. Bit like the economy in general really.
Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, October 19th, 2011 - 45 comments
National are seen by many as the party of business, and thus the party of the economy, who know what’s best for the country’s wallet. But the statistics don’t add up. Their reputation is undeserved.
Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, October 19th, 2011 - 10 comments
Just a quick plug from your local Labour candidate…
Written By: - Date published: 6:37 am, October 12th, 2011 - 55 comments
3News has him caught out lying, The Standard has his office caught lying, and his government’s failed to act on the worst environmental disaster New Zealand has had.
Not to mention the crisis at first five-eighth.
Written By: - Date published: 2:54 pm, October 4th, 2011 - 37 comments
John Key’s relentless optimism is designed to make the country feel good, and to feel good about him – that nice man Mr Key. It doesn’t, however, solve our large economic problems.
Written By: - Date published: 6:32 am, September 28th, 2011 - 32 comments
John Key promised to put Food in poorer Schools across New Zealand to help children to learn. What has he done about it? One cheap, but very well-publicised stunt. Will we see any substance? Or is this another promise like not raising GST, wages catching Australia, or capping not cutting the civil service?
Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, September 27th, 2011 - 24 comments
Nick Smith is looking at issuing a “Government policy statement” to ensure that the Auckland Plan complies with their agenda. They may ban the urban limits that are proposed to keep green, productive land around Auckland and help ensure rates stay low and public transport works in a more liveable city.
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, September 24th, 2011 - 125 comments
John Key explains how the economy is all just a business confidence trick. Apparently businesspeople just need to believe a bit more.
Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, September 20th, 2011 - 55 comments
John Pagani has an excellent piece on the lack of National substance in the lead-up to this election.
Like last election we’re seeing Labour say what they would do, presenting one alternative, as National fail to present theirs; relying on that nice man John Key’s image over any policy substance.
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