Author Archive
The policing of women’s bodies
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, June 6th, 2013 - 116 comments
(Socialist) feminism seems to be on the rise internationally, exposing how threats to “old boys” corporate-aligned power are countered by policing women’s bodies. Sue Bradford highlights the contradiction between Owen Glenn’s paternalistic corporate capitalism and the feminist-aligned participants in his Inquiry. Jan Logie addresses the gender pay gap.
The National government’s divided society
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 2nd, 2013 - 14 comments
A Fairfax poll shows an NZ divided by income inequalities & political allegiances. Little unemployment for National voters & more for opposition voters: a precariat with a high proportion of Maori & Pacific people. The right time for Russel Norman’s speech and blockupy?
Green Party for democracy
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 31st, 2013 - 34 comments
Yesterday in Question Time, Green MP Holly Walker challenged to government’s anti-democratic rush to enable the government to over-ride local councils on housing. Today Russel Norman challenges the Key government’s anti-democratic processes. This weekend there is a democratic Green Party conference.
Images of our time: ‘shock’ capitalism
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, May 30th, 2013 - 87 comments
As Naomi Klein said in the Shock Doctrine documentary, disorienting natural and economic shocks result in the wealth being shifted from “public hands” to the wealthiest. The wealth gap, and extent of poverty in NZ is increasingly & devastatingly marginalising good Kiwis. Meanwhile, Peter Jackson is flying high.
Shocking the people into submission
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, May 29th, 2013 - 24 comments
Last night The Shock Doctrine (2009) aired on Maori TV. John Key, and his cheerleaders have followed their latest series of shock-inducing attacks on democratic processes and (low income) people’s rights, with positive forecasts for our future. Meanwhile, the gap between the haves & have-nots has grown.
Note to John Key and David Shearer
Written By: - Date published: 7:29 am, May 28th, 2013 - 89 comments
John Key and David Shearer have made similar (inaccurate) statements about who has ultimate responsibility for feeding the kids.
Back to the future: John Key’s Dickensian values
Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, May 27th, 2013 - 161 comments
John Key has been shamed by Hone Harawira’s “feed the kids” private members Bill. Key’s approach to child hunger is a sly use of Dickensian-type PPPs & charities to absolve the government of responsibility, while falsely presenting a caring face.
How far right is John Key’s “centre”?
Written By: - Date published: 10:17 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 69 comments
Once again the MSM reports John Key’s assessment of his party’s place on the political spectrum without any critique. The NZ Herald has repeated Key’s line about his government being “centre right” and the Greens being “far left”. Key’s government’s continuing abuse of democracy is a long way from the centre of the “right”.
Marama Davidson: a promising Green candidate
Written By: - Date published: 7:43 pm, May 26th, 2013 - 12 comments
The Green candidate for the Ikaroa-Rahiti by-election, Marama Davidson is someone to watch. However, Labour’s Meka Whaitiri is the front runner and a very strong candidate. Mana’s Te Hamua Nikora and the Maori Party’s Na Raihania also have the opportunity to make their mark.
The ThinThread of GCSB surveillance
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, May 25th, 2013 - 11 comments
A surveillance device, Thin Thread, was probably sent from the US to NZ’s GCSB in 2000-2001 for testing. ThinThread collects local meta data, and can pass it on to foreign agencies. This raises fresh calls for an inquiry into GCSB activities.
The shameless Nick Smith
Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, May 24th, 2013 - 31 comments
Nick Smith has a long history of slippery dealings. He apologises but accepts no blame, then is resurrected: contempt of court, a defamation case, the Pullar-ACC “conflict of interest”, bad faith negotiations with Auckland Council, the Denniston Plateau deal. Yesterday on RNZ, Smith exposed the government’s agenda on mining conservation land.
Cynical
Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, May 23rd, 2013 - 82 comments
It looks like Nick Smith will today grant access to West Coast conservation land for mining. This looks like a cynical attempt to enforce the government’s anti-conservation agenda by avoiding the legal and democratic requirement for public consultation. When will the NZ Herald headline: “Democracy Under Attack!”? [updated]
Digital democracy: Fair Deal goes global
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, May 21st, 2013 - 2 comments
NZ’s Fair Deal Coalition launched a new website, ourfairdeal.org, networking globally with others concerned about intellectual property & the TTPA. The FDC includes those supporting global “neoliberal” commerce, & others supporting community & public sector activities, democratic freedoms and privacy rights.
When an “accord” is not
Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 17th, 2013 - 130 comments
Yesterday’s budget is a sop to affordable housing & aims to privatise state housing. Penny Hulse says the government’s related “housing accord” Bill is at odds with the agreement her council has not yet ratified. It overrides local democracy & endangers the AKL “agreement”. [Update] Waitakere News analysis
‘That’s what the fuss is all about’
Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, May 16th, 2013 - 22 comments
Hone Harawira challenged the Maori Party for its support of charter schools, at the expense of Maori and public education. He challenged Sharples to resign if today’s budget fails to adequately support kura kaupapa and the Manaaki Tauira programme.
GCSB is watching you? Won’t ‘confirm or deny’
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, May 15th, 2013 - 37 comments
The GCSB won’t “confirm or deny” if they spied on individual Kiwis. Concerned citizens might contact the Privacy Commissioner or start a class action. John Key’s rushed GCSB Bill won’t prevent mission creep, surveillance to support international corporate interests or inadequate oversight of the GCSB. [Update]: link to Waitakere News
Budget: corporate “charity” not the solution to Feeding the Kids
Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, May 15th, 2013 - 24 comments
Thursday’s budget is likely to make businesses central to blunting the edge of child poverty. Campbell Live is concerned about the marginalisation of skilled community organisations. Harawira has delayed the reading of his Feed the Kids Bill & argues for the state to play a stronger role.
Judith Collins, MMP, “consensus” & democracy
Written By: - Date published: 6:33 pm, May 14th, 2013 - 69 comments
Holly Walker dragged out of Judith Collins that the government will not implement the Electoral Commission’s recommendations for MMP. Collins argues there is no “consensus” between all political parties on possible changes. The Greens say National has not kept the promise of changes, out of self interest.
This is what corporate dictatorship looks like
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, May 14th, 2013 - 32 comments
The compensation part of Joyce’s and Key’s dirty, undemocratic SkyCity deal, could legally be over-turned by a future government, as proposed by the Greens. However, the TPPA could weaken NZ’s parliamentary sovereignty and open the government to claims by secret private offshore tribunals. Opposition needs to step up!
Sky City, pokies and corruption
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, May 13th, 2013 - 51 comments
Key and Joyce made sure Gilmore was out of the way before they announced their dubious Sky City for (more) pokies deal. The pokies system in NZ is rife with dubious goings on. It’s bad for low income families, communities and their children. [update: responses]
The neoliberalisation of Universities
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, May 12th, 2013 - 43 comments
An article in today’s Sunday Star Times, provides evidence of an organised business in providing students with assignments for their tertiary education courses. The focus is on Chinese ethnicity. Ultimately, the blame for such rorts lies with the neoliberalisation of universities: the undermining of the critical endeavour of education.
John Key’s disaster capitalism
Written By: - Date published: 1:07 pm, May 9th, 2013 - 31 comments
The latest Household Labour Force Employment statistics are out, and on the surface, look good for John and Bill. But this is driven by improved employment in Canterbury over the last quarter. Grant Robertson says, “Disaster recovery is not a plan for jobs”.
The cost of our clothes
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, May 9th, 2013 - 23 comments
Big Western retailers provide us with relatively cheap clothing, through paying low wages in countries where industrial health and safety is poorly regulated. Last month a big garment factory in Bangladesh collapsed, killing over 700 800 people. Ultimately we are all damaged by the profiteering of the elites.
What if Gilmore quits?
Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, May 8th, 2013 - 105 comments
Stuff is reporting that John Key is signalling for Aaron Gilmore to stand down. What are the possible implications? [update: information about Claudette Hauiti, next National’s list]
GCSB Bill: & Dotcom versus FBI, “NZ Intelligence Community” et al
Written By: - Date published: 10:21 am, May 8th, 2013 - 47 comments
John Key is using “urgency” to push through his anti-democratic Big brother GCSB surveillance Bill. Dotcom’s lawyers have released a 39 page white paper making a range of allegations against the FBI, Obama & NZ authorities. Peters is keeping his cards close to his chest. Update: Peters’ calls government “bully boy” & will vote against the Bill.
The cost of a US Harvard education: global land exploitation
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, May 7th, 2013 - 51 comments
US universities’ budgets partly rely on endowment funds. Harvard University investment activities in poor countries exploit people and lax regulations, damaging communities, the environment & economies. They are one of the biggest foreign owners of NZ land.
Take “a long short walk”
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, May 6th, 2013 - 12 comments
It’s UN Global Road Safety Week, with a focus on pedestrian safety. NZ statistics for pedestrian injuries and deaths are sobering. Children are especially vulnerable to careless driving practices. In the interests of our people and environment, walking and cycling need to be less dangerous, and more fun.
John Key’s NZ: the nasty side of the “brighter future”
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, May 5th, 2013 - 45 comments
John Key promised a “brighter future” – “wave good-bye to higher taxes not your loved ones”; a higher standard of his MPs, and honesty for the PM. John Key’s NZ is actually one of callous entitlement of the elite, and dis-entitlement and Struggle Street for battling Kiwis.
It’s all in the “game”
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, May 4th, 2013 - 192 comments
Supporters of the sale of the powercos, portray the Labour-Green NZ Power policy in terms of political strategy and game-play. They focus on the “market”, risk, profits & “fat cat hatred”. They avoid dealing with the guts of the issue: fuel poverty, income inequality & damaged lives.
Political vision?
Written By: - Date published: 9:27 am, May 3rd, 2013 - 61 comments
Today’s NZ Herald editorial on Auckland’s up-coming mayoral election campaign, says Brown has vision, but Minto and Williamson lack it. What sort of vision should the left provide in the up-coming local authority elections around NZ, and in NZ’s parliamentary elections in 2014?
Networks of influence: Key & Anadarko Petroleum
Written By: - Date published: 12:25 pm, May 2nd, 2013 - 18 comments
John Key’s networks of influence include the bosses and directors of Anadarko Petroleum, which is doing some oil exploration in NZ. Gordon Campbell’s excellent piece of investigative journalism shows Anadarko and it’s bosses are not to be trusted.
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