Author Archive
Supermarket capitalism
Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, July 7th, 2010 - 72 comments
Supermarkets are squeezing producers while marking up the prices of fruit and vegetables by up to 500%. The worst side of capitalism in action. Support your local farmers’ market, and the Green’s call for a supermarket code of conduct.
World Cup according to genius bankers
Written By: - Date published: 3:15 pm, July 6th, 2010 - 14 comments
Economists, bankers, Treasury officials, financial wizards of various kinds, they like to pretend that they know what they’re talking about. All too often they don’t. Predicting the behaviour of complex systems is hard. Consider for example, the big banks’ predictions on the winner of the Football World Cup…
Aspiration and absurdity
Written By: - Date published: 1:28 pm, July 4th, 2010 - 7 comments
John Key’s government has had many “aspirational goals”. One of them was a secret plan to end whaling. With the recent collapse of the international whaling negotiations in Morocco that plan, if it ever really existed, has failed. In response, Foreign Minister Murray McCully takes the politics of aspiration to a whole new, some would say absurd, level.
A question for John Key on drilling
Written By: - Date published: 3:15 pm, July 2nd, 2010 - 9 comments
With respect to his intention to allow Brazillian oil giant Petrobras to drill offshore in the Raukumara Basin, John Key says that “strong environmental standards” will be in place. I have a question.
Raise the drinking age
Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, July 1st, 2010 - 103 comments
I was neutral in the debate on lowering the drinking age back in 1999. There were arguments on both sides. But ten years later it is clear that the experiment has failed. There have been several recent calls to raise the drinking age and take other effective action to restrict the damage that alcohol causes in NZ. Come on Key – show some leadership.
Key comes clean on the ETS
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 30th, 2010 - 28 comments
In a moment of uncharacteristic political honesty, John Key has come clean on his ETS. It loads “disproportionate” costs on to householders. National’s scheme is all about keeping things sweet for their business mates – muffling the price signal that an ETS is supposed to send by (as usual) socialising the costs.
The paper that Anne Tolley censored
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, June 30th, 2010 - 38 comments
Anne Tolley can’t stand to hear any criticism of National Standards, and she doesn’t want you to hear it either. She has had a critical Parliamentary Library research paper removed from the Parliamentary website. You can read it here.
Most and least trusted
Written By: - Date published: 7:46 pm, June 29th, 2010 - 31 comments
A recent survey of most and least trusted individuals and professions in NZ makes for interesting reading. Politicians as a profession rank down with telemarketers and sex workers. The list of least trusted individuals contains some bad news for the government…
Banks joins the spenders’ club
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, June 29th, 2010 - 41 comments
I have very mixed feelings about all this scrutiny of the spending of public figures. However, for the record, Supercity mayoral hopeful John Banks now joins the spending club.
Grass roots and astroturf
Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, June 28th, 2010 - 23 comments
National are still cruising in the polls, and no doubt feeling pretty confident about the next election. But ticking the blue box is easy – how firm is that support? We’re seeing big protests against this government. Is there any significant National policy that isn’t attracting popular protest, criticism from the experts, or both?
The anti-education government
Written By: - Date published: 1:03 pm, June 26th, 2010 - 33 comments
John Key and the Nats are an anti-education government. Everywhere you look education is under attack. The Nats seem incapable of grasping the basic facts – trained, skilled committed teachers are the best way of creating good educational outcomes, and good educational outcomes are the best way of lifting society and the economy.
Schools’ boycott spreads
Written By: - Date published: 1:38 pm, June 25th, 2010 - 60 comments
Just a few days ago I wrote about schools in Dunedin and Invercargill refusing to participate in National’s flawed, damaging “national standards” process. The boycott is spreading, with the Auckland Primary Principals’ Association refusing to participate in training, and warning of “further action”.
The ETS is a price signal
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, June 25th, 2010 - 44 comments
The point of an ETS isn’t to just blindly pay more, it is to change our behaviour so that we don’t have to. National don’t get it, so they have brought us the worst of all possible ETS schemes. Badly designed and devoid of vision. An ETS with all of the costs and none of the benefits.
All Whites game 3
Written By: - Date published: 4:52 pm, June 24th, 2010 - 31 comments
Predictions anyone?
Go the All Whites!
New Australian PM
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, June 24th, 2010 - 39 comments
Kevin Rudd is gone, and Australia has its first female PM.
It’s been a dramatic fall for Rudd, who was so incredibly popular for his first two years in office.
British austerity budget
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, June 24th, 2010 - 28 comments
The first budget from the new Tory-LibDem government is a shocker, with massive austerity cuts and a rise in VAT to 20%. This is the bill for the £850 billion bail out of big banks coming home to roost.
The media
Written By: - Date published: 3:38 pm, June 23rd, 2010 - 20 comments
The frequently brilliant xkcd on the state of the media.
Free speech zones
Written By: - Date published: 12:41 pm, June 23rd, 2010 - 40 comments
The most disturbing aspect of the handling of the Chinese security guard’s assault on Russel Norman is the way that the Nats are going to use it as an excuse to further restrict free speech. Don’t let them set us on the path to America’s notorious “free speech zones”.
Privacy Commissioner refers Bennett complaint
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, June 23rd, 2010 - 47 comments
After many months the Privacy Commissioner has ruled on the Paula Bennett case, referring it on to the Director of Proceedings. Will Key now take action? Of course not – there don’t seem to be any consequences for any kind of illegal or unethical behaviour in Key’s government.
Uranium on the breeze
Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, June 21st, 2010 - 30 comments
The Environmental Risk Management Authority has given approval for shipments of uranium to pass through New Zealand on the way to the United States. This seems to violate the principles of the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987.
All Whites game 2
Written By: - Date published: 9:49 pm, June 20th, 2010 - 27 comments
No, I’m not staying up for it. Have fun, those of you who do! Guess I’ll be kicking myself if the All Whites pull off a miracle…
Heroes
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, June 20th, 2010 - 9 comments
Good interview on RNZ this morning with the author of a book on the early life of Nelson Mandela. Reminded me that I have been meaning for a while now to try a Sunday occasional post series on heroes. Heroes, past and present, of democracy, the labour movement, or the environment.
School boards revolt
Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, June 19th, 2010 - 14 comments
Several schools have spoken out against the imposition of national standards, and three have gone so far as to completely refuse to cooperate. This creates a dilemma for the Nats. How will they respond? Not, I hope, by following one moronic suggestion to cut funding to schools
Chinese security attack MP
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, June 18th, 2010 - 162 comments
A security guard for Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping attacked Green MP Russel Norman today while Norman was protesting at the Chinese delegation’s arrival, and holding a Tibetan flag. Our Government needs to make a formal protest to China over this incident.
PEDA divisions in government
Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, June 18th, 2010 - 15 comments
Someone has been trying to shut down investigations into the PEDA slush fund. But the damage is already done, Nats are abandoning the sinking ship. Bill English is first overboard, leaving Gerogina te Heuheu stranded.
Whistleblowers
Written By: - Date published: 3:02 pm, June 17th, 2010 - 37 comments
Currently the “hunt” is on for whistleblowers in cases both within NZ, and internationally. When a whistleblower takes on a big organisation over a matter of genuine public significance they are taking a risk, in some cases a huge risk. Let’s hope that there will always be people who are brave enough to make sure that we the people know the truth.
Canterbury government in exile
Written By: - Date published: 12:51 pm, June 16th, 2010 - 21 comments
Since the fall of Canterbury to the newly installed dictatorial regime, a few of the deposed representatives have escaped the closing net and set up a local government in exile. Vowing to “continue to serve you in your region”, this ragged band will fight to keep the flame of democracy alive.
All Whites game 1
Written By: - Date published: 11:39 pm, June 15th, 2010 - 41 comments
So – anyone else sitting up watching the game? (This thread a politics free zone!)
Foreshore ends with a whimper
Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, June 15th, 2010 - 49 comments
If that is the foreshore and seabed debate effectively resolved we should all take a moment to celebrate. It will be good to have the issue behind us as a country and move on. Given the agreement between National and the Maori Party it looks like the whole debate was mostly about semantics. Meanwhile in practical terms iwi say they want the kind of rights that Ngati Porou secured – under the current Act.
Accountability then and now…
Written By: - Date published: 3:13 pm, June 14th, 2010 - 22 comments
Labour holds it’s MPs to higher standards than National. This post from the archives looks at some examples. If Key doesn’t act on his profligate MPs it will be time to add another chapter.
Our Water Our Vote
Written By: - Date published: 6:47 am, June 14th, 2010 - 31 comments
Sunday saw another big protest against the government. An estimated 3000 people turned out in Christchurch for the “Our Water Our Vote” rally to protest National’s attacks on Canterbury’s democracy and environment.
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