It’s about jobs … and social security?
Written By:
- Date published:
9:34 am, September 6th, 2013 - 168 comments
Categories: accountability, activism, benefits, class war, david cunliffe, democratic participation, grant robertson, jobs, labour, unemployment, Unions, workers' rights -
Tags: living wage, social security, youth unemployment
The need for more jobs and improvements in pay and workers’ rights have got a lot of airing in the current Labour leadership contest. There has been a lesser focus on the need to end the latest Key government rounds of beneficiary bashing. Only pressure “from below” will ensure that a Labour led government follows through on these aims.
Mai Chen’s piece is a useful quick guide to the way employment law is changing, not just directly through legislation, but also as the result of court judgments. She summarises some of the main changes that have occured under the National government.
• National is amending legislation to provide greater flexibility for employers, including removing the requirement to conclude collective bargaining and saying when bargaining ends;
• An increased onus on health and safety in the aftermath of the Pike River disaster including a duty on directors, chief executives and others in governance roles to be pro-active in health and safety. Significant liability will potentially ensue if such a duty is not met.
• Employers will be required to have accurate information (that is, able to be verified) in any restructuring proposal and be prepared to reconfirm or redeploy employees to other positions.
• Employers can now seek employees’ Facebook and bank records to check whether they are validly taking sick leave;
• Aligning pay in sectors where the workforce is predominantly female with comparable roles mostly performed by men in other sectors.
Cathy Bi explains how she learned to mistrust myths she was sold throughout her years in formal education. After finishing university she met with the harsh reality of finding work in an environment that does not favour young people:
I thought to myself, this does not match up to the story I have been sold throughout my school life that if you just work hard in your studies, you will find a great job at the end. What they should have said is: “If you just work hard in your studies, get to know the right people, spend months as a ‘jobseeker’ (a euphemism for unemployed), spend a few years doing contract jobs, then you might get a good stable job – if you’re lucky.”
It’s difficult being a young person in the labour market. About one in six Kiwis aged 15-24 who are looking for work are unemployed. For Maori, the unemployment level is 38.3 per cent – its highest level since 1990. However, even those in work often face job insecurity.
Casualisation of the labour force is becoming a norm with 42 per cent of casual workers between the ages of 15 and 24 in 2008.
Putting myself through varsity, most of my jobs were at the minimum wage or no more than a dollar above it. From 12-hour shifts at Farmers, to occasional doughnut selling where I would receive a txt message the day before asking me to work.
Cathy has now got a short term job working for “Caritas promoting Social Justice Week (September 8-14)”. In researching the week’s theme on youth, work and unemployment she,
was surprised by the number of young people, some as young as 15 and 16, who worked to support their family and themselves.
Cathy too, focuses on the impact of recent legislation. The 90 day trial period has
eroded the quality of the jobs available to young people like myself. We are seen as a source of cheap labour, easily replaceable.
Young people can only cope with this if they are supported by family, not if they have to support themselves and others. The looming changes that will flow from the Employment Relations Amendment Bill will make it less likely that young people will learn about the benefits of collective bargaining and the value of unions.
Mai Chen frames her article with some words about the Labour leadership contest, and its focus on jobs, especially in relation to Grant Robertson and David Cunliffe’s proposal for a “living wage” and their promises to
roll back amendments to the Employment Relations Act going through Parliament.
The Waikato Times also reports that the focus of last night’s Leadership meeting in Hamilton was on jobs. Robertson talked of the 180 AgResearch workers who had lost their jobs in Huntly, and the general need for more jobs. Cunliffe talked also about the loss of 170 AgResearch jobs in Ruakura. As Labour leader he would aim to encourage more jobs with a focus on regional economic development.
The focus by these two leadership contenders on improving employment law and jobs for the benefit of workers is excellent. However, there’s less focus on another section of society whose lives are being devastated by John Key’s government: beneficiaries.
David Cunliffe, in his Standard blog post this week, and his comments beneath it, has expressed a desire for a more Savage-like social security, and to end the Nats nasty beneficiary bashing.
The First Labour Government led us through the Great Depression and built the welfare state, ensuring housing, education, health, a decent job and social security for all.
However, Cunliffe does not focus in as much depth on social security as he does on employment issues.
In her article, Mai Chen gives a reason for the Labour leadership contenders focusing on jobs:
The constitutional change made at the Party’s annual conference last year which democratised the vote for the leadership underscored the importance of worker rights by giving the party’s affiliated unions 20 per cent of the vote, while party members have 40 per cent and caucus members 40 per cent.
However, while the unions do have 20% of the votes, members have more. If Chen is correct in her argument, the membership plus the wider politically active community, might also be able to use their collective energy and voice to highlight the need for a broader view of social security for those unable to participate in paid work.
Many union members also have a wider view of social security, being aware of how life circumstances for themselves and others can very quickly change.
The democratisation of the Labour Party shows the importance of pressure “from below” in the direction parliamentary politics takes. There will be no major shift away from the neoliberal scam, unless the wider community actively applies concerted pressure for such changes.
168 comments on “It’s about jobs … and social security? ”
- Comments are now closed
- Comments are now closed
CommentsOpinions
Recent Comments
FeedsPartyGovtMedia
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #47 2024
Open access notables Projected increase in the frequency of extremely active Atlantic hurricane seasons, Lopez et al., Science Advances: Future changes to the year-to-year swings between active and inactive North Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) seasons have received little attention, yet may have great societal implications in areas prone to hurricane ...8 hours ago - Chicken Kiev
Chatting in the supermarket this morning, I found I needed to lunge for the chicken drumsticks.Coping mechanisms: who hasn’t felt a greater need for them lately?When it all gets too much, I turn to demonstrating handy butchery hacks.It wasn’t that she’d said anything wrong, our friend, not at all. We ...12 hours ago - The year is 2024 and it’s 1984
This is written in response to the highly significant open letter from a group of economists that was today addressed to Christopher Luxon. The year is 2024, and it’s 1984. The country is reeling from a record Olympic medal gold haul, while the globe grapples with the choice of the ...13 hours ago - The IPCA has failed
Back in 2022, RNZ took an in-depth look at the "Independent" Police Conduct Authority and its handling of killings by police. These are the most serious test of oversight, and you would expect the police's use of lethal force to receive the most severe scrutiny. But despite the police regularly ...17 hours ago - Thursday 21 November 2024
The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti arrived at Parliament on Tuesday – the size is being debated but estimates range from 42,000 to 100,000. The Prime Minister is defending not attending due to some of the organisers being affiliated with Te Pāti Māori. The national gang patch ban came into force ...17 hours ago - ‘These budget cuts are counter-productive and make no sense’
I spoke to former Productivity Chair Nana this morning about the letter he and a group of other economists sent to PM Christopher Luxon to urge the Government to urgently suspend cuts to spending and investment for the sake of the economy, struggling businesses and the wellbeing of vulnerable ...18 hours ago - ACT’s Astroturfing & A Co-ordinated Attack on Te Pati Māori
Unity on the Streets / Unity at the TableAfter the Hīkoi, all three right wing Coalition leaders came together to push the idea that the 42,000 - 50,000 + strong Hikoi was somehow less potent and brave, and more illegitimate than the energy and crowd displayed.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon 20-November: ...19 hours ago - Durability of carbon dioxide removal is critical for stabilizing temperatures
This is a re-post from the Climate Brink The world is emitting over 40 gigatons of CO2 per year, contributing to an accelerating warming of the planet. The world needs to cut emissions rapidly to be remotely on track to meet our Paris Agreement goals of limiting warming to well-below 2C, and we ...19 hours ago
- I Love My Leather Jacket
I wear my leather jacket like a great big hugRadiating charm - a living cloak of luckIt's the only concrete link with an absent friendIt's a symbol I can wear 'till we meet againOr it's a weight around my neck while the owner's freeBoth protector and reminder of mortalityIt's a ...20 hours ago - Throwback Thursday: Will “Auckland Transport” Survive?
With Auckland Transport’s future up in the air under Mayor Wayne Brown’s proposed CCO reform, we’ve dug way back into the archives, to unearth this post originally published in March 2010. As you’ll see, many of the debates that were being had when AT was first proposed continue to ...20 hours ago - Economists call on PM to suspend budget cuts for the sake of the economy
Nicola Willis’ budget cuts are under fire from economists for having no clear rationale and worsening the recession. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 21: The news at ...21 hours ago
- The end of policing by consent
National has appointed a new police commissioner. And he explicitly rejects policing by consent: Asked if he subscribed to policing by consent, he said he did not. “I don’t talk about policing by consent. I talk about trust and confidence, and it is fundamentally important that the police have ...1 day ago
- The Treaty Principles Bill: A Who’s Who
David Horatio Waterbed SeymourFringe politician and dweeb transformed successfully by ThinkTank money into a well-oiled soundbite robot.Currently programmed to say: Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Equal rights for all New Zealanders Was previously programmed to say:I am a proud libertarian andI am a ...1 day ago - Kinleith mill closure shows need for industrial strategy
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to deliver an economic and industrial strategy for regional manufacturing, rather than just expressing sympathy for job losses, following the announced closure of Kinleith mill in Tokoroa. “The closure Kinleith mill in Tokoroa is not just devastating for ...2 days ago
- 27% of kids going hungry, up from 21% in a year
One in four Kiwi children live in households where food runs out often or sometimes. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, November 20: The lead: The official annual Health Survey found sharp ...2 days ago - Transport modelling is an illusion
This guest post by Tim Adriaansen, an advocate for accessibility and sustainable transport, originally published on LinkedIn and cross posted here with permission. People prefer cars, right? Probably not. Here’s why. Granted, most people in English-speaking countries use a car to get around. This simple reality underpins our transport ...2 days ago
- Young Maori take over
Neither Wellington nor Parliament has ever seen anything like it before. The Police said there were more than 40,000 but however many there were, yesterday’s Hikoi to Parliament was a monumental event. It was almost three times the Foreshore and Seabed martch of 2004 and many,many times bigger than ...2 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Aftermath
The euphoria from yesterday’s hikoi may be transitory, but is no less valuable for that. It is pretty rare for the left to feel itself to be in the overwhelming majority, and speaking as the voice of the people. Lest that momentum be lost, the organisers will no doubt be ...2 days ago - Sabin 33 #3 – Solar panels generate too much waste and will overwhelm landfills
On November 1, 2024 we announced the publication of 33 rebuttals based on the report "Rebutting 33 False Claims About Solar, Wind, and Electric Vehicles" written by Matthew Eisenson, Jacob Elkin, Andy Fitch, Matthew Ard, Kaya Sittinger & Samuel Lavine and published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia ...2 days ago
- What’s the time Mr Seymour?
Mr David Seymour crawling up to the ceilingThe sun don't shine the sun don't shine the sun don't shine at allMamma Pappa say you should go to school, I don't know what forNow that I've grown up and seen the world and all its liesSong: Southside of Bombay"Ake, ake, ake" ...2 days ago - Submit to defend te Tiriti!
The Justice Committee has called for submissions on National's racist and constitutionally radical Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. Submissions can be made at the link above or by post, and are due by Tuesday, 7 January 2025. But I'd get in quick, in case National grows a spine ...2 days ago
- We need to talk about Kevin
All happy families are alike; each unhappy family has a Drunk Uncle Kevin in there somewhere. If your Kevin is anything like the ones I know, he was getting along happily enough without having to think too much about the Treaty Principles Bill apart from bloody good job, onya guys ...2 days ago - The hikoi
Like everyone else (everyone who wasn't there, anyway), I've spent the morning watching the hikoi march on Parliament. The pictures are astounding: parliament grounds and the surrounding streets are full, and there are still people backed up along Lambton Quay. The police are estimating 35,000 people, and that's a floor ...3 days ago
- Why Govt & NZ Inc should boycott & regulate Facebook
3 days ago - How should we talk about change?
A better world isn’t just possible, it’s desirable. And that’s how we should frame a lot of our conversations around making a greater Auckland. As an example take urban climate action. A climate friendly Auckland: Is free from congestion Enables people to travel how they choose Is filled with ...3 days ago
- AMA + Holiday Webworm Merch!
3 days ago - Discount Code for Webworm Merch!
Hi,So there’s a bunch of new stuff on the Webworm store (www.webworm.store) — just in time for the Holidays. Read more ...3 days ago - Trying to defuse the tension
There were urgent moves yesterday at Parliament to try and defuse the tension building up over ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill. The Bill’s author, ACT leader David Seymour, told reporters that he understood the Justice Select Committee met yesterday to discuss how long it should take to consider submissions on the ...3 days ago
- An Irritable NZ Pawn – David Seymour Admits Treaty Principles Bill will clear the way for deve...
3 days ago - Gordon Campbell On The Hikoi Arrival, And Tyler Childers
Politicians like to bang on all about the need to heal society’s racial/economic divisions, but in their actions they’re more keen on stoking those divisions, with the Treaty Principles Bill being the classic example. The Bill seeks to dilute the Crown’s responsibilities to Māori at the same time as it ...3 days ago
- Socially Backwards and Fiscally Forwards: the False Ideological Divide and the “Conservative” Li...
3 days ago - Kaamos: Accepted
I appreciate that A Phuulish Fellow has been fairly quiet recently. That’s a combination of two things – comparatively little in the way of relevant material to discuss (at least until The War of the Rohirrim comes out next month), and my general work on The Secret Non-Fiction Writing Project. ...3 days ago - Here’s how governments could fix their Paris climate commitment failures
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Governments around the world face a conundrum. Virtually none are on track to meet their Paris climate commitments. That includes the United States, which committed to cut its emissions at least 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 but is only on track for 32-43% cuts ...4 days ago
- Unstoppable.
4 days ago - Katherine Trebeck – An Alternative Economic Narrative
The era of neoliberalism has been destructive on so many levels, with a huge growth in wealth and privilege for the one percent. A hollowing out of the state; fraying of the safety net; inadequate government investment in infrastructure; and continued environmental degradation has resulted in damage on a vast ...4 days ago - In a Manner of Speaking
In a manner of speakingI just want to sayThat I could never forget the wayYou told me everythingBy saying nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me nothingOh, give me the wordsGive me the wordsThat tell me everythingSongwriter: Winston TongNext Tuesday, the subscription price for Nick’s Kōrero will ...4 days ago - Monday 18 November 2024
The NZNO have announced a nationwide strike for December over its pay dispute with Health NZ, who have put a 1 per cent cap on pay rises. The Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti and Treaty Principles Bill remain front and centre in the media, with the impacts of the Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke-led ...4 days ago
- Shipley warns Seymour’s bill is ‘inviting civil war’
The divisive Treaty Principles Bill is not just a risk for the National Party, it’s a risk to civil order and unity, warns a National Party grandee. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on ...4 days ago - A clearer network for the City Rail Link?
This post was originally published on Linked In by Nicolas Reid. It is republished here with permission. Auckland is now just a year or so away from having the keystone of its urban rail network complete. As I wrote about here, the City Rail Link will be a literal game changer for ...4 days ago
- National’s support base is wobbling
If ACT leader David Seymour intended the Treaty Principles Bill to drive a wedge into National’s support base, he may well already be succeeding. By midnight on Thursday after the Maori Party haka in Parliament, National MPs were being deluged with emails and messages from their members calling them out ...4 days ago
- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #46
A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 10, 2024 thru Sat, November 16, 2024. Story of the week Our Story of the Week is completely "meta" (no, not that Meta). It's about our exploring how ...4 days ago
- Grifter Eftpos Tamaki at it again
..Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Self-appointed “Bishop” and proto-fascist, Brian Tamaki was at it again on 16 November, blocking Auckland’s southern motorway, SH1.This time, the target of his ire wasn’t the Civil Unions Act; covid lock-downs; mask mandates; or ...4 days ago - Rip up a bill, lead a haka are words to live by
I cannot stop grabbing people by the lapels, or shoulders, or similar, and raving at them about the tiny miracles in my ears.I can hear again! There could not be a more satisfied customer in all the world.In a noisy cafe I am even catching words that Karren cannot, she ...5 days ago - Unintended Consequences
Take the baitYou pay the priceIt's much too lateFor good adviceYou know and I know that our good things' throughBecause there's consequences for what we doConsequences for me and youWriters: Kevin Robert Hayes, David Nagier, Bonnie Adele Hayes.Fallout from the first readingOne News began last night by saying that tens ...6 days ago - Thank you, driver!
Today, Saturday 16th of November, is Auckland Transport’s Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Saturday 16 November marks the third annual Auckland Transport (AT) ‘Bus Driver Appreciation Day’, and this year we are encouraging all of New Zealand to thank their driver or let the bus go first if you are in ...6 days ago
- Totally Normal: Holiday Edition
Hi,If I was to accurately sum up my mental state over the week, I’d just say that I got a huge fright from my own shadow.I’d nipped out for an 11pm neighborhood stroll, just to calm down after a day of stress and screens. The Cure and Fazerdaze’s new record ...6 days ago - We Are Not Listening
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
6 days ago - More lawlessness from National
On Tuesday, sick of government stonewalling, the Waitangi Tribunal issued a rare court order, ordering the Minister of Health to release unredacted documents within 48 hours showing its reasoning for disestablishing Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority. The government's response to the lawful order of a court? Yeah, ...6 days ago
- National’s tyrannical “foreign interference” law
Yesterday, under cover the the biggest political fight of the year, National quietly - covertly, even - introduced anti-foreign interference legislation. The bill is the product of a years-long work-program aimed at countering shit like this and this, and there's unquestionably a need to do something to counter foreign states' ...6 days ago
- The Haka Represents The Best Of Us
A few months ago, I was in an audience watching a Haka-Kapa and as I watched children dance and sing and sway and shout and beat, I couldn’t help but think “The Haka represents the best of us.”Yes, yes - there will be a thousand voices that rush forth to ...7 days ago
- Adding up the climate cost
St Mary’s Bay housing left hanging: Climate risk is systemically underestimated in the climate scenarios used by central banks, and a new report warns 10,000 houses are set to become uninsurable in Aotearoa. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in ...7 days ago
- Auckland chafing at Bishop’s housing intensification orders
One of the major problems the Government has in implementing its ‘going for housing growth’ strategy is that it isn’t giving much funding help to councils. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and ...7 days ago - Friday 15 November 2024
The Treaty Principles Bill continues to dominate political news, with it passing its first reading in the House. Parliament was briefly suspended and Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke suspended for 24 hours after leading a haka that was joined by opposition MPs and the public in the gallery. Willie ...7 days ago
- Weekly Roundup 15-November-2024
Happy Friday, welcome to another round-up of interesting stories about what’s happening in Auckland and other cities. Feel free to add your links in the comments! This post, like all our work, is brought to you by a largely volunteer crew and made possible by generous donations from our readers ...7 days ago
- Are We The Waiting?
And screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingAnd screamingAre we we are, are we we are the waitingForget me nots, second thoughts live in isolationHeads or tails and fairy tales in my mindAre we we are, are we we are the waiting unknownThe rage and love, the ...7 days ago - The Hoon around the week to November 15
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate news, including from COP29 this week; on the US Presidential elections, Israel vs Gaza/Iran/Lebanon, Ukraine/Nato vs Russia/North ...7 days ago
- First Tea and Toast, now Milo — why do NZ’s best beverages need so much defending?
Only two months ago, Nicola Willis had to step in to stop Health New Zealand cutting tea and toast for post-birth parents, and now Lester Levy is riding to the rescue with a welcome message for all: our health workers can once again drink Milo, and will no longer need ...1 week ago - Gordon Campbell on the folly of making apologies in a social vacuum.
Day One of the Treaty Principles Bill…and everyone got what they wanted, and did what they liked. Heated words were exchanged. Culturally appropriate acts of outrage were performed. David Seymour got to play the victim card. Willie Jackson got kicked out of class. A comically red-faced Mr Speaker bellowed “Order, ...1 week ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2024
Open access notables Microbial solutions must be deployed against climate catastrophe, Peixoto et al., Nature Communications [comment]: The climate crisis is escalating. A multitude of microbe-based solutions have been proposed, and these technologies hold great promise and could be deployed along with other climate mitigation strategies. However, these solutions have ...1 week ago
- The PM gets some extremely valuable legal advice for free
You can pay a great deal of money for the services of a KC. So just what would some peerless legal writing from 40 or so of them be worth, do you reckon?Priceless, that’s what. It’s not even the half of it, but this is my favourite part of the ...1 week ago - D-day for the government
The government's Treaty Principles Bill is up for its first reading today - bought forward in a rush in a desperate effort to avoid the hikoi which is currently marching on Wellington. But the Prime Minister won’t be there for it – he’s literally running away to Peru! But he ...1 week ago
- 97% of submissions did not want no-cause evictions, Trump chooses a Russian spy for US Intelligence ...
Good morning, and I’m sorry I’ve been away for a couple of days.I’ve been focusing on the Hikoi, and also testing out sentiment on the Treaty Principles Bill. It’s complicated, and the Treaty Principles Bill will be debated in the House today. The Government’s own lawyers have told them the ...1 week ago - Government must vote down ACT Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to vote down an ACT Party Members Bill that would undermine workers’ rights by making it easier for employers to fire workers. Last week ACT MP Laura Trask’s Employment Relations (Termination of Employment by Agreement) Amendment Bill was ...1 week ago
- Seymour causes thousands of unjustified absences by forcing kids to fight for their rights instead o...
The State would like to remind you that they are in control. They manage your employment prospects, and can destroy the job market you and yours rely on by mass-cancelling construction projects, cutting funding, and firing a good chunk of our public servants. They wield the mechanisms that provide scrutiny ...1 week ago - The Weight of the World
As the weight of the world Hangs on your shoulders The weight of the world Starts to take over again And over again All that you once loved, now you hate So slowly relearn how to meditate To have and to hold And never let go Can you feel it ...1 week ago - Thursday 14 November 2024
The Treaty Principles Bill is set to have its First Reading in the House today, as the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti continues. More than 40 KCs have written to the Prime Minister and Attorney-General outlining their “grave concerns” about the substance of the Treaty Principles Bill, while an academic and ...1 week ago
- Trump’s return to White House brings the climate’s ‘find out’ phase closer
As we absorb the news of Trump's victory in the US Presidential election, here’s a wrap compiled just before the result of what it might mean for climate action: The UN Secretary General says the prospective departure of the United States would cripple the Paris Agreement, likening it to the ...1 week ago
- Time and Space in the City Centre
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel. The header image is from Walthamstow, London The city centre now has a few stretches of street where the space has been repurposed to a people and place focused design from full time traffic use. These are a great ...1 week ago
- An opportunity for a pro-growth tax switch
As the Hikoi against it swells into the tens of thousands, KCs call on National to kill off ACT’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. Photo: Getty ImagesKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, November 14: The ...1 week ago - Dealing to the big Aussie banks
The big question hovering over the Select Committee Inquiry into banking is what the Government will do with its findings. If yesterday’s hearing is anything to go by there is a tidal wave of discontent about the four big Australian Banks crashing through the Committee which may force it to ...1 week ago
- 20 fact briefs published in collaboration with Gigafact!
In April 2024 we announced the (renewed) collaboration between Gigafact and Skeptical Science to create fact briefs, short but credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. Our initial plan had been to publish one fact brief per week on Saturdays but - as happens ...1 week ago
- Instead of axing the HRC, ACT corruptly installed a racist, transphobic “Gay Human Rights Commissi...
On November 5th, the Spinoff published a very interesting article on Stephen Rainbow, the Human Rights Commission’s latest recruitment, and how he came to get the controversial appointment. Naturally because of the excitement of the US election, it’s flown a little below the radar. https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/05-11-2024/i-didnt-get-the-hrc-job-stephen-rainbows-human-rights-commission-appointment-just-got-weirderThe article details evidence of the ...1 week ago - Injustice for torture
Between 1950 and 1993 the New Zealand government tortured and abused up to 250,000 children in residential care facilities. Yesterday, following formal findings from a royal commission, it finally apologised for that abuse. The next step is redress and restitution - compensating the surviving victims for the appalling harm they ...1 week ago
- Voices echo
1 week ago - Hīkoi over the Harbour
Kia mau ra, kia mau raKi te mana motuhakeMe te arohaHold fast, hold fastTo your sovereigntyAnd to love and compassionLyrics: Hīrini Melbourne. “Ngā Iwi E passionately calls for unity among the peoples of the Pacific, a cause deeply cherished by Melbourne himself.”I sat at my desk this morning and thought ...1 week ago
- NZ’s global climate rankings plummet as Govt removes agriculture from ETS
The Government has passed legislation to remove agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) while Aotearoa’s reputation on climate action plummets. ...11 hours ago - Failed boot camp experiment must end
As legislation to set up boot camps passed its first reading, the Green Party urged the Government to abandon this failed policy experiment for the good of our rangatahi. ...11 hours ago
- Gender-affirming care must centre evidence and health needs, not political posturing
The Ministry of Health has today released an evidence brief regarding the use of puberty blockers in gender-affirming healthcare, amid moves by the government to limit access. ...12 hours ago
- Release: National doesn’t care about manufacturing
The National Government is walking away from our manufacturing sector with constant reports of closures and job losses. ...13 hours ago - Release: David Parker speech – Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change
David Parker's speech from the University of Auckland's forum on Piketty, Inequality and Climate Change in September 2024. ...13 hours ago
- Release: Youth mental wellbeing no longer a priority for Child Poverty Minister
Louise Upston has revealed her diminished vision for vulnerable youth against a backdrop of snubbed advice, scrapped priorities, shifted goal posts and thousands more children projected to fall into poverty. ...15 hours ago
- Release: National’s lack of climate action taking NZ backwards
National Government’s backward-looking climate policy has seen New Zealand fall seven places on the Climate Change Performance Index to 41 out of 63 countries measured. ...15 hours ago
- Release: Simple reason for drop in emergency housing
When the Government says it has reduced the number of people in emergency housing, what it means is it is stopping people from accessing it in the first place. ...18 hours ago
- Govt’s child wellbeing strategy ‘shallow and shameful’
The Government is turning its back on children by not only weakening child poverty reduction targets, but also removing child mental wellbeing as a priority focus in their Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy. ...19 hours ago
- Release: A historic win for Samoan communities
Labour warmly welcomes the Restoring Samoan Citizenship Bill as it passes its third reading, before becoming law. ...19 hours ago
- Government plan to reinstate live animal exports a “national disgrace”
The Government has taken a giant step backwards by reinstating live animal exports. ...1 day ago
- Pasifika justice as Member’s Bill passes final reading
Teanau Tuiono’s Member’s Bill, the Citizenship (Western Samoa Restoration) Amendment Bill, has passed its third reading and will become law. ...1 day ago
- Release: Minister of Education thinks New Zealand ends at the Bombay Hills
The Minister of Education has shown complete disregard for rural communities and their school bus routes in Question Time today. ...1 day ago
- Economists sound alarm on Government’s slash-and-burn approach
A group of prominent economists has released an open letter to the Government, raising grave concerns about the far-reaching consequences of its fiscal policy. ...1 day ago
- Release: Smoking numbers up under Costello’s watch
National’s repeal of Labour’s smokefree legislation has taken New Zealand further away from achieving a Smokefree 2025 and a smokefree generation. ...2 days ago
- Release: Call for Palestine recognition by NZ, Australian and Canadian MPs
Parliamentarians from Australia, Canada and New Zealand have written an open letter to their respective Prime Ministers calling on them to recognise Palestine. ...2 days ago
- Justice Select Committee opens floor for Treaty Principles submissions
Today, the Justice Select Committee has decided to officially open submissions for the controversial Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Power of the people on full display as hīkoi approaches Parliament
Today, Hīkoi mō te Tiriti arrived in Wellington, with thousands gathering to march in unity against the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...3 days ago
- Hypocrisy as Te Whatu Ora contractor bill balloons
Te Whatu Ora’s bill for contracting and consulting staff has ballooned by nearly 20 percent under the National Government, breaking a promise they made during the election campaign to cut contractors. ...4 days ago
- Release: Growing pressure to scrap Section 7AA Repeal Bill
The newly released Section 7AA Repeal Bill's select committee report is further evidence that the Government should scrap it. ...4 days ago
- Government’s move to monetise access to nature a slippery slope
The Green Party is voicing serious concerns over the Government’s proposal to charge for access to public conservation land, released today. ...7 days ago
- Green Party condemns the passage of Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party condemns the passing of the Treaty Principles Bill at first reading, and is clear that the fight is not over. ...1 week ago
- Stand Up for Te Tiriti
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our country’s founding document. It forms the basis of the relationship between Māori and the Crown – and the Aotearoa New Zealand we live in today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Over 15,000 sign Labour’s open letter to Luxon
As the hīkoi to Parliament continues, Labour has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in a last-ditch attempt to get him to kill the Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Fast Track Bill threatens environment, climate and reputation
The fast-track legislation passing its second reading in Parliament is another step towards environmental ruin. ...1 week ago
- Greens join King’s Counsel in calling for Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned
The Prime Minister must answer the call from a group of senior lawyers of the King’s Counsel to abandon the divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...1 week ago
- Chris Hipkins’ apology statement to state and faith-based care survivors
...1 week ago
- Release: Labour formally apologises to state and faith-based care survivors
Labour joins with the Government in unreservedly apologising for the abuse, neglect and trauma including torture in state and faith-based care and for ignoring the voices of survivors for too long. ...1 week ago
- Green Party stands in support of survivors of abuse in care
Today, the Green Party stands alongside the survivors of abuse in state care and faith-based care as the Government issues an historic apology. ...1 week ago
- Green Party calls for conscience vote on Treaty Principles Bill
The Green Party has written to the Speaker of the House requesting he enable a personal vote on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt move to exclude journalist risks chilling effect
The Green Party is alarmed by the Government’s move to exclude a journalist from covering this week’s apology for the survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care. ...2 weeks ago
- Without action, an apology will be empty air
For tomorrow’s apology to survivors of abuse in state and faith-based care to hold any water, the Government must not pursue the same policies that drove the abuse in the first place. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Concerns remain over tobacco interference
Concerns about the tobacco industry’s ability to interfere in government policy making remain, despite the inability of the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate the Government’s decision to halve the excise tax on heated tobacco products. ...2 weeks ago
- Urgent wake-up call on climate
The Climate Change Commission’s latest advice indicates Aotearoa needs to be stepping up on climate action. ...2 weeks ago
- Green MP’s Meme-ber’s Bill set to save the world
Break out the punchlines and dust off your meme folder: Green Party MP Kahurangi Carter’s Copyright (Parody and Satire) Amendment Bill was pulled from the Ballot yesterday. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Poroporoaki: Ta Robert (Bom) Gillies
Kua hinga te manawa kairākau o Te Rua Tekau Ma Waru Tiwhatiwha te po! Kakarauru i te po! Ka rapuhia kei hea koe kua riro! Haere e te Ika a Whiro ki o tini hoa kua ngaro atu ki te Pō ...2 weeks ago
- Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principles Bill
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour, Greens and Te Pāti Māori call on the Prime Minister to block the Treaty Principle...
The opposition parties stand united for an Aotearoa that honours Te Tiriti, rather than seeking to rewrite it. Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are working together against the Government’s divisive Treaty Principles Bill. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ must pursue independent foreign policy
The Green Party says the need is greater than ever for Aotearoa New Zealand to pursue an independent foreign policy. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Winston Peters must apologise
The Deputy Prime Minister should apologise to the public servant he named and blamed for something they did not do, and for misusing the rules of Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Government action provides Southland farmers more time to meet plan requirements
The Government is taking action to ensure Southland farmers and growers are not affected by unreasonable regional farm plan deadlines, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard say.“Cabinet has agreed to provide more time for farmers and growers to comply with regional rules ...12 hours ago - Bill reaffirms Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending
The Oranga Tamariki (Responding to Serious Youth Offending) Bill had its first reading at Parliament today. The Bill reaffirms the Government’s commitment to crack down on serious youth offending, Minister for Children Karen Chhour says. “In recent years we have seen an unacceptable spike in youth offending. “This Bill makes ...12 hours ago
- Critical milestones for earthquake buildings review
Fairer, more sensible rules about managing earthquake risks are a step closer with the passing of legislation and the appointment of an independent chair to provide expert advice, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The Government is committed to reinvigorating our cities and regions to support economic growth, ...13 hours ago
- State of the art radiology machine for Auckland
People in Northland and Auckland will benefit from a new machine for cancer treatment installed at the Regional Cancer and Blood Service at Auckland City Hospital. The MV5 linear accelerator, or LINAC machine, officially opened today targets cancer tumours with pinpoint accuracy. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says this new, ...13 hours ago
- Foreign Minister to visit Europe
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Europe for high-level talks with France, Germany and the United Kingdom next week. "Since taking office almost a year ago, the Coalition Government has emphasised the importance we place on New Zealand's traditional and likeminded diplomatic and ...13 hours ago
- First arrests made under gang patch ban
Police have made their first arrests under the new gang patch legislation, with two gang members arrested, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “Just before 11 this morning, Police in Wairoa apprehended a gang member for wearing a patch to the supermarket. He has been arrested and will now face enforcement ...15 hours ago
- Better support for victims of sexual violence
The Government is proposing two major changes to name suppression laws that will put the views of victims of sexual violence first, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “We are committed to restoring law and order and these two proposed changes will help ensure the victims of crime are put at ...16 hours ago
- Government moving forward with Regional Deals
Cabinet has agreed to invite all regions to submit proposals for Regional Deals between central and local government that drive economic growth and deliver the infrastructure our country needs, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop say. Inviting all regions to propose a Regional Deal that boosts ...16 hours ago
- MSA pilot participant update
One of the ten young men selected to participate in the Military-Style Academy Pilot has allegedly reoffended. Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is disappointed but says it would be naïve to think that none of these young men would reoffend. “I’m saddened that this young person has not taken this opportunity ...17 hours ago
- Attendance rates increase, again
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that school attendance is continuing to rise. In Term 3 of 2024 51.3 per cent of students attended school regularly, an increase of 5.3 percentage points from 46 per cent in Term 3 of 2023. “This Government has prioritised student attendance and it is ...18 hours ago
- Improving the lives of young New Zealanders
Ensuring New Zealand is the best place in the world for children and young people is the vision at the heart of the Government’s new Child and Youth Strategy, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. “Childhood represents a huge opportunity to set people on a positive path towards living ...21 hours ago
- Government continues work to reinstate livestock exports by sea
The Government is reinstating the trade of livestock exports by sea while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare, says Associate Minister of Agriculture Andrew Hoggard.“The Government will introduce legislation changes to reinstate the trade, enhance oversight, and strengthen requirements for exporters to identify risks and manage the welfare of ...1 day ago
- Speech to the National Quality Forum 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa – it is a pleasure to be here today. I would like to begin by acknowledging the important leadership role you all play in ensuring a quality health system New Zealanders can trust. There is enormous clinical expertise in this room covering a wide range of disciplines. ...2 days ago
- New Zealand’s COP29 National Statement
Tēnā koutou katoa. Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. New Zealand, and all nations represented here today, are already dealing with the impacts of climate change. Our households, businesses, and economies are bearing the costs of its effects. The choices we make now will shape the severity of these impacts for generations ...2 days ago
- Latest Quarterly Investment Report released
The Government has released its second Quarterly Investment Report (QIR) which shows substantial work still to be done by agencies to improve investment reporting and meet the Government’s expectations, Infrastructure and Acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “New Zealand has significant infrastructure and investment needs. The Government is determined to get ...2 days ago
- New Zealand supporting loss and damage fund
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced New Zealand will contribute NZ$10 million to the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage while at the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. “New Zealand is joining the global effort to address the significant challenge of responding to ...2 days ago
- Gang crackdown begins at stroke of midnight
The free ride for gangs is over when the clock strikes midnight tonight, with tough new laws officially coming into effect, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Police Minister Mark Mitchell say. “Gang patches will no longer be able to be worn in public. To earn the right to wear a ...2 days ago
- LGFA increases borrowing capacity to support high growth councils
The Government is welcoming the decision by the Local Government Funding Agency to increase access to financing tools for fast growing councils to support greater investment in critical infrastructure, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.“Communities across the country are facing an infrastructure deficit and significant population growth is projected in ...2 days ago
- Temporary Traffic Management costs revealed
The Government has revealed that over the past three years, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has spent an eyewatering $786 million of taxpayers’ money on road cones and temporary traffic management (TTM), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“When I became Minister, I was surprised to learn that that NZTA did ...2 days ago
- Jurisdiction of Disputes Tribunal to double
Legislation that will double the financial jurisdiction of the Disputes Tribunal from $30,000 to $60,000 has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith. “We need to improve court timeliness and access to justice so that Kiwis and get on with their lives. Court delays affect everyone, the ...2 days ago
- Protecting New Zealand from foreign interference
Legislation that will specifically criminalise foreign interference and strengthen espionage offences has passed first reading in Parliament today, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “It is normal and appropriate for states to interact and work to influence one another. This encourages cooperation and can have mutually beneficial outcomes. “However, the reality ...2 days ago
- Significant milestone for Canterbury Road of National Significance
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed news that the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved funding towards pre-implementation and early works on the State Highway 1 (SH1) Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass Road of National Significance (RoNS). “Reaching this significant milestone is a reflection of our Government’s ...3 days ago
- Health survey results to help drive change
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says findings from the annual Health Survey highlight the need to continue driving better health outcomes for New Zealanders. The New Zealand Health Survey is an annual snapshot of key metrics measured from July 2023 – July 2024. Findings released this morning include: In 2023/24, ...3 days ago
- Final push needed to get to Smokefree 2025
A renewed effort to get people to quit smoking will build on what has worked to date and target the groups who most need support, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello said today. “The latest New Zealand Health Survey results show the daily smoking rate at 6.9 per cent and we ...3 days ago
- New diplomatic appointments
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has announced four new diplomatic appointments. “Our diplomats play an important role in ensuring New Zealand’s interests are maintained and enhanced across the world,” Mr Peters says. “It is a pleasure to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the Ministry of Foreign ...3 days ago
- Next steps for Regulatory Standards Bill
Regulation Minister David Seymour has today announced the next steps in the Government’s plan improve the quality of regulation by opening consultation on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. “New Zealand's low wages can be blamed on low productivity, and low productivity can be blamed on poor regulation,” says Mr Seymour. ...3 days ago
- Red Tape Tipline goes live
Minister for Regulation David Seymour has today announced that the Ministry for Regulation’s Red Tape Tipline is now live. “We want to hear about your red tape horror stories. From today, New Zealanders will have a say on how they are regulated through an online portal,” says Mr Seymour. The ...3 days ago
- Youth Parliament 2025 announced
The Minister for Youth Matt Doocey has today announced the eleventh Youth Parliament will be taking place in 2025. “Youth Parliament offers a unique youth development opportunity to young people from across New Zealand to experience the political process and learn about how government works,” says Mr Doocey. “The two-day ...4 days ago
- Police stats show promising change
After nearly a year in Government, Kiwis have seen significant change across law and order with promising early results shown across some Police statistics, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. “In August 2023, I told New Zealanders that if they had not started to see a change in public safety within ...4 days ago
- Better coordination of anti-scam efforts
With the launch of Fraud Awareness Week, the Government is committing to new coordination efforts across industry and government to combat online scams, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Online financial scams are a growing problem for New Zealand. New data released today shows that Kiwis lost nearly ...4 days ago
- Minister to consider 7AA select committee report
Minister for Children Karen Chhour will consider the recommendations made by the Social Services and Community Committee in its report back to Parliament on the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill. “I want to thank the people who made submissions and those who appeared before the committee in ...4 days ago
- Defence Minister to attend ASEAN meeting
Defence Minister Judith Collins will this week attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Vientiane, Laos. “We need to take every opportunity to engage with our international partners, given the increasingly unstable geo-political situation,” Ms Collins says. “New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to this ...4 days ago
- Launching the White Ribbon Ride
The Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour, was on hand to wish riders well at the start of the North Island leg of the White Ribbon Ride in Whakatāne this morning. The ride helps mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ...4 days ago
- Construction to begin on next stage of Papakura to Drury
Construction on the next stage of the SH1 Papakura to Drury project will begin early next month, with the contract for works awarded to Fulton Hogan, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. "SH1 Papakura to Drury is a key project that will drive economic growth and productivity, reduce congestion, and enable people ...6 days ago
- NZ signs trade deal with Costa Rica, Iceland and Switzerland
Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has signed a pioneering trade agreement that prioritises New Zealand’s sustainable exports at a ceremony during APEC in Peru today. “The Agreement on Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS), between Costa Rica, Iceland, and Switzerland was concluded in July of this year and opens up significant ...6 days ago
- Government and iwi work together on aquaculture
Five new Aquaculture Settlement Areas will help ensure Ngāi Tahu shares in the opportunities aquaculture offers for Southland’s economy, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. “The Aquaculture Settlement Areas (ASAs) I’m announcing today set aside space so the Crown and Ngāi Tahu can assess their potential for aquaculture development. ...7 days ago
- Government launches review to ensure electricity market is fit-for-purpose
The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity, Energy Minister ...7 days ago
- Speech to Social Investment Hui: Jack and his whānau need our help
Kia ora koutou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai, piki mai. Ki te mihi atu ahau, ki te manwhenua nei, Te Atiawa, Ngāti toa rangatira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Thank you, Andy, for your introduction. Let me acknowledge you as the new Chief Executive of the Social Investment ...7 days ago
- Minister of State for Trade heads to Brisbane for PACER Plus meeting
Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg has travelled to Australia to attend the PACER Plus Ministers Meeting in Brisbane. “Trade plays a critical role in driving employment, economic growth, and improving the standards of living in the Pacific Region. The Government is strongly committed to supporting Pacific Island countries ...7 days ago
- Proposals to modernise conservation released
Toitū te taiao – Our environment endures The Government is consulting on proposals to modernise New Zealand’s conservation management system, aiming to protect relevant natural areas while supporting sustainable growth in tourism and regional economies, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Today, the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai is ...7 days ago
- Grattan on Friday: Marles plays a defensive bat on nuclear as the government rushes to get though la...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Richard Marles is an ambitious man who hasn’t given up the dream of one day reaching the top job. But, despite being deputy prime minister, his profile is much lower than that of Treasurer Jim ...5 hours ago - NEW POLL: Kiwis Overwhelmingly Support MPs’ Expenses Transparency Law Change
62% of respondents support the extension of the OIA to cover MPs’ spending, compared to just 13% opposed and 24% were unsure. ...7 hours ago - The House: Meanwhile, a week of passing law
The political week has been packed with worthy distractions, but all week Parliament has focused on passing new laws. Here are the highlights. ...7 hours ago - The biggest difference between Hīkoi mō te Tiriti and past hīkoi: More support from non-Māori
Analysis - The diversity of voices during the hīkoi was noticeable - from tangata moana to young immigrants to elderly Pākehā from the South Island. ...8 hours ago
- The House: Samoan citizenship restoration – ‘It means we belong to this land’
When the bill to restore NZ citizenship to some Samoans passed this week, Parliament's galleries were full to the brim with members of the community. ...9 hours ago
- More Delays In Action On Use Of Puberty Blockers With Children
Women’s Rights Party Co-leader Jill Ovens says the Ministry has put New Zealand children at risk by continuing to allow “off-label” prescribing of puberty blockers at far higher rates than other similar countries. ...10 hours ago
- Police Minister adamant he wasn’t aware of gang members training at gun clubs
That is despite two papers from police that raised the matter with him. ...10 hours ago
- Shorten declares himself ‘a proud moderate’, saying Australians ‘in the middle’ shouldn’t ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Bill Shorten has declared himself “a proud moderate” in a valedictory speech declaring parliament has the responsibility to ensure the extremes of left and right do not set the terms of political debate. Shorten, ...10 hours ago
- New ‘best practice’ principles for superannuation products are coming. We asked a panel of exper...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt Garrow, Editorial Web Developer Studio Romantic/Shutterstock We all know how important it is to save enough money for retirement – but what about spending it wisely when we get there? Even for those who have built up a suitable ...10 hours ago
- Government accused of betraying Kiwis’ trust over lack of consultation on live exports
The government has always vowed to reinstate live exports by sea, which was banned by the previous Labour government. ...11 hours ago
- 7 things you can do if you think you sweat too much
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Freeman, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Bond University ERIK Miheyeu/Shutterstock Sweating is our body’s way of cooling down, a bit like an internal air conditioner. When our core temperature rises (because it’s hot outside, or you’re exercising), sweat glands all ...11 hours ago
- Phenergan for under 6s is now banned due to hallucination fears. Here’s what to use instead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Macquarie University Australia’s drug regulator has issued a safety warning over the medicine Phenergan and related products containing the antihistamine drug promethazine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration said the over-the-counter products should not be given to children ...11 hours ago
- A new stage adaptation of Peter Carey’s Jack Maggs is a delightful homage to theatrical storytelli...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Campbell, Lecturer, Performing Arts, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/STCSA Jack Maggs is a delight and a homage to theatrical storytelling in Australia. Based on Peter Carey’s bestselling novel, Jack Maggs follows the ex-convict as he lands ...11 hours ago
- The government has introduced laws for its social media ban. But key details are still missing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology Ron Lach/Pexels The federal government today introduced into parliament legislation for its social media ban for people under 16 years. Communications Minister Michelle ...11 hours ago
- Archives NZ, National Library to cut 27 roles
The Department of Internal Affairs wants to bring the two organisations under the joint leadership of the Chief Archivist and National Librarian. ...11 hours ago
- Gang patch ban: Members warn of potential for violence to ‘erupt’ as new laws enforced
"I can't see this lasting unless they have a budget to lock fullas up in jail which I think is absolutely stupid, really it's ludicrous," Ngavii Pekapo, who set up a Mongrel Mob chapter 54 years ago, says. ...12 hours ago
- ACT leader David Seymour raises doubts about Waikato medical school
Government documents show ACT leader David Seymour told the government he was "dissatisfied" with a cost-benefit analysis. ...12 hours ago
- National’s Erica Stanford allegedly calls Labour’s Jan Tinetti a ‘stupid bitchR...
The Education Minister has apologised in Parliament for her remark. ...12 hours ago
- Labour backs new Police Commissioner – but warns against routine arming
The alternative to policing by consent would be a police state, which New Zealanders don't want, the party says. ...13 hours ago
- Youth on boot camp pilot re-offended five weeks after release
Children's Minister Karen Chhour said while it was disappointing, it would naïve to think none of the participants would lapse. ...14 hours ago
- In photos: People of the hīkoi, and why they marched
Hikoi mō Te Tiriti has come to an end, going down in history as the largest march to Parliament in Aotearoa. ...14 hours ago
- ‘Everything is becoming a culture war’: Jon Ronson on conspiracies and cycleways
Ahead of his appearance in Aotearoa, the acclaimed British journalist, podcaster and documentarian talks to Stewart Sowman-Lund about why people are still fascinated by the fringes. The last place I would expect to find Jon Ronson is relaxing in the countryside. The iconic British journalist and writer is best known ...14 hours ago - Kia kaha Lebanon: NZ media only tell half your story of struggle
The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council ceasefire resolution — for the fourth time — in Israel’s war on Gaza, while Hezbollah demands a complete ceasefire and “protection of Lebanon’s sovereignty” in any deal with Israel. Amid the death and devastation, Joe Hendren reflects on his time in ...15 hours ago
- ‘Deserves a Bafta’: After the Party premieres in the UK to five-star reviews
The acclaimed New Zealand drama has just premiered on TV in the United Kingdom, and the five-star reviews are already flowing in. Six months after it was called a “blistering” “tour de force” by Australian critics, and nearly a year since The Spinoff declared it the best drama New Zealand ...15 hours ago
- Drugs are getting cheaper and easier to find in Aotearoa
New Zealanders are drinking and smoking less, but most other recreational drugs are becoming cheaper, more popular and more available, two new reports show. Two significant new surveys about drugs in Aotearoa were released this week, offering a rare insight into New Zealanders’ choice of substances, which ones are becoming ...15 hours ago
- COP29: ‘climate finance’ for the Pacific is mostly loans, saddling small island nations with mor...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Ratuva, Director, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury Lenora Qereqeretabua, the deputy speaker of Fiji’s Parliament, at the COP29 climate summit. IISD/ENB/Mike Muzurakis, CC BY-SA As this year’s UN climate summit reaches its final stage of negotiations, Pacific ...16 hours ago
- Review: The magic of Wicked and the curse of corporate greed
The new movie musical is undoubtedly a fun watch, but it’s also proof that bigger isn’t always better, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund. Contains minor spoilers for Wicked. There’s no doubt that Wicked is going to be huge. No other pop culture event this year, save from maybe Charli XCX’s Brat, has ...16 hours ago
- Dame Jacinda Ardern to be given United Nations leadership award
She will get the champion for global change award from the United Nations Foundation at a ceremony in New York tomorrow. ...18 hours ago
- NZ will resume live animal exports – to low demand
Analysis: NZ is lifting what was supposed to be a permanent ban on live animal exports. But it’s not the lucrative industry it once was. The post NZ will resume live animal exports – to low demand appeared first on Newsroom. ...18 hours ago - Financial forms of family violence affect one in seven of us – but the law is lagging
There are calls for New Zealand’s Family Violence Act to name economic harm as a standalone type of violence, rather than a subcategory of psychological abuse, to bring it in line with the United Kingdom and Australia. Economic harm – restricting access to, sabotaging or exploiting another person’s financial resources, ...18 hours ago
- Downside Risks To Treasury’s Economic And Fiscal Forecasts
New Zealand is currently running a structural fiscal deficit, with expenditure exceeding revenue. Economic growth falling short of expectations has been making it harder for the Government to bring the books back into balance. ...19 hours ago
- Science continues to exclude Indigenous communities. Fixing this benefits everyone
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jordan Peter Anthony Pitt, Associate Dean of Indigenous Strategy and Services (Faculty of Science), University of Sydney An enduring challenge facing science around the world is how to best include and engage Indigenous communities. In Australia, for example, 0.5% of Indigenous ...19 hours ago
- Why is cricket so popular on the Indian sub-continent?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Cricket originated in England, but has been spread worldwide by British soldiers and settlers in the past few hundred years. It is now the second most popular sport in ...19 hours ago
- Disinformation and deepfakes played a part in the US election. Australia should expect the same
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renee Barnes, Associate professor of Journalism, University of the Sunshine Coast Mladen Zivkovic/Shutterstock As America takes stock after Donald Trump’s re-election to the presidency, it’s worth highlighting the AI-generated fake photos, videos and audio shared during the campaign. A slew ...19 hours ago
- Is thunderstorm asthma becoming more common?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kira Morgan Hughes, PhD Candidate in Allergy and Asthma, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University When spring arrives, so do warnings about thunderstorm asthma. But a decade ago, most of us hadn’t heard of it. So where did thunderstorm asthma ...19 hours ago
- Overwhelmed by ever more clothing donations, charities are exporting the problem. Local governments ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yassie Samie, Postdoctoral Researcher in Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University anna.spoka/Shutterstock What happens to your clothes after you don’t want them any more? Chances are, you will donate them to op shops run by a charity organisation. There are more ...19 hours ago
- Friendly fire: a nuclear push by allies at COP29 poses a sticky problem for Albanese
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland IndustryAndTravel/Shutterstock Prime Minister Anthony Albanese didn’t see this coming. At the global COP29 climate talks in Baku, the Australian government was indirectly criticised by two allies, the United States and the ...19 hours ago
- Nugget Is Dead brings queer love, multiculturalism and Aussie flair to the Christmas movie formula
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hart, Associate Professor, Film Screen & Animation, Queensland University of Technology Julia Firak Stan’s new Christmas film Nugget is Dead is a colourful production that follows the rules of the seasonal genre film to a tee – with an Aussie ...19 hours ago
- Help Me Hera: Should I cut contact with my ex-stepdad?
My parents are finally getting divorced. So why do I feel like my stepdad’s feelings are still my problem? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Dear Hera My parents recently announced their separation. This in itself isn’t a problem. I’ve already gone through this once before in my early childhood, so ...19 hours ago
- New Zealand Drops In Global Ranking On Climate Action
If the government won’t hold polluters to account, then people will. People are increasingly taking to the streets and the courtrooms, putting their bodies on the line to shut down polluting industries. This will only escalate further unless New ...19 hours ago
The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.
Security – even beyond the benefit system – is something a lot of people are looking for, and have been for a long time. Even the right wingers recognise that in their own narrow way, which is why a lack of volatility in mortgage rates is such a big deal for them.
The trouble is, they’ve been actively working to create an unsecure environment for a lot of people. The attempt to create on-call zero-hours jobs at Ports of Auckland and all the other employment law changes. People adjust their lives accordingly. Unable to put down roots, the have become the Precariat. And the quality of life in NZ has suffered for it.
The Savage Govt regarded Full Employment as the main social security policy plank.
This was achieved by Govt taking a leading role in the economy, creating jobs by public works on roads, rail, bridges, houses, and regulating the market to stabilise prices and production and hence jobs.
Today when the economy is being ruined by the rip, shit, bust greed of the banksters, it is even more necessary for the Govt to take a leading role to make Full Employment possible.
There is no way that even the modest jobs proposals put forward in this leadership contest can work without the removal from privilege and power of the property owning class.
That means it is not enough to go back to Savage and the policies that met the conditions that prevailed then, but also forward to the socialisation of the economy under democratic control.
Cunliffe and Roberton being focussed on job creation is understandable, however Cunliffe’s response to the beneficiary question was problematic. Quite a few questions the other day were about welfare/benefit issues, and DC chose to answer only one of them –
“What is your view on Work and Income beneficiaries, esp re Labour policy (carrot or stick)?
How do you intend to repair the damage done by the deserving working poor vs lazy/cheating beneficiary meme?”
I am not into beneficiary bashing in any way, shape or form. I do want to see intensive case management with support for unemployed kiwis to find work. That means there has to be jobs to go to. And we also have to respect people’s individual challenges and family circumstances.
The problem I have is that he seems to frame the issue almost wholely in terms of unemployment. Sure there is an acknowledgement of individual circumstances, but how many beneficiaries are not on the dole? (it’s not an insignificant amount). And much of the bene bashing (public and govt sponsored) is aimed at ill people and sole parents, ostensibly not the people at the front of the queue needing a job.
It also concerns me that he see intensive case management as a core part of addressing benefit issues. If there are enough jobs, why would you need such case management? And if there aren’t enough jobs, then targeted case management makes sense (eg for people who don’t have job seeking skills), but otherwise it still smacks of unemployed people just need to try harder and we’ll give them the support.
I know he didn’t have a lot of time to answer, but I wasn’t left feeling confident.
i agree with the intent of your comment, while we have to remember that David Cunliffe is, and will be, a very busy man now and into the future i think most of us here at the Standard have recognized the reluctance of Labour politicians both when in Government and when not, the importance of undoing the damage done to our welfare system by the ‘Neo-liberal ism’,
To suggest that unemployed people ‘need pushing’ into employment in any way is a denigration of the average unemployed person in this country, and, the evidence of the numbers who line up attempting to secure even the lowest paid supermarket employment when it is publicly offered is the proof of this assertion,
i would suggest to David Cunliffe that when His Government sets up it’s first ‘tree planting gang’ in the provinces He simply causes this employment to be advertised in local newspapers,
An advertizement consisting of,”Tree planters wanted, no experience necessary, good rates of pay” will provide proof to ALL the Labour Caucus of just how willing the average unemployed person is to take up work anywhere…
If you believe that the “average unemployed person” will be willing to take up work anywhere as a tree planters, can you explain why those same people are not willing to work in horticulture?
The lack of interest of New Zealanders working in vineyards and orchards led to the Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme for Pacific Islanders. While I think this is an excellent scheme for the Pacific Islanders and works well for the vineyards and orchard farmers, I find it sad that taxpayers fund both unemployment benefits and the Recognised Seasonal Employment scheme and that New Zealanders don’t get the benefits of working.
As I recall from a jaunt to Roxburgh years back, the issues were around piecemeal work not adding up to covering moving, and in one case the orchard manager sending workers in to thin trees within moment of finishing spraying. Most of the workers at the camp complained of rashes, but in those days I didn’t know who to go to about it.
But the prime thing was that the workers who had their eye in made enough for some savings, while others barely broke even. Surprisingly fine line between “thinned not enough” and “now the branch is going to die”.
Are you suggesting that all the unemployed should abandon what homes in the cities they have and become a band of gypsies following the various horticulture seasons around the countryside,
Them and the kids should live in tents perhaps???and when no work is available they all should simply disappear??? i suppose you would be more than willing to turn over a paddock at your place for this band of gypsies to camp out in for the off season???
Funnily enough when expanding their horticulture operations these businesses FAILED to ensure that there was the labour in the areas of expansion necessary to undertake what is temporary work and then FAILED to build suitable accommodation to house workers and their families,
There are no vineyards or orchards that i know of operating in South Auckland, Porirua or any other areas where there are high numbers of unemployed people…
“Are you suggesting that all the unemployed should abandon what homes in the cities they have and become a band of gypsies following the various horticulture seasons around the countryside,”
YES
Does that mean you are in Hungary now?
Does that mean you are drunk in the Melville Tavern now?
I was noting your support of Roma generally, and Hungary has the largest population of Roma. I have no idea what your reference is to.
SSLands,F off back to your fantasy land fool…
More typical rudness. And you are the one who lives in a fantasy.
you don’t think that treating people like pieces of 2×4, to be transported around the country as and where needed, counts as “rudeness”?
carts and donkeys are available; they don’t have to walk all the way Flockie.
Regardless, relocating people is more complicated than relocating timber.
Sure, you might get a minimum (but not living) wage at the end of it. All you had to do was say goodbye to most of your social connections and any possession that couldn’t be transported. Let alone figure out child/pet care.
yes, these further stretching of social connections, with NZ already coming in as one of the most dis connected societies according to recent Public Health study findings out of Auckland University. (’bout a month ago, reported on that frequent foe of the right, RNZ.)
…and suggesting someone is drunk isn’t rude? You are a complicated man/woman from Australia/New Zealand Srylands
“and suggesting someone is drunk isn’t rude?”
Well stop writing stuff like you are high then.
Have you forgotten that you keep forgetting to keep your story straight from day to day.
I do hope you are self-employed, given the time you spend during working hours here… would hate to think you were robbing your employer of productivity.
SSLANDS, thank you, i try daily to be as rude as possible to you and your ilk, but you specifically,
Another successful day, i am happy…
I have had a conversation with a young single mother in west Auckland who was looking for seasonal orchard/picking/horticulture work, as suggested by WINZ. It was about impossible for her to find any within commuting distance….. and then there’s her children.
Let’s have some realism, please!
I think she should have known before she had children that she might lose her job and so should not have had children that would prevent her from moving to an orchard to pick fruit.
Lolz Tracey, what we need is laws which force young single mothers to put their children into State care so as to enable them to be able to travel widely of the countryside seeking horticulture work,
We should tho be really caring and provide portable tents,…sarc/
well, srylands (most recently of Hungary) has suggested we embrace these folks as Roma (he used the antiquated term Gypsies). So horses and wagons will be trawling through the country, and when srylands is in NZ, he wont mind them camping on his front lawn, cos he’s no nimby (except when he is an Australian)
the funny thing is that people like srylands truly believe the world is how they see it. perhaps when he asks what planet we are from, it’s because he is nowhere near Earth?
The irony is that many people working in orchards are in fact living a non-ethnic gypsy life. Typically it’s people living in mobile homes, overseas visitors on work (or not) visas who have no possessions or dependents and who like moving around., and locals who want to pick up bits of work here and there because they have other sources of income (although the locals tend to get the better paying jobs). For a lot of those people the lifestyle makes up for the poor pay/work conditions. Plus the workers being imported from places where the wage rates are lower.
Syrlands is an idiot. What is the point of moving from Auckland to Marlborough or Central if at the end of the season you are in debt?
“Lolz Tracey, what we need is laws which force young single mothers to put their children into State care so as to enable them to be able to travel widely of the countryside seeking horticulture work,”
Don’t be silly. The state should put creches onsite, and then by the time the kids are five they can be taught how to pick fruit (pretty nimble getting up those trees). Or maybe sorting rotten fruit in the packing shed, and they can onsell the seconds somehow to pay for their food and board, and repay the state for their pre-work care.
God, you lefties. The answer’s simple: she needs to sell her children to the orchard owner. They have small hands, you know.
ahhh, “the apple-pickin’ business”.
To the orchard owner? That’s ridiculous! The free market cannot operate with sellers being so discriminating! Look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal
From each according to their surplus babies to each according to their need for baby-flesh, I’ve always said.
Then why did WINZ not tell her to move?. Simple really.
Translation – this is what I want.
http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-7681-hard-harvest.html
So does this mean then that slavery is just a contorted word for flexible arrangement of employment?
what horticulture work for the unskilled happens in the winter?
There’s no land for tree planting in South Auckland or Porirua either. I had assumed the people you are talking about who are keen to do tree planting will be prepared to move to pick up those jobs.
@ Christine,
If a good job was available, I am sure a lot would be prepared to move.
“If a good job was available, I am sure a lot would be prepared to move.”
So why do we import thousands of workers from overseas to work in horticulture?
@ Srylands
Because orchard-owners weren’t prepared to raise the wages and/or conditions of the jobs they had on offer to allow it to be a viable option for New Zealanders.
What McFlock said (above 2.1.1.1) is exactly what I witnessed occurring too; poor conditions and pay not covering expenses.
What’s this “we”, Australian?
when you say “we” do you mean those of us who live in New Zealand and pay taxes here, or those who post here who pretend to live in New Zealand, and Australia (depending on the argument they are making that day)?
Snap McFlock… although now we can add Hungary to his countries of residence.
a veritable citizen of the world. We should be grateful spylands is giving us hobbits the benefit of his wisdom.
@ srylands:
“So why do we import thousands of workers from overseas to work in horticulture?”
Equally … (well not so equally … more like bullshit artistedly):
Why do lightweight educational fly-by-nighter educational institutions advertise in places like India and China, then promise business management ‘degrees’ with guaranteed ‘work experience employment opportunities’ relevant to the qualification gained – which turn out to be picking various crops at minimal/under wage rates, rather than any sort of back- office administrative role?
You got it … well you should have because many of the operators are your mates
Why then do those institutions that have promised the world (yes … even through international telephone enquiries) pack up shop and go under (once the exorbitant fees have been banked and dispersed, of course).
Just as well I know their names aye!
Next question.
Why, when Key-led trade missions to South America, and next … to places like India amount to SFA!
(Just as an aside – there’s another question: Why couldn’t such a South American jaunt understand that a failure to attend a funeral by a country’s leader – on a mission to grovel for a start – would go down like a cup of cold sick).
I know the answer to that already – you needn’t bother. The answer is sheer arrogance.
But perhaps – in answer to their pathetic little groveling missions fail (or will take forever/or be a bad deal) is because Sth Americans (and next Indians) seem to have a greater concern for their citizenry than does messers Key/Joyce/Nafe-da-man et al.
I forget the spanish word for wanker – but we’re now in the 9th month – i.e. 9 months post that little Sth American jaunt after which Key ‘was comfortable as usual, and much was to be gained’
Yea….Right.
Please ….. the Indian mission has not yet happened – but FFS – keep Key and Joyce and their accolytes well away. Learning to say wanker in every foreign language can become rather tedious.
Rest assured though – them there Sth Amurrikuns got Key’s number, and if there is to be an Indian mission – I’d suggest it was confined to the south.
I’m ekshly looking forward to the next attempt – it’ll be a hoot to watch!
Just in case you didn’t understand all that srylands – So why do we import thousands of workers from overseas to work in horticulture? – We Don’t !! except for maybe a few PI’s (I’m not sure even that programme is still operating).
But instead ….. we promise Nirvana to the likes of international students, then we deliver utter shite – whereupon they end up being the ‘imported horticultural workers’ you speak of, and often underpaid/no paid restaurant workers.
Go ask a few of them – Go ask their circumstances!. Go ask them how indebted they (and often their families) have become – all for the privilege of ‘studying’ and ‘working’ in New Zealand.
Then when you’ve done doing that … don’t wonder why NZ’s reputation has been totally trashed.
Are you ignorant or naive? The workers are paid pittance, a shed is their accommodation (deducted) and bob is your uncle, profit galore!
How do you expect an unemployed person to be able to afford to move? How do they find a house to live in in the area of the work? How do they pay the bond and rent in advance on a new rental? How do they pay the moving costs? Will WINZ allow them to move? Are they guaranteed a job if they move? etc,etc,etc
What David Cunliffe is saying, and i agree with him, is that in places like the Far North or East Coast monies from emissions trading tax will be used to plant marginal lands,
There are numerous unemployed people in both those provinces who i am willing to bet will fall all over each other to get some of this tree planting work…
“Are you suggesting that all the unemployed should abandon what homes in the cities they have and become a band of gypsies following the various horticulture seasons around the countryside,”
She might not be but I am. If there is “no work” in the area you live then you owe it to yourself and your fellow tax payer to up sticks and move to a place where there is work.
Certainly if you are a dole bludger and live in an area where there is horticultural work on offer (even if it is seasonal) and refuse to take that work then you should have your benefit stopped immediately.
“She might not be but I am. If there is “no work” in the area you live then you owe it to yourself and your fellow tax payer to up sticks and move to a place where there is work.”
What? So you (whoever you is) can leave the family behind so you (BB – it’s your style) can call the women ‘DPB slags’ who shouldn’t be breeding? Because a casual horticultural wage is sure not going to pay for the family that’s left behind and any family has bugger all chance of finding a home or ensuring continuity of the kids schooling by following the casual horticultural worker.
Miravox
So you think it is fine for an individual or a family to move to a place where there is no work and then bludge off the tax payer by way of the dole?
I don’t care how much relocating might upset the family, children adapt, they make new friends and showing ones children that work is an important part of being a productive member of society is part of being a good parent.
“I don’t care how much relocating might upset the family”
Then why would anyone care what you think?
“Children adapt,”
Depends how many times they have to do that, BB. Pretty sure moving away from family and other social support, plus the sense of dislocation from frequently changing schools is right up there in education non-achievement and social problems.
Miravox.
That sounds like another invented excuse to me. Plenty of kids move school, city and even countries and cope well with it. The idea that “the kids might not cope” is not good enough to keep paying their parents to sit at home doing nothing.
What the left refuse to acknowledge is that seeing a parent leave the house every day to go to work is a powerful message. It matters not what that work is, letting kids know that life is not a free ride (something the left want to offer under achievers in return for their vote) is the most important thing of all.
If people really want work, if people really want to better themselves and get off the benefit then they will move, they will take work that might not be what they are trained for or what they ideally want but they will take it.
The rest….well they are simply parasites who do not deserve one cent more of my money.
Unless you’re going to actually think, see…
http://thestandard.org.nz/jobs-social-security/#comment-692497
And it’s not your money.
Bruv, the fact that you acknowledge a total lack of concern for the effect of your ideas (as you admitted above) completely and utterly excludes you from any discussion about improving societal outcomes.
Now fuck off back to your cave, by yourself, while the rest of us get on with the job of making people’s lives better, together.
Miravox
It is indeed my money. The government steals it from me every fortnight, I do not give it willingly. If they took a more reasonable amount, stopped rewarding feral females for breeding and did something about the thousands of benefit bludgers I might feel slightly better about the unauthorised theft from my account every fortnight.
Felix
You want to make other peoples life’s better?…that is hilarious.
If you were genuine you would admit that rewarding losers for doing nothing is not going to improve their lot in life one little bit.
But really, it’s just their vote you want.
“stopped rewarding feral females for breeding “
Bingo!
http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/06/moving-well-being.aspx
There are studies that can proof that what you propose will create the opposite outcome to what you intend. Whilst you may be OK wandering the continents, not everybody is. Least of all children. And it should be every parent interest that their children are getting the best care and schooling possible. This, more then anything else will ensure that they can lead an independent and productive happy life.
It makes no difference what you find hilarious bruv.
You stated that you don’t care about the people we are discussing and that ends your involvement in the conversation.
Certainly if you are a dole bludger and live in an area where there is horticultural work on offer (even if it is seasonal) and refuse to take that work then you should have your benefit stopped immediately.
Ah, yes. The old mythologies. [My bold].
Can you provide any evidence that these mythologies are in fact widespread occurrences, and require strict monitoring and punishing of all beneficiaries – as opposed to the need to improve social security provisions and stop bashing beneficiaries?
Karol
All one has to do is look at the number of parasites who claim they cannot find work in a place like the Hawkes Bay and then look at the number of horticultural vacancies to see that it is a widespread problem.
But then, that does not suit your political bias does it.
@ Big Bruv,
Your accusations are rubbish and based on sheer fantasy.
Someone on an unemployment benefit would be very hard pushed to continue receiving assistance in an area where seasonal work is available. This is because WINZ do in fact push people into seasonal work. And this is the case regardless of the party in government.
Your comments implying that this doesn’t occur are based on nothing but your flawed imagination.
Your flawed imagination also leads your statements re looking at the numbers ‘claiming they cannot find work’ to be bunk too. You would be very hard pushed accurately knowing who these people are and what their numbers are unless you hang out in the local WINZ office counting people as they come in, yet then again, this wouldn’t tell you what it is they are coming in for or what type of assistance they are receiving.
However, what can be done is observe the drop in unemployment stats when seasonal work is available and this drop shows that many people do pick up work when it is available.
It really is time that people such as yourself wake up to what is going on around you and stop basing your views on false ideas and propagating such.
It really is ridiculous what you are saying.
Most of the need for overseas seasonal workers is an anti-competitive measure.
1 Funnily enough the apples on a tree don’t all ripen at once.
You see when picking apples there are generally three picks. First and second pick are reasonable money and workers don’t mind that.
Third pick the apples are further apart, less of them and you have to get up and down more. It takes longer to fill a bin.
So if you are on an orchard doing a third pick and the orchard down the road is doing a first pick (or for that instance paying a higher bin rate) what would you do in a competitive market where you have to feed your family.
You’d go work for the orchardist down the road.
Having overseas workers indentured stops that.
2. Overseas workers are paid differently from NZ workers. When you bring in an overseas worker you must guarantee them 30 hours per week and pay them accordingly. So if there are two days rain this week and no picking thn the NZ workers get no pay and the RSE workers still get paid. The extra is taken out of their pay when they work more than 30 hours.
3. Some orchardists used illegal workers in the past often with contractors who paid no PAYE etc. This made bad employing orchardists more competitive than those who played by the rules. The good orchardists were quite rightly upset that they might go bust cause others get away with illegal labour – and at times other things like buying stolen sprays etc on the black market. Stolen off other orchardists. RSE endeavours to reduce the illegal labour by ensuring there is a supply of legal overseas labour.
4. Some orchardists get money back by providing accommodation. There was a letter to a newspaper somewhere that suggested one orchadist took $400,000 in accommodation costs out of his overseas workers wages. Certainly helps the bottom line when you can claw the wages back that way. All he needs now is a company store for them to spend their money in.
5. Illegal workers generally didn’t go home. These ones the employer must pay for their ticket home – though I gues they take that cost out of their wages as well.
In short through all these means NZer’s are denied training and work and a decent wage for a hard job in the hot hot sun.
“An advertizement consisting of,”Tree planters wanted, no experience necessary, good rates of pay” will provide proof to ALL the Labour Caucus of just how willing the average unemployed person is to take up work anywhere…”
Let’s hope that ad has an ‘s’ instead of a zeeeee!.
Enough already!
@Weka,
I accept there is room for concern in the response received, however I do wish to remind you to step back and remember that the most beneficiary bashing party to be in power, without doubt, is National. Labour are always more helpful toward welfare recipients when in Government.
This is a comparative statement (i.e. “more helpful” doesn’t mean “excellent”, just better than the worse), however it pays to keep this in mind.
I see a problem for Labour during election-time regarding this issue. It seems that points can be scored amongst those who haven’t experienced unemployment or been in unfortunate circumstances such as being incapacitated to work, points get scored regarding ‘being too generous’ (equating this to “Labour spends too much and gets us into debt”, where ‘debt’ is a pressing concern). It seems to me that left-wing politicians have to navigate this issue carefully, because it really takes more than a ‘sound-byte’ to explain the advantages of looking after those in the least fortunate circumstances, whereas bene-bashing meme’s take no time at all to ‘seed’.
Anyone openly speaking of wanting to move away from neoliberal memes would address many issues that cause the problems welfare recipients face.
If a politician categorically states that he is ‘against beneficiary bashing’ then they can be called on this later. ( It is my understanding that is why politicians are notorious for not stating things categorically!) Cunliffe has stated something categorical on this matter and has also expressed the view that neoliberalism is a failure.
I don’t dismiss your concerns yet am supplying you some reasons why there is some hope that things could change for the better with regard to the truly horrible situation people who are unwell and incapacitated are in at present and what Mr Cunliffe appears to be standing for.
“I accept there is room for concern in the response received, however I do wish to remind you to step back and remember that the most beneficiary bashing party to be in power, without doubt, is National. Labour are always more helpful toward welfare recipients when in Government.”
Yes and no. I make the argument myself that there are differences between NACT and Labour therefore we are better off with a Labour led govt. But let’s not forget that it was Labour that removed the needs-based hardship grant Special Benefit, and replaced it with a capped benefit that ensures poverty. They also excluded beneficiaries from Working for Families. And then we have Shearer’s roof painting story. None of those things are insignificant. In that sense, while I appreciate Cunliffe would need to side step referring to Labour’s bad history on this, I was looking for an indication that (a) the issues were understood and (b) there was some commitment to change. Cunliffe basically said they will work on employment, he did’t really answer my questions (and he avoided the other similar questions entirely). It’s not a good look.
I also appreciate that care is needed in this climate of benebashing and fear mongering, but nevertheless I believe that someone who grasps the issues and sees a way forward would be able to communicate that in a general way without scaring the horses. If Labour are moving away from their neoliberal economic past, and Cunliffe is being explicit about this (although the extent is unclear), then why the difficulty with doing the same re welfare.
When Cunliffe says he is against bene bashing in any shape or form, I believe him. But I’m left unsure of whether he fully appreciates the problem, or whether he believes that people on the dole need to be incentivised, albeit ‘nicely’ by Labour instead of nastily by NACT. Time will tell.
The Q and A the other day was a chance fo Cunliffe to let people know where he stands, even if he did it in general or subtle terms. He failed to do that IMO.
weka, it seems to me that Robertson and Cunliffe are not straying very far from the current parliamentary Labour policies. Also, is it not the case that the new Labour rules have given more strength to the membership remits being taken up by the caucus?
I don’t think any major shift from current caucus policies will be done on the hoof during the leadership Roadshow. It needs to be well worked out in terms of the policies and the ways they will be promoted. As Labour Party outsider, I’m thinking that major shifts in social security policies can be initiated at the conference later this year.
More broadly, I don’t think any of us can sit back and wait for politicians to make all the changes. For the left, there’s much long term work to be done at the flax roots.
I don’t think they can, because of the way Labour Policy is formed. Remember the annoyance when Shearer publicly dumped the “man ban,” on the grounds that it was not his place to dump it? What they are for the most part offering is what they would hope to bring to the leadership, so the wider context in which policy would be formed.
Maybe Karol, but I wasn’t asking Cunliffe about changes to Labour welfare policy. I was asking him about his view on welfare and the current problems (in a Labour context). I wasn’t expecting specific policy announcements, but instead a sense of where he stands. You can see plenty of his comments in that thread on where he stands on other things.
Agree with your last paragraph 🙂
karol
Would you size up the focus of the Labour roadshow is to have a Meet and Greet? And to talk about their vision of Labour’s next pathway.
Greywarbler, I’d size up the Roadshow as the opportunity for each contender to put their case for being the next leader of the Labour caucus. There are many factors that could be covered with that aim in mind. I’d say it’s more about stating their underlying values and leadership qualities. General vision could also be part of it, which the contenders have tended to state.
@ Weka,
Yes, there is an indication that there might be a lack of awareness of the issues, it really is a little inconclusive though.
Having reread your original question to Mr Cunliffe, it might be useful to point out that you didn’t actually stipulate that you were talking about sickness/invalids. You made a reference to ‘deserving poor’ which immediately placed in my mind the subject of unemployment rather than sickness. He might have had the same reaction. He could have answered the question in a two-pronged way, addressing unemployed people and also addressing those with varying levels of incapacity, however that he didn’t might indicate that he read your question as being to do with unemployment.
Despite this the many questions re welfare weren’t answered.
So, yes there could be a problem there.
I do suspect, however, you are underestimating the power of the ‘anti-welfare vote point-scoring’. I know, (because I have seen) exactly how quickly (even apparently intelligent) people can hook into the old ‘Left spend too much’ and only a whiff of understanding shown toward any welfare can set it off. As I understand it ‘the Left spend too much’ is entirely wrong and infact our people and economy have historically been a hell of a lot more healthy when the Left are in power, this is the rational argument, however how effectively do rational arguments counteract point-scoring appealing to instinctual/base irrational prejudice? Not very well at all. And this to me is an indication of the power of this [low] way of point scoring.
If Mr Cunliffe means what he says and gets in and follows through with what he says, I think a whole lot of pressure would be taken off welfare recipients without even having to go into reasonings why welfare is the right thing to do. The problem has been that there are not enough jobs to go around, infact as I understand this state of lack of jobs has been encouraged by the neoliberal meme in order to ‘keep wages and inflation low’. People see adverts in the paper and think there are jobs, yet there are not enough. Once there actually are jobs, and those who can work have jobs, it will be seen that the ‘great unemployed’ was not a case of ‘lazy’ after-all, it was a case of NO JOBS!!! and it would be harder to establish that those remaining needing assistance, with sickness and injury, are lazy-ergo-underserving.
That is the theory, all-beit sounding rather idealist……
Having reread your original question to Mr Cunliffe, it might be useful to point out that you didn’t actually stipulate that you were talking about sickness/invalids. You made a reference to ‘deserving poor’ which immediately placed in my mind the subject of unemployment rather than sickness. He might have had the same reaction. He could have answered the question in a two-pronged way, addressing unemployed people and also addressing those with varying levels of incapacity, however that he didn’t might indicate that he read your question as being to do with unemployment.
yeah, nah. If Cunliffe doesn’t understand that the lazy/cheating bene meme applies just as much to sickness beneficiaries as any other beneficiary… well actually, that was my point above. Any time someone talks about beneficiaries as a class as if they were all unemployed, they are tacitly supporting the bene bashing meme, because the meme is so completely enmeshed in the punitive Protestance work ethic.
My question was designed to avoid having to specificially mention the elephant in the living room that is Shearer’s roof painting speech, but I suppose it is possible that Cunliffe is unwarea of the regard with which that speech is held on ts 😉
It could of course also be that Cunliffe thinks unemployed beneficiaries are more important than other beneficiaries. I have no idea.
Re the vote issue, are you arguing that Labour should hide its policy intent re welfare until after the election?
btw, like Bill below, I don’t believe we will have full employment again in the traditional sense. This is why Cunliffe’s response is problematic.
Yes, I fairly well agreed with Bill’s comment too.
I think his comment was excellent in the way we need to start adjusting our thinking, something has to adjust in regards to attitudes toward work after the amazing technology boom that appears to have gone by unnoticed by our political approaches toward work.
The only area where I might diverge from what Bill wrote was that ‘fulltime’ might be redefined as part of that adjustment. People might work less hours in order to allow ALL people to participate in our society. (Therefore it wouldn’t be an end to ‘fulltime’ work)
With regard to your question re Labour hiding their welfare policy until after the election.
I have to say, I asked myself the same question after last responding to you! Er….how Machiavellian am I prepared to be?
No, I wouldn’t say hide, voters need to know the general stance going to be taken, however would I prefer if they played it down if that meant the difference between them getting in or not? Yes I would.
I think this government is a travesty and its time they were voted out, if people vote Labour down on misinformation propagated by National (and beyond), and people won’t wake up to the fact that its fantasy, then stop the information flow that supplies the basis for that fantasy to be cultivated.
Remember that it was Labour that appointed Dr David Bratt, (welfare is akin to drug addiction) as Chief Medical Advisor to Winz. Also Labour brought in Regional Health Advisors whose main role appears to be shifting people from the Invalid to Sickness Benefit thus paving the way for the Nats present ‘reforms’
@ Beatie,
O.k. I have just commented above and then read your comment and I concede.
In response to what you write I do see that it needs to be clarified whether the type of approach you describe is going to be persevered with by Labour. Such approaches stink and I wouldn’t vote for a party who is simply going to ‘keep the seat warm for the Nats’.
If Mr Cunliffe means to follow a move away from neoliberalism, however, Labour could not possibly remain a ‘seat warmer’ for Nats
Doubt whether a Labour leader candidate is in a position to confirm the issues you raise, however, because they in the realms of the nitty gritty that the Party needs to agree upon. (although I note that Weka was seeking a general attitude – which can be achieved by leader candidates)
It’s interesting to consider whether Cunliffe can move Labour left economically but still retain the substance of the Clark govt welfare policy.
Beatie, this is exactly why I hope Mana/Greens can get enough seats to stop Labour pulling this sort of crap. A Cunliffe led government will be as weak or as strong as the proportion of coalition partners allows or forces it to be. Thank god for MMP, because Labour by itself would still be as blue as a Tory’s face during an asphyxiation session.
I wasn’t left confident, either. His reference to “intensive case management” was the give away. “Case management” and the language surrounding it, as far as social security benefits in New Zealand go, grew from the beneficiary as “customer”, benefits as “products”, Social Welfare Department as “business” approach of the early 1990s where customer+products+business=choice, which supports “unemployment is the individual’s fault” followed by “but with our help we can fix “them” and make “them” productive again. All of a sudden people at the receiving end of a structural problem become “cases” to “managed”. Foucault would have a field day.
This might be harsh and I’m sure David’s a busy man at the moment but I do not have any confidence in Labour wanting to do anything majorly different to what it was doing when last in government. Hope and energy must be put towards a strong Green/Mana showing in 2014. Part of that will involve making sure we convey a clear and accurate message that Labour is not prepared to fix social security for the poorest of the poor and that if we are going to make progress in this area then people must vote Green and Mana.
The irony is that WINZ have never actually had proper case management. They call their front line staff case managers, but it’s rare for there to be the kind of relationship develop that would constitute real case management. That’s the benefit side, maybe the work side has been better. I remember the Labour Dept mid 80s, their interviews to get yoof work ready. I wouldn’t even call that case management (it was more data entry in the computer).
As for DC, I’m cautiously optimistic in that I don’t expect miracles, but I do expect he will shift things enough in general so that the culture within Labour has a chance of changing and perhaps moving politics in NZ to the left again. He doesn’t have to make that happen, he just has to open the door.
“The irony is that WINZ have never actually had proper case management.”
Yes, that’s very true. The closest it really got was to say that every person in all their dealings with the department must see only “their” very own “customer service officer”, soon changed to “case manager”. This one-on-one approach see-sawed a bit over the years and nothing too overtly different happened, but very significantly it did represent the abandonment of “public servant/basic grade/clerk 101/bureaucrat”, a crucial move for the neo-liberal agenda.
What’s very different about these latest attacks on the poor, though, is that they are very real. The kicking machine is dealing to people severely this time around. We can expect some horror stories to emerge fairly shorty like we saw post 1991 – more people sleeping in cars and abandoned buildings, in ditches etc. That’s what we saw as a result of 26-week stand down introduced in 1991. The severity of what that did forced even Shipley to water the sanctions down. This won’t happen this time around because Bennett et al have the climate on their side. The only hope we have to water things down this time is Greens and Mana being strong enough within a coalition to put the brakes on Labour.
I hope the GP can really pull one out of the hat next year. They have to get past that election slump.
“customer service officer”
lolz, I’d forgotten about that.
weka, in hamilton, david was the only one who talked about benefit levels and the need to raise them. and i was the only one in a packed room who clapped when he said it. sad really. it wasn’t in response to a question on benefits (there weren’t any), but at the end of a response to something else.
Good on you for applauding Stargazer 🙂
Thanks stargazer!
Good to hear that Cunliffe made that point. Thanks, stargazer.
The limited response of the members shows how important it is to keep raising the issue of social security and explaining its importance, to spread understanding.
Excellent.
I know it’s some way off, but the storyline we tend to believe and pass on – that having a job is the only or principle path to becoming a ‘worthy’ person and that a good job or successful career is the ‘correct’ way to be legitimately recognised as a worthy person by society at large – this has to be torn up and thrown away.
‘A penny for you thoughts, time, physical labour – your life‘ capitalism will never again be able to offer full employment rates (no loss from my political perspective). The effects of AGW, peak resources and the financialisation of the market being just some of the reasons why.
So…time to drop the various levels of persecution, both financial and psychological, that are meted out to those who are not chasing the $ and value their current (often legislatively limited) contributions to society while opening up avenues for further contribution.
Political parties seem to be inherently conservative, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t encourage the first tentative steps down a necessary future path that embraces less insanity and more humanity and that may offer at least some long term prospects in terms of a sustainable society/culture/economy/civilisation.
Major political parties are inherently conservative because they each rely on the sustenance and continuation of the status quo hierarchy of power, to a greater or lesser extent. No major political party will act to undermine the system it relies upon to hold power.
But of course, you already know this.
I’m always impressed by your equanimity, Karol. We just need to keep pushing forward one step at a time, I know, but my voting papers are still on the bench because I don’t believe any of the three have any real intention of moving beyond business as usual. Just more well-off pakeha looking out for their own tribe while being servile in the service of the elite. Everything else seems to me to be mere rehtorical flourish.
I started out with some optimism as the leadership contest began. Now, Bomber’s horse-race style calling as it progresses seems appropriate.
Thanks, js.
Of the 3 contenders, I still back Cunliffe. Of the 3, he looks the one most likely to start moving the government away from neoliberalism, back to traditional Labour values. And he’s the one most capable of taking on John Key, as well as the reactionary forces in the media.
However, I’m not under any illusion that the struggle stops with the election of a Cunliffe-led government. Democracy is an on-going process, and the left will always need it’s rank and file flax roots activists, and community-based workers.
There’s now such a media-led entrenched anti-beneficiary discourse, it’s going to take a lot of ground work from within the wider community to turn that around.
@ Karol,
Wasn’t the beneficiary bashing meme initiated by governments? I agree that it is now entrenched in the media, however, I believe it started in the corridors of power.
I’ve been wondering about that lately. It didn’t exist in the early 80s, but was very strong by the end of the 80s. Was that just a consequence of the big increase in the unemployment rate, or was it a deliberate strategy? I’ve heard hints that it was the latter, but haven’t seen anything to back that up.
I agree that the bennie bashing meme probably started, or at least was strongly fueled from governments and other power elites. However, neoliberalism has always come from above. They also enlisted the power of the corporate media – a multi-dimensional onslaught on left wing gains during the 20th century.
The strength of the left is in the collective organisation and pressure from the “masses”.
Cunliffe, drawing a line and saying “enough of this bennie-bashing”, could be a helpful step away from the destructive “war on the poor”. But it will never be enough on its own.
I was disappointed in David Cunliffe’s response or lack of it regarding beneficiaries and those on superannuation. I have heard nothing from Labour that will ensure my vote (or letterbox stuffing) at the next election. My intention at this stage is to vote Greens even though my political home is really with Labour. Nothing much seems to have changed, what a let down.
I’m being critical of Cunliffe’s answer this week, but really the time for putting him to the test on welfare is if he becomes leader.
Absolutely. A lot of pressure and a lot of questions about the treatment of beneficiaries to a Cunliffe led Labour Party will be expected, and required. I for one will be pushing damn hard that a new approach be taken – both in terms of PR, and in terms of reality – for how Labour must treat beneficiaries as (most of them are) fully fledged and first class citizens of Aotearoa.
And you will end up with Key and co as your government again
‘I agree that it is now entrenched in the media..’
Remember the MSM is where the Ruling Class (murdoch, FearFacts, granny, mediawonks etc) tell the middle class it’s the lower classes fault using elves and sprites like Oshillivan/Smellstrong/gluon/ratboy/jono etc and the dogwhistlers in radiorant land.
And I think that David Cunliffe not coming back to address the many questions and comments along the lines of what you’ve said suggests that he knows what you’re saying is correct. Sure, he’s no doubt very busy, and he might just be trying to find the time to respond. My guess, though, is that…well…I don’t know.
The optimistic explanation is that he’s pondering on the best way to work towards improved social security, given that the dominant discourse is anti-beneficiaries.
But, time will tell…
I admire Mai Chen as a great Kiwi. She has a great perspective on law and politics.
She will make an excellent future Governor General or President of NZ :
The others worthy of holding such high office are:
Geoffery Palmer
and
Dame Anne Salmond
Any one else creditable and truly deserving?
“Any one else creditable and truly deserving?”
Alan Bollard
Troll post is trolling.
You have GOT to be kidding me. You’ve clearly never worked for her.
Yeah, but to have serious concern expressed by a significant number fobbed-off like that.
We’ve got our work cut out if we can expect no help from Labour.
Sorry, this was supposed to be a reply to Karol at 4.1
I think that Parliamentary Labour will help with the resurrection of social security if there is enough pressure on them to do so from their members and the wider community.
There’s a lesson to be learned from the “neoliberal” revolution. It was never just the result of parliamentary initiatives, but of a raft of initiatives from various entities outside government.
The Northland list MP unleashed a very personal attack on the Prime Minister.
“I’m going to tie a bungy cord around a sensitive spot, and then I’m going to get those callipers and cut them, and then the mercenary of capitalism can suffer what he deserves – a dead cat bounce.”
I hope there is still some political and human decency left in this Labour candidate. Attack the policies and not the man. Don’t talk rubbish like this. Maintain some decency, otherwise people are going to walk further away from Labour. I have never heard Helen Clark or Cullen talk rubbish like this.
And this has, what?, to do with jobs and social security,C_L_V?
“Don Brash is a cancer” ring any bells ? Attacks on the current PM, Helen Clark in the past , and others from both sudes kf the house are and have been the norm, sadly. I agree its infantile and a characteristic of the emotionally stunted. But if people choose to frame their political arguments on looks, obesity, sexuality, gender, language etc. it reflects more on themselves than on the target. It’s just so boring.
its great Shane you keep on with the drivel hatred, it smears David Cunliffe as well. The lurch to the left and the promises are great, middle New Zealand will have nothing of a Julia Gillard Cunliffe leader, arrogant, pompous, and who has to decimate half of those around him, yes keep up the War., fighting like street dogs , sending out hopeless sad promises , I can see another two terms of NZ Nat
Government
Charles, do you have anything to say about jobs and social security – or the policies promoted by Cunliffe and Robertson? This thread is not about Jones’ smears.
Nice article Karol, but to be a complete pain I am going to make a blanket statement….No amount of legislation or intervention into working conditions is going to help with wages.OR deliver social security!
Our economy is beyond magic want treatment to generate wages and tax revenue to pay for welfare, health and education. That is because we don’t, repeat don’t make anything much here, to sell offshore or to substitute against imports. And we import cheap stuff from cheap wage countries.
So lets talk about work: Productive work that generates money in sales of added value is what underpins all expenditure in our economy. It pays wages, taxes, and lets not forget interest on capital that makes the investment in factories, plant etc possible. Then we need to consider profit, because, as an employer I for one would not risk my capital just to be a nice type who provides cosy conditions for another person to work and have an income. Employment is a mere balance sheet item, as are the associated terms and conditions (they all have a cost). Security…for my workers again is a balance sheet item.
These things are very inconvenient for a socialist viewpoint: somewhere for jobs to exist somebody (or something, maybe the state) has to make a risk versus return judgement and take the plunge. The issue facing Labour is that they are promoting a fair and inclusive society with security and jobs…..they will if they are to deliver need to find some way of persuading people to take a risk and invest in productive enterprise.
Ennui
+1
on the economy in general-
Fallow -“multiple Turns of The Screw, over several years may be required ” (to slow the housing market)
-as capital flow ebbs from emerging markets, “not particularly helpful” -Bollard
-and “NZ may experience another recession” on the tail of world markets-Shamubeel Eaqub.
Anyway, talk about “the sky is falling”! How dare the assumptions and blindness of the Neoliberal consensus be challenged from the Left! It just won’t do!
Business growth needs sales growth, this in turn needs increased market share. NZ is very isolated and the only branch of export not generating expenses is IT. We are not attracting people that are innovators, look at the comments from expats. The policies of the last decade have initiated a downward spiral that will only come to a hold when it hits rock bottom. Too much money is being squandered on political promises to appease a few at the expense of the many. Basic education is not really reaching every child. 30% of Uni students were functionally illiterate some years back, god knows how many there are now. We encourage thousands of education places for accountants and layers who will do even more damage as they seek to “employ” them self but have all but abandoned trade apprenticeship. Too expensive you see, profit may suffer.
NZ needs to convert their raw material into export goods (value added) but this is too much “work” for the profit hungry. This has been encouraged by successive governments, so there is no labour movement other then the one to the vineyards and apple trees for seasonal work. Even Nero knew, give the masses bread, wine and gambling and nothing will stop you. Low and behold, we have minimum wage, plenty of alcohol and even more gambling machines.
Is anybody really expecting that the fundamental change that is needed will come from the average person of little means? Those who can afford to leave will go overseas.
Now as a business person, what do you suggest will turn the tide? What does social justice mean and in a small country like NZ how do you create a balanced and productive environment that earns money not speculates it?
Nice diagnosis Foreign Waka, so what do I suggest we business people do? First up rid me of price competition based upon wage rates…so some easy things we could do:
* compulsory unions: no more pandering to individuals, no undercutting because you can dumb down wages. And bring back arbitration to get rid of belligerent employers and unions.
* tariff barriers against imports from low wage economies…I am sick of our social costs being short changed by capital who bugger off offshore and leave us to pay the social cost.
* reintroduce DSIR and MAF as research bodies associated to primary industries.
* transform MFAT from a diplomatic gravy train into an effective fair trade seeking body…and reject all so called “free trade” agreements.
* reintroduce trade certifications in real basics (hands on plumbing, electrician etc etc) and funded apprenticeships…..and slash university courses that are “meal ticket” orientated. They should live in their proper place, what we used to call Techs.
Looks a lot like the 70s and before. What my generation had then was a hell of a lot better than my children face today.
Labour actually oversaw quite the inquiry into welfare fraud and in Ruth Dyson’s case moved to make all sickness beneficiaries be re-tested for work capability, even if their disability was, say, cerebral palsy, for which no cure had transpired since the people were put on sickness benefits.
So let’s not pretend Labour has always been the beneficiaries close and good friend. They had neo lib policies which required a neo lib agenda of pandering to the bene bashing meme.
Good post ennui.
in the crowing about the econony’s ranking on business yesterday many overlooked where we are failing
innovation
sophistication
imo two areas we have to be smarter than others to create careers for young people.
diversification
infrastructure
Cunliffe may not speak of legislating living wage but he reported as saying
“The Labour government that I lead will drive economic development in all our regions.”He reiterated his commitment to a living wage and said he would implement it within 100 days of taking office. Cunliffe also announced his commitment to an urgent inquiry into safety standards in the forestry industry. He pledged to get Government off the sideline and “into the game”
Keep your fingers crossed that she won’t sue you for that character defamation statement.
I’d like to see her try. Truth is an absolute defense against defamation.
[karol: nevertheless, I’ve sent it to moderation to get a moderator’s opinion on it – pays to be careful ]
[lprent: Good call. It makes statements of fact (rather than statements of opinion) about a non-politician without any substantiation from elsewhere. That means that Jimbo carries the legal can for it, but also drags us in legally on something that we have no knowledge about. We’d have to rely entirely on someone that we have no basis for knowing if they know anything.
Trashed it. ]
Always a good idea to be careful what you say about a lawyer.
Karol, it would be good, however, if sometimes the MSM (and blogs) would stop hero-worshipping Mai Chen. She is the [deleted]. It is very hard for [deleted] (and there are many of us out there) to read constant hero-worshipping of her.
[karol: Frida, see Lynn’s decision above and his reasons. Arguing against hero-worshipping her could possibly be based on her verifiable public statements and views, which would be entirely acceptable]
”She is the sort of bullying employer that the left should despise”??? have you got a shred of evidence to support such a claim, if so i would suggest you provide such evidence…
Yes as I’ve said, just my own experience and the experience of the dozens of others who have worked there. But I give up. You continue to be sucked in if you like. And those of us who have actually worked for her will continue to know the truth (and hope that one day it all comes out).
Over 20 years ago I worked for a small firm ( BUT BIG CHARGE-OUT RATES) in Auckland on Queens Street. Two highly regarded partners. I became unwell. I obtained a sickness certificate from my doctor recommending 2 months leave. I presented it and was told that they couldn’t hold my job that long and couldn’t pay me that long, so I either came back to work or left. I was ill (AND YOUNG), and hardly in a position to fight back. So I resigned. I am just making the point that people ought not assume lawyers will always apply the law and that taking a claim against them is always an option.
I DO agree people need proof, no matter how hard it can be to get it sometimes..
So you claim to have ‘proof’ of your assertions, how about a successful Employment Disputes Tribunal decision in your favor…
People don’t always want to take an employer to court, particularly someone like Mai Chen who could make their life and their career very difficult if she wanted to. I’d strongly suggest you talk to some people who’ve worked at Chen Palmer before rushing to Mai’s defence.
It’s not about defending her. It’s about the legal implications for this blog and its managers that result from allowing such unverified statements.
Now, please could everyone get back to the topic of this post?
Oops, sorry. I made my last post before I saw you asking us to get back on topic, karol.
Doing that: one thing that does worry me about Cunliffe’s answer to the beneficiary question is that working intensively with the unemployed person puts all the emphasis on them. In that sense, it’s the same approach as that taken by Paula Benefat. It’s not their fault that there aren’t enough jobs. Our economy needs structural changes and brave decisions need to be made, but it’s a long time since I’ve seen any politician label a decision brave that does anything except attack the poor.
However, I still trust him a bit more to do something meaningful than I trust Robertson, and Jones’s answer might well be to give everyone “work experience” with Sealords.
Yes, I did the same thing Murray Olsen but never mind no harm done.
or anyone’s favour, not necessarily the author’s
The IHC’s head office in Wellington is exactly the same. I now know five people who’ve all had fairly high level jobs who’ve left there because of bullying. An NGO adopting a corporate culture gone mad. One even described the management arrangement there as cult-like. Pretty hard to believe about a group that helps disabled people but I’ve got no reason to think what I’ve heard isn’t true.
Especially one who is well respected around the country and the judiciary circles, with great mana, highly intelligent, leaned and very clued on in social, legal and constitutional matters.
“and the judiciary circles”
Wouldn’t be so sure about that. Sorry. Not meaning to hijack the thread but you really need to talk to some people Clement. What you see on the TV is not always reality.
Why didn’t you take her to court if she dismissed you unfairly, instead of bad mouthing her here?
How do you know I didn’t?
And, she didn’t dismiss me. I walked. Like many many many others (do some research)
Talk to some people who’ve worked for Mai Chen. You’ll find it very hard to find anyone who’s got a good word to say about her.
How many times have you pursued an alleged bullying employer in the employment court who is regarded publicly as a fine person Clement?
I’m not saying ppeople online should bad-mouth people BUT let’s not over-simplify bringing charges of unjustified dismissal against a bullying employer.
My observation of Ms Chen is that she enjoys sitting on the political fence to such a degree that her contributions to political or semi political debate – while sounding impressive to the untutored ear – are largely devoid of real substance. She comes across to me as lacking true genuine feelings.
Call it female intuition if you like.
I share your female intuition on this one, Anne. I always get the feeling that she wants to write something that looks impressive in terms of style rather than substance. However, I will accept that I know buggerall about the law.
I have no problem with people critiquing things Chen has written or said on the topic of this post – especially employment and social security issues. She can seem quite right wing to me, but not so much in the quoted article.
you mean like Dr Morgan Fahey was well respected around the country and in social circles, including judges, with great mana, and high intelligence etc etc…and therefore could never have been a sexual pervert?
Note : I am not saying Mai Chen is a sexual pervert, I am saying that public personna and private and workplace personnas can be quite different.
Ihave no idea about Ms Chen’s behaviour as an employer, I do know from my own experience in law firms that bullies abound amongst partners in that profession.
my money is on Ms Chen NOT suing for defamation and not even knowing the statement was made.
What Jimbo said. Speaking from first hand experience.
Oh…….that’s a bit of a shame.
Seeing as my comment has been deleted, can I say that in my opinion Mai Chen’s employment practices leave a lot to be desired?
[lprent: We always welcome most opinions. Unless of course it is directed at the site or authors (people doing that can find another place to do that unseemly act in).
It is the statements of fact that are the legal problem. The Lange vs Atkinson gives a much wider range in the public interest when it comes to political figures. But that doesn’t apply to private citizens, even those in the public eye. ]
There has been a lesser focus on the need to end the latest Key government rounds of beneficiary bashing.
That’s because no Labour leadership candidate will want to become propaganda poster boy for the relentless growth in NZ’s population of unemployable wasters. Social security would just be an electoral millstone around a candidate’s neck, in the absence of a plausible way to both improve it AND to reduce the waster population.
“relentless growth in NZ’s population of unemployable wasters.”
Could you link to the graph that supports this?
Inexplicably, MSD has consistently neglected to include an Unemployable Waster category in its data collection (those damn bureaucrats!). The increase in the waster population is something that can only be inferred from the fact that we’ve spent the past 30 or 40 years with wasters producing anything from 4 to 13 offspring with a generation gap of 16-18 years, and people with a bit of self-respect turning out 1 to 3 with a generation gap closer to 30. Unfortunately for any Labour leadership candidate wanting to extend social security, the general public is entirely capable of making that inference, and does.
Blaming youths for their state of unemployment is irresponsible and immature.
I’m sure Labour has some better solutions for full employment than writing unemployed youth off as “wasters”. Training schemes were working well in the previous Labour govt until the Nats axed them. One of the first things I expect Labour to be doing is reinstating youth training and apprenticeships schemes to get youths off their butts, learning some skills and earning something while they do so.
That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it? “Unemployed youth” isn’t a synonym for “unemployable waster,” I’ll have you know.
Focus on the
undeserving poor“unemployable wasters” is a distraction from the issue. The people who are unable to do regular paid employment are a minority, and when there is sufficient employment on offer, the numbers on benefit drop significantly.More worrying are the highly paid wasters who siphon off profits at the expense of poorly paid workers.
Well yes, “focusing” on them wouldn’t be very helpful. But pretending they aren’t a problem wouldn’t be very helpful either. A candidate promising to make living on a benefit more comfortable while not mentioning any plans to address the unemployable waster problem is releasing high-grade voter repellent.
I can’t comment on the person in question, but if an employer is a bully, it is not that easy to do something about it. And much easier to just leave and get another job. There is such a justifiable fear that you will get a reputation as a trouble-maker, and especially in the professions with people ambitious to be promoted.
+1
I’m rather ambivalent…
“it’s not that easy to do something about it”
From my experience working for Massey University, which has a culture that supports bullies (which Vice Chancellor Maharey, ex Labour MP and supposed champion of the workers is quite happy to let continue), there’s NOTHING you can do about them, but you should keep notes and keep in contact with your union representative constantly. Then you could have a legal case to scare the scum.
“And much easier to just leave and get another job.”
Um, those jobs don’t actually exist.
That said, I don’t regret leaving with my large but soon depleted out-of-court settlement for a second, no matter how hard life has been since.
“There is such a justifiable fear that you will get a reputation as a trouble-maker, and especially in the professions with people ambitious to be promoted.”
Or just tenure… not that tenure exists now either. The “middle class” doesn’t exist anymore – we’re the precariat.
Frida, perhaps describe the kind of behaviour, without reference to the employer to help others who may find themselves in a similar position to stand up against it.
How does a business like this get to keep their contract? If some subbies hadnt gone to the media after the announcement of $100m to Chorus this appalling behaviour would have continued.
So the company has had use of the money for months after it should have been paid out, I hope they are paying interest to the subbies. BUT what clauses in their contract can punish/deter such behaviour? Probably none.
“Transfield Services, the Australian company hired to roll the ultra-fast broadband network across much of New Zealand, says it is taking action to pay its New Zealand subcontractors, some of whom have not received any money for months.
The company said it was taking steps to make any remaining outstanding payments within the next two business days.
“Our subcontractors are important to us,” chief executive of Transfield’s infrastructure division Nicholas Yates said in a statement.
“We apologise for the disruption caused by payment problems, and we’re concerned and disappointed that it has escalated to this level.”
Mr Yates said the company had paid about a third of the total amount owed to its New Zealand subcontractors, some of whom this week revealed they were owed in excess of $1 million after not being paid for three months.”
In fairness part of the post seems to be about improvements in pay and workers’ rights and Mai Chen’s assessment of that, so some people seemed to point out the irony… admittedly they may not have expressed it in the best (legal) way.
“Hero-worshipping” is hardly what’s going on here. She wrote an article, Karol has written an article referencing Chen’s article. It’s interesting that Chen is taking this perspective… I’ve heard her on Nat Radio in the past doing similar things: “when I was young, it was really hard” blah blah, usually implying that she pulled herself up by her own bootstraps and made herself into a huge success story. Which is directly at odds with a lot of her political views which are quite right wing, and she’s quite comfortable with her views being very contradictory because she’s a lawyer and can argue anything. Even with herself.
Yeah… It’s nice that she wrote that article, it’s interesting as a starter for Cunliffe’s aspirations to Savage’s policies.
But I’d suggest it’s probably not a good idea to make a habit of big Mai Chen quotes 😉
yes, I agree that Chen often takes a right wing position. She does provide some useful legal views and knowledgeable background to some issues.
Personally, I’ve always thought of employment as one of the most significant factors in social welfare.
I regard the right to full time work that pays a living wage (and the right to work only full time, not 80-hour weeks) as the key to solving the bulk of social welfare problems beyond health and education. It won’t by itself solve everyone’s problems, but it’ll get over the hump for most of them. With full employment policies from government we’d all be a damned sight better off.
Yes, there are major problems with how we regard and treat people with chronic conditions in this country, and caregivers. But the main problem the next government needs to address in employment, and really put 170,000 people back into work.
I think there’s something in that, McFlock. It certainly will help with social security policies if the job and employment rights situation is improved. The two should still be part of a broader approach to create a fairer, more inclusive and more equal socitey.
+1 McFlock
I thoroughly agree
Yes, but even with an improvement in the job situation, I doubt the right wing and corporate media will drop their bennie-bashing strategy. It’s something they use to spread divisions and play on people’s insecurities, and to attack left wing government policies.
And if the next government is Labour led they will come under strong pressure to continue demonising beneficiaries.
That is why I will still continue to party vote Green (or Mana).