Archive for March, 2010

Ex leaders

Written By: - Date published: 10:58 am, March 3rd, 2010 - 27 comments

Comparing the post-leadership careers of Clark and Brash is quite a study in contrasts. Clark’s has been stellar, Brash’s an embarrassment. But the world of difference between these two leaders is much clearer with the perfect hindsight of 2010 than it was when they were locked in a tight electoral battle in 2005.

How will history look back at the leadership of John Key?

Kick in guts for recesson victims

Written By: - Date published: 9:59 am, March 3rd, 2010 - 10 comments

The recession has forced tens of thousands of people out of work. There are now 276,000 jobless Kiwis. The lucky ones (only a third of the officially unemployed) can get the unemployment benefit. Now, the Government is letting inflation eat into their meager benefit payments. Benefit payments are meant to be adjusted for inflation. This […]

Goff calls for SAS to come home

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, March 3rd, 2010 - 48 comments

The Nats put the SAS in Afghanistan out of a Boy’s Own worldview that glamorises war and violence by authority. But war isn’t a game and we shouldn’t be fighting unless it’s for a good cause. Our solders shouldn’t die or kill to prop up Hamid Karzai’s corrupt regime.

Open mike 03/03/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 3rd, 2010 - 16 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

GST hike boon for tax cheats

Written By: - Date published: 10:42 pm, March 2nd, 2010 - 34 comments

Some contractors and small business owners record private costs as business expenses and claim back the GST. The cheats who claim enough GST back get payments from IRD. Hiking GST puts more of our money in the pockets of these tax cheats.

Have your say on unfair dismissal laws

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, March 2nd, 2010 - 9 comments

Kate Wilkinson (Minister of Labour) has opened public submissions on a review on personal grievances, with the release of a discussion paper today. Details are here on the Dept of Labour website and submissions close on 31 March.

Tolley’s road tour

Written By: - Date published: 12:54 pm, March 2nd, 2010 - 22 comments

A guest contributor reports that if you want your chance to quiz Anne Tolley and you live in West Auckland your chance is on Thursday but it sounds like the Nats would rather you didn’t come. Another guest contributor pans Tolley’s meeting last night.

Go to lunch – protest sham ‘consultation’

Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, March 2nd, 2010 - 9 comments

The select committee considering the 3rd super-shitty bill is sitting in Parnell now. There is a protest against the sham ‘consultation’ that National and Act have used to lock Aucklanders out of having any significant say in their city before, during and after this change.

Goto Quality Hotel Barrycourt, 20 Gladstone Road Parnell Auckland. The protest finishes at 2pm

Axe the tax

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, March 2nd, 2010 - 60 comments

Labour’s ‘Axe the Tax’ campaign has hit the road. Phil Goff is travelling around New Zealand explaining why Labour opposes National’s plan to hike GST on everyone to pay for tax cuts that will primarily go to the well-off. National are worried. They’re not promoting their package anymore, they’re lashing out at Goff.

Ashcroft owns up to “non-dom” tax status

Written By: - Date published: 10:51 am, March 2nd, 2010 - 7 comments

Lord Ashcroft, the British Conservative party’s major donor, has admitted that while he is “permanently resident” in Britain he is not domiciled there for tax status.

As a result the Conservative party may have to repay donations totalling several million pounds.

Unemployment even more widespread than numbers suggest

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, March 2nd, 2010 - 12 comments

276,000 jobless, of which 168,000 officially unemployed. 115,000 more underemployed.

Big numbers, but remember that the unemployed aren’t a static group being added to every day as the Key Government sits on its hands. In fact there’s a continual churn of people into unemployment and into work much larger than the net increase.

Privatising national parks

Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, March 2nd, 2010 - 16 comments

Over at Pundit Claire Browning points out that the National government is trying to get away with a huge con. They promised not to privatise state assets (in their first term), but now they are effectively privatising the biggest asset of them all…

Open mike 02/03/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 2nd, 2010 - 30 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Aussie pay gap widening, Key does nothing

Written By: - Date published: 12:32 am, March 2nd, 2010 - 28 comments

The total pay packet fell for Kiwi workers last year and it will get worse in coming years. Aussie wages continue to rise, their unemployment is falling. If Key is serious about catching Australia he needs a full employment policy. Instead, he will keep doing nothing.

Come Aucklanders – protest tomorrow.

Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, March 1st, 2010 - 7 comments

The select committee on Rodney Hides vision of the Auckland Super-City sits in Parnell tommorrow. The National MPs complicit in foisting this idiotic vision of Auckland on us will be there along with the architect – the head of the lunatic Act party.

Spend your lunchtime demonstrating what a crock this version of the super-city is. Do it in Rodney Hide’s Epsom electorate.

Tsunami shows importance of Radio NZ

Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, March 1st, 2010 - 26 comments

You know, I struggle to see how the government can justify cuts to Radio New Zealand’s funding after its outstanding coverage of the tsunami yesterday. While the other radio broadcasters were jammed up with bee pollen adverts and deer horn aphrodisiac jingles, RNZ had informative, up to the minute information from all over the country.

Nats raise tax cut expectations

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, March 1st, 2010 - 33 comments

John Key has promised to make tax changes that are revenue neutral, give huge payouts to the wealthy elite, and somehow mean the “vast bulk of taxpayers will be substantially better off”. But it’s a money-go-round. How you can make everyone better off with the same amount of money you’ve taken off them?

National’s jam tomorrow

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, March 1st, 2010 - 5 comments

When it comes to listening to the public, National promise “jam tomorrow”. Wait for the select committee. Wait for the third reading. But the record shows that these are empty promises. The Human Rights Commission has criticised National over their latest mockery of a consultation process on Auckland…

Stupid greedy voters – Brash

Written By: - Date published: 8:07 am, March 1st, 2010 - 50 comments

With true tory arrogance at the ACT conference this weekend, Don Brash has described New Zealand voters as venal and stupid.
Apparently New Zealand’s reluctance to destroy what is left of their society by implementing Brash’s discredited crazy old man economic voodoo is a sign of their stupidity.
Apparently nobody in ACT disagreed with him. Go figure.

Open mike 01/03/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, March 1st, 2010 - 9 comments

Open mike is your post. It’s open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…