Archive for February, 2011

Key: poverty is your fault

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 17th, 2011 - 125 comments

John Key says if you’re having trouble getting by on your income it’s due to your ‘lifestyle choices‘. Key has given himself at least $23,000 in tax cuts and had a $7,500 rise with our borrowed money. He has the worst economic record of any PM in 80 years: 86,000 more jobless Kiwis, falling incomes. And this bastard blames Kiwi families for their poverty.

Milked

Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, February 17th, 2011 - 51 comments

Our wages are so low that we can’t keep paying “international prices” for basic necessities.  GST off food is just tinkering at the edges.  We need more radical action.

Whose RWC is it?

Written By: - Date published: 6:44 am, February 17th, 2011 - 59 comments

While those with $1500 to spend will be enjoying the world cup up close the rest of us have to pay for it.

Somehow it seems appropriate the game that once symbolised New Zealand’s classless society is now only available to the wealthy few at the expense of the many.

Open mike 17/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 17th, 2011 - 40 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…

Lies make BMW story worse

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 pm, February 16th, 2011 - 37 comments

Key says he didn’t know about the BMW purchase. Funny cause on Tuesday, English was taking responsibility: “we could go out and buy second-hand cars but one way or another cars need to be maintained”. The Nats try to blame Labour but the contract Labour signed says replacing the cars was optional without penalty.

The Nats’ useful bludger myth

Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, February 16th, 2011 - 14 comments

Under Labour, when there was effectively full employment, there were still 1,700 people who had been continuously on the dole for over 4 years. I was prepared to accept most of these were ‘bludgers’. Turns out I was too cynical. Paula Bennett found only 658 were ineligible. Werewolf has an excellent article busting more benefit myths.

S&P says no need for cuts, asset sales

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 16th, 2011 - 27 comments

As you know, National has been trying to justify selling off our assets and cutting our public services to pay for tax cuts for the rich by saying that debt is at dangerous levels and we risk a credit downgrade. Numerous commentators have shown that’s false. Now, the final nail in the coffin has come from credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s.

Community Max, another Nat failure

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, February 16th, 2011 - 35 comments

Because it’s failed ideology prevents it from leading job creation, National came up with ‘Community Max’. Pointless make work schemes have flourished. At the end, more participants are back on the dole than would have been if they had never left. A waste of time and money. Just like boot camps with a higher reoffending rate than home detention.

How not to handle a rebel

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, February 16th, 2011 - 38 comments

The Maori Party handling of rebel MP Hone Harawira has been a complete mess.  The latest bizarre chapter in the story is the gagging of Harawira with “a complete media ban” to be “strictly observed by the Maori Party”.  I’m trying to recall any precedent for such an extreme gagging of free speech by a political party…

Open mike 16/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 16th, 2011 - 77 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…

Limos for me, job cuts for youse

Written By: - Date published: 11:22 pm, February 15th, 2011 - 135 comments

Last week, Key says Kiwis “have to tighten their belts, we have to do the same”. More job cuts for public servants. This week, buying 34 $200,000 limos for him and his mates to replace 3 year old ones. How many teachers would that employ?Not the cars that need replacing after 3 years. It’s this government. Good on Goff for giving up the limos.

Why Revolutions Stumble and Fall

Written By: - Date published: 12:28 pm, February 15th, 2011 - 28 comments

Democracy doesn’t suddenly magically appear as though from a conjurers hat. We know that, right?  So why are revolutions seeking democracy  D.O.A?

Not for sale – first flyers

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, February 15th, 2011 - 45 comments

To avoid another three years of backhanders to the rich, falling wages, rising unemployment, and asset sales, we have nine months to chip away at National’s support. As in 2008, The Standard will be running a campaign offering flyers etc for your to print off and deliver around your neighbourhood. Privatisation is an obvious first target.

Greens right on Gillard

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, February 15th, 2011 - 147 comments

It seems odd at first, blocking our closest friend’s leader from speaking in our Parliament, but the Greens were right to look at the higher principle. The debating chamber is where our sovereign assembly meets, it is not a place for foreigners to come, at the government of the day’s invitation, and lecture our elected representatives. I think the NBR put it best..

Boot camps yet another Key failure

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, February 15th, 2011 - 39 comments

Key ignored all the experts with his boot camp policy.  But it turns out that the experts were right.  Reoffending rates are 50% within the first year, and likely reach 65 – 70% two years after course completion.  Add boot camps to the ever growing list of Key’s failures.

Open mike 15/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 15th, 2011 - 72 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…

Welcome to the new normal

Written By: - Date published: 11:43 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 53 comments

Look at the international media these days and what do we see? Oil prices rising due to peak oil. Extreme weather events due to climate change. Rising food prices due to peak oil increasing production costs, climate change destroying crops and resource depletion. And, in the most exposed countries, governments falling in revolution.

Off to Oz

Written By: - Date published: 3:40 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 34 comments

The Oz Job Expo was in Auckland this weekend, and 6000 people turned up and were willing to pay $15 to look for the job they couldn’t find in New Zealand. With much lower unemployment in Australia, job adverts way up since 2008 instead of way down here, and wages on average 30% higher, who could blame them?

John Key’s Memoirs

Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 36 comments

“I’m leaving it until my book. I know the answer, but just wait until my book,” Mr Key said.

What?  I thought it was normal to leave office before you started writing and promoting your memoirs?  I’ve not heard of someone becoming prime-minister to promote book-sales before.

Key, Beck & the end of empire

Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, February 14th, 2011 - 29 comments

John Key’s support for Mubarak arose from the American far-right’s fear of Egyptian democracy. We laugh at Glenn Beck’s crazy conspiracy theories and the hypocrites who invaded Iraq to ‘spread democracy’ yet oppose free elections in Egypt because of who might get elected but there’s a deeper story here: the end of the American Empire.

Actors’ Inequity

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, February 14th, 2011 - 31 comments

Another piece of union-bashing has been quietly implemented. Before, when bringing in foreign actors, the burden of proof lay on the production company to prove the talent they were importing was truly required. Now, no proof is required. This undermines Kiwi actors and their unions. It’s all about punishing Actors’ Equity for the Hobbit fiasco.

Uncivil behaviour at Big Gay Out

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, February 14th, 2011 - 24 comments

The contrast between Phil Goff and John Key at the Big Gay Out could not have been greater. Key swanned in late, told the crowd the best they could hope for from National was no regressive moves and refused to endorse civil unions. Goff and his posse re-affirmed Labour’s stance against discrimination and committed to progressive leadership.

Why are the “Right” terrified of equality?

Written By: - Date published: 7:21 am, February 14th, 2011 - 78 comments

Economic inequality is damaging to the fabric of society.  It’s a simple and compelling message, and it seems to have the political “Right” in a complete panic.  In fact if Deborah Coddington’s latest piece is anything to go by, the Right are terrified to the point of derangement.

Monetary Policy

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, February 14th, 2011 - 13 comments

John Key wants to take credit for Allan Bollard’s good work. The Reserve Bank is having to step outside its remit to save our economy from a National government and this is the thanks he gets…

Open mike 14/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 14th, 2011 - 25 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…

New Right Party?

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 pm, February 13th, 2011 - 6 comments

There’s a somewhat fact-free article today on the possible challenge of a new “centre-right” party in Epsom.  Whilst an interesting possible development, there’s no substance as to who’s behind the party or any credentials.  The most we get is that John Banks has heard a rumour. Presumably there’s more to the story, does anyone have […]

Lprent

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 pm, February 13th, 2011 - 87 comments

I wound up in Auckland hospital with a heart attack yesterday morning. Survived due to Lyn’s quick actions.

The best they’ve got?

Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, February 13th, 2011 - 18 comments

Today’s Herald contains the first unequivocal defence of National’s plan to sell our assets to pay for tax cuts for the rich. It’s disappointing to say the least – confused, piecemeal, and unconvincing. Ironically, it’s written by some guy from an insolvency company – ie. someone who makes money from cleaning up after others’ poor business decisions.

Lessons in hatred and tolerance

Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, February 13th, 2011 - 13 comments

There are some ugly things going on in England at the moment, with PM David Cameron feeding an already  eager fire of anger directed at Muslims.  Meanwhile in Egypt thousands of Muslims acted as human shields to protect Christians from terrorist attack. “It is up to the press to report these positive stories and not exaggerate the sway that extremists hold over the global Muslim community.”

John Key: Bored?

Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, February 13th, 2011 - 28 comments

John Key, celebrity, has got PM on his CV. He’s met Obama and Peter Jackson, hung with Richie McCaw, the All Whites and David Letterman. And now sounds a bit bored with the gig. Is that what we need in someone who’s supposed to be leading the country to a brighter future?

Open mike 13/02/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, February 13th, 2011 - 64 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…