Archive for July, 2011

Weekend social 15/07/2011

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, July 15th, 2011 - 18 comments

Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?

Labour vs National on economic vision

Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, July 15th, 2011 - 34 comments

At the same time as Phil Goff and David Cunliffe were unveiling Labour’s economic vision, Bill English was defending National’s in Parliament.

Reaction to Labour tax package

Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, July 15th, 2011 - 179 comments

The media have provided us with five people examples of people who will be affected in different ways by Labour’s tax package. Ordinary families win big and they know it. The vested interests moan and reveal the pure greed that underlies their worldview. Frankly, I think Labour will win support due to both who supports and who opposes its tax policy.

The politics of greed

Written By: - Date published: 7:15 am, July 15th, 2011 - 84 comments

In response to Labour’s tax proposals the Right is trotting out their favourite mindless catch phrase – “the politics of envy”.  Should the Left fight fire with fire, and get stuck in to “the politics of greed”?

Open mike 15/07/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 15th, 2011 - 71 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

Hone’s right

Written By: - Date published: 11:19 pm, July 14th, 2011 - 124 comments

You’ve gotta love Hone Harawira’s style. By refusing to use the right words in his oath, Hone exposed the ridiculousness of our representatives swearing allegiance to a Queen on the far side of the world and calling on the aid of a deity that only 50% of us believe in. Lockwood Smith had no choice. The oath is law. It’s the law that needs to change.

Don Brash: Hypocrite on CGT

Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, July 14th, 2011 - 17 comments

It would appear that Don Brash has ideals – and when politically required, he has other ideals.

In fact he has so many ideals that his viewpoint on a Capital Gains Tax appears to veer all over the political landscape especially in his latest press release on CGT. At a guess his only real objection to a CGT is that he is not the person proposing it.

Labour tax announcement coverage

Written By: - Date published: 2:25 pm, July 14th, 2011 - 139 comments

Voters will see Labour oppositions on both sides of the world in a completely new light after this week. Phil Goff and Ed Miliband both took the bold step of taking on hitherto untouchable third-rail issues; capital gains tax in New Zealand and Rupert Murdoch’s pernicious monopoly media influence in England. Both leaders have turned the political landscape upside down and given voters a clear choice between the interests of the many and of the few. Go here for all the details. New Zealand is not for sale – game on for November!

Equal opportunity employer

Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, July 14th, 2011 - 9 comments

So, Don Brash is having trouble getting any Maori candidates for ACT. Apparently, he identified 3 possibles – 2 turned out to be “unsuitable” (not old white reactionaries?) and one wasn’t interested. My question, however, is this. If Brash does manage to headhunt a token Maori and give them a winnable list place, isn’t that race-based privilege?

Taxpayers

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 14th, 2011 - 35 comments

According to Gareth Morgan, “all income should be taxed if it is a fair income tax”. So where are taxes coming from right now? Well increasingly more of it is being paid by wage and salary earners, and less by businesses. Hopefully a capital gains tax will partially redress that imbalance.

Another deregulation fiasco

Written By: - Date published: 7:28 am, July 14th, 2011 - 36 comments

A former chief inspector of coal mines yesterday told the Pike River inquiry that the underlying cause of the disaster was the weakening of mining regulations in the 1990s.  Yet another example of the frequent and costly failures of deregulation.  RIP the Pike River miners.

CGT or asset sales? Which do you prefer?

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, July 14th, 2011 - 107 comments

Generally, no-one likes taxes, but Labour’s polling shows Kiwis are surprisingly receptive to capital gains tax. Head to head with National asset sales plan, the choice was clear: 55% prefer CGT vs 32% privatisation. In a contest of economic plans, Labour wins hands down. Even John Whitehead agrees. All English can do is scaremonger about the 35% debt ceiling.

Open mike 14/07/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 14th, 2011 - 84 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

The buggers are here

Written By: - Date published: 9:27 pm, July 13th, 2011 - 9 comments

 

When Helen was PM, visitors to Beehive offices had to leave their cellphones in the foyers. I understand it’s still the practice. It’s not because Ministers suspect officials of bugging them. It’s because cellphones can be accessed remotely and used as bugs without owners knowing. A Murdoch-owned Fox channel tells how it’s done. Google tells you where you can buy to spy. It’s not just Ministers – the Engineers Union, which represents journalists,  found  a paper tapping their phones during negotiations in 2005.

Australia: screaming backwards with CGT

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, July 13th, 2011 - 57 comments

Russel Norman put a dagger into John Key yesterday in question time asking whether a series of national and international economic authorities really wanted to “put a dagger through the heart of growth” with a CGT. Key can waffle and whine all he likes, but he can’t avoid the truth of Australia’s enviable growth record with CGT.

The refugees

Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, July 13th, 2011 - 50 comments

Economic Management

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, July 13th, 2011 - 34 comments

We can expect a lot of economic rhetoric in the lead up to November from our political leaders. What does history suggest with respect to two key economic indicators: production and employment?

Is Nicolson right for ACT?

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, July 13th, 2011 - 24 comments

There are murmurings in ACT today over their new ‘high profile’ candidate, ex-farming guy who’s on the telly sometimes ranting about climate change Don Nicolson. The party’s current policy priorities are lower wages for young people, weakening student unions, and beating up on Maori and there’s concern Nicolson isn’t the right face for the job.

Chart o’ the day: this brighter future

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, July 13th, 2011 - 19 comments

Key has cried wolf too often

Written By: - Date published: 7:06 am, July 13th, 2011 - 98 comments

Key used to get away with spouting whatever kind of nonsense he liked.  Not any more.  His hysterical scaremongering on the subject of capital gains tax seems to have been a step too far.  The teflon is long gone, and Key has cried wolf too often.

Open mike 13/07/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 13th, 2011 - 70 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

1981 Molesworth St commemoration

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, July 12th, 2011 - 14 comments

I was in the middle of the scrum on Molesworth Street on the night of July 29th 1981 when marchers were batoned by the police. A front-rowers’ collective has organised a 30-year anniversary commemoration at the Loaves and Fishes for Friday 29 July, and invite others to join them for a night of reminiscing and celebrating. Tickets are $15 to cover costs. If you would like to attend contact Paul Tolich 0275 935595 or Sue Ryall 021 380 176.

National Contributes to Africa’s Misery

Written By: - Date published: 2:11 pm, July 12th, 2011 - 29 comments

The Jackel draws attention to National’s cuts to aid spending. It’s politically easy for the Nats to slice a few mil here, a few mil there from money that doesn’t end up being spent in New Zealand, but it’s morally bankrupt. As famine once again strikes the Horn of Africa, we are failing in our moral duty and international commitments to help.

The get ACC levy con

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, July 12th, 2011 - 14 comments

After coming to office, National cried ‘crisis at ACC’ as an excuse for raising levies, cutting cover, and privatisation. Suddenly, the ‘crisis’ has disappeared and good ol’ National is cutting your ACC levies, back to where they were before National raised them. Now, just forget who put them up in the first place, and tick the blue box in November.

Key shoots himself in foot over CGT

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, July 12th, 2011 - 24 comments

Capital gains is a good policy that build’s the credibility of Labour’s economic and fiscal plan. Labour’s brilliantly run pre-launch has sparked interest and discussion. The destruction of John Key’s economic credibility has been a welcome side benefit. And it is a blow, Vernon Small points out, that Key has inflicted on himself.

A real plan to save the world does exist

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, July 12th, 2011 - 112 comments

A feasible plan to power 100 percent of the planet with complete renewables exists. This plan excludes Nuclear and Biofuels, which the Scientific American authors of this plan also considered to be ultimately unsustainable technologies as well. Instead this plan revolves around Wind, Water and Solar – WWS

Police to investigate TVNZ

Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, July 12th, 2011 - 50 comments

Police have launched a criminal investigation in to TVNZ’s Sunday piece on Christchurch “looter” Arie Smith.  Why?

Implosion-watch

Written By: - Date published: 6:49 am, July 12th, 2011 - 79 comments

Last night, two ministers went head to head calling each other racists but it looked more like two old hobos fighting over a tin of beans. Pathetic, really. Meanwhile, Key has sided with Brash and dismissed the offense many Kiwis feel over the ads by saying he doesn’t “give a toss” about ACT’s racist ads.

Open mike 12/07/2011

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 12th, 2011 - 85 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike…

“Crusading” News of the World or “sanctimonious” Guardian?

Written By: - Date published: 4:00 pm, July 11th, 2011 - 22 comments

In today’s DomPost Andrea Vance has a tell-some-of-it op-ed piece about her days working the the Scottish edition of the News of the World. In it she says  “it was The Guardian that has, rather sanctimoniously, pursued the News of the World.” I’ve been following this story closely and found that put-down offensive. Contrast it with how Rebekah Wade pursued Clare Short (pictured).

English to go over asset sales lie?

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, July 11th, 2011 - 61 comments

Labour has been chipping away at National’s case for asset sales for months. The hole in the budget has been exposed, the ‘mum and dad investors’ myth has been quashed, the efficiency argument has been broken. Now, Bill English has been caught out lying to Parliament over advice that shares would go to foreign buyers. He’ll be forced to resign.