Archive for August, 2012

Half of rich still cheating on tax

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, August 27th, 2012 - 75 comments

Remember how National’s excuse for cutting the top tax rate from 39% to align with the trust rate at 33% was that half of the rich were dodging the top tax rate – so, they should all get a tax cut. Tax cuts for tax cheats, it was called. And guess what? They’re still cheating. Only half of the ultra-rich are paying even that slashed 33% rate. When they cheat we pay with cut services, higher charges, and more government debt.

Sack PoAL management

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, August 27th, 2012 - 28 comments

Remember the Ports of Auckland lock-out? The bosses tried to starve out 300 worker to push through contracting out, and ‘save’ $6m a year. The workers won. Now, PoAL has reported a $12m loss caused by the $33m cost of the lockout. So, the bosses spent $33m trying to get a $6m a year ‘saving’.  Time the councils sacks the managers who wasted that money.

Just another sell-out

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, August 27th, 2012 - 130 comments

The Maori Party is meeting with National to discuss the Waitangi Tribunal’s report on water and asset sales today. Notice how no-one’s saying ‘will they walk if the Nats ignore the Tribunal and proceed to breach the Treaty?’ That’s what happens when you cry wolf then sell out time after time. Everyone knows Turia wants her comfy limo seat more than anything else.

Open mike 27/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 27th, 2012 - 81 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…

Climate models fail to accurately predict Arctic ice – deniers fail to notice

Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, August 26th, 2012 - 80 comments

Like many people I’m always bemused by the lack of logic that the climate change deniers (CCD’s) have in their extremely selective picking of things to get wound up about – especially about climate models. But when an actual  self-evident flaw shows up in the models, well they simply seem to miss it entirely. Like it is now evident that the climate models used to predict Arctic melting vastly underrate the speed at which it is happening. The consequences are going to be unpleasant for the north.

Know when to fold ’em

Written By: - Date published: 1:34 pm, August 26th, 2012 - 26 comments

National’s asset sales programme is in crisis. Key has three options on asset sales – plow ahead, cut a deal with iwi, or call it quits. The smart thing to do, for the good of the country and for National’s own good, remains to drop the policy altogether. But they won’t. Instead, they’ll play the race card. But that old joker isn’t the trump it once was.

Evolving online media in NZ

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, August 26th, 2012 - 13 comments

NZ is well served in the range of online offerings that are exploring beyond the fringes of the mainstream media. Welcome to a new player, Bernard Hickey’s JOURNALISM.ORG.NZ.

RIP Neil Armstrong

Written By: - Date published: 9:56 am, August 26th, 2012 - 44 comments

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, August 26th, 2012 - 60 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring).  This week: Rape, US attitudes to inequality, and, idle or vulnerable?

Open mike 26/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 26th, 2012 - 48 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…

Key knows best about everything

Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, August 25th, 2012 - 26 comments

Key’s claim that illegal euthanasia is happening in NZ has sparked outraged denials from medical professionals. But Key, of course, is not backing down. Once he’s opened his mouth he knows that he knows best.

Good work by Parker

Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, August 25th, 2012 - 25 comments

David Parker got stuck in to the Nats last week, with a 30 page report that laid bare National’s appalling economic record, and presented an outline of Labour’s alternatives.  Good work from Parker – everyone should read it.

Open mike 25/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 25th, 2012 - 285 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…

Collins crushed by booze lobby

Written By: - Date published: 10:14 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 40 comments

What a craven cave-in. Lobbied by big booze, Collins has given in. Alco-pops will be left to the industry to regulate. It’s not a good look. Key wants to give the pokie industry free rein, and Collins wants to give the booze industry free rein, which means more families suffer, and more hospitals are overrun. As leaders they both get a fail.

David Shearer’s 3rd e-newsletter

Written By: - Date published: 7:51 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 30 comments

David Shearer talks poverty, education, and Afghanistan.

We’re happy to post similar newsletters from other opposition leaders – our email is on our contact page

Tribunal calls for asset sale delay

Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 63 comments

Waitangi Tribunal says Government must halt asset sales until Treaty issues sorted, and Tom Scott gives a progress report. National’s wheels are coming off.

Weekend social 24/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 50 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?

Child hardship rise a “bloody disgrace”

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, August 24th, 2012 - 60 comments

David Shearer is right. The rise in inequality under National, shown by the latest Household Incomes report from MSD, is a bloody disgrace. Good on Shearer for his robust and instinctive response. Now we look forward to seeing it reflected in the outcomes from the policy work that is going on behind the scenes.

Geddis: Is someone trying to game the MMP review?

Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, August 24th, 2012 - 31 comments

The excellent Andrew Geddis at Pundit has an interesting post up this morning. You should head on over there and check it out. Here are a couple of extracts to get you started…

Can’t buy me love

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, August 24th, 2012 - 16 comments

The Cancer-mongers’ ad campaign is complete crap. Ineffectual ads that won’t get anyone on side. Doesn’t matter though. They’re not aiming to convince you with the ads themselves. The actual aim’s to put a few hundred thousand dollars in media outlets’ pockets with the promise of more for favourable coverage. The Herald made it a bit blatant though – running a fawning editorial the day after the first full-page ad.

Nats back to censoring the press

Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, August 24th, 2012 - 102 comments

The Government has injuncted* RNZ from running a story based on a leaked Kiwirail document that shows National’s under-investment in Kiwirail will make the tracks more dangerous and less useable at a time when it is firing 200 maintenance staff. Brownlee’s excuse? “the media outlet that wanted to publish an opinion about that document was going to do so in a most irresponsible way”

Open mike 24/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 24th, 2012 - 81 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…

Joyce’s voodoo politics and zombie economics

Written By: - Date published: 9:34 pm, August 23rd, 2012 - 11 comments

On The Nation last weekend  Joyce insisted he was busy talking to business about export growth; he obviously wasn’t listening, as  exporters’ number one problem is our over-valued and highly speculated exchange rate. He called Labour’s fresh approach to this problem  “voodoo economics.” Switzerland, Singapore and Denmark? This week David Cunliffe will be on the Nation showing that the Labour  economic team are alive to new ideas needed.

Feel the burn

Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, August 23rd, 2012 - 82 comments

Crossing the line is an occupational hazard of public political comment. Especially when you set yourself up as an edgy persona. Fortunately, there’s a warning system. You think you’re being clever, but the animal part of your brain feels its wrong- it’s that burning feeling in the back of your neck. Next time, Trev, feel the burn.

National’s achievement: Highest ever inequality

Written By: - Date published: 12:55 pm, August 23rd, 2012 - 50 comments

The exodus to Australia is at record levels. Falling wages have seen social inequality rise to record levels. Good job National.

Key owes the families an explanation

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, August 23rd, 2012 - 53 comments

Key owes it to the families to provide them with an explanation as to what purpose remaining in Afghanistan serves.

We are all beneficiaries

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, August 23rd, 2012 - 85 comments

Deborah Russell’s piece in the Dominion Post sets out some constructive thoughts on welfare.

Just give it up

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, August 23rd, 2012 - 50 comments

The Nats’ asset sales are beset at all sides. The companies aren’t ready for sale. Their future revenue is too uncertain to attract investors. The Government would end up with more debt not less. New, hidden, fiscal costs keep on coming to light. Few New Zealanders want to buy the shares. Over 200,000 have signed a petition against the sales.

Open mike 23/08/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, August 23rd, 2012 - 79 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…

NRT: Numbers out of his arse

Written By: - Date published: 1:25 pm, August 22nd, 2012 - 31 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on Key’s made up numbers.

What to sell?

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, August 22nd, 2012 - 24 comments

It makes no sense to sell the assets National want to sell. But the particular economic cases just keep getting worse. This week it appears things went disastrous. Now we wonder what’s left to sell? Or will it be a firesale against a back-drop of the courts? And why won’t they face the public over what’s happening?