Archive for December, 2012

When ideology fails: a Dickensian Govt

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, December 6th, 2012 - 53 comments

The Key government’s sham and failed ideology of freedom and democracy can be seen in two Bills that were before the House this week.  This government is increasingly autocratic and anti-democratic, while enabling the powerful to exploit and control the powerless, including children.

AA wakes up to Peak Oil

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, December 6th, 2012 - 49 comments

“It can only get worse from here.” – that’s the Automobile Association’s numbers man on petrol prices. It’s quite a revelation because, until now, the AA has been firmly part of the dinosaur establishment that has been insisting petrol prices will ‘soon’ fall to ‘normal’. Mark Stockdale also gets the logical response to peak oil – stop building sprawl, reduce consumption.

Open mike 06/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 6th, 2012 - 89 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…

For what it’s Worth

Written By: - Date published: 8:32 pm, December 5th, 2012 - 23 comments

John Key on whether Brendan Horan has the moral right to stay in Parliament: “I don’t think he would do if Winston Peters can really put up the arguments that he is that whatever he (Horan) has done is so bad that he deserves to be expelled from the party and has really bought (sic) Parliament into disrepute, but the issue is: can and will he prove that?”. Can anyone say: Richard Worth?

The only poll that matters is on election day

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, December 5th, 2012 - 103 comments

So, recent polls have shown a minor upward blip for Labour.  A minor downward blip for National.  Ergo, David Shearer must immediately appear on TV to extrapolate why and make big sexy claims about how The Gap Is Narrowing and We Will Clearly Return To The Treasury Benches In 2015 2014. Any time in the next month […]

Secretive Haast-Hollyford Highway

Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, December 5th, 2012 - 15 comments

A rather secretive bid in Central Otago/Westland for what amounts to a toll road cutting through a National Park. As with the as-yet-undecided tunnel and monorail proposals, this raises the question of whether Zealand is moving in the direction of selling its most public and protected land to private developers, for their private profit-generating schemes. It will have meetings to brief as many “key stakeholders” with a “significant interest” but will include “no public meetings”.

Our polytechnics are under threat

Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, December 5th, 2012 - 20 comments

This year the government departed with a tradition of working closely with polytechnics to establish how best to spend taxpayers’ money and instead made our public institutions compete for taxpayers’ dollars to provide foundation courses. Institutions won money if they were the most competitive in terms of price, though all successful competitors had to meet minimum quality requirements – a true market approach to pricing. So, why is this problematic?

Who in the House is for beneficiaries?

Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, December 5th, 2012 - 64 comments

Yesterday Jacinda Ardern questioned Paula Bennett on WINZ paying for beneficiaries to travel to Aussie to get jobs. Did she highlight the government’s poor record on jobs, or inadvertently trigger more MSM bennie-bashing? Do any MPs raise their voices strongly beneficiaries?

Wheeler lies on bank profits

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, December 5th, 2012 - 33 comments

Last month, new Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler told Parliament that our banks aren’t excessively profitable – middle of the pack internationally. He was lying.

Horan has no moral grounds to stay

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 5th, 2012 - 56 comments

Brendan Horan has been booted out of New Zealand First’s caucus over the scandal involving his late mother’s estate. Legally, he can now remain on in Parliament as an independent MP, or join another party. But he ought not. He has no claim to represent anyone but those who party voted NZF, and if he can’t represent them, he must let the next person on the list do so.

GCSB cover-up once in a decade

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, December 5th, 2012 - 79 comments

Remember when Bill English signed a Ministerial Warrant on behalf of John Key in a last-ditch attempt to stop the GCSB’s illegal spying on Kim Dotcom from becoming public? Did you wonder ‘what’s a Ministerial Warrant?’ I did. I’d never heard of one. Well, the Greens investigated. Now, it turns out there’s only been one issued in at least a decade.

Open mike 05/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 5th, 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…

Give TPP the ‘Dracula Treatment’

Written By: - Date published: 7:54 pm, December 4th, 2012 - 40 comments

RELEASE THE TEXT

Wilson vs Heatley

Written By: - Date published: 5:49 pm, December 4th, 2012 - 32 comments

“It’s as if you’re trying to make me cry”

Ahead of the curve on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 10:35 am, December 4th, 2012 - 66 comments

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has defended the Nats’ decision to drop out of the Kyoto treaty, describing the move as “ahead of the curve”.  Quite apart from being absolutely stupid short-term thinking and a pathetic abdication of leadership, the idea that this retreat is “ahead of the curve” is a rather unfortunate turn of phrase.

Govt to ban cheap broadband

Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, December 4th, 2012 - 46 comments

There’s a fabulous win for consumers and a Government good news story out of the Commerce Commission yesterday – significant cuts in the cost of broadband for consumers. You. But John Key’s not happy and is threatening to legislate over the decision.

Ministers in a Lab/Green govt

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, December 4th, 2012 - 143 comments

Paddy Gower looked fit to burst with excitement over ‘Greens and Labour fighting over Finance portfolio‘ last night. Of course, the actual quote not so exciting – just Russel Norman saying it was one portfolio that would be the subject of negotiations in the formation of a Lab/Green govt. But it does raise a valid question – who would be ministers in a Lab/Green govt?

Open mike 04/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 4th, 2012 - 148 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…

ImperatorFish: New Testing Regime For Party Pills

Written By: - Date published: 6:08 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 4 comments

A political party pill testing regime was originally announced after concerns were raised about the safety of some pills.
The highly popular National party pill range has been the subject of particular concern. The product has proven commercially successful because users of the pill report feelings of euphoria even as their personal lives come crashing down around them.

Caption contest

Written By: - Date published: 4:06 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 30 comments

Postcard from a 21st century renter

Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 16 comments

Dear Jack, It’s been almost a century since your major contribution to NZ . Many still see you as an inspiration for a left wing vision. Unfortunately, we are having to fight the same old battles once again, the poor are being demonised, and we need more state housing.

Fabians lecture tonight

Written By: - Date published: 12:32 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 5 comments

TPP Out of the Shadows – What they won’t tell us and why we should be worried about the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Lori Wallach and Jane Kelsey will deliver presentations and take questions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) at 6.30pm at the Old Government House Lecture Theatre, University of Auckland.

Taking the gap

Written By: - Date published: 12:23 pm, December 3rd, 2012 - 157 comments

Russel Norman’s taken advantage of the gap in Labour’s economic skills and vague positioning to cement the Greens as the main alternative voice on economics. Labour lacks any strong economic voice now Cunliffe’s on the outer, and they don’t know where they stand – they attack National but essentially adopt their neoliberal approach.

TPP protests – Day 1

Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 9 comments

A week of [updated: video] protests against the secretive TPP began today outside entrance to Sky City Convention Centre, where the latest round of TPP negotiations are being held.  The majority of Kiwis are not happy with the secrecy.  Jane Kelsey & Canadian Peter Clark identify problems.

Meanwhile, on Planet Key

Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 26 comments

Sure, National is still in the mid-40s and Key will back himself to crucify Shearer in the debates, but his own brand is suffering badly. He’s failed on jobs and increasingly being seen as out of touch. So, is making the news for eating a grasshopper really a smart move?

Open mike 03/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 83 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…

Two good polls for Labour and Shearer

Written By: - Date published: 6:07 pm, December 2nd, 2012 - 122 comments

Individual polls are nothing to get too excited about, it is the trend over time that matters. That said, the TV1 and 3 News polls tonight were both good news for Labour and Shearer.

JT, eh?

Written By: - Date published: 5:05 pm, December 2nd, 2012 - 78 comments

John Tamihere’s been let back into the party. On one hand it’s just a party membership and Labour’s a broad church. On the other hand he’s professed a desire to stand for Labour in Waitakeri, has made a big show and dance about his attempts to join, and was (still is?) a man who regularly had a wine in Ponsonby with the party leader.

Sunday Reading

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, December 2nd, 2012 - 7 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.  This week: Child poverty, malnutrition, austerity, Israel in the media and stoicism.

When were National fixing Shell Companies again?

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, December 2nd, 2012 - 10 comments

This story reads like a Bond film – with people getting bumped off left, right and centre.

And where do they do their money laundering?  Good ol’ Aotearoa.

Open mike 02/12/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, December 2nd, 2012 - 53 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…