Archive for April, 2014

Key Announces National’s Job’s Policy.

Written By: - Date published: 6:29 pm, April 30th, 2014 - 1 comment

‘Allo, Allo, Allo, Allo –  Based on the 1980’s Comedy Series, “Allo, allo”  – Starring Cameron Slater as Rene and Judith Collins as Edith. Episode Three. (See previous episodes)  “Cameron Slater gets starring role in tvnz drama” “Key schemes with media at whaleoil cafe“ By Susan Nact  It is just before opening time at the […]

Clutha- Southland and the stark contrast in NZ politics

Written By: - Date published: 4:08 pm, April 30th, 2014 - 79 comments

Guest post by Ad about the Clutha Southland where Labour’s Liz Craig, a Doctor and Public Health researcher, is standing against Todd Barclay, a former National Parliamentary staffer and ex Philip Morris lobbyist.

Paul Henry and Christchurch’s floods

Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, April 30th, 2014 - 67 comments

Paul Henry’s rant last night on TV3 and his attack on Lianne Dalziel was appalling.  And it makes you wonder if the intent was to take the attention away from John Key who has shown that he will move heaven and earth to increase irrigation for Canterbury Plain farmers but thinks that the Council should deal with a water problem that is significantly affecting a number of ordinary people.

NRT: All about distribution

Written By: - Date published: 1:54 pm, April 30th, 2014 - 29 comments

Distribution – who pays, who gets what – is one of (or perhaps the) key question in politics. It is the big problem with Labour’s new monetary policy. We’ve all seen how the theoretical ability to compensate the losers of policies which produce net gains tends to be forgotten in practice. Which means that the acceptability of the policy is going to depend crucially on whether Labour follows through on this promise.

National’s exports – how to lose value and jobs

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, April 30th, 2014 - 77 comments

Manufacturing exports dropped by 3.3% over the last year. Manufacturing businesses and their jobs disappeared with them. Meanwhile the National MP’s with dairy farms and interests will today be proclaiming a buoyant economy based on them selling barely processed milk-powder to China. It is good for them but as they gut the manufacturing jobs few other kiwis will reap any benefits.

The local in the bigger picture: new Green conservation policy

Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, April 30th, 2014 - 12 comments

Largely overlooked yesterday, the Green Party launched their “Conservation in Our Backyards” policy. Focusing on protecting New Zealand’s socially and environmentally rich biodiversity, it provides a means to act locally in countering the current track towards global social, environmental and economic destruction.

Piketty: inequality & capitalism’s flaw

Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, April 30th, 2014 - 50 comments

There is a major new economics tome out this year that’s sending waves through the economics community like none since Friedman in the 70s. It’s Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century.
It points out that under capitalism, we’re doomed to inequality.

Open mike 30/04/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, April 30th, 2014 - 236 comments

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

Another Quality Selection

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 pm, April 29th, 2014 - 30 comments

So many things wrong with what poor Clutha-Southland are having foist upon them by National. A very young man whose experience of life is National Party jobs and Tobacco company lobbying. Fortunately democracy gives them a very good choice…

Labour Candidate selections

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 pm, April 29th, 2014 - 15 comments

Last night Labour selected its Upper Harbour candidate Hermann Retzlaff and tonight it is selecting its candidate for the Kelston Seat.  Interest within the party is intense for both selections.  Update – And Carmel Sepuloni wins the nomination.

Fixing the reserve bank

Written By: - Date published: 1:14 pm, April 29th, 2014 - 32 comments

The head of the reanimated corpse of Brash should now be spinning furiously along with those fools from ACT who are into simplicity (because they can’t handle the real world). However having the Reserve Bank looking the balance of payments is pretty good. It includes the exchange rate and the export economy. They’re effectively now concerned with the exterior economy with a enforced savings tool as well as the interest rates. The government becomes largely responsible for the structural rigidities we have built up in the internal economy. That is a pretty good mix. Might have to train the MPs a bit though.

David Cunliffe’s grandfather’s medals

Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, April 29th, 2014 - 136 comments

So DPF and Cameron Slater are running a desperate smear about David Cunliffe and his grandfather’s war record.
The Nats proxies trying to smear the leader of the Labour party isn’t anything new.  What is interesting is that the Nats tried to get the media to do it first.

Second class citizens. Beggars belief

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, April 29th, 2014 - 58 comments

Out of sight-out of mind seems to be the logic of Auckland City’s bylaw to come into effect next month, to outlaw begging on the streets. The clear message from Native Affairs report, ‘Walk on By‘, last night, is that the bylaw is the result of pressure from the comfortable middle classes. [Update: bylaw only says it’s an offence where begging causes a nuisance]

David Parker – Lower interest rates, a more competitive dollar and better jobs from Reserve Bank changes

Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, April 29th, 2014 - 169 comments

David Parker’s speech notes announcing Labour’s proposed changes to the Reserve Bank.

Open mike 29/04/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, April 29th, 2014 - 175 comments

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

Highs, legal or otherwise

Written By: - Date published: 5:43 pm, April 28th, 2014 - 68 comments

I don’t use too many drugs because they interfere with my dominant programming addiction/work. But after decades of seeing people using pot, I can’t see any real problems with it if people use it in moderation. I have seen people with problems with excessive indulgence. But I’ve helped neighbours who have subsequently died from alcoholism as well. There is simply no way to definitively and fully protect everyone from themselves. We need to tax and regulate it. And if there is a substance that is fully tested on humans, then I’d have say it’d be pot… I can’t say the same about chemical manufacture of synthetic drugs.

LocalBodies: King Luddite and the Green Wave

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, April 28th, 2014 - 31 comments

King Luddite was resolute in his belief in the power of black gold and he decided to make a public stand against the green tidal wave that was rapidly approaching his small kingdom. On September the 20th he decided would place his throne on the nearest beach and, with his ministers standing behind him, command that the wave come no further. He had once heard a story of another king who had done something similar and thought it sounded like a good idea. Of course he had never been a good history scholar and he had never bothered to consult his wise men.

Remembering forestry workers

Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, April 28th, 2014 - 15 comments

The deaths of forestry workers are outrageous & sad.  Helen Kelly has campaigned extremely well for change.  An international day of remembrance yesterday, a procession on parliament today – a belated govt Bill that is an improvement, but does not go far enough.

Open mike 28/04/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:31 am, April 28th, 2014 - 246 comments

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

Labour announces ban on synthetic cannabis

Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, April 27th, 2014 - 215 comments

David Cunliffe has just announced that Labour will introduce legislation to remove synthetic cannabis and other psychoactive substances from sale. (updated)

To Robert Reid, respect

Written By: - Date published: 2:24 pm, April 27th, 2014 - 135 comments

I may be damaging the prospects of him being invited back but I thought Robert Reid’s recent performance on Q&A was terrific and his example is one that all progressive MPs and activists should follow.

The strength of the left: working together…

Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, April 27th, 2014 - 41 comments

The strength of the left: working together…. from the flaxroots. I agree with the parts of David Cunliffe’s speech to Young Labour where he talks of the importance of working together and mobilising the grass roots left in order to win the election. He is speaking about the Labour Party, but his words are equally true for the wider left

Open mike 27/04/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:33 am, April 27th, 2014 - 264 comments

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

A New Zealand for 100% of New Zealanders

Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, April 26th, 2014 - 75 comments

The text of a very personal straight from the heart speech given by David Cunliffe today to Labour Youth.

Thanks for the Piss, Collins.

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, April 26th, 2014 - 108 comments

Karol has already mentioned this in her post from this morning. But in the interests of splitting milk from alcohol…

Judith Collins: fudging evidence

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, April 26th, 2014 - 32 comments

Judith Colllins & the PM are probably toasting Shane Jones (and Murray McCully) right now: the heat around the Oravida controversy has been pushed off the front pages.  Information and marginalised news don’t easily disappear off the web – or Wikipedia.  Collins quietly slipped out a press release on the delay of her decision on alcohol pricing – media shy suddenly?

National’s cows coming home to roost

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, April 26th, 2014 - 79 comments

As interest rates crank up in debt-laden NZ, we’re about to reap the consequences of 5 years of do-nothing, anti-worker, National government.

Open mike 26/04/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:45 am, April 26th, 2014 - 251 comments

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

14,000 posts

Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, April 25th, 2014 - 32 comments

We hit 14 thousand posts since the site started this morning. As is usual I’ve been digging through the stats on the site to look for things we need to change. So there are a few graphs looking at what has been going on numerically. It isn’t too bad. We do need some more people posting is about the only thing. They’d needed to replace the usual pre-election year issue of those who looked at the upcoming election year and  said that they really don’t have the time….

Imperator Fish: A sacred day

Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, April 25th, 2014 - 10 comments

“Today is the day when we remember those who fell.

I plan to honour this sacred day by not indulging in political discourse of any kind until 1:00 pm.

At 1:00 pm the shops open and life returns largely to normal. At 1:00 pm I will resume my ceaseless efforts to destroy this monstrous government.”

Anzac Day

Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, April 25th, 2014 - 42 comments

Happy Anzac Day.

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.