Archive for August, 2014

Positive Policy on Youth Employment

Written By: - Date published: 6:09 pm, August 4th, 2014 - 8 comments

Other than fixing child poverty, there’s probably no more important policy than this. Labour will commit $183 million to a comprehensive Youth Employment Package designed to reach 24,000 young New Zealanders.

Polity: Company tax cut-and-slash-and-burn!

Written By: - Date published: 4:38 pm, August 4th, 2014 - 24 comments

To say that ACT’s new company tax policy is complete and utter drivelling crap would be a bit of an understatement.

Caption contest

Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, August 4th, 2014 - 93 comments

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Spread the word: enrol to vote

Written By: - Date published: 11:09 am, August 4th, 2014 - 15 comments

Live News is reporting that 40,000 people have been removed from the electoral roll because they have moved address. Their enrolment update packs were returned to sender with the message: “gone no address”.

Christine Rankin is standing in Epsom

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, August 4th, 2014 - 86 comments

The Conservative Party’s Christine Rankin has announced that she is standing for the Epsom seat.  This will add an extra degree of chaos to what is already an interesting battle.  But will she help the National candidate or the ACT candidate?

Open mike 04/08/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, August 4th, 2014 - 84 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 …

Dancing on the grave of Hollywood and the reformation of the music industry

Written By: - Date published: 7:57 pm, August 3rd, 2014 - 144 comments

During every revolution there will be winners and losers, change can mean pain for some, especially for the bloodsucking leaches & parasites, that have entrenched their positions, after years of mediocrity. Yes the death of Hollywood and current Music industry would cause financial pain for some, including some of the arguably overpaid actors and performers […]

ACT’s voodoo economics

Written By: - Date published: 6:18 pm, August 3rd, 2014 - 53 comments

ACT has announced its corporate tax policy and a cut in the rate from 0.28c to 0.125c in the dollar is promised. There is a slight problem. The figures do not add up.

Open mike 03/08/2014

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 3rd, 2014 - 208 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 …

Hang onto our land – it’s all we’ve got left

Written By: - Date published: 8:22 pm, August 2nd, 2014 - 77 comments

Steven Joyce says Labour’s opposition to the sale of 13,800ha Lochinver station to Shanghai Pengxin is based on “xenophobia.” It’s not, its basic economic sense. The benefit from our land should stay here. And Joyce’s open door has seen rail wagons bought cheap and fixed dear by Chinese workers at the expense of good local jobs and crucial Kiwi skills. Labour is simply standing up for New Zealand. It’s the right thing to do.

Steven Joyce is a pillock

Written By: - Date published: 7:16 pm, August 2nd, 2014 - 131 comments

If you need proof watch this morning’s TV3 debate with Grant Robertson.

The view from Russia

Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, August 2nd, 2014 - 123 comments

Long time commenter, grumpy, has had this post from a russian friend explaining his view on what has been happening in the Ukraine. As this event has excited considerable comment over the last few months, this will probably be a good discussion post.

Polity: Herald on regional roads fiasco

Written By: - Date published: 12:52 pm, August 2nd, 2014 - 13 comments

The National Government’s $212 million plan has Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee explicitly admitting that it is a massive pork-barreling for government MPs with public funds, and explicitly tells people to piss off if they don’t like it.

National and the Kiwi aversion to arrogance

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, August 2nd, 2014 - 35 comments

Simon Bridges has spent $237,000 of taxpayers money to wine and dine and house eleven oil executives.  And Tim Groser, Murray McCully and Claudette Hauiti have spent up large on the taxpayer tab.  Way to reinforce the born to rule feeling National.

Guest post – Gaza

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 2nd, 2014 - 124 comments

A guest post by Puddleglum on Gaza featuring a calm dismantling of Israel’s illogical defence of genocide.

Open mike 02/08/2014

Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, August 2nd, 2014 - 102 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 …

NRT: Breach of contract

Written By: - Date published: 6:50 pm, August 1st, 2014 - 9 comments

When National set up charter schools, they promised that they would be more accountable, and that contracts were a better means of enforcing standards than the usual school system. That works only if they’re enforced. NZ First has shown that at least one school is completely in violation of at least one part of their contract. So is the National government enforcing a contract? Yeah right….

Labour – Raise the minimum wage

Written By: - Date published: 4:05 pm, August 1st, 2014 - 298 comments

Labour is promising to raise the minimum wage to $16.25. It’s the right thing to do. And it doesn’t cost jobs.

John Banks convicted

Written By: - Date published: 9:54 am, August 1st, 2014 - 86 comments

Updated John Banks has been sentenced to 100 hours community work and community detention for electoral fraud.

Updated links to reactions.

Open mike 01/08/2014

Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, August 1st, 2014 - 257 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 …