Author Archive

Fewer on sole parenting benefit

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 pm, April 16th, 2008 - 41 comments

You may have seen the announcement that there are fewer than 20,000 now getting the unemployment benefit, down from 160,000 odd when Labour became government. And now there’s news that there’s been a drop of 13,000 of people receiving the DBP, since the introduction of Working for Families in 2004. Parenting and paid work is […]

From slippery to send up

Written By: - Date published: 7:47 pm, April 15th, 2008 - 23 comments

 Mike Moreu provides insight into the art of turning news events into images  – using as one example his latest piece on asset sales: “National continues to play it safe as John Key announces that his party has ruled out state asset sales at least for the first term. This may appear to be a […]

To sell or not to sell

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 pm, April 12th, 2008 - 11 comments

At the Labour Party congress today, Helen Clark predicted that asset sales would be a key election issue and says the Government was right to veto the Auckland Airport share bid. “The National Party and ACT have made it plain where they stand – ‘sell it off’, they cry. This is a defining issue. In […]

Tough on crime, tough on the parents

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 pm, April 12th, 2008 - 2 comments

Crime, whether static or out of control, is going to be part of our election year “top ten”. I suspect National’s $50 fine policy didn’t quite get the glowing endorsments they were hoping for (see why here). So when I spotted this story at the Guardian, I thought it looked just like a new National […]

Bush’s war – online documentary on Iraq

Written By: - Date published: 5:01 pm, April 10th, 2008 - 7 comments

This recent article in the NYTimes illustrates how the way we inform ourselves is changing, and that it’s increasing access to some serious topics. ‘Bush’s War,’ was produced for the fifth anniversary of the United States’ invasion of Iraq, and is avaiable to watch, online, for free.  It has set a viewing record, with more than 1.5 million […]

Sir Ed and Helen Clark – admired Kiwis

Written By: - Date published: 6:39 pm, April 6th, 2008 - 15 comments

From the Sunday Star Times: A new poll suggests that National Leader John Key may be up against a bigger obstacle than he thought in knocking Prime Minister Helen Clark off she is the person New Zealanders most admire after Sir Edmund Hillary. The much-loved mountaineer topped the Roy Morgan Poll with 17.4 per cent support, followed by […]

Me-too but Cool

Written By: - Date published: 3:03 pm, April 5th, 2008 - Comments Off on Me-too but Cool

Do you have a fascination with ads? Ever wonder where they come up with their ideas or feel like you’ve seen an ad that’s similar somewhere else? This site has a curious and diverse range of original and less original works to view. The motto seems to be if it was successful the first time […]

In praise of ACC

Written By: - Date published: 2:21 pm, April 3rd, 2008 - 34 comments

It was nice to see this independent report into the ACC scheme by Price Waterhouse Coopers. Amongst the general positive comments was this observation: “The ACC under its current implementation structure performs as well or better than most other schemes we can observe around the world.” “No fault” models (such as ours) are associated with: […]

Why Bush doesn’t like going out in public

Written By: - Date published: 10:51 am, April 2nd, 2008 - 16 comments

Do you think our politicians are unpopular? This story from the Washington Post puts any of those thoughts in perspective: There’s a reason President Bush almost never appears before members of the general public: They really don’t like him. Despite the delirious mood of Washington Nationals fans on opening night at their new stadium, Bush […]

Change blindness

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, April 1st, 2008 - 9 comments

Transport for London have recently launched a campaign to raise drivers’ awareness of cyclists. Try the test below. You can read about what’s going on here.

Pressure building for Nats on R&D

Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, March 25th, 2008 - 2 comments

Lest you think we are totally urban focused one of our readers sent us this recent editorial in the Rural News. In it they offer some positive comments around the recent R&D announcement from the government and ponder on National’s inability to offer up any policy: Rural News: “There has been a recurring theme resonating […]

Obama faces challenging times

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, March 23rd, 2008 - 12 comments

Some commentators have been drawing parallels between John Key and Barack Obama’s style of appeal. That was all very well when it appeared to be going Obama’s way but now in this recent article in the Guardian suggests that Barack Obama is also facing challenging times. Barack Obama looks at his wireless device in Beckley, […]

Is it a recession Mr Key?

Written By: - Date published: 4:03 pm, March 19th, 2008 - 27 comments

I am intrigued by the recent coverage of the state of the economy. We have reports that things will get bumpy from some economists, with others saying dire predictions are “premature grandstanding”. Cullen doesn’t appear too worried, saying the economy’s in better shape than most to weather the storm. It was nice to hear this […]

Join the great Sydney exodus

Written By: - Date published: 5:07 pm, March 18th, 2008 - 9 comments

Has the prospect of a Kiwi winter made you think longingly of a move across the ditch? Well if Sydney was your destination you may want to think twice. A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald points out that: “The latest Herald/Nielsen poll found 21 per cent of people surveyed are thinking of leaving […]

Communists on the move in Germany

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 pm, March 16th, 2008 - 5 comments

Here’s a lead line from a Washington Post article that will strike fear and horror into the heart of any self-respecting rightwinger: “Nineteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the old East German Communist Party is making a comeback.” “Known these days simply as the Left, the ex-communists have broadened their appeal by […]

Fairtrade: More than just branding

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 pm, March 15th, 2008 - 16 comments

Do you buy Fairtrade products? Or do you think of it as just another marketing ploy? This recent article “Teach us how to fish – do not just give us the fish” from the Guardian puts a personal perspective on consumer purchasing power. Three producers talk about how their lives and those of their communities […]

Dream of sliding to work?

Written By: - Date published: 5:17 pm, March 14th, 2008 - 4 comments

Google have just opened a new European engineering headquarters in Switzerland, according to a report from the BBC: “Dotcom companies were defined by beanbags and pizza but Google, a company that came to prominence after the bubble had burst, has taken that image to a whole new level. Meeting ‘pods’ in the style of Swiss […]

Tax cuts = no rise in the minimum wage?

Written By: - Date published: 3:04 pm, March 13th, 2008 - 26 comments

From the ABC site: “A peak business group says the Federal Government’s promised tax cuts should be taken into account when deciding on an increase to the minimum wage. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry is proposing a rise of $10 to $11 – in line with last year’s increase. The ACTU is lobbying for […]

National confirms Landcorp would be sold (?)

Written By: - Date published: 4:46 pm, March 12th, 2008 - 22 comments

We have an interesting mixed message (once again) from National on asset sales. David Carter is quoted in the NZ Farmers Weekly as saying: David Carter: “As Minister of Agriculture I would sell Landcorp. I don’t see taxpayer money best invested in farms” (10 March, 2008). However after the example was raised in Parliament today […]

Most Aussies support Kyoto protocol

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, March 11th, 2008 - 26 comments

The ABC reports: “Today Australia becomes an official member of the Kyoto club after the initial ratification documents were lodged with the United Nations 90 days ago. And a new poll has found that 64 per cent of Australians support Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s act to ratify the Kyoto protocol to cut greenhouse gas emissions. […]

Expect National to back research funding boost

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, March 11th, 2008 - 18 comments

At lunchtime today it is expected that the government will announce a major funding boost to promote innovation in food science, agricultural research and production. So can we expect National to support the plan? At least Mr Key has been given the heads up to get an answer sorted out (unlike last week’s shakey non-answers […]

No deadline on Treaty claims – National

Written By: - Date published: 4:18 pm, March 5th, 2008 - 4 comments

Mr Key announced new National policy this morning. After a morning TV interview National now have no date to settle historic Treaty Claims: Presenter: National used to have a date, didn’t they? John Key: No, what they said was they wanted the claims lodged, and they’d like to see them cleared up by a certain […]

The Maori party and a deal with National

Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, March 4th, 2008 - 7 comments

We’ve all seen the polls with National leaping out in front – and over that magical 50% mark. Helen Clark may be saying the poll gap will close once National’s policies are known but there’s another more mundane reason to expect those heady highs to fall. Kiwis don’t like to see a party head toward […]

What’s the future of Working for Families?

Written By: - Date published: 10:18 am, February 28th, 2008 - 13 comments

One consquence of the expectations around tax cuts is an examination of some of the policies already have in place – Working for Families for example. This was the topic of a recent article from Ruth Laugesen in the Sunday Star Times. “Coopers chairman John Shewan said that under Working for Families, many households effectively […]

Rod Oram: Insight into 2008

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, February 26th, 2008 - 6 comments

For those who are looking to the Beehive to bring some single minded focus to the current situation Labour finds themselves in, this article from Rod Oram at the begining of the month reads like a good starting point (SSTimes, 3 Feb 2008). He raises what the challenges for Labour are: If it wants to […]

Katherine’s tangible policy presence

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 pm, February 16th, 2008 - 11 comments

It’s been a few days now since the announcement of Katherine Rich’s decision to stand down from politics, but articles such as in today’s NZ Herald continue to try and explain “why”. Perhaps they also have that sense that her departure could be a turning point, the significance eluding us until we’re further down the […]

Key hopping on Hobsonville

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 pm, February 13th, 2008 - 40 comments

Just spotted this statement from Maryan Street up on Scoop which suggests at least one reason why Mr Key would like the issue of housing afforability to go away. Hobsonville is turning into an embarassment for him: In June 2006 he said on National Radio: “So you’re talking about very expensive land. I mean, I […]

Own home dream

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 pm, February 13th, 2008 - 27 comments

Is tax really the answer to housing affordability? The editorial in the NZ Herald today motivated a reader to send us these observations: ‘It has long been a dream for New Zealanders to own their own home and it is not a dream that we should dampen. Helping families own their own home may increase […]

Getting ALL the facts right

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, February 12th, 2008 - 26 comments

This contribution was sent through by a reader who did some digging after reading that Helen Clark’s research is letting her down in terms of the National party’s voting record on settlement of historical claims (NZ Herald, Political Diary, 9 Feb 2008, offline). It looks like National weren’t that thorough either. The suggestion that National […]

Salvation Army report finds poverty in Godzone

Written By: - Date published: 4:23 pm, February 11th, 2008 - 53 comments

A report out today from the Salvation Army acts as a reminder that despite a suite of policies designed to improve the lives of those most in need there’s still work to be done. Major Campbell Roberts says: “As a country we have invested hugely in core social spending, from $23b 10 years ago to […]

Media and our National Day

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 pm, February 10th, 2008 - 17 comments

The decision of TVNZ’s CloseUp to pay to assist Tame Iti to travel to Waitangi this year was the focus of Media Watch this morning. Ever ready to offer an opinion the PM stepped in with her view that: “I think it is a waste of public money.” (Dom Post, 7 Feb 2008) And the […]

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