Author Archive

Pay rises for CEOs, pay cuts for workers

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:53 pm, May 7th, 2010 - 13 comments

The other day I wrote about pay rises for workers. 75% of non-union workers took a pay cut last year. Seems their bosses made off a lot better. Despite all the business collapses and the 21,000 lost jobs, half of all CEOs got a pay rise last year and the typical pay rise was a massive 5% (only 10% of workers got a 5%+ way rise). It’s the essence of class war.

The rock and the hard place

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:53 am, May 7th, 2010 - 17 comments

To avoid cascading sovereign debt crises, countries need economic growth that will boost their tax so they can start getting their books in order. But good economic news sends oil prices up due to the tight supply situation and we’re close to the point where the price of oil tips economies into recession. Is this the limit to growth?

Tide turns, a long way to go

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:52 pm, May 6th, 2010 - 28 comments

The unexpectedly large fall in unemployment is to be celebrated. It’s great that unemployment has fallen so much but 6% is an appallingly high rate of unemployment. It is not natural or normal – it only became normal under National in the 1990s and in the last year of the current government. We still have a long way to go to the sub-4% unemployment we so recently enjoyed.

Bold economic leadership… from the Opposition

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:45 pm, May 6th, 2010 - 61 comments

I’m glad to see Labour is stealing a march on the lazy Nats and building an alternative economic vision ahead of the Budget. It looks to be just the vision New Zealand needs, built on the twin planks of economic sovereignty and a fairer distribution of wealth.

Nats show their contempt for working Kiwis

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:04 am, May 6th, 2010 - 6 comments

Yesterday, Darien Fenton’s Redundancy Protection Bill was voted down by the Government. Disgraceful. The Nats added a kick in the teeth by having David Bennett lead their side of debate with a mad, disrespectful speech. Congratulations to Darien, Labour, the Greens, Progressives, the Maori Party, and the groups representing 350,000 Kiwi workers who fought for this. We’ll win next time.

Please, let this be the peak

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 8:52 am, May 6th, 2010 - 60 comments

The March quarter unemployment rate is out today. It should be back down below 7% from the appalling 7.3% that National let it rise to. My hope is to see it fall to at most 6.8%, that’ll represent 10,000 Kiwis back into work. But Bill English has hinted it won’t fall. If there is not a serious reduction in unemployment, we will know who to blame.

Pickled Paula picked a pair of Peters

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:13 am, May 6th, 2010 - 56 comments

But which Peter did pickled Paula pick?

Rising education costs undermine our future

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:41 pm, May 5th, 2010 - 27 comments

You might say that National’s new $50 a year graduate fee is a small thing. But it’s another discouragement for a young person who is looking at either going straight into low-skill, low-pay work or borrowing thousands to get some skills. The last thing we need to be doing is discouraging more people from going on to polytech or uni.

Collins has no answers on murder increase law

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:00 am, May 5th, 2010 - 12 comments

This is a crime bill that is not expected to deter or reduce crime and may increase murders. That’s not acceptable. It’s not even really a crime bill, it’s a stupid PR stunt that puts lives at risk. No responsible government would pass it. But this is not a responsible government. It is willing to cause more murders for the sake of appearing tough on crime.

Key’s ministers still at the trough

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:25 am, May 5th, 2010 - 26 comments

You’ll remember how Bill ‘Double Dipton’ English was caught claiming the out of town allowance for living in his family home in Wellington. As a half-arsed solution, out of town ministers are now limited to claiming $37,500 a year for their Wellington accommodation. So, how come eight ministers are still claiming far more than that?

From bad to worse for workers

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 2:18 pm, May 4th, 2010 - 11 comments

While John’s off playing soldiers, things are getting worse and worse for Kiwi workers. Wages are falling for the first time in a decade. The average hourly wage was $25.80 when National came to power. Now, it’s $25.30. I had hoped unemployment would start falling about now but the signs are discouraging. Only unionised workers able to protect themselves from the storm.

Backlash over media favouritism

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:10 am, May 4th, 2010 - 52 comments

Tracey Watkins is less than chuffed over the way the media were used on John Key’s ‘secret’ Afghanistan trip:…Equally troubling was the control exerted by the Prime Minister’s Office over access – Key refused to make room for journalists from the country’s two biggest media companies, Fairfax and APN. Even state broadcaster Radio New Zealand was left in the cold.

Govt agencies should look at the big picture

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 1:15 am, May 4th, 2010 - 47 comments

Government bodies should base their actions on what’s in the best interests of New Zealand as a whole, even if its not necessarily best for that government body. I would have thought that was unarguable. But, oddly, the Right doesn’t agree. There’s no economic justification for their position. It seems more like a cultural cringe, a lack of faith in New Zealand.

So much for ‘ambitious for New Zealand’

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:35 pm, May 3rd, 2010 - 161 comments

A new report says that building the half a billion worth of new rail rolling stock for Auckland in New Zealand would boost GDP by $250 million, improve our current account deficit by over $100 million, add $70 million to government revenue, and create 1200 skilled jobs. But the Government just want the cheapest price for the rail cars, and that means going overseas.

Why the miners are so keen on public land

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:19 am, May 3rd, 2010 - 36 comments

Most of this country’s mineral wealth lies under private land, according to the government’s own figures. So, why are the Nats so determined to override public opinion and let their mining allies dig up our precious protected lands? Simple: mining on private land means paying a lease to the owner. Mining on public land is cheaper: we’re played like chumps for bigger profits.

Protection for workers in hard times

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:00 am, May 3rd, 2010 - 32 comments

Darien Fenton’s Redundancy Protection Bill is before the House this week (provided National doesn’t cancel Private Members’ Day again). The Bill will give all working Kiwis some income protection if they lose their jobs, like people get in other developed countries. You can help make it happen.

Key under attack from Left & Right

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:25 pm, May 2nd, 2010 - 48 comments

50,000 New Zealanders march against the mining plans of this government. For many, the mining agenda is yet another black mark against this government that has done nothing positive about the issues that matter – jobs, wages, health, education, the environment. But the capitalist elite who so desperately wanted their party in power are getting pretty pissed off too.

Collins: All talk, no crush

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:46 am, May 2nd, 2010 - 16 comments

We all know that Police and Corrections Minister Judith Collins has, for all her tough talk, failed to bring down crime, and suppressed the official advice that her 3 strikes law may increase murders. But what about the policy that got her the nickname that she revels in? How many cars has ‘Crusher’ crushed? The answer may surprise you.

Understanding and trust

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:50 am, May 2nd, 2010 - 10 comments

Nat MP Michael Woodhouse was speaking on the amendment bill weakening workers’ rights to a break and said “I was heard it said that political discourse requites two things: trust and understanding. And it’s certainly true here. Labour don’t trust us and we sure as hell don’t understand them”. I think it’s very enlightening that he chose to put it that way.

Massive public outrage in North & South

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 1:57 pm, May 1st, 2010 - 124 comments

Wow! An incredible 50,000 people have turned out in Auckland this May Day to protest the Government’s plan to open protected land to mining. I can’t think of another demonstration in New Zealand on this scale. If this isn’t the final nail in the coffin of the mining plan, then the Key Government has a serious death wish.

Maori Party turns against workers

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:30 am, April 30th, 2010 - 5 comments

Labour’s Darien Fenton is a gutsy, tireless advocate for working Kiwis. She was left gobsmacked by the Maori Party’s decision to vote for weakening Kiwis’ rights to work breaks. Maybe there’s a cunning plan that the Maori Party’s backing of a party that wants higher unemployment, weaker work rights, and lower wages will see more Maori in better paid jobs with improved conditions.

Open government – Open Labour

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 8:50 am, April 30th, 2010 - 25 comments

It’s fantastic to see Labour working on an Open Government policy as a major plank for the next election. And taking an open approach to the policy development is a stroke of genius. Politically, Labour has an incredible opportunity to position itself in contrast to the secretive and undemocratic National party. More than that, this stuff matters.

Govt treat Maori kids as 2nd class citizens

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 12:22 pm, April 29th, 2010 - 7 comments

Last week, the Maori Party endlessly praised National for the meaningless DRIP. Yesterday, we got deathly silence as Trevor Mallard revealed that the Government is giving whare kura schools only $50,000 in base operating funding. Mainstream schools get $130,000. The Government is treating kids at Maori immersion schools as second-class citizens and the Maori Party is OK with it.

Tax hike but why no display ban?

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:10 am, April 29th, 2010 - 48 comments

I’m not against rising the excise on tobacco but everyone knows that if this government was serious about reducing the harm from tobacco this isn’t the best way to go about it. The best thing to do would be to ban tobacco displays. Upping the excise takes more money out of the pockets of the poor but it has only a minor effect on reducing smoking.

Nats tie themselves in knots over mining

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 8:43 am, April 29th, 2010 - 10 comments

Mr Brownlee, I have to confess, you’ve got me scratching my head. You’re saying that anyone can already prospect and even, to use your words, “dig to their heart’s content” on Schedule 4 land while your leader is saying we can’t mine or even know what is under the land until it is removed from Schedule 4. Which is it? Do.. do any of you clowns actually know?

Nats paving the way for ECE cuts

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 7:40 pm, April 28th, 2010 - 19 comments

The Nats are getting ready to cut 20 Hours Free Early Childhood Education, after having promised during the election campaign not only to keep it but extend it. The Nats don’t have to lie. If they want to break their promises they should just say ‘we just wanted to get elected, so we said what you wanted to hear. We’re going to break our promises and cut ECE’.

Labour to restore democracy in Canterbury

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 8:21 am, April 28th, 2010 - 78 comments

Last month, the Government abolished the democratically-elected Canterbury Regional Council known as Environment Canterbury. Not only were the current elected officials booted out, Cantabarians were denied their right to elect the next council in the upcoming local body elections. Now, Labour has pledged to restore democracy to Canterbury.

Goff stands up for democracy in Auckland

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 11:34 am, April 27th, 2010 - 70 comments

Fresh from promising to restore the top tax rate that National is set to abolish and give the revenue to the poor, Phil Goff has outlined his vision for fixing National’s undemocratic Supercity. National and Act have ridden roughshod over Auckland democracy in the interests of their corporate allies. Phil Goff has made it clear that Labour will restore local democracy.

Brownlee digs the Nats a deeper hole

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:31 am, April 27th, 2010 - 20 comments

On March 22, Gerry Brownlee took Mt Aspiring off his mad mining wish list saying â€œthe government has decided, for reasons of its own, not to pursue mining potential in that areaâ€. But Brownlee was lying. The very same day, he signed an order temporarily blocking mining companies from prospecting in areas that would be subject to a $4 million government minerals survey. Mt Aspiring was included.

Pollyanna Finlayson ignores reality

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 10:33 am, April 26th, 2010 - 21 comments

The other day, Chris Finlayson described himself as a Pollyanna – it’s an American term (of derision) for someone who sees everything as positive, ignoring unhappy realities. Finlayson is all bouncy and optimistic, selling his ‘no-one owns it’ ‘solution’ to the F&S issue. But I have not heard a single Maori leader who agrees with his offer or anything like it.

RNZ reveals ACC privatisation agenda

Written By: Marty G - Date published: 9:03 am, April 23rd, 2010 - 71 comments

National’s hysteria around ACC last year was focused on creating an air of crisis. Now they’re going to ‘do something’. That something is privatisation of ACC. It won’t work, it won’t save money. The costs of injuries will still exist. Privatisation will put more of that cost on the injured. Added ligation and profits will mean worse cover for more cost.