Author Archive

Social mobility policies do not address poverty

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:20 pm, July 15th, 2015 - 27 comments

Excellent work by RNZ, following up on previously redacted documents to expose this sham.

Film review: Crossing Rachmaninoff

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, July 14th, 2015 - 3 comments

Something a bit different for The Standard. A review of the film Crossing Rachmaninoff which premiers in Auckland on the 18th of July as part of the International Film Festival.

The state of state houses

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:03 am, July 12th, 2015 - 17 comments

The data for the trial Warrant of Fitness scheme for state houses from last year was recently (finally!) released. 80% of them need serious work. 22% didn’t have functioning bathroom and toilet doors. What is going on?

Auckland property buyers

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:57 am, July 11th, 2015 - 436 comments

The big story this morning is Labour’s analysis of Auckland property purchase data.

Key descends into farce

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:59 am, July 11th, 2015 - 72 comments

Key is now “standing by” a statement which a lie about a statement which is factually incorrect. No wonder his fans are so proud of him.

A win on rental standards

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:56 pm, July 9th, 2015 - 105 comments

This is a good example of a policy win from opposition. More please!

Rashbrooke on poverty in NZ and UK

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:23 am, July 9th, 2015 - 15 comments

Max Rashbrooke has a major article in The Guardian today looking at poverty in NZ and the UK, and what each country can learn from the other.

The surplusgoround

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:18 pm, July 8th, 2015 - 56 comments

The on again off again surplus is on again. Key will be kicking himself for telling us all that we’re not interested in this artificial target.

Emissions targets an admission that we don’t care

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:02 am, July 8th, 2015 - 48 comments

The emissions reduction target decided by the Nat government is an admission that we as a country don’t give a stuff about the future.

Deconstructing the government’s report card

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:21 pm, July 7th, 2015 - 11 comments

The government has awarded itself a nice report card. Let’s take a closer look.

Police using “sealed” Hager documents?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:14 am, July 7th, 2015 - 48 comments

Nicky Hager’s lawyer claims that the police are using supposedly “sealed” information taken in the raid of Hager’s home.

School lunches – Key vs data

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:11 am, July 6th, 2015 - 29 comments

Key claimed that the number of hungry kids in schools was limited to “the odd one or two”. Everyone knew it was nonsense. Now a survey by the New Zealand Principals’ Federation indicates the true extent of the problem.

Greenpeace activism

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:42 am, July 5th, 2015 - 23 comments

Herald columnist Paul Little has done some good stuff in the past, but today’s effort on Greenpeace is a disgrace. Nothing but ill-informed prejudice on parade.

Where is The Herald’s apology to Amanda Bailey?

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:03 am, July 4th, 2015 - 19 comments

The Press Council found that The Herald had fell “sadly short” of professional standards. Under the circumstances simply publishing the decision is not enough. NZ Herald – where is your apology to Amanda Bailey?

There never was a rockstar

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:39 am, July 4th, 2015 - 92 comments

We’ve just seen the weakest quarterly growth in two years, and economists are warning of possible recession. The NZ economy needs to be fundamentally reshaped.

Sanders vs Trump

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:03 am, July 3rd, 2015 - 15 comments

It will probably turn out to be Clinton vs Bush of course. But wouldn’t Sanders vs Trump be more fun? And wouldn’t Sanders be a fascinating POTUS?

Greece – damned if they do

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:20 am, July 2nd, 2015 - 124 comments

Secret documents seen by The Guardian describe just how bad things will be for Greece if they accept the demands of the IMF / “troika”.

It’s great to be a charter school!

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:15 am, July 2nd, 2015 - 48 comments

A charter school banks an “operating surplus” of $2.4 million, while state schools remain chronically underfunded.

Marching backwards to diesel

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 4:38 pm, July 1st, 2015 - 35 comments

Replacing electric trains with diesel is the kind of short-term stupid decision making that is unfortunately typical of the way NZ is currently run.

The police should be above the law

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:11 am, July 1st, 2015 - 34 comments

Well that’s the opinion of Judith Collins at least.

Another disease of poverty making a comeback

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:18 am, June 30th, 2015 - 139 comments

Add another disease of poverty to the list of those that are making a comeback in NZ.

Youth rates and youth employment

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 12:00 pm, June 29th, 2015 - 43 comments

Remember how National’s youth rates were going to raise levels of youth employment? Turns out not so much.

Inequality – Treasury report

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 7:22 am, June 29th, 2015 - 22 comments

Last week Treasury came out with a detailed and interesting report, Inequality in New Zealand 1983/84 to 2013/14. It is no surprise to find that the last Labour government acted to reduce inequality, the current National government has acted to increase it.