Author Archive
Tapu Misa: Right On
Written By: - Date published: 1:12 pm, February 28th, 2011 - 129 comments
Tapu Misa’s latest piece in the Herald is just so right I can’t really add anything to it. She nicely sums up the Welfare Working Group’s message: “We’re not saying it’s your fault you can’t get a job. We’re just saying you’re a malingering freeloader who’s not trying hard enough.”
Hone, MP split, no contest 2011
Written By: - Date published: 3:21 pm, February 23rd, 2011 - 65 comments
Radio New Zealand are reporting that Hone Harawira and the Maori Party have decided to go their separate ways after the Maori Party disciplinary committee recommended he be thrown out. In a more peaceful resolution than the acrimony that has surrounded their dispute, they have decided that Hone can stick to Te Tai Tokerau, and […]
Salvation Army: welfare proposals ‘defining moment’
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, February 21st, 2011 - 26 comments
The Salvation Army has a Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit that comes out with some very well researched material. Their State of the Nation is compelling reading and their fear of the government’s welfare proposals coming out tomorrow speaks volumes.
Business awakens to National’s undemocratic ways
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 pm, February 20th, 2011 - 6 comments
On a day when I’ve heard of 3 smaller businesses shutting down due to National’s economy, Big Business too is waking up to the flaws in National’s ways. The push through, don’t consult, override the wishes of the people mentality even chafes the corporates when it’s not in their favour.
Off to Oz
Written By: - Date published: 3:40 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 34 comments
The Oz Job Expo was in Auckland this weekend, and 6000 people turned up and were willing to pay $15 to look for the job they couldn’t find in New Zealand. With much lower unemployment in Australia, job adverts way up since 2008 instead of way down here, and wages on average 30% higher, who could blame them?
John Key’s Memoirs
Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, February 14th, 2011 - 36 comments
“I’m leaving it until my book. I know the answer, but just wait until my book,” Mr Key said.
What? I thought it was normal to leave office before you started writing and promoting your memoirs? I’ve not heard of someone becoming prime-minister to promote book-sales before.
Monetary Policy
Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, February 14th, 2011 - 13 comments
John Key wants to take credit for Allan Bollard’s good work. The Reserve Bank is having to step outside its remit to save our economy from a National government and this is the thanks he gets…
New Right Party?
Written By: - Date published: 10:11 pm, February 13th, 2011 - 6 comments
There’s a somewhat fact-free article today on the possible challenge of a new “centre-right” party in Epsom. Whilst an interesting possible development, there’s no substance as to who’s behind the party or any credentials. The most we get is that John Banks has heard a rumour. Presumably there’s more to the story, does anyone have […]
John Key: Bored?
Written By: - Date published: 9:34 am, February 13th, 2011 - 28 comments
John Key, celebrity, has got PM on his CV. He’s met Obama and Peter Jackson, hung with Richie McCaw, the All Whites and David Letterman. And now sounds a bit bored with the gig. Is that what we need in someone who’s supposed to be leading the country to a brighter future?
Jami-Lee Ross runs scared
Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, February 10th, 2011 - 42 comments
Jami-Lee Ross is running from having any debate with his opponent in the Botany.
National fiddles as NZ burns
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, February 10th, 2011 - 8 comments
8,000 more unemployed in Q4 2010, and 1,000 more on the dole in January; New Zealand headed to a douple-dip recession after a year of anaemic growth; an average wage rise in 2010 of 1.9% with inflation of 4%. And a government focussed on manipulating statistics instead of coming up with an economic plan.
In Defence of the Nanny State
Written By: - Date published: 3:41 pm, February 8th, 2011 - 63 comments
I get frustrated with the right claiming “Nanny State” on everything (except when it’s them banning cell-phones when driving etc). So it was with interest I read famous philosopher Alain de Botton’s piece on the BBC yesterday: In defence of the nanny state.
25c slap in the face
Written By: - Date published: 6:38 am, February 8th, 2011 - 77 comments
So John Key thinks that a 1.9% increase in pay will cover 4% inflation, and that’s all minimum wage workers are going to get. That 25c/hour won’t add up to a litre of milk at the end of the day, let along a block of cheese at the end of the week. A person on minimum wage will now get $437.24/week after tax, whilst JK gave himself over $1000 extra per week in tax cut.
Hone suspended
Written By: - Date published: 2:33 pm, February 7th, 2011 - 62 comments
Hone has just been suspended from the Maori Party caucus. Pita and Tariana have had enough and they’re cutting him off in parliament – which surely can only be a prelude to him being cut off at party level as well.
Waitangi up close
Written By: - Date published: 1:07 am, February 7th, 2011 - 37 comments
A personal perspective on the Waitangi celebrations. Where John Key went wrong, how Hone was out and proud, and the left’s reception. Also: an enjoyment of Maori burgers over kai moana this year.
Mind the Wealth Gap
Written By: - Date published: 2:41 pm, February 3rd, 2011 - 2 comments
The Onion, PARIS—At a press conference Tuesday, the World Heritage Committee officially recognized the Gap Between Rich and Poor as the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” describing the global wealth divide as the “most colossal and enduring of mankind’s creations.”
Unemployment Up
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, February 3rd, 2011 - 23 comments
The December quarter employment statistics are out. And there’s a big jump up to 6.8% unemployment. 11,000 people lost their jobs, 8,000 became “unemployed” and 3,000 others left the workforce altogether. The labour force participation rate (the number of people of working age, working) is down to 67.9%.
ECE – cuts bite today
Written By: - Date published: 3:33 pm, February 1st, 2011 - 25 comments
Today is the day that Anne Tolley’s $400 million dollar cut to early childhood education bites. A sector which delivers $13 value for every $1 invested is really going to hurt. Centres themselves are having different responses: 90% of centres are definitely raising fees – between $2 – $80 per week, with an average of […]
Contact Energy: A Case Study
Written By: - Date published: 6:01 am, January 29th, 2011 - 65 comments
We could look at bailed-out TranzRail and Air NZ, with privatisation leading to risk-free pay-outs for the temporary owners of infrastructure that couldn’t be allowed to fail. Or Telecom that doesn’t look out for NZers interests, and needs us to pay for it to build us a fibre network. But let’s look at the “success” story of Contact, the closest privatisation to National’s new plans.
Welcome to Election Year
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, January 28th, 2011 - 28 comments
John Key was interviewed on Morning Report less than a handful of times each of the 2 years between winning power in 2008 and Sean Plunket leaving. He’s appeared on Radio NZ before 9.30 for lengthy interviews 3 times this week.
Election year accountability, you gotta love it.
Ireland
Written By: - Date published: 6:06 pm, January 27th, 2011 - 22 comments
John Key 2008: Follow me and we’ll be like Ireland.
John Key 2011: Follow me or we’ll be like Ireland.
Why selling assets won’t solve our debt problem
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, January 27th, 2011 - 38 comments
John Key is busy raising the canard of our economy being as indebted as the PIIGS countries that are in trouble in Europe. He’s talking about net foreign debt, and he’s suggesting lowering government debt is the solution. But New Zealand’s debt problem is not a government debt problem, and with asset sales he has the wrong solution to the wrong problem.
National’s Impending Swingeing Cuts
Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, January 26th, 2011 - 31 comments
Whilst John Key’s raising of privatisation is the first focus of his State of the Nation speech, perhaps equally as important is his intention for swingeing cuts to public services. Health and Education will have to pay higher wages from the same budget, but the likes of Police, Justice, Conservation and Social Services can expect cuts of more than 10%.
The Sell-off Begins
Written By: - Date published: 12:04 pm, January 26th, 2011 - 160 comments
So John Key’s great bit of policy for the election is to sell off the family jewels. Generations of New Zealanders have built up these assets, and now, like in the 90s, National intend to flick them off to foreign investors, and drain the country’s wealth.
Phil Goff’s State of the Nation
Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, January 25th, 2011 - 203 comments
Phil Goff has just delivered an excellent speech to start a year of laying out Labour Policy. $100/week tax free, stopping tax-dodging bludgers, support for R&D and exporters, correcting housing market anomalies and encouraging investment in the productive sector. There was a lot to like.
Nats’ Botany Selections
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, January 21st, 2011 - 60 comments
The National Party head office have culled the eight people they don’t like and left five to contest Botany.
It’s Maggie Barry vs Jami-Lee Ross and three others.
UN: Kiwi kids worries
Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, January 21st, 2011 - 10 comments
The UN committee on the rights of the child has had some harsh things to say about New Zealand’s performance in looking after our children, especially on our infant mortality and childhood poverty rates. With National cutting ECE and lowering criminal responsibility and Labour proposing longer Paid Parental Leave and increased support for children under-5 and their families, will this please become an election issue?
Privatising Infrastructure by Stealth
Written By: - Date published: 3:07 pm, January 20th, 2011 - 16 comments
Government IT projects are easy to take aim at, but this isn’t a hit at their lack of thinking or actions on UFB.
This is about them privatising their entire computing systems, preferably without being noticed; paying the least they can to a corporation to take care of your most personal data.
Nats: Bring Back Debtors Prisons
Written By: - Date published: 1:18 pm, January 17th, 2011 - 38 comments
The government is to introduce a new Courts and Criminal Matters Bill, much of which is sensible. But sending fine-evaders to prison because they can’t afford to pay seems madness. The ridiculous cost of building and maintaining ever more prisons as unsustainable. Minor offences like unpaid fines should not result in the taxpayer spending vast sums to lock the offender up.
No Jobs is Government’s Fault, Not Recession’s
Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, January 17th, 2011 - 25 comments
The “Great Recession” saw a greater spike in unemployment in New Zealand compared to its drop in GDP than almost everywhere. Whilst GDP slumped, unemployment did less so in all but 2 countries across the world: NZ and Spain. The Government, far from being relentlessly focussed on jobs, has ensured with its policies that workers were laid off in swathes.
Hot? Another Record Year
Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, January 14th, 2011 - 18 comments
To all those deniers who claimed the record cold in January & February in parts of the Northern Hemisphere (and again in December in Britain) proved global warming was a hoax… In fact globally 2010 equalled 2005 as hottest year ever overall, being 0.62C warmer than the twentieth century average (~14C globally). Deniers looked away […]
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