Author Archive
When the science doesn’t suit, Right tries to shout it down
Written By: - Date published: 1:15 pm, August 22nd, 2010 - 87 comments
The other day, National Party pollster David Farrar had a rant against alcohol experts that boiled down to ‘who cares what the science says! We’re in charge now and booze barons are on our side. Go back to your books, dorks!’.
Big Dog responds:
The secret of my success….
Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, August 22nd, 2010 - 11 comments
John Black cartoons John Keys success from childhood to Prime Minister. It has been good for him. It is not so good for anyone else.
The Irrationality of the Free-Market
Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, August 18th, 2010 - 74 comments
There really isn’t any doubt about this any more, the free-market ideology put forward by the Chicago School of Economics (and the Austrian school) and slavishly followed by National, Act and Labour is predicted on fully informed individuals making rational choices. But individuals just don’t have enough knowledge to know what is best and the market as a whole is irrational as a result.
How to be a lazy politician
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, August 17th, 2010 - 9 comments
When John Steinbeck said “No one wants advice – only corroboration†he could well have been describing the numerous working groups the Government has established in many areas of significant economic and social policy. Too lazy to spend its nine years in opposition developing a detailed policy prescription, National now picks groups to tell it what it wants to hear.
Jobless, Homeless, Clueless
Written By: - Date published: 1:40 pm, August 17th, 2010 - 25 comments
In the last seven days a triple-conjunction of political portents has publicly demonstrated just how bankrupt of imagination and policy this current government truly is. The lack of direction and paucity of creative ideas is breath-taking. A “caretaker-government” would be a polite euphemism in this context.
Child murder or protecting gangs?
Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, August 17th, 2010 - 46 comments
The legacy of the Maori Party should not be waving the seabed and foreshore legislation in the air like Neville Chamberlain and rejoicing at the sop given by the Machiavellian elite – not while another child lies dying of a brain injury. The Minister for Maori Affairs should not be working to save illegal buildings on a gang HQ when Maori children are being abused at a sickening rate.
Here Be the Braindead: NZCSC Tries Science by Court, Instead of Actually Doing Science
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, August 17th, 2010 - 11 comments
Believing that a law suit will make climate change disappear is up there with believing the king can turn back the tides (which poor, maligned Canute was trying to disprove, btw). Nonetheless, the New Zealand Climate Science Coalition, which appears to know little about the climate and less about science, is giving it a go. Nick S takes a more detailed look at the issue.
Coalitions and Movements and Democracy
Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, August 15th, 2010 - 22 comments
More often than not we discuss politics and the economy only within the boundaries of current political structures.
But these structures can only offer limited democratic participation.
Perhaps the answer for the left is to embrace movement politics.
National’s Economic Plan Found
Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, August 7th, 2010 - 10 comments
After half a government term of insisting that NACT had an economic plan, it has been ‘misplaced’. The full plan, said by informed sources to have been found in a brief case (along with a pie and a men’s magazine) and written on the back of an old rental expenses claim form, reveals that the government expects significant economic development will be lead by the construction of a single national transport infrastructure, namely a National Cycleway.
First they came….
Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, August 6th, 2010 - 78 comments
This guest post quotes the statement attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller in Germany after World War II about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power. The comparison to NACT policies towards the education sector is striking.
Can Labour win in 2011?
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, August 1st, 2010 - 82 comments
Chris Carter’s bumbling attempt at a coup has pushed the question onto the tip of everyone’s tongue – can Labour win the 2011 election? And can Phil Goff be the one to lead them to victory? But 24 hours can be a long time in politics, and a year is a very long time indeed. The biggest mistake Labour could make now would be to get into leadership battles.
The states of John Key – Conclusion
Written By: - Date published: 10:10 am, July 29th, 2010 - 28 comments
Final of a series by Guest poster Blue.
The boy who wanted to make a million dollars and be Prime Minister has got his wish. The livelihoods of 4.3 million New Zealanders are on the line for his big gamble on New Zealand’s future.
The states of John Key – Nasty side
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, July 28th, 2010 - 26 comments
Sixth of a series by Guest poster Blue.
John Key is not always the affable everyman he appears to be. There’s a solid streak of bully in him not uncommon in people who crave power.
The original justification or no justification at all?
Written By: - Date published: 8:41 am, July 28th, 2010 - 3 comments
During the election the National Party packaged up its policies so as not to scare voters. The 90 day probationary period was for two specific reasons. It was targeted toward people on the margins of the employment market and only applicable to small businesses. Either the original justifications still hold true, hence undermining any argument to extend the scheme, or the original justifications were rubbish from the very start.
The states of John Key – Avoidance
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, July 26th, 2010 - 8 comments
Fifth of a series by Guest poster Blue.
A Prime Minister refusing to front their government’s Budget is practically unheard of. But John Key avoids being asked any hard questions, possibly because he doesn’t know how to handle them?
The underclass
Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, July 26th, 2010 - 16 comments
Remember when John Key used to talk about the “underclass”. Much recently of course John Key’s policy direction has been more about pandering to the wealthy elite, so you don’t hear so much from John Key about his concerns for the underclass anymore. But worries about the underclass still concern some people.
The states of John Key – Flexible in telling the truth
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, July 25th, 2010 - 7 comments
Fourth of a series by Guest poster Blue.
Honesty, transparency and trust were central planks of Key’s 2008 election bid. However the ‘Key wriggle’ was well on the way to becoming a signature dance move
Destroying the School Trustees Association
Written By: - Date published: 1:30 pm, July 24th, 2010 - 5 comments
The NZSTA is supposed to represent its members – School Boards of Trustees. Instead they have become little more than a conduit of Minister Tolley’s National Standards propaganda.
The states of John Key – The Salesman
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, July 24th, 2010 - 18 comments
Third of a series by Guest poster Blue. Now looking at John Key – The Salesman.
An old post of Marty G’s on the Standard says “One of the stories from John Key’s days as a currency trader is that he was always more of a salesman than an analyst.
The states of John Key – The drivers
Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, July 24th, 2010 - 21 comments
Second of a series by Guest poster Blue. Now looking at what drives John Key.
The biggest clue is how when he was younger, his aim in life was to ‘make a million dollars and be Prime Minister’.
The states of John Key – Quantum uncertainty
Written By: - Date published: 9:56 am, July 24th, 2010 - 41 comments
This series by guest poster Blue has a look at John Key now that we know a bit more about him.
Our PM is a marvel of modern physics – with any issue he manages to appear to be on both sides of the fence at the same time.
MFAT leak too convenient
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, July 23rd, 2010 - 16 comments
Why would someone in MFAT feel the need to interfere in the Australian election by leaking to the Australian media? I’ve been accused of conspiracy theories in the past but this leak seems all too convenient when National’s old mates Crosby Textor are up against it in Aussie.
The changing excuses for Fire at Will
Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, July 21st, 2010 - 7 comments
In the 2008 election campaign, National carefully packaged up its policies in such a manner as not to scare voters. One of the policies John Key was very careful to frame was the 90 day probationary period for new workers, rightly called Fire at Will. This removal of rights for working people, he explained to us, was for two specific reasons. It was targeted toward people on the margins of the employment market and only applicable to small businesses (less than 20 workers).
McCully backs down – for now
Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, July 17th, 2010 - 10 comments
Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully says “we don’t need to have winners and losers here” but he has had to bow to the decision of the ARC to keep at least one of the sheds on Queen’s Wharf. While this may appear to be a change to the construction of “Party Central” it is […]
Bennett up in flames in Rotorua
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, July 14th, 2010 - 49 comments
The protest rally held in Rotorua, held its slogan high with nearly a hundred people in tow. “Kill the Future Focus Bill, or it will kill you!” was out in front along with cut outs of Paula Bennett, complete with fangs, risque cleavage and that famous leopard skin trenchcoat -all the props of an actor satirising the working class as she attacks us.
Tolley lives behind The Wall
Written By: - Date published: 2:45 pm, July 9th, 2010 - 26 comments
Anne Tolley is on record. She told the Principals gathered at their annual conference that rather than run to the media that they need to talk to her directly.
Lets see some of those who have voiced their opposition to Nationals Standards so far…..
Back to the Future – Education in the UK
Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, July 8th, 2010 - 16 comments
God knows what the National Standards are designed to do – it can’t be to lift achievement. Even the Minister says that is not the case. It can’t be to identify those behind – schools already do that. Anyway there is no money or extra resources to ‘fix’ them. Maybe there is a bigger plan […]
We need staff to teach new students
Written By: - Date published: 2:12 pm, July 5th, 2010 - 12 comments
There has been extensive coverage recently of universities’ tough new criteria to limit the number of students they will take next semester and next year. The universities of Auckland, Massey, Victoria and Otago have all recently announced criteria to limit the number of students they take. They are being driven to do so by the […]
The reverse midas touch
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, July 4th, 2010 - 8 comments
David Farrar leapt to a “they did it too” defence of the taxpayer-funded ‘survey’ that National MPs are sending to selected voters around the country. I reckon he wrote the questions. It was Farrar’s dodgy polling that convinced National to run Melissa Lee as the candidate in Mt Albert. I guess Lee getting caught out with a dodgy ‘survey’ is just Farrar’s reverse midas touch striking again.
A Minister and some National Standards
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, July 3rd, 2010 - 61 comments
The Minister of Education Anne Tolley, and the Government, is facing a fair amount of (growing) opposition to the implementation of her National Standards. Her message was essentially that schools need to get on with the job of putting the Standards in place and not to publicly criticize the policy. Unfortunately, the Minister herself is responsible for a fair degree of the criticism.
The Unkind Cuts
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 30th, 2010 - 9 comments
John Key can flippantly deflect media scrutiny of his Government’s unkind cuts to early childhood education by referring to the snip he himself has voluntarily undertaken, but many early childhood services are having to make hard decisions about how to deal with it all. “Saving” $419m with education cuts means writing off potential gains of $5.5 BILLION.
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