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Through the Looking Glass.
Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, October 31st, 2016 - 15 comments
The culture being addressed will be familiar enough to many here in NZ who deal with Work and Income. Government strategies to address that culture? Well, that’s another story. This isn’t just happening half a world away. It might as well be happening in another universe – back on the sane side of some looking glass NZ has fallen through.
I see a poverty of ideas and a poverty of Government responsibility
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, October 13th, 2016 - 210 comments
Judith Collins yesterday said that child poverty is the fault of parents and not the fault of her Government.
Fortress NZ
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, September 16th, 2016 - 120 comments
TS regular Tony Veitch has some practical ideas as to how we insulate NZ from the ravages of neoliberalism and climate change. Readers may agree with some, none or all of the suggestions. However, whichever way you look at it, the time for hand wringing is over. It’s time for action.
Stop the Sanctions!
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, September 16th, 2016 - 131 comments
Auckland Action Against Poverty is trying to get a sanction on sole mothers removed.
New Zealand’s most shameful secret: ‘We have normalised child poverty’
Written By: - Date published: 4:01 pm, August 16th, 2016 - 175 comments
Fuck the whole “Brighter Future” New Zealand.
Meth Fries Housing NZ’s Brains
Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, August 3rd, 2016 - 129 comments
Housing NZ has admitted that it is evicting tenants when only tiny trace amounts of meth are found on the property. It further admits that the testing regime is not fit for purpose. But, hey, they have the power to make people homeless and they’re not going to let fairness or common sense get in the way of their moral panic.
When did the War on Drugs become the War on the Poor?
NZ being used as international example of a bad welfare system
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, August 2nd, 2016 - 104 comments
NZ under National is being used internationally as an example of a bad welfare system.
Do we care? Are we going to fix it?
A target we can celebrate missing
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, July 16th, 2016 - 72 comments
Anne Tolley has conceeded that the Nats will not meet their objective of getting 65,000 people off the benefit in the next two years. Good. It is the wrong goal.
Be Like Dad, Keep Mum (in fear).
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 10th, 2016 - 62 comments
Temuera Morrison has made a powerful video for the Women’s Refuge annual appeal. He’s making a difference. You can do something the Key Government won’t do. You can make a difference. You can stop keeping mum about domestic violence and you can help fund your local refuge.
What the Swiss voted on (UBI proposal)
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, June 7th, 2016 - 13 comments
Some context for the debate.
UBI gathers momentum in Europe
Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, June 3rd, 2016 - 51 comments
Practical trials of an Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) are taking place or are under consideration across Europe. Given the increasing automation of work it’s difficult to see a practical alternative to a UBI in the medium to long term.
A scene from the National War Cabinet in September 2014
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, May 31st, 2016 - 38 comments
News broke this morning about a major mistake discovered in September 2014 during the height of an election campaign. But it was hidden from view until now. It makes you wonder how the news could have been hidden for so long.
The Government thinks that poverty is the fault of the poor, and some budget advisers
Written By: - Date published: 10:29 am, May 25th, 2016 - 121 comments
The Government is planning to change funding for budgeting services and to require providers to become “financial mentors” rather than “budgeting advisers” as if this will improve things.
In the middle of a housing crisis Housing Corp is selling state houses
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, May 20th, 2016 - 49 comments
John Campbell is covering the homeless crisis with stories that highlight the personal tragedies that are occurring and the complete indifference of the Government to their plight.
Government’s plan for housing crisis: tread water
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, May 18th, 2016 - 54 comments
The Government’s promised funding for 3,000 new beds for the homeless will not create any but will make sure that existing beds are kept available.
Key to Homeless: You Can Stay at Mine
Written By: - Date published: 9:08 am, May 18th, 2016 - 54 comments
Prime Minister John Key has today announced a radical plan to solve the housing crisis. The homeless are now welcome to go flatting with him in his Parnell bach. The plan includes draining the swimming pool and subdividing it into flats, putting hammocks in the palm trees and making soup in the pool cabana’s kitchen. Max Key may have to move out to make way for the homeless, but the PM described that as a painful sacrifice he was now willing to make in the light of his son’s most recent social media posting.
TV3 – The Hui – Special report on poverty
Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, May 15th, 2016 - 43 comments
TV3’s excellent current affairs show, The Hui (Mihingarangi Forbes) just screened a special report on poverty. What happens to people who are kicked off a benefit?
Shameful tactics on beneficiaries
Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, April 8th, 2016 - 43 comments
Why does it take a volunteer organisation like Auckland Action Against Poverty to help people get the benefits that they are entitled to?
A quick question (again)
Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, March 29th, 2016 - 231 comments
“More than 2400 benefits suspended since 2013”. I have a quick question…
House Tales.
Written By: - Date published: 3:01 pm, March 22nd, 2016 - 32 comments
If ‘home is where the heart is’ then what’s the story when everything’s heartless?
Glasses and Brick Walls (& woods and trees).
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 pm, March 21st, 2016 - 47 comments
The thing about not having great sight is that sometimes you don’t really see things coming.
Labour considering Unconditional Basic Income
Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, March 14th, 2016 - 361 comments
As with capital gains tax, the political left is kicking off a very important discussion for NZ.
So, how would you spend $1.2B per year?
Written By: - Date published: 3:23 pm, February 1st, 2016 - 84 comments
A Kiwi Kids allowance for all under fives, with totally fee free public primary and secondary schools.
War Veteran’s superannuation cancelled because of Government policy
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, January 26th, 2016 - 163 comments
National is the master of micro changes to policies which give it the appearance that it is being hard on beneficiaries. But in extreme cases the policies produce ridiculous results. Such as the 89 year old war veteran who lost his superannuation and was forced to beg after had an arrest warrant issued for trespass.
Another housing policy screwup?
Written By: - Date published: 1:39 pm, January 22nd, 2016 - 38 comments
Bennet’s proposal to incentivise / coerce state housing applicants to leave Auckland for housing elsewhere seems to have hit a snag…
Well this is awkward
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, January 8th, 2016 - 81 comments
Jamie Whyte yesterday wrote an article for the Herald claiming that child poverty does not exist in New Zealand. But he wrote essentially the same article in 2005 about child poverty in Great Britain.
The myth of drug dependancy and poverty
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, January 2nd, 2016 - 306 comments
New research from Morgan Foundation suggests that poverty can be alleviated by increasing incomes and that the beneficiaries will be children of poor families not vendors of alcohol and cigarettes.
Child poverty has been monitored – now what?
Written By: - Date published: 7:05 am, December 18th, 2015 - 104 comments
A guest post from McFlock on what we might do about poverty when the talking’s done.
Key is blaming child poverty on – wait for it – – drugs!
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, December 16th, 2015 - 206 comments
John Key has tried to deflect from his government’s appalling record on child poverty with some throw-away nonsense about drugs. There are just three teeny tiny problems with that line…
The mantra of ‘Poor Choices’
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, December 12th, 2015 - 195 comments
It is that time of year when poor people realise just how poor they really are – the season for giving, the season to be jolly. Well that may be so for some of us, but some people will be working on Christmas day instead of spending time with loved ones. These will probably be […]
Hikoi for Homes.
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, November 20th, 2015 - 12 comments
Saturday in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
- Recruitment Of New External Member To The Monetary Policy Committee
Board Chair Neil Quigley said that “suitably qualified candidates will be interviewed later this year and assessed against the appointment criteria, then the name of the candidate recommended by the Board will be provided to the Minister of Finance.” ...4 days ago - Don’t let embarrassment stop you – talking about these anal cancer symptoms could save your life
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Mahady, Gastroenterologist & Clinical Epidemiologist, Senior Lecturer, Monash University sarkao/Shutterstock Anal cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention. This may be because it’s relatively rare – anal cancer affects an estimated one to two Australians in every 100,000. As a ...4 days ago - New procurement rules urge wool use in government buildings
The government says the move aims to provide opportunities for local wool producers. ...4 days ago - ‘My beliefs are a private matter’ – National MP part of underground sect probed by...
A National Party politician who is part of a secretive sect being probed for historical child sexual abuse says he had a happy upbringing in the group. ...4 days ago
- ‘I refuse to be disappeared by hate’ – Green MP Benjamin Doyle responds to social ...
Benjamin Doyle has broken their silence for the first time since coming under intense scrutiny for their social media history. ...4 days ago
- Gold rush Melbourne and post-war boom: how Australia overcame housing shortages in the past
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Stevens, Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University As part of their federal election campaign, the Coalition announced plans to limit the number of international students able to commence study each year to 240,000, “focused on driving ...4 days ago
- Wellington council fights speed limit reversals: ‘This is stupid policy’
Wellington city councillors will seek an exemption from the government's speed limit reversal rules. ...4 days ago
- National MP James Meager leaves Justice Committee chair role
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- ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 9, 2025
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wanning Sun, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, University of Technology Sydney Chinese-Australian voters were pivotal to Labor’s win in the 2022 election, with the swing against the Liberals in several key marginal seats almost twice that of other seats. Many traditionally ...5 days ago
- The ‘monogamy superiority myth’: new research suggests unconventional relationships are just as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joel Anderson, Associate Professor in LGBTIQA+ Psychology, La Trobe University Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock From The Bachelor to Married at First Sight, reality TV sells us the idea that one perfect partner will complete us. The formula is familiar: find “the one,” lock ...5 days ago
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- Books to live by: Kimberly Andrews’ books confessional
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- ‘Germany is back’: 3 ways NZ can benefit from Europe’s renewed centre of power
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathew Doidge, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Research on Europe, University of Canterbury Getty Images It’s unlikely many New Zealanders paid close attention to Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ statement late last year that “New Zealand and Germany are committed to ...5 days ago
- ‘Increasingly vulnerable’ – Warning over rise of organised crime in NZ
An advisory group has told the associate police minister New Zealand is "losing the fight" against organised crime. ...5 days ago
- ‘Shoot me’: Retiring MP David Parker dismisses prospect of Wellington mayoralty bid
Former Cabinet minister David Parker has signalled his retirement from Parliament in May - but not to enter local politics. ...5 days ago
- Ministry of Social Development to use basic AI to regrant benefits
Opponents fear a potential law change will create a loophole allowing AI to cut benefits and impose sanctions, which the ministry denies. ...5 days ago
- Echo Chamber: Supplementary! That’s the sound of defunding da police
Woop woop, that’s the sound of the last week in parliament for a month. Echo Chamber is The Spinoff’s dispatch from the press gallery, recapping sessions in the House. Columns are written by politics reporter Lyric Waiwiri-Smith and Wellington editor Joel MacManus. The last-week-of-school jitters tend to manifest as making ...5 days ago
- Ministry of Social Development to use ‘basic AI’ to check if jobseekers have met their o...
Opponents fear a potential law change will create a loophole allowing AI to cut benefits and impose sanctions, which the ministry denies. ...5 days ago
- Bringing manufacturing back from overseas isn’t an easy solution to Trump’s trade war
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Stone, Credit Union SA Chair of Economics, University of South Australia Shutterstock The past week has seen the United States single-handedly rewrite the underlying paradigm for global trade. And while it is fair to say that the methods are extreme, ...5 days ago
- Heaven is a dog pool party
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- Finance Minister Nicola Willis insists NZ must withstand global volatility
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has urged Kiwis to be "resilient" in the face of the global economic turmoil brought on by hard-hitting US trade tariffs this week. ...5 days ago
- How to build a cinematic universe: the secret to Marvel’s enormous success among a history of fail...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Tran, Academic Tutor at Swinburne University of Technology, Swinburne University of Technology Since Iron Man hit the big screen in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has made more than US$30 billion, from films to series, to merchandise and ...5 days ago
- ChatGPT just passed the Turing test. But that doesn’t mean AI is now as smart as humans
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zena Assaad, Senior Lecturer, School of Engineering, Australian National University Hanna Barakat & Cambridge Diversity Fund/Better Images of AI, CC BY-SA There have been several headlines over the past week about an AI chatbot officially passing the Turing test. These ...5 days ago
- A grab bag of campaign housing policies. But will they fix the affordability crisis beyond the elect...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Cull, Associate professor, Western Sydney University Secure and affordable housing is a fundamental human right for all Australians. Therefore, it is unsurprising the election campaign is being played out against a backdrop of heightened voter anxiety about rental stress and ...5 days ago
- These complementary therapies may soon be eligible for private health insurance rebates
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jon Wardle, Professor of Public Health, Southern Cross University Rui Dias/Pexels Private health insurers may soon be able to offer rebates for seven complementary therapies previously prohibited. This includes some movement therapies – Pilates, yoga, tai chi and Alexander technique, ...5 days ago
- Andrew Little eyes Wellington mayoralty bid
With the former Labour leader ‘80%’ certain to throw his hat in the ring for the capital’s top job, Tory Whanau’s life just got a lot harder, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A political heavyweight returns? ...5 days ago
- Tesla Takedown In Pōneke This Morning 7.30am
“We will hold banners, toiere (sing) waiata, and chant to draw attention to the far right ideology of the Tesla CEO and to encourage potential Tesla customers away from a product with fascist ties," says PAFC spokesperson Michelle Ducat. ...5 days ago
- Winston Peters at 80: the populist’s populist clocks up 50 years of political comebacks
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Winston Peters turns a venerable 80 on April 11, but he showed no sign of retiring as New Zealand’s archetypal populist during his recent ...5 days ago
- ‘There should always be a human in charge’: Defence minister on NZDF’s killer dron...
Judith Collins has given the NZ military permission to acquire the drones but with conditions attached. ...5 days ago
- ‘We are now in the grips of this tariff war’ – economists warn of second-order eff...
It could be five to 10 years before the world adjusts to Donald Trump's tariffs, a former Reserve Bank governor says. ...5 days ago
- I monitor female politicians’ social media feeds – it’s even worse than you think
A scary look inside the inboxes of two recent politicians. Damon has worked as a social media content creator for the Green Party and helps create content for Wellington mayor Tory Whanau. This piece is written in his own capacity as a private citizen. Opinions do not represent the Wellington ...5 days ago
- ‘No one prepares you for that’: 11 female MPs share their experiences with harassment
In a selection of anonymous quotes, a group of female parliamentarians from across the political spectrum give an insight into what they deal with. A study published today has called for urgent action in response to harassment of female MPs in New Zealand. The researchers from the department of psychological ...5 days ago
- The Crown has been siphoning off Māori fisheries quota for decades
A recent High Court ruling has raised alarm bells about the long-term integrity of Treaty settlements – and concern over how a little-known clause in the Fisheries Act could cost iwi millions. In 1992, the Crown and Māori reached what was meant to be a “full and final” settlement over ...5 days ago
- ‘Adolescence’ is a drama, not an educational tool
Comment: British PM has endorsed Netflix making its drama available free to schools, but more harm than good could result The post ‘Adolescence’ is a drama, not an educational tool appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago - Stocks and funds give toys a run for their money as gifts for kids
Sharesies co-founder Brooke Roberts says children are the richest in the most valuable aspect of money – time The post Stocks and funds give toys a run for their money as gifts for kids appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Different systems of knowledge – together, stronger
Analysis: Researching my book The Science of the Māori Lunar Calendar has deepened my appreciation of Mātauranga Māori and its importance to the lives of New Zealanders past and present. Not long ago, Māori knowledge was largely disregarded by the scientific community and treated as little more than myth and ...5 days ago
- Review calls for more resources for ‘strained’ Waitangi Tribunal
The review of the Waitangi Tribunal’s strategic direction comes as the coalition Govt looks to change the tribunal’s scope and jurisdiction The post Review calls for more resources for ‘strained’ Waitangi Tribunal appeared first on Newsroom. ...5 days ago
- Lives of the poets: Kevin Ireland
The bus heading south from Cork airport left twenty minutes before my plane arrived, on time, from London. The next one was not due for another two hours. From all the stereotypes I had inherited, this seemed very Irish. As did the moniker “Emerald Isle”. Flying in, the June landscape ...5 days ago
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