families

Categories under families

The problem with free market capitalism

Written By: - Date published: 11:16 am, January 9th, 2016 - 249 comments

This morning’s Herald contains a story about a young man who with a family gift has managed to purchase eleven houses over the past five years and can afford to pay World of Warcraft all day.

Coleman to regulate high sugar industry

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, December 1st, 2015 - 32 comments

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said there is a voluntary regime in place for the manufacture and sale of high sugar food but where there is is self regulation it is often ignored.

Because of the danger high sugar foods potentially pose it’s important to have a regulatory body and licensing/education regime to ensure manufacturers and retailers only provide food that has healthy outcomes.

NZ number one in the world – and it’s all bad news

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, October 27th, 2015 - 388 comments

Rachel Stewart writes about a disaster for this country.

Nats and reproductive rights

Written By: - Date published: 6:58 am, September 28th, 2015 - 210 comments

The Nats are obsessed with the reproductive rights of those they deem “unfit”. Once again they are floating the idea of compulsory controls.

Paid parental leave bill progresses – towards veto

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 17th, 2015 - 30 comments

Last night in Parliament Labour MP Sue Moroney’s bill extending paid parental leave to 26 weeks passed its first reading by one vote, with only National and ACT opposed.

Look at the future of families

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, August 14th, 2015 - 51 comments

In South Korea the colliding intersection between economics, tradition and demographics is probably at its most extreme. However the same kinds of effects are being seen all over the developed world, and increasingly in parts of the underdeveloped world – and here.

250 to 300 Job Losses at Unitec in Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, August 8th, 2015 - 84 comments

Under Unitec’s new vision students will be known as Customers. Student services will be outsourced (overseas)

Aspiration statement
To be a world leader in contemporary applied learning and an agent of positive economic and social change
.

If you can’t afford children…

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, April 10th, 2015 - 186 comments

affording-children-key

We need to talk about the F word… closely followed by the V word.

Written By: - Date published: 1:43 pm, December 19th, 2014 - 70 comments

Feminism is a reaction. A position. A belief that women should, by right, be entitled to all the same ‘privileges’ as men: fair pay, high quality free education, control of their own money (and bodies), freedom to choose who to love and how to act. Freedom of movement, association, dress, beliefs. Respect as an equal. Opportunity. Equity in decision-making. A voice.

Local Bodies: Government Responsible for Invercargill Poverty

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 6 comments

The second annual Child Poverty Monitor was released today.  bsprout on Local Bodies on poverty and inequalities in Invercargill, “provides a good snapshot of New Zealand society”.

Children’s Plea

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, November 21st, 2014 - 24 comments

We all know that Child Poverty is one of New Zealand’s major problems. In an attempt to finally get a response from the National government to the problem ex-Family Court judge Graeme MacCormick has issued a “Children’s Plea” to get the government to do something serious in their next budget. You can sign it here. […]

Dirty Politics: The Brestapo

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, August 14th, 2014 - 88 comments

I have foolishly never taken Cameron Slater very seriously except when his attacks have been obviously for the benefit of the National Party. I actually believed that the misinformed and bigoted viewpoints that prevail in his posts were his genuine opinions. It fits his character to drone on about “The Breastapo” “Sucking on the Taxpayers’ Tit”. To discover that such posts were actually written and paid for on behalf of Fonterra actually shocked me.

Polity: Family violence: National views

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, July 4th, 2014 - 5 comments

The Expert Advisory Panel on Domestic Violence reported back to the government this week. It says New Zealand’s record is not good enough, victims deserve better, and politicians need to show some real leadership to prevent an escalating series of national tragedies. In essence the governments response has been to ignore everything in the report. It really isn’t good enough.

Is Bill English’s ‘big data’, Big Brother & privatisation of govt?

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 30th, 2014 - 135 comments

Bill English has stated that a third term Key government would majorly reform the government’s budgeting & spending.  It’s a major move towards privatisation of public services, & full spectrum digitally-enhanced monitoring of individuals’ lives: especially those of the already demonised and harassed single mothers on benefits.

Green Party conference – focus on policies

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, May 31st, 2014 - 74 comments

It’s the Green Party Conference this weekend.  Metiria Turei was on RNZ yesterday morning, talking about how the main focus for the conference will be on policies.  Speeches will be streamed live online from the conference today & tomorrow. Update: summary of today’s speeches. Healthy Teens policy.

Considering newborns

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, May 29th, 2014 - 43 comments

It’s a classic National manoeuvre. Ask them a straightforward question like “is there support for all newborn babies in New Zealand?” and get a straightforward “Yes” – with several significant caveats that altogether add up to No.

Save the Poisons Helpline!

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, May 23rd, 2014 - 29 comments

National are planning to merge a bunch of health helplines to save money. The 0800 POISON number could be scrapped leaving additional seconds or minutes until help is received in those most urgent of moments.

Marama Davidson: candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau

Written By: - Date published: 10:11 am, May 17th, 2014 - 40 comments

Marama Davidson, is on the Green Party list & is a candidate for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat.  Davidson is a really promising up-coming politician.  She is committed to working for people, communities, the environment, democratic process, & strongly supports wahine, Māori & young people.

Domestic violence is a work issue

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, April 1st, 2014 - 88 comments

We can now put a dollar figure – a conservative, probably-underestimated figure – on the cost of domestic violence to New Zealand business. That’s due to a report commissed by the Public Service Association, released yesterday in conjunction with a Member’s Bill from Green MP Jan Logie which will change our law to protect victims […]

Dreams for kids

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 pm, March 5th, 2014 - 12 comments

On Children’s day Labour went out and asked people what their dreams for Kiwi kids were. David Cunliffe read some of the responses out in Parliament today.

IF: Politics Explained: It’s all about the kids

Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, February 28th, 2014 - 14 comments

Scott Explains Politics.  This week, it’s All About The Kids.

Media Watch: infotainment & “balance” – inequality

Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, January 30th, 2014 - 56 comments

The ratings/sales driven ethos of the corporate MSM skews the coverage of the election campaigns of parties of the “left” and the “right”. Focus on individuals, implying they represent large sections of the population. The left are leading the agenda on inequality.

Not the brighter future….

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, December 22nd, 2013 - 32 comments

Articles in the Sunday papers online, showing John Key’s “brighter future” is only for the well off, while more people than ever are struggling to get by.

Rent freezes in disaster zones

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, December 10th, 2013 - 80 comments

You need little more evidence of how Gerry Brownlee’s lazy-faire approach to the Christchurch rebuild has failed than the story of the (working) single mother forced to live in a tent with her 3 kids because there’s no affordable rentals. One of the automatic moves in a large scale disaster should be to freeze rents in the disaster zone. The Human Rights Commission agrees.

Do the media not understand preferential voting?

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 pm, September 9th, 2013 - 27 comments

I’ve cast my vote.  It was as simple as 1, 2, 3, <submit>. If my first choice doesn’t get it, I’m very hopeful that my 2nd preference will.  It’s my vote, not media pundits that will count. So why do pundits keep suggesting that Shane Jones will get to decide whether David or Grant will be the next leader?

UBI. (Universal Basic Income).

Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, September 5th, 2013 - 232 comments

The concept of UBI has a long history in New Zealand.

Of course, we already have a UBI for those over 65.  Which has been extremely successful at eliminating poverty amongst the elderly, at a very moderate cost by international standards.

Happy Marriage Equality Day

Written By: - Date published: 6:02 am, August 19th, 2013 - 25 comments

marriage-equality-day-1

Labour supports Plunket

Written By: - Date published: 12:47 pm, August 8th, 2013 - 61 comments

Another good policy announcement from David Shearer.

Children of gay parents are…

Written By: - Date published: 9:56 am, July 22nd, 2013 - 99 comments

…happier – according to preliminary research from the University of Melbourne.

Conscience exceptions are for people with a conscience

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, July 14th, 2013 - 63 comments

The ability of doctors to refuse to provide proper healthcare if God says it’s bad is again in the spotlight, with a Blenheim GP refusing to prescribe the Pill to a patient because he decided she needed to have babies, and her views on the matter don’t mean shit.  But are we seriously going to label that as an act of “conscience”?

Don’t veto me!

Written By: - Date published: 6:52 pm, June 17th, 2013 - 4 comments

Have you done this yet?

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