human rights

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Operation 8: Deep in the Forest

Written By: - Date published: 8:46 pm, April 19th, 2011 - 15 comments

Last night walking into the film screening in Auckland I was a bit apprehensive about how it would all be put together. Fortunately my fears were unfounded and the film did justice to the complex issues involved.

Boiling the frog

Written By: - Date published: 7:07 am, April 15th, 2011 - 62 comments

There are many significant changes to our legal and democratic rights that are going on under this National government.  Each on its own might look like a small thing, but collectively they add up to a major erosion of our freedom.

No jury of their peers

Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, March 30th, 2011 - 55 comments

Given the controversy surrounding the 2007 Urewera raids, the legal system should be bending over backwards to conduct a process that is above reproach.  Instead, they are doing the exact opposite.

Welfare Working Group promotes eugenics

Written By: - Date published: 10:55 am, February 23rd, 2011 - 183 comments

The Welfare Working Group wants to get poor women to breed less by giving them free long-term contraception. Sure, this is all an ‘Overton window‘ exercise but eugenics? Seriously? Trying to stop one ‘undesirable’ strata of society from breeding is one step from forced sterilisations. Has the Right reverted 80 years?

Milked

Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, February 17th, 2011 - 51 comments

Our wages are so low that we can’t keep paying “international prices” for basic necessities.  GST off food is just tinkering at the edges.  We need more radical action.

Michael Lhaws’ irrelevancy proven

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, February 7th, 2011 - 68 comments

Yesterday, Lhaws’ SST piece called for involuntary sterilisation and reproduction licences (ie. forced abortions). Pure fascism.  Today, no uproar. Once, his stoush with some school kids was news. Now, he offers a eugenic ‘solution’ to the underclass and not a peep. He’s truly a has-been. He won’t have that SST column for long.

3 time loser wins

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, December 7th, 2010 - 25 comments

In a surprise to no-one, John Key has appointed 3 time election loser Hekia Parata to replace the latest of his corrupt ministers to walk the plank – Pansy Wong. I’m hoping Parata will be less of a disgrace than Wong. It wouldn’t be hard, she would just have to actually try to answer questions in the House and actually do something about the wage gaps.

How much security?

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, November 24th, 2010 - 50 comments

9/11 seems to have driven America crazy.  Most Americans, I think, don’t realise how much their country has changed around them.  But one very visible manifestation of the brave new world is getting right in the public’s faces, that is the new generation of airport security scanners.  Dubbed “porno scanners” for the body images that they produce, they have finally provoked a reaction from the great American public.

Criminal procedure bill

Written By: - Date published: 7:32 am, November 16th, 2010 - 65 comments

Simon Power yesterday introduced the new “Criminal Procedure (Reform and Modernisation) Bill” to Parliament, touting it as “the biggest change to the criminal justice system in 50 years”.  It certainly is that.  It proposes doing away with trial by jury for a significant range of offences. It proposes allowing a trial to go ahead without the defendant present.  In other words, it looks like yet another attack on fundamental rights…

Going backwards with National

Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, October 29th, 2010 - 34 comments

It takes a lot to screw up a great country like New Zealand. It can’t be done overnight. But if you’re really negligent, anti-worker, and focused on hand outs to the rich, you can start to make things worse pretty quickly. Let’s look at the key measures of National’s performance, according to their own criteria:

Labour Day: Thank a unionist

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, October 25th, 2010 - 142 comments

The Nats and their repeaters are trying to paint unions as some kind of public enemy.  How can we be a public enemy when we are the public?  Unions are just people.  Unions exist to work for our rights.  Rights like the eight hour working day, the origin of the celebration of Labour Day.  If you enjoy decent conditions at work, if you’re enjoying your long weekend, why not thank a unionist!

10/10/10

Written By: - Date published: 5:06 pm, October 10th, 2010 - 11 comments

Today is 10 October 2010, a significant date for two serious reasons.  And one silly one!

Paul Henry: we all pay for his unending bigotry

Written By: - Date published: 11:40 am, October 4th, 2010 - 195 comments

New Zealand’s most infamous anti-Ambassador Paul Henry has shamed us all once again. On TVNZ’s Breakfast this morning, Henry asked John Key (at 6’30” into the interview) of our Governor General “Is he even a New Zealander” (Satyanand was born in NZ) and could the next GG be someone who “looks and sounds a bit […]

Key govt turn backs on police sex victims

Written By: - Date published: 5:38 am, August 11th, 2010 - 44 comments

It just gets worse: “The Government has rejected a secret forum’s recommendation that 10 women who alleged sexual misconduct by police officers get reparation.” Sadly, I think this is just the Nats being cheap and unwilling to face their responsibilities. They don’t care about the victims of police abuse, they care about saving a few dollars to pay for tax cuts.

Two peas from a pod

Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, August 1st, 2010 - 35 comments

The activities of the dishonorable Minister for Social Development and Employment Paula Bennett has been increasingly reminding me of the blogger Whaleoil. Consider the number of common points of obnoxious behaviour. The similarities are quite striking. The main difference is that one is a blogger opinionating on current affairs and the other is a minister of the crown with the responsibility for large numbers of dependent people.

More Power to the man

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 1st, 2010 - 23 comments

So often, Parliamentary debates are pointless and pro forma. What a revelation, then, when Simon Power was so swayed by the Left’s MPs’ arguments that he hand-wrote an amendment to his Courts (Remote Participation) Bill guaranteeing defendants the right to choose to appear in person. A good day for rights. A good day for Parliament. Power for PM?

Beware the politics of gender

Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, June 27th, 2010 - 5 comments

An article in the Guardian puts gender politics into perspective, with 1,000 “honour killings” a year in India, according to one recent study. For those who think that the world has moved on – it hasn’t.

I’m not sorry

Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, June 22nd, 2010 - 48 comments

I’m not sorry about Russel Norman standing up to Chinese imperialism, I’m proud that he did. While I don’t personally have a lot of time for Norman, I very much respect his willingness to behave like an actual representative of the New Zealand people and voice his opposition to the immoral Chinese occupation and subjugation of […]

Won’t Somebody Think of the Children?

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, June 8th, 2010 - 24 comments

According to a new report: “New Zealand is a great place for children if their parents have a good income, live in a warm dry house and are well educated.” However if you’re not born into a privileged household, then death and disease “is worse than that of all but two [developed] countries, Mexico and Turkey.”

Expel Israeli ambassador

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, June 1st, 2010 - 257 comments

Heavily-armed Israeli commandos have murdered at least 19 civilians in an unprovoked attack in international waters on a flotilla of ships trying to get aid to occupied Gaza. Reports indicate several times that many civilians are wounded. Details are sketchy because Israel has taken control of the ships and detained surviving the passengers and crew.

Nats attack public service neutrality

Written By: - Date published: 12:55 am, May 13th, 2010 - 25 comments

I’ve been having a look at the new advice on the civil service code of conduct. It is a clear attempt by the Nats to make sure the civil service is ‘politically correct’ for their purposes. Perhaps they’re tired of getting official advice that says ‘don’t cut that, it’s good value for money’, ‘don’t fund that, it’s stupid’, and ‘don’t pass that law, it might cause more murders’.

Apologise

Written By: - Date published: 6:10 am, May 10th, 2010 - 46 comments

Congratulations John on your latest speech. We especially like the line “Let me be clear: there is no room for separatism in New Zealand.” Very masterly, clear and unequivocal. I know you meant what you said and weren’t just dog-whistling to the racist red-necks in the audience who’re feeling spooked by us signing up to […]

Garner coy on accusations

Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, April 11th, 2010 - 29 comments

The day after Zet’s post here on homophobic, imbalanced reporting by TV3’s Duncan Garner, Brian Edward’s wrote a scathing detailed deconstruction of Garner‘s repeatedly vicious coverage of Chris Carter. Edwards suggests Garner’s repeated attacks resemble a personal harassment campaign, a view Dim Post agrees with saying Garner’s obsession with Chris Carter has wandered into dark and […]

Three strikes?

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, March 25th, 2010 - 19 comments

Among the reports released by the Attorney General, three in particular make for interesting reading. They relate to three of National’s core policies — three strikes, automatic DNA testing, and “getting tough” on beneficiaries. The Attorney General finds that each of these policies is inconsistent with the Bill of Rights Act.

More jobs for the old “boys”

Written By: - Date published: 1:01 pm, December 19th, 2009 - 17 comments

Back at the start of the month Marty G pointed out that Brash’s useless 2025 Taskforce looked like nothing so much as a pension scheme for retired Tory old boys. Marty wrote: No more jobs for Nats’ old mates So far, we’ve paid $400,000 to employ some rightwing old boys for a crap report that […]

On the scrap heap

Written By: - Date published: 3:50 pm, August 15th, 2009 - 26 comments

Call me old fashioned if you will, but I like the idea that reforms of government activity should be concieved and implemented by experts in the particular field in question. Which makes me wonder, why the hell has Tony Ryall appointed a financial guy, Murray Horn, to lead a ministerial review into the health system? […]

Standing up for our rights

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, August 13th, 2009 - 37 comments

Remember the petition to state your opposition to Paula Bennett’s attack on our privacy rights. The idea is it will be tabled in Parliament next week. It’s a chance to take a symbolic stand against this bullying Key Government. You can download the pdf here or by clicking on the image and mail it freepost by […]

Stand up for free speech, stand against Bully State

Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, August 7th, 2009 - 21 comments

As you know, when Natasha Fuller and Jennifer Johnston spoke up against the Key government’s cancelling of the Training Incentive Allowance, Paula Bennett tried to silence them by releasing their private information to the media. That was a flagrant breach of her fiduciary duties as minister and the Privacy Act, and a threat to free […]

The Herald soils its pulpit

Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, July 31st, 2009 - 52 comments

Thundering from the pulpit is a fine old editorial tradition, and The Herald has often held forth on the rule of law. Starting with the basics: The law must be upheld… The law matters, as The Herald feels perfectly comfortable pointing out to those it feels need the advice: If the law is enforced impartially […]

Horrific and ugly

Written By: - Date published: 5:50 am, July 30th, 2009 - 19 comments

That’s what Bennett is calling the Right’s attacks on the women she released confidential information about. As if she didn’t know that would happen. As if she didn’t know that releasing this information on what seems like large amounts of money when you don’t have the facts would send every knuckle-dragging redneck, reactionary in the […]

Beware of unbridled government

Written By: - Date published: 6:53 am, July 29th, 2009 - 33 comments

‘Beware’ that was Mary Wilson’s conclusion to her interview with Paula Bennett yesterday. The audio is here: Beware of Bully Bennett – Beware that if you voice any opposition to a government policy and the minister decides it has been going on too long or it’s too damaging, they will release confidental information on you. – […]