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5:30 pm, July 27th, 2017 - 56 comments
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The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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Brilliant article about Metiria….
Raging at Metiria is not about the fraud; it’s that she sided with the lepers.
Excerpts.
‘In case you missed it, at the Greens annual conference in mid-July, Metiria fronted the launch of an impressive welfare policy, Mending the Safety Net. During that launch, she used an anecdote from 25 years ago to personalise the policy; when she was solo mum she didn’t tell Work and Income that she had flatmates so that she could retain the accommodation supplement.
It was a calculated risk, a chance to capture the news cycle, and if the last two weeks are anything to go by, it paid dividends. Every day there has been hand wringing and righteous anger from National and their proxies, sympathy from the Greens’ friends and the hashtags #IamMetiria and latterly #LeftwithEnough were an offensive defense of Metiria that dominated social media.
The attacks have been inevitably led by white and wealthy men who have stated that it is the crime of benefit fraud and should be prosecuted forthwith. It’s been a pile-on really: Barry Soper‘s written a self-congratulatory series of masturbatory metaphors; Martin Van Beynen claimed to not want to judge but then did; John Armstrong writes like he is the id of the Baby Boomers generation; Patrick Gower‘s heart is bleeding so much for the NZ taxpayer I’m surprised he’s still breathing. The coverage has been overwhelmingly critical, not because of the crime, but because Metiria’s attitude is an attack on the comfortable narrative of the past quarter of a century.’
Read the whole article here.
It is brilliant. I would love to see a whole thread on it.
https://firstwetakemanhattan.org/2017/07/26/raging-at-metiria-is-not-about-the-fraud-its-that-she-sided-with-the-lepers/
This article by Steve Cowan is also superb reading on the Metiria witchhunt.
Two excerpts.
‘Nearly a fortnight after she revealed she had fiddled the welfare some two decades ago in order to survive and look after her new baby, Metiria Turei continues to find herself the target of a sustained attack from the corporate media.
They have continued a campaign to bury the Green’s progressive welfare policy under a mountain of criticism directed at the Green Party co-leader. Turei might want to have a national conversation on reforming the welfare system, but the corporate media don’t.
Turei’s real crime, which she has rapidly found out, is that she has failed to uphold the political status quo of which she is deemed to be a representative. She has bitten the hand that feeds her and she must be made an example of.
Helping to make an example of her have been various well-heeled members of The Commentariat, bravely standing up for the interests of the political establishment. These has included Tracy Watkins (Dominion), Larry Williams (Newstalk ZB), Duncan Garner (TV3), Mike Hosking (TVNZ and Newstalk ZB), Barry Soper (Newstalk ZB), John Armstrong (former NZ Herald columnist, now writing for TVNZ’s news website), Mark Richardson (TV3) Patrick Gower (TV3), Chris Lynch (Newstalk ZB) and Martin van Beynen (The Press).’
Read the whole article here.
http://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/media-attacks-on-metiria-turei-continue.html
It is excellent.
Don’t you just hope the Greens are going to be sitting outside WINZ offices with enrollment forms!.
You’ll read a lot more sense here than in the rancid words of Soper and the other cronies.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/IAmMetiria?src=hash&lang=en
And Gordon Campbell om Scoop…
‘The horror, the horror…
Like the Kraken, the Great Metiria Benefit Scandal has woken from its 25 year slumber and is spreading panic and outrage across the nation. As I argued in this column yesterday, the main point of her personal revelation was to highlight
(a) the inadequacy of the current benefit levels and
(b) the counter-efficient nature of a punitive response by WINZ to minor infringements of its rules on benefit entitlement. None of which seems to have got much traction, with the media anyway. To the outraged, it doesn’t seem to matter that Turei wasn’t advocating people breaking the rules. She was advising against over-reacting if and when a few poor people bend the rules, to make ends meet.
Call me irresponsible, but it is a bit galling that some people feel OK about chastising Turei even while they hold their hands out for tax cuts that will benefit them more, proportionately, than the people that Turei is trying to defend. It seems New Zealanders must be more morally pure than I’d suspected. Plainly no-one, but no-one in living memory has ever done work and taken payment under the table without paying tax on it. Because that’s the working poor version of what Turei did long ago, and it’s comforting to know that no-one has ever worked in the black economy, which evidently doesn’t exist. Oh, and its also great to know that no business in this country has ever arranged its finances to ensure that its taxable earnings top out just below the point at which the highest tax rate kicks in. Because that’s the corporate version of the heinous sin that Turei committed. Good to know that sort of thing also never happens, right?
Apparently, Turei is now to be investigated about what she did back in the early 1990s. Of course, rules are rules. That’s the same mentality that used to condone hanging people for stealing a loaf of bread.’
http://werewolf.co.nz/2017/07/gordon-campbell-on-act-the-centre-rights-perennial-ugly-duckling/
“it doesn’t seem to matter that Turei wasn’t advocating people breaking the rules.”
Maybe the original intent is as you say. She has since advocated breaking the law (rules) by defending a person she knows for defrauding the system.
Nelson Mandela advocated breaking the law.
Mahatma Gandhi advocated breaking the law.
In history bad laws great broken.
The alternative is the 14th July.
And, as you appear to be another ready to cast stones, I do hope you are without sin.
Ever paid for a cash job?
Paying cash is not a crime eddy, the trader not declaring income to IRD is, if caught by what ever means including declaring you are a fraudster you will be dealt with, this line you run ie he with out sin throw the first stone is so fkn lame and intellectually weak, basically giving every one a pass card for anything, you need To do better than this sunshine, hit the web I am sure you can find a YouTube link somewhere to educate us all with
Psych nurse.
Not hoping for what you express but the ” Vote for Labour is a vote for the Greens” will strengthen and further diminish the Labour party vote.
Labour seems helpless to the Green’s onslaught.
MoU togetherness my arse.
“Greens are going to be sitting outside WINZ offices with enrollment forms!.”
The Green Party’s current lot of MPs will probably be doing precisely that on 25 September.
With the kickback from the public against MT the party vote could easily drop below the 5% figure and they will all be out of a job. I’m quite sure that the Greens will retain the votes of the people who approve of her sense of entitlement. They may not like the fact that it is not a very large number.
They are probably going to lose the bulk of their vote which comes from people who actually thought they were a party that was interested in conservation though.
You’re dreaming.
Verity Johnson: The only reason I want to vote is because Metiria Turei lied to WINZ
The Green vote is going up because of their honesty especially when compared with the dishonesty of National and its support parties.
well case closed then, if Verity says it is so, then it is so….snigger
Yes an intellectual giant as Paul Henery mickey take
Are you saying Verity is moving her vote from National to Green.
I don’t know, but I strongly suspect she would never have voted for National.
Nope. I’m pointing out that MT’s actions have solidified and probably increased the Green vote rather than, as alwyn hopes, slashed it.
How much you wanna put on that Draco
Rosemary Mcleod:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/columnists/95088765/Rosemary-McLeod-Some-cheats-are-pathetic-but-others-are-middle-class
Wake the hell up Ed.
There’s a post on precisely this site, on precisely this article, with over 200 comments.
Ooops!
[deleted]
[4 month ban for misogyny and class bigotry. It would have been less but there’s no point in having people with no respect and intent on harm coming back close to the election. It’s not a free for all here. Here’s what the Policy says,
We encourage robust debate and we’re tolerant of dissenting views. But this site run for reasonably rational debate between dissenting viewpoints and we intend to keep it operating that way.
What we’re not prepared to accept are pointless personal attacks, or tone or language that has the effect of excluding others. We are intolerant of people starting or continuing flamewars where there is little discussion or debate. – weka]
Ed, 6.27pm
Grow up, Metiria and the Greens are striking at Labour, no one else.
I’ll have a read of Steve Cowan’s post shortly, but I’ve been thinking of doing a post of the positive coverage. If you have examples, especially from the MSM, please put in a comment below.
You just might find that the Steve Cowan post is somewhat familiar….
Meanwhile. The Newsroom piece by Susan St John from the 20th..
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/@future-learning/2017/07/19/39245/the-greens-breathtakingly-bold-benefit-policies
Verity Johnson: The only reason I want to vote is because Metiria Turei lied to WINZ
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/07/verity-johnson-the-only-reason-i-want-to-vote-is-because-metiria-turei-lied-to-winz.html
Well said Verity. Verity=Sanity.
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=36534
Promoter of progressive economics arrives in NZ. Talk on Friday in Wellington.
I see there is going to be a live streaming of the event.
https://vstream.victoria.ac.nz/ess/echo/presentation/6dc7bf0a-fa14-47b5-8bc9-3798fe6cd280
Might have to alert people to that stream tomorrow. From a piece linked to from the main linked piece (that I’m still reading)…
It wasn’t a bad lecture Bill. You may want to consider doing a post on it.
It’s available on demand.
https://vstream.victoria.ac.nz/ess/echo/presentation/6dc7bf0a-fa14-47b5-8bc9-3798fe6cd280
Cheers.
Long story – but I missed it. I’ve just jumped and flicked trough it quickly on ‘replay’ and he seems to fairly accessible. From the snippets I’ve watched, it sounds like he’s essentially promoting a Keynesian view of economics.
Anyway. I’ll spend some time on it and see if I can nut it down to a post that’s easily understood.
Keynesianism holds some valid fiscal points, hence could serve us well again going forward.
I see Jim Bolger attended the event.
“Anyway. I’ll spend some time on it and see if I can nut it down to a post that’s easily understood”
Sounds good, Bill. Looking forward to it.
Ed posted this link up post a bit but what I want to address is OT for that thread. Specifically, I want to address this bit:
And that’s why Labour keep losing. They keep endorsing the failed policies of neo-liberalism.
If you really, really, want to change government this election, vote Green. Nothing less will do.
Go ahead. You won’t be missed. Not here anyway. 😎
Taking Campbell’s piece as being accurate enough…that’s one stone cold corpse hoping to be getting votes from any notional left.
I think you are judging Labour unfairly, Draco.
1. Special character schools already exist in NZ. These are included in Integrated Schools.
https://education.govt.nz/school/property/integrated-schools/
2.,
http://www.aisnz.org.nz/special-character
If these schools are actually doing ok, then it wouldn’t be too difficult to change them into State-integrated schools, under the existing rules for state-integrated schools and allowing them to retain their Special Character.
3. The other option is for them to be entirely run by the State but allowed to retain
a special character.
(By the way, I am opposed to Charter Schools.)
Yeah, but those integrated schools are all cheating. When they were first integrated, it was on the terms that they had to conform with state schools regarding staffing ratios. For a while that held. But then during the late 90s integrated schools were allowed a little more ‘freedom’ in how they spent their state money combined with the high fees they charged the parents.
State school staffing ratios are no longer enforced upon integrated schools, and these integrated schools now benefit from smaller class sizes.
I know – I taught in an integrated school in the early 2000s, and saw the discrepancy in class sizes compared to the state school I had been in.
This stinks, and I am pleased to see that you oppose Charter Schools, but please don’t set up integrated schools as any kind of ideal. They are not.
Totally agree with you, Tautoko – including the bit about being opposed to Charter Schools. But there’s no getting around the fact that NZ has had special character schools for decades, and Labour said – right from the beginning when these charter schools were set up that (a) Labour doesn’t agree with them but (b) if they still exist when Labour comes into government, then they could be converted to special character schools.
Its just that this is the first time the media has actually picked up on something Labour said ages ago. And now people are making a big fuss about it.
Maybe, and well I know it’s a long shot at this late date. But maybe if labour didn’t have a cupboard full of ideological hogwash. Then the media wouldn’t have anything to pick up on?
Just a suggestion, but maybe labour might give the voting public credit, and realize people don’t like the radical liberalism bullshit sandwich that labour are offering them.
I think there is more to this than meets the eye – ask yourselves seriously why Maori have embraced this policy. Is it all about neo-liberalism or is there another, more fundamental reason why charter schools are seen as a positive by te ao Maori. It is just possible that Labour are genuinely listening. Think Tino Rangatiratanga
Did anybody see that big self-seeking turd called Dung on the TV this morning telling Garner why he would not go with labour as they have no policies?
I have a question for that self-seeking large bit of shit called Dung, what are your policies apart from self-aggrandisement
From todays Herald:
Gutsy woman
Metiria Turei has spoken for every mother struggling in adverse circumstances, every father who, for reasons of ill health or redundancy, has found himself out of work, every actor, musician and artist trying to survive between jobs, every worker and professional who, when they have needed the support of the state, has had to endure the humiliation of demeaning courses on budgeting and CV writing, assertions that their profession isn’t “real work”, and the accusations, insults, suspicion, snobbery and self-righteous rudeness that is the trademark of Winz officers whenever National are in government.
She has stood up to smug media moralists, the condemnations of millionaire ministers of the crown, the ugly mean spiritedness which has become part of the New Zealand character and a system that has much greater theft built into it by way of low wages, widespread job insecurity and the ability of the rich to get even richer without lifting a finger for it, off the backs of the rest of us.
She is one gutsy women so, for the first time in my near 60 years, come September I have decided to vote Green.
A gutsy letter from Bill Walker of Whangarei.
so Greens plus 1, Labour minus 1 = status quo.
Unless National manage to limp across the line (they could), then such sentiments and indication of intent are anything but “status quo”.
wow – love it!
Christchurch’s pure drinking water could be contaminated due to farming
Now, who saw that coming?
Oh, that’s right, all of us. We just have a government in denial of the damage that farming does.
No doubt ECan will pass the problem over to the CCCouncil.
And what is so wrong is that it was predictable and non reversible.
Now, who saw that coming?
QFT
I find myself completely agreeing with Chris Trotter for a change.
I think he is right, a section of the NZ middle white class are going use their vote as a ‘lash’.
I think a large section of the middle class, as proven by many of the hard right commentators here, are ideological purist who can not handle being challenged. A collection who can’t face the fact, that their words, and their deeds, do not mesh up.
This is not a society that gives people a fair go – almost the exact opposite.
http://bowalleyroad.blogspot.co.nz/2017/07/the-majestic-equality-of-law-and-its.html
So, if the Greens get – say – a 4-5% boost out of this and become a true left alternative, WTF will be the point of the Labour party?
coalition partner.
+1
is it sad that we still have to explain this?
Junior coalition partner
Whipping boy to pity
Costly basics hitting beneficiaries harder – Stats NZ
Nope, not surprised. Welfare payments haven’t been keeping up with inflation since 1990 or perhaps further back.
EDIT:
An interesting point.
I have to ask all the political commentators on this site What makes you think voting Green is going to stop a 4th term of national?
You know the answer it won’t, it just moving the deck chairs between green and labour and ensuring no new deck chairs from the Center, in contrast more will move to national led coalition as seen as the only center government choice, oh wait the missing million.and Verity ( sarcasm)