Daily Review 29/06/2016
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6:25 pm, June 29th, 2016 - 29 comments
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Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...4 days ago
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The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
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With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...5 days ago
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The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
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The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...6 days ago
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The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
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The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
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New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
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Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
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The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...1 week ago
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Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
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The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
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Government in kaos.
Paula Bennett arguing with her own government on it’s own figures is beyond absurd.
Nick Smith Arguing
Key Arguing
Bill, Hekia, Woodhouse, McCully on a vow of silence.. on and on, Bridges can’t even form the word TOLL!
Kaos. an absolute catastrophe.
What powers do we have to remove a government? Surely no confidence?
Can we run a petition of no confidence on our fibbing government?
The only way they will out Key from his seat is with a knighthood.
Key has spent a huge sum on it, and for a cup of tea date with the Queen.
I read somewhere that the Queen invites peeps for tea when said peep donates a million pounds to Charles charity.
Well! I’ve seen that photo of Johnny with the Queen, no sign of tea and bikkies but Liz definitely looked like she needed G&T. Staring at carpet while Johnnie gurned on. If I was Johnny I wouldn’t like Liz to have the sword in her hand when being knighted judging by her body language. Stupid Colonial Clod.
He really does come across as that doesn’t he? Always sucking up to his ‘betters’ and hoping that they’ll let him in to their circles.
The Brighter Future comes to life. Unemployment to a new low.
“The department now classifies looking at job advertisements on the internet as not actively seeking work, and so it has removed them from the unemployment figures.
The change has resulted in a sharp downward revision to the jobless rate to 5.2 percent for the three months ended in March.
That’s the lowest since the first quarter of 2009.”
The good Doctor couldn’t have done it better.
Ok, that’s not a joke then. Wow, is Statistics New Zealand going to give up publishing statistics next week. That would seem the logical next step.
That’s how I got my last three jobs.
Fucksake.
Yeah, pretty much. I don’t even look in the papers any more as the types of jobs I’m looking for simply aren’t even advertised in the papers and you can’t walk in off the street to get them either (not that anyone on the unemployment benefit can afford to go round walking in off the street to ask for a job – getting around is expensive).
That change just converted a few thousand unemployed people actively looking for work into people who are ‘discouraged’ and thus not counted as being unemployed. And it also means that all those people on WINZ courses aren’t looking for work either because all they do all day is browse the internet looking for work.
Wonder how much political pressure they were under to make that change.
France’s Prime Minister Manuel Valls has dismissed the possibility of an agreement on the US-EU transatlantic trade deal, since it goes against the interests of the European Union.
“No free trade agreement should be concluded if it does not respect EU interests. Europe should be firm. France will be vigilant about this,” Valls said addressing members of the governing Socialist Party on Sunday, AFP reported.
“I can tell you frankly, there cannot be a transatlantic treaty agreement. This agreement is not on track,” Valls added.
https://www.rt.com/news/348499-valls-france-eu-ttip/
Is that for real, or is that France positioning itself for more negotiations?
Looks like it might be right . And with the UK out an anti-TTIP stance has a greater chance of success, I suspect
Monbiot’s post-Brexit thoughts and using the opportunities.
Culture is not working. A worldview that insists both people and place are fungible is inherently hostile to the need for belonging. For years now we have been told that we do not belong, that we should shift out without complaint while others are shifted in to take our place.
When the peculiarities of community and place are swept away by the tides of capital, all that’s left is a globalised shopping culture, in which we engage with glazed passivity. Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chainstores.
In all these crises are opportunities – opportunities to reject, connect and erect, to build from these ruins a system that works for the people of this country rather than for an offshore elite that preys on insecurity.
If it is true that Britain will have to renegotiate its trade treaties, is this not the best chance we’ve had in decades to contain corporate power – of insisting that companies that operate here must offer proper contracts, share their profits, cut their emissions and pay their taxes? Is it not a chance to regain control of the public services slipping from our grasp?
How will politics in this sclerotic nation change without a maelstrom? In this chaos we can, if we are quick and clever, find a chance to strike a new contract: proportional representation, real devolution and a radical reform of campaign finance to ensure that millionaires can never again own our politics.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/28/brexit-disaster-crisis-changes-left
Some good ideas in the article but it would be a shame to have a publication like The Guardian leading it.
Part of the initial problem has been brought about by the apathy of The Guardian’s readership demographic.
Another part of the problem is that this demographic tends to ignore the thoughts and ideas of those who sit immediately below them in a fairly well established social hierarchy, precisely the group that have fed the vote numbers.
I agree about the demographics and about the Guardian, esp given they’ve come out not only in favour of Corbyn stepping down but they’re arguing against the process Labour use to choose leaders.
I suppose the value in Monbiot writing thisin the Guardian is that a few more liberals might start to wake up.
from the comments……
ricb68 22m ago
0
1
George, I admire you’re optimism I really do but I fear it’s baseless.
I might have to go and up-tick that comment…
especially in light of the actions of the PLP
I think he is pointing out that people have choices.
Yeah, it’s just that what is going on right now in the UK doesn’t suggest good choices for the concerns he mentions will be made.
I also admire Monbiot’s identification of issues and looking on the bright side. I’m not sure he would have been so upbeat if the article was written after the reports of increasing xenophobic attacks, Farage’s boorish triumphalism yesterday and the Labour party coup attempt.
However, with reference to this question:
How will politics in this sclerotic nation change without a maelstrom? In this chaos we can, if we are quick and clever, find a chance to strike a new contract: proportional representation, real devolution and a radical reform of campaign finance to ensure that millionaires can never again own our politics.
A little food for thought here.
Could we bring into the democratic system the equivalent of a council of citizens? Or is that as open to abuse as the current version of elected representatives?
“Yeah, it’s just that what is going on right now in the UK doesn’t suggest good choices for the concerns he mentions will be made.”
Really? Because if Corbyn gets relected leader of the Labour party, things could change. If Labour splits, things could change. Just to name twoo very obvious things.
If we look at power and how it’s being misused, and then we look at the chaos and feel powerless, then of course it’s hard to see what can change and to assume to won’t because the people in power are the people in power. But they’re not the only ones that can affect change. And the chaotic nature of what is happening is where the potential for change is. It’s not about looking on the bright side, it’s about being willing to work with what is already changing.
Things will definitely change, that’s for sure. At the moment, there’s no certainty that the public is going to get a say in the leadership of either the Conservative or the Labour parties. Right now, I feel things are moving too quickly, and the political elite are working hard to dominate the proceedings. People are being swept up in the chaos, making benefiting from it difficult. But that’s partly my despondency about this whole thing…
You’re point about the NZ MMP decision is good one, I think. The UK needs this to manage the breakup of the fractured political landscape, however after the Lib Dems attempt to introduce it, I can’t see that happening in the near future. By coincidence, I was thinking about the process NZ used for MMP while reading the article in the link above.
ya think?…….it is the likeyhood those choices will reflect Monbiot’s hopes that is optimistic…..particularly sad in light of his recent warning about division.
MMP in NZ came as a result of the clusterfuck that was the hijacking of Labour in the 80s. It was opposed by the governments of the day and many other MPs. It happened because concerned citizens organised.
You are certainly entitled to believe that the UK is irredemisbly stuffed, that’s a choice too.
Monbiot’s hope is for more than the introduction of MMP…..and would also note that over 20 years of MMP has done little to stop neoliberalism in NZ
I used MMP and NZ as an example of how change can happen from places other than govt. It’s hard to tell what you are meaning, but I took it that you think he is unrealistically optimistic because the people in power are not likely to change. I’m pointing out that it’s not up to the people in power.
We would be in a much worse situation now re neoliberalism if we still had FPP.
Like I said, having a view that things can’t change is a choice.
change is coming that’s for sure…
and it’s towards increasing: nationalism, division, income disparity, control by neolibs and elites, power of rightwing media
Opportunities from Brexit? So far…
– Probable departure of Scotland from the UK, maybe also N.Ireland
– Millions of Europeans’ jobs threatened by the economic fallout
– UKIP support accelerating, possibly becoming Britain’s 2nd largest Party
– Tories already owning the meme that it was Corbyn who caused Brexit
– The Tory party lurching even further to the right and in power for the next 3 years
– Spiralling violence against non-white, non-English
– Minimum wage of 7.20/hr and cost of food and basics rising in the UK
– Blairites destroying the Labour Party at the very time they should have been attacking the Tories for this Brexit disaster
– Increasing right wing populism, rhetoric and lies
– Escalating blame and hate for the EU
sorry, I wish I could see any possible positives out of this utter shambles….. but I can’t
” but I took it that you think he is unrealistically optimistic because the people in power are not likely to change. I’m pointing out that it’s not up to the people in power.”
then you took it wrong…..PEOPLE are not going to change(in power or not)…as demonstrated ad nauseam.
People effect change all the time. MMP, apartheid, the Berlin Wall, big and small change happens.
Did you read the article locus? What did you think of Monbiot’s suggestion?