John Key’s government is failing to provide adequate policies for the environment, affordable housing, and a living wage, while continuing with their crony-capitalist neoliberal ways.
The urgency of these issues are evident in a round up of items that have caught my eye online today:
There is a UN report that CO2 emissions have reached a record high in 2011.
According to an article in The Guardian, says that there’s,
… a 40 percent increase over levels in 1750, before humans began burning fossil fuels in earnest.
Although CO2 is still the most significant long-lived greenhouse gas, levels of other heat-trapping gases have also climbed to record levels, according to the report. …
All told, the amount of excess heat prevented from escaping into outer space was 30 percent higher in 2011 than it was as recently as 1990.
The Key government’s withdrawal from Kyoto2, and the environmental neglect and abuse continues to tarnish NZ’s “Clean Green image”.
In a survey, Kiwi children say a PM should focus on providing basic necessities like food and housing.
Yesterday, Metiria Turei posted,
A survey conducted for International Children’s Day today asked children what would be the first thing they would do if they were in charge of the country and kiwi kids voted to provide the basics – food, clothing and shelter – to ensure everyone could have a good life. …
“This should be a reality check for MPs and the Government in particular. Kiwi children were more likely than those in other developed countries to focus on providing the basics.
“Maybe that’s because a fifth of our children are living in poverty. This survey shows our kids are well aware that too many are missing out.
As Anthony Robins’ Poverty Watch series of posts show, the Key government is doing nothing to tackle NZ’s unacceptable levels of poverty.
Mana welcomes Labour’s commitment to building houses, but asks what’s being planned to provide affordable housing for low income people.
In response to David Shearer’s KiwiBuild proposal, John Minto says,
“It is a worthy policy and we will support it. But where is affordable housing for families on low-incomes? This entire group has been disregarded in Labour’s announcement today”.
“No low-income family will be able to afford $300,000. These families struggle from week to week and will never be able to save a deposit or meet the mortgage repayments required for home ownership. They are caught in the vicious squeeze between high private rental costs and the government’s impossible criteria for eligibility for a state house”.
“The most desperate need for housing is state rental housing which is why MANA’s first policy priority in housing is to build 20,000 new state homes within two years”.
Labour at least has a policy to deal with some aspects of the housing shortage. The Key government’s plan is an ill-thought-out shambles, which will do nothing for those in real need.
NZ First asks, John Key to reveal the full extent of his involvement in the Sky City-China Southern Airlines (CSA) gambler visa deal.
Winston Peter’s says the deal allowing CSA frequent flyers to dodge visa requirements, comes on top of Key’s pokie deal with Sky City. He says Key’s statements about these deals are contradictory and indicate crony-ism is involved.
Mr Peters says the Prime Minister must come clean on why he is willing to jeopardise the nation’s security, and fuel problem gambling with hundreds of extra pokie machines, in return for a convention centre.
“Mr Key is clearly involved in this whole gambler visa mess which according to high ranking Immigration Department officials is highly likely to see criminals enter the country.
“The Prime Minister has some serious explaining to do,” says Mr Peters.
On all these issues, the Key government is continuing to damage NZ and the lives of ordinary Kiwis, indicating a bleak future. The Labour Party’s policies are an improvement, but fall well short of what I’d expect from a Left wing party. Mana and the Greens are leading the way on affordable housing and anti-poverty campaigns. The Greens still have the most helpful and comprehensive take on, and responses to, pressing environmental issues.
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress