Search Results

  1. Still an honest man?

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 10:14 am, May 26th, 2014 -  31 comments
    Categories: john key
    Tags:

    BLip has been maintaining for quite a while, a little list of Honest John’s statements that aren’t exactly true. One iteration of this list “An Honest Man” is still one of the most popular posts here with many page views on a daily basis – more than a year after it was posted. Looks like someone has made a video of a few of the times when some of these were made. There is also a more recent BLip list of the words of our favourite lying politician.

  2. Save the Poisons Helpline!

    Written By:  Ben Clark -  Date published: 10:00 am, May 23rd, 2014 -  29 comments
    Categories: families, health, petition, same old national
    Tags: ,

    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.

  3. Marama Davidson: candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:11 am, May 17th, 2014 -  40 comments
    Categories: activism, child abuse, child welfare, community democracy, election 2014, families, greens, housing, internet, Maori Issues, Maori seats, poverty, Spying, sustainability
    Tags:

    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.

  4. Labour’s Caucus Reshuffle

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 10:55 am, May 6th, 2014 -  61 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, labour
    Tags:

    Labour has announced a reshuffle of its Caucus rankings and portfolios.

  5. The strength of the left: working together…

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 8:31 am, April 27th, 2014 -  41 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, democratic participation, election 2014, greens, human rights, john key, labour, mana-party, slippery, sustainability, workers' rights
    Tags:

    The strength of the left: working together…. from the flaxroots. I agree with the parts of David Cunliffe’s speech to Young Labour where he talks of the importance of working together and mobilising the grass roots left in order to win the election. He is speaking about the Labour Party, but his words are equally true for the wider left

  6. Shane Jones standing down as MP

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 6:12 pm, April 22nd, 2014 -  508 comments
    Categories: election 2014, labour
    Tags:

    Breaking. Just on One News – Shane Jones will not be standing in the elections for Labour or any other party. More as it comes to hand. NZ Herald – Jones to leave politics at the end of next month. Stuff – Kelvin Davis next on list. Davis – a very good replacement.

  7. The week that was

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 2:29 pm, April 18th, 2014 -  37 comments
    Categories: david cunliffe, election 2014, john key, Judith Collins, labour, making shit up, mana, maori party, national, news, newspapers, same old national, spin, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    The highs and lows and the good and bad of what was a fascinating week in Politics.

  8. Coalition for Better Broadcasting launch

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 8:45 am, April 14th, 2014 -  29 comments
    Categories: accountability, activism, democratic participation, internet, Media, news, newspapers, radio, tv
    Tags:

    The Coailiton for Better Broadcasting and website has launched today.  From the information on the website, it is looking like a very promising initiative to me.

  9. From slum-house to mega-man: Mana-TIP connections

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 1:17 pm, April 12th, 2014 -  405 comments
    Categories: election 2014, internet, mana-party, poverty, Spying, telecommunications, us politics
    Tags: ,

    There’s a lot of media attention on the negotiations between Mana & The Internet Party (TIP).  Mana aims to link with some other parties. Some high profile people are scheduled to speak to Mana.  Is Dotcom’s focus on his poor childhood genuine or a PR strategy? [Update#2: Sunday, NZ Herald – green light for negotiations]

  10. Tau Henare and the baubles of retirement

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:30 am, April 12th, 2014 -  16 comments
    Categories: john key, national, same old national
    Tags:

    Tau Henare is leaving politics and is rumoured to be the next chair of Maori Television. Makes you wonder what offers were made to persuade the many other National MPs who are retiring to go so meekly.

  11. Hone Harawira: No prestige in iwi leaders trying to hide poverty

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 6:24 am, April 3rd, 2014 -  52 comments
    Categories: child welfare, mana-party, Maori Issues, poverty
    Tags: ,

    When so-called iwi leaders condemn teachers for daring to highlight the massive failings of the New Zealand education system for Maori children in case the minister of Education might be embarrassed, then they show themselves up as a sad and pathetic group for whom the warm embrace of government has become more important than the needs of their own children and grandchildren. Just who the hell do they think they are, trying to hide the truth of New Zealand’s failed policies just because the international community is in town?

  12. Patricia Grace takes on RONS

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 9:29 am, April 1st, 2014 -  48 comments
    Categories: activism, business, economy, Maori Issues, same old national, sustainability, transport
    Tags:

    The Kapiti Expressway is one of the National government’s RONS projects:  it makes no sense economically.  It is destructive to the environment and the local communities. The NZTA is attempting to run roughshod over ancestral lands, including that of writer, Patricia Grace.  She is taking a stand.

  13. LB: The Destruction of New Zealand’s Public Education System

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 3:11 pm, March 27th, 2014 -  21 comments
    Categories: education, Hekia parata, schools
    Tags:

    In 2008 New Zealand was internationally ranked in the top seven for educational achievement, and when you compared us with other countries that were also culturally diverse and were experiencing growing inequality we were extremely successful. A National led Government was elected and New Zealand’s public education system came under heavy attack… Hekia Parata continues this.

  14. And now for the real news…

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:00 am, March 21st, 2014 -  15 comments
    Categories: class war, economy, housing, Maori Issues, pasifika, poverty, prisons, same old national, welfare
    Tags:

    “Rockstar economy”?   Let’s hear it for another chorus of,”There is no depression in New Zealand”!  Demographia reports on absolute food and housing poverty for too many Kiwis.  Simon Collins reports on the ethnic inequality gaps & high rates of Maori imprisonment.

  15. Warm, dry homes – let’s just do it

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 4:50 pm, March 20th, 2014 -  100 comments
    Categories: child welfare, housing, housing insulation
    Tags: ,

    Making sure every rental property is a warm, dry home should be a no-brainer in the 21st century.  Parliament will shortly get the chance to vote on my Healthy Homes Guarantee Bill.  The vote will sort the parties for whom this is a genuine belief from those who just pay it lip service.

  16. Parata replaces Collins and Adams as National’s weakest link

    Written By:  mickysavage -  Date published: 9:20 am, March 20th, 2014 -  57 comments
    Categories: Hekia parata, Judith Collins, national, same old national, you couldn't make this shit up
    Tags:

    This week Hekia Parata has achieved what I thought was impossible. She has shown even worse judgment than Judith Collins and is threatening to replace Collins as National’s minister who is most in trouble. Hekia’s days as a Minister must be numbered …

  17. Closing the Gaps – Education & work

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:10 am, March 17th, 2014 -  8 comments
    Categories: benefits, education, employment, equality, Maori Issues, pasifika, poverty, Public Private Partnerships
    Tags:

    Simon Collins article on reducing inequalities for Māori & Pacific people. Māori and Pacific youth have become significantly disadvantaged in employment.  However, the article supports charter schools, without examining how such neoliberal intitatives are ultimately damaging for Māori & Pacific people.

  18. LB: Government Spin and Hidden Secrets

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 4:24 pm, March 8th, 2014 -  34 comments
    Categories: Economy, education, employment, Environment, national
    Tags: ,

    This National led Government has seriously mismanaged things and is desperate to hide the true effects of its governance over the last five years. I half suspect many of the retiring National MPs are jumping ship because they don’t want to be around when the proverbial hits the fan. National have carefully constructed showy facades that hide flimsy realities

  19. Auckland Council CCO 2 step

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:42 am, March 7th, 2014 -  13 comments
    Categories: accountability, auckland supercity, democracy under attack, election 2014, greens, infrastructure, labour, mana, national/act government, Privatisation
    Tags:

    Mai Chen argues that the current review of Auckland Council CCOs will put them on a tighter leash.  Tony Holman argues against the whole CCO set up: it’s a trojan horse, 2 step towards privatisation of Auckland assets.  Aucklanders need to have their say. Vote out Team Key to prevent such sales.

  20. Songs from the inside out

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 12:36 pm, February 24th, 2014 -  13 comments
    Categories: class war, cost of living, Maori Issues, news, patriarchy, poverty, prisons, tv, video
    Tags:

    I looked at some local newspapers to get away from the endless support for neoliberal values that dominates out MSM.  I found people living with unaffordable housing – & how the power of song can unite people in their struggles at the sharp end of the big inequality gap. Maori TV, “Songs from the Inside”.

  21. Rock star – “No depression”

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 11:46 am, February 21st, 2014 -  104 comments
    Categories: activism, class war, david cunliffe, election 2014, equality, john key, Metiria Turei, news, poverty, Satire, spin
    Tags:

    Popular songs can capture the heartbeat of communities.  “Rock Star” economy”?  Or “No Depression in New Zealand”?  A song that links the NZ of Muldoon & John Key. “History Never Repeats”?  Who has pulled up the ladder & who wants to replace ladders with something more accessible to all?

  22. Polity: Key practices 56% truth inflation

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 3:48 pm, February 19th, 2014 -  21 comments
    Categories: Economy, employment, john key, national, same old national, treasury
    Tags:

    John Key makes up the figures during a session of parliament for the expected unemployment in coming years when he took office. The apparent reason is to make his governments piss-poor performance running the economy look better. Of course there is that problem that Rob Salmond can link to the December 2008 projections from the Treasury which show John Key to be lying (yet again).

  23. Smirks & inversions

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:54 am, February 13th, 2014 -  42 comments
    Categories: benefits, child abuse, child welfare, employment, housing, Metiria Turei, news, paula bennett, poverty, spin, the praiseworthy and the pitiful
    Tags:

    The Salvation Army’s latest State of the Nation Report is damning on child poverty & unaffordable housing.  The government is misrepresenting the conclusions, reversing the main focus on failings, and focusing on the positives: the spin is repeated in an NZ Herald editorial.

  24. Key’s transparent gerrymander

    Written By:  Mike Smith -  Date published: 8:12 pm, February 9th, 2014 -  101 comments
    Categories: democracy under attack, election 2014, electoral commission, electoral systems, john key, Judith Collins, MMP, national
    Tags:

    For John Key, MMP stands for “Manipulate Members of Parliament”. Senior journalists are beginning to call him on the games he’s playing, and good on them; gerrymander entered the New Zealand political lexicon at Key’s press conference this week. Key wants to push the issues away till closer to the election, when he’ll know what his polling is telling him – I hope the gallery don’t let him.

  25. NZ Herald watch – history repeats

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:50 am, February 7th, 2014 -  146 comments
    Categories: business, colonialism, economy, greens, labour, newspapers, Privatisation, same old national, slippery, spin, sustainability
    Tags:

    The NZ Herald has a long history of opposing Maori resistance and supporting colonisation. It has always been right wing with a strong commercial focus & MO.  Yesterday it censored news of Waitangi Day protests.  Today an editorial spins in slippery style, for the Govt’s failing PowerCo sales.

  26. UN to NZ Human Rights – ‘can do better’

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:05 am, February 3rd, 2014 -  20 comments
    Categories: child abuse, crime, democracy under attack, discrimination, john key, Judith Collins, Maori Issues, pasifika, poverty, sexism
    Tags: ,

    A draft UN report on human rights shows NZ has been slacking off.  The government is glossing over its failings: eg on domestic violence, child protection, poverty, ethnic inequalities, discrimination, disability rights, government abuse of urgency. Collins focuses on punishment, surveillance.

  27. ‘Reclaiming Our Children’s Birthright’- Metiria’s speech

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 9:55 am, January 27th, 2014 -  53 comments
    Categories: child welfare, class war, education, election 2014, greens, housing, Metiria Turei, poverty, sustainability, vision
    Tags:

    Metiria Turei delivered a very strong, inspiring, and well-targeted speech yesterday. She reclaimed fractured values of inclusive, collaborative communities. She framed inequality as the issue for the coming election; the Greens’ education hub policy central.  Labour, NZEI responded favourably.

  28. Local govt is on the move

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 11:00 am, January 6th, 2014 -  51 comments
    Categories: auckland supercity, local government
    Tags: ,

    The Local Government Commission is currently proposing to crush a number of local bodies together into the same kind of mess that the Auckland super city has been suffering. Undemocratic and divorced from anything local because only a wealthy few can consider standing and those few can ignore any local wishes from the token local boards. The only defense that citizens have against the LGC is to force binding poll. Be ready to do so for Northland and Hastings/Napier.

  29. Josie Pagani replies

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 2:20 pm, January 3rd, 2014 -  127 comments
    Categories: blogs, labour
    Tags: ,

    Josie Pagani objected to mickysavage’s post objecting to her post at Pundit, and wanted to publish this as a right of reply. That is something that doesn’t exist on this or any blog. After all there is always another site to put content up on. However the ongoing debate going on here about how the left and the labour movement should operate and communicate (from many different angles) makes it of interest.

  30. Auckland in search of democracy

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 12:59 pm, December 24th, 2013 -  29 comments
    Categories: accountability, auckland supercity, class war, democracy under attack, infrastructure, transport
    Tags:

    Media beat-ups around personality politics divert from Auckland’s real problems: an undemocratic council structure that panders to corporates, & that does not represent Auckland’s diversity, while doing little to counter the destructive impact of the inequality gap.

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