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  1. Poverty Watch 44

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:28 am, August 17th, 2013 -  3 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. Last week CPAG published a report on the links between poverty and child abuse, and why current government policy is misguided. So what did the second part of the report have to say?

  2. This is/is not democracy

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 1:05 pm, August 12th, 2013 -  106 comments
    Categories: activism, bill english, brand key, capitalism, class war, democracy under attack, democratic participation, greens, john key, same old national, slippery, spin, Spying
    Tags:

    The Nats’ PR-managed conference stifled democratic debate & bright ideas, and diverted from significant issues.  Armstrong attempts to talk it up, while exposing Key’s win-at-all-costs ruthlessness. Meanwhile: speakers announced for democratic meeting to Kill the GCSB Bill [Updated – Hagar also speaking]. [Update: Gordon Campbell – ‘Nanny National‘]

  3. Poverty Watch 43

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 7:32 am, August 10th, 2013 -  7 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. Last week CPAG published a report on the links between poverty and child abuse, and why current government policy is misguided. So what did the first part of the report have to say?

  4. Democracy needs public service (Freeview)TV

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 4:04 pm, July 29th, 2013 -  31 comments
    Categories: accountability, broadcasting, democratic participation, telecommunications, tv
    Tags: ,

    TVNZ U (youth, entertainment Freeview channel) failed commercially & is being shut down.  There is space on Freeview for a public service channel: needed to build democracy. The Coalition for Better Broadcasting may be the entity to lead the way?

  5. Poverty Watch 40

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:09 am, July 20th, 2013 -  10 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, poverty and educational outcomes.

  6. Mixed news

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 6:48 am, July 19th, 2013 -  151 comments
    Categories: polls
    Tags: ,

    The latest Roy Morgan poll is mixed news for the Left. A second high result for National, but Labour’s vote holding steady after difficult weeks.

  7. Sharples packs it in

    Written By:  Zetetic -  Date published: 10:30 pm, July 1st, 2013 -  72 comments
    Categories: election 2014, maori party, national
    Tags:

    Sharples has resigned as Maori Party co-leader. Leaving politics next year. Flavell will become co-leader, I guess. The government’s getting shaky. Sharples can stay on as a minister but will he? Will Flavell be willing to stick with the National coalition? Add Dunne’s anger over the emails, Key’s dismissive treatment of him at post-Cab Banks’ trial, and Labour’s ‘flat patch’… things are getting snappy.

  8. Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election round-up

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:15 am, June 28th, 2013 -  15 comments
    Categories: by-election 2013, campaigning, greens, labour, mana-party, Maori Issues, maori party, Maori seats, poverty, sustainability, unemployment, Unions, workers' rights
    Tags:

    Four contenders with excellent track records. Some important issues for the electorate have been highlighted, especially related to poverty, jobs, education, and affordable housing. Some commentators claim tomorrow’s by-election will be a test of this or that party’s strength.[update: RNZ interviews]

  9. OP: Fluoridation – it does reduce tooth decay

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 2:59 pm, June 21st, 2013 -  306 comments
    Categories: health, making shit up, public services, science, water
    Tags: ,

    Ken Perrott at Open Parachute has been debunking some of the nonsense around fluoridated water by investigating claims (his background is in scientific research). It is refreshing after reading some of the recent misinterpreted drivel around about the science.

  10. Poverty Watch 34

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 1:01 pm, June 8th, 2013 -  5 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we take a detailed look at the government’s response to the report on poverty from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. The media reaction summarised last week is correct – the government response is a joke.

  11. The Civilian Party

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 8:43 am, June 8th, 2013 -  18 comments
    Categories: humour, political parties
    Tags: ,

    the-civilian
     
    Want to be in on the ground floor of the newest political party in NZ? Could be fun.

  12. The National government’s divided society

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 7:56 am, June 2nd, 2013 -  14 comments
    Categories: class war, democracy under attack, grant robertson, greens, human rights, jobs, john key, labour, national/act government, poverty, russel norman, slippery, unemployment
    Tags: ,

    A Fairfax poll shows an NZ divided by income inequalities & political allegiances. Little unemployment for National voters & more for opposition voters: a precariat with a high proportion of Maori & Pacific people. The right time for Russel Norman’s speech and blockupy?

  13. Shocking the people into submission

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:10 am, May 29th, 2013 -  24 comments
    Categories: class war, democracy under attack, economy, human rights, International, john key, poverty, privatisation, same old national, slippery, spin, workers' rights
    Tags: ,

    Last night The Shock Doctrine (2009) aired on Maori TV.  John Key, and his cheerleaders have followed their latest series of shock-inducing attacks on democratic processes and (low income) people’s rights, with positive forecasts for our future. Meanwhile, the gap between the haves & have-nots has grown.

  14. Election narratives

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 11:11 am, May 27th, 2013 -  123 comments
    Categories: election 2014, greens, labour, leadership, national
    Tags:

    National has set out its narrative for the 2014 election. Time for the Left to do the same.

  15. Marama Davidson: a promising Green candidate

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 7:43 pm, May 26th, 2013 -  12 comments
    Categories: by-election, democratic participation, greens, labour, mana-party, maori party
    Tags: , , ,

    The Green candidate for the  Ikaroa-Rahiti by-election, Marama Davidson is someone to watch.  However, Labour’s Meka Whaitiri is the front runner and a very strong candidate.   Mana’s Te Hamua Nikora and the Maori Party’s Na Raihania also have the opportunity to make their mark.

  16. Poverty Watch 31

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:11 am, May 18th, 2013 -  92 comments
    Categories: budget 2013, national, poverty
    Tags: , ,

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week – reaction to the budget’s lack of significant action on poverty, and CPAG’s court case on the In Work Tax Credit.

  17. ‘That’s what the fuss is all about’

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 10:00 am, May 16th, 2013 -  22 comments
    Categories: democracy under attack, hone harawira, mana, Maori Issues, maori party, Public Private Partnerships, same old national, schools
    Tags:

    Hone Harawira challenged the Maori Party for its support of charter schools, at the expense of Maori and public education. He challenged Sharples to resign if today’s budget fails to adequately support kura kaupapa and the Manaaki Tauira programme.

  18. Sky City, pokies and corruption

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 7:56 am, May 13th, 2013 -  51 comments
    Categories: accountability, capitalism, child welfare, corruption, democracy under attack, john key, Public Private Partnerships, same old national, slippery, Steven Joyce
    Tags: ,

    Key and Joyce made sure Gilmore was out of the way before they announced their dubious Sky City for (more) pokies deal.  The pokies system in NZ is rife with dubious goings on. It’s bad for low income families, communities and their children. [update: responses]

  19. Poverty Watch 30

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:11 am, May 11th, 2013 -  10 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we continue with the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, and “sympathise” with those poor Herald readers who are just sick to death of all those beggars on Queen St…

  20. What if Gilmore quits?

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 2:25 pm, May 8th, 2013 -  105 comments
    Categories: accountability, john key, leadership, national, national/act government, slippery
    Tags:

    Stuff is reporting that John Key is signalling for Aaron Gilmore to stand down.  What are the possible implications? [update: information about Claudette Hauiti, next National’s list]

  21. NRT: National’s future coalition options

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 1:31 pm, May 2nd, 2013 -  24 comments
    Categories: conservative party, national, nz first
    Tags: , ,

    No Right Turn points out the inherent flaw in National’s election campaign (and Vernon Small’s analysis of it). A future National government has no good coalition partners. Even the mythic (and likely to be epic if it happened) National/NZ First coalition faces the problem of three parties competing for the same group of economically nationalist and socially conservative voters from slightly different directions.

  22. Parekura Horomia

    Written By:  notices and features -  Date published: 6:09 pm, April 29th, 2013 -  37 comments
    Categories: uncategorized
    Tags:

    Parekura Horomia died this afternoon following a short illness. He was a great Totara in the Labour forest and will be greatly missed.

    Updated: NZLP Tangi arrangements

  23. Poverty Watch 28

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 9:36 am, April 27th, 2013 -  2 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we continue with the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. In recent news the effects of the welfare cuts are showing up, and rheumatic fever is on the rise…

  24. Two videos & a documentary

    Written By:  karol -  Date published: 12:09 pm, April 25th, 2013 -  6 comments
    Categories: accountability, brand key, capitalism, Conservation, energy, Mining, same old national, sustainability, tourism
    Tags: , , , ,

    A Jackson PR video promoting NZ scenery as a beautiful backdrop for the Hobbit & tourism; a Campbell Live video on a Dannevirke protest against Big Oil exploiting their area; an anti-fracking Canadian team filming in NZ.

  25. An honest man?

    Written By:  Guest post -  Date published: 9:35 am, April 22nd, 2013 -  65 comments
    Categories: john key, making shit up
    Tags:

    John Key has promised live on television to never lie and to always do his best. Now, four-and-a-half years later we know that was his first lie, and it certainly wasn’t going to be his last. And these are only the ones we know about. In fact, as the litany of lies still spills from John Key, it must be asked: is the litany orchestrated? – BLiP’s extraordinary list of Key’s lies.

  26. Classic Nat press releases

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 4:28 pm, April 18th, 2013 -  23 comments
    Categories: labour, making shit up, national, spin
    Tags: , ,

    The best that the Nats can come up with in response to the Labour / Green electricity reforms is juvenile posturing about Stalinist extremism and “comrades Norman and Shearer”. This from the National Party that brought you cancelled democratic elections, harsh punishments for protestors, and increased powers to spy on the people. Oh, the irony.

  27. Best (so far). The bill passed well.

    Written By:  lprent -  Date published: 9:07 pm, April 17th, 2013 -  144 comments
    Categories: gay rights
    Tags:

    The marriage equity bill has passed with a strong majority.

    This is a watershed moment in New Zealand’s political history.

  28. Poverty Watch 27

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:27 am, April 13th, 2013 -  12 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we continue with the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. In current news a new UNICEF report stresses the huge impact that the choices of governments can have on poverty. Our government quite literally does not want to know…

  29. Poverty Watch 26

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:22 am, April 6th, 2013 -  8 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we continue with the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Comissioner, and in current news a World Bank report on eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.

  30. Poverty Watch 25

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 8:00 am, March 30th, 2013 -  13 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week we continue with the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Comissioner, and note the Mana Party’s call for support for their Feed the Kids Bill.

  31. Poverty Watch 24

    Written By:  Anthony R0bins -  Date published: 7:54 am, March 23rd, 2013 -  28 comments
    Categories: national, poverty
    Tags:

    Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, we start on the 2012 report from the Office of the Children’s Comissioner. NZ is a signatory to UN conventions that give children the right to adequate resources…

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