Posts Tagged ‘paula bennett’
Privacy Commission guidelines
Written By: - Date published: 3:32 pm, July 28th, 2009 - 121 comments
Paula Bennett is trying, unsuccessfully, to dig herself out of her hole by arguing that the Privacy Commissioner’s website said the solo mums she’s bullied had given “implied consent” for their personal financial details to be released in the media. Actually, Paula, that’s not the case at all. In fact, the Privacy Commission’s checklist for […]
Bennett must resign
Written By: - Date published: 1:06 pm, July 28th, 2009 - 132 comments
I’m no expert in these things but Paula “bully” Bennett appears to have put herself in breach of the cabinet manual by disclosing private information about her critics’ personal finances for her own political gain. Cabinet Manual p 117: 8.60 The disclosure of information about an individual by Ministers is governed by both the Official […]
Recession’s ‘rough edges’ hit families – no help from govt
Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, July 20th, 2009 - 48 comments
Labour leader Phil Goff has called for a temporary relaxation of the rules for getting the dole. Too many Kiwis on low and middle incomes are losing their jobs but are not able to get any assistance from the Government (despite having paid taxes for years) because their partner has a modest income. John Key […]
McJobs
Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, June 25th, 2009 - 83 comments
John Key, 20 May 2007: My legacy will be a strong New Zealand economy with higher wages, lower taxes and greater competitiveness. My legacy will be a country that young New Zealanders want to stay and work in. The Press, 25 June 2009: Thousands of beneficiaries could soon be flipping burgers under a deal between […]
Pulling up the ladder behind her
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, June 19th, 2009 - 115 comments
Paula Bennett’s image as a Westie solo mum who’s been on the DPB has been an important part of National’s centrist branding. By putting her in charge of the Ministry of Social Development, despite any relevant experience or discernable talent, National gave a clear signal that in their government image would trump substance. Fair enough […]
Nat MPs distancing themselves from Super City
Written By: - Date published: 3:20 pm, May 22nd, 2009 - 29 comments
Remember – March against National’s undemocratic supercity Monday 25th, noon, Queen St [More info] National’s Paul Hutchison, whose Hunua electorate lies in Franklin, has written a piece with Mark Ball, the mayor of Franklin, in today’s Herald. The sum of it: Supercity yes, but leave Franklin out of it. Funny because ‘leave me out of […]
Last night’s Super City meeting
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, May 21st, 2009 - 22 comments
I attended the Paula Bennett-John Carter Supercity meeting yesterday evening in Kelston. This was one of the hastily arranged series of meetings arranged in the Auckland area to persuade ordinary jafas and westies that this Government is really listening and living up to its election promise to consult on the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance’s […]
Transparency
Written By: - Date published: 4:29 pm, April 20th, 2009 - 8 comments
The Government announced two nine day fortnights today. Interestingly, they’re refusing to tell us who one of them is. From the Government’s press release: Ms Bennett confirmed today that Oamaru-based Summit Wool Spinners and another manufacturing firm, which wishes to remain anonymous, had joined the scheme Now call me old-fashioned, but this strikes me as […]
Out of her depth II
Written By: - Date published: 12:45 pm, April 15th, 2009 - 29 comments
As if any more evidence was needed that National’s Paula Bennett is completely out of her depth as Minister of Social Development, it appears Work and Income is turning away the hungry while Paula can’t even get her lines straight: Despite a high court ruling in 2002 instructing WINZ to tell beneficiaries what their entitlements […]
Out of her depth
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, March 20th, 2009 - 41 comments
Paula Bennett’s performance on Morning Report today didn’t just bring home how completely out of her depth she is as a Minister, it also exposed the limits of National’s strategy of government-by-PR. If you haven’t heard the interview yet, download it now. You won’t be disappointed. What’s clearly happened here is Bennett was sent into […]
Bennett’s lame excuse
Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, March 12th, 2009 - 15 comments
Morning Report asked Paula Bennett why the public sector had been cut out of the 9 day fortnight scheme this morning and her answer was that it was for businesses that have been hit by the effects of the recession and the public service doesn’t fall into that category. That’s not true. Crown owned company […]
665 jobs lost since Jobs Summit
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, March 6th, 2009 - 28 comments
If you believe the Government’s spin, protecting jobs in this recession is their number one priority. They even held a big fancy Jobs Summit to convince us they had it under control. But while that’s all very nice, I’m more interested in concrete actions that keep people in jobs. And right now I’m not seeing […]
What is to be done?
Written By: - Date published: 5:29 pm, March 3rd, 2009 - 40 comments
Kudos to the Maori Party’s Rahui Katene for using her position to highlight the situation at Sealord in Parliament today. But it’s Paula Bennett’s response that got me thinking: Rahui Katene: Is the Minister aware that the MÄori shareholders of Sealord attended the Prime Minister’s Job Summit last Friday, and what plans does the Government […]
- Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi from Far North to Parliament about Māori unity, organisers say
The protest march will leave Cape Reinga on 11 November, and arrive at Parliament on 19 November - one day after the Treaty Principles Bill is expected to be introduced. ...2 days ago - ‘I became besotted’: Gavin Bishop on finding Middle-earth in the school journal
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Gavin Bishop, author of The Gavin Bishop Treasury: 10 Favourite Fairy Stories and Original Tales. The book I wish I’d written The Book of Dirt by Monika Utnik-Strugala ...2 days ago - Senior southern region doctors send PM warning letter over stalled Dunedin Hospital rebuild
Some 44 clinical directors across the southern region have each signed a letter to Christopher Luxon, and his ministers of health, finance and infrastructure, warning services could be left in a "precarious" state if the project does not go ahead. ...2 days ago
- Paula Morris wins Surrey
Paula Morris has won the distinguished Surrey Hotel Writers Residency Award in association with Newsroom and Jude and Dick Frizzell.Jesse Mulligan made the announcement live on his Radio New Zealand Afternoons show this afternoon. I joined him in the studio and passed him the names of all the winners on ...2 days ago - Gone By Lunchtime: The one-year stocktake special
Twelve months on from the election, we size up the winners, losers, risks and opportunities. Just over a year ago there were grave warnings about the risks that New Zealand would face were they to require Christopher Luxon to form a coalition with both the Act Party and New Zealand ...2 days ago
- Wellington City Council: Urgent meeting to be held following intervention threat
Tory Whanau says she is focused on finding a solution to the issues Wellington City Council are dealing with. ...2 days ago
- Jokowi was once seen as Indonesia’s ‘new hope’. Instead, he leaves a legacy of democratic back...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Aspinall, Professor in Southeast Asian Politics, Australian National University As Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo (Jokowi) prepares to leave office, Indonesia is still routinely lauded as one of Asia’s most important democracies. Jokowi was first elected, in 2014, on the promise of ...2 days ago - Think you’re a people-pleaser? Name three people you’ve pleased
We’re increasingly aware of the toll people-pleasing takes on the person doing it. But it’s hard on everyone around them, too. We know that people-pleasing can be harmful for the person doing the pleasing – my meme feed is filled with people-pleasers finally taking their lives back, or joking about ...2 days ago
- Wellington City Council ‘incredibly close’ to needing government intervention – fo...
The problems within the council appear to have been building for some time, former LGNZ president Stuart Crosby says. ...2 days ago
- Falling Inflation Reflects A Falling Economy
“The data shows that petrol prices fell 8% annually, and vegetable prices fell 18% annually. These reflect both softer global demand and a return to normal harvests after Cyclone Gabrielle. Prices for discretionary spending items such as furniture, ...2 days ago - Inflation Hasn’t Gone Away, Government Cannot Lose Its Focus
Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said “that’s only half the story, and the inflation beast isn’t slain yet.” ...2 days ago
- Parliament’s watchdog against bullying – ‘I hope it’s having some impactR...
Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards Lyn Provost has found some workarounds making her more accessible - but some are calling for more investment into supports. ...2 days ago
- All the things Christopher Luxon gets
Out of touch? Don’t think so. According to the new 1News Verian poll, 51% of people think Christopher Luxon is “out of touch”. Which really means that 51% of people are out of touch, or at least not paying attention to what the prime minister is saying. Because if they ...2 days ago
- Govt’s hostile takeover bid for Wellington City
Analysis: If Wellington City Council were a listed company, there would have been a trading halt required yesterday. Because the Government’s unexpected disclosure that it was taking advice on intervening in the city’s governance was the next closest thing to a hostile takeover bid, and seems to have sent confidence ...3 days ago
- The Spinoff guide to life: How to send a text without being annoying
In the latest edition of The Spinoff’s etiquette guide, we consider how to avoid some common text-messaging pitfalls. Text messaging! We do it all the time – for many people, it’s the default form of private communication, superseding the phone call, letter or email. There are dozens of platforms, practical ...3 days ago
- China’s government is about to spend big on stimulus – can it turn around the country’s sluggi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wenting He, PhD candidate of International Relations, Australian National University Sanga Park/Shutterstock China’s relentless economic growth used to be the marvel of the world. Oh, what a memory. The past couple of years have seen China contend with an economic ...3 days ago
- AI is creeping into the visual effects industry – and it could take the human touch out of film an...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By AD Narayan, Visual Effects Artist and Lecturer in Digital Communication, Auckland University of Technology IMDB From the mind-bending reality warps of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) to the breathtaking alien vistas of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), ...3 days ago
- Three letters, one number, a knife and a stone bridge: how a graffitied equation changed mathematica...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn Arianrhod, Affiliate, School of Mathematics, Monash University William Murphy / Flickr, CC BY On October 16 1843, the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton had an epiphany during a walk alongside Dublin’s Royal Canal. He was so excited he took out ...3 days ago
- Has Kamala Harris reached the ceiling of her ability to make gains against Trump?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jared Mondschein, Director of Research, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney With less than three weeks to go before Election Day, the polling at this point is clear: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are effectively tied. Harris has led the Democratic ticket ...3 days ago
- An immediate ban has been issued for the herbicide dacthal. What are the health risks?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Last week the Australian government cancelled the registration of all products containing chlorthal dimethyl, a weedkiller commonly known as dacthal.No phase out period applies. The cancellation is immediate, ...3 days ago
- Australian schools need to address racism. Here are 4 ways they can do this
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Teo, Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy, University of Southern Queensland The Australian Human Rights Commission wants to see schools address racism, as part of a broader push to address the problem across Australian society. As it says in a recent report, ...3 days ago- Can the govt step in to take control over Wellington City Council?: What you need to know
Explainer - The government says it's prepared to intervene if needed, but what is allowed under law, and how bad is it? ...3 days ago- Austerity and recession: 3 simple graphs that explain New Zealand’s economic crisis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Bertram, Visiting Scholar, School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Economists working on macroeconomic policy – things like taxes and spending, interest rates and border controls on flows ...3 days ago- Will the Wellington Council survive until the next election?
The government is seeking advice on whether it could – or should – intervene, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...3 days ago- ‘More than just a one-off’ – MBIE’s incorrect calculations of benefits from ...
The country's mega-ministry has been incorrectly calculating its cost benefit analysis for taxpayer-funded events for more than two years. ...3 days ago- Beneficiary traffic light system: Fewer people being sanctioned
Fewer people are being sanctioned under the government's beneficiary traffic light system than last month, new government data shows. ...3 days ago- MPs united on divorce law change
Legislation giving family violence survivors the power to quickly dissolve abusive marriages is expected to pass with unanimous support today. ...3 days ago- Why last-minute changes to the Hauraki Gulf protection bill are stirring up a stink
A proposed law to protect the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana is being amended to allow some commercial fishing in high protection areas, and people aren’t happy about it. The details so far are few, but here’s what we do know. On Sunday, traditionally a day for sleeping, praying and eating roast ...3 days ago- Hardship, healing and hope: A glimpse inside the 501s conference
With little support available and many issues to deal with, a growing number of 501 returnees are supporting each other to overcome deportation and advocate for change. Liam Rātana hears from some of them. Here I am, holding hands and praising God in a circle full of social workers, ex-gang ...3 days ago- ‘Let’s not revert back to the days of the 52 dumps’
An increase in applications for new landfills in Canterbury has one industry veteran scratching his head The post ‘Let’s not revert back to the days of the 52 dumps’ appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago- A short, sharp taste of Kiwi for a champion Aussie
New Zealand was the last place Australian basketball forward Lou Brown expected to play. The winner of two Australian National Basketball League titles spent seven years in America and was settled back in Australia when a buzz around the Tauihi League piqued her interest. “I first heard about the Tauihi league ...3 days ago- Fast-track data reveals outlier projects and ministerial preferences
Analysis: Final ministerial ticks given to high-grade projects by Bishop and Brown, but Jones bucks trend The post Fast-track data reveals outlier projects and ministerial preferences appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago- Daily crossword, Wednesday 16 October
The post Daily crossword, Wednesday 16 October appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago- NZ must ‘stick to values’ in uncertain Asia
With confrontation and conflict replacing prosperity, NZ has been urged to respond to changing dynamics within Asia The post NZ must ‘stick to values’ in uncertain Asia appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago- AI no substitute for robust and inclusive public services
Analysis: Soon, users of some New Zealand government websites will be able to interact with GovGPT. This is a form of artificial intelligence often referred to as a conversational agent, which guides users to information, answers queries, and can even be multi-lingual. GovGPT will first be tested with users interested ...3 days ago- Game on, and it’s more than cosplay and consoles
Every day thousands of video games are made around the world but it took Wētā Workshop 25 years to make its first one, Tales of the Shire.The Lord of the Rings Game will be released in March after several years of development and investment.The Wellington company that led the way ...3 days ago- Infrastructure, rates and taxes – be careful what you wish for
Comment: We live in dynamic times, with shifts in government, population, climate, and the need to boost our economic productivity. This can all seem overwhelming, but there are aspects that we can control in all of this. So how can we navigate the complexities of our changing world and what ...3 days ago- Mulligan’s announcement at 1.35pm
Jesse Mulligan, the Voice of God these past eight years when it comes to the Surrey Hotel writers residency award, will once again announce the winners on his Radio New Zealand Afternoons show, at 1.35pm.The grooviest residency award in New Zealand letters was established in 2016. Mulligan agreed to broadcast ...3 days ago- Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 16 October
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Wednesday 16 October appeared first on Newsroom. ...3 days ago- Albanese government promises to ban ‘dodgy’ trading practices
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Hard on the heels of pledging a crackdown on excessive surcharges, the Albanese government has promised legislation to ban unfair trading practices. The government said this would include specific prohibitions on various “dodgy” practices. ...3 days ago - Australian schools need to address racism. Here are 4 ways they can do this
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