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So, it looks like we're heading back into recession. US growth forecasts for the next quarter have been slashed to barely the rate of population growth. Australian unemployment has risen (although not anywhere near as much as ours). New Zealand manufacturing dived back into contraction…
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Climate change, peak oil, resource exhaustion, and over-population are combing to cause a new food crisis. The human population runs on grass seeds - grains supply half the calories we consume directly and feed much of our live-stock. The prices of those are skyrocketing. There's…
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Well, John Key challenged the unions to "bring 'em on" "put up or shut up". So they're going to put up. Ooops! In the news last night (or video version): Unions begin 'name and shame' campaign A former pharmacy employee [Heather Smith] who said she…
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It seems Tony Ryall has been "secret shopping" around New Zealand's accident and emergency waiting rooms and Labour is concerned about the breech of protocol. Get real. The idea that a minister cares enough about his portfolio to take time out of his busy schedule…
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Idle speculation about possible contenders to be the Labour candidate in a by-election seems to be the most important issue of the day. The Herald lists four possibilities: Taima Fagaloa, Porirua City Councillor, Pacific Health Director and Capital & Coast District Health Board member. Porirua…
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I always thought the cycleway would come to be emblematic of this government. An unserious ruse, a policy that would have been a joke if the reality of the recession weren't so serious. There's something of the cycleway thinking in the Nat's benefit cuts agenda…
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Education should be free. I think student loans are among the stupidest things that NZ governments (from both sides of the political fence) have ever done. It should be possible for the average young Kiwi to gain a tertiary education without having to shoulder a…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The Australian Liberal party has been posting sponsored links on Google websites pushing voters seeking information on independent candidates and candidates from other parties through to Liberal websites. The Sydney Morning Herald says: This week, a Google search by the Herald of the names of…
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Finlayson says that paying compo to women abused by cops would "open the floodgates". In other words, he reckons it would cost too much because of all the other claims that would come out of the woodwork. Let's apply Finlayson's floodgates argument to some other…
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In his own surreal and ultra-privileged way (read the article!) Paul Holmes has discovered the recession. And it seems to have shaken him up a bit: Our worst fears are being realised By Paul Holmes The economy is tanking. Let us push away all the…
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So disappointing to see that the Auckland Regional Council didn't even bother to respond to an offer by the designer of a personal rapid transport system to use his design to solve the woeful public transport from Auckland airport to the city. Is PRT the…
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Winnie Laban has announced she will be leaving Parliament. Winnie has been a great MP for Mana and is a pillar of the Pacific community. That focus on the electorate and community that put her in office, perhaps ahead of promotion within the party ranks,…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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It just gets worse: "The Government has rejected a secret forum's recommendation that 10 women who alleged sexual misconduct by police officers get reparation. A letter obtained by The Dominion Post reveals the forum chairwoman, Wellington lawyer Rachael Brown, recommended that the Government pay "financial…
crime human rights law and "order" national scoundrels sexism
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Typically, the media's coverage of the Welfare Working Group's report has been critique-free: who are the members of this group? What are their interests? And do their findings actually stack up? r0b, NRT, Gordon Campbell, and others have done some good analysis, to which I'll…
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Rapturous crowds of workers from People's Information Services spontaneously gathered in Beehive theatrette yesterday to praise Beloved Leader of People's Constitutional Monarchy of New Zealand, Honourable John Key, on anniversary of his birth. "Comrades! I thank you!" said Honourable Key to the sighs of the crowd.…
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Fabians Lecture Tonight: What Will Fix New Zealand's Economy? In Auckland: Room 260-206, Owen G Glenn Building, University of Auckland Business School, 12 Grafton Rd Time: 5.30-7.30pm Selwyn Pellett of the Productive Economy Council will discuss with Rick Boven from the New Zealand Institute exactly what…
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If the political world can be split into Left and Right, is there any issue which is better at dividing us than welfare? Here's a triplet of facts. 1) Every "developed" country needs a welfare system to take care of those who are, for whatever…
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Lost your job? Screw you. Health problems? Screw you. Fired for no reason? Screw you. Can't afford a house? Screw you. Figure you'll upskill while there's no jobs? Screw you. Making a few million a year and want tens of thousands of dollars more in…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Unions are getting together to oppose the government's changes to employment law with rallies in the four main centres. The pitch is about fairness and respect rather than buying into the far left's war on the government. Thank goodness, is all I can say, given that John Key…
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Phil Heatley says he fears for the future of state housing. I can't help but agree, but the problem is that it is Heatley and his government that are making the future of state housing so dire. They have cancelled investment in new state houses…
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According to the Herald (which, helpfully, doesn't provide any details) a new survey from the Business Council for Sustainable Development shows "strong support for extending the period between general elections." Referenda in 1967 and 1990 strongly rejected a four-year term, has public opinion mysteriously shifted?…
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I regard the invasion of Iraq as one of the most shameful events in America's history. The made up cover story about "weapons of mass destruction" was quickly shown to be a lie. It was always about the oil. And for too many of those…
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For the poll junkies - yes there's been another poll. It's headed "Labour make gains", but it's margin of error stuff, so don't get too excited. The TV One Colmar Brunton poll tonight showed Labour up 2 points to 35 per cent. National remained ahead…
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So the latest unemployment figures aren't 0.8% up and 19,000 more unemployed (and many more jobless), they're 0.3% down (from the worst peak since National were last in power). Besides, somehow John Key believes that our employment percentage is better than Oz. I'm sure those…
economy employment gst spin unemployment wages workers' rights
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...