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Key hates interest-free student loans, the only thing that has kept thousands more from leaving the country for higher wages, but says "it’s not politically sustainable to put interest back on student loans". Why? "That is about the only thing that will get [young people]…
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. Derek Cheng at the Herald reports: Justice Minister Judith Collins has appointed former Cabinet colleague Wayne Mapp to the Law Commission, ignoring recommendations and without…
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The Nats abandoned their wastewatch.co.nz site a few years back after being unable to identify significant waste. They should have just waited a few years. Now, the examples are neverending. Today's case: Steven Joyce's plan to publish the average incomes of graduates of different courses.…
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As the intransigence of the Port of Auckland management and board continues, action from the Left continues on a number of fronts. There's to be an emergency Council meeting on Thursday (11.15, public meeting) after it was felt that Richard Northey's resolution against the contracting…
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Looks like the bullies at the Ports of Auckland have been colluding with Cameron Slater to unlawfully release the details of union members who speak out in the media including Cecil Walker, who spoke out on Radio New Zealand. From RNZ: Mr Walker needed time…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The trailers for John Key's Thursday speech are calling it for a " new super-Ministry" under the command of Steven Joyce. It appears to be a merger for the Ministry of Economic Development, a submergence for the Department of Labour, and the same old same…
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As widely reported today, Key made several comments on student loans this morning. The news that they will remain interest free will be very welcome of course. Key is refreshingly honest about the naked political opportunism in this - he'd like to bring back the…
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Reprinted from No Right Turn. Judith Collins' brazen cronyism Last month, Justice Minister Judith Collins appointed former National MP Wayne Mapp to the Law Commission. It looked like a crony appointment, so I submitted the usual OIA request, seeking information on whether the appointment process…
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There's been much wailing and gnashing of teeth over Pengxin Shanghai's attempt to buy the Crafar farms. Justified too. I want to take a step back (fuck, I'm starting to talk like Key) and look at the strategy that China is executing and the imperatives…
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Key to Mike Hosking: "New Zealand either needs to borrow more or earn more, and I'm in the camp that we need to earn more" sourced from stats infoshare and the PREFU if you want to see the long-run. Just makes Key's look even worse.
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It's easy to attack the extra remuneration that diplomats get while on posting as 'perks' that can be cut. But they serve an important purpose. Diplomats and their families have to up-root their whole lives to go on posting. For diplomats' partners, that usually means…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Just a reminder that Auckland's first organisational review meeting is tonight. Please encourage as many Labour members as possible to come along and contribute to the discussion. TONIGHT: 6.30- 8.30pm Ngatapuwae Community Centre, Buckland Road, Mangere. David Shearer and I will be there and would…
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. -- A guest post from the CEO of For the Sake of Our Cakes Trust I picked up the newspaper today, only to immediately regret…
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It's been encouraging seeing a bit more of David Shearer recently. His leadership is slowly taking shape. His proposed bill on foreign ownership, putting in place a stricter test on benefits to NZ, will be very popular - "Shearer's law would close door on most…
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I have been looking for an online copy of a article that was in one of the sunday papers (see below), which curiously doesn't appear to have made it online. However the important points as far as I am concerned are: It wasn't a report…
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After months on the side-line, David Shearer and Len Brown have been forced to choose a side in the Ports of Auckland dispute by the irrational and unreasonable behaviour of the Ports management (not to mention a fair amount of public pressure). Shearer has come…
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David Shearer's private member's Bill on foreign investment is pure common sense: unless foreign ownership actually adds something substantial to the economy that cannot be supplied by local owners then all foreign investment brings is higher land prices, locking out Kiwis from ownership. Overseas buyers…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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What is it about New Zealand media? Seems if you're an old, privileged white man, you get a podium to say whatever nonsense you want - Henry, Laws, Armstrong, George, Du Fresne. And Deaker. The old twerp's latest is to attack Sonny Bill Williams saying…
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The support for the workers at POAL is growing by the day. Thousands of people turned out to march yesterday and the mainstream media has woken up to just how vicious the port's tactics are. But it's not just the public support that is with…
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"What the public of New Zealand really do not like is politicians who say one thing before an election and do something else after it. And I invite every member of this House to look at every statement United Future made prior to the election…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The labour dispute is turning into a fiasco for Ports of Auckland. Today thousands of people marched through Auckland in protest: Thousands rally for sacked Ports workers ... ONE News reporter Stephen Smith said around 5000 protesters, including firefighters, meat workers, rest home nurses, even…
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I’m no fan of the people who threw the Lamington at Len Brown. They are the same crew who waltz into every social movement in Auckland, suck the life out of it and move on. (And, those of you who read my Dear Len letter…
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Treasury warns of deficit blowout Treasury says the government's corporate tax take may miss forecasts for the rest of the financial year, leaving the Crown vulnerable to a bigger-than-expected annual deficit. The government's tax revenue was 2.9 percent short of forecast at $31.36 billion in…
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David Cunliffe turned his sights on Peter Dunne in the first reading of the Mixed Ownership Bill (which Winston Peters said should be called the 'National Party makes Quisling look like a Patriot Bill'), pointing out that Dunne has the single vote that determines whether…
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Josie Pagani has this to say about casualisation and the POAL dispute: On Sean Plunket's ZB show today. Talking about the ports. 'Casualisation' scares us because it sounds like short hand for bad hours, low pay and no annual leave. It sounds like life in the…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...