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"If an information technology project costing more than $10 million goes off the rails, the buck will now stop with Government chief information officer (GCIO) and Internal Affairs boss Colin MacDonald." One can't help but feel that Steven Joyce, Hekia Parata and Craig Foss (&…
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There's an issue for solar power about to hit: Standards NZ's new proposed standard requires the use of a particular, untested, inverter which is not expected to even exist until July 2014. The current 2005 standard on solar power production allows electricity lines companies to enforce…
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Back in 2008, a bright new thing called John Key said that, if he became Prime Minister, he would take the Tourism portfolio. He said "it's an industry that's particularly important in maintaining and boosting this country's employment levels and growth prospects" and "we can…
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The Law Society is not exactly a hotbed of leftie activism (more's the pity!). So the supporters of this appallingly arrogant government should sit up and take notice when they speak out as clearly as this: Law Society slams spy agency bill The Law Society…
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I expect to see Labour slam lying minister Simon Bridges in the House. His employment changes - a bad employers' charter - are built on lies like this. Knock 'em down.
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If one needs any more reason to worry about the government's GCSB bill, here is the latest news from the UK: police there seemed to spend more time investigating the murder of innocent school boy Stephen Lawrence's family to undermine their anti-racism campaign than they…
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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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An important legal case affecting thousands of low-paid women workers commenced on Monday morning in the Auckland Employment Court. The case, taken by the Service and Food Workers Union supported by the Nurses Organisation, focuses on long-term caregiver Kristine Bartlett and whether her pay rate…
employment equality health jobs poverty wages workers' rights
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So the Ministry of Health has relented to some caregivers and is paying them something... but not others. Margaret Spencer has given up her life to look after her adult son, but gets no compensation for it. If she gave her son over to strangers…
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Today's stuff Dilbert cartoon seems very apt:
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So it looks like Labour's Christchurch East candidate when Lianne Dalziel steps down will be either Clayton Cosgrove or James Caygill. The first question you ask is 'why wouldn't Clayton just stand in Waimakiriri again?'. He's won it four out of five attempts and Wilkinson…
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Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse was on Q+A yesterday, talking about immigrant labour exploitation (my opinion on that is its good the Nats are finally taking notice but creating a new law is always their answer when its usually enforcement of existing law that's the issue,…
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Despite the heroic efforts of National's spinsters (Hi Matthew!) the economic "recovery" remains anemic. Over the last few days we've had various reports. Let's start here: Economy grows just 0.3pc - half expected pace The New Zealand economy grew at half the pace analysts were…
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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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As the atmosphere warms it holds more moisture - and thus rainfall gets heavier. Here are some recent headlines, taking hurricane Sandy as a starting point. Sandy: Hurricane Sandy’s Waters Flood Blacked-Out New York City How Hurricane Sandy flooded New York back to its 17th…
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An interesting couple of interviews. Jamie-Lee Ross admits he took advice on strikebreaking from the Ports of Auckland Ltd and Darien Fenton makes it clear what National are up to, and (note to Labour's press team) shows why she should be fronting serious media more…
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My semi-regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week: mastery of…
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A Sunday feature - each week a random section scanned from a copy of The Standard, September 15th, 1938. Find out more here. Click on the image for a bigger version.
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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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As National Volunteer Week draws to a close, let us continue to celebrate the 1/3 of New Zealanders who regularly do volunteer work in our communities year-round. The theme for this year's week was "he tangata, he tangata, he tangata", and you can't get truer…
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I am reading a very interesting book on the role of Collective Bargaining in the Global Economy (Edited by Susan Hayter). It confirms for me the importance of getting political support to change the labour laws in New Zealand to support industry level/sector wide bargaining,…
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Many business people say that a country should be run like a business. Maybe they are right. It should be run like a SUCCESSFUL business. It is appropriate for Government to take lessons from business success, and the reverse. But when it comes down to…
accountability business capitalism class war community democracy democratic participation Economy equality infrastructure jobs monetary policy Politics Privatisation quality of life referendum socialism sustainability
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Last week's Poverty Watch previewed the debate that was featured by "The Vote" (which screened on Wednesday): "Our kids - The problem’s not poverty, it’s parenting". I wrote: I think it’s healthy to have the debate out in the open, rather than the right-wing view lurking behind sewer blogs…
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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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Ken Perrott at Open Parachute has been debunking some of the nonsense surrounding the debate on fluoridated water by investigating claims made against fluoridated water. His background is in scientific research, so he tends to actually read the papers cited by others. Unsurprisingly there are…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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For a small party Mana are not afraid to come up with big policy! Mana Party announces big housing plan The Mana Party wants to build 10,000 state houses a year. ... Its policy includes reinstating the Maori Affairs Housing Scheme which ended in 1989.…
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Over the last week, Brazil and Turkey have seen the spontaneous uprisings of masses of people against their governments' divisive and destabilising economic policies. At the forefront of the protests in Brazil is the complaint that too much has been spent on expensive stadiums for…
activism capitalism democratic participation Economy education Gerry Brownlee health housing john key local government peak oil poverty privatisation same old national slippery spin sustainability
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I hope everyone in Wellington, and other places affected by last night's the ongoing storms, gets through it all OK. The reports of violent wind, high seas, power outages, heavy snowfalls and general chaos, certainly made for lively reading. (I got my share 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...