Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, March 3rd, 2013 - 154 comments
Why must we turn welfare, an important safety net and part of the social fabric / contract of our country, into a stupid pissing match about a minister’s “reputation”?
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, March 3rd, 2013 - 35 comments
As the result of their political deadlock, automatic sequestration (budget cuts) have been triggered in America. This won’t end well for the economy – or the Republicans.
Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, March 2nd, 2013 - 47 comments
I’ve got to stay that I stand in awe of this latest tax policy suggestion from the IRD. Simple, fair, easy to implement, it will be wildly popular. I think the Nats should adopt it at once.
Written By: - Date published: 11:18 am, March 2nd, 2013 - 13 comments
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, more from the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, and the British government’s maneuverings on the definition of poverty…
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, March 2nd, 2013 - 80 comments
A British report on the implications of their ageing population structure highlights, yet again, the lack of any planning on this issue from the Key government…
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, February 27th, 2013 - 90 comments
The minimum wage should be at least $15 per hour. A living wage is estimated at $18.40 per hour. So what have the Nats done? Raised the minimum wage by $0.25 per hour to $13.75. It’s a derisory increase. Even their own supporters think so.
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, February 27th, 2013 - 219 comments
The Nats lied over the hobbit movie. What are we as citizens to do when a government deliberately and shamelessly lies to us? How can we stop this kind of barefaced lying from happening again?
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, February 26th, 2013 - 20 comments
I’m starting to feel sorry for Hekia Parata. In his column yesterday Armstrong referred to her as “something of a pariah figure” in the education portfolio.
Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, February 26th, 2013 - 8 comments
The reaction to the Auditor General’s report on Key’s Sky City deal is lingering in the headlines much longer than Key would like. “Corrupted process”. “Stench”. “No way to run a country”. Key badly misjudged this one.
Written By: - Date published: 12:24 pm, February 24th, 2013 - 15 comments
Looks like we’re in for another round of nonsense in mathematics education from a bunch of politicians who know more about their own prejudices than they do about teaching and learning.
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 pm, February 23rd, 2013 - 71 comments
According to ex-leader Rodney Hyde’s address to the ACT conference ACT hates the poor, hates Maori, and hates the unions. As far as I can tell this is not a joke. But clearly ACT is.
Written By: - Date published: 3:51 pm, February 23rd, 2013 - 186 comments
The list of National’s failures is long – and getting longer. So what have the Nats got right in their 4 years in office? What have they accomplished? Genuine questions, Nat supporters, I’m interested to know what you think Key and co. have achieved.
Written By: - Date published: 8:17 am, February 23rd, 2013 - 11 comments
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, more from the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, and poverty in Christchurch…
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, February 22nd, 2013 - 22 comments
Today is the second anniversary of the most destructive of the Christchurch earthquakes. Condolences to the friends and families of the dead. Greetings to all who lived through it and remember. Commiserations to those who have been forgotten by this government…
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, February 21st, 2013 - 22 comments
As John Armstrong puts it the AG’s report on the Sky City bid was “deeply disturbing” and “verging on banana republic kind of stuff without the bananas”. One of the competing bidders is talking about a refund of costs “wasted on a bid that was never seriously considered”. And why wouldn’t they?
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 am, February 20th, 2013 - 23 comments
Hekia Parata is in deep trouble. She has even resorted to grudgingly forcing the word “sorry” from her lips. But it isn’t even close to the apology that is needed…
Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, February 20th, 2013 - 32 comments
There is no sensible “political narrative” that makes sense of the two most recent polls, it’s just noise – the margin of error. But the underlying trend is still good for the Left…
Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, February 19th, 2013 - 39 comments
Looks like Parata has been shafted by Key – her written promises to Christchurch schools will not be honoured. Instead it seems that Christchurch kids are being used as pawns in National’s electoral maneuverings.
Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, February 18th, 2013 - 73 comments
As widely reported, Chirstchurch schools find out their fate today. The damaged Hekia Parata was the wrong person to front this process…
Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, February 17th, 2013 - 49 comments
I wasn’t initially impressed with Ed Miliband, but I am impressed with his success, and with his latest policies he’s re-establishing British Labour’s credentials on the left. What are the lessons for us in NZ?
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, February 16th, 2013 - 23 comments
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, more from the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, the government gets a ‘D’ on child poverty from the Salvation Army, instead of acting the Nats are keen to bury such evidence…
Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, February 15th, 2013 - 22 comments
Irony meters everywhere pegged their meters as Bill English accused some bosses of being “greedy”, and not paying their staff enough. Hey Double Dipton – those greedy bosses? – they’re just following your example…
Written By: - Date published: 9:45 am, February 14th, 2013 - 38 comments
The first State of the Union of Obama’s second term was widely anticipated. As many hoped, Obama made a strong statement on climate change. Good start – now let’s see words become actions – please…
Written By: - Date published: 7:53 am, February 14th, 2013 - 137 comments
Yesterday’s Roy Morgan poll looks good for Labour, but individual polls are noisy. Much more importantly, better measures such as the Pundit poll of polls are also looking good for the political Left. Let’s see Labour and the Greens extend their lead to establish a clear majority, without NZF or any other party holding the balance of power…
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, February 13th, 2013 - 35 comments
White collar crime – fraud and tax evasion – is in the news again with a new report on the impact. The costs are estimated as several Billion per year. Meanwhile the Nats put all their energy into demonising and chasing $22 Million in welfare fraud.
Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, February 12th, 2013 - 65 comments
Bomber Bradbury today steals The Pope’s limelight by announcing that he is stepping down from Tumeke. But fear not Lefties – it’s for a good cause…
Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, February 11th, 2013 - 18 comments
As one writer sums it up – “no austerity has helped any economy”. So why do we carry on with this failed ideology? Perhaps because, while it does nothing for the vast majority of people, it helps make the super-rich even richer…
Written By: - Date published: 12:16 pm, February 10th, 2013 - 17 comments
In the last 12 hours I’ve had robo-spam email from 4 different friends, all with xtra email accounts. Is anyone else seeing this?
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, February 10th, 2013 - 55 comments
In 2009 Key personally declared “War on P”. Predictably, it’s now clear that he lost. In this, as it seems in all matters, John Key is all promise, no deliver.
Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, February 9th, 2013 - 68 comments
Once again Big Film threatens NZ to do as it’s told, or they will take their toys and go home. Specifically, they don’t want negotiation documents released under OIA. Makes one wonder just what is in these documents. What are they afraid of do you think?
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, February 9th, 2013 - 3 comments
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, further in to the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report.
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