Bill’s Magic Numbers
Bill (and John and the entire National caucus) have been telling us that we are required to borrow $380 million each and every week. Apparently we aren’t.
Ben Clark
Labour Candidate for North Shore 2011
English: dodgy asset sales figures
Question Time: David Cunliffe wipes the floor with Bill English in the House today, as he shows up his missing costs of asset sales.
John Key: Evidence please!
John Key prefers his gut to real evidence, and it means that the policies he is implementing aren’t the ones that are best for our country.
Also: Steven Joyce & the Rail Loop.
R&D: Our future
National are bleating about Labour’s Research & Development tax credit – largely because as they have no economic plan of their own, so they can only talk about other parties’. But Labour’s R&D tax credit is in fact part of what’s desperately needed to get our economy moving in the right direction.
National vs Auckland
National are not acting in accordance with Auckland’s wishes. Aucklanders want public transport, and its Council wants a quality compact sustainable eco-city – National seem to be aiming to frustrate that. Aucklanders should submit their views to strengthen our voice against the government.
Some facts on Wages, Inflation and GDP
John Key at a press conference yesterday made some claims about wages, inflation and Treasury predictions that really need looking at a bit more closely.
Maggie Barry
National have tonight chosen Mt Albert resident Maggie Barry as their North Shore candidate.
Cunliffe addresses Key lies
Key’s pre-budget speech was hugely uninspiring and mis-leading.
Cunliffe rips his claims apart.
Auckland: Submit!
Apologies to non-Aucklanders, but this is an appeal for those in the Queen City to make sure they have their say on the future shape of our biggest city.
Len wants your input, fellow Aucklanders!
Caption competition
McCully joins Flying Squad
With his RNZAF jaunts to photo-ops, John Key has set an example his ministers seem keen to follow. Having seen Key use Air […]
NZMA position on health inequity
NZ’s doctor’s organisation is prescribing a healthier society: putting kids first, reduced income inequality (higher minimum income), investment in skills and education, and equity, not equality in our social services – helping most those with the greatest need. Take note Don, John.
National cuts safety nets
National continue to target the vulnerable with their cuts. Their latest moves in cutting the budgets of Womens’ Refuges and a national Self-Defence course for girls are merely the latest example.
Paula Bennett – Out Of Touch
“Make The Politician Work” is a new “reality” series from TVNZ, with its first episode on Easter Sunday. I don’t particularly like the […]
Candidate Conference
This weekend just gone there was a conference in Wellington for Labour candidates to get us all up to speed with the campaign. We’re ready to go out there and make it happen.
Better off with National?
National is making most New Zealand households worse off – 5.3% worse off after 2 years, and it’ll be even worse once the 3rd year’s data is out. As the wage gap with Australia grows, this government is failing its “fundamental purpose”.
Footnote: legal aid.
Evidence-based policy
From the Dunedin Study, to The Spirit Level, to the IPCC – there is a lot of evidence out there that our government should be basing their policy on. Let’s champion that aim.
IMF: Neo-liberalism dead
This post is largely by the head of the IMF. “[T]he pendulum will swing … from the market to the state,” Mr Strauss-Kahn says, “The benefits of growth must be broadly shared, not just captured by a privileged few … the invisible hand must not become the invisible fist.”
Economy
The economy, shall we say politely, is facing some difficulties. With a National government there was no plan as to how to weather the economic storm, we just got tax cuts for the rich and an economy that just can’t get growing.
Sick April Fool’s Joke
Today National has a terrible April Fools for workers around Aotearoa: 90 day fire-at-will, reduced union access, sick notes after 1 day and minimum wage up a pittance. Workers are doing it tough already, and now National’s turning the screw.
Future Auckland Transport
This post was going to be about Auckland Unleashed which is being released today, but has been somewhat, er, derailed, by the bridge vs tunnel report that’s come out.
Children First
I was going to have my first post on the economy, but that will have to wait until the weekend as I’m all inspired after hearing Judy Bailey give a Brainwave Trust presentation this week. The incredible importance of providing the best possible start to our children in those very early years was good to have reinforced…