What Can Be Saved?
The tide of this government is running out. There’s 18 months left in the term. What would you save?
Economy
benefits
Tame shows media how to interview Luxon
Jack Tame’s interview of Chris Luxon on Q&A suggests that the post leadership change honeymoon may now be over and that Luxon does not really understand how difficult a job being Prime Minister would be.
The difference between Labour and National
There has been the occasional criticism of Labour for not achieving enough progressive change by people who then propose supporting National. What are they thinking?
Labour has overseen massive inequality increase – Bernard Hickey
The Government’s Covid 19 response, mainly via Reserve Bank measures, has enabled a mind-boggling increase in inequality, according to influential financial commentator Bernard Hickey. Covid response has saved multiple lives, but its refusal to simultaneously address inequality via taxes raises uncomfortable questions about how a leftist government has overseen a once-in-a-generation shift in wealth
The 2022 Economic Boom
New Zealand is seeing a strong, business-led recovery. But what will we do with this success?
What if all New Zealanders had enough to live on?
Rather than economics, can we talk about the values that underlie how we manage the country?
Social insurance, a premium not afforded to all.
One of the details announced in the budget was funding to explore a ‘social unemployment insurance’ scheme. This scheme has been pushed by the Council of Trade Unions and Business NZ, which will work with the Government in a newly set-up Tripartite Working Party. When we dig into it though, we realise it is no safety net. It’s a parachute that slows our drop, giving us time, before we hit that real net – down so far below.
Sepuloni: Labour to increase Jobseeker benefit
Some good news from over the weekend. Labour is planning to significantly increase the level of Jobseeker benefit.
“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness”. (UBI Series)
I believe, as our first Labour Government did, that everyone has the right “to a life” regardless of their perceived ,”value”.
In our country, with its excess of resources and capability, we have no excuse for poverty.
For leaving people behind.
So! You want a “plan”?
Expecting a bit much aren’t you? We haven’t had that since Muldoon. At least he had them. The kind of people now asking for a plan were those who complained about governments that “interfered with the sacred ‘free market’” and screamed about “central planning”, “picking winners”, “protectionism” etc. They prefer just getting cheap labour to give the illusion of economic growth. And build a cycleway!
UBI experiment success
A newly published report in the United States on a two year UBI trial shows remarkable results. Is such a trial possible in New Zealand?
How can NZ incomes be lifted to match housing costs?
Not a vague let’s raise wages and benefits explanation, but an in-depth, number crunching, evidence-driven explanation. Where is it?
Sneak preview of a neoliberal UBI
Giving migrant workers access to insufficient welfare is a financial coercion tool of right wing and centrist economics.
Show us the plan Labour
Labour want to govern based in stability for all New Zealanders, but how does that work when your grand narrative has massive plot holes around ending poverty?
About the Greens…
Here’s the thing about the Greens. They want change. They want change more than they want power. I think that they fully understand that we are out of time on climate, poverty, the environment and now is the time to act boldly.
Snow storm shout out to the undeserving poor
Why does Labour still not have a plan for unwell and disabled people living in poverty?
What Have Labour Done For The Poor, Exactly?
There’s been plenty of criticism about Labour’s policies not being effective enough to alleviate poverty. Time for a bit of perspective.
Labour’s social welfare policy
Labour has announced that if elected they will significantly increase abatement levels for beneficiaries and reinstitute the Training Incentive Allowance Scheme, the policy that Paula Bennett famously had the benefit of but then cancelled once she was Minister.
Labour’s two tier welfare plans
As the covid crisis deepens Labour appear to be committed to entrenching the underclass and giving a helping hand to the middle class.
Will our cities revive?
Our cities are the nation’s lungs; they recycle and accelerate external goods and transform them internally into faster circulation. Auckland and Christchurch have had tens of billions invested in them over successive local and central governments, but has this improved our strength or wealth as a country at all?
“Reds under the Bed”.
Everyone has recently had an education on “Socialism” working in practice.
And a graphic illustration of the shortcomings, of under regulated “Free market” Capitalism, Globalism, tax cuts for the rich, and the mania for monetising everything in sight, and “running it like a business”.
Association of Conspiracy Theorists
Act is proposing to introduce measures that will limit the amount of money people on benefits can spend on alcohol and tobacco. But not guns.
Green Party rocks their new Guaranteed Minimum Income policy
The Greens’ audacious new social security policy, the Poverty Action Plan, places manaakitangi and compassion at the centre. It includes guaranteed income across the board for those in need, reorientating ACC to include illness and prioritise care, support for children and single and double parented families, and it pays for it all by taxing some of the assets and income of the wealthy.
Fixing Unemployment – Zoom meetup Saturday 10am
Is it time to completely rethink how we deal with unemployment? We face a tsunami of job losses not seen in generations. Two ideas — social insurance and a job guarantee — are gaining prominence as ways to change how we deal with the problem. One provides income protection for those who lose employment, the other aims for something bolder: the elimination of unemployment. All welcome; register here.
Is National Just Inconsistent or Incompetent?
National’s new job-creation scheme appears to be inconsistent with their desire to fully re-instate the 90-day trial period.
Direct small business loan scheme is now working
It was interesting reading this morning that the updated small business owner loan scheme is now working (unlike the previous guarantee through the banks version). National’s new Small Business shadow minister Todd Muller should be all over this between now and the election offering helpful suggestions. I’m going to be fascinated looking at those to see what type of small business he is trying to help…
Labour and the Greens on welfare
While Labour remain wedded to a neoliberal view of welfare as a necessary evil with deserving and undeserving poor, the Greens are standing up for the rights of all of us to live with dignity and have a meaningful standard of living.
Cat MacLennan: We Are Beneficiaries
Approximately 2.8 million of Aotearoa New Zealand’s 4.9 million residents are now beneficiaries. Covid-19 has shown us that #WeAreBeneficiaries. Those New Zealanders who only need state support for a short time in their lives are incredibly lucky. Let’s stop looking down on and punishing those who are less fortunate.
Two Tier. Bull. Shit.
I thought we were “in this together” or some such?
Running for cover
More 1% Americans are heading our way, according to Bloomberg. The Texas company building underground bunkers is getting more enquiries. They’re not running from the virus but fear the aftermath when the breadlines turn.
Are the Vultures Already Circling Above?
We cannot go back to business as usual after the lockdown but can we shape the way things will be for the greater good?
Holding the Government to Account or Concern Trolling?
When Opposition Spokespersons behave like concern trolls, we have a problem.
UBI Now, Please
Universal Basic Income is on the Government’s Covid-19 survival agenda. NZ needs it now, and NZ will need it tomorrow too.
$1000 per person (recurring) NOW!
There’s a world where, apparently, people shake hands with other people all day. I don’t know that world. I couldn’t tell you the last time I shook some-one’s hand. And I suspect those who inhabit a world of hand-shakers have as little insight to my world as I do theirs. But in “one world”…
Covid-19 Gov’t Support; Live updates from 2pm
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the coalition Government will announce a multi-billion dollar economic package at 2pm today. Livestream details are in the post and live updates will be made as the announcement rolls out.
What the Government has done for beneficiaries
In Parliament this week Carmel Sepuloni outlined action being taken by the Government to implement the recommendations of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group designed to improve the plight of beneficiaries.