This was the week from hell for National when they experienced the Serco fiasco, news that they responded to a suggestion they close a failing Charter School by giving it more money, the Judicial spanking of their undermining of the Problem Gambling Foundation and the ruling that their legislation removing the rights of some prisoners to vote was a breach of the country’s human rights.
Andrew Little has outlined five bottom lines that have to be met before Labour will support the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement. These include protecting Pharmac, no investor state dispute resolution procedure, New Zealand retains the right to restrict land sales to overseas entities, the Treaty of Waitangi is upheld and there are meaningful gains for farmers in tariff reductions and market access.
Home ownership rates have been crashing since the 1990’s. Auckland house prices have been classed as “seriously unaffordable” since 2006 or earlier. The answer is to make sure that houses are no longer considered a financial asset for capital gains.
Trillion dollar bank bail outs, interest rate apartheid and GREXIT. The ingredients for GFC 2 and another round of shock capitalism are quietly simmering. Graphic is of what US$1B looks like in printed notes.
Europe must agree to slashing Greece’s debt so that economic growth can begin again. Germany should understand this better than most.
The Greek Finance minister has unexpectedly quit. He had already said he would resign if the referendum was lost; nobody expected that he would go after such a stunning win. But it was the strategically correct thing to do. Why can’t some of the veterans in the NZ Labour Party take the hint?
Update: the No vote is predicted to win a resounding victory with 61% support of the total valid vote.
In the hope of some informed comment…
Secret documents seen by The Guardian describe just how bad things will be for Greece if they accept the demands of the IMF / “troika”.
The Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill allows designated Ministers to sell off state houses. Currently Housing New Zealand has no such power. Interestingly however this Government could introduce a Bill with criteria to enable sales to be signed off by the CE of Housing New Zealand but instead they are seeking that power for themselves. But within it there is a fishhook for iwi. UPDATE: comment from Turei and response from Bennett
As the last Global Financial Crisis taught us, we’re in for another round of protecting the banks and letting the people suffer.
The invisible hand of the market is busy punching itself in the face today. Some observations on Greece and the Euro crisis, from the factual to the fun, courtesy of Twitter this morning.
Remember how National’s youth rates were going to raise levels of youth employment? Turns out not so much.
Last week Treasury came out with a detailed and interesting report, Inequality in New Zealand 1983/84 to 2013/14. It is no surprise to find that the last Labour government acted to reduce inequality, the current National government has acted to increase it.
That’s not my headline. That’s Stuff’s business section’s headline.
A respectful open letter to Andrew Little with suggestions for how to win the next election!
Income in a world of climate change.
The Labour Party has had a sneak peek at the process our government is using to pick “providers” for its mercenary social impact bonds scheme, and it’s like something off television.
Ho ho – what am I saying? It’s always a great time to be a bank.
Trickle down economics is pronounced dead by the IMF. Housing, the working poor and the economy – the policy settings are wrong everywhere.
No beating about the bush.
The Nats want to turn over social problems to the private sector for profit. This account from the UK should give them pause.
Auckland has an urgent deficit of 20,000 to 30,000 houses. Meanwhile 22,000 houses are sitting empty. Behold the efficiency of the market!
Supporters of Tony Blair’s third way and the need for Labour to be aspirational should reflect on recent reports of his huge wealth earned with taxpayer support while he has been engaged on official business.
Boycotts are a two-edged sword. The call to boycott TV3 is not a simple matter.
White Man Behind A Desk on the death of government, social bonds, and more. Perfect for a Friday!
“[The TPP] appears to be designed to cripple New Zealand’s strong public healthcare programme and to inhibit the adoption of similar programmes in developing countries.”
IN a breaking news update, the New Zealand Prime Minister has a revelation on Health and Safety
New Greens co-leader James Shaw on: climate change, ruling out coalition with National, creeping crony capitalism, and more…
One News has reported that the Government is on the verge of introducing Social Bonds whereby investors in social services will be rewarded if targets are met.
It has emerged that the New Zealand Government has paid money to a Saudi businessman allegedly to settle a legal dispute that does not exist but more probably to persuade the Saudi Government to enter into a free trade agreement. Update – and maybe there was a threat of legal action but because of the actions of National, not Labour.
So what is important to the people of Epsom? Paul Goldsmith in his Newsletter recently told us what is important to him and suggested what might be important to us.
Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.
As widely reported today, the TPPA has taken a probably fatal hit in the US Senate. Good riddance.
For the sake of reference – Nye Bevan was a Labour mp and the architect of the British NHS. Michael Sheen’s speech was a defense of that institution, but the underpinning message is, well…
