Deary me.
It would seem Labour’s got nuffin when it comes to the TPP.
Economy
class war
Welfare reform 15 point plan
With the ongoing revelations, stories and court cases showing the terrible state of welfare services in NZ, Lawyer and journalist Catriona MacLennan has written a list of what needs to change.
Loans to feed kids are income and disqualify benefit, says MSD
Lawyer and journalist Catriona MacLennan explains the details of a case before the High Court this week. Anyone who wants to understand how the Ministry of Social Development and WINZ are utterly failing as a government department needs to read this.
A letter to my middle-class, well meaning, professional, liberal friends and family
A post about the responsibility to advocate for change in a visible way.
Helen Kelly – one year
Helen Kelly died a year ago today. She is missed.
Happy Oompa Loompas?
Dunedin hosts a celebratory graduation ceremony for discarded labour.
There is hope
Anarchism and democracy.
WINZ: where hope and dignity go to die
“It is not okay that nearly everyone I have advocated for at WINZ, has broken down in tears during appointments and have often been close to a panic attack. Most people I advocate for at WINZ unanimously tell me it is a humiliating and utterly defeating experience.” – political writer and community activist Chloe King.
Why are we angry about tax and apathetic about low pay?
National’s one and only strategy this election was lying about Labour, specifically Labour’s budget and their tax policy. The $11.7bn hole lie just made the Nats look stupid, but the evidence suggests that the tax lie did real damage. Why are we so angry about tax and so apathetic about the much more important issue of low pay?
Metiria Turei’s legacy
What she did wasn’t a mistake.
A report from South Auckland – it is time to change the government
Reason #4637 why we need to change the government – Midwife reprimanded after speaking out about abuse and neglect in South Auckland
Today is the last day to enroll – and you should
Today is the last day you can enroll to vote in the election. Historically far too many people in the 18-24 age group have not enrolled. The same again would suit the Nats very well indeed.
Update: Newsroom: “A record turnout of early voters suggests a youthquake in action – and the polls might be wrong.”
Update: If you are trying to enrol and the queues are long, here are the other ways you can do it, including online!
Update: you can enrol up until midnight Friday online, and then vote at a polling station on Saturday. Details here.
Nats “discovered poverty last week” – and will forget it just as quickly
Ardern’s jab that English “discovered poverty last week” was the line of the debate. After the election National will forget it again just as quickly, if the record of the last nine years is anything to go by. Do you want to vote for that?
Why I voted two ticks Green
Because we need to knock Liberalism on the head.
Malnutrition – in NZ FFS
Stunningly depressing piece by Kirsty Johnston in The Herald yesterday – Number of New Zealand children hospitalised with malnutrition doubles as food costs bite.
Proud of your legacy, National?
The failure of TOP’s Youth UBI policy
Safety nets should be for all people and the best way to ensure that is to design them for social need not as economic tools. Despite Gareth Morgan’s assertion that policy is everything, The Opportunities Party has managed to create a youth policy that is discriminatory.
Rally Against Poverty – join Metiria Turei and Marama Davidson
Saturday 16 Sept 2.30pm, Otara Town Centre, South Auckland. Let’s all come together to rally for our communities that have been at the forefront on the fight to end poverty.
Lets talk about tax policy
Tax is emerging as the big issue of this campaign. How valid are National’s claims that Labour will introduce a variety of new taxes and what has National’s record been like? Update: in a smart tactical move Labour has promised no new taxes will be introduced until after the next election.
Create WINZ as it should be
Auckland event on Sunday – if you have ideas about how to #FIXWINZ you are invited to come along.
Underpaying beneficiaries
Beneficiaries are not getting the support that they are entitled to. NZ is beset by rising poverty, its associated diseases, homelessness, and suicide. I wonder if these facts could possibly be related?
National – campaign vs reality
The brighter future cusp of something special moving forward advertising campaign fluff meets the reality of National’s NZ in this brilliant image.
Revising Nats’ nasty joggers ad
National’s nasty joggers campaign ad captures the essence of the party nicely, ignoring and making fun of those in need of help, running away from problems. But in light of the recent poll-quake it is in serious need of revision…
Shameful poverty – why we must elect a Labour led government
Two excellent but very disturbing pieces in The Herald yesterday. This crisis in poverty, housing and health is a national disgrace. It is why we desperately need to elect a Labour led government in September.
WINZ and Super Scandals
Here’s the scandal.
A “Culture of Entitlement”?
With the current dialog about welfare, It is time to look at the people who are the real beneficiaries, of the welfare system.
Who use the educated and healthy workforce our system provides
The people who say “everyone should stand on their own two feet”, “you don’t work you don’t eat”, and “take personal responsibility”,
The business sector.
National – Delivering no pay rises for NZ
Expect plenty of Nat boasting on “the economy” in the election campaign. They’ll be desperate to hide the inconvenient fact that ordinary workers are going backwards.
Brutal
Punitive welfare settles into a new low.
National promises to get tough on youth crime
National has announced its policy to deal with youth crime by reannouncing a military service scheme that already exists, proposing a special category for young offenders that will have some young people seek that status and by proposing to fine parents who can’t keep their kids home at night.
Green MP Marama Davidson on keeping the faith
“We will not forget the thousands of you who came to us with your stories of hardship”
Two good polls for Labour – and a call to arms for the Greens
Two polls out tonight show a big surge for Labour and Jacinda Ardern. But we need a strong Green vote too. To those whom Metiria inspired – please don’t give up on voting. The Greens need you now more than ever!
Breaking: calls for Paddy Gower’s resignation as MSM slips in its own bullshit
Last night all the excitement finally caught up with them, leading to calls for Paddy Gower to resign and for MSM organisations to delete their social media accounts.
Metiria for PM
Yes. Quite seriously.
The Listener on our health system crisis
A major piece by Jessica McAllen in The Listener out today. Cash-strapped hospitals are using unsafe hardware-store versions of proper surgical-grade equipment, and reusing “single use” devices.
Messages for the Left
Kōrero Pono writes about the class divide within the parliamentary Left and the importance of the wider Left’s message in this election.
I too, am not resigning
“there’s one standard for women who were fighting their way out of poverty and another for rich people who know they won’t really get called to account for their own personal histories so long as everyone involved keeps quiet.”
Pencilsword: Greed vs Need
Toby Morris explores the differences in how tax fraud and benefit fraud are dealt with, and asks where our sympathies should be.