Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
During the election campaign elements of the farming community protested the possibility of a water tax and of farming being in the ETS on the basis the sector could not afford it. In awkward news it has since come to light that the Chief Executive of Fonterra and senior executives are being paid huge salaries.
What she did wasn’t a mistake.
Labour didn’t deserve to win on Saturday because, firstly, because it failed to bring a fully-fleshed tax policy to voters, and, secondly, it never attempted to win the ideological battle over tax. To succeed at the next election, Labour must begin work today to frame this debate.
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 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.
National has created the perception that it is a better manager of Government than Labour and is suggesting that it is more compassionate. Neither claim is true.
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?
Federated Farmers continued their fear campaign today in a Herald editorial. Their anonymous demand is that “Farmers should know they are still appreciated”. It is hard to have respect looking at bills that urban dwellers and businesses pay tofix their environment, while Federated Farmers bullshit about the environmental impacts of farming and how they don’t like paying to fix them.
The Greens have a fully costed plan of their goals for New Zealand’s future. Anything but boring, this is bold vision, progressive values, and detailed planning as well as solid economics for the fiscal geeks.
Because we need to knock Liberalism on the head.
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?
Deliberately pitting Kiwis against Kiwis so he can retain power may be his worst action so far. Worse than engaging lawyers and accountants […]
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.
Despite assurances from industry and council, there are still unanswered questions about the environmental impact at the Ruakaka oil leak.
The farmers’ protest in Morrinsville today unfortunately shows that we have made no progress in the 15 years since Bill English attacked the wrong PM with his “mad cow” insult. Meanwhile the effects of climate change have got worse, our options for dealing with it have got fewer, and the Nats don’t want you to know about $19bn of NZ property at risk.
This isn’t what we meant by keep it in the ground.
It is difficult to understand National’s election campaign. Instead of campaigning on what they have achieved and what they plan to do they are using fear of Labour to try and win the election. And saying some palpably untrue things on the way.
Rod Oram at Newsroom: “More of the same won’t deliver for New Zealand. Hopefully, new leaders and policies will.”
“This continues National’s desperation to see a TPPA at any cost”
John Armstrong has come out in the Herald swinging wildly and claiming without evidence that Jacinda Ardern’s campaign has stalled, and criticized her policy positions but because he thinks they are only a bit better than National’s.
Bad title. Whatever.
Yesterday there were two responses to Michelle’s guest post, that in conjunction deserve better exposure than “soon to be forgotten” comments buried in a post thread.
First Union members working at Save Mart were given notice yesterday after complaints this week were made about health and safety conditions and interviews showing a culture of punishment and degradation.
A guest post by @invisiphilia on the recent Mahinarangi Forbes interview on the Hui on the abuse of children in foster care and why the Government is wrong in refusing to have a proper independent inquiry into what went wrong.
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.
The Greens have a plan to end poverty now.
If you want to know exactly how, then read on.
National again intends to sell off publicly owned assets for its own ideological reasons. This time it’s Landcorp farms, thus depriving the government of another avenue for leading the way on environmental protection for farmers and climate change action.
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.
Auckland event on Sunday – if you have ideas about how to #FIXWINZ you are invited to come along.
Ad reports on a recent meeting in Wanaka where David Parker addressed farmers face to face on Labour’s water policy.
The Herald’s “mood of the boardroom” makes encouraging reading for Labour, with support for change and strong themes of social conscience.
Cartoon “Hurricane Ardern” by Emmerson.
In The Herald: “Fear of a Labour/Green Government in the business community is well gone, says SkyCity chairman-elect Rob Campbell”, “Business doesn’t necessarily do better under National led Governments”.
The Greens have a comprehensive, detailed plan for NZ on what to do about climate change that works through transforming the economy, ending poverty, and protecting the environment.
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?
Bill English has finally committed the Government to doing something about Child poverty. But why has he and National taken so long?
A strong Green Party presence in government is the best way to prevent the TPPA, and is critical in protecting NZ’s environment and social and political sovereignty.
