Anzac Day
Am I the only one who is upset, over mealy mouthed politicians making flowery speeches saying “We will remember them”
when they manifestly don’t.
Economy
Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
The case for higher wages
In the warm afterglow of the huge wage increase for health care workers the case for addressing NZ’s creaking low-wage economy is getting some recognition (along with the effect of immigration on wages).
Thank you Charlie.
I took myself along to Dunedin’s March for Science last Saturday. There was a high point.
A tin shed and a cup of cold Milo
Funny how the Nats can always find millions for vanity projects – and sweet FA for the homeless.
Left Rising.
In something over 24 hours time from now, the results from the first round of the French Presidential elections will be in.
David Cunliffe’s final speech
The text of David Cunliffe’s final speech delivered to the New Lynn Labour Party earlier this week where he decries neoliberalism and worries about the world’s environmental future.
Restaurant Brand Workers strike
Restaurant Brands, the company that made $26 million last year and paid its chief executive a bonus of $1 million but cannot afford to pay its workers any more than the minimum wage, is facing industrial action tomorrow.
RNZ: The 9th floor – Bolger
“He says neo-liberalism has failed and suggests unions should have a stronger voice. He says Treaty of Waitangi settlements may not be full and final and that Māori language tuition should be compulsory in primary schools.”
National’s short lived status as a supporter of pay equity
The day after Kristine Bartlett’s and the SFWU’s well deserved pay equity victory the Government has released for consultation draft legislation the effect of which would be to stop similar victories occurring in the future.
Green power
Lots to like in The Greens’ new power policy.
Missing voices
Former Trump supporter speaks Her Truth
Mental health needs vs. cuts
The People’s Mental Health Review report puts the deterioration of our mental health system firmly in the spotlight. Despite a 60 per cent increase in demand since 2007/08 National has been slashing funding. Lives are at risk.
Why National had to settle the Pay Equity case
National is trying to give the impression that it settled the pay equity case out of the goodness of its heart. The reality is that the Unions forced it to settle through gritted teeth.
National’s economic report card fail
Though artificially boosted by high immigration and disaster rebuilds, the NZ economy is in the doldrums, and National are a failure even by their own goals and targets. I predict that National will soon abolish all targets, and that this will be “a sign of our success”.
Thank you health care workers
This is a huge victory for health care workers, and for women. It is also a huge victory for “resurgent unions”. Will it alarm the private sector? I certainly hope so!
(Kristine Bartlett, photo Herald Mark Mitchell)
Kia kaha Sonny Bill Williams
Tony Veitch and Mike Hosking are in a lather because Sonny Bill Williams refuses to be a corporate billboard.
Canada
Every once in a while, an administration that doesn’t check it’s collective brain out at the door assumes office. That may be the case with Canada’s current government.
Monbiot on the embedded economy
A model for a sustainable economy. Something to ponder on a wet holiday weekend.
Won’t the Government think about the kiwis?
The Government has granted Alpine Pure the right to construct a pipeline through a breeding area for a critically endangered Kiwi so that it can extract water from a Unesco World Heritage site for free.
The United Airlines fiasco
United Airlines in America has in the past few days provided a text book example of how a large corporation should not behave.
Motels are full of homeless so now what?
Ordinary people are priced out of home ownership and increasingly out of renting, the state-housing safety net has been deliberately run down, and now the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff is full. National leaps into action – by asking the Salvation Army for ideas…
Property porn vs. reality
Sick of the property porn on the Stuff and Herald websites? It was refreshing to read the truth for a change.
Syria sarin capitalism and war
The dirty truth behind many of the wars that our political / media world gets itself so excited about is that they wouldn’t be happening without the arms that we (the “western” world) sell so copiously.
Independent media a losing battle
Unfolding in Australia, but obviously relevant here, bad news for Farifax media staff and their editorial independence.
What is neoliberalism?
George Monbiot explains in 2 minutes.
Banks and the Housing Crisis
Because of our our central government’s refusal to build social housing and both NZTA and AT rigorously avoiding urban development integration, the default control of housing supply lies with Australian regulation of New Zealand’s retail banks and their lending.
Typhoid in Auckland
The typhoid outbreak in Auckland is very bad news. Now would also be a good time to reflect on NZ’s generally poor record on child poverty and disease.
Conflict of interest what conflict of interest?
The lobbying body for fishing industry and Nathan Guy who is the responsible minister think there is no conflict of interest in the lobbying body inheriting huge powers previously held by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Welfare is making Kiwis lazy and unemployable
This old chestnut is getting another outing on Stuff today.
Greenpeace got themselves a bigger boat…
“Yours is an honourable mission with the power to bring alive the conscience of the world”
The neoliberal revolution
Thirty years old today – the longest April Fool’s joke in history?
Trumping Idiocy
If you are absolutely determined to be one of the idiot legion who’re forever squirreling their heads deeper into sand, then don’t read this post.
Another reason for water pricing
The Government will be embarassed by another example of a corporation planning to extract ten billion litres of fresh water a year essentially at no cost which has arisen.
Down the Gurgler.
Getting sick, tired and angry of this malarkey.
Spinoff series – rent week
While much of the coverage of the housing crisis focuses on buyers, the situation facing renters is just as bad. Last week The Spinoff ran an excellent series on renting in NZ: “It’s getting desperate out there”.
More thoughts on the Labour-Greens Budget Responsibility Rules
The Labour-Green Budget Responsibility Rules announcement this week ought to dispel the notion that Labour and the Greens cannot work together.