Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
Any increase in the minimum wage is better than nothing, but National’s increases have not kept pace with the real cost increases (notably housing) faced by low income earners. That is why we are seeing the rise of the working poor, and increases in homelessness and poverty.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and leaving the agreement effectively dead in its tracks.
“These are the people’s assets” – Ioela ‘Niki’ Rauti.
State houses are being given to developers, and people are being evicted from their homes.
I want justice for the families of the worst workplace tragedy in decades. If New Zealanders choose to change the Government this year, Pike will be a priority in my first hundred days as Prime Minister.
…including some already in the construction phase.
Theresa May has finally set out some guidelines on the shape of Brexit. Out of the single market, rejecting the European court, full border control.
A rich old white idiot, who would only be amused at our anger, has vented about the homeless, in a piece that shouldn’t be rewarded with our clicks.
Climate change, Peak Oil, resource depletion. Some of our options are better than others.
Guardian: “The world’s eight richest billionaires control the same wealth between them as the poorest half of the globe’s population, according to a charity warning of an ever-increasing and dangerous concentration of wealth.”
In this glorious ‘go ahead’, ‘get ahead’ land of opportunity…
Oxfam’s report on wealth inequality in NZ has some staggering headline numbers.
The usual media suspects are digging pretty deep to try and find anything supportive to say about English’s UK visit. English himself sounds like he has been put in his place.
Bill English has co-opted the old term “social investment” to replace another old term “targeted welfare”. Simon Wilson (writing at The Spinoff) has bought into the spin and written a deeply confused piece about it.
The lighthouse is a piece of public art recently erected in downtown Auckland. It is to celebrate the institution of the State House and has been paid for by real estate barons.
It is time for Trump, English and Little to give us an idea on what their policies will do for employment and the rights of workers.
I/S at No Right turn writes on Revenue Minister Collins’ denial of obvious tax avoidance.
Already sky-high Auckland rents are set to rise further.
St Johns is one of the first organisations to use new Industrial powers brought in by the Government and is attempting to refuse to negotiate with First Union and is docking workers pay for wearing a campaign t-shirt.
In Australia the Turnbull Government is implementing a policy that will demand in 12 months at least 200,000 Australians repay benefits they were entitled to because of faulty data mapping.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a free trip to the landfill and a subscription to the end of the world as we know it.
What have we become?
This is a difficult concept for the left to address in election year in New Zealand but it’s possible to be positive about 2017.
The Herald has managed to overlook choosing Helen Kelly as its New Zealander of the year.
Alicia Sudden reflects on Christmas at The Briefing Papers: “Yet this brief annual window excludes the elephant in the room: that this poverty is a consequence of our welfare system failing to provide the support it was intended to.”
In the last days of the Obama presidency the current President is taking steps to protect the Arctic from oil drilling.
Auckland City Mission is calling for donations to meet Christmas demand. You can donate here.
Stuff this morning: “Lord of the Rings actor says NZ tourists shocked by polluted ‘sewer’ Middle-earth”
Current governance structures for our cities that rely on corporate management are proving to be ineffective and are not delivering the sort of result our democracy needs.
In March the Nats were still rejecting the idea of a crackdown on multinational companies’ tax avoidance. But there has been – in large part due to the work of Matt Nippert in The Herald – a partial back-down. Another Labour policy adopted!
A depressing feature in The Herald this morning explores the exploitation of migrant workers. The same pattern as the private sector’s treatment of foreign students. This paints a shameful picture of New Zealand. Greed has made us forget who we were.
The Pike River families have presented expert reports at Parliament today to establish the mine is safe to re-enter.
The 2016 Child Poverty Monitor Technical Report is out today. As usual it paints a bleak picture. What will Bill English’s government do about poverty – evasions, words, or actions? Update: Bill fails.
English is not making the same stupid pledge as Key, to let superannuation consume the future. Time for a cross party accord. Take it off the table as a political football and solve the damn problem.
Newshub has revealed the attempt to seal Pike River mine is now facing both legal, and physical, roadblocks.
Tax cuts – the Nats are continuing to rule them both in and out for the election. Incoherence or deliberate strategy? Either way – Key got away with this kind of bullshit for 8 long years – are we going to let it continue?
Bernard Hickey: “It is extraordinary for the Prime Minister to call the Treasury’s short and long term forecasts a “load of nonsense” and yet rely on the medium term ones to promise all manner of riches to voters on the eve of an election.”
