Don’t mourn, organise
What all good progressives should be doing in these POTUS Trump days.
Economy
Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
Grant Robertson: Future of Work
At the Labour Conference over the weekend, Grant Robertson announced the results of the Future of Work Commission. Ideas for policy to cope with a new age of work.
Rheumatic fever – treat the cause
Millions of dollars are being poured into reducing rheumatic fever in NZ. However rates of the disease in Auckland are at least double the target level – and rising.
Good coverage for Labour’s conference
Good coverage for Labour’s conference, Little’s speech, and the “substantial investigation into the Future of Work”.
Trump final campaign ad
Donald Trump’s last campaign ad lifts the mood of a relentlessly negative campaign between two massively disliked candidates.
John Key’s Paradise
This really happened. Contains crimes against music, dance, fashion, and irony. Also some recent headlines from “John Key’s Paradise”…
The Future of Work Commission report
The Future of Work Commission report has now been released. It contains 63 recommendations including the tentative implementation of a universal basic income and a that voluntary work for approved organisations allow beneficiaries to continue to receive a benefit.
Grant Robertson Speech: Future of Work Commission results
Text of a speech from Grant Robertson to the 2016 Labour Party Conference concerning the results from the Future of Work Commission.
Andrew Little: Winning together
In advance of the Labour Party conference this weekend Andrew Little’s message is that the polls are neck and neck, that Labour is winning on many issues and that if we work together the left can win the next election.
Standing Rock update
The Standing Rock water protection movement continues in the face of increasing state violence.
Unemployment apples and oranges
A fall in the jobless rate is superficially good news, but most of the “fall” since May is due to changes in the way the measure is calculated. Wages remain flat, though less so for union members.
Kiwibank is being privatised by stealth
Kiwibank is selling 47% of its shareholding to the New Zealand Super Fund and to the Accident Compensation Corporation. The Government gets a cheque for $200 million which will improve the appearance of its books. Financial sleight of hand?
Nats backsliding on tax haven law changes
The Nats are backsliding on implementing the law changes brought on by the Panama Papers revelations. If European regulators blacklist us the consequences will be catastrophic.
Through the Looking Glass.
The culture being addressed will be familiar enough to many here in NZ who deal with Work and Income. Government strategies to address that culture? Well, that’s another story. This isn’t just happening half a world away. It might as well be happening in another universe – back on the sane side of some looking glass NZ has fallen through.
Labour’s Auckland light rail announcement
National is criticising Labour for releasing policy during an election campaign.
Workers’ rights – the Uber ruling
Recent decision in the UK is a victory for workers and their rights.
Follow the money
Phase 2 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act is due to come into force soon and will require lawyers, accountants and other professionals to verify the source of client funds. This will give the Government increased power to monitor capital flows. What will they discover?
The Dreamworld tragedy is a perfect metaphor for a failing system
The loss of four lives at the Dreamworld fun park in the Gold Coast suggests that the corporate greed is good mantra is not working as well as we should expect.
Michael Moore: why blowing up the system and voting for Trump will feel good
Trump is the “human molotov cocktail” that many Americans have been waiting for.
Farewell Helen Kelly
Updated with video of the service. Details of the memorial service celebrating Helen Kelly’s life scheduled for today.
Tory MP resigns on point of principle
No, not in NZ, of course. With bonus notes on a “grotesque folly”.
Tax-cuts or… fixing Child Poverty
Before National get too excited about tax cuts, perhaps they should sort out some of the more pressing issues in the society they govern – like all those kids in poverty.
Happy Labour day
From the movement that brought you equal pay, the weekend, minimum wages, child protection laws, injury prevention, the right to organise …
Workers, unions and the Labour party
Convincing workers not to organise in their own best interests is one of the great successes of right-wing politics.
Take a lesson from the All Blacks
The Japanese proved decades ago that shared ownership – involving workers in management – is a highly successful and productive model. Seems that it works for the All Blacks too.
Maybe Karl Marx was right after all
Barack Obama recently talked about the possible need for a universal basic income because of the disappearance of work. Is a UBI so different to collective ownership of wealth?
NZ Tech
The top 200 tech “exporters” are now turning over NZD 9.4 billion. This year revenue increased by more that NZD 1 billion. Which is pretty phenomenal bearing in mind the sluggish world economy. It meant that they grew an additional 3000 odd highly paid jobs in just those top companies. Even this intellectually bereft government isn’t proving to be too much of a hindrance to tech business.
Peak Oil Demand
A decade ago peak oil, or the capping of supply was thought to be an imminent problem. Now it is looking more likely that demand will peak, and soon.
DHBs telling porkies about junior doctors’ strike
Junior doctors are speaking out against the misinformation being spread by DHBs.
Protecting the seabed and foreshore
With the sudden departure of deep sea drilling company Statoil from Northland here’s a timely look the role of community action in that, the state of play in NZ and what is next.
Tax cuts hard to sell
Herald: “…the Government ought to be banking surpluses, just as Sir Michael Cullen did during the boom of 2000-2007”.
Tax-cuts or… Health
Health – particularly mental health – is underfunded, resulting in strikes over patient safety and units shutdown due to staff shortages. And unnecessary deaths. So why is the government even thinking about tax-cuts when our services need investment?
There goes the surplus
The media last week reported extensively an operating surplus of $1.8 billion dollars. But they missed the not so good news that the value of ACC’s assets took a $5.1 billion hit, the Super Fund lost $2 billion, the Crown’s liability under the ETS increased by $1.5 billion and net Crown debt increased by $1.3 billion.
Poverty is too difficult in Key’s New Zealand
Key is out of touch. But not so out of touch that he doesn’t know about the poverty crisis in NZ. The denial and evasions are deliberate.
Hickey on debt
Hickey in The Herald on Sunday: “Our household debt to income ratio of 165 per cent is now about 5 per cent above those previous highs of 2008 and rising quickly as debt rises around twice as fast as incomes.”
Statoil leaves Northland, Greenpeace announce summer of Climate Action
Congratulations and thanks to the people of Northland!