Message from Andrew Little about TPPA
The text of an email Andrew Little has sent to members.
Economy
Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
Is RBNZ ignoring deflation bogey?
Is Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler so concerned about the bogey of Auckland’s housing bubble that he is underestimating an equally nasty bogey – deflation? Deflation will certainly cure the problem of the property bubble, but that cure will be at a terrible cost.
Anyone seen the rockstar economy lately?
Record debt, a higher than expected deficit and a credit rating downgrade on our economic outlook. All thanks to National’s genius economic management!
Little on TPP: “I don’t support it, we don’t support it”
The news that the TPP is likely to cost 5 to 6,000 jobs in NZ seems to have been the last straw.
Government U turn on inner city rail link
John Key has announced that National will bring forward funding of Auckland’s inner city rail link. The decision is welcome but it should have been made years ago.
The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)
How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.
TPPA ‘National Interest Analysis’ – get both sides
The Government has released a TPPA ‘National Interest Analysis’. It should be read along with TPP Legal’s extensive analysis of the costs and risks.
War Veteran’s superannuation cancelled because of Government policy
National is the master of micro changes to policies which give it the appearance that it is being hard on beneficiaries. But in extreme cases the policies produce ridiculous results. Such as the 89 year old war veteran who lost his superannuation and was forced to beg after had an arrest warrant issued for trespass.
Keep Calm and Carry On
Regular commenter Paul rounds up the links you need to read to prepare yourself for the coming second GFC. National won’t be able to pass this one on to future generations by loading NZ up with crippling debt. We’ll be paying for GFC2 economically, socially and personally, right here, right now.
Jane Kelsey on TPPA
Jane Kelsey on why the TPPA is a bad deal and why we should keep fighting it. Movies courtesy of Bryan Bruce. And don’t forget the public meetings scheduled this week where Jane Kelsey and Lori Wallach will speak.
Key deserved boos for his TPP lies at Ratana
Key’s “strident” defence of the TPP was booed at Ratana yesterday. With good reason, because his glib assurance that “Not a single part of TPP cuts across the Treaty of Waitangi” is yet another Key lie.
Cheekygames: Privatisation comes to a blue suburb
Julia Schiller posts on the threatened closing of the St Heliers Post Shop and how it is another example of the Government’s privatisation agenda.
NZ participating in climate fraud
An article that appeared on December 26th in the Dom Post is much too important to be left languishing in the Christmas news vacuum. “We [NZ] have been the biggest abuser of fraudulent carbon credits. Someone should be answerable as an accessory to the fraud.”
Another housing policy screwup?
Bennet’s proposal to incentivise / coerce state housing applicants to leave Auckland for housing elsewhere seems to have hit a snag…
TPPA don’t sign speaker tour details
Professor Jane Kelsey and Lori Wallach are speaking in the main cities next week about the repercussions of New Zealand entering into the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement.
Stay Classy: TV3’s Newshrub.
TV3 have announced they are getting out of the news business and getting into cross platform media hotdesking across the continuum of diminishing eyeballs. Welcome to TV3 Newshrub, the place where no news is good news!
2015 hottest year. By. Far.
Another attempt to minimise the significance of poverty
A piece yesterday foreshadows a report on poverty from right-wing lobby group “The New Zealand Initiative”. It’s (surprise!) another attempt to minimise the significance of poverty in NZ – and it’s another big distraction…
Rightwing populism is the new normal – Gary Younge
Gary Younge is a feature columnist with the Guardian. In this film he explains why the Trump phenomenon is a symptom of current societal change.
Building a mass movement
Republished by request, and permission from Stephanie Rodgers at Boots Theory
[Content note: mentions of transphobia, sexual violence and violence against people of colour]
Kingi Taurua says Government not welcome to Waitangi if TPPA signed
Ngāpuhi kaumātua and spokesperson for Te Tii Marae Kingi Tairua has announced that because of the lack of consultation if the TPPA is signed the Government will not be welcome at Waitangi.
62 vs 3.6 Billion
Ever widening inequality generates ever more astonishing statistics – suck up economics in action. The super-rich are laughing all the way to the bank.
Skill shortages and reaping what you sow
Data released to the Sunday Star-Times shows a huge decline in numbers of tertiary students, including declines in many key skills and fields. Various explanations are offered, only one of them makes sense…
Robertson / Labour on the future of work
It’s a good thing that one of the major parties is thinking seriously about the future…
Not all research is created equal
A recent “research” report on alcohol, funded by brewing company Lion, has been in the news lately. Sadly, not everything that purports to be research is honest research.
What to do about poverty (and a suggestion to the media)
An excellent piece on poverty by Lizzie Marvelly in The Herald this morning poses a question to which we already know the answer. (Plus some bonus rambling on the media.)
The unexpected oil crisis
The world is currently facing a problem that even a few years ago was unthinkable. Oil is cheap and demand has dropped out of the market. What are the geopolitical implications of this?
Gender Pay Gap: Average Wage Graph telling
Now maybe it’s because I’m a bloke, but looking at this graph I couldn’t help but think: wouldn’t it be better to close the pay gap for women by increasing their wages rather than decreasing men’s?
How to improve pay gender equality
It’s been a hardy annual finding of late – the pay gap between males and females is getting steadily worse. History suggests that Labour governments have some answers…
New Zealand’s alternative 1984
What would have happened if in 1984 David Lange had exerted control and appointed a centrist rather than right wing Labour cabinet?
TPP circus rolls on
The new year begins much as the old one ended, with secrets, evasions and dissent over the TPP and what it means for NZ.
Boots Theory: Move left to win? Move left to win!
Boots Theory on the American Working Families Charter, how they are trying to move the Democratic Party to the left, and possible lessons for New Zealand.
Royal Bank of Scotland to investors: “Sell everything”
The Bank of Scotland has advised advised its clients to brace for a “cataclysmic year” and a global deflationary crisis.
National’s vision for New Zealand’s future
Stephen Joyce has had published an opinion piece in this morning’s Herald which extolls the virtue of free trade and ignores the pitfalls. Such as those shown this week when TransCanada sued the US Government for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline contract.
Why are we working so hard?
A recent New Matilda article discusses why at a time of increasing productivity the need to work has increased and not decreased.
The problem with free market capitalism
This morning’s Herald contains a story about a young man who with a family gift has managed to purchase eleven houses over the past five years and can afford to pay World of Warcraft all day.