Two Bubbles Bridges’ Big Day Out
Simon ‘Two Bubbles’ Bridges feels he’s entitled to flaunt the rules because he’s, ahem, essential.
Politics
assets
Burning Bridges
One of Simon Bridges’ caucus supporters has raised the possibility of a leadership coup. Let’s hope not, people!
Tamihere wants to privatise half of Watercare
John Tamihere has caused jaws throughout the region to drop by proposing that half of Watercare is privatised.
National offers to help with housing crisis
On behalf of the National Party Judith Collins has offered to help Labour deal with the housing crisis, the one that National is responsible for.
Assange Arrested
Julian Assange has been arrested by British Police inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London after his asylum was revoked.
UPDATE: Assange has been convicted of skipping bail and the US has requested his extradition.
National shafted us with the MOM privatisation
Five years on how are the benefits from the Mixed Ownership Model privatisation process the last Government engaged in working out?
Propaganda Wars.
No-one reading this blog would willfully offer support to an ideology that’s killing people, right?
The hidden infrastructure fiscal crisis gets real
Steven Joyce’s $11.7 billion fiscal hole is becoming more and more of a reality although it is in hidden infrastructure costs that National had suppressed in search of the elusive surplus.
National intends to sell another strategic asset
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.
Greater Wellington Regional Council is harming public transport
The Wellington Regional Council has contracted its bus services but not protected its drivers’ incomes. They stand to lose an average of $200 a week.
And Wellington risks losing the great public transport system it is so proud of.
Tertiary education: keep it public
Two public meetings are being held next week to shine a light on the government’s Education (Tertiary Education and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. […]
The possible privatisation of Ports of Auckland
The Government is attempting through coercion and cajoling to get Auckland Council to privatise Ports of Auckland.
The SOE sell down three years on
Some time in the next 12 months it is likely that the forgone dividend payments and loss in share value from the Power Company shares and Air NZ share sale will be greater than the amount received, only three years after the sale.
National’s Rodeo.
The fiction that National is doing a competent job of managing the economy is entirely due, now that the boom from Dairy and Christchurch rebuilding is ending, to immigration and rising house prices.
They are now riding a bolting horse that they cannot dismount, caused by their own inaction.
Screw democracy – Auckland to get the Canterbury treatment
It’s naked panic now. In response to the crisis that isn’t a crisis Key is going to overrule the council that his government created and screw over Auckland democracy just like he screwed over Canterbury. What do you think of that Aucklanders?
Arise, Sir Lynton
Lynton Crosby on his knees receiving a knighthood for services to conservative politics. To me, this really signals who is running the show, who is still running the show, and what their values are.
Flogging off Kiwibank
Flogging off Kiwibank is not an option.
More blood on its hands as National Ltd™cuts mental health funding in Christchurch
‘ In between slurping simpers during his most recent session of MediaWorks virtual fellatio, John ‘The Liar’ Key managed to express concern for […]
Buying Awaroa beach
“There is a pristine piece of beach and bush in the heart of the Abel Tasman up for private sale. Together we can buy it and gift it to NZ.”
Private group sells tickets to Prime Minister’s official speech
It has become clear that John Key’s recent SOTN speech was delivered to an audience that paid for the privilege of attending.
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.
Sayonara Serco
Serco’s contract to run the Mt Eden Corrections Facility will not be renewed when it expires next year.
John Key’s hedge fund mate behind Teach First (NZ)
Julian Robertston, a US billionaire who made his money with hedge fund Tiger Management, Merryl Lynch’s largest customer when John Key was working there, is the man behind privatisation trojan horse Teach First (NZ).
Use of Teach First (NZ) illegal
To date, TeachFirst(NZ) has received more than $6.4 million dollars of public money and, as a result, has infested 18 schools with dozens of so-called “teachers”.
TiSA reduces COP21 to a charade
That National Ltd™ is currently in the process of giving away New Zealand’s sovereignty in areas such as energy resources and related regulations, explains its contempt for the environment and the talking down of expectations regarding climate change.
Jarrod Gilbert 1 – Windmills 0
About time the Police got around to becoming a “very evidence based” service. Building great relationships with academia is a sensible way to start.
Groser flips the bird to the Judiciary and NZ Laws
The Law? That’s not for Cabinet Members, the Law is for the lazy malcontents who don’t want to work hard.
Minister declined to comment…
Isn’t it amazing how many Ministers can’t wait to front up to the media when they are selling. But when it comes to after sale service they just don’t want to front?
Where is Peseta Sam?
This week we have had the release of the Priestley Report into the escape of Phillip Smith which details a litany of problems within Corrections and overnight there have been reports of rape and assault on a person moved from segregation in Serco managed South Auckland Correctional Facility. But no sign of Corrections Minister Sam Lotu Iiga. Where is he?
Housing Corp’s privatisation by stealth
One News has discovered that over the past five years Housing Corporation has divested itself of 2,472 houses at the same time that the need for social housing has escalated.
Twelve long months
Twelve months on from the last election and that brighter future we were promised has not happened.
250 to 300 Job Losses at Unitec in Auckland
Under Unitec’s new vision students will be known as Customers. Student services will be outsourced (overseas)
Aspiration statementTo be a world leader in contemporary applied learning and an agent of positive economic and social change.
It’s not just Serco, it’s state operated prisons
Recent focus has been on the tragedy and incompetence of a Serco run private prison. But problems extend further than that, into the entire way NZ views its prison system. We need fundamental penal reform.
Failing Charter School punished by increase in funding
The Friday afternoon bad news dump is on with news that Education Minister was recommended to close a poorly performing charter school. She has elected not to do so and to instead give the school extra money.
Serco, Lotu-Iiga and the death of Nick Evans
Nick Evans was alleged to have been dropped from a height while being supervised in a Serco run prison. He was transferred to another prison and shortly after this died from injuries apparently inflicted from the dropping. Yet there is no police investigation and Minister in charge Lotu-Iiga says the allegations are “unproven” without making the most basic of inquiries.
Serco should be sacked
Video from the urgent debate today in Parliament concerning Serco and that company’s failure to abide by basic standards of imprisonment.