Dunedin Hospital
Yes, Dunedin needs a new hospital, but…
Politics
Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation
The strange and unusual National Campaign Launch for the Northcote by election
Dan Bidois has formally launched his campaign by blaming Auckland Council for the last Government’s shortcomings, and opposing the regional fuel tax while at the same time insisting that if there is intensification then it needs to be paid for.
English Council Elections
By Nick Kelly – Upper Hutt boy in London.
Australia and New Zealand budget days
Isn’t it time we at least synchronized the New Zealand budget with the Australian budget?
The election year party donations returns
The election year donation returns have been released and show a surge of donations for Labour but National still well ahead.
Media Sprays and Leaves.
Fed up of being fed bullshit just so your opinions can be nurtured for harvesting? I am.
Everyone applauds Labour’s homelessness plan … except National
Labour’s announcement of $100 million spending on homelessness has attracted praise from everyone, except National.
The Centre, the Left and UK local elections
Thoughts on a resurgent left and a collapsing centre.
So there was sewage leaking into Middlemore hospital’s walls
In further horror news about our health system the leaks of sewage into the walls of Middlemore Hospital has been confirmed and its discovery occurred in 2010. And in 2015 the chair of cash strapped Canterbury DHB signed a Ministry of Health drafted letter saying it did not need further funding despite an urgent need for further funds.
The real conspiracy facing New Zealand
Rhys Darby has discovered the real conspiracy facing New Zealand by judicious use of the Internet. And Clarke Gayford does not feature.
Trumping Obama?
A post on big boy’s scouting medals.
National wants to add to Auckland’s gridlock
National has promised to overturn Auckland’s Regional Fuel Tax. But has no proposal for how the funding will be replaced.
Police scotches dirty politics rumours about Clarke Gayford
The police have publicly scotched rumours that have been circulating about Clarke Gayford by saying that Gayford is not and has not been the subject of any police inquiry and has not been charged in relation to any matter.
The Australian banking system review
The review into Australia’s banking system really matters to New Zealand and is doing New Zealand an almighty good service.
Radical Socialism
‘nother guest post by Nick Kelly (Upper Hutt boy in London)
ACT’s failed charter school protest in tweets
Last weekend ACT had a protest against charter schools and spent in the vicinity of $10,000 to get maybe 50 people to attend. They should have gone to Labour Hire.
Then and Now.
Claims that “Russian bots” helped Labour during the 2017 UK General Election…
Does this Government have the money to deliver?
I’m sure all revealed at Budget 2018, but the financial management of this government is not surefooted.
National is yeah nah on climate change
National’s Blue Green conference on the weekend suggests that the party has moved on from outright denial that cliamte change exists to grudging acceptance that it is a phenomenon but “balance” requires that it is tolerated.
National’s fiscal ineptitude over Auckland transport
National has responded to Labour’s ATAP proposal by refusing to accept there is a problem, drumming up anti Auckland resentment in the rest of the country and claiming they would have done the same thing.
Doofus of the week – April 28, 2018
This week’s winner is a National MP who has perfected the ability of cutting and pasteing but has no idea about the dark art of social media.
New Zealand Is all right, at the end
Democracy’s permanence is not inevitable. Its imagining is not beyond imagining. And New Zealand is one of the shrinking number of democracies who really have it.
The Big Auckland Transport announcement
Minister Phil Twyford and Mayor Phil Goff announced the ATAP, the transport programme for Auckland for the next ten years. At $28 billion it is the largest civil infrastructure programme since World War II.
Guest Post: How many working groups did the last National Government create?
A Guest Post from Luke C where he analyses National’s creation of working groups in the last Goverment and comes up with a surprising conclusion.
Thank you Metiria.
Some movement on social security (a thing we all deserve)
Workers’ Rights. Our Rights. And a Government Breaking Bad.
Time for the government to pull its head in.
Bottom feeding fish
Yesterday the Herald said something stupid about Clarke Gayford, reported his response and then reported at how the country was divided by the article.
Today in schadenfreude
For those who occassionally enjoy dark laughter at the truly deserved pain of others, today brings supremely ironic news in the continued culture war on queer people in New Zealand.
Is capitalism obsolete?
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis has given a speech where he has stated that capitalism is coming to an end because it is making itself obsolete.
North Korea
When enemies are all around…
Professional identity-Why it matters or Why we are being screwed by the Government
A personal perspective on the repercussions of the government’s current approach to Social Work and Social Workers.
Jacinda Ardern is just like Donald Trump
In a gross example of click bait journalism a senior political commentator at a major media outlet has claimed that Jacinda Ardern and Donald Trump are similar.
An Opportunity Missed? A Failure to Listen? And Whose Advice was Privileged?
The conclusion that I am left with is the bureaucrats have once again gained control of the social work profession and want to manage social work and social workers under a neoliberal managerialist ideology.
Kieran O’Donoghue, Associate Professor in Social Work, Massey University
The right to free speech
This week has seen a number of examples where right wing and religious men have said stupid things and then had their statements defended on the basis that free speech should be protected.
Catriona MacLennan takes on the Law Society
Catriona MacLennan is being sent to a disciplinary committee for criticising a judge, in a case where he made an appalling judgement. Where are the freedom-of-speech advocates?
Pollwatch: Colmar Brunton, 16/4/18
In this third edition of Pollwatch, we note Simon Bridges’ leap out of the gate to a hiss and fizzle, and with Roy Morgan still on an unexplained hiatus, our second poll of the year has arrived from Colmar Brunton, with the government’s support down very slightly, but its support partners both in a much more stable position.