In defence of the MP’s lot
Surging populist thinking is compounding neo-liberalism’s dislike of the public sector and our democratic institutions.
Politics
public services
National Is Destroying Wellington
Wellington is being deliberately targeted by National and it is destroying the third largest region of New Zealand.
The beatings will continue until morale improves
National today intensified efforts to alienate the entire public service by announcing that a further 9,000 public positions will be culled if, god help us, they are returned to power.
Our Accelerating Public Sector Decline
New Zealanders are losing confidence in the institutions that once held us together. Can this be changed?
Cuts to Disability Services Are Part of a Class War
Over the last year, the Coalition has unleashed a series of cuts which have been devastating for the disabled community. These cuts are part of a class war — and it’s time to organise and fight back, writes Elliot Crossan.
Is NZ as Stable as Luxon Claims?
By pursuing cuts, selling off assets to multinationals, enabling ACT’s attacks on the Treaty and cutting back on climate commitments, Luxon is guaranteeing that NZ will not be stable for long, writes Elliot Crossan.
Where Is the Resistance to Privatisation and Austerity?
As the Coalition moves to partially privatise our healthcare system, and Seymour fatally undermines the free school lunch programme, it is time for us to take to the streets and fight back, writes Elliot Crossan.
Skyfall comes to Wellington
Skyfall was 10 years ago but it has a message for all public servants local or central as you choose your vote.
The very Kafkaesque attack on Kiritapu Allan
Being subject to allegations of inappropriate behaviour the detail of which has not been released by unnamed public servants must make Kiritapu Allan think that she is living in a Franz Kafka novel.
Climate Minister James Shaw: If we do not act, it will get worse
“There will be a certain crowd who say … let’s give up on stopping climate change and its focus entirely on responding to the effects of climate change and I cannot state enough what a catastrophic mistake that would be, because every tenth of a degree of warming increases the frequency and the severity of these events.”
Govt public media reform performance makes AB’s look good
The government’s reform of public broadcasting has made Ian Foster’s quest for rugby’s World Cup look like a cinch.
The way the Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill is drafted, suggests worse calamities than the All Blacks loom for the public broadcasting sector, according to leading media critics.
Act’s scorched earth proposal
Act has publicly released its proposal to decimate the state should it have a say in the next Government. Its Real Change Alternative Budget may be wet dream inducing for Ayn Rand acolytes but for the rest of us the proposals should instill a deep sense of dread.
Go well Ashley Bloomfield
With a sense of regret for many of us this week Ashley Bloomfield announced his pending resignation as Director General of Health.
The Problem with Personification in Politics
It is a grave mistake to treat Ministries as if they are real persons.
All of govt: 27th March
The daily briefing: All of Government COVID-19 National Response 27 March.
Green Budget win backs public sector leadership on climate change
“We want to make sure hospitals, schools and other public institutions can use energy in a more climate-friendly way, cut emissions, and lower their energy bills.”
Common-wealth Government
Advantage is testing an idea out. What will a common accountability framework for the government look like?
The Attack of the Snowflakes
National is playing the innocent victim of Budgetgate whilst being the aggressive attacker all along.
Politicians Don’t Know Jack
Politicians rely on information provided to them, not on an encyclopaedic memory and an IQ of a genius.
Public Service meltdown
How much Wellington-political-economy damage can the Government sustain while pushing reform across so many Ministries?
Litigation and equal pay – a history of the 1950’s equal pay campaign
Forward In 2016 I wrote the below dissertation as part of my History Honours degree at Victoria University. This dissertation explores the 1950s […]
A belated congratulations
Post Immigration New Zealand Spreadsheet debacle, Ministers Curran and Shaw announce a stocktake and review of all government algorithms.
Workers’ Rights. Our Rights. And a Government Breaking Bad.
Time for the government to pull its head in.
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.
TPP, Corporate Coup or “Free trade”?
However. TPP ( The trans Pacific partnership) is NOT a “Free trade” agreement. It is an attempt to cement in corporate power, to override inconvenient local Democracy, and collect rents from local communities in perpetuity.
Since when was giving large companies extra rights in law, and rights to extract even more economic rents, “Free trade”?
“Social bonds” fail – blame the officials!
A scapegoat for the failure of the Nats’ first “social bonds” programme has been found. Turns out it was the fault of government officials! Shocker!
Quakes and other emergencies
Update: Chaos in Wellington – check the news…
It’s times like this you appreciate our emergency response systems. Huge thanks to everyone who has worked / is working to keep others safe, supplied, informed.
Meth Fries Housing NZ’s Brains
Housing NZ has admitted that it is evicting tenants when only tiny trace amounts of meth are found on the property. It further admits that the testing regime is not fit for purpose. But, hey, they have the power to make people homeless and they’re not going to let fairness or common sense get in the way of their moral panic.
When did the War on Drugs become the War on the Poor?
We’re going to burn it all, until we burn it down.
What does it really mean to reduce NZ’s total fossil fuel use by 50% by 2030: a warm up discussion for an upcoming thought experiment.
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.
Treachery and silly season political snippets
There’s still a few MPs “on duty”. Their function is to maintain the semblance of active government and to roll out a bunch of announcements they hope will escape full scrutiny.
Human Synergistics, Richard Prebble, and the end of government
Back in March 1988 David Lange had a clear idea about what lay ahead for New Zealanders as the long-term consequences of Roger Douglas’ psychopathic worshipping of the metaphysical Invisible Hand gradually materialised.
National Ltd™Plays The Race Card
The Auditor General found that no one in National Ltd™, the Māori Party, Te Puni Korkiri, or any other of its apologists can detail exactly what Whānau Ora is supposed to be doing, provide evidence of its outcomes, or explain why up to 33% of the money is being paid in “administration”. In other words, Whānau Ora is a shambles. And dodgy.
$46.25 per week Minister!?!
One way the Government is transforming the disability support system is by keeping quiet about allowances desperately needed by those caring for disabled children.
NRT: Abuse of power: The OIA / public records dimension
Jason Ede deleted his personal emails. Some of those emails concerned ministerial business and should therefore are public records. There is a fine of $5000 per email destroyed. Similarly the SIS was illegally refusing media requests that are OIAs. All as dodgy as hell. Time to charge some people violating public information acts?