Judith Collins’ Open Letter Is Dirty Politics
The senior National Party Cabinet Minister has penned an “Open letter to the people of New Zealand” on the New Zealand Government’s official website
education
tertiary education
Willis’ Roundup Budget will not grow new shoots of the economy
Nicola Willis’ Budget is bad for growth and a Big throwback unfit for NZ.
The Coalition Continues to Defund Science
Another science fund bites the dust in New Zealand.
NZ Science is in Big Trouble
Science and tertiary education are being ignored in NZ, which is just dumb.
The Second Major Offensive of Neoliberalism in New Zealand Since the 80s
The Coalition is fighting a multi-front blitzkrieg to entrench neoliberal hegemony in NZ.
Highlights quoted out of the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement
Some of the more unusual policies from the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement.
Dumber
New Zealand is not an intellectual or innovation powerhouse but the rapid decline of our entire tertiary education is a tragedy.
NZ election 2020: Labour win is a watershed moment in the country’s history
The 2020 election was more than just a victory for Labour and more than a crushing defeat for the National Party (New Zealand’s main centre-right political party). This result marks a significant watershed in New Zealand politics which will likely have implications long after this parliamentary term.
Jacinda Ardern’s Labour Government: Style over substance or a guiding light for progressive politics?
Critics have dismissed the Jacinda Ardern government as being one of style over substance. This is unfair given the challenges this government has faced and the policy achievements it has had. However, it is a government that has much work to do if it wins a second term. And its over-reliance on Jacinda as party leader is a huge strategic risk, especially when the governments front bench is perceived, rightly or wrongly, to be lightweight.
The return of John Key
In a sign of desperation National has trotted out John Key to campaign that the country’s success in containing Covid should be put to risk because of a misguided perception that it would be good for the economy.
Does National actually have any policy?
National has recently been upping the campaign rhetoric but there is a disturbing lack of policy detail.
The current National party.
The change of leadership inside of National is essentially meaningless. All it seems to have started is exposing the kind of internecine factional warfare that is lurking below their party surface. I can’t see the inexperienced National team, even with Amy Adams back in it, being able to make the kinds of long-term decisions required in a modern world.
What would President Biden do?
With President Trump doing what we all expected, and killing 67,000 people and counting through chronic poor leadership, and utterly ruining the U.S. economy as well, it’s time to look at what policies the alternative candidate has on offer.
How This Government Can Still Win
Some suggestions on how Labour can retain power at the next election.
Billionaire pledges to pay off class of 2019’s student loans
Billionaire investor Robert F. Smith was invited to give the graduation speech at Morehouse College, his old school, and stunned everyone when he deviated from prepared speech notes.
Why Labour’s student debt policy is a success
National has claimed that Labour’s tertiary fees policy is failing because numbers applying for it have not increased. But National clearly has failed to understand that the policy is about reducing student loan totals or it is deliberately misinterpreting the reason for the policy.
We are failing kids from poor families
Kirsty Johnston has produced an in-depth analysis of the current rate of young people from poor backgrounds entering professional ranks. And the news is not good.
VSM – why it needs to go.
In 2010 the ACT Party with the help of National managed to pass a piece of legislation that damaged student democracy, and blatantly […]
The teachers’ strike
Teachers have indicated they will also be seeking a significant catch up in salaries and job conditions after a decade of neglect.
Doofus of the week Anniversary Weekend edition – Damien Grant
Damien Grant wins the latest award for penning a column where he claims that University education is a great folly of modern life, contributes surprisingly little to our economic well-being and does not prepare graduates for work.
Free Education – how to pay for it
I am a New Zealander living in Norway lecturing at NTNU, Norway’s largest University. For the last few months I have been thinking about the challenges of providing free post-secondary education. Norway offers free education for all students including international students.
The education mess
The complete mess that National has made of our health system got plenty of airtime during the election campaign. While it received less coverage, the education system is a mess too.
Green Party announces a better deal for students
“Students are the only group in society expected to borrow just to get by. We believe that students should be supported so that they can focus on learning the skills they need to contribute to a smart, innovative economy and a fairer society”
Labour announce affordable tertiary education
As the Nats stand exposed in another apparent dirty politics hit, Labour gets on with the job of winning the election. Jacinda Ardern today announced new policy: Making tertiary education and training affordable for all.
The cost of education
National needs to do something to address spiraling education costs in both the secondary and tertiary sectors.
Privatised Education Strikes Again.
The problems we have identified many times, with privatisation of essential services, continue.
Interest free student loans – still safe for now?
A right wing “think-tank” wants to load students up with even more debt.
Labour on student debt – beware of clickbait headlines
“Revealed: Labour’s plan to wipe student debt”. Nope. Saved you a click.
ECONOMY IN PERIL! DANGER!! WARNING!!!
Key’s second waitress bungle
Key’s badly dented “political antennae” took another solid beating yesterday, with his second high-profile bungle involving a waitress.
Praise for Labour’s tertiary bombshell
Although there have been predictable howls of outrage from the usual suspects, the media reaction to Labour’s bold tertiary education policy has been generally great.
Another policy to be proud of
Labour has rolled out another big bold policy that will shape the national discussion for years. Critics, most of whom received a free tertiary education themselves back in the day, want to deny a younger generation the same right (and pocket a tax cut instead). Enter Steven Joyce…
Tertiary fee drop – excellent proposal from Labour
Education is a public good, but tertiary education in NZ has been undermined by high student fees and debt. So it’s very encouraging to see a proposal from Labour for reducing fees (and not ruling out free education!).
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…
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).
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)
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