Intergenerational theft
The Guardian has an excellent piece on “the 30-year economic betrayal dragging down Generation Y’s income”.
Social issues
Ethics
Stacey Kirk’s Stuff Up
Fairfax journalist Stacey Kirk has published a vicious smear against a group of cancer sufferers. Is this the nastiest lie ever published in the NZ media?
Medical cannabis review
With Martin Crowe’s sad death we now learn that he too was self-medicating with liquid cannabis. The time for political timidity is past – make cannabis legally available for medical purposes.
Final hours for submission on voluntary euthanasia
The end of today is the last chance to make a submission to Parliament on voluntary euthanasia.
Voluntary euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia is very much in the news. We have until Feb 1st to make submissions on the Bill currently before Parliament. It’s a very emotive debate, but I think the case for euthanasia choice is clear.
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.
Chris Cairns: Song of the Tall Poppy
The Chris Cairns trial verdict seems to have surprised Kiwis. And some people don’t seem to want to accept he is not a match fixer. Are we that fooled by modern media that our usual decency and sense of fair play has deserted us?
Jarrod Gilbert is tilting at windmills
The Official Information Act is now moribund and access to information beyond its scope is granted only to a chosen few and under strict conditions.
Dope-growing, cross-dressing BDSM male prostitute police officer convicted of harassment
A recent surge in the level of systemic criminality, thuggery, and general incompetence which now defines the New Zealand Police Force.
Power Corruption and Lies
A National List MP has been snapped trying to heavy the Housing Ministry into funding a lift in her personal profile. Remember John Key’s ‘higher standards in Government’? Nick Smith’s Ministerial office apparently doesn’t care too much about about such trifles. Worse, the Housing Ministry has been caught trying to cover up for the Tories by redacting an OIA request. Here’s your Brighter Future, folks. Enjoy.
Human Rights, Psychos and Opposition
New Zealand’s bloody awful parliamentary debacle.
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?
Food Bank Charity
Guest post from Kōrero Pono on the politics and ethics of food banks.
Diesel Bomb
Last Friday I wrote a post on Volkwagen gaming NOx emissions. This is a follow up.
Dunne: Our foreign policy lacks any commitment to human rights
Peter Dunne doesn’t hold back in his assessment of the craven foreign policy – that is the creation of his government.
NOx-ious shit all around.
Been trying to get my head around the implications of Volkswagen’s rigged diesel performance tests. Predictably, and unlike most stories covering this, I couldn’t give a rat’s arse for the financial woes the company might be facing.
Good question
Those who would censor
NZ’s first book banning in over 20 years. Another own goal from “Family First”.
Body on Key’s moral compass
Geddis on Key’s guts
Andrew Geddis on Key’s bravado when it comes to sending other people to fight in a war, and his prevarication when it comes to helping war’s victims.
Syria and Internationalism
I wonder if the current public outpouring of sympathy for Syrian refugees is nought but a ‘fashion’, or whether it’s the beginnings of a renaissance for internationalism.
National Ltd™’s Shane Reti Caught Out In Another Lie
Shane Reti lied about the process of ratifying the TPP. In a Press Release to the Northern Advocate, Reti states “. . . the agreement comes before parliament and opposition parties and select committees for debate and modifications . . .”
Charter $chools
Today’s Herald has an excellent piece on charter schools – School cash flows to owners’ pockets. What a surprise!
Sunshine Coast holiday a life changing experience for our Children
…is swimming all day in a pool at the luxurious Denarau suite of high class hotels a learning experience? Spending days in water parks in Queensland life expanding? Is this sufficient to justify thumbing your nose at our education system, its principles (and principals) and making teachers re-teach these children to catch them up? What happened to the notion of “one law for all”?
Zero by 50
In Copenhagen, our government committed itself, and by extension, us “To hold the increase in global temperature below two degrees Celsius and to take actions to meet this objective, consistent with the science and on the basis of equity”
And yet…
NZLP Review of Election 2014; the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
The NZ Labour party’s review of election 2015 makes for interesting reading. It’s honest, straightforward and heartening. There is much to be learned from the last election campaign and it looks like the membership have got their points across to the review team. Good work, Labour!
Banks let down by the Crown (but not the judiciary)
I support any decision he makes to lay a complaint with the NZ Law Society against the taxpayer funded prosecutor/s who made the decision to breach their obligation to the Court and to hold the AG’s feet to the fire regarding a rigorous investigation of the withholding of the memorandum.
I Fought the Law
A quick look at the legalities of Ponytailgate as it affects the worker, the cafe, the NZ Herald and the PM. There could be court, tribunal and commission hearings that drag on for months, with potential big financial and political implications for the players.
Herald’s interview with the waitress – updated
Late night developments, the “hair pull” waitress states that a Herald interview (to be published today) was obtained under false pretences, and she withdrew her consent for it.
Multiple updates on the changing story.
John Key’s Lies Since The 2014 Election
The most egregious feature remains the sheer banality. Its like John Key can’t help himself. Because most National Ltd™ voters really don’t care and because the MSM just accepts the deceit as “one of those things,” he’s been able to get away with it scot-free for more than six years.
Kiwis Stand Up To Corporate Bully
Cotton On’s act of provocation is matched in its cynicism only by the company’s contempt for the negotiation process. While attempting to feign an understanding of how the new law actually works, Cotton On simultaneously may also have breached the newly amended sections 4 and 32 of the ERA
Second “Roast Busters” report released
There are many failings outlined. Police were found to have largely treated women and girls with respect and compassion but their investigations were not robust or thorough, inadequate follow-up enquiries…
All Apologies
Did commenters on the recent Julian Assange post overstep the mark in their defence of the Wikileaks founder? Are they really rape apologists?
Brassneck
The release of the candidate donation returns has shown us that the National Party are still rorting the system. However, there are issues for the NZ Labour Party as well. Four MP’s have taken money from sources that do not have the interests of the Labour party or, indeed, the majority of Kiwis at heart. Brassneck or bought and sold?
War HUH!
NZ is again being asked to go to war in Iraq. The Clark Labour Government said no a decade ago, but in 2015 there may be a compelling reason to join the fight; this time it’s the right thing to do. New Standard author te reo putake puts the case for NZ entering the battle against ISIS.
A calculated feeding of the beasts within
The social democracy of my youth has radically collapsed into our current culture of individualism, privatisation and personal greed.