Written By: - Date published: 10:21 am, July 26th, 2013 - 123 comments
The stop the GCSB Bill meeting in Auckland last night was well attended and had a series of high quality presentations made. A series of protests are planned for this weekend. Momentum is building …
Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, July 25th, 2013 - 87 comments
UK children born on the same day as the new prince will get a silver penny: but their lives will be vastly different. Left foot Forward spells out the inequalities between these new born. John Key gushes over the new prince, while his government slashes, burns and fuels inequalities.
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, July 25th, 2013 - 109 comments
Winston Peters may be the king maker after the next election. No wonder that John Key has started to court the person he said as a matter of principle he would never have in his Government.
Written By: - Date published: 7:53 pm, July 24th, 2013 - 43 comments
… and if you don’t like them, I have others. Key once said he’d never have Peters in any government he led, now he’s reconsidering. Peters is playing hard to get, and Gower tries to be part of the story as usual, promoting 3 News’ own poll.
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, July 24th, 2013 - 145 comments
To say that the GCSB law changes are misguided is the kindest possible interpretation, but many people including myself tend to view them as being quite malevolent. They aren’t going to provide any more security for citizens and residents here. But they are going to provide more security for incompetents in the security and police forces from both public and legal scrutiny. There are series of protests planned, and one in Auckland tomorrow. Updated – packed.
Written By: - Date published: 7:35 am, July 24th, 2013 - 34 comments
Key’s wringing his hands, saying that the Reserve bank is likely to bring in loan to value ratio requirements without an exception for first home buyers but claiming that first home buyers are still his priority. If that were true, he would have done his part to tackle the real problems in the housing market: speculators, foreign buyers, and lack of affordable home building.
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, July 24th, 2013 - 112 comments
Peter Dunne said that the GCSB should not spy on New Zealanders “under any circumstances”, but he will now vote to let that happen. He has made himself a liar and a hypocrite. Why? 3 News and others speculate on what Dunne might have got in return. What was his price?
Written By: - Date published: 9:56 am, July 22nd, 2013 - 99 comments
…happier – according to preliminary research from the University of Melbourne.
Written By: - Date published: 9:03 am, July 22nd, 2013 - 38 comments
Let’s not sideline the GCSB and related surveillance Bills. It’s about democracy, and against further consolidation of the power of the international, “neoliberal” corporate elites. Nation wide demos this Saturday; public meeting in Auckland this Thursday evening. Phil Goff resists, but bends a little too far. [Update] Protest poster
Written By: - Date published: 2:57 pm, July 21st, 2013 - 207 comments
Over the last few weeks Labour has been in a state of agitation as the party, the affiliates and even the caucus have come to the realisation that the Shearer project has failed.
Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, July 21st, 2013 - 5 comments
A Sunday feature – each week a random section scanned from a copy of The Standard, September 15th, 1938. Find out more here.
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, July 19th, 2013 - 23 comments
A new report on the UK government’s outsourcing of public sector work is damning. Necessary and basic work to fulfill individual and social needs, (eg social security, unemployment, health care, education) is being “gamed” and scammed by monopolistic private contractors. Key’s government favours outsourcing to private profiteers.
Written By: - Date published: 6:26 pm, July 18th, 2013 - 28 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on Street’s End of Life Choice Bill.
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, July 17th, 2013 - 48 comments
Houses are seriously unaffordable, especially for first-time buyers. Labour’s policy settings will help first-time buyers, the Reserve Bank under the current government is proposing tougher requirements that will make matters worse for them. Parties of the Left need to take this issue and run hard!
Written By: - Date published: 11:17 am, July 16th, 2013 - 13 comments
I have collected up the available documentation on the men killed in the forest since 2008. I am going to try, using the documents I have, to tell their story – one at a time. I haven’t been able to contact all the families of these men and hope if any of them read them, […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, July 16th, 2013 - 40 comments
Joining the dots: David Cameron is under fire for his links with lobbyists for big tobacco & big oil, via his link with Lynton Crosby. John Key, with links to Crosby Textor, has also bowed to big tobacco. Networks of Influence.
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, July 16th, 2013 - 40 comments
Len Brown has announced that he will again seek Auckland Super City’s mayoralty. I know this will provoke a mixture of views but style wise I think he is great and substance wise he has had successes but should have done more with MUNZ, the living wage project and Sky City.
Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, July 15th, 2013 - 275 comments
Sweeping changes to NZ’s Social Security system begin today. This is a major shift from the the 1938 Social Security Act: a shift from support of those in need, to treating them as potential criminals, self-serving addicts, and malingerers. Shame on John Key & Paula Bennett! [Update: RNZ & BAF & AAAP]
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, July 14th, 2013 - 63 comments
The ability of doctors to refuse to provide proper healthcare if God says it’s bad is again in the spotlight, with a Blenheim GP refusing to prescribe the Pill to a patient because he decided she needed to have babies, and her views on the matter don’t mean shit. But are we seriously going to label that as an act of “conscience”?
Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, July 14th, 2013 - 5 comments
NZ signed a new trade agreement with Taiwan this week. For the first time the reference to labour standards is squarely in the agreement rather than as a separate memorandum. “Each party shall respect, promote, and recognise in its laws, regulations, policies and practices, the following internationally recognised fundamental labour principles and rights: a) freedom […]
Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, July 14th, 2013 - 168 comments
A significant proportion of the media is now heavily invested in the narrative that David Shearer is about to be rolled as Labour leader. As Matt McCarten puts it today “Truth no longer matters” and “civil society is poorer for it”.
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, July 14th, 2013 - 3 comments
A Sunday feature – each week a random section scanned from a copy of The Standard, September 15th, 1938. Find out more here.
Written By: - Date published: 8:01 am, July 13th, 2013 - 149 comments
Edward Snowden, now applying for temporary asylum in Russia, has been labeled both as traitor and as whistleblower. Is it a breach of trust to expose state use of surveillance to spy on citizens, especially if it is on behalf of powerful multinational corporations?
Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, July 12th, 2013 - 66 comments
Eric Holder’s connections with New Zealand’s justice system and GCSB is justified by linking international surveillance with transnational organised crime and crimes by citizens: 5 Eyes’ (alleged) defence of democracy, reaches into homes via “domestic terrorism”, (sexual) violence against women & children, and child pornography.
Written By: - Date published: 9:20 pm, July 11th, 2013 - 7 comments
Robert Wade will speak on “Inequality and the We st” in Christchurch tomorrow Friday – 4pm in Lecture Hall A3, Arts Centre, University Drive, Christchurch. His lectures in Auckland and Dunedin have been packed – had to move the venue in Dunedin and could have filled it twice over in Auckland. He is speaking in conjunction with the launch of Max Rashbrooke-edited book “Inequality; A New Zealand Crisis” produced by Bridget Williams Books. All welcome.
Written By: - Date published: 5:56 pm, July 11th, 2013 - 16 comments
Story of a 111 response time.
Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, July 11th, 2013 - 50 comments
It seems that the Sky City Bill means pokies in Auckland InterCity bus terminal. So much for monitored and controlled environments. Those MPs who vote for this legislation are voting for more social harm, including more suicide. Contact them – ask them not to create more pokie victims.
Written By: - Date published: 7:24 pm, July 10th, 2013 - 125 comments
I am doing a speech on health and safety tomorrow. Been thinking about Pike. Bernie Monk rang yesterday. Bridges is in Gisborne Herald today saying all the reports needed on Forestry have been written. In my speech tomorrow I Will read this bit out from the Inquiry into Pike – it is as powerful as […]
Written By: - Date published: 12:35 pm, July 10th, 2013 - 32 comments
A full, independent inquiry of the GCSB is needed , as argued by the Green & Labour Parties, and politics lecturer Damien Rogers. NZ First & Dunne – don’t support Key’s dodgy law changes! Key is masking political motives with spin and secrecy. [update] Campbell Live tonight – must see viewing.
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