Admitting failure on private prisons
The Nats have been forced to call in the good old-fashioned state to clear up Serco’s mess.
Social issues
National’s law ruled a violation of human rights
The High Court has ruled that a law passed by National in 2010 is a violation of the Bill of Rights Act. This is a first for NZ, and another “proud” item to add to National’s legacy.
Failing Charter School punished by increase in funding
The Friday afternoon bad news dump is on with news that Education Minister was recommended to close a poorly performing charter school. She has elected not to do so and to instead give the school extra money.
An honest answer in question time
John Key explains
John Key on the death at a Serco run prison. Words fail me.
So much for the competitive market
I love how right-wing ideology is just some thing that can be switched on and off at will. Case in point, ownership of state houses…
Corrections minister in trouble
Sam Lotu-Iiga appears to have been lying.
More charter school fiascos
Charter schools continue to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Right-wingers continue to back them for all the wrong reasons.
Serco should be sacked
Video from the urgent debate today in Parliament concerning Serco and that company’s failure to abide by basic standards of imprisonment.
The great state house sell off – small groups need not apply
Treasure has indicated that the sell off of State housing should occur in minimum lots of a hundred houses. Only large wealthy organisations need apply and claims that the sale was about the building of capacity amongst local social service providers cannot be reconciled with this.
NRT: Facilitating tax cheats
I/S at No Right Turn on a reported rush in demand ahead of new rules for real estate transactions aimed at cracking down on tax cheats and speculators.
National doesn’t know what it’s doing on foreign buyers
National on a foreign buyers register: Smith says no, English says yes, Collins says maybe, Key says – bad Labour!
Charge Cameron Slater or let me hack systems
If the police have no intentions of enforcing those laws protecting computer systems, as they haven’t for Cameron Slater, then shouldn’t they tell us? I’d love to openly and freely hack into systems without legal retribution – just like Cam does. Why should we leave the fun to well connected technological idiots like Cam?
Labouring it.
With overall confidence dropping and Labour being all over the headlines for the past week, Labour’s support…
The two realities of Health and Safety at work will be on show this week
This week three big things are happening which will show how detached this Government is from the realities of workers and their families […]
RM: Labour jumps 6% – LAB/GR coalition leads
Roy Morgan poll declares a “centrist” NZ First could act to replace the National Government, on latest poll results.
Gutting Southern health care is wrong
“Southern DHB commissioner called in to cut costs gets pay increase – to $1400 a day” – but that’s not the interesting bit…
Auckland house prices – the good ol’ days ’05
Home ownership rates have been crashing since the 1990’s. Auckland house prices have been classed as “seriously unaffordable” since 2006 or earlier. The answer is to make sure that houses are no longer considered a financial asset for capital gains.
NRT: Watching the state
I/S at No Right Turn on the police “routinely demanding personal information from New Zealand companies – and receiving it – without any form of warrant or statutory authorisation”.
National’s leadership on home ownership
No need to worry about low levels of home ownership, National is here to lead. They understand the fundamental issues, and they have a plan…
Parnell Ponzi; When are National going to Act on Housing?
National need to act now to end the housing crisis. The market has failed and doing nothing is going to blight the future of Kiwis. The answer is easy. End speculation, build houses. But do National have the guts to do the right thing?
Phil Quin resigns from Labour
Phil Quin: “I cannot, however, belong to an organisation that considers racial profiling fair sport. It really is that simple. I will rejoin once this or any future leader publicly repudiates such tactics.”
Film review: Crossing Rachmaninoff
Something a bit different for The Standard. A review of the film Crossing Rachmaninoff which premiers in Auckland on the 18th of July as part of the International Film Festival.
NRT: This is wrong
“Auckland’s median house price rising a record 26 per cent to $755,000 over the past year..”. This is what a bubble looks like: when your house “earns” a top-end salary just by existing. And its a perfect example of why we need a capital gains tax.
China Crisis
Good on Labour for saying what needed to be said. Can they, the Greens and NZ First save the next generation of Kiwis from being tenants in our own land?
Includes Bonus Seinfeld reference!
International investment in Auckland housing
Phil Twyford’s recent announcement on Auckland’s housing crisis raises important issues concerning the inflow of overseas capital into our housing market. But should it have depersonalised the argument?
The state of state houses
The data for the trial Warrant of Fitness scheme for state houses from last year was recently (finally!) released. 80% of them need serious work. 22% didn’t have functioning bathroom and toilet doors. What is going on?
Auckland property buyers
The big story this morning is Labour’s analysis of Auckland property purchase data.
Blood on the Tracks
Bill English’s budget has thrown a two year lifeline to Kiwirail. But it’s not nearly enough and its hopelessly shortsighted. Rail isn’t a cost, it’s a benefit. What’s needed is investment and planning, not slash and burn.
Another #Keyfib about Kiwisaver
The treasury release of budget policy advice suggests that John Key’s claim that changes to Kiwisaver would not have any effect on participation numbers was, ahem, erroneous.
A win on rental standards
This is a good example of a policy win from opposition. More please!
Christchurch needs blankets
A Christchurch blanket bank has run out of blankets, in this the “seventh year of the brighter future”…
Deconstructing the government’s report card
The government has awarded itself a nice report card. Let’s take a closer look.
Common People; Yanis Varoufakis is all Class.
The Greek Finance minister has unexpectedly quit. He had already said he would resign if the referendum was lost; nobody expected that he would go after such a stunning win. But it was the strategically correct thing to do. Why can’t some of the veterans in the NZ Labour Party take the hint?
Police using “sealed” Hager documents?
Nicky Hager’s lawyer claims that the police are using supposedly “sealed” information taken in the raid of Hager’s home.
School lunches – Key vs data
Key claimed that the number of hungry kids in schools was limited to “the odd one or two”. Everyone knew it was nonsense. Now a survey by the New Zealand Principals’ Federation indicates the true extent of the problem.