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The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee hearings into National's "Mixed-Ownership Model" Bill (aka Asset Sales) have begun in Wellington. The vast majority of the more than 600 submitters to the select committee process are opposed (incl me) - most of them very strongly so. Of…
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The poor are lazy bludgers who won't do a proper day's work. Wealth is a reward for virtue and hard work. Right? No - it's a bit more complicated than that. By popular acclaim we're pulling the following comment by rosy up as a Guest…
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. A bitter fight has erupted within the ACT Party over the decision by leader John Banks to vote against keeping the alcohol purchasing age at…
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Oh this is a Bad Idea. From theodp on Slashdot: Microsoft Patent Hints At Search Results Tailored To User's Mood, Intelligence "A newly surfaced Microsoft patent application, reports GeekWire, describes a 'user-following engine' that analyzes your posts on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites…
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Since 2004, the government has collected a problem gambling levy from all types of licenced gambling to fund the government's spending on problem gambling. It was introduced along with the sinking lid on pokies (the more you look back, the better the fifth Labour Government…
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The FYI project and I/S at No Right Turn have uncovered what appears to be massive abuse of expenses by Albert Brantley, the CEO of Genesis Energy, whom we pay $1.2m a year. It puts me in mind of Marie Antoinette, consuming extravagant meals worth…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Neo-Liberalism is a moral and intellectual justification for greed. A way for those few who accumulate wealth, by impoverishing many, to justify themselves, and keep those they are stealing from docile and compliant. This purpose for centuries has been fulfilled by religion. We still see…
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This country produces $200 billion of wealth a year. Yet half of adults have incomes less than $29,000 a year. 200,000 kids live in poverty, may in working families. A tiny few - the 1% - pocket the lion's share. There is no justification. It…
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Very interesting article by Steve Kilgallon on Stuff yesterday. It reports the experience of ex cop Martin Legge: The inside man Martin Legge spent two decades as a cop in Levin, catching the crims and then, as police prosecutor, taking them to court. Now, he…
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John Key likes to trade on his experience as a, well, trader. You know, he's the deal maker. The one to steer us through tough economic times, to get our exports growing. He understands the markets and that knowledge will benefit New Zealand. But, how…
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Fran 'sell it all' O'Sullivan says the government's case for selling Crafar farms "appears robust". Well, she would say that. But, if you read it, you'll see they've just done a half-arsed, perfunctory attempt to appear to abide by the law as defined by the…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Behold the economic genius of John Key. On the profits of capitalism being fair reward for risk: "...you can’t expect their shareholders to invest for six years without certainty of their investment." On being creative and ambitious for New Zealand: We’re not building the locomotives…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Key's selling our gambling law to SkyCity in return for a convention centre with no government capital contribution. But, according to the MED, we taxpayers would be subsidising that convention centre with $10m for starters. Plus marketing costs. And, then, ongoing subsidies both if convention…
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If anything has marked John Key's tenure as PM it's his use of his personal brand to run his cabinet. While other PMs have used their popularity in this way, few have relied on it so heavily. And it's offered him significant freedom from the…
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A sad story in the Herald today of a man who got hooked on pokies. He spent all his money on them at pubs and SkyCity. Started borrowing from family and partners. Destroyed those relationships. Now lives in a car despite his large income. Started…
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There was a time when you expected higher standards from the senior ranks of the public service. Now, more and more, they are just like private sector CEOs. Elitists. The standards are slipping. This slap on the wrist for the Building and Housing CEO who…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. A guest post by John Key. If you've been following the news you'll know that the Government has agreed to allow Sky City to install…
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Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
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There's a great piece in The Guardian from George Monbiot. It's in the form of a letter to his 3 week old second daughter, saying about the things he hopes she does not miss out on when she grows up. Things like a National Health…
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In his speech yesterday, David Shearer talked about how wages have lagged productivity gains since the neoliberal revolution. Here's what he was talking about: It's kind of misleading to start at 1989 - it suggests that wages were at the 'right' level compared to productivity…
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As expected, the Nats kept on pushing until they got the answer that they wanted. A bit more of NZ is sold out: Crafar China sale gets green light Chinese firm Shanghai Pengxin's controversial bid to buy 16 central North Island dairy farms has been…
capitalism farming International national overseas investment
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Welcome to the twistedhive. A new political blog in the NZ 'sphere. Some interesting posts including some insightful commentary on the choices for Labour's chief of staff and one about getting around the government's plan to veto paid parental leave.
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Key's reasoning for not calling a halt to the business case study for an international convention centre was that he had already decided it was a good idea. Therefore, there was no need for a business case to determine whether it was a good idea.…
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Key has repeatedly claimed that there was no alternative to SkyCity for funding his coveted convention centre: "It went through the normal tendering process, Sky City was the only bidder prepared to look at a deal that didn't involve any Government resources," Mr Key told…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Looks like Stuart Nash's replacement is is almost certain to be Alistair Cameron. As I understand it he's a nice enough bloke and he's very much Grant Robertson's man. As are most of the staff in the leader's office now. It's been no secret around…
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