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The people of Franklin and Papakura, who overwhelming oppose becoming part of the National/ACT government's Supercity experiment, have been denied their request to keep their own councils. Instead, Papakura will be forced into the Supercity while Franklin will be carved up between the Supercity, Waikato Council,…
auckland supercity community democracy democracy under attack democratic participation local body elections local government
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The '3 strikes' policy is the kind of policy you put in place when you want to look tough on crime but you have no idea how to actually reduce it, in the same way a cycleway is the jobs plan you have when you don't…
crime law and "order" poverty prisons privatisation unemployment
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Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Not sure I agree with it all but the rise and fall of the TV journalist is an interesting micro-documentary:
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There was quite an interesting discussion on the minimum wage yesterday after a poll showed 61% of Kiwis back a $15 an hour minimum wage, and I thought it would be good to lay out my thoughts. First, increasing the minimum wage changes the division…
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The media coverage of Prince William's visit really has gone a step too far. Aside from dominating TV, radio, and the newspapers, every time I check out stuff.co.nz I'm presented with an excited "LATEST: Prince William gets into car". I know it's easy journalism. But…
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Cameron 'Whaleoil' Slater has launched 'SHAME'. It's supposedly a lobby group to get suppression laws changed. Really, it looks like a money making scheme for the workshy Slater. SHAME seems to have no members apart from Slater. He says "We are fortunate to be supported…
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John Key has ruled out a $2.50 an hour pay increase for New Zealand's lowest paid workers but won't give any indication of what increase he does think is right. He claims that an increase to $15 an hour would cost jobs. I would love…
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Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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At the end of the month the new kindergarten year begins. Reading this article in the SSTimes from yesterday reminded me of just how hard the question of childcare is for many parents: The Kiwi tradition of sending pre-schoolers to kindy is losing favour, as…
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Traditionally, the minimum wage was set at around 60-67% of the average wage. During the Muldoon era and the 1990s, National let the minimum wage stagnate, with inflation eating away at its value. It declined to as low as 34% of the average wage under Muldoon…
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Statements made in Parliament last year, in chronological order: Hon BILL ENGLISH: They have been telling us that we should copy the Australian fiscal stimulus, when Australia's unemployment rate is close to 6%—whereas our fiscal stimulus has kept our unemployment rate down to 5%. So…
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Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...