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Can someone at MSD please sit Paula Bennett down and explain to her what a season is? Our hapless Minister for Social Services is once again claiming victory over rising unemployment because of the seasonal drop in unemployment numbers. Bennett says that the number on the…
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Michael Gove, Britain's Conservative shadow Children's Minister, has unveiled their version of National standards. Like Anne Tolley, he is sure he knows what parents want. The Times reports: 'I'm an unashamed traditionalist when it comes to the curriculum,' Mr Gove said. 'Most parents would rather…
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Climate change deniers frequently claim that there is a climate change or global warming "industry" - that scientists are being paid to come up with results that show warming. This is a typical example: Global warming industry becomes too big to fail So the warming…
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During the neoliberal revolution, the 4th Labour Government and the Nats decided to break up the big ministries into lots of little ministries and autonomous agencies. The idea was that the ministries were like big lumbering dinosaurs that suffered inefficiencies of scale. Smaller bodies would…
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A very witty and well-written article from John Hartevelt in the Dompost yesterday that exposes some of the weird stuff in National's current crusade against kids: Goodness only knows what the girls were smiling about. Perhaps the prime minister's banana-shaped smile was infectious, but that couldn't explain…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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This looks to be a fascinating set of lectures. I'll be going - will you? Resilient Economy Series Announced Economic orthodoxy continues to fail New Zealand. This failure is systemic, not cyclical. Despite this, prevailing political and economic orthodoxy has become almost immune from scrutiny.…
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Come on Granny Herald. You're almost there... Editorial: Deny power to Super City's faceless panels From right to left, from John Banks and Michael Barnett to Len Brown and Mike Lee, Auckland's local politicians have begun protesting at a distinctly undemocratic element in the constitution…
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In January, we were told that John Key had some secret plan to end whaling. Now, we learn that Key wants to let commercial whaling resume. Since 1986, commercial whaling has been banned by international law. Japan carries out its whaling under the guise of…
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John Armstrong's piece today focuses on how Labour are winning the debate on GST but, unfortunately, he reveals his own prejudices in this passage: "Labour is highlighting the ones who will most definitely be better off - those who stand to benefit from the top…
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It's strange. I would have thought that Fran O'Sullivan and David Garrett were at complete opposite ends of the extreme Right. O'Sullivan is a pro-business liberal or libertarian, Garrett is a knuckle brain conservative. But actually, they're not so far apart. It seems both believe…
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The Herald this morning says Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee is refusing to rule out opencast mining on our most precious conservation lands. This is serious. Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee has refused to rule out open-pit mining in our highest value conservation parks ahead…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Only days ago, David Cameron told British journalists they were "flogging a dead horse" when asking questions about Lord Ashcroft's donations and tax status. You can watch him here. It wasn't the happiest choice of words - this is what one British journo thought. Now…
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The campaign to save Radio New Zealand from funding cuts and commercialisation is going well. Well attended rallies have been held in Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch. The Facebook group, which now has 17,800 members and is close to overtaking the John Key supporters' group, has attracted…
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Over at Scoop, Gordon Campbell takes Theresa Gattung to task for her revisionist history of Telecom in the Dominion Post this morning. One hates to kick someone when they're down but when it is former Telecom CEO Theresa Gattung and she is peddling a book…
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mickysavage reports on Anne Tolley's meeting in West Auckland. He relates her complete inability to understand the issues. He concludes that national standards was a dog whistle policy that in action will actually only consist of spending $50 million a year on reports with pretty graphs and…
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It was only a matter of time until some reporter copied the silly mutterings from the Right about how Phil Goff and Labour's 'Axe the Tax' bus tour is paid for. Yes, it's taxpayer funded and, yes, that is perfectly legitimate. I honestly can't understand…
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The first Drinking Liberally of the year in Wellington is next Thursday and it looks to be a good one. The Roger Award will be presented. Should be great fun. The Roger Award is presented each year by the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa…
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All available evidence and expert opinion suggests that National Standards, as the government intends to introduce them in our primary schools, won't work. (If anyone is aware of evidence in support please cite it in comments!). As some wag put it, no matter how often…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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When National came into power I thought that at least they had a relatively good policy on prisoner rehabilitation: "At present, 43% of prisoners (and 65% of prisoners under 20) re-offend within a year of release. For too many criminals, a prison sentence is not…
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Now this is pretty damn funny and just adds to todays absurdities over the waste of money on rugby world cup TV in 2011. From Granny Herald with the title "Minto Walkway sparks outrage". Veteran Springbok Tour protester John Minto has found himself at the…
activism auckland supercity democracy under attack humour local government mt albert police
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Next Monday is International Women's Day (8 March). I know a few readers will ask Do we still still need to worry? According to Asha-Rose Migiro, UN Deputy Secretary-General, the answer is yes. Among the areas where progress has lagged is in tackling the scourge…
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This is the shortened and lyrical version of the policy.
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Colin Espiner reports that Rodney Hide has gone into his shell as outrage over David Garrett's appalling sterilisation comments builds. Since Irish broke the story of Garrett's comments yesterday, it has spread like wildfire through the blogosphere and the msm. And nowhere will you find…
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An ugly side of the Right, one that a lot of people thought was long defeated, has reemerged in recent weeks. Yesterday we had David Garrett's 'sterilise the poor because they might become criminals or breed criminals' and last week we had arguably more disturbing…
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Beloved Leader of People's Constitutional Monarchy of New Zealand, Honourable John Key, attended glorious opening of school building on Tuesday. Youth cadres were so roused by Honourable Leader's magnificent presence that they spontaneously burst into a moving rendition of glorious People's anthem. The school, owned…
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How's this for insanity: the finals in the World Cup will be broadcast live on four free to air channels (TV1, TV3, Maori TV in English and Maori TV in Maori) as well as Sky. That's pretty much the definition of overkill and it has…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...