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The best form of welfare is a decent job. The Left has always said that and the record of Labour-led governments has confirmed it. During it's nine years in power, the fifth Labour government saw the number of people on the unemployment benefit fall from…
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National was forced into a back down by the extremely negative public reaction to Bill English's kite-flying over selling Kiwibank. Now, after initially supporting the idea of a sale, John Key has emphatically ruled it out... unless he changes his mind later. When it comes…
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Each person gets the same right to vote, regardless of wealth. We regard that as a fundamental of our democracy. But it's not true. A hangover from the days when only those with land could vote still exists. It's called the ratepayer franchise. Most Kiwis…
community democracy democratic participation local government
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Carrying on from r0bs post about dissecting the bloated ego of the Looney Lord, I thought I should share my thoughts on the role of retired professors with similar meaningless titles. There has been a series of posts at Hot-topic and other sites looking at…
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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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Over the weekend, I read the right wing blogs with interest and their frequent references to left-wing politicians troughing at the taxpayers expense and other such instances of abuse. I then lent my mind to the National-led Government and how they have fared in this…
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We all know what a disaster America's 'No Child Left Behind', the inspiration for the Nats' National Standards has been. It seems Australia has gone down a very similar track and the results have been the same - teaching to the test, grade inflation, and…
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The way the votes will be counted in the Government's MMP Referendum Bill is highly unusual and in my view undemocratic. There will not be any independent scrutiny on election day of the votes cast or spoiled in the referendum. Independent scrutiny of the ballot…
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The dearth of long weekends this year has made me feel cheated. And now with Queen's Birthday over it's a long wait till Labour weekend in October. It's not fair dammit. Kiwis deserve a bit of a break over the long winter months. Part of…
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Aussies are looking more and more likely to elect Abbott. Terrible. Guy's a chauvinistic prick who admitted you can't trust a word he says. Shows how poorly Rudd has done some things. People are thinking the Liberals weren't so bad after all. Likewise, Goff is…
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According to a new report: New Zealand is a great place for children if their parents have a good income, live in a warm dry house and are well educated. However if you're not born into a privileged household, then death and disease is worse…
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One of the big "nanny state" hot button topics is road safety and enforcement. Too many armchair experts think that they're qualified to pass judgement on what is and isn't safe driving. See for example the reactions to the government's recent ban on cell phone…
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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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For a long time, I've struggled to understand the social value of trusts. Obviously, they're useful for the people that have them but it seems that the value they get is nearly exclusively from preventing people making legitimate claims on their assets. Creditors, ex-partners, the…
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The Herald on Sunday had a story about John Key's Chief of Staff Wayne Eagleson's holiday (yup, after 4 or five weeks off at New Year's the Nats are taking another couple of weeks away) with a couple of Tory lobbyists and, oddly, the boss…
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There hasn't been a lot of focus on this in the media, but it is huge for the government. From Friday's Waatea News: National hui rejects Foreshore Act offer Iwi leaders have rejected the Government's proposed reform for the Foreshore and Seabed Act. About 100…
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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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One of the stories about David Lange that has always stuck with me is how he was informed of the Rainbow Warrior bombing while lining up for the Tuckshop at Waiwera Hot Pools. As a young fella I guess I had a view of a…