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Open mike 23/05/2012
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Archives · 2012-05-21 to 2012-05-27 · Page 2
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Searching: posts Sorted by: newest Results: 31–51 of 51
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ImperatorFish: Take Your Medicine
Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. You've probably heard a lot about the National government's austerity measures, and I know you're probably worrying whether this belt-tightening is really worth it. It's going…
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David Parker’s Greece-proof paper
Don't blame Greece. I was fortunate enough to go to David Parker's pre-budget speech to business people this morning. He coined it his "Greece-proof paper" as he talked through how New Zealand's problems are for our government to solve - rather than just blaming Greece.…
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A good move
The government has correctly bowed to pressure and banned foreign-flagged fishing boats from operating in our waters. We don't have too many posts praising this government, and to have 2 today may surprise some. But credit where it's due. The labour, safety and fisheries concerns…
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Four years of failed promises
Labour has published its budget website and a video ripping John Key's record of broken promises. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hhYU2K7C5c Right now, John Key is simultaneously blaming Labour for the recession and making excuses for the dismal economic performance of his government by blaming the world economy. And…
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An Open Email to Hekia Parata
Ko Hikaroroa te mauka Ko Waikowaiti te awa Ko ngā waka ; ko Uruao, ko Araiteuru ko Takitimu hoki Ko Waitaha, Mamoe, Kai Tahu ka Iwi Ko Ka hapū ko Kāti Huirapa, Ko te marae te Puketeraki Ko Pat Newman ahau Tihei Mauriora! Tena…
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Falling prison numbers
It's an interesting fact that the one area in which National is going against its traditional approach and moving towards what the experts advocate is prisons. And I think I know why. In education, health, welfare etc National's ideological positions correspond with cutting spending. But…
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10,000 posts
1,376 days ago a handful of us, led by Lynn*, got together to set up The Standard. There was an idea for a strong left-blog to counter the dominance of the Right in the blogosphere. I reckon we've succeeded. We've had 413,000 comments and over…
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McCarten: Waging war on working class
Every now and then, as an amateur blogger, I read an article that is so powerful that it makes me wonder why I bother writing at all. Matt McCarten's latest column is one such example. Extracts below. But go read the whole thing. Thank you…
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Back to school for Parata
Parata on The Nation: "what we've had is a five-fold increase in the number of teachers while we've only had a 2% increase in students". There are 52,500 teachers. Is Parata really saying there were only 10,500 a decade ago? The minister needs remedial maths,…
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Meatworkers win
News in that Talley's/AFFCO and the Meatworkers reached an agreement at 5am this morning. The workers will keep their wage and job security provisions and still be covered by a collective contract. These things are never a complete victory but Talley's appear to have won…
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Open mike 22/05/2012
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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A Tale of Two Networks
Wellington's electricity network was privatised 20 years ago. The water network wasn't. Tomorrow evening (Tuesday 22 May) researchers Peter Harris, Dick Werry and Jim Turner will present their outcome comparison to a Fabian seminar at St John's Church Hall in Wellington at 5:30pm. Water network…
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Spin v reality
National have become a very adept PR machine. While not adept at running the country, they've become great at running statistics. John Key was pushing things a little too far with his lines that unemployment rising to 6.7% showed an improved economy and that Europe…
debt / deficit economy employment im/migration john key national unemployment
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ImperatorFish: Good News On Asteroid Front Shows Government On Track
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 from the Finance Minister We live in tough economic times, but the New Zealand public can be assured that this government is leaving no…
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Alternative Budget Competition
Tomorrow night in Auckland four University teams from Auckland, Victoria and Otago will present their visions and prescriptions for New Zealand's economic future in an event which is open to the public, and will be held from 5.30pm at the University of Auckland Business School.…
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Greens Budget Alternative
The Greens launched their Budget alternative this morning. Titled "Smart Green Economics" it lived up to the billing, as did its Economic Policy launch before the Budget. Extra heft was provided by BERL economist Dr Ganesh Nana with a commissioned paper arguing that the Government's…
budget2012 Economy exports greens infrastructure Privatisation russel norman
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The thinner blue line
National is going to cut 125 police staff. They're not sworn officers but who's going to pick up the work they were doing? Sworn cops, of course. Course, tying up cops with paperwork will help the crime stats drop. And with the navy so underfunded…
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One more promise I couldn’t keep
Last Budget, National promised 36,000 jobs in the year to March 2012. We got 20,000. They promised 1.8% growth. We got 1.1%. They promised a $9.8 billion deficit. Now, it's heading for over $12 billion. I can't wait to hear National's promises on Thursday. English…
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Mr Key’s remarkable lack of ambition
Remember 'ambitious for New Zealand'? Remember 'brighter future'? At what point did all that get replaced with 'surplus by 2014/15'? Key and National used to at least say they wanted to do something significant, even if they never had the policies to achieve it. Now,…
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Open mike 21/05/2012
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...