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One of the most depressing aspects of the whole Kim Dotcom fiasco (so far) has been the way NZ has operated as a pawn of America. Under guidance from the FBI we merrily launched an illegal and allegedly unnecessarily violent raid on Dotcom and his…
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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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This week our MPs have been back in Parliament, holding National to account on the issues that matter to New Zealanders. Education is top of our agenda. National is running down our public education system. They’re not ruling out increasing class sizes in future. And…
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From my view in the cheap seats it seems that there's been plenty of tension in the last couple of weeks between two different “visions" for Labour and its policy direction. Option one, coming up from the grassroots, is moving to the left. More actively…
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When he was Don Brash's campaign manager, Steven Joyce used to talk about the 'optics' being what matters. Well, let's consider the optics of a fat, bald old man personally insulting three good-looking young journalists every time they ask him sensible questions. If I were…
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Whaleoil misunderstands Colonial Fleet Uniform Code of Justice By Colonial Viper On August 17, the impartial political journalist extraordinaire Whaleoil wildly accused me of venting “death threats” against the Pagani family The Standard and Death Threats | Whale Oil Beef Hooked | A blog by…
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Mighty River, when its water use rights are in doubt? Meridian, when its deal with its largest customer is in question? Solid Energy, when it is reviewing all its operations due to the high dollar? Genesis, when Meridian could flood the market with cheap power…
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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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I could hardly believe my ears this morning when I heard about Paula Bennett's plan to drug test beneficiaries and cut their benefits if they fail. Yeah that's the problem that's preventing people from finding work. Drugs. Not the 6.8 percent unemployment rate (and it's…
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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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You can't really understand and fix a problem unless you have some reference points to measure progress against. So, when Paula Bennett's Green Paper on poverty said that 20% of children live in poverty, people said 'wow, what are you policies to reduce this and…
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The Greens' successful call for an Auditor General's probe into the Government's pokies-for-convention-centre deal with SkyCity has stalled the negiotations - despite the Nats' claims it wouldn't derail their attempt to sell our gambling law. No meetings have been held since the A-G's investigation began…
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Labour's hands on approach to economic management focused on boosting manufacturing stands in stark contrast to National's failed record of big promises and no delivery. Manufacturing is our largest employer. It has lost 25,500 jobs under National. National has been pushing mining for four years. It employs 6,000…
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Pagani wrote it. Robertson cleared it. And Shearer uttered it. To summarise; those living by sickness entitlements are probably dodgy b’stards. Nice. Before I go on, I should be clear that this post isn’t some insightful fiction along the lines of this post by Imperator…
accountability benefits david shearer grant robertson labour Politics welfare
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Consider two Ministers and their attitude to privacy. First, Judith Collins: Minister furious over ACC's privacy stance ACC Minister Judith Collins wants the state insurer to start sacking staff who breach a new "zero tolerance" policy on privacy breaches. A furious Ms Collins has revealed…
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One of the big issues highlighted during the course of the Ports of Auckland dispute (which, by the way, is ongoing) was the ability of a few ideologically driven board members and managers to act in bad faith and pursue tactics that were incredibly damaging…
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From their fundy page: Wellington Rape Crisis needs to raise $55,000.00 before 1st April 2013 to keep our doors open. Otherwise we will be unable to sustain our essential services for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. This year is the 35th year we have…
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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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Fresh ideas to grow a stronger manufacturing sector, on top of the major changes Labour has already signalled, such as capital gains tax, r & d credits, universal kiwisaver, increase to the minimum wage, honesty about superannuation and a willingness to change fixed ideas about…
capital gains david cunliffe david parker Economy exports jobs minimum wage monetary policy superannuation wages
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It seems the Standard is off the Paganis' Christmas list. John Pagani tells the Listener that he much prefers Kiwiblog because it "has a more reasonable tone than, say, the left blog the Standard, whose idea of political is embittered and angry and it’s therefore…
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I look forward to Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little calling Paula Bennett as a witness in their defamation suit with Judith Collins. Bennett openly admits doing what Collins has sued Mallard and Little for accusing her of doing: using ministerial powers to leak the private…
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TEDxAuckland will be here in October. Press release... Speakers in this year’s line-up include physicist, decathlete and political advisor Sean Gourley; change development specialist Paul Wood; physicist and pursuer of the Higgs boson ‘god particle’ David Krofcheck; materials and biomedical engineer Michelle Dickinson; internationally recognised architect Andrew Patterson; director of…
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The Australian Government has won a Supreme Court case on its plain packaging law. The tobacco companies are now planning to take it to the WTO. I hope Gillard responds to the law suit with a letter along the lines of: "Dear Cancer-mongers, Consider yourselves…
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What a mess of a week Paula 'out of her depth' Bennett is having: Found to have breached the rights of a beneficiary who dared to speak out against Bennett's cuts to a training allowance, which Bennett herself used while a solo mum. Caught out…
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So, let me get this straight. Debt is bad. So bad, in fact, that the Government is willing to sell assets that produce higher returns than its cost of borrowing to free up money and avoid taking on more debt. That would actually increase government…
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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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Thanks to Rob Salmond and Josie Pagani, it is now clear that Labour's pitch to the centre is an intentional strategy. That is helpful as now perhaps we can have a reasonable discussion about how well it's working, and what else might work better. Certainly…
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Frank Macskasy over at Frankly Speaking writes some very long posts that are often full of interesting information. This one does a good analysis of the recommendations from the Electoral Commission and various party positions on it. On the way through he has a good…
act conservative party dpf election 2014 electoral commission electoral systems greens john banks mana maori party MMP national nz first political parties Politics united future
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Paula Bennett has abused her position as a Minister. We've been waiting for the hearing to conclude for a long time. Here's the ruling at last, courtesy of Stuff. Media statement on Paula Bennett privacy complaint Wednesday, 15 August 2012, 12:17 pm Press Release: Human…
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I've got a new rule. If I'm reading any political 'analysis' and the author commits argument to moderation fallacy, I stop reading right there. So I don't know what John Armstrong wrote after his third sentence yesterday: "The competing choruses of those who say it…