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David Shearer's policy of free meals for low decile schools is a bloody good one - there are too many kids that are going to school hungry and suffering setbacks because of it. But remember, this should only be seen as a stop-gap measure. The…
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David Shearer's education speech today was excellent in every way. Core Labour values, a sound understanding of the issues, significant concrete policy, and the promise of more to come. This is the kind of speech that I as a Labour Party supporter want to hear…
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My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week:…
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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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Something's missing from Labour's position on asset sales. It's what it will do with the partially privatised companies (if the sales do go ahead despite Treaty issues and the dearth of economic rationale) when Labour is once more in government. I understand why it cannot…
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(From the Greens' Facebook page) In related news, I see Steven Joyce has met with Solid Energy and the Spring Creek miners. He's got a solution: not a dollar to help the mine stay open. Instead, he says the workers could go work in Christchurch.…
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No Right Turn on the Nats' continuing contempt for democracy. Extended As expected, National has decided to extend ECan's dictatorship for another three years, until 2016. And as the Minister's press release makes clear, the reason is control of water and denial of the rule of…
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Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on the National government's lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. The facts are pretty simple. Poverty (and inequality) were falling (albeit too slowly) under the last Labour government. Now they are on the rise again, in fact a…
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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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Brian Easton will introduce the Fabian Society Light-handed Regulation Series at Connolly Hall, Guildford Terrace, Wellington, on Monday 10 September at 5:30pm. Brian's presentation will look at light-handed regulation and its effect on work safety, finance sector, energy sector and construction and building. Brian will…
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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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The Nats' inconsistency on the importance of having well qualified teachers is one of their most brazen examples of naked political opportunism. Hekia Parata: Focus on quality will raise achievement Education Minister Hekia Parata today said the National-led Government’s focus on teaching quality will raise achievement…
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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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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. People of Swedish descent who engage in acts of treason while dressed as nuns will no longer be eligible to receive welfare,…
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Something struck me as weird about the Spring Creek closure. Why have they stopped mining immediately even though the future of the mine hasn't been decided and the miners are still being paid? Why did Solid Energy consider it more economic to pay the miners…
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Steven Joyce is meant to be the Jobs Czar. That's what Mobie is supposedly for - creating jobs and growth. So, what's his reaction to another hundred job losses yesterday at the Bluff smelter and the threat of the loss of 3,200 more? "If [Tiwai…
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Next Thursday there will be a national hui on water rights called by Maori King Tuheitia. John Key is playing divide and rule, and thus has forbidden National MPs from attending: Key: Government won't go to water hui Prime Minister John key says the Government…
hone harawira john key mana-party maori party national water
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I see Paula Benefit is up to her old tricks again. As the government desperately wants to be doing something other than not attending huis over water rights, it's up to Paula to pull a benefit bash. But she's obviously run out of ideas. So…
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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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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. I see that Jordan Carter has written a piece in response (I presume) to Stuart Nash's blogpost about Labour's "mistake" in focusing…
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The National/Act government wants to sell essential public infrastructure assets that we all own and that returns a public dividend to a few of its mates who have the money, so some of its other mates can clip the ticket on the way. If water-dependent…
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Genetically modified (GM) food is a contentious issue worldwide. Personally I'm not as opposed to GM as many on the left, but I think that there are perfectly good reasons that NZ as a country should remain GM free. And we should certainly stand up…
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Labour's speeches and press releases are going to be under intense scrutiny in the months ahead, as the pundits and the public look for signs of the party's direction. David Clark's opinion piece in The Herald makes for welcome reading in this respect: David Clark:…
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I'm no fan of coal mining, obviously. We need to reduce the amount of carbon we put in the atmosphere dramatically and stopping digging it up would be a good start. But the Nats have no such concerns. They want more jobs in hydrocarbon extraction.…
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There's a major housing crisis in Christchurch. People are living in unsafe, cold houses and their health is suffering. Rents are at criminal levels. And people are still fleeing the city. So, what's the Government doing about it? As I/S at No Right Turn reports,…
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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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We're just days away from the end of public consultation on the MMP Review, and this week is your last chance make a submission on the Proposals Paper. We're received almost 700 submissions on the Proposals Paper already, and want to make sure that no-one…
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The Herald has had a plethora of columns urging action on the 230,000-270,000 in Child Poverty this week. There have been 3 weighty reports on Child Poverty out recently to spur them, but the even conservative ol' Granny Herald seems to have got the message,…
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Today Greenpeace will be in the Court of Appeal to challenge the interpretation of the High Court or what is a charitable purpose. Bunny McDiarmid at the Greenpeace blog has a pretty good post on it "Charity or not, Greenpeace is here to stay". This…
campaigning Environment law political alternatives Politics the praiseworthy and the pitiful