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Word is Labour's reshuffle will be announced tomorrow. I'm still picking Mahuta, Street, and Sio demoted, Cunliffe to health and the old guard not moving one iota. And Andrew Little will be given Justice. Given the latest Reid Research poll, a certain phrase about deckchairs…
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The thing I like about the Living Wage campaign is the branding represents strongly both the problem and the solution. Even the Prime Minister fell into its trap the other day when he said that the Living Wage was not a priority for his Government. …
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Looks like we're in for another round of "back to basics" nonsense in mathematics education from a bunch of politicians who know more about their own prejudices than they do about teaching and learning: Govt eyes back to basics in maths Education Minister Hekia Parata…
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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: Feminism, tax…
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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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In the finest traditions of "speak your branes", the ACT Party has decided to admit what has been obvious to everyone for years: As the party faithful arrived ... they were greeted with a rousing speech from former leader Rodney Hide, who attacked the media.…
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Tax cuts didn't save the economy. The Jobs summit achieved nothing. Bootcamps don't work. The exodus to Australia is getting worse. National abandoned their mining plans and the multinationals are abandoning their search for offshore oil. Hekia Parata has turned education into a fiasco. The…
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I/S from No Right Turn describes another brick in National's wall of stupid. Climate change: Locked out Its official: New Zealand will be locked out of the international carbon market in retaliation for our refusal to sign up for Kyoto's Second Commitment period: In December, the COP…
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In recent posts in this series we've focused on the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, see the the full report (pdf) here. Today we look at the first of the Health and Wellbeing Indicators. HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND MORTALITY WITH A SOCIAL GRADIENT IN CHILDREN…
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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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Christchurch readers please open here InvitationA5_Mar2013_1 to find your invitation to this free "economic revue" at the Court Theatre, Sunday March 3, 1pm for 1:30. Speakers Bernard Hickey, John Walley, Rick Boven, Sel Pellett and Bronwyn Hayward; with Michele A'Court starting them off. Titanic-themed, how…
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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 Government is currently attempting for a second time to remove blanket tree protection from Auckland's district plan. In 2009 it tried through changes to the Resource Management Act to do the same thing. The language used was not clear but the intent was that any tree…
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Herald Cartoonist Body on "More bad news". Perfect.
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A look at Solid Energy's books highlights the diseased culture of the corporate elite in this country and National's failed bet on fossil fuels. The blistering pace that executives' ridiculous paypackets rose at shows a culture of pocket-lining in the company. The massive expansion of…
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Today is the second anniversary of the most destructive of the Christchurch earthquakes. Condolences to the friends and families of the dead. Greetings to all who lived through it and remember. As the government moves on with its own plans for the Christchurch city center,…
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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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Boot camps by their nature are bully camps. I know some young people enjoy the test of their physical skills but for those that don't, they work by psychological pressure. I haven't read the text book that says kids thrive being shouted at, marched about the place…
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Breaking news, but it certainly looks like John Key has (1) made up nonsense, and (2) lied to Parliament: TVNZ: SkyCity hasn't asked us for land TVNZ says it has had no approach from SkyCity to buy its land for the proposed convention centre, contrary…
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A year ago, I wrote that SkyCity was pursuing the dirty practice of 'subvention' - where owners of white elephant infrastructure extort governments for subsidies - for the convention centre. The msm has caught up and is reporting on it now. MED is denying there…
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Before the Auditor General's report on Sky City was even released, Key was trying to spin it as a "vindication" of his involvement. (The Greens are calling for Key to be censured for this breach of confidentiality.) Key was trying to get his spin in…
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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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Oh dear. Lockwood Smith was by common consent one of the best Speakers we have had. David Carter seems be heading in a different direction. Lockwood Smith required Ministers to give direct answers to direct questions. Today in the House Carter answered a question for…
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It has recently come to the attention of the recruitment team that employees working within the sensitive claims unit may not be fully aware of the expectations of their role and the unit in general. Given our unstated practice of never correcting the behaviour of…
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No-one likes fraudsters, whether they're ripping us off as beneficiaries or as suit-clad businesspeople. National's announced some ineffectual steps to 'crack down' on the minor amount of benefit fraud that occurs (no similar crackdown on white collar fraudsters and tax avoiders). But they've gone to…
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The latest article by the excellent George Monbiot, exposes how some of the wealthy and influential international, right wing elites operate through a network of well funded 'think tanks'. Unlike well-orchestrated, well-planned conspiracies, networks are loosely connected and often continually changing. Through networks, a mixture organisational and interpersonal links,…
activism business class war climate change democracy under attack news newspapers overseas investment thinktank
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Hekia Parata - ouch: 71pc want Parata gone - survey Hundreds of protesters have delivered a motion of no confidence in Hekia Parata's performance as a new poll reveals the controversial education minister is rapidly turning into political public enemy No 1. In today's Fairfax…
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I posted recently on the noise in polls, and why is is important to take a long term view rather than get excited about any individual poll. Cases in point, what are we to make of the two most recent results? One News on the…
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The focus in recent months has been on the democratisation of the leadership process. But actually, a far more important change is coming. Over the next few months, the party is going to roll out the draft policies and the proposed policy structure to 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...