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No Right Turn on National's science funding scam. Read it in conjunction with this piece in Stuff today on falling numbers of senior students following National's axing of the postgrad student allowance. Welcome to the Brighter Future. National's "innovation" agenda The government has been trumpeting…
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A while ago a copy of The Standard (version 1.0 - the old newspaper) from 1938 crossed my (r0b's) desk. Down through the years, lining a shelf in an old wardrobe. It wasn't in perfect condition, but still perfectly legible. In 1938 Europe is on…
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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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The invaluable Andrew Geddis has yet another good post on Pundit: I think National just broke our constitution In the wake of the budget, the Government is pushing through a whole bunch of bills in one great rush of non-stop, orgiastic lawmaking. Most of these…
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With so much going this week I'm going to hold the final chapter of the OCC 2012 report over for next week, and focus on current events. Firstly, of course, the budget. After widely signaling action on child poverty, nothing of any significance happened 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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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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When a culturally driven desire for a degree of autonomy clashes with culturally driven intolerence, some interesting dynamics can be unleashed. And when the dominant culture seeks to report on it... well, it can all get a bit confusing for them. The United Kingdom Independence…
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Air NZ has recently posted a $138 million profit, successfully turning around losses of $1 million a week in its international airline with its award winning financial strategies, innovative marketing and outstanding service. It now forecasts that it will double that profit in the next…
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In its budget and its related "accord" with the Auckland Council over Housing, National moved in response to opposition pressures to increase affordable housing. It's all sleight of hand, limited real solutions, and one or two marginal gains. It's good that social (especially community) housing…
accountability auckland supercity bill english class war democracy under attack housing labour local government privatisation same old national sustainability
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_6AEBlzNYw
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First Collins fails the replicant test. Now Scott catches her openly plotting against her leader. Please please, National Party communications team, never, ever take her twitter from her.
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Nothing on poverty. Nothing on affordable housing. House prices forecast to keep rising. Attacks on local democracy. More fear into the lives of the poor (reviewable tenancies). Stealth privatisation of state housing, sorry, 'social housing'. A 'surplus' of 0.03% of GDP. Weak growth outlook. $200b…
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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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Just in case you haven't seen this work of genius by Danyl:
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It's Budget day. The privatisation of Meridian Energy will be announced. There will be a focus on poverty and housing - but will it be anything more than token? One News has a roundup of what we can expect. According to Labour it's a "budget…
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"When National is not selling something like Mighty River Power, it is busy selling out to the likes of SkyCity" - John Armstrong. He could have added 'or defending the elite's rentier profits'. To fudge the fact that National works for the elite, there''ll be…
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Yesterday, in the General Debate in a brilliant speech, Hone Harawira challenged the Maori Party for its support of the Education Amendment Bill currently before the House, that will enable the establishment of charter schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0-IuEFx7sE In a Press Release a couple of days ago,…
democracy under attack hone harawira mana Maori Issues maori party Public Private Partnerships same old national schools
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Judith Collins is trying to deflect criticism for the Nats cynical sidelining of the MMP review by claiming that there was no consensus and that she isn't anyone's "nanny". But according to Labour there was no consultation: Govt’s ‘consultation’ on MMP non-existent The claim by…
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The Right unleashed the most brutal campaign in living memory against an opposition policy when the Greens and Labour announced the NZ Power plan to bring down power prices. They (rightly) saw it as a challenge to the whole rentier class that has been bleeding…
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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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So anyway, John Armstong's just won this press award and the Herald's had a bit of a boast. Which is all good and fine and I'm sure we're all very happy for him. Turns out the judge is "ex newspaper editor" Richard Long. The funny…
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A reader sent us a comment from another blog by someone who was polled a couple of weeks back. The questions are very interesting, especially once you realise that it's clearly being done for National and the Right in Auckland (one of the questions gives…
election 2014 housing local body elections national polls transport
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The Nats have made surplus by 2014-15 their one and only economic goal, because it is one that they can meet. They just keep the slashing social spending, and introducing stealth taxes until they make it. Claim success with no accounting of the damage caused…
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When the Kitteridge Report revealed that 88 New Zealanders had previously been spied on illegally by the GCSB, it was suggested concerned people ask the GCSB if they were one of the 88. Now people who followed that suggestion have received replies, with a won't "confirm or deny" line,…
accountability john key national/act government same old national Spying telecommunications
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National's trying to do something unprecendented - they want to give a private company a 35 year indemnity against costs arising from law changes. No-one else gets this. You don't get money from the government when they make a law that costs you. Nor does…
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"Leaks" of the content of Thursday's budget, indicate that the government has responded to pressure for tackling child poverty and affordable housing. As in Eddie's post this morning, 'Stealth privatistion of housing in the budget', it looks like the government is also planning to out-source…
capitalism child welfare hone harawira jobs mana Privatisation schools wages
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There's more than one way to fleece the public of our assets. While attention is rightly on the big sell-offs of the energy companies, there's also privatisation in the form of public organisations selling or giving away parts of their operations (eg Orcon), and opening…
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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...