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So, coming off the back of comments made below Karol’s post of this morning, I’m proposing that anyone within the Dunedin area meet up (provisionally and weather permitting) on Saturday the 18th January 2014, around about one-ish in the afternoon by the band stand at…
activism class war community democracy democratic participation political education
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It has a small sample (500 voters) and is probably overly optimistic but a poll in the morning's Herald has Labour on 40% although National is on 48%. The Greens were said to be on 8% and no other parties were close to the 5%…
bill english john key national polls same old national slippery
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Hugh Mair reports in The Guardian on the unacceptable decline of working class people in public life. While the decline may not be quite as acute as in the UK, there has also been a middle class capture of public and political life in NZ.…
accountability activism capitalism class war democratic participation labour mana socialism thinktank uk politics Unions
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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 Policy). Step right up to the mike …
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I don't give Christmas presents any more. But I do look for places to gift/donate to or support, at what is a difficult time of year for the people on lowest incomes. The City Missions are an obvious and worthy place to donate time, money…
activism benefits child welfare democratic participation poverty unemployment
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Rob Salmond is currently running a business selling data based political advice. But he also runs the Polity blog and has given us permission to syndicate his posts when we find something interesting to repeat. Long time readers will remember him from the brilliant posts on 08wire.org…
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No Right Turn has a view on Len Brown accepting undeclared complementarities from the hotel industry. How many of these were from SkyCity? And who else has been getting them? So, the report on Len Brown's affair with a council staffer is out, revealing that he…
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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 Policy). Step right up to the mike …
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The preliminary no asset sales referendum results are in and the results are impressive. Two thirds of voters, a total of just under 900,000 have voted no. The total reported vote (which will go up with late votes) is 1.33 million or 44% of all…
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So according to John Key, turnout in the referendum is so low it doesn't mean anything to him (despite his government working hard to get turnout down). We're yet to see if we managed to get our 1,000,000 no votes (fingers crossed), but presumably the…
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... will be one that has effective policies to make a more equal society, will seriously address the concerns of those least well-off, and not just pander to the narrow concerns of people on, or who aspire to, (comfortable) middle incomes. This means policies to…
benefits child welfare class war cost of living democratic participation economy education employment greens infrastructure local government poverty quality of life sustainability workers' rights
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There is increasing disquiet about the decision to withdraw all charges against Peter Whittall over the deaths of the Pike River miners and the role of the Government in what has happened is going to be put under intense scrutiny. Because the whole thing has…
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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 Policy). Step right up to the mike …
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Over at blubbering boys blog this morning, 'authored' by Cameron Slater. The Parliamentary Press Gallery had its end of year party last night. Basically it was a trough-fest for corporate lobbyists…with them out numbering journalists by a substantial amount. This was the scene that confronted…
accountability blogs dpf john key national Parliament parliamentary spending Politics public services rumour scoundrels
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The decision announced today (but made when?) to withdraw the charges against Pike CEO Peter Whittall cannot be left to rest. When did a Judge of a New Zealand Court participate in a deal where criminal charges were dropped and money paid. It is insufficient…
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You have a choice to make. Since you live in a society, apparently guided by ideas of personal responsibility and choices, making a choice and acting on it should be second nature by now. Anyway, you should made the decision a few years back and…
capitalism Economy Environment Ethics global warming political alternatives quality of life sustainability vision
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In breaking news all charges laid under the HSIE Act against former Pike River boss Petter Whittall have been withdrawn. From the Herald: In a shock development in the Christchurch District Court this morning, the Crown said that after an extensive review it was "not…
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A Statistics NZ quick stats page on "Work" is both useful and puzzling. Unemployment has increased from 2006, being back nearer the level in 2001: Unemployment increased since 2006, but was slightly lower than in 2001. The unemployment rates for the last three censuses were: *…
benefits capitalism jobs paula bennett same old national unemployment
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Right wing, excuses reasons, for not doing anything about children in poverty. 1. "It costs too much". 2. "Taxation is theft". 3. "They are not as poor as they are in (Insert a third world Nation with less than half our GDP, and a 10th…
benefits capitalism class war cost of living Economy economy employment poverty socialism tax uncategorized welfare
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Fresh from his comedy career on Letterman, his rolling over puppy imitation for Warner Brothers, and other such high profile appearances. John Key has now taken to reprising the role of "The Man with No Name". 3 News reported yesterday. Prime Minister John Key has…
john key Minister for International Embarrassment Minister for Photo-ops Satire
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This is the last day that you can vote No in the referendum on asset sales. So dig that form out, mark it and send it. Over the last few years the National party has been claiming that by being able to form a government,…
accountability assets community democracy national Politics referendum same old national scoundrels
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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 Policy). Step right up to the mike …
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And the results are bouncing around. Labour is down 3.5 and the Greens are up 3.5%. And the two blocks are neck and neck ... According to Gary Morgan: Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows National (45%, up 0.5%) now exactly level with…
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Seems that Collins likes to call others bullies, but doesn't mind being simply abusive and derogatory in her own language. Then she gets stuck in again: both men are numpties with bells on. Hey Judith have you done anything of such significance for New Zealand?…
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Welfare benefits and how you provide for the disadvantaged is one of the primary distinguishing features of the difference between the left and right of the political spectrum. This post is a more detailed explanation of a proposal I put in a comment on child…
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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 Policy). Step right up to the mike …
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But we need more. So persuade your family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances or people that you have a passing relationship to send in their voting papers. Time is running out ...
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Confronted with a protest about the government's lack of action on child poverty, John Key's response is: "So yeah, they just protest because that's all they've got to do all day." As though protesting - participating in our democracy - was a particularly unimportant thing…
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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. Prime Minister John Key insists his government is committed to addressing child poverty, despite a damning report on the problem released yesterday. The Child Poverty Monitor…