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Entrenchment back on the agenda
Good to see Labour pursuing a private member's bill to entrench the Maori seats. Mita Ririnui, who's lodging the bill, says it "will ensure that the Maori seats in Parliament will not be able to be abolished unless 75 per cent of MPs in any…
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The Obama of the South Seas
The bizarre project to try to portray John Key as the Obama of the South Seas continues. Garth George today writes: "The new politics is being generated by two relatively young leaders, Prime Minister John Key and President Barack Obama, both of whom overcame less…
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Lane Walker Rudkin
I see poor management and a bitter marital tiff have put the jobs of 470 workers at Lane Walker Rudkin on the line and cast doubt on the future of yet another iconic Kiwi company. As the NDU's Maxine Gay points out, communities like Timaru,…
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Public holidays
If a Public Holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, we should get the day off on the following Monday instead, like other countries. In 2011, Easter Sunday and ANZAC day will be the same day. Dumb. If Anzac Day coincides with another public…
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Fox firing at will
From Finsec's blog, ...the gossip: Fox TV is taking television to a new low with a new show with the working title Someone's Gotta Go. The show will make 'entertainment' out of job cuts, with staff being able to vote for who should lose their…
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Israel and Gaza on a Summer Mind
I think I can safely credit Israeli foreign policy with ruining my summer. If you're the empathetic type it's hard to go to the beach and swim in the sun while, several thousand miles beneath your feet, people are being killed en masse by people…
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When liberals become illiberal
Much as I disagree with those who oppose the freedom of same sex couples to marry, I also can't stand those that attack the freedom of speech beyond reason. Whatever happened to "I disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to…
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Jarring
Today Phil Goff's question to Key is: "Does he agree with the statements in the House by his Minister of Finance on 16 December 2008 that 'Yes, I can confirm that National will not be going back on any of those promises, as we fully…
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On that Trevett piece
Continuing with today's media criticism theme, I've got to disagree with my comrade Eddie's post this morning about the Claire Trevett piece in the Herald where she appears to celebrate John Key's obfuscation over his position on the supercity rather than demanding answers herself. While…
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We deserve better
Duncan Garner on TV3 News According to the poll, 52.6 percent of voters agree the cuts should be cancelled, 37.9 percent say they should go ahead regardless and 9.5 percent did not know.... ...But these results tonight will reassure Mr Key that voters understand he…
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As bad as it gets
Clare Trevett grow up. You write a piece congratulating Key on making diversionary statements when he is asked serious questions about the supercity? I know your employer is chief propagandist for Key and the supercity but don't you have any professional pride? You should be…
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It’s good enough for Wanganui
Rodney Hide refuses to give Aucklanders their referendum on the supercity and one of the excuses he offers is the cost: "The difficulty with a referendum is it would cost a million dollars" So what kind of things do councils find it worthwhile holding referenda…
auckland supercity democracy under attack democratic participation
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Gordon Campbell on the MoU
Gordon Campbell's latest Scoop column takes a very critical view of the Greens' Memorandum of Understanding with National. While the Greens' strategy is based on the need to cooperate with what they see as a likely two-term National Government, Campbell argues their cooperation may help…
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Focused on what matters
So John Key has set his taxpayer paid researchers onto David Shearer. The best they can come up with is that 11 years ago Shearer advocated using regulated mercenaries on UN peacekeeping missions because nations like the US are often unwilling to commit their own troops. If Key,…
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What a joke
This shows how meaningless tax cuts are. From last night's TV3 poll: When you receive tax cuts this month [they began on April 1], do you think you will be most likely to spend it, save it, pay off debt or other? *Spend it 25.3…
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Imagine.
Inspired by a forwarded e-mail about Obama's speech to the NAS with this line in it Imagine Key committing to invest 3% of GDP in R&D Obama 27th April 2009 at the National Academy of Science I am here today to set this goal: we…
act bill english economy john key science telecommunications
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The Backlash Begins
We've been warning that John Key faces a backlash in Auckland if he doesn't rein in Rodney Hide and present a democratic supercity structure instead of the rort that is on the table now. We're starting to see it. A poll out yesterday shows only…
auckland supercity democracy under attack national/act government polls
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Meeting tonight on Super City
From Just Left: Tonight - Freemans Bay Community Centre - the Western Bays Community Board is holding a meeting from 6.30pm to discuss the Govt's super-city proposal. Come along. It is nice to see that some parts of the Council do want to hear what…
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Another one bites the dust
And so another of John Key's "big ideas" is shown to have been costed by monkeys. Treasury study suggests fibre plan will fall short: A study commissioned by the Treasury has warned it would cost between $5.3 billion and $10.4b to connect three-quarters of New…
bill english budget 2009 interweb john key national/act government
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Random media comments
Is there any point reading the NBR now Ben Thomas has left? Losing New Zealand's most promising young journalist and getting Hooton, it's like trying to replace a talking parrot that's died with a slug - well it's scarcely a replacement is it? Does the…
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Drinking Liberally Auckland – the future of Auckland governance
Join all your favourite lefty liberal drinkers at Drinking Liberally Auckland When: 7pm, Wednesday 29 April Where: London Bar - corner Queen and Victoria Streets, Auckland CBD Who: you and like-minded left-wingers. All welcome. This month's speaker is Mayor Len Brown talking about the opportunities…
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Strike at MIT
Members of the Tertiary Education Union at the Manukau Institute of Technology are striking. A TEU member explains the dispute: Basically lecturers at MIT are going on strike this week over workload pressures. Last year the Institute cut all its admin staff, and surprise, everyone…
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Finsec petition: Make jobs a condition of bank guarantees
Does it strike anyone else as odd that at a time when taxpayers are guaranteeing the banking system with public funds, banks have made no such guarantee to their staff about job security? While the banks made combined profits in excess of $2.5 billion and…
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heh
Sent in by a Standard reader and avid lolcats fan:
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An illiterate from another age
I see that Michael Bassett has written about this site. However he doesn't bother to check his facts or to keep up with current trends in online participation. It is a pity in a historian because he is obviously incapable of understanding how fast the…
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New Left blog
Life and Politics, a centre-left blog by "post-grad politics student, coms freelancer and a former press secretary" Jake Quinn.
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Budget 2009: Why not tax the rich?
With the Government openly preparing the public for spending cuts in the upcoming Budget, No Right Turn reminds us that there are alternatives - rather than cutting services and harming the poor, we could always raise taxes on those who can most afford it. The…
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Don’t fear the reaper
The Government's response to the recession so far has been to curl up in a ball and hope it will go away. Incredibly, while the economy is shrinking, the Government is destimulating it further by cutting public services. The excuse they give is that if…
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David Farrar on referenda and consultation
rOb comments on David Farrar's sudden conversion to not needing a referendum on the Auckland super-city, when DPF's previous history is to always favour consultation and referenda. It raises questions about the rapid changes in DPF's beliefs post-election. DPF is the worst kind of hypocrite.…