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A reader noticed a difference between National's workplace policy as quoted by us and as quoted elsewhere. We and some others have: "Continue to allow union access to workplaces with the employer's consent." taken from the PDF of the workplace policy. While others have: "Continue…
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John Key has announced Working for Families would be kept unchanged by a National-led government. That's the same Working for Families that National attacked endlessly. Key himself said "Working for Families is a real 'Maharey special''. It started as a mess, it was completed as…
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A sage comment from our reader, Bill, got me thinking. He said "If political news was even given the same modest in-depth coverage as (say) sports news we wouldn't be living in the NZ that we inhabit today." I might put it like this: "If…
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So, what have we learnt from the 18,000 words on John Key the Herald published with so much fanfare over the last two weekends? We've learnt that, even if you devote a good portion of three senior journalists' time to study the matter for six…
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Our national political debate is in a sad sad state. Agenda is meant to be our premier political interview and analysis TV show. Today, they had John Key on for the main interview. In twenty-odd minutes he was not asked a single question about the…
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The big story of the week is National's work rights policy that does nothing to further workers' rights and actually undermines them in a number of subtle ways. There is no policy for increasing wages, none at all. In fact, the policies are likely to…
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Seek has released analysis of the pay-rates offered by employers advertising on its site. It's not a perfect measure and the figures are for the last quarter of 2007 but they still make illuminating reading. The average salary rose from $55,583 to $57,664 in the…
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This is from 2005 in Britain but we saw the same script played out here last month: When SpinWatch asked Tory central press office to clarify the roles being played by Crosby and Textor the conversation was as follows: SpinWatch: 'I was wondering if you…
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Democratic, voluntary organisations of workers: Finsec: "Within the current framework, many workers have been able to achieve real wage increases like the 5% increase from Westpac our members have been offered this week...These pay rises have come as a result of staff being able to…
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Some of our rightwing commentators are rejecting the argument that National's 'workplace policy' strips workers of their rights. Problem is, every workers' rights organisation thinks that it does and John Key does too. Think about it, if you think people will welcome your policy do…
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I just read Gordon Campbell's latest Scoop column about the omnibus tax bill and quickly followed it with Frog's piece on the matter and I am not impressed. The first reading of the government's bill took place last night and within its myriad of dull…
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With the collapse of Hanover Finance, the 25th finance company to go under, Hanover co-owner Mark Hotchin has declared 'the finance companies' model is broken'. Here's an illustration of that model: I think they went wrong at step 1. Of course, as always, it's the schmucks…
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You know you're in for a treat when a political party's ‘policy' (I still refuse to consider half a dozen bullet points a policy) concerning the rights of New Zealanders at work the place most of us spend a good part of our days nearly…
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The Reserve Bank has dropped the Official Cash Rate from 8.25% to 8%. Inflation is well outside the Bank's 1-3% target range but there appears to be a recognition that there's no point strangling our economy with high interest rates when that can't bring down…
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Bob Jones confirmed on Morning Report that he gave $25,000 in 2005 to New Zealand First. The money was to be funnelled to NZF through the Spencer Trust but, according to the party's declaration of donations the money was not passed on (parties' declarations of…
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The Employers and Manufacturers Association's advertising campaign to defend the ability of employers to make workers pay their own Kiwisaver employer contribution while pocketing the taxpayer subsidy is the most hamfisted and transparently cynical piece of PR I've seen in some time. It's outragous that…
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Word around the traps is that National is going to be releasing its industrial relations policy this afternoon. My prediction is the policy will be sold as relatively moderate, but in reality will differ only slightly from their rather extreme 2005 plan. We can be…
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WHAT: Regular event for Drinking Liberally's Auckland City chapter WHEN: 7:30pm, Wed 23 July (TONIGHT) WHERE: London Bar, corner Queen and Wellesley Streets, Auckland City. WHO: You and any of your friends who may be interested THIS MONTH: Mix and mingle, a great chance to…
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The 'policies' National is releasing are nothing more than bullet points but we know from a number of slips that these vague one-pagers only scrape the surface. When they're talking to friendly audiences without the media around, National's MPs tend to be more forthcoming and…
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The graphic to the left was produced by the Property Investors' Federation and was printed unquestioned in the Herald yesterday. The PIF uses the figures to claim Kiwis are better off renting. Here's what's wrong with them. First, it's comparing the average rent to the cost of…
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1 - In 2005, Owen Glenn paid $100,000 towards a legal defence fund for a case in Peters' name. 2 - Peters was not told that Glenn had been a donor to that fund until last week according to both Peters and the lawyer Brian…
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Some of our friends on the National Party end of the blogosphere have developed a rather odd habit over the years of referring to Helen Clark as 'Dear Leader'. Well fellas, I hate to break it to you, but if it's a personality cult you're after…
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National Party strategist and Dominion Post columnist Richard Long declared war on "P" today. The "P'" word that is. Privatisation. Labour and the unions have attacked the proposed ACC changes by using the scare word "privatisation", whereas the policy is actually aimed at providing choice…
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I've finally got through part 1 of the Herald's deification of John Key and it's surprising how boring and mediocre he comes across. Impressive contortions too. How three senior reporters with six months to write an article managed to avoid asking how Key could have…
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For my part, I don't see the big deal in all this Peters donation stuff. Transparency in election funding is important (and it's something that National and ACT have constantly opposed) but there is no evidence of Peters has been purposely secretive. A legal defence…
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A poll on TV1 shows that Kiwis overwhelmingly support the Government move to bring rail back into public ownership. Despite a question that explicitly states the cost of Kiwirail but none of the benefits, respondents still voiced very strong support for the purchase- 68% in…
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If National wins the election, it will privatise the Work Account of ACC (and maybe other 'profitable' accounts). We know that this may have negative effects on coverage for workers but the problems go further taking out the Work Account may compromise the whole ACC…
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There are four options open to National regarding the tax expectations it will deliver large tax cuts ($20+ per person a week = $3 billion+ a year) additional to Labour's. a) fail to meet those expectations by offering small cuts. Who would vote for a…
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Judith Collins, who has made it her mission in life to attack benefits at every turn, has been meeting with Mission Australia, the largest private ‘work-for-the-dole' scheme provider in Australia. This is a clear indication that, in contrast to the moderate, modern approach Key says…
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Rod Oram can nearly always be relied upon for insightful analysis that takes debate a step further. In the SSTimes today he asks: "are we being realistic about the current state of the nation? Each person will have his or her own view. But if,…