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Yesterday it was a $7bn rescue package. Today it's preparing a contingency plan to bail out big business. But do we get details? Of course not. I've got a bad feeling deep in the pit of my stomach that there's no real plan here, or…
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Another upgrade complete. As per usual let me know if any problems (that I didn't find in testing) show up. Please let me know here. If I don't know about them then I can't fix them. The next upgrade will happen on the weekend. This…
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Seems the commentators are definately picking local government as one of the issues to watch in terms of how the new Nationaladministration handles MMP politics (and how the opposition parties handle it as well I guess). Gordon Campbell notes: Giving the local government portfolio to…
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The results are in from the NZ Post-sponsored Kids Voting project, and while it's a worthy project it nonetheless shows why we don't allow children the franchise. More than 13,000 school students nationwide took part in the project aimed at encouraging kids to take an…
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I've never seen the sense in Public-Private Partnerships. How is it ever going to be cheaper to get a private profit-making company to come on-board and take the risk for developing a piece of public infrastructure? The Government has to give them a good deal…
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The UK has announced plans to increase departure tax from its airports for flights outside Europe to pay for offsetting their carbon emissions. This is part of the worldwide response to climate change - countries are making emitters pay and even aviation, which is excluded…
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Following Tony "cos I say so" Ryall's media success with his plan to cut down waiting lists using the King Canute model of governance, the word around the traps is that several of National's front bench are planning similar moves. Over the next few days…
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I'm a bit concerned to see people welcoming APEC's commitment to re-igniting the Doha Round of free trade talks as if they are a solution to the economic mess we are in now. I've already noted that more free trade, while desirable if done fairly,…
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Health Minister Tony Ryall's first policy will be to impose maximum waiting times for hospital emergency departments. No word on extra funding for achieving those goals (the UK achievement in shortening waiting times that Ryall cites came with large health budget increases) or what will…
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Why do new leaders get honeymoons? When you think about it, there's no objective reason why a leader should get an easy run at first, not be asked the hard questions, be served lavish praise. So why does it happen? Well, I asked around a…
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No Right Turn reports that TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand's only in-depth political interview and analysis show: According to Dennis Welch on Radio NZ this morning, TVNZ has cancelled Agenda, New Zealand's top current affairs show. No word on what, if anything, they plan…
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National's David Farrar has been running a series for some time trying to paint NZ Labour as out of step with Labour Parties around the world when it comes to their attitude on tax cuts. His intention, of course, is to portray Labour as extreme…
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Before our new Prime Minister went to APEC I wrote "it's not an opportunity to get some names in your autograph book". I feared he would view this meeting of the world's most powerful people merely as an opportunity to get his picture snapped with…
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Watching this new ad from the Australian Council of Trade Unions on employment law reform was kind of depressing - while the Aussies are looking forward to getting their work rights back under a new government, ours is drafting up legislation to take them away.…
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I was talking to a friend the other night. Her job is disappearing. Fortunately, she is getting a decent-sized redundancy payment. I asked if she is a member of the union. 'No, why would I be?' Well, you only get that redundancy payment because the…
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Free trade is basically a good idea. We live on a world of limited resources, we should use those resources as efficiently and sustainability as possible. Trade barriers that distort the costs of production in different countries undermine the efficiency of resource use. Ideally, we…
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54,982 votes, 2.3% of the total. That was difference in the election. If Labour had lost 55,000 fewer votes to National (it lost 142.966 in total, while voter numbers grew 69,000) then a Labour (47), Green (9), Progressive (1), Maori (5) government would have been…
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The article below is well worth a read for anyone concerned about the global economic crisis. It looks at Keynes plan for managing the balance of international trade. It is imbalances in the system that we have now that leads to economic crises and fuels…
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Well, John Key took my advice and gave a speech at APEC different from the pro forma MFAT-written speech that might have been expected. Unfortunately, it's still all style and no substance, all bark but no bite. Key is scathing of his fellow money-men for…
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The official count, including specials has been released. The Greens have picked up another seat on specials at National's cost. Kennedy Graham will be the Greens' ninth MP. Along with Kevin Hague, Graham brings both intellectual heft and a more 'mainstream' face to the Greens.…
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I always love reading the 100 Word Blog. So few words and such a high degree of clarity. Richard has surpassed himself with this post. All I can say is ouch!, ask to reproduce it, and extend its readership. It is quoted below in full…
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There's a lot of fuss about at the moment over Ayman al-Zawahri's labelling of Barack Obama as the kind of "house negro" described by Malcolm X. It's a rather absurd comparison, and in my view probably more a sign of Al-Qaeda's increasing irrelevance than anything…
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According to a leading financier, carbon credit broker Nigel Brunel, of OMF Financial, New Zealand has become "a bit of a joke" in Europe as National/ACT looks set to delay, even abolish, our Emissions Trading Scheme. If you'll forgive me an anecdote, I'm reminded of the…
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It's very easy in our individualist, consumerist, capitalist society to say 'if you're poor, it's your fault, don't come looking to the rest of us for help' - 'it's your fault for marrying an alcoholic, don't expect us to pay to house your family', 'it's…
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Workers from Farmers stores in the Auckland area will take part in a 'Skinny Santa' parade down Queen Street today to protest against their low rates of pay and for a $15 minimum wage. Most Farmers staff are only paid between $12 and $13.50 an…
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Labour's bright new star and youngest MP, Jacinda Arden will be speaking at Drinking Liberally Palmerston North next Friday (I'll do a reminder closer to the time). Jacinda was fantastic at Backbenches on Wednesday, so if you're in the Palmerston North area, I recommend you…
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Psst, Bill. Hey, Bill. Sitting in the big chair is pretty cool, eh? Bet you never thought you would get your chance after Brash rolled you. And we all know who cast the crucial vote in that coup, which smiling assassin betrayed you. Speaking of…
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Happy 2000th post everyone. I've brought you all your favourite present - statistics! Our first 1000 posts took nine months, the latest 1000 took six. We've had 67,000 comments all up, 41,000 since we hit 1000 posts, and 10,000 in the last month. It wouldn't…
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Bomber over at Tumeke has pointed out a stupid news story about the blogosphere from the Granny Herald. It either shows a selective bias, or someone reporting on something that they don't understand at more than a superficial level. From the Herald staff... The Blogosphere…