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Hopefully this article, in both The Press and The DomPost might start a debate about whether we want Corrections (Newspeak for Prisons) to be the largest government department. New Zealand has a ridiculously high prison rate, which is a common characteristic of unequal societies that…
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This is very much a one pass broad brush stroke and I've embedded a long video at the end of this post because the talk on the video, even although a certain amount of extrapolation is necessary, expresses basic matters better than I can in…
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The Herald is carrying this piece by Phil Goff - I'm sure Phil won't mind if we reproduce it here. If you have any constructive suggestions or comments for Phil, make them below. I'll collate them and email them to him on our behalf. --…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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One of the stories last week was how little Labour had been damaged by the Carter "affair". If anything, the opposite. "Labour's support up after tough month". "Labour make gains in polls". "Goff upbeat as polls show swell in support for Labour". Phil Goff spoke…
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I've just been listening to a 30 minute BBC radio programme [in-depth reporting! Allows both sides of a story to be properly explored! Save (and expand) Radio NZ!] on how Britain's reforming their sickness benefit - and turfing around 3/4 of people off it. For…
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The Government is set to announce income splitting. Effectively, it allows a taxpayer to assign part of their income for taxation purposes to their partner. If the partner is on a lower income, the transferred income will be taxed at a lower rate than it…
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I read my weekly email from our hardworking PM with interest as always. 'Key Notes' starts: BOOSTING THE ECONOMY : This week I announced my pilot business scholarship scheme. Under the $1 million scheme, people can apply for up to $110,000 to study at an…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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We've already seen criticism of the move by National to introduce private prisons (eg. NZ Herald editorial). Now the soon-to-depart prison boss, Barry Matthews has indicated that he too has his doubts. According to the DomPost: Yesterday, he said he was undecided about whether private…
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In Morning Report yesterday there was a clear question and statement on the difference between weather events and climate. This is a question that always seems to confuse our CCD's (climate change deniers and skeptics). So it is worth examining it a bit in the…
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So, it looks like we're heading back into recession. US growth forecasts for the next quarter have been slashed to barely the rate of population growth. Australian unemployment has risen (although not anywhere near as much as ours). New Zealand manufacturing dived back into contraction…
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Climate change, peak oil, resource exhaustion, and over-population are combing to cause a new food crisis. The human population runs on grass seeds - grains supply half the calories we consume directly and feed much of our live-stock. The prices of those are skyrocketing. There's…
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Well, John Key challenged the unions to "bring 'em on" "put up or shut up". So they're going to put up. Ooops! In the news last night (or video version): Unions begin 'name and shame' campaign A former pharmacy employee [Heather Smith] who said she…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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It seems Tony Ryall has been "secret shopping" around New Zealand's accident and emergency waiting rooms and Labour is concerned about the breech of protocol. Get real. The idea that a minister cares enough about his portfolio to take time out of his busy schedule…
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Idle speculation about possible contenders to be the Labour candidate in a by-election seems to be the most important issue of the day. The Herald lists four possibilities: Taima Fagaloa, Porirua City Councillor, Pacific Health Director and Capital & Coast District Health Board member. Porirua…
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I always thought the cycleway would come to be emblematic of this government. An unserious ruse, a policy that would have been a joke if the reality of the recession weren't so serious. There's something of the cycleway thinking in the Nat's benefit cuts agenda…
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Education should be free. I think student loans are among the stupidest things that NZ governments (from both sides of the political fence) have ever done. It should be possible for the average young Kiwi to gain a tertiary education without having to shoulder a…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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The Australian Liberal party has been posting sponsored links on Google websites pushing voters seeking information on independent candidates and candidates from other parties through to Liberal websites. The Sydney Morning Herald says: This week, a Google search by the Herald of the names of…
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Finlayson says that paying compo to women abused by cops would "open the floodgates". In other words, he reckons it would cost too much because of all the other claims that would come out of the woodwork. Let's apply Finlayson's floodgates argument to some other…
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In his own surreal and ultra-privileged way (read the article!) Paul Holmes has discovered the recession. And it seems to have shaken him up a bit: Our worst fears are being realised By Paul Holmes The economy is tanking. Let us push away all the…
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So disappointing to see that the Auckland Regional Council didn't even bother to respond to an offer by the designer of a personal rapid transport system to use his design to solve the woeful public transport from Auckland airport to the city. Is PRT the…
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Winnie Laban has announced she will be leaving Parliament. Winnie has been a great MP for Mana and is a pillar of the Pacific community. That focus on the electorate and community that put her in office, perhaps ahead of promotion within the party ranks,…
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Open mike is your post. It's open for discussing topics of interest, making announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Comment on whatever takes your fancy. The usual good behaviour rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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It just gets worse: "The Government has rejected a secret forum's recommendation that 10 women who alleged sexual misconduct by police officers get reparation. A letter obtained by The Dominion Post reveals the forum chairwoman, Wellington lawyer Rachael Brown, recommended that the Government pay "financial…
crime human rights law and "order" national scoundrels sexism
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Typically, the media's coverage of the Welfare Working Group's report has been critique-free: who are the members of this group? What are their interests? And do their findings actually stack up? r0b, NRT, Gordon Campbell, and others have done some good analysis, to which I'll…
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Rapturous crowds of workers from People's Information Services spontaneously gathered in Beehive theatrette yesterday to praise Beloved Leader of People's Constitutional Monarchy of New Zealand, Honourable John Key, on anniversary of his birth. "Comrades! I thank you!" said Honourable Key to the sighs of the crowd.…