Last year and the year before, the portions of the assets National wants to sell paid over $400 million in dividends. Labour estimates lost dividends from those assets would total $11 billion by 2026. That's an $11 billion hole in National's budgets they haven't accounted…
Campaign for MMP has recently started selling T-shirts as part of their campaign fundraising. Their "Keep Calm and Vote MMP" T-shirts are a very reasonably priced $40 and come in a stylish black. They get some funds, you get a cool T-shirt, anyone who sees…
This infographic by Bill Marsh in the New York Times did the rounds a while ago. 1980 saw the election of Ronald Regan as US president. On taking office at the start of 1981 he ushered in a package of right wing economic policies that…
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Unemployment up again. Key had bet on some kind of economic boost from the RWC. It didn't happen. 3,000 more jobs lost in the last quarter. There's 59,000 more people out of work since the Nats won power. It's like a whole city the size…
Labour's fiscal strategy takes National's projections and adds or subtracts money for its policies. The clever thing is they alter the Nats' projections to remove all the dividend revenue from assets they want to sell. How much is taken off National doesn't affect if Labour…
Well it turns out that 2007 IPCC predictions about the extent about the rise of global greenhouse gases were all wrong. The actual increase falls outside the projected range. It is higher than the predicted worst case: Greenhouse gases rise by record amount Levels of…
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John Key was really revving the crap out of his denimic environment generator today trying to discredit Labour's costings for its policies. Labour's plan borrows four billion more than National, but retains the assets National will sell. Of course National's plan would actually cost a…
Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
One of the tactics that National is using in the election campaign taking any Labour proposal and trying to discredit it by extending it to logical absurdity. They've done it with the minimum wage proposal (if $15 why not $30?). They've done it with buying…
Labour has shown us the money. Here's Vernon Small's summary: Labour releases spending plans Labour would return to surplus by 2014-15 and clear debt in 10 years Labour leader Phil Goff says. "I am not Jerry McGuire but I am here to show you the…
Two polls out yesterday. A ONE News Colmar Brunton: National 56% (no change) Labour 30% (up 1%) The Greens 9% New Zealand First 2.2% Maori Party 1.3% Act 0.9% Mana Party 0.3% United Future 0.1%. Preferred PM: John Key 56% (down 3%), Phil Goff 12% (up…
It'll be interesting to see the full fiscal details from Labour today. National is planning to borrow too, the question is how much they differ by. Only $2.6b in the first term with both having net debt about $50b. That's the alternative to selling our…
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There's a TVNZ poll out tonight and a Herald poll tomorrow morning but, ahead of them, here's some other new polls results that point to trouble for the Nats. 27% of young people want to leave New Zealand. 82% of people oppose farm sales to…
Labour's EQC policy has taken the holes in the current system revealed by the earthquakes - too low cap, inequitable flat levy, non-universal coverage, lack of provision for accommodation coverage - and fixed them. On top of that, they've promised to give people access to…
It is obvious why Nikki Kaye has been dodging debates with Jacinda Ardern in Auckland Central. She's terrible at it, as last night's Backbenchers showed. Kaye came across as an angry finger-wagger who thinks the most important issue in the campaign is to keep wages…
This address from Dr David Suzuki to the world, delivered to a gathering at Occupy Vancouver, attracted some attention in comments yesterday. Well worth watching... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwxedZG21ZE
In the TVNZ debate on Monday, John Key claimed that he had cut 'back office' jobs and increased health services.That wasn't true. The fact is, funding cuts have reduced the capacity of many health services. 'Front-line' staff are doing 'back office' work as well and…
You show me the money John boy. You've racked up record levels of debt, created record levels of unemployment, and earned us a double credit downgrade. What have you got to show for burdening the next three generations of New Zealanders with debt? hattip William Joyce
So, a government says that the people will have the say on its budget, and global markets plunge. Was there ever a clearer sign that the interests of the capitalist elite and the people are at odds, and the capitalists know it? It's interesting that…
Phil Goff did very well, in the first televised debate, to put Key's lying front and centre to the electorate. It was a risky tactic (witness Key's attempt to play the "dignity of office" card), but Goff pulled it off. Most of the headlines following…
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Goff had Key in all sorts of trouble on the Christchurch recovery, on Key's economic record, on asset sales, on the GST lie. Goff was passionate on equality and got across both Labour's vision and how that will be made real. Goff had some great…
Over 100 meat workers have now been locked out for 10 days at the Canterbury Meat Packers works in Rangitikei. These workers are being told to sign an agreement that cuts their pay by 20-30% and loses important conditions in order to return to work.…
The Press Leaders' Debate Phil Goff and John Key 7pm tonight Not televised, but streamed live. Check it out. =================================================================== Once again keep an eye on the website www.keyholes.co.nz for looking at the claims that Key makes in the debate. See also Twitter: #keyholes #ownourfuture #voteNZ I don't know…
NRT on the issue that is most important to Kiwis... Out of touch The way the leaders of the two major parties are talking, this election is all about the economy. "Balancing the books", raising the retirement age, savings, deregulation, growth - other issues have…
Yesterday was a dramatic day for Occupy Dunedin. At 3pm council officials "flanked by a security guard" issued the Occupation with a trespass notice. The notice set a deadline of 8pm to move out, or each person would face a fine of up to $1000 or…