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Whilst John Key's raising of privatisation is the first focus of his State of the Nation speech, perhaps equally as important is his intention for swingeing cuts to public services. He has announced that instead of their current $1.1 billion 'new spending allowance' in future…
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So John Key's great bit of policy for the election is to sell off the family jewels. Generations of New Zealanders have built up these assets, and now, like in the 90s, National intend to flick them off to foreign investors, and drain the country's…
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A fortnight ago, renowned pathologist National pollster David Farrar excused John Key's decision to halt the recovery effort at Pike River, smugly stating that the fire meant all that would be left was "some bones and teeth, it could be just teeth". This 'there's nothing…
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It's not radical, it's not revolutionary but Phil Goff has laid out a positive, progressive, and affordable vision that contrasts with Key's directionless, lazy leadership. It seems to be popular. The PM's state of the nation is expected to contain an interesting savings policy but…
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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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John Key says that he can't increase the minimum wage by a decent amount. The excuse this time round is that a decent increase will destroy jobs. Well, let's check that out a little bit. Is it really true that lifting the minimum wages destroys…
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Just a quick post, and I'm sure Marty or Eddie will write more later with more detail, but Phil Goff has just delivered an excellent speech to start a year of laying out Labour Policy. They'd announced changes to fiscal policy and exchange rate aims…
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The Legatum Prosperity Index looks beyond GDP, a failed measure that counts rebuilding after an earthquake and building prisons as gains. The Index is a broad measure of nations' prosperity comprising 88 components. It shows that New Zealand is a relatively prosperous nation. It also…
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At this stage in the electoral cycle, government support parties are usually looking to try to differentiate themselves from the main governing party. They need to do this to show they still hold true to their own values and have a separate identity that is…
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John Key on Radiolive yesterday: "There are a lot of factors at play sometimes socio-economic, so there are a lot of negative statistics for the want of a better description that that Maori dominate and we need to make changes there whether it’s prison, incarceration…
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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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A good day at Ratana today with the Labour party delegation led by Phil Goff and Annette King. For me personally, it was good to see and chat with many old friends. I and others also received a very warm welcome from Tariana Turia on…
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Higher commodity and food prices, we are told are a Good Thing. Our exporters (ie. Fonterra and foreign oil companies) get more money. But we consumers have to pay more to buy the same products, so are we better off? And what about the poor…
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Today's Herald editorial explores Auckland Grammar's decision to ditch NCEA in favour of the Cambridge exams and the support this elitism, which undermines the NCEA system, has received from Anne Tolley. Never shy to give helpful advice to its favoured PM, the Herald tells Key…
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You'll remember the disgraceful Schmuck scandal when Minister John Carter had clauses inserted into legislation specifically to legalise Doug Schmuck's annexation of a public reserve. John Key took no action. Now, Kate Wilkinson and David Carter got in on the act - forcing DoC to…
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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's a bit late, but this post is in response partly to John Armstrong's bouquet piece at the end of 2010 headlined "Forget the economy, watch the lemmings", and partly to Fran O'Sullivan's latest piece in yesterday's Herald about Hone Harawira. Fran O'Sullivan was my…
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The international evidence that National Standards don't work is conclusive. Only 20% of schools are ready to implement them and over 300 schools are refusing altogether. What's our Minister for Education's response to the objections of people who have dedicated their lives to education? A…
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We have a national myth that everyone is in essence equal, yet we have a disparity of wealth where 10% own more than the other 90% put together and 50% have no net assets. How does one square away occupying a position of extreme privilege…
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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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I see the NBR lost another 6% of its circulation last year, so I thought it was worth giving Matthew Hooton's latest rant in that publication a wider audience. Hoots has a go at us and Clare Curran for criticising the violent rhetoric of Sarah…
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In what must surely be a sign of the coming apocalypse I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with Fran O'Sullivan for the second time in the last year. Writing about the response to Hone Harawira's criticism of his own party, Fran points out there's been a…
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It's been revealed that the Government, having decided against dedicated Maori seats on the supercity council, gave appointed Maori advisers votes on council committees under its supercity legislation. That's just unacceptable, we can't have appointees voting equally to democratically-elected council members. Rodbey Hide is expressing…
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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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Minister for Unemployment and Associate Minister for Overseas Holidays Paula Bennett. She really seems to be enjoying herself and not posing at all in this picture by Herald photographer Brett Phibbs.
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National have announced their short-list for Botany: Maggie Barry Aaron Bhatnagar Darron Gedge Jami-lee Ross Dr Edward Saafi DPF almost got his selections right, but the Senior Party Officials who get to select a National short-list went for former Destiny Party candidate Saafi over former…
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Herald, 21 December. Paula Bennett details the hideous abuse of a 9-year-old girl found shortly before by police. Says: "As soon as this case was brought to my attention I started demanding answers." "I hope to God justice comes." Today revealed, the child's mother and…
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Why did Hone Harawira pick a fight if he wasn't prepared to see it out? One News last night had him saying he wants to stay with the Maori Party. Patrick Gower reckons Hone's assault on the leadership is all about building cred to take…
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The UN committee on the rights of the child has had some harsh things to say about New Zealand's performance in looking after our children. 20% of children are being raised in poverty. Labour's Working For Families did a lot to improve the child poverty…
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It's always so wonderful to load up Granny Herald and see some wealthy late middle-aged grump (I'm picking this one is John Roughan) taking a swipe at the poor in the editorial. Today, Granny says we can't afford to give mums any more paid leave…