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David Small has been a activist for social justice for a long time. Notably in the 1981 tour and getting raided by the SIS in 1996. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of Canterbury, in the US on Fulbright scholarship,…
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"That's MMP for you" John Key smugly proclaimed in justification of his charter schools policy. Apparently, it's MMP's fault that he chose to rort the system and then us the one ACT MP as an excuse for unmandated rightwing policies. But why are the Nats…
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaoGscbtPWU The OECD has a report out - Divided We Stand - about the widening gap between rich and poor across the western world. Launching the report in Paris, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said “The social contract is starting to unravel in many countries. This…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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It is frankly disturbing that the Nats care so little about education that they make major policy decisions on the fly, as part of political agreements with minnow political support "party" ACT. Neither ACT nor National went in to the election campaigning for charter schools,…
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National will pass a Spending Cap Bill, under the cover of its Confidence and Supply deal with John Banks. The question isn't if this Bill is a farcical idea that would hurt NZ if ever enforced (which it wouldn't be) - even the arch-neoliberals in…
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So, one week after the election and extra rosy Treasury is already rowing back on its predictions. The deficit is widening as tax takes are down. By $131 million in July-October. The operating deficit was $7.45 billion, almost 20 per cent worse than forecast in…
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It's Auckland versus Steven Joyce again. And indeed, not just Auckland, Steven Joyce knows better than Treasury or any government department, or indeed anybody else. Just ask Steven. So he convinced his cabinet colleagues to get rid of regional fuel taxes. Otherwise Aucklanders would have…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Funny how John Banks has got so much more out of his coalition deal with National than Peter Dunne did despite Dunne having more leverage than Banksie. It's almost like National wanted to pack all of their hard right policy into Act's deal so they…
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One term Labour MP Grant Robertson has announced he will be standing for the deputy leadership and supporting fellow newbie MP David Shearer as leader of the Labour Party. The Herald reports "Mr Robertson said although Mr Shearer did not consider it a ticket, 'I'm…
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Despite all the uninformed blather about a big victory for National, they have to work with minnows to form a government. If, after specials are counted, and as seems likely, the Nats lose a seat to The Greens or NZF, then they need both Peter…
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I enjoyed Jenny's piece the other day on David Shearer's leadership abilities. His skill at taking the ball and running with it, and doing what he thinks is right. I want to similarly praise David Cunliffe for his leadership in economic thinking. God knows we…
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David Cunliffe has said that, if he is Labour leader, he will look to buy back any assets National sells once he is PM. Under the existing Takeovers Code, that wouldn't be too hard. But why not go a step further and make it clear…
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Labour's leadership primary was a great idea. Labour has an open, honest, and respectful debate about itself. Candidates tested in public. Can stumble without damaging the party like a failed leader does. Labour frames the political news with enthralling debates. If there was no primary,…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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I'm afraid that I don't know much about Nanaia Mahuta. In fact probably way less than I should have, bearing in mind that she stayed in the Labour and didn't decamp over the Foreshore and Seabed. But there was this post "in support of nanaia" at…
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The two main contenders for the leadership of the Labour Party are attending meetings with members in various parts of the country. On current schedule they'll be in my neck of the woods late in the week. So - if you could be in the…
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So we (apparently) now have a two way race for the Labour leadership. Much of the newspaper reporting on the contest has been at the level of football gossip, so it takes a while to work out which are the gems of truth, and which…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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I ran David Shearer's campaign headquarters in the 2009 Mt Albert by-election. That gave me unique perspective to get a good hard look at a man in a pressure cooker environment. David arrived from the middle east literally a few short hours before the candidate…
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Forest and Bird is pressing strongly on the issue that may soon turn in to Mining March II. From The Herald yesterday: Minister gave word on coalmine, say lobbyists Pressure is mounting on Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson for allegedly breaking her word that the public…
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Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the mike...
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Party reform is high on the agenda of the ALP conference, being held in Sydney this weekend. While conferences do not ordinarily make riveting television, it is being carried live on Sky TV. Party reform is also high on the agenda of the NZLP -…
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This post is intended to do more than merely generate discussion. It’s a proposition seeking action. Its intent is to lay out or sign post (at least some of) the basic or necessary legal and social structures of a Community Collective comprised of both workers…
community democracy democratic participation Economy employment equality housing political alternatives Social issues
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One of the more interesting observations about this election campaign has been the effect of having the rugby world cup on the political process and therefore on our political blog stats. Unlike 2008, we didn't see a steady rise over the whole year leading up…
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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?
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A lot has been written in the aftermath of the election. I want to quickly note two excellent pieces that you might have missed in the rush. The first is by Nick Hager at Pundit: I've just been internalising a really complicated situation in my…
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Well we have just moved out of the election month, and we're now getting the gradual fall back of readership and posts heading to xmas. About the only growth around NZ at present is in political blogging. I'm happy to say that we now appear…
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From the CTU media release: Supporters of the locked out ANZCO CMP meat workers will fundraise outside of McDonalds nationwide this Saturday 3 December. New Zealand Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly says fundraising events will be held from Whangarei to Dunedin with locked…