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We all read what we want in to leader's speeches. Many commentators, for example, have interpreted David Shearer's recent speech as signaling a "move to the right". I'm not so sure. I'm glad that Shearer signaled keeping the capital gains tax policy, hardly a right-wing…
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Labour's Revenue spokesman, David Clark, has picked up on a statement in IRD's Briefing to the Incoming Minister that "2.5 percentage points of this decline [in tax take as a percentage of GDP] is attributable to policy changes". 2.5% of GDP is $5 billion a…
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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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China's political counsel (note, not a trade official) has threatened New Zealand over the Crafar Farms deal saying that New Zealand trade to China and investment from China is at risk. It seems an extraordinary action over a supposedly private business arrangement. As was Chinese…
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Ports of Auckland management may be starting to realise that they have bitten off more than they can chew. This is an encouraging development: Port's redundancy plans halted LATEST: Ports of Auckland has halted plans to make nearly 300 striking workers redundant and to employ…
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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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David Shearer used Finland as an example of successful small country economic development. The main focus in a very good speech yesterday was on education. Finland has a lot to offer on education as well - few tests and excellent teachers. This article by Dianne…
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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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National has backed down from privatising ACC's work account. To make it work, they were going to have to pump up ACC levies and make it pay a dividend to the Crown to make prices high enough for the private sector to compete. It's a…
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National standards have been imposed on schools against expert advice, against international experience, and against considerable opposition. The government can bully schools into the appearance of compliance. But they can't make a flawed and unworkable scheme workable. They can't stop the perverse and damaging incentives…
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The reshuffle announced yesterday effectively made Steven Joyce the new Minister of Labour. Joyce was the Nats campaign manager so he knows exactly what National's business backers have been putting the money up for. Call me paranoid but I'm thinking that putting the Government's bully-boy…
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There's some odd omissions from Key's new '10 targets'. There's nothing hard. Nothing about closing the gap with Australia, formerly goal number 1. Nothing about creating jobs, despite 170,000 being promised. Nothing about the cycleway that was going to end the recession. It invites a…
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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 sitting at the High Court awaiting the verdict in the Operation 8 trial. Whichever way it goes this case is a big failure for the police. After the biggest surveillance operation against activists this country has ever seen, the most that will happen is…
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Key and co's habit of making vague lists of things they would like to happen, rather than doing anything to make them happen, is becoming a joke. The other day it was a 6 point business action plan, not to be confused with their 4…
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Chris Trotter invented the myth of the so-called 'Waitakere Man', the former Labour voter who has set up his own business and now doesn't vote Labour because he thinks it doesn't get what people like him need - he fumes over DPB mums while trying…
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Recently, an article appeared in the Wall Street Journal describing how CEOs around the world spend their time. The article drew on data from a larger study, the Executive Time Use Project . This project relied on reports of time use by CEO’s personal assistants; making it…
capitalism class war economy employment jobs uncategorized wages workers' rights
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You all know that many of us authors at The Standard have been critical of David Shearer. Well, I've just read Shearer's speech. It's brilliant. It talks about the big issues head on - shades of Cunliffe and The Standard in some of it. There's…
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There are two, quite striking, things about PoAL's response to the story about them illegally shopping union members' private information to Cameron Slater. The first is that port Chair Richard Pearson went to ground. It has clearly been part of their new campaign manager, Brent…
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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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He must resign. Surely. Here is Key, speaking to the PSA in 2008, making very specific promises about public service jobs, tax cuts, and asset sales that helped him get elected. Promises he has since broken. There's no excuse. He wasn't blind-sided by events. He…
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Tomorrow morning David Shearer gives the first of a series of speeches that should set the tone of his leadership. It'll be live-streaming from 7.30am on labour.org.nz, and will outline his vision for Labour and Aotearoa. Video clips will be posted later in the day…
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Key hates interest-free student loans, the only thing that has kept thousands more from leaving the country for higher wages, but says "it’s not politically sustainable to put interest back on student loans". Why? "That is about the only thing that will get [young people]…
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Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here. Derek Cheng at the Herald reports: Justice Minister Judith Collins has appointed former Cabinet colleague Wayne Mapp to the Law Commission, ignoring recommendations and without…
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The Nats abandoned their wastewatch.co.nz site a few years back after being unable to identify significant waste. They should have just waited a few years. Now, the examples are neverending. Today's case: Steven Joyce's plan to publish the average incomes of graduates of different courses.…
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As the intransigence of the Port of Auckland management and board continues, action from the Left continues on a number of fronts. There's to be an emergency Council meeting on Thursday (11.15, public meeting) after it was felt that Richard Northey's resolution against the contracting…
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Looks like the bullies at the Ports of Auckland have been colluding with Cameron Slater to unlawfully release the details of union members who speak out in the media including Cecil Walker, who spoke out on Radio New Zealand. From RNZ: Mr Walker needed time…
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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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The trailers for John Key's Thursday speech are calling it for a " new super-Ministry" under the command of Steven Joyce. It appears to be a merger for the Ministry of Economic Development, a submergence for the Department of Labour, and the same old same…