I think the Labour reshuffle is quite clever in how it signals the portfolios that its willing to give to the Greens and encourages them to set about being lead opposition spokespeople on those topics. Sure, the reshuffle has some weird stuff in it -…
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Eddie was right about Sio, Street, and Mahuta. There are no Cunliffe people on the front bench. It's not a very unifying move. Trevor has the speaker's job sewn up if they win so I don't take his "demotion" very seriously at all. If anything…
Annette King, Phil Twyford, David Clark and Shane Jones to the front bench. Moroney and Little promoted and given added responsibilities. Mallard sent to the backbenches, where Cunliffe stays (although now with portfolios). Hipkins to Education full-time. They're already in order here (although only first…
I'm a big fan of the Living Wage campaign. And I really liked the Herald's series covering the launch week. But part of that coverage highlighted a big problem that I don't think the Living Wage campaign will reach. There are a number of proposed…
(the Herald poll is italicised because it's much older than the others) So, what can we say about this data? First, it's nearly impossible for all those pre-election polls to have arisen from proper random samples of the population that gave National 47.3% of the…
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Word is Labour's reshuffle will be announced tomorrow. I'm still picking Mahuta, Street, and Sio demoted, Cunliffe to health and the old guard not moving one iota. And Andrew Little will be given Justice. Given the latest Reid Research poll, a certain phrase about deckchairs…
The thing I like about the Living Wage campaign is the branding represents strongly both the problem and the solution. Even the Prime Minister fell into its trap the other day when he said that the Living Wage was not a priority for his Government. …
Looks like we're in for another round of "back to basics" nonsense in mathematics education from a bunch of politicians who know more about their own prejudices than they do about teaching and learning: Govt eyes back to basics in maths Education Minister Hekia Parata…
My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere (no linkwhoring). This week: Feminism, tax…
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In the finest traditions of "speak your branes", the ACT Party has decided to admit what has been obvious to everyone for years: As the party faithful arrived ... they were greeted with a rousing speech from former leader Rodney Hide, who attacked the media.…
Tax cuts didn't save the economy. The Jobs summit achieved nothing. Bootcamps don't work. The exodus to Australia is getting worse. National abandoned their mining plans and the multinationals are abandoning their search for offshore oil. Hekia Parata has turned education into a fiasco. The…
I/S from No Right Turn describes another brick in National's wall of stupid. Climate change: Locked out Its official: New Zealand will be locked out of the international carbon market in retaliation for our refusal to sign up for Kyoto's Second Commitment period: In December, the COP…
In recent posts in this series we've focused on the Children’s Social Health Monitor 2012 Update Report, see the the full report (pdf) here. Today we look at the first of the Health and Wellbeing Indicators. HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND MORTALITY WITH A SOCIAL GRADIENT IN CHILDREN…
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Christchurch readers please open here InvitationA5_Mar2013_1 to find your invitation to this free "economic revue" at the Court Theatre, Sunday March 3, 1pm for 1:30. Speakers Bernard Hickey, John Walley, Rick Boven, Sel Pellett and Bronwyn Hayward; with Michele A'Court starting them off. Titanic-themed, how…
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?
The Government is currently attempting for a second time to remove blanket tree protection from Auckland's district plan. In 2009 it tried through changes to the Resource Management Act to do the same thing. The language used was not clear but the intent was that any tree…
A look at Solid Energy's books highlights the diseased culture of the corporate elite in this country and National's failed bet on fossil fuels. The blistering pace that executives' ridiculous paypackets rose at shows a culture of pocket-lining in the company. The massive expansion of…
Today is the second anniversary of the most destructive of the Christchurch earthquakes. Condolences to the friends and families of the dead. Greetings to all who lived through it and remember. As the government moves on with its own plans for the Christchurch city center,…
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Boot camps by their nature are bully camps. I know some young people enjoy the test of their physical skills but for those that don't, they work by psychological pressure. I haven't read the text book that says kids thrive being shouted at, marched about the place…
Breaking news, but it certainly looks like John Key has (1) made up nonsense, and (2) lied to Parliament: TVNZ: SkyCity hasn't asked us for land TVNZ says it has had no approach from SkyCity to buy its land for the proposed convention centre, contrary…
A year ago, I wrote that SkyCity was pursuing the dirty practice of 'subvention' - where owners of white elephant infrastructure extort governments for subsidies - for the convention centre. The msm has caught up and is reporting on it now. MED is denying there…
Before the Auditor General's report on Sky City was even released, Key was trying to spin it as a "vindication" of his involvement. (The Greens are calling for Key to be censured for this breach of confidentiality.) Key was trying to get his spin in…