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Open mike 21/02/2013
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Search · 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31 · Page 61
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Mr Answerer
Oh dear. Lockwood Smith was by common consent one of the best Speakers we have had. David Carter seems be heading in a different direction. Lockwood Smith required Ministers to give direct answers to direct questions. Today in the House Carter answered a question for…
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Leaked: draft blueprint for future recruitment to ACC sensitive claims unit
It has recently come to the attention of the recruitment team that employees working within the sensitive claims unit may not be fully aware of the expectations of their role and the unit in general. Given our unstated practice of never correcting the behaviour of…
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Family members of traitors of the Motherland
No-one likes fraudsters, whether they're ripping us off as beneficiaries or as suit-clad businesspeople. National's announced some ineffectual steps to 'crack down' on the minor amount of benefit fraud that occurs (no similar crackdown on white collar fraudsters and tax avoiders). But they've gone to…
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Think tanks & global-local networks
The latest article by the excellent George Monbiot, exposes how some of the wealthy and influential international, right wing elites operate through a network of well funded 'think tanks'. Unlike well-orchestrated, well-planned conspiracies, networks are loosely connected and often continually changing. Through networks, a mixture organisational and interpersonal links,…
activism business class war climate change democracy under attack news newspapers overseas investment thinktank
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Sorry seems to be the hardest word
Hekia Parata - ouch: 71pc want Parata gone - survey Hundreds of protesters have delivered a motion of no confidence in Hekia Parata's performance as a new poll reveals the controversial education minister is rapidly turning into political public enemy No 1. In today's Fairfax…
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That ‘ol margin of error
I posted recently on the noise in polls, and why is is important to take a long term view rather than get excited about any individual poll. Cases in point, what are we to make of the two most recent results? One News on the…
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Labour: the democratic reforms continue
The focus in recent months has been on the democratisation of the leadership process. But actually, a far more important change is coming. Over the next few months, the party is going to roll out the draft policies and the proposed policy structure to a…
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Open mike 20/02/2013
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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A-G reveals details of Nats’ dirty deal with SkyCity
The Auditor-General's report catalogues a dirty deal hatched between Key's office and SkyCity execs to give SkyCity more pokies 'in return for' a convention centre. It shows the bidding process was a farce and reveals that the whole 'trade-off' is a con. SkyCity wants to…
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Reshuffle for unity
As you all know I haven't been the biggest cheerleader for Labour in recent times. And let's not beat around the bush. I still have my concerns. But there's a real opportunity on the near horizon. There's hope for Labour yet. While the plan for…
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Boot camps
We knew from overseas that military-style boot camps are expensive, don't reduce recidivism, and breed sadistic violence towards inmates. It's not just overseas experience; these were all reasons we got rid of borstals. Hell, a basic understanding of human psychology tells you putting young 'bad'…
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Christchurch kids as political pawns
As an anonymous Herald scribe puts it this morning: Of all the decisions fumbled by Education Minister Hekia Parata last year, the post-earthquake plan for Christchurch was perhaps the worst. And the Nats are just determined to keep making matters worse for those affected. It…
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NRT: 2,000 new homes? Yeah, right
I'd like to add my voice (r0b) to those wishing No Right Turn a very happy "birthday". I/S is one of the hardest working, sharpest bloggers out there, and ten years of blogging is an amazing contribution. Long may you continue to keep the bastards…
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Open mike 19/02/2013
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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What killed Ken Callow?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=GJI4kC1MIAY The attitude of production over safety that led to the Pike River tragedy is still rife in New Zealand. People are being injured and killed in our forests at five times the rate of the UK. This video tells the story of one of…
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Parata and the Christchurch schools
As widely reported, Chirstchurch schools find out their fate today. Parata is due to speak at noon, but some decisions are known already with stuff announcing that at least four schools will be merged. This is going to be a difficult and traumatic process for…
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“There is Power in a Union”
While Rodney Hide is trying to stimulate a further round in the old right wing sport of union bashing (this time the teachers), the teachers' unions continue to do great work, and two Global union federations are planning a campaign against global violator of workers'…
activism class war education International music Unions wages workers' rights
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Walking the talk
I'll confess I had felt an inkling of sympathy for Richard Prosser over the "wogistan" comments. Not for the comments themselves of course but because I imagined he was simply a bigoted buffoon who had brought a whole lot of strife down on himself with…
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Open mike 18/02/2013
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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Sunday Reading
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: Billionaire interest…
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Nats have already spent $26m on asset sales
The Greens have revealed that National has spent $26m on asset sales so far. They haven't even sold anything yet! They haven't even really begun the sales process! And they've wasted $26m of our money. The bill's going to get a whole lot longer if…
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A Labour leader in Britain
There are many similarities between the political situations in Britain and NZ. In both cases we are well in to a tory government that came to power with a popular new leader, facing an ongoing world economic crisis. In both cases the governments adopted the…
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Open mike 17/02/2013
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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Species of Kiwi
In comments Ad proposed this interesting taxonomy of Kiwi social types. It's an exercise that takes place in the context of social inequality. It's unfair, it's highly damaging, and it's at it's highest level ever in NZ. Ad wrote: "my intent was to broaden out…
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Poverty Watch 19
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'll carry on with a look at the remaining Economic Indicators. UNEMPLOYMENT RATES No surprises here: Firstly, research suggests that children…
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Inequality: even Treasury cares…
There's a book I've heard about that I'm hoping helps push the inequality awareness barrow a little further this year. Inequality: A New Zealand Crisis by Max Rashbrooke is due out in May. The ideas surrounding the inherent unhealthiness (social, but also actually physical &…
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Five Broken Things.
Yesterday I rather shamelessly threadjacked one of Irish's posts on a Colin Espiner column in the direction of the Universal Basic Income idea. In this post I want to also shamelessly filch from Gareth Morgan's book The Big Kahuna, specifically Ch.5 "The Five Big Issues"…
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Open mike 16/02/2013
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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Happy Gilmore returns
So Aaron Gilmore returns as ex-speaker Lockwood Smith heads to London. His Prime Ministerial ambitions can finally continue... Ever since Lynn wrote his sad goodbye to Aaron after he was knocked out on special votes at the last election, we've been waiting for his return. …