This press release from the Greens pretty well sums up the situation that National have left the economy in. Once you remove the rebuild effects from the Christchurch earthquakes, our increasingly undiversified economy is looking in pretty poor shape for the decade ahead.
It’s been an interesting few days in the battle for Te Tai Tokerau. Never mind the bollocks, people. The question for Labour isn’t should we stand aside for Hone in the north or Mana/IP anywhere else. The question is ‘do we need ’em?’. The answer is looking more and more like no.
The latest Household Labour Force Survey was released today, showing a drop in unemployment. But while its an improvement, there is far less employment than when National came into office 5 years ago. That is a monumental fail.
John Key has agreed to attend one local meet the candidates meeting this year. The rules are however that there will be no debate, questions will be screened and candidates will only be able to refer to each other once. And silence will be demanded. What happened to the good old fashioned election political meeting?
How much longer do we have to live with this”neoliberal” nightmare? It should have died with the global financial crisis, caused by the unfettered greed of the banksters & socially callous. “Paying the Price” on Al Jazeera; AAAP Mangere Action Impact this week.
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David Cunliffe is officially launching Labour’s campaign in Auckland this Sunday and you’re all invited.
Rob Salmond has noticed recently that National likes to talk a lot about everyone else’s ideas, but it prefers not to discuss its own.
In a must see interview Native Affairs reporter Mihingarangi Forbes Forbes last night interviewed ACT leader Jamie Whyte with rather startling results.
The Green Party is launching their “election priority for students” at Auckland University today from 2-3pm in the Auckland University Quad. Russel Norman and Metiria Turei announced a student Green Card for off peak public transport. Updated
Tracey has submitted a series of OIA’s in order to get information about the stats Bill English referred to in relation to the government having reduced the numbers of single mothers. So far…. nothing helpful.
Power has been concentrated into the figure of one man – a man who has in recent weeks shown that he thinks he is above the rule of law. You might think your one vote doesn’t make much of a difference – but it is everything to us here. Another three years of National and Brownlee, and we might not have a vote at a local level at all.
The indiscriminate and criminal slaughter of children and civilians of Gaza perpetrated by the fearlessly over-armed IDF must make every Israeli or fellow traveller armchair warrior grasp their groin in total excitement.
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Other than fixing child poverty, there’s probably no more important policy than this. Labour will commit $183 million to a comprehensive Youth Employment Package designed to reach 24,000 young New Zealanders.
To say that ACT’s new company tax policy is complete and utter drivelling crap would be a bit of an understatement.
Live News is reporting that 40,000 people have been removed from the electoral roll because they have moved address. Their enrolment update packs were returned to sender with the message: “gone no address”.
The Conservative Party’s Christine Rankin has announced that she is standing for the Epsom seat. This will add an extra degree of chaos to what is already an interesting battle. But will she help the National candidate or the ACT candidate?
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During every revolution there will be winners and losers, change can mean pain for some, especially for the bloodsucking leaches & parasites, that […]
ACT has announced its corporate tax policy and a cut in the rate from 0.28c to 0.125c in the dollar is promised. There is a slight problem. The figures do not add up.
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Steven Joyce says Labour’s opposition to the sale of 13,800ha Lochinver station to Shanghai Pengxin is based on “xenophobia.” It’s not, its basic economic sense. The benefit from our land should stay here. And Joyce’s open door has seen rail wagons bought cheap and fixed dear by Chinese workers at the expense of good local jobs and crucial Kiwi skills. Labour is simply standing up for New Zealand. It’s the right thing to do.
If you need proof watch this morning’s TV3 debate with Grant Robertson.
Long time commenter, grumpy, has had this post from a russian friend explaining his view on what has been happening in the Ukraine. As this event has excited considerable comment over the last few months, this will probably be a good discussion post.
The National Government’s $212 million plan has Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee explicitly admitting that it is a massive pork-barreling for government MPs with public funds, and explicitly tells people to piss off if they don’t like it.
Simon Bridges has spent $237,000 of taxpayers money to wine and dine and house eleven oil executives. And Tim Groser, Murray McCully and Claudette Hauiti have spent up large on the taxpayer tab. Way to reinforce the born to rule feeling National.
A guest post by Puddleglum on Gaza featuring a calm dismantling of Israel’s illogical defence of genocide.
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When National set up charter schools, they promised that they would be more accountable, and that contracts were a better means of enforcing standards than the usual school system. That works only if they’re enforced. NZ First has shown that at least one school is completely in violation of at least one part of their contract. So is the National government enforcing a contract? Yeah right….
Labour is promising to raise the minimum wage to $16.25. It’s the right thing to do. And it doesn’t cost jobs.
Updated John Banks has been sentenced to 100 hours community work and community detention for electoral fraud.
Updated links to reactions.
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John Key says he wants to “give Epsom voters a choice.” Some choice. First a crook, now a nutter. Colin Craig was a bridge too far for Key, but Jamie Whyte sounds just as bad. I think this reliance on the unwanted parties will hurt Key; it’s beginning to feel like 1984 and 1990, where the governing party betrayed the voters’ choice. Covert or overt, before the election or after, it’s still a rort. People don’t like it.
The latest Roy Morgan poll records a significant swing to the left with National now on 46%, Labour 30% and the Greens 12%. One poll only and obviously more work needs to be done but …
