National Breaches Crown Copyright
Rob Salmond at Polity on the National Party’s use of public service videos for political ends.
Open mike 17/01/2014
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How big were the TPPA gimmes, John?
News of today’s leak in the TPPA reminded me how John Key conceded Barack Obama’s third putt in their Hawaii golf photo-op. Golfers call it a “gimme.” I have absolutely no doubt the leaders will have discussed TPPA bottom lines on the golf course. Key will have made some concessions, but with his record of accommodating American corporate interest one can only hope he will not turn out to have given too much of our Pharmac away.
not a Party Party treat, Internet Party instead?
It looks like the ever expanding party party treat (aka KDC birthday) may be an electoral “treat” – it has been cancelled. Instead we are being promised a political party.
Confused? I’m not.
David Cunliffe plans State of the Nation speech
David Cunliffe is planning to give a state of the nation speech in Kelston on Monday Janury 27.
Off The Pages – reminder
Saturday afternoon. 1 O’Clock. Bandstand in Dunedin Botanic Gardens.
The politics of food: Oxfam report
Some MSM reports crow about positive economic indicators, & decreases in the time people spend on benefits. Such statistics fail to show inequalities, & struggles of people on low incomes. An Oxfam comparative international report on food security is not good news for NZ, or the world.
NRT: Dirty dairying and moral culpability
There seems to be a divide in kiwi farming at present. On one side those just after a quick buck based on dirtying the cheap resource of water held in common. On the other generational family farmers. The result is a classic tragedy of the commons problem that we will be paying to clean up for many generations.
Polity: Taxpayers Union on wine
Polity had this post up this morning. The only problem with it was that Rob Salmond missed out on the correct title. For complete accuracy it should have been “Jordan Williams on whine”
Update: Looks like the Herald has a retraction coming.
Open mike 16/01/2014
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The Internet Party
Kim Dotcom’s Internet Party appears to be ready to take off. And if the rumours are true he has some heavyweight advisers and a strategy that may threaten National more than any other party.
Polity: English lies on impact of tax switch
Rob Salmond at Polity has been having a look at Bill English’s “neutral” tax change in 2010…
Bill English recently heralded his tax switch as making net tax more progressive. He lied. It actually made net tax at least $500 million more regressive.
Open mike 15/01/2014
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Health and Safety Rep Training – a cut by any other name
I couldn’t give a rats arse about Jordan Williams and his new little Act campaigning vehicle against the State, but I do care about health and safety and the manner in which some of the media have run his latest little ruse against training health and safety representatives in the workplace is a disgrace. Judith Collins has used it as a cover to announce the end of worker health and safety training by unions beyond this year, leaving workers unable to access the powers under the Health and Safety Act to issue hazard notices and represent their workmates.
Down among the women: limits of ‘growth’
The GDP measure fails to account for life sustaining activities outside paid employment. Women do the majority of such unpaid work. A gender blind approach to financial crises is socially and economically destructive. An alternative, cooperative social and economic model would attend to gender and other diversities.
Auckland Council’s next 100 days
Auckland Council probably has only 100 days left to sort itself out. Otherwise it is going to be a long three years where the prospects of good being achieved will be poor.
Open mike 14/01/2014
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Paula Bennett wastes taxpayers money on drug testing
The first results of Paula Bennett’s drug testing of beneficiaries has been released. Only 0.27% of the 8,000 beneficiaries required to be tested either failed or refused to take the test. The testing is a colossal waste of money but is performing an important political role by making the Government look like it is being tough on beneficiaries.
Open mike 13/01/2014
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UBI (1). Memes and Paradigms.
Those growing up after the 80’s will find it hard to imagine the paradigm shift, that was the rise of Neo-liberalism, in the 80’s, in New Zealand. The colossal untested experiment, it really was, and the huge shift of wealth from the lower and middle classes to the richest of us.
ImperatorFish: Unity!
In which ImperatorFish vows to turn over a new leaf and despite the outrageous and completely unfair barbs aimed in his direction. He will NOT respond to the wrong thinking arseholes! Afterall this is election year.
It is nice that he has included the “pond slime over at The Standard” in this vow.
Oil Free Otago’s day of action
Oil Free Otago is holding a weekend of action and discussion on an oil free future.
Open mike 12/01/2014
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Here’s an idea: electoral funding
“Want to get some transparency back into politics funding in New Zealand? Tired of electoral funding skullduggery?” Standardista freedom suggests “NZ creates the Electoral Donation Register of New Zealand.”
Its not easy being Green
There is an important debate for both Labour and the Greens to have about the level of cooperation they should display this year. Some commentators have suggested that the Greens will be sidelined and that the battle will be between Labour and National but this is MMP and every vote counts. The goal for progressives has to be to increase the overall left vote.
Open mike 11/01/2014
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Obama’s TPPA bid to over-ride democracy
There’s a tussle going on as Obama pushes to seal the deal and to limit Congress’s say on TPPA deals. But, Congress would still have more say about the deals than NZ MPs. It’s about democracy & sovereignty. It could slip under the radar over summer.
Open mike 10/01/2014
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Open mike 09/01/2014
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Local Bodies: Shell and the Great South Basin
The Southland Times devoted the whole of the front page to celebrate Shell’s decision to do some exploratory drilling in the Great South Basin. The best scenario will be that they discover a sizable gas field similar to the one in Taranaki. Then royalties we will get are only 5% of the value of what is sold, almost 40% less than the OECD average AND we will have to pay full commercial rates to have any of it ourselves. The worst case scenario…. Well that is really bad and has no effective cover
NRT: The NSA spies on its own government
Since Edward Snowden leaked proof of widespread NSA spying on US citizens, people have been wondering who exactly they’re spying on. Are they spying on their own government? Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders wanted to know, so he asked them directly. The response was not reassuring.
Perhaps the same question should be put to the GCSB? After all its oversight seems even more incompetent and incestuous than that of the NSA.
Open mike 08/01/2014
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UBI
New Zealand was once considered one of the best places on earth to live. It could be again …