Open mike 18/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
What the frack is going on?
Taranaki Regional Council is allowing fracking waste to be disposed of on farmland because it says Alberta in Canada allows the practice to happen. The only problem is that it appears ALberta does not. What damage is Taranaki RC causing to Taranaki’s farms?
NRT: Who’s scaremongering now?
On their usual friday bad news dump (such a large amount of it these days), the National government dropped this clanger. Greenpeace was right and John Key is a moron when it comes to geology and evidently about risk assessment. We held it over to get past the National’s Monday morning bad news clutter.
Chorus insider trading?
The Government appears to be softening us up for a financial contribution to Chorus in the realm of $250 million so that it can do what it has a contractual obligation to do anyway. And TUANZ thinks that some insider trading is going on with Chorus’s shares.
Open mike 17/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
National has a big asset-sale problem
Look at how deeply unpopular National’s asset sales program is even in their own MP’s electorates. To illustrate the point that Matthew Hooten can’t read numbers, I’ve displayed it in turnout order. South Island and National held electorates generally turn out far more than Labour or Auckland urban electorates in postal votes. But most National held electorates especially provincial ones voted almost two to one against Nationals asset sales program.
Polity: Turnout in the referendum
Rob Salmond at Polity has had a look at the effectiveness of National’s deliberate strategy to discriminate against Maori and Pasifika in the […]
The Good and the Bad: NZ screen industry
The NZ government changes to NZ’s screen industry incentives is a mixed bag. Some (not fully developed) support for a sustainable NZ industry. Selling out NZ workers; bowing to Hollywood corporate, neo-colonial values.
Muppets.
It never fails to amaze me that supposedly experienced and professional (ie, paid) political figures routinely reaffirm a fairly deep sense of stupidity.
SkyCity: they’re toxic
The detail of the Ernest and Young report on Len Brown clears him of all significiant wrongdoing on the local government purse. The hotel room upgrade values are just complete bullshit for someone who had a regular family timeouts at one hotel – which did most of the almost all of the upgrades. The type of customer that all hotels want. The political question is about receiving anything “free” from Skycity.
Open mike 16/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right […]
Off The Pages…
…and into the world.
Herald poll has Labour at 40% because of asset sales
A Herald poll this morning has Labour on 40% with many expressing concern with the asset sales programme. And John Key displays a disturbing lack of numeracy literacy.
What happened to the working class?
In post WWII UK, working class people were gaining a stronger voice in public life. Then came Thatcher and middle class capture of politics & the media. Something similar happened in NZ. How can those on low incomes and/or from the working classes gain a stronger voice in NZ politics?
Open mike 15/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
Summer service: the real economy
The summer holiday period is a time when consumerism is rampant, contradicting the traditional Christian message . It adds pressure to those already struggling, especially those with young families. Places to support via time, donations, gifts, etc.
At least 225,000 Nats said “No” to asset sales
Rob Salmond runs the Polity blog and has given us permission to syndicate his posts. Long time readers will remember him from the brilliant posts on 08wire.org during the 2008 campaign, so expect us to often find something of interest.
Like this post looking at who voted No on the referendum. That number of previously National voters must be scaring the National party at present.
NRT: Unacceptable
No Right Turn has a view on Len Brown accepting nearly $40,000 in undeclared complementarities from the hotel industry. How many of these were from SkyCity? And who else has been getting them?
Open mike 14/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
No Asset Sales Referendum results
The no asset sales petition results are out and two thirds of the votes are against asset sales.
Turning around the books
So according to John Key, turnout in the referendum is so low it doesn’t mean anything to him (despite his government working hard to get turnout down). But he reckons it does mean David Cunliffe needs to promise to buy back the assets..?
The party I will vote for ….
… will be one that has effective policies to make a more equal, inclusive and democratic society, will seriously address the concerns of those least well-off, and not just pander to the concerns of people on (comfortable) middle incomes.Values in need of a slogan?
The Pike River deal of the century
A month ago John Key was embarrassed in the House by David Cunliffe over the failure of the Government to contribute to the compensation of $3.41 million ordered by Judge Farrish to be paid to the Pike River families. Yesterday’s deal saw this amount being paid and the charges against Peter Whittall being withdrawn. An embarrassing political issue was shut down by a decision not to continue with a prosecution. Are you concerned?
Open mike 13/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
Cameron Slater: So who pays who?
Looks like John Key’s communications boss Jason Ede has been busted supplying material for the most disgusting site in local politics – Whaleoil. It has long been suspected that he supplies material and possibly even writes for that site as part National’s dirty tricks team. Looks like we have some confirmation. So how much is the taxpayer paying for this public servant to blog and does he do it for his job? How much does Cameron Slater “demand” from the taxpayer to provide this service?
On Pike
The decision announced today (but made when?) to withdraw the charges against Pike CEO Peter Whittall cannot be left to rest. When did […]
The Carbon or the Swag?
So many choices! What’s a body to do?
Pike River – Charges against Peter Whittall withdrawn
The charges that Peter Whittall faced concerning the Pike River deaths have been withdrawn. And he and the then directors of Pike River are paying $3.4 million compensation to the victims families. While it is pleasing for the families to receive some compensation for their loss does the sanctity of our justice system require that the prosecutions should have continued?
Making sense of the (un)employment stats: Census 2013
A Statistics NZ Census quick stats page is both useful and puzzling. Nearly a 3rd of adults are not in the “labour force”, unemployment stats mask true unemployment, the young and low income women particularly are struggling, distorted occupation categories, and more….. [Update: Occupation categories]
How to: Pick an Excuse for Not doing Anything About Poverty
Right wing, excuses reasons, for not doing anything about children in poverty.
John Key: The invisible man
Fresh from his comedy career on Letterman, his rolling over puppy imitation for Warner Brothers, and other such high profile appearances. John Key has now taken to reprising the role of “The Man with No Name”. Milly the kitten is better known..
Last day to vote
This is the last day that you can vote No in the referendum on asset sales. So dig that form out, mark it and send it. This referendum vote is a clear way to send a message that even a self-serving delusional National MP can understand. Being able to form a government is not a mandate to do whatever you feel like with our assets.
Open mike 12/12/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right up to the mike …
Latest Roy Morgan Poll
And the results are bouncing around. Labour is down 3.5 and the Greens are up 3.5%. And the two blocks are neck and neck …
Judith Collins: The obnoxious right
Seems that Collins likes to call others bullies, but doesn’t mind being simply abusive and derogatory in her own language. Let’s call it what it is: more insults fly from the obnoxious right who like to play the man and not the ball, especially when the facts are inconvenient. It’s not surprising that the Collins faction has been associated with Cameron Slater.
A more equitable society
Welfare benefits and how you provide for the disadvantaged is one of the primary distinguishing features of the difference between the left and right of the political spectrum. Here is a proposal on how to make sure that the wealth of society is better distributed. It would require consensus from most people to implement as it would fundamentally change the fabric of society.