ImperatorFish: Are they really the Green Taleban?
A two-fer: are the Greens really like the Taleban, & the Conservative’s new campaign poster…
Thanks Wikileaks
Wikileaks have released the TPP advanced draft chapter on intellectual property. It includes the government positions on the main issues, including all those where the New Zealand negotiators are opposed to the US. As citizens we should all support our New Zealand negotiators and insist that the Key government does not cave in to US interests. The stakes are too high.
Colin Craig and the Conservative Tea Party are National’s best chance
The possibility of a National Conservative coalition was raised this week by John Key. It appears that everything may be on the table as National seeks to retain power. So will child bashing again be allowed and what would happen to New Zealand’s climate change policies? The prospects are rather terrifying.
Groser says govt ministers in denial of reality
3news has shaken out hidden science denialists in National. This follows the disgraceful booing of Russel Norman by National MPs who did not want to hear him ‘inappropriately’ quote a Filipino official attributing the typhoon to climate change at a time apparently meant for empty platitudes. Meanwhile, the Filipino official that Norman was quoting has written to thank him.
Open mike 14/11/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step […]
Air NZ sale coming on the quiet
Word is out that National is going to slam through the sale of its Air NZ shares early next week ahead of the referendum. No mention of ‘mum and dad’ investors this time. No ad campaign imploring you get ‘get your share’. Nope. It’ll be a quick and dirty sale to some big institution which will then divvy it up to other institutions. We might not even be told until after the fact.
Inequality meeting plus…
Max Rashbrooke talking about his book Inequality: a New Zealand Crisis and more on Monday 18 November, 5.30pm @ Auckland Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn
What the Waitakere Myth says about pundits’ attitudes to the working class
I finally found the words, in a comment at The Standard, to explain something I’ve been feeling for years about the Waitakere Man […]
Key rewrites history for “Crazy Colin”
Answering questions on the up-coming Asset Sales referendum, John Key spoke some appalling un-truths. He is rewriting political history to suit “Crazy” Colin Craig’s possible coalition bottom lines on the “anti-smacking” law. Cunliffe finally got there in the General Debate, but the opposition was too slow in countering Key’s lies & spin.
ImperatorFish: JT and Willie in shock Radio NZ deal
ImperatorFish follows the future direction of the hapless duo JT and Willie… Replacing Jim Mora? OMG….
Is it any wonder?
Never wonder again why National is opposed to any kind of wealth tax, including capital gains tax, and would rather tax hard work instead. Never wonder again why there’s hundreds of millions of dollars for uneconomic irrigation projects but crumbs to feed hungry kids. Just look at this table of what the richest MPs won, and remember their friends are of the same class.
Open mike 13/11/2013
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 …
Crony Capitalism, Chorus and Pike River compensation
Today in Parliament David Cunliffe neatly skewered John Key with a series of questions that showed the Government will decline to ensure that the Pike River families are paid out because there is no legal obligation to do so, yet it is happy to pay out large sums to its corporate friends even though there is no legal obligation to do so.
NAct MPs: heckling from “their armchairs”
Today in speaking to John Key’s motion on the Typhoon in the Philippines, Russel Norman read out a statement that was spoken by Philippines climate negotiator Naderev “Yeb” Saño, who called for urgent action on climate change. Sounds of heckling could he heard from the comfort of the government benches. [update: Yeb Saño to Russel Norman]
Collins ducks the questions again
In today’s Herald Judith Collins again sidesteps the questions on trial processes on sexual abuse cases posed last week by Jan Logie and Andrew Little. The Minister for No is now dead keen to be seen to be doing something. I think she should take up Metiria Turei’s suggestion to set up an all-party group to consider the issues. One thing is absolutely clear; all wisdom does not reside in the mind of this Minister.
Shock finding that ACC cover improves people’s lives
A recent Massey University study found that that those with a spinal cord injury who are covered by ACC are more likely to get back to work while those who don’t receive assistance start a downward spiral into poverty. Who would have thunk it?
Open mike 12/11/2013
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 …
Caption Competition
The Conservatives latest billboard is apparently saying what everyone is thinking. What are we thinking?
Why insurance should be a state monopoly
The seeming purpose of having competition is to prevent monopoly pricing and excessive profits but, as Steve Keen shows, all businesses use the same pricing model with about the same level of profits. If they did use the pricing model that economists say that they should use they’d actually go broke. Having a state insurance system has a whole different economic basis.
Rorty rorty
You’ll remember that, back in 2009, Bill ‘Double Dipton’ English was caught claiming an ‘out of town’ allowance – intended to pay for non-Wellington-based MPs’ accommodation in the capital – to pay the mortgage on his family home in Karori. Key’s solution was to let all his ministers claim the rort. Now, it turns out some of them are doubling down on the rort.
Open mike 11/11/2013
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’s litany of economic failure
I finally got up the courage to trawl through Tracy Watkins’ hagiography to John Key and found something interesting at the end. The Dom has made a table of main economic and fiscal measures comparing where they are now to where they were in 2008 and, crucially, where they were projected to be now in the forecasts Treasury made immediately after National came to power. It’s a list of National failure.
Will JT be a Labour MP?
John Tamihere’s public comments this week raise deep concerns at the possibility that he could again become a Labour MP. If it was not before it must be abundantly clear that his attitudes and beliefs are too extreme.
Open mike 10/11/2013
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…
‘Locked Up Warriors’: 101 East
On 101 East on Al Jazeera. Too many people in NZ prisons, especially Maori: too many in poverty; too much money spent on prisons; not enough for low income communities; some very good community initiatives. Is this a fair representation?
Open mike 09/11/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step right […]
National day of action against rape culture: 16 Nov
Important day of action against rape culture, 16th November. The distressing Roastbuster case set off very important discussions, in-depth examination of the issues, & possible ways to dismantle the rape culture that is embedded in our mainstream culture. [Updates of demo locations & links on-going]
Bring back Simon Power
This week in Parliament Judith Collins was in full-on “no” mode – no to alternative trial process for sexual abuse cases, and no to changes to the law of evidence in sexual abuse cases rising from Law Commission work commissioned by Simon Power. This morning on National Radio Jan Jordan of Victoria University called for that extensive work to be revisited. I think she is absolutely right; if carried through it can only lead to a better outcome than what we have at the moment.
Like nats leaving a sinking ship …
So far seven National MPs have announced they will not stand in next year’s general election and more announcements are rumoured to be in the pipeline. Is the writing on the wall for this Government and will it become the first two term National Government in history?
Open mike 08/11/13
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…
Perhaps the NZ Police should do their frigging job properly!
The police have censored a satirical image of their policy towards juvenile rapists. It suggests that such outstanding citizens might make good police recruits. Based on past experience that may be the case. It has been most of a decade since the Bazley report. Less than a month since they ignored the IPCA about unlawfully breaking a kids neck at a party. Their actions or lack of them are both a subject of satire and intensely political… Stuff them. They need civilian criticism because they sure as hell don’t listen to their oversight bodies.
ImperatorFish: UFB Project: Terms of Tender
Scott has found the tender document for UFB rollout.
Kate Wilkinson to stand down and Matthew Doocey may seek nomination
Kate Wilkinson has announced that she will stand down at the next election as the MP for Waimakariri and National candidate for Christchurch East, Matthew Doocey is said to be in the mix for the nomination and has not ruled this out. Shouldn’t he be focussing on helping the good people of Christchurch East?
The sound of feet dragging: after Bazley
The police yet again apologise for the continuing support for rape culture within their ranks. As a result, young (alleged) rape victims have been re-traumatised. The Bazley Report recommendations should have prevented this from happening. From Key, Collins & Tolley we have been hearing the low-key sound of feet dragging.
The Prime Nanny
Parliament’s Chief Nanny has been in full flight this week, trying to slap down questions from Jan Logie and Andrew Little about trial processes for sexual abuse cases. Nanny was very strict. Everyone else had got it wrong, and needed to be corrected. When Nanny got it wrong herself, as she did when answering Andrew Little, she backed off quickly. When he challenged “so you don’t want to change anything”, she found the mild heckling “abusive”, which certainly does raise the bar, at least for herself.
English says higher wages mean better results
National’s been working hard to keep wages down for the 5 years. They’ve weakened union laws, introduced fire at will, opposed $15 minimum wage and the living wage. And it’s worked: 46% of workers got no raise last year, another 18% got less than a 2% raise. 5 years ago, 59% got a raise above 2%. Strangely, though, English says high wages are good for the economy.