Reaction to housing policy
Labour will be pleased at the reaction to its Latest housing policy, from Vernon Small, John Armstrong and (knock me down with a feather) Colin Espiner. Opinion polling is also in favour.
Open mike 31/07/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Speculation
I know many of the liberal left don’t like or can’t accept the thought that banning non-residents from speculating on residential property in […]
Andrea Vance’s phone records were handed to Henry by Parliamentary Services
David Henry did but didn’t get Andrea Vance’s phone records from Parliamentary Services and Speaker David Carter said that the information had not been disclosed but had been disclosed. And they expect us to believe that Henry did not look at the phone records despite asking for them.
Confused?
Idiot tweet of the day – Collins
The non-resident property speculators are….?
An NZ Herald Editorial exposes John Key’s politically motivated spin against Shearer’s housing policy, but also takes some swipes at the “left”. Gower misleads, by repeating Key’s “anti-Asian” smears, supported by the eg of a website targeting South African property speculators.
Questions for Key
Why is it acceptable to his government that, under the current law, Kiwi families can be outbid for Kiwi houses by overseas speculators who have no intention of living here? What good to the New Zealand economy is created by non-resident foreigners buying existing New Zealand houses? In the new sprawl suburbs he wants to create, how many houses being bought by foreign speculators would be acceptable to him?
This gives me heart
The Herald is reporting that more that 51% of Kiwis are in favour of giving beneficiaries with kid the Working for Families tax credit.
That’s right, just over half of New Zealanders polled wanted to give beneficiaries more money despite twenty years of active demonisation of beneficiaries by the right.
John Banks and racism
At the moment there are plenty of racists trying to accuse Labour of racism. I might put together a post on the Iwi/Kwi Orewa Nats later on, but in the mean time I give you – John Banks.
Anonymous NZ hacks National websites
Anonymous NZ protests John Key’s spying Bill by hacking various National MP websites.
Open mike 30/07/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Jonolism or Journalism?
Patrick Gower’s report on TV3 6pm News tonight, on Labour’s housing for Kiwis policy, shows what is wrong with corporate infotainment TV news. He gets tonight’s award for Jonolism. Here’s hoping the Campbell Live tonight will show Gower how it should be done. [Update: Campbell interviews Ferguson]
Democracy needs public service (Freeview)TV
TVNZ U (youth, entertainment Freeview channel) failed commercially & is being shut down. There is space on Freeview for a public service channel: needed to build democracy. The Coalition for Better Broadcasting may be the entity to lead the way?
Xenophobia – a Nat guide
Key explains the need to spy on us all
One of the many criticisms of John Key’s spying Bill is that it isn’t needed. Well rest easy citizens consumers, because PM Key has laid those fears to rest. Here he is, in his own words, explaining why this violation of our basic human rights is absolutely necessary.
The convention economy
You know it by now, Key, English, and Joyce have said it often enough – National’s formula for the economy is more mining, selling assets, and convention centres. We’re actually making less money from mining now than 5 years ago. Asset sales have been a predictable failure. But we’ve got 3 new convention centres coming, that’ll bring in the international revenue, eh? Nah.
Politically aligned or misinformed
On Thursday last week hundreds attended a public meeting in Mt Albert, and on Saturday thousands of people marched in 11 centers all round NZ to protest against John Key’s spying Bill. Key’s response? They are either “politically aligned” or “misinformed”. Like the Law Society and the Human Rights Commission, no doubt.
Journos need to get serious on spy Bill
Key’s new spying law will mean our own spooks can legally spy Kiwi journos. Experience shows it will happen. Time for that ‘democracy under attack’ Herald campaign. Time for journos to start taking this seriously. In a democracy, we don’t give the State powers that it doesn’t need and/or that are open to abuse. We don’t create a turn-key totalitarian state just because it’s ‘convenient for the spies’.
Open mike 29/07/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Contactless cards: capitalism thrives, customers lose
Contactless (“wave and go”) features are becoming a compulsory feature for credit and debit cards. Hi-tech equipment can pilfer from such cards as people pass by. Plus other problems. But, they ensure banks and merchants make more money.
Labour’s new housing policy – Shearer on Q+A
David Shearer on Q+A just set out new policy on housing, proposing restrictions on overseas buyers. It’s another big policy move from Labour…
1938 11
A Sunday feature – each week a random section scanned from a copy of The Standard, September 15th, 1938. Find out more here.
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
Nicky Hager’s investigative journalism explains why the government uses state surveillance against investigative journalists, academics and political activists. Jane Kelsey explains why spying is used to prevent legal activities, democratic processes and NZers speaking truth to power.
Open mike 28/07/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
The Auckland Protest
Some photos from today’s Auckland protest. It was a great occasion. The question needs to be though, where to from here? This momentum needs to be built on.
The Dunedin protest
I haven’t seen many photos of the Dunedin anti GCSB Bill protest around, so here are a few of mine. 500 people in the Octagon. Best slogan: “Look in your own Key hole”.
Poverty Watch 41
Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, the NBR “rich list” and the sick joke of “trickle down” wealth.
The worst advice in the world
Well known Labour supporters John Armstrong and Fran O’Sullivan are bursting with advice for David Shearer. I’m sure they have the Left’s best interests at heart. O’Sullivan says Shearer must be more pro-capitalist. Armstrong says he needs to pick fights with the Greens. This is based on a premise that flies against the polling evidence that Labour is seen as too Left or too close to the Greens
Key demeans Korean War veterans
The New Zealand veterans of the Korean War got a sharp lesson from John Key yesterday as to what they and their comrades […]
GCSB protests at 2pm today
This cartoon by Mark O’Brien at monsta.co.nz probably accurately reflects the distasteful uncertainty that many of us feel about the purpose and intent […]
Lazy Jono on 3 News invents a story
Jono Hutchison invented a story that aired on 3 News last night. He took a single inaccurate comment expressing an opinion and wrapped a story around it as the angle. The comment he used was in my observation quite inaccurate and has escalated my opinion of Jono to that of being a lazy dickhead unworthy of being called a reporter.
Open mike 27/07/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Weekend social 26/07/2013
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
How National plans to smash collective agreements
Over the coming weeks I’m going to go through each of National’s changes to employment law to show how they will make our workplaces less fair and reduce Kiwis’ pay.
The first is the change allowing the boss to refuse to negotiate a collective agreement.
GCSB Bill opposition heats up
The stop the GCSB Bill meeting in Auckland last night was well attended and had a series of high quality presentations made. A series of protests are planned for this weekend. Momentum is building …
Dotcom developments
The public trusts Kim Dotcom more than John Key (no surprise), and Journalist Selwyn Manning describes “some breaking news from Dotcom” on what Key knew, and when…