From a sinking ship
Ongoing problems for Peter Dunne and United Future.
Toles on economic recovery
National standards nonsense
If there was a national standard in scientific method than the right wing spinsters talking up yesterday’s national standards results would all fail it.
Why can’t the Right face the manufacturing crisis?
The NBR (motto: ‘our circulation’s falling at 12% per year’) and the Right blogs are all aflutter after supposedly proving that Russel Norman is wrong and there haven’t been 40,000 manufacturing jobs lost since 2008. NBR’s Rob Hosking claims the number is only 10,000-20,000. Because, you know, that would be OK. But the truth is, Norman’s right – 40,000 manufacturing job losses since June 2008.
Open mike 12/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Nothing moderate about National’s employment changes
There is nothing ‘moderate’ about pushing policy that increases the power of the powerful and reduces the power of those dependent on them for a living, says the EPMU’s Rachel Mackintosh.
National’s employment changes will drive wages down and increase insecurity and poverty in this country.
The corruption of democracy
Similar neoliberal, corporate-friendly, beneficiary-bashing, anti-worker, anti-democratic & big-brotherish measures favoured by the US & UK governments have been adopted by Key’s government. Prism, Thin Thread and Kim Dotcom documents, show the GCSB & SIS need to be reigned in. How to ensure a fair, just & democratic society?
Hooton spouting nonsense
Matthew Hooton is spinning like mad to talk up the economy. Unfortunately his spin sometimes bends the truth beyond breaking point, and there were three examples of that yesterday.
Open mike 11/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Thin end of the wedge to get thicker?
The Nats’ attacks on workers rights and conditions started with the “fire at will” (90 day probation) Bill. No surprise to find pressure from employers to double the duration.
Whistleblowers and services to journalism
Two leakers (one a true whistleblower), are in the news right now, both focused on the US-led surveillance society, operating in the interests of corporate power. And today, in relation to this, 2 journalists show the importance of the fourth estate to democracy. Kim Hill & Glenn Greenwald take a bow.
The hairdo takes a haircut from the smiling assassin?
In politics, one week is a long time.
And for this year, the week on either side of Queen’s birthday weekend was especially interesting. And particularly hectic for some key people!
Positioning and reality
There’s a lot of talk at the moment about whether Labour is too close to the Greens. Lately, we’ve seen spin coming out that Labour might be able to govern without the Greens, favouring NZF instead. Meanwhile, the Greens seem happy to talk about a future Greens-Labour government. National’s leaking to Peters and Peters is playing the race card. What’s going on?
Open mike 10/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
The Greens: Party democracy and parliamentary politics
John Armstrong follows Lusk’s plan in attacking The Green Party’s democratic change to Conference remit procedures. Isaac Davison gives a more balanced account& points to preparation for a Labour-Green government. How much bottom-up democracy can there be in a top-down parliamentary system?
1938 4
A Sunday feature – each week a random section scanned from a copy of The Standard, September 15th, 1938. Find out more here.
Open mike 09/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Tory journalist of the year
And the winner is – Tracy Watkins.
Poverty Watch 34
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 we take a detailed look at the government’s response to the report on poverty from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. The media reaction summarised last week is correct – the government response is a joke.
The Civilian Party
Want to be in on the ground floor of the newest political party in NZ? Could be fun.
Slane sums up
Open mike 08/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Gone
Having resigned as Minister, how long before we see a by-election in Ohariu as Peter Dunne’s credibility keeps dripping away? And will we see an early election?
And the leaker is…
Peter Dunne – still denying it but cannot be ruled out.
Update: Breaking news – Peter Dunne has resigned as a minister.
Weekend social 07/06/2013
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
NSA pwns the internet
The NSA has direct access to servers at Google, Apple, Facebook, and other Internet giants, and they collect pretty much whatever data they like. We shouldn’t be surprised. The Guardian has the story.
NRT: If you can’t cap it, don’t drill it
I/S at No Right Turn on deep water drilling off our coast line.
Key Muldoon
Outrage over the Key Muldoon comparison? We thinks they doth protest too much. Not only is John Key a big fan of Muldoon, but his list of personal attacks and constitutional shenanigans has already grown more than long enough to challenge the old master.
Open mike 07/06/2013
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the link to […]
Special pleading from the Electricity Authority
Dr Brent Layton of the Electricity Authority has produced a 28-page paper to refute the claims of Molly Melhuish, Dr Geoff Bertram and Bryan Leyland that “the Authority’s approach is a light-touch approach to regulating the electricity markets.” Layton says that forcing prices and asset values down will have a “chilling” effect on fearful investors. The ‘”chilling” metaphor is particularly inapt when used to defend wealth transfers from the poor to the rich.
You can be a leader of nothing!
Well it turns out I was wrong – you can be a leader of nothing! Chaos in Parliament at the Speaker’s ruling.
Campaign heroics or hubris?
I was impressed by this press statement from the Mana Party on the ground in the Ikaroa Rawhiti by-election reporting that they door-knocked […]
War on Workers
Labour MP Darien Fenton has posted this on Red Alert.
The policing of women’s bodies
(Socialist) feminism seems to be on the rise internationally, exposing how threats to “old boys” corporate-aligned power are countered by policing women’s bodies. Sue Bradford highlights the contradiction between Owen Glenn’s paternalistic corporate capitalism and the feminist-aligned participants in his Inquiry. Jan Logie addresses the gender pay gap.
Slums for Auckland?
Housing Minister Nick Smith had ominous words for Auckland. Hands up all you Aucklanders who are keen to sacrifice quality housing?
You can’t be a leader of nothing
Peter Dunne’s status as a party leader in Parliament (i.e. funding and perks) is under threat. Seems pretty cut and dried – you can’t be a leader of nothing. Being a sensible type, I’m sure that Peter will agree.