Outsourcing away
We’ve had a few posts about the lack of action from the government – but over on Bernard Hickey’s blog he’s spotted progess […]
Year of the wolf?
I really thought the rumour that the minimum wage would only rise by 25c had been put out by the government to make […]
Te-henua-e-noho. There once was an island.
Today my partner Lyn Collie will be at the world premiere at Festival International du Film Documentaire Oceanien in Tahiti of the documentary that she has been producing part-time all the time I’ve known her. My congratulations to both her, the director Briar March, and the many other people who have worked on this documentary since they started working on it in 2006 for getting it out and being seen.
Nats in line for big $$ from own tax reforms
Fran O’Sullivan has a piece pointing out the vested interests of senior Nats regarding tax reform: “More than two-thirds of the National line-up have […]
On intellectual failure & economic crisis
Before they were swept along by the latest incarnation of US Right anti-intellectualism, National used to have some smart people. One of the […]
Minimum wage: what will it be?
The Government is set to announce its decision on the annual adjustment to the minimum wage today. So what’s it going to be? […]
Double-dip recession on the horizon?
Leading US economist and Nobel laureate Paul Krugman sees a 30-40% chance of the US re-rentering recession this year, and the conditions that […]
Open mike 27/01/2010
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the […]
Key admits mistake: Tolley and Groser shuffled out
Today John Key admitted his mistake in two Ministerial portfolio appointments, as two long overdue changes were announced. 1) Chopper Tolley has rightfully […]
Massachusetts not about health care
I’m getting a bit sick of commentary suggesting Republican Scott Brown’s victory in the Massachusetts Senate race was a thumbs down for Obama’s […]
Why should the rich get to queue-jump?
Rahui Katene is worried that people who can’t afford stomach staplings here (which supposedly cures diabetes, although the evidence is mixed) are getting […]
Campbell and Hooton on do nothing Key
I can’t work out how to embed audio alone, so here’s a YouTube of Andrew Campbell and Matthew Hooton on the Key Government. […]
You’re not a doctor, Tariana
Tariana Turia got her stomach stapled to tackle her diabetes and it seems to have worked. She wants more people to get the […]
Open mike 26/01/2010
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the […]
The power of public condemnation
Phew, that was quick. Yesterday John Kingi writes to us about Club Physical promoting homophobic myths. I publish his email. The same day […]
The danger of pre-writing your narrative
It was clear that the Herald had decided how Ratana would play this year: eveyone loves Key, Goff gets the cold shoulder. It […]
Labour needs to be firm on tax
Marty did some really excellent work last week on the Tax Working Group’s proposed tax reforms last week, which Zetetic summed up as ‘tax cuts […]
Subsidising Pandora’s box-office
Gerry Brownlee is defending the $45 million tax break the Government gave the makers of Avatar to do most of their special effects […]
250,000 jobless and counting
Open mike 25/01/2010
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the […]
Is Club Physical promoting homophobia?
A reader, John, writes: “I’m a member of Club Physical and I was disgusted to see that in their latest E-newsletter (below) sent out […]
The SAS, the media, and Key
I don’t think the SAS should be in Afghanistan. That said, there are good reasons why the activities of the SAS on deployment […]
Open mike 24/01/2010
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the […]
Key committed to [insert your priority here]
Last week: “Prime Minister John Key said the Government’s major theme in 2010 would be improving New Zealand’s economy” Today: “He said his […]
Cowardly
This is how Health Minister Tony Ryall announced the Government would be appealing the court decision to try to get out of paying people for […]
Hide opens door for Winston?
Eddie has already covered the story of Hide giving the middle finger to the people of Franklin regarding the Supercity. Franklin is Tory […]
How media should view polls
Hattip: NickS linking to PhD comics
Tax is the price the elite pay to maintain their privilege
John Roughan asks: “Nearly half of all personal tax revenue is contributed by just 10 per cent of us. Is this socially healthy?” […]
Open mike 23/01/2010
Topics of interest, announcements, general discussion. The usual rules apply (see the link to Policy in the banner). Step right up to the […]
Thoughts on Massachusetts
I enjoyed this piece by Jane Young over on Pundit so much I wanted to share: The brain in the White House appears […]
Questions of trust
Over at Red Alert Stuart Nash asks whether the details of property developers being investigated by the IRD will be released in the […]
Massive jump in dole numbers – minister washes her hands
You may remember that late last year John Key, Bill English and Paula Bennett could hardly find the words to praise themselves for […]
Wee gripes: work stoppage stats
NZPA is reporting that there were only four work stoppages in the last September quarter, making eighteen for the 2009 year to September. […]
Pascal’s Bookie says…
Pascal’s Bookie said in comments 3 pretty graphs, Median Income Average income of the bottom decile Average income of the Top decile one […]
Bulldozing Fiordland: Brownlee committed
In the Otago Daily Times on Wednesday, Gerry Brownlee confirmed he was personally pushing for a new road to be bulldozed through the […]
The sharpest edge of the recession
“2500 people waited up to seven hours to apply for one of 150 jobs at a new South Auckland supermarket”* OK, maybe 16 […]