We are beneficiaries
The sick and twisted thing about right wing politics is that tories like a certain level of unemployment because competition for jobs is […]
priorities
When the jet stream slows…
…let’s ridicule Donald Trump.
Peters policy priorities
Peters’ policy priorities are clearly anathema to National. Depending on the details Labour may be more accommodating, but it’s a risky path given signs that “the economy” is already flatlining.
Good on ya NZ – choosing Labour policy over Nat tax cut
It is very heartening to see Kiwis rejecting National’s tax cut bribe (and English’s arrogant debate rhetoric) – in favour of supporting each other and backing Labour’s policies for a better NZ.
PREFU
Today is the day for Treasury’s Pre-Election Fiscal Update (PREFU).
Another DHB in trouble
National found $10b down the back of the sofa for roads roads roads, but is under funding our health system to the point of collapse.
Tax cuts or fix this…
Auckland City Councilor Richard Hills yesterday tweeted some of the things we would like to see fixed before a tax cut. You might want to add to the list. Good thing Labour is promising to cancel the cuts and spend billions more on health and education.
National reckon public health and education are a waste of money?
According to Morning Report the Nats are calling Labour’s budget for more spending on health and education “a plan to waste more money”. Tell it to the people who can’t afford private alternatives and depend on the public systems.
Labour’s plan – billions for health and education
Labour has just released costed details of its comprehensive plan to put $8b more over four years into health and $4b into education. Excellent.
Benefit fraud vs white collar crime
The political hills are echoing with the aftermath of Meteri Turei’s confession of lying to WINZ, and Paula Bennett’s conciliatory and very precisely worded claim of not having done so “deliberately”. A good time to revisit the topic of benefit fraud vs white collar crime / tax evasion.
A clear choice for voters
Herald editorial: “Credit where it is due. It takes courage to say that if elected, you will cancel a tax cut. … In doing so it has presented the voters with a clear choice which, for those without young families or earning above the income limits, will mean deciding whether to take the tax cut or give the benefit to children of the less well off.”
Generous donation – why was it necessary to get a hospital built?
Thank you Mark Dunajtschik. But why did it take a generous private donation to get a badly needed public hospital off the drawing-board?
The cost of the surplus
Where are our priorities?
Labour and National government spending
Roads not health
A new coalition protests health under-funding, while the cost of the holiday highway blows out. Our government has its priorities all screwed up.
Budget Live
Live coverage of the budget starts around 2pm.
Well that was boring.
Pre-budget reading
Budget day! Here’s a little light reading to get us started. Write your own line for the budget!
Pandas WTF?
Pandas – one lightweight piece of fluff too far?
Schools under pressure
Schools are not adequately funded for the job we ask them to do.
Budget 2015 – A reactive budget
A panicked response to the Auckland property crisis. A welcome (albeit inadequate) adjustment to benefit rates. Public pressure is forcing action on the Left’s political agenda. Still no surplus, and no one believes the projected one next year. A reactive budget – there is no vision.
Where would you spend $26 million?
If you were the NZ government, with $26 million to spend, what would you spend it on?
Measuring poverty
The National government has always been selective about what it likes to measure, and so far refused to measure poverty. Under questioning on Morning Report this morning Key finally made a commitment to do so. We must hold him to it.
Key’s Drunken Sailor
Key’s Drunken Sailor “joke” tells us a lot about his priorities…