class war

TPP protests – Day 1

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:59 am, December 3rd, 2012 - 9 comments

A week of [updated: video] protests against the secretive TPP began today outside entrance to Sky City Convention Centre, where the latest round of TPP negotiations are being held.  The majority of Kiwis are not happy with the secrecy.  Jane Kelsey & Canadian Peter Clark identify problems.

Remember Waihi 1912: who now has the courage?

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:28 am, November 12th, 2012 - 21 comments

Tomorrow is the centenary of the death of Fred Evans on 13 November 1912, during the Waihi gold miners strike.  Out of this struggle of ordinary, but courageous NZ workers, grew the NZ Labour Party.  Who now has such courage to lead NZ politics in a new direction? Update: Allison McCulloch’s article on the Waihi strike.

All reward, no responsibility

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 7:18 am, November 5th, 2012 - 37 comments

The bosses justify their huge pay packets by saying they’re the elite, the wealth creators. They get the money because their genius makes sure things work. But, when it all goes to hell it’s the minions who get blamed. While the CEO gets a $100K bonus when she quits after 11 months! Nice work if you can get it, which is why the bosses congratulated themselves with a 10% pay rise this year.

Aotearoa to little America

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 11:00 am, November 1st, 2012 - 28 comments

As National cuts services, incomes, and pushes more Kiwi’s into the gutter, their real agenda it seems apart from creating an underclass is removing them from the Government tit, and after that supporting them with charity. Corporations see charity as tax free advertising, with the added bonus of being able to lobby & pressure the Government of the day.

World class education

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:41 am, October 31st, 2012 - 34 comments

The Secretary for Education has drawn the wrong conclusions from data on educational performance, and a bunch of commentators (including a particularly egregious anonymous editorial in The Herald) have been quick to follow. We certainly have a world class education system. The fact that not every child can take advantage of it is our real failing and our shame.

Business NZ threatens members will violate human rights over PPL

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 9:39 am, October 25th, 2012 - 19 comments

Here’s Business NZ’s shill on extending paid parental leave: “Employers who have been forced to bear considerable replacement costs, or to find those amongst their other employees willing to provide cover, may well think hard before again employing a woman of child-bearing age”. 1) that makes no sense 2) it’s illegal under the Human Rights Act.

Tax fraud, benefit fraud, proportional response

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:50 am, October 22nd, 2012 - 38 comments

A Victoria University study shows that tax evasion is costing the country at least 25 times what welfare fraud is costing, while welfare fraud is punished more harshly in court.

Poverty Watch 8

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:30 am, October 20th, 2012 - 18 comments

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, “International Eradication of Poverty Day”, and the tragic link between poverty and child abuse.

The ‘there’s no class war in New Zealand’ monitor

Written By: Zetetic - Date published: 10:31 am, October 18th, 2012 - 48 comments

There’s no class war in New Zealand. It’s not class war when the company that is laying off workers boosts its directors’ pay by 28%. It’s not class war when rich Tories who have given themselves massive tax cuts deny people on benefits are in poverty. It’s not class war when a rich Tory makes up numbers to oppose extending paid parental leave.

Poverty Watch 7

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:23 am, October 13th, 2012 - 6 comments

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, three good pieces on the recent Children’s Commisioner’s report, the Nats dither on food in schools, and much more…

Herald promotes cheating and tax evasion

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:51 am, October 8th, 2012 - 223 comments

I was surprised this weekend to see The Herald come out with a strongly stated piece in favour of cheating and tax evasion.

Poverty Watch 6

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:13 am, October 6th, 2012 - 7 comments

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, immigrant Pacific Island families in poverty, and a thoughtful and challenging piece on the role of philanthropy in NZ.

National Day of action against Bennett’s welfare reforms

Written By: karol - Date published: 7:00 am, October 5th, 2012 - 128 comments

Today there have been protests around NZ, against Paula Bennett’s punitive welfare reforms.

Updates: Include ODT article link and extract, photos of Henderson protest, and links to several news articles.

Bennett’s fantasy world breaks down

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:15 am, September 24th, 2012 - 45 comments

Paula Bennett on Q+A: “I don’t think that every child actually needs to be in early-childhood education” says Bennett. There will be cases where parents can do just as good or better job for their child. Yet, her policy is to take away half the incomes of parents and children on benefits who don’t go to ECE. The gap between Bennett’s spin and what she is actually doing has never before been so clearly revealed.