There is no depression in NZ
The sad new reality of NZ under the 3rd term of a National Government become more and more glaring every day, yet the latest Herald Digi Poll tells us that over 50% of voters don’t care and still support Key.
While the private prison monstrosity of Serco dominates headlines, our under funded public prison system is killing prisoners…
Corrections apologises to family of sick patient who died
Spring Hill prison bosses have been heavily criticised for failing a sick prisoner who repeatedly went without pain relief and medical care, and later died of cancer.
…and because of our ‘lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-keys’ mentality with prisoners, they are being treated worse than animals, as our own Kelly Ellis points out…
Prisoners treated worse than animals, says lawyer
Lawyer Kelly Ellis, who has spent years advocating for prisoners’ rights, said the lack of health care for some of her clients, including one man at Waikeria Prison, was appalling.“I’ve had clients who literally have rotted in jail, to the extent where they had to even come to court with a portable electric vacuum device to suction puss out of the back of this paralysed man’s backside while he was going through the court proceedings,” she said.
“He used to complain about lying for 14, 16 hours in his own excrement. He was calling for help, unable to turn over and unable to give his bedsores a bit of relief, so it’s well known that standards of care are very poor in prisons and have been for a long time.”
Another man asked a prison’s staff if he could see a specialist for a head injury after he was given two black eyes, but nothing happened, she said.
Ms Ellis said it was time prisoners were treated like humans.
…then we have the victims of abuse at the hands of Government agencies told they won’t get an apology…
Generation of children brutalised in state care won’t get public apology
The Government will not offer a formal public apology to all children who were in state care during a 50 year period of brutal abuse.The final report of the Confidential Listening and Assistance Service has detailed the harrowing experiences of children at the hands of people who were meant to keep them safe.
The report, which heard evidence from more than 1100 people, is still under consideration by the Government.
The abuse detailed in the report covers foster homes, institutions, asylums, health camps and borstals from the early 1940s up to 1992.
…and we have a state house tenant who is getting sick from the mouldy state house she lives in, offered another mouldy state house…
Mother offered second mouldy house
An Auckland mother who says her youngest son’s medical woes were caused by mould at the state house she and her family lives in has been offered a new home – but it’s also mouldy.Mother-of-two Te Ao Marama Wensor’s youngest son, Iriah, 7, suffered from strokes.
She had been told by specialists that Iriah had holes in his lungs, and an enlarged heart, all as a result of the mould at her Glen Innes home.
Her story came to light on Friday, and Housing New Zealand said last week it had offered temporary motel accommodation to Ms Wensor and her family. Ms Wensor instead chose to temporarily move into her cousin’s house while she waited for a Housing New Zealand transfer.
However, this morning Ms Wensor told Radio New Zealand she had been offered a new house in Avondale, but when she visited it, she found it was mouldy as well.
Black mould was visible on the inside of some windows, along windowsills, curtains, and on the walls, she told the broadcaster.
…and yet with all these underfunded issues in the public service, we have a Government spending $11.9million on private consultants…
Cost of private contractors doubles to $11.9m at Ministry of Social Development
Payments for private contractors at the Ministry of Social Development has skyrocketed to $11.9 million.The blow-out has resulted in a bill for taxpayers that is more than double the previous year.
Figures from the Social Services Committee’s estimates examination reveal that at the same time the public service is being asked to be frugal, the ministry has spent up large on private contractors, including a $2.6m programme provided by Deloitte.
The ministry spent $5.4m on contractors for the year to the end of March 2014, but that amount ballooned to almost $12m by the end of March this year.
…the middle classes who support Key because his policies are pushing up their house valuations aren’t impacted by prison, aren’t impacted by needing state agencies, aren’t impacted by mouldy state homes so they don’t care.
This is the Government NZers voted for.
Welcome to NZ – Nov 2008 – ???
yes the middle classes have certainly been co-opted into the “Key Love” club by…
a) Nats swallowing numerous Labour legacy policy rats to get elected and stay in office such as middle class welfare WFF etc etc
b) tax cuts, asset sales that new rentiers can be “in on” and keeping property prices overheated
a society can go to the pack quite quickly though–think Fear of the Walking Dead–several thousand negative equity rentiers might make a bit of noise with their squealing
as the TPP marches showed on the 15th though, don’t let the dark selfish kiwis get you down, organise, Stand up Fight Back!
The Government needs to bring in a warrant of fitness for rental properties quick smart – all talk no do.
I am guessing most State Houses are way below the minimum standards?
Its all about being re-elected in 2017 rather than what is best for NZ and its Citizens.
How about a warrant of fitness for governments?
How quickly you have gone from Godzone to Hell’s Kitchen.
All of the moves over the last twenty years have been clearly signposted and had you all been awake politically you would have seen them.
So now we have a situation where the friendly helpful likeable Kiwi of yesterday is now the miserly compassionless parsimonious Mr Bumble of Dickens’ era.
The wholehearted manner in which this toxic caustic philosophy has been embraced shows the true nature of the Kiwi…
It is not at all a pleasant nature.
Yip, its grim, but I’m angry as fk and I’m fighting back every way I know how. Through the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Personally I think the judiciary are the only ones going to be able to stop this neo-liberal corruption.
Working on something at the moment for the United Nations, would be good to have your input when I’ve finished the first draft Martyn?
Going to start a programme of protests aimed at idiots who vote National.
First stop my MP Alastair Scott (Wairarapa) in his new office, with my chalk, my signs, my video and my camera. If he refuses to see me, then I’ll make sure he hears me and so does everybody else in the street.
Martyn it sounds like you need to get out and do protesting in the street, go and speak your truth to power, turn up in someone’s reception area demanding to see them, then give them a bollocking. I won a case recently that said you can do that, just don’t swear and don’t threaten violence on the people – but other than that the vocabulary is yours to use. In fact the bigger the words the better, then people in power think you’re clever, because they’re not.
Do some chalking on the street where somebody can see, get someone to video you talking this stuff at the local mall etc? Sitting at home just isn’t enough venting I have found, getting out on the street and sticking up poems called Journalists are Maggots in the foyer of Fairfax/Dom Post Building is way more therapeutic.
Kia kaha to us all
A ‘poll’ in the Herald – says it all!
I have yet to met anyone who actually likes the JK…weird…
….just WHO are THEY asking? And WHO are THEY?
@ Kim Dandy . Exactly ! You’re exactly right. I personally don’t believe they exist. Furthermore, I strongly believe the last election was rigged.
If so, then, but why ?
The government is utilitarian – greatest happiness for the greatest number. And while the majority may be happy it means that the minority, the disenfranchised are worse off (incidentally this yet one more reason why we need people to be the voice of the disenfranchised).
I’ve asked this question elsewhere on another blog but never got a satisfactory answer. If you were say the Labour Party, what strategy would you use to defeat a utilitarian government?
Who are the 50% who like this Government I don’t know anyone who is rapt with this lot, even more disliked than Helen Clarke in her third term.
Love the graphic! So true!
Another thought – it is interesting the timing of this ‘poll’ – coming out just before the flag referendum ramps up….coincidence?
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