The Party list shows an urgent attempt to inject new blood into Labour. Many forget that when Jacinda took over, Labour was pretty lean on talent and wasn’t attracting any either.
It wasn’t so much a talent pool as a talent puddle.
With Labour polling stratospherically, anyone getting on the Party list this year has a chance to be in Parliament so Labour has been on an enormous recruitment drive with Jacinda overlooking the selections.
The reason Muller’s 17 empty chairs Hootonism works is because there’s some truth to it. Labour have suffered from easily led Ministers being utterly owned by their Ministries which is why Labour can only save us from dystopia, they can’t rebuild utopia.
They are spending so much energy just keeping the country’s collective head above pandemic waters they don’t have the time to think about the big vision stuff that will ultimately be the sustainable solution to our current neoliberal late capitalism cycle woes.
The need for that new talent was highlighted by the jaw dropping decision to start a civil war with Māori media and yesterdays pathetic list of ‘shovel ready’ jobs.
The boys in the back room have had some time to work on what happens next, so one would be hoping for some huge ideas, what we’ve been given is a scrawny list of reasons why the current gridlock around Auckland will soon occur in 11 other locations.
It isn’t just the bland ideas, it’s the pathetic number of jobs, all up we are looking at 1200 jobs, well, that’s neat, BUT WE LOST 8300 JOBS!
And that’s the 8300 we know of through the media, the true number could be closer to 40 000 and we are looking at 80 000 by years end.
Soooooo, ‘shovel ready job schemes’ that barely employ 1200 people isn’t really a fucking response to the enormity of the problem is it?
Don’t tell me it’s a good first step because that’s all this Party has been for 3 years, a good first step – the people who are imploding in this marathon need more than a first good step.
This announcement is a threadbare bandage on a haemorrhaging laceration.
The Progressive Left have got to come up with the visions and policy platform that the Government are unable to focus on due to the enormity of the pandemic. To this end, there is a Left wing hui in July that will be live streamed on TDB bringing together the best minds from Greenpeace, Better Futures Forum, Child Poverty Action Group, State Housing Action, School Strike for Climate, Extinction Rebellion, Unite Union, Council of Trade Unions, Migrant Workers Association, Just Speak, Quality Public Education Coalition, Action Station, Auckland Action Against Poverty and People Against Prisons Aotearoa to thrash out what that progressive left policy platform can be.
Labour have announced 1200 jobs, now we just need to help them find the 7100 others.
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The list is a rehash of 2017’s never delivered promises. The big promise glaringly absent from the list is light rail, not a single inch laid. And somehow the still not delivered promise walkway attached to the harbour bridge has blown out budget wise beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.
And who was the Minister who behind that and so many other broken promises? Phil Twyford. My hope was voters would relieve us of his uselessness and kick him out of his marginal seat, do the job the PM should have done but couldn’t. But stone me, she put this liability and testament to failure at number 4 on the list to carry on doing more damage.
Why?
Boy you are going to one disappointed individual in 2-3 years. I had similar feelings towards the end of Key’s second term. No point blaming the team if the captain can’t direct them, this is unfortunately all on Jacinda and her inner circle. Simply put, career politicians will make decisions based off political NOT economic or social considerations. You cannot argue the Ardern is anything but a career politician especially given her Tony Blair pedigree.
These aren’t shovel ready also. Its a safe bet that the majority of these aren’t commenced before 2021. This is all smoke and mirrors for an adoring media that haven’t the skill nor the desire to analyse and assess this announcement for what it actually is.
Like the States our political environment has become a battle of personality cults. Clark, as much as I despised her government was the last true leader we had and are likely to see for a while yet. Key, much like Ardern is becoming, was a media darling. Sure he had his pet projects off to the side however to the main he, and his sidekick Bill were hands off, much like the current mob and made decisions on political rather than economic and social reasons. Exhibit 1 – the flag.
I hope, both on the left and my right that we begin to stop getting so focused on the cult of personality and more interested in the policies and their effects. Otherwise the status quo remains and we all know the problems with this. Now that is something to protest and march about.
Your on the money Frank, obviously been paying attention, and not confused by the smoke and mirrors conjuring show, or blinded by the stardust, that we are served up every 3 years.
Labour only have 94 days to election plus the first 100 days of a second term, which they will get IMO, to pull anything out of the top hat, before the faithful are going to turn on them and start plotting against them apparently.
3 years time, punters on different blogs will still be bleating on about Labour have failed, vote National. National have failed vote Labour. They are all a bunch of failed parasites feeding from the public trough, year in year out,, getting that gold plated superannuation scheme, the perks, the 20% taxpayer Kiwisaver subsidy, and accomplishing sweet FA.
I suspect the government will get caught on the backfoot within a matter of weeks as the Covid-19 pandemic ‘takes out’ numerous major nations and demolishes business-as-usual throughout most of the world.
Doing very badly:
The US.
Brazil
India
Pakistan
Bangladesh
Doing badly
UK
Canada
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Sweden
Russia
Iran
Mexico
Argentina
Chile
Ecuador
South Africa
Not doing particularly well
Australia
China
Japan
Most of Africa
Pardon me if I’ve missed any significant portions of the Earth.
And on top of that there is the Fed ‘buying everything’ to prop things up because the market is broken.
‘Printing Until the Cows Come Home…
It started out with Jay Powell planting a happy little money tree in 2019 to keep the repo market from suffering a terminal seizure. This essentially led to a restoration of the status quo ante “QT” (the mythical beast known as “quantitative tightening” that was briefly glimpsed in 2018/19). Thus the roach motel theory of QE was confirmed: once a central bank resorts to QE, a return to “standard monetary policy” becomes impossible. You can check in, but you can never leave.’….
https://acting-man.com/?p=55271
FFS!
So now Muller and Hooton are on the money. Make up your fucking mind.
In case you haven’t noticed, “Jacinda” has been just a bit busy lately but hey, if it makes you feel better to throw turds at her….
Umm ….. she is the Prime Minister and she has to be accountable for the decisions made by her government. that’s the gig Jacinda Fan . It’s called being a leader. And there are no excuses for a string of upfucks however well intended. This intellectually bereft talent-less mob are a shadow of what we need right now. These are the people who stabbed David Cunliffe in the back.Ticket clippers and salary collectors ,devoid of real world experience, gumption ,vision and the ability to carry out the back breaking work for the good of the majority. No one sitting in NZ’s parliament right now has got what it takes to make this country function for it’s native born population , oh and they do not give a fuck either . They will continue to sell NZ out as a theme park for the ever increasing number of gated communities owned and occupied by the world’s frightened bourgeoisie.
Here’s one reason why Labour needs to NOW take the reins of their dysfunctional agencies like Kiwi Rail and NZTA as they have been steamrollered over by Steven Joyce to become impudent and lack any “common sense policies. – ‘HEAVY Rail all around our country’ will produce many jobs all around our country and save our environment and futures as well.
Find more from Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre on InfoPages.
press release. Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre. 15/6/20.
CEAC – Agrees With NZF Policy “for Heavy Rail Around This Country”
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2006/S00128/ceac-agrees-with-nzf-policy-for-heavy-rail-around-this-country.htm
Politics
CEAC – Agrees With NZF Policy “for Heavy Rail Around This Country”
Monday, 15 June 2020, 9:19 am
Press Release: Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre
Light rail is only for passengers; – and not as cost effective as heavy rail is with a multi-functional capacity, so KiwiRail must now expand heavy rail around NZ along with concentrating on electric locomotives that is the new smart transport that emit virtually no climate change carbon emissions, in line with global trends.
Regulatory agreement made by Government;
NZ is a signatory of the Paris climate change agreement since 2017; – when the ruling National Party then signed onto the ‘lowered climate change emissions target’, – promising to moving to low emissions transport motivation; – so KiwiRail’s CEO Greg Miller made fatal serious errors in his judgement last week when he announced he supported buying more troublesome and unreliable Chinese diesel locomotives – and this does not stack up.
Logic;
As to spending massive Billions of public funds only on light rail also ‘does not stack up‘ as rail needs to be multi-functional in future to take freight and passenger services when required; – and that is smart transport.
Twyford last year conceded there would be no “spades in the ground in 2020”, but said he remained confident the “multi-billion-dollar project… to transform Auckland” would get off the ground.
There are two proposals for consideration: One from the New Zealand Transport Agency and the other from NZ Infra – a joint venture by the NZ Super Fund and CDPQ.
In late May, Twyford told reporters a proposal would go before ministers “soon” following “extensive and ongoing conversations” with NZ First.
That same day, Peters told reporters light rail was “not an issue” as it was “not going to happen in the immediate term”.
“Costs have blown out massively. We’ve always been for heavy rail around this country… and light rail has been suspended,” Peters told reporters.
“I’ve made my views very clear, a long way back.”
Twyford last week told Parliament it was his intention to take a proposal to Cabinet by 19 June, the date at which the government shifts into pre-election mode.
Both Peters and Twyford refused to comment to RNZ except to say the Cabinet process was underway.
Green Party transport spokesperson and associate minister for transport, Julie Anne Genter, also declined an interview.
Genter told Stuff last week the Green Party would campaign on light rail if the coalition government was unable to get it across the line.
She said the party wanted “better public transport and rapid transit for Auckland”, and that specifically included light rail.
CEAC are supporting smart multi-purpose rail and NZF has heavy rail their preference here – “very clear, a long way back.”
Kiwi Rail; Make our rail funding the most effective, efficient, low emission climate friendly transport mode for the money spent by NZ taxpayers.
END.
I think you mean impotent rather than impudent.
Rosie – The words all describe ‘Steven Joyce’ correctly; – so impudent was the correct word Rosie.
Definition of impudent
1: marked by contemptuous or cocky boldness or disregard of others : INSOLENT
2obsolete : lacking modesty
Well said Jacindafan. She’s being a leader.I thought I’d stumbled across whatsisname Farrar’s? website. But just the usual bunch of keyboard warriors from ACT and Nat-Toddlers’ minders gearing up for the campaign trying to support their sooo inspiring muddler (sarc). Yawn! Wake me when they get a real leader.
This site is degenerating into a negative moan fest ,quite frankly it deserves a National government to give the contributors something to really whinge about. I’m out of here to a happy place. Cheers
Perhaps a couple of weeks of cheesy grins and brain fades might jolt them back to reality
It worked last time around because they gained the votes of the gullible:
> Anyone who knew anything could have told Andrew Little that spending 40 million on Pike River would be a waste of time and no bodies or evidence would ever be recovered.
> Similarly for Kwibuild – of course it would fail because they had no land identified to put the houses on and no process to get them built.
> Light rail down Dominion road – in our office (engineers) we laughed at that when it was proposed. A construction management nightmare with no actual need for it quantified.
So here we go again. A bunch of largely pointless projects identified on which to burn New Zealand’s severely limited funds. A couple of questions:
> Are any of these projects consented? (none)
> They say they plan to alter the RMA to allow rapid approval of projects. Since iwi are the major stumbling block for getting consents approved, have they discussed with them their intention of cutting them out of the loop? (I think not)
> Wasn’t it Labour who wouldn’t support National in sorting out the RMA a few years back and yet who now have a sudden desire to fix it?
😉
When the likes of Twyford and Le Galloway climb the list it shows the lack of talent Jacinda has to deal with. Calling the lockdown was correct but that was the easy part getting the economy up and running is going to be the hard part. There is the added hurdle to cross is that we cannot rebuild on the previous economic foundations as they were going to have to change at some time due to climate changel. Is the Labour Party up to it as after the election they could be in charge with no other parties to blame if things do not work out.
dle
We have all of the above included in the hui ,… and possibly a lil’ old book written by John Maynard Keynes, and another book all about Michael Joseph Savage…
Amazing, present day politicians want to be seen as TRYING to fix a problem and seemingly not even REMOTELY interested in actually fixing a problem.
I’m sure there are better plans than the following, that I can think of whilst having a cuppa:
1) ACTUALLY build council houses, 250,000. MAKE the land available (talking to Colin Craig for that solution, re: handling the land banking corruption) and put in the train and road links (infrastructure) etc. JUST DO IT. If it’s too hard get out of the way and let someone who can do it….and NO that’s not the people who helped make the problem infinitely worse than it needed to be or was; the Natz.
2) Build and fix hospitals, schools and build new (if needed) community halls in every town over a sensible size.
3) Build government run centers for the homeless
4) More doctors, dentists, mental health, drug councilors (especially in hospitals)
There’s enough work for more than will be unemployed and not a bad start. Free up skill training if needed for ‘nearly suitable’ people.
Again I’m sure a better plan can be made, but absent one.
How about nationalize the buses and make it free to use in small towns and an insignificant amount in larger ones or cities, by an automated card. This would save a fortune in new road builds, repair to roads etc etc and thus a major saving for the future.
A least all this debasement via money creation could build infrastructure, train the next generation etc rather than just GIVE IT to the rich and wait for ‘trickle down’………what a sick and cruel joke that policy still is
@ MB. God, I know. Is embarrassing.
Unless, of course, the shovels are in the hands of the soon to be de Black BMW’d to dig shallow graves for roge douglas and his minions and cronies.
But what do I know? I know nothing.
Having said that just to head off unkind others, one must point out that a cash income is often only as high as it needs to be to pay the bills.
So…..?
Are the dirty soulless little kiwi-as-not banksters still sucking $6 billion dollars a year in net profits out of AO/NZ?
Is our electricity still a rort at best and theft at worst? I have a house that I’ve not lived in for the last couple of months and yet my power ‘retailer’ charged me just over $100 a month and even they can’t tell me why. I also asked them why we, who use electricity, need to have electricity retailers anyway? They literally couldn’t give me an answer that even pretended to be common sense based.
Where’s that passenger rail service we used to have from one end of the country to the other? I have fond memories of trundling along in the Southerner. Where has that gone, and why? ( I know. We all know. I’m just trying to make a point.)
The 2 x price gouging/fixing supermarket cartels, where’s our LPG, what’s with our absurdly stratospheric property values unfettered by capital gains taxes, why is everyone crammed into Auckland when our economy is agrarian, why did a Green Party member sell our AO/NZ to Chinese forestry outside her OIO brief, how did peter theil walk right past the Ministry of Immigration ( The boss of which makes $288,900 a year) then called himself an AO/NZ’er after a week or so of no doubt crusing around his new few islands conveniently populated by soon to be minions.
The thing I’m trying to highlight is that labour, like the natzo’s did, pleased themselves. Our opinions mean nothing. Dumb fucking shovels is a wank ploy and a cliched one at that to get us to go all Oooo and Aaaaah. That phrase, like “Lets Do This” is a M-ad Men brain fart. It means nothing except ” Look the other way peasants. We’ve got things well and truly covered.” Which means the collective ‘we’ have zero control over our own country because our politicians don’t listen to us because they don’t have to and because if they did, we might start to wonder what the fuck’s been going on here for the last 36 years and longer.
We should have pots of money and a hefty trade surplus with a promising future on a sketchy horizon. Instead? We live hand to mouth and that’s where they want to keep us.
peter thiel has odd orange mates.
https://boingboing.net/2020/06/12/peter-thiels-palantir-to-ipo.html
‘World faces worst food crisis for at least 50 years, UN warns’
But don’t worry… we have Auckland. If times get tough we can just buy a house and flick it on.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jun/09/world-faces-worst-food-crisis-50-years-un-coronavirus
We’re in deeper shit than you might think and some of you think we’re in quite deep shit.
^^^ Listen to this person.
One of the only bastards that’s speaking the truth in blunt honesty. Every point made is an embarrassing point to be shoved like shit up the noses of both Labour and National. And then rub their noses deep in it. And keep rubbing their noses in it.
I am hoping our whanau on the Tamaki Makaurau Maori role vote for John Tamihere with Peeni high on the Labour list he should be safe that way we get in two Maori voices, or should I say one and half. Our people need to vote strategically like those in Epsom have done for many years. I hope they look at the listings and make a decision from that. Although Labour claim to be the best party for Maori here are some of the issues and policies that really get on my goat.
The smoking in cars with children legislation is punitive and can hurt the very people they say they are trying to help. Instead a better approach would be to fund health promotion work and public education.
Ihumatao has been put on the back burner, why is someone standing in there way?
Maori water rights has not been resolved, why? is this in the too hard basket. Many of us don’t want ownership we just want our rights.
Too many of Labours Maori politicians are low on their list, why? when others with no mandate are listed higher, its like a kick in the guts.
Oranga Tamarikis’ damning report has not been addressed, why? is it too hard to admit when something has not worked and never will. In the meantime further denying us our Tino Rangatiratanga and making a mockery of the word partnership.
A rhetorical question I take it–“how pathetic”?…
The left Hui in Wellington, with many streaming hopefully, will need to hand some plans directly to the Labour Caucus on a plate–and also work for a high turnout at the General Election and Cannabis and End of Life Referenda.
There are various takes and lists on “What needs to be done” from Revolution on down. In the world of Real Politik, where boomers will not be outnumbered at the polls till 2023 this means getting a high voter turnout and a good majority Labour/Green Govt.
Peoples movements as in the US are not a runner here–yet–heard of Morrinsville? Havelock North? Sheep shaggers and hundreds of thousands of self employed and SMEs?
So, priorities could be…
–a new MOW to cut out the PPP shit like that which has plagued “Transmission Gully” highway in Wellington.
–Nationwide upgrades of rail networks, Nationalisation of AirNZ, reboot of NZ owned coastal shipping and river shipping (i.e. Kaipara Harbour)
–A Basic Income for all administered by IRD, with a brand new back up Social Security Agency for those with special needs. WINZ/MSD–Gone, Sepuloni–Gone.
–Power Generation and Supply returned to full public ownership
–Oranga Tamariki and Immigration cleaned out of all management and rebooted.
–Massive State house and apartment build
–Free Tertiary and skills training for all etc etc.
1200 jobs for 12 billion dollars!
I think they know whats coming in the next 18 months and dont want to be government anymore. The PMs had enough of cosplay and photo ops and is expecting a call from Hollywood!
Lets hope!
That leave 44,000 recently unemployed and the 315,000 on tier 1 too, without work and no plan for them from the government.
I see Heather Simpsons’ recent report highlighted the many problems with our DHB’s namely there is too many for starters and money is being wasted on too many CEO in our health system when that money would be better of going directly into service delivery. MSD is another area that needs a complete overhaul i looked at some of their paper work for applying for a student allowance it needs immediate changes as parents who have to fill them out may not be together have all their personal income details revealed. Another problem with Winz letting people who lost their job due to covid get $490 per week while their partner can earn up to 2 thousand a week this policy is so unfair it is plain wrong.
Pray tell, Bomber, why, in the broad church that is the Wage Slave Labour Party, the largest minority, renters, have ZERO representation? Class Leftist my fucking arse 😉
WHY ISN’T PATIENTS VOICE AOTEAROA on the Hui invite list.
YOU HAVE NOT ONE SINGLE HEALTH ORIENTED INDIVIDUAL ORGANISATION INVITED I am severely pissed off.
Well, well, well.
Here’s an interesting thing.
RNZ today.
“New Zealanders urged to rethink spending habits by ‘saving first'”
But wait? There’s more…
New Zealanders aren’t great at saving, a survey of 2000 people by the Financial Services Council has found.
FYI
‘Financial Services Council.’
“Growing and Protecting the Wealth of New Zealanders.”
Here’s the contacts link.
https://www.fsc.org.nz/Contact.html
Their offices are in ANZ Centre.
I wonder if the beautiful people at NZFSC think about the irony that anz, like bnz, asb and westpac charge AO/NZ’ers 20% more than their AU customers while they took $6 billion dollars last financials out of AO/NZ in net profits?
And I must wonder just who they, the NZFSC, have advised to enable them to grow and create wealth ? Because it’s not those now homeless and/or in poverty.
They are saying we don’t save enough despite the trickle down that never trickled down from the sale of what were our assets and amenities. They’re saying we don’t save enough after Goff the Goof threw our best and brightest under a bus load of debt then increased student fees by over 900%.
Can I just say? Everything about our economics, our politics and our way of life is a bit iffy? There was a certain greasy, bitter taste in my mouth as I read about the wonderful NZFSC as I looked into the faces of those beautiful people in their lovely clothes with their sparkling smiles and perfect teeth. I just want to be like them. Don’t you? Why don’t we write to them, or better yet, pop down for a wee cuppa and a custard square for a chat about creating wealth then protecting it.
Things must be getting very scary if rats like this start coming out of the woodpile.
Bomber despite Jacindamania and ” i came from a state house Key” everything done in this country is never for the people , neoliberalisim makes sure of that.
It is just a continuation of the same old bullshit despite a general election every three years.
Its like being on drugs , you are on a high with Clark and then Adern and then you crash as the high was only temporary and reality sets in.
A new state housing scheme would be a good start considering half of us are stuck in other people’s rentals never able to afford our own places, this intentional influx of people created this mess and now with a whole heap more trying to get into the country the problem is just getting worse.
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