It’s time to regulate our big banking cartel

By John Minto  /  August 13, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  26 Comments

With all the self-flagellation about free speech these last few weeks most people seem to have missed ASB’s record net profit – $1.18 billion. (Net profit means profit AFTER the ASB has done all its dodgy dealings to limit its tax liabilities here – the real profit is much higher).

State Housing Action Network says NO to grubby little deals offering “pocket money” to HNZ tenants

By John Minto  /  July 30, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  10 Comments

With its appalling record in handling the cases reported in the media so far, Housing NZ  has a huge bill ahead of it and will want to put this matter to rest asap. On their record of disrespect and callous attitudes to vulnerable tenants we expect HNZ will want to do lots of quick, grubby little deals with affected tenants and offer them “pocket money” compensation.

Free speech? – give us a break!

By John Minto  /  July 23, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  210 Comments

When someone hands out leaflets which say “Allah is a gay god” and “Allah is transgender” then this is not an issue of free speech. This is part of a calculated campaign to incite religious hatred.

Free speech for racist or religious hatred?

By John Minto  /  July 17, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  16 Comments

In this environment progressive New Zealanders must fight for free speech in every arena possible but this does not include defending “rights” of anyone to promote racist or religious hatred which smooths the path to fascism.

Semi-hysterical bosses show government is on the right track

By John Minto  /  July 2, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  14 Comments

The semi-hysterical response from employers to the Labour government’s mild (Oh so mild!) plans to reform Labour relations show the government is on the right track.

New Zealand is a low-wage economy after the crushing of unions in 1991 through the Employment Contracts Act and that’s the way the bosses love it.

And they are fighting to keep it that way.

A breath of fresh air for schools

By John Minto  /  June 25, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  3 Comments

The early signs are good for the government review of Tomorrow’s Schools.

Housing New Zealand Corporation – these are the people who have to go!

By John Minto  /  June 18, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  44 Comments

These are the people who have to go. They presided over an out of control Housing New Zealand Corporation with brutal, punitive policies towards the most vulnerable of people.

A voice from inside Housing New Zealand Corporation

By John Minto  /  June 17, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  17 Comments

Last week I received this message from a former employee at Housing New Zealand Corporation.

EXCLUSIVE: Holding Housing New Zealand as accountable as we can

By John Minto  /  June 11, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  34 Comments

Housing Minister Phil Twyford is right to lay the blame squarely with the former National government and in particular with its Housing Minister Paula Bennett. Her attempts to distance herself from this debacle are in tatters after this Mediawatch report in the weekend.

Bennett is revealed as the loathsome liar she is.

Housing New Zealand’s chief executive Andrew McKenzie must be sacked

By John Minto  /  June 1, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  54 Comments

“Housing New Zealand’s chief executive Andrew McKenzie refused to be interviewed again today.

He has never given RNZ an interview on his agency’s meth testing policy and his communications manager said he never will.”

Paula Bennett is right…. state house tenants should be compensated for state sanctioned abuse

By John Minto  /  June 1, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  19 Comments

In a week when the government has announced hundreds of millions to compensate farmers, many of whom are exceptionally wealthy, for something which appears to be no fault of the government, Housing Minister Phil Twyford is refusing to compensate state house tenants for what amounted to state-sanctioned abuse of vulnerable families by Housing New Zealand.

The infamous Talley Brothers – now thieving from the environment

By John Minto  /  May 28, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  16 Comments

The Talley Brothers are the embodiment of the old saying that “Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all”

All young New Zealanders starting out in life should give these particularly vile New Zealanders a wide berth.

Open email to Carmel Sepuloni from John Minto

By John Minto  /  May 28, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  17 Comments

When will the senior leadership of WINZ, who inculcated a toxic culture of blame and shame at all levels of the organisation on behalf of the previous National government, be required to resign?

What is more important for Christchurch? A rugby stadium or social housing?

By John Minto  /  May 25, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  8 Comments

It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Christchurch city councillors hearing submissions on the council’s long-term plan. A vast range of community groups and individuals, fronted by positive, passionate people concerned for Christchurch’s wellbeing, have presented funding wish lists both great and small. However, there is a finite amount of money and hard decisions need to be made.

Budget 2018: Tinkering with neo-liberalism

By John Minto  /  May 18, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  12 Comments

“Transformation” is a politically expedient and specifically misleading term. Labour knows the expectations are high and by describing it as the first of three budgets which will “transform” New Zealand, Labour is offering future hope from a government which has no intention of any transformation outside the rigid confines of neo-liberalism.

Pampered landlords – our biggest beneficiaries

By John Minto  /  May 14, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  28 Comments

Pampering landlords has been a consistent feature of New Zealand economic policy by successive governments. Leaving housing to the market has meant plenty of quality homes and good choices for higher-income tenants and families but the reverse for everyone on modest and low incomes. Today’s housing crisis means impossibly high rents and steadily reducing quality for private-sector tenants.