What should be our response to the “fines” handed down by an Israeli court against Justine Sachs and Nadia Abu-Shanab?

By John Minto  /  October 15, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  10 Comments

The most important lesson to learn from the Israeli court case which saw “fines” handed down to Justine Sachs and Nadia Abu-Shanab is just how important and effective the BDS campaign has become in fighting for Palestinian political and civil rights. Justine and Nadia wrote a letter to New Zealand singer Lorde which asked her […]

Christchurch City Council subsidises building homes for the wealthy but refuses to rebuild council rental housing destroyed in the earthquakes

By John Minto  /  October 10, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  16 Comments

It should make an uncomfortable juxtaposition for the mayor and councillors.

One week they vote an extra $220 million for a new rugby stadium without public consultation and the next they are consulting on whether they should give a $30 million loan to the council’s housing arm – the Otautahi Community Housing Trust – to build 130 more council rental homes. 

Why does a minimum wage worker pay a higher tax rate than a rich lister?

By John Minto  /  October 3, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  15 Comments

If those on the lowest incomes pay the highest tax rates that means the average Maori or Pasifika taxpayer pays a higher proportion of their income in tax than the average Pakeha family – or the average beneficiary pays a higher tax rate than a rich lister.

Simon Bridges, Mike Sabin and the National government’s $120 million taxpayer rort.

By John Minto  /  September 25, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  14 Comments

Bridges colleague Mike Sabin, former policeman and former National MP, was at the heart of the moral panic over meth.

And they did this for 194 pages…

By John Minto  /  September 24, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  19 Comments

I’ve had the chance to read the interim report of the tax working group over the weekend and it’s a sorry, sad document.

Pitiful response to Housing NZ meth hysteria

By John Minto  /  September 21, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  12 Comments

The “pocket money” offer to state house tenants wrongly evicted from their homes based on bogus meth testing is deeply cynical and insulting.

Protest today at Council Meeting – a travesty of democracy is in the making

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

Members of the Christchurch Progressive Network will attend todays Christchurch City Council Meeting from 8.30am to protest the proposal to spend an extra $220 million on a rugby stadium ahead of rebuilding council rental housing destroyed in the earthquakes.

Labour, New Zealand First and the Pokies

By John Minto  /  September 3, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  9 Comments

When Helen Clark’s Labour government came to power in 1999 there were 14,000 “non-casino” pokie machines in New Zealand. Four years later there were 25,000.

Labour was asleep at the wheel.

Imagine if the rich listers paid the same tax rates as beneficiaries…

By John Minto  /  August 20, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  37 Comments

The National Business Review published its annual celebration of unearned wealth last week with the breathlessly-reported news that this bunch of specialised parasites increased their wealth from a net of $79.9 billion in 2017 to $100.8 billion this year.

It’s time to regulate our big banking cartel

By John Minto  /  August 13, 2018  /  John Minto, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  45 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.