Dave Macpherson: ‘Great to see Mental Health treated as the No 1 Priority’
The parents of Nicky Stevens, who died in 2015 while in the ‘care’ of Waikato DHB’s acute mental health facility, have welcomed the focus of the 2019 Budget on Mental Health.
Setting the Agenda
Political analysis and commentary shaping the progressive debate in Aotearoa New Zealand, focused on power, policy, and accountability.
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National’s Ongoing Budget-Grade Shenanigans – When Is It Appropriate To Lose One’s Head?
Back in 2012, when the Ministry of Social Development made a whole swathe of highly sensitive information about its clients and operations (including case-notes, personal details of at-risk children, medical records, legal paperwork etc. etc etc.) available to literally anyone who walked off the street into a WINZ office and used a self-service kiosk, I don’t think I recalled Paula Bennett appearing behind the National Leader of the day to demand that the minister in question responsible resign forthwith?
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On the day of the NZ Crown budget presentation – the utterly corrupt NZ ‘Independent’ Police Conduct Authority, drops a devastating report
They served him breakfast and it was only at 10am when they came to get him for court they found he was dead – and had been for probably 6 hours.
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US and Israel insult all who depend upon or support UNRWA
In New Zealand, the Israel Institute’s co-director, Dr David Cumin, on behalf of Israel and its US ally, is calling for “a moratorium on any further Kiwi taxpayer funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)”. In trying to divert attention from Israel, Cumin makes unfounded allegations of “corruption, antisemitism and extremism” against the UN agency’s hard-working officials and frontline workers.
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Simon Opens Fire – And I Apologise For Going Off Half-Cocked
SIMON BRIDGES this morning delivered the political performance of his career. Controlling his anger (but not hiding it) he sheeted home the blame for one of the most spectacular political omnishambles New Zealanders have witnessed for many years. Quite rightly, he demanded the resignation of the Treasury Secretary, Gabriel Makhlouf, and (with only marginally less justification) that of the Finance Minister, Grant Robertson.
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Teachers’ Mega-Strike
After the teachers’ mega-strike, come and hear why workers across Aotearoa have had enough, and are taking direct action to fight for a better deal.
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National’s Budget Pre-Game Is Double Standards All The Way Down
The overwhelming impression one gets when looking over the Nats’ Budget pre-game, then, is very much the same as that which we’ve had by looking at them in Opposition these past eighteen months all up.
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Comments by Nicky Stevens’ whanau on Government Mental Health statement
The parents of Nicky Stevens, a 21-year-old man who died in 2015 while in the compulsory care (Mental Health, Compulsory Assessment and Treatment, Act 1992) of Waikato DHB have “cautiously welcomed” today’s statement by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister David Clark.
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Simon At The Toll-Booth?
HAS SIMON BRIDGES been set up? Or, has he set himself up? Whichever explanation you prefer in relation to the Budget Leak/Hack, the conclusion is unavoidable. Bridges is simply too dumb to get out of his own way. Labour must love this guy: while he leads the National Party, Jacinda Ardern has nothing to fear. For Opposition MPs, however, the time has surely come for Bridges to be replaced by Judith Collins. The man’s political judgement is appalling. His response to bad news is to make it worse. He has to go.
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Why The Americans Waited Nine Years To Bring Up Taking Our Eye Out Of The Five
Another article, published today, is doing the rounds about the prospect of NZ being booted out of the ‘5 Eyes’ ‘security’ club, due to the alleged perforation of the heart of our politics by the People’s Republic of China.