Political analysis and commentary shaping the progressive debate in Aotearoa New Zealand, focused on power, policy, and accountability.
This is a state of emergency. If only piecemeal measures are contemplated and if the structural underpinnings of wealth polarisation are not recognised, our county`s future is bleak . Slums on the edges of our major cities, prison riots, civil unrest and a secluded one per cent contributing to charities but secretly blaming the poor for their plight.
It’s coming up to three years since my son Nicky was a suicide victim while in the (compulsory) ‘care’ of the Waikato DHB, and I frequently reflect on the lack of voice families and whanau of mental health patients and suicide victims have.
The ANZ is our biggest bank, with around one million Kiwi customers and 31.3% of the market. The ANZ lending business is worth about $72.35 billion, with net loans worth $117.24 billion. That reflects staggering wealth to have in the hands and at the mercy of overseas banks.
Well the big announcement has been made and charter schools are to close (sort of). The latest of National’s ideological experiments is to be consigned to the dustbin of history, where it belongs. In a previous blog I went through the performance shortcomings of the New Zealand experiment. For some, though, the performance issues do not matter. It is the ‘freedom to choose’ that is important.
As the Finance Minister considers how he might build 2000 state houses per year no doubt the true impact of the Labour-Greens Budget Responsibility Rules will become apparent. These rules include bringing core Crown debt down to 20% of GDP and maintaining recent historic ratios of Government expenditure to GDP. Both great neo-liberal ideas.
IS LABOUR getting Sir-Humphreyfied on housing?
I wanted to address an issue that I think is important in terms of the ongoing campaign around human rights for the people of Palestine, justice for the people of Palestine, and that is what is our attitude to the Jewish people in that state of Israel.
National just doesn’t get it. Bill English’s persistence with the accusation that Labour had an $11.7 billion fiscal hole in its figures was, by far, his biggest mistake as Simon Wilson in the NZ Herald says. But did they learn? Even in the face of clear political damage they kept digging.
WHAT ROUGH BEAST SLOUCHES towards Wellington to be born? What sort of National Party are the people who brought down Bill English trying to establish? And will there be enough reasonable men and women in National’s caucus on Tuesday, 27 February to stop them?
I’m frankly a bit puzzled when it comes to yesterday’s shock political news, and for one simple reason: Contrary to what a number of people are saying (particularly the “SECOND ELECTION LOST IN A ROW” style of comments) – Bill English leaving the National Party Leadership and Parliament may not actually help contribute to a National-led government in 2020.