Announce protest actions, general chit chat or give your opinion on issues we haven’t covered for the day.
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Freedom of Expression and Its Discontents
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION has long been regarded as the cornerstone of liberty. Indeed, without the ability to speak our minds freely the whole notion of liberty begins to unravel. Freedom of expression is vital in at least one other respect – it helps us to arrive at and recognise the truth. This is important because, as many philosophers and religious leaders have observed, it is the truth that sets us free.
The Left’s relationship with freedom of expression has never been an easy one. Ever since the French Revolution of 1789-93 the desire to maintain the purity of the revolutionary message has weighed-in heavily against those who dared to raise objections concerning the Revolution’s means – if not its ends.
The relaxation of state censorship is the first and most important gift to any revolutionary cause. Historically, the sudden appearance of posters, pamphlets, newspapers and books authored by those whose voices had hitherto been suppressed is always the surest sign that the old order is crumbling. In today’s repressive regimes it is the unfettered use of social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and blogs; which signals the arrival of the revolutionary moment. Think of the Arab Spring.
In its youth the Revolution hails freedom of expression as sacrosanct. The revolutionaries know that without it the power of the elites cannot be challenged. As the Revolution matures, however, and new power structures begin to replace the old, the criticism and analysis which freedom of expression makes possible seems less and less like an unqualified good. To the new occupants of these new structures, it is the protection and consolidation of the Revolution’s gains that should take priority. There is no surer sign that the Revolution is over than when the new power elite begins to punish people for exercising their right to free speech.
By this analysis it is clear that the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s and 70s have well-and-truly passed their expiry date. The great provocations of the Hippy era: think of the Broadway musical “Hair”; the proliferation of revolutionary underground comics; the human “Be-Ins” and “Love-Ins”; Ken Kesey’s “Acid tests”; would today be dismissed as “inappropriate”.
Only last week, in Berkeley, the birthplace of the “free speech movement” which touched off the student revolt of the 1960s, the world was treated to the spectacle of furious students doing everything in their power to prevent the Alt-Right provocateur, Milo Yiannopoulos, from exercising his right to (yep, you guessed it) free speech.
In discussing these sorts of incidents with contemporary leftists, I have been staggered by the consistency of their responses. “What you’ve got to understand, Chris,” they reply, “is that while people have the right to express themselves, they have no right to expect that the things they say will not have consequences.”
Just what those consequences look like can be seen every hour of every day on social media. Relentless incivility; extraordinary personal abuse; the issuing of threats to attack (and even kill) those whose expression is deemed offensive to, or transgressive of, the great revolutionary “truths” of the once “new” social movements; this, sadly, has become the norm on what passes for the “Left” in 2017.
The liberal tradition of responding to the expression of ideas with which you disagree with a reasoned, evidence-based argument in rebuttal no longer seems to fall within either the ideological of intellectual repertoire of today’s left-wingers. The only form of argument they seem capable of deploying is the abusive and circumstantial “Argumentum ad Hominem” – attacking the person rather than his or her ideas.
In his celebrated treatise, “On Liberty”, the nineteenth century English philosopher, John Stuart Mill, states: “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.”
In the ears of far too many contemporary leftists this oft-quoted passage will sound either incomprehensible or offensive. (Mill does, after all, use the sexist noun “mankind” rather than the more appropriate and gender-neutral term, “Humanity”.) To their way of thinking it is entirely right and proper that those who give voice to offensive or hateful opinions should be silenced. If they would rather not endure the consequences of exercising their freedom of expression, then they should STFU.
“Those who defy the self-evident truths of the new order,” thunder its uncompromising defenders, “must endure the consequences – humiliation and pain!”
What tyrant king or totalitarian dictator could possibly disagree?
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The NZ Government has announced changes to the rules around medicinal cannabis – but what do they really mean?
The changes announced by the Government today will do little to improve safe legal access for patients using cannabis medicinally, says cannabis advocacy group NORML.
An estimated one-in-twenty New Zealanders use cannabis medicinally. Approximately 150 patients have been approved to use Satixex®, while three other patients have been approved to use other “non pharmaceutical cannabis products” (Elixinol, Aseco and Tilray, respectively).
Sativex® remains the only approved cannabis product.
The only change announced by Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne is delegating his special authority to approve applications to the Ministry of Health.
“Peter Dunne says he did nothing more than rubber stamp applications – taking ‘a few minutes'”, noted Chris Fowlie, spokesperson for NORML NZ Inc (the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). “Yet this is the only change he is making. So applications that now take an average of six months will, according to Peter Dunne, save a few minutes.”
“Dunne also claims to have approved every application put before him, but officials only present him with applications that they have already approved themselves – and that they know he will approve. Today’s changes will not alter that,” said Chris Fowlie. “Officials will continue to over-rule doctors and specialists. They just won’t need to take a few minutes to get Dunne to sign applications they deem successful.”
There have been at least twenty applications for Sativex® declined by Ministry of Health officials. These applications were apparently never put before Dunne. Likewise, Helen Kelly’s application was not technically rejected, but was strongly encouraged to be withdrawn.
The policy change announced today fails to resolve any of the major issues facing patients:
- The Ministry’s guidelines that must be met are unchanged – and these have proven to be the real problem. The strict criteria (here) are too difficult for most patients and doctors:
- Patients must still convince a specialist doctor to apply for special approval from the Ministry of Health.
- While “non-pharmaceutical medicinal cannabis products” will no longer require Peter Dunne’s personal approval, that won’t change the source of most of the delays and obstructions: the Ministry of Health.
- Patients must still convince a specialist doctor to apply for special approval from the Ministry of Health.
- The Ministry’s guidelines that must be met are unchanged – and these have proven to be the real problem. The strict criteria (here) are too difficult for most patients and doctors:
Patients must have a severe or life-threatening condition;
Provide evidence that conventional treatments have been tried but did not work;
Provide evidence that the risk/ benefit of the cannabis product has been adequately considered by qualified clinical specialists;
Application is from a relevant specialist or the Chief Medical Officer of their District Health Board
Peer review of the application eg Hospital Ethics Committee approval, Drug or Therapeutics Committee review, or review by other specialists;
Arranging a Certificate of Analysis from an accredited laboratory
6. Even after gaining approval, the specialist must then obtain an import permit to actually import the product, liase with Customs in both countries, have the original of the import permit couriered to the supplier, arrange a pharmacy in NZ to store and dispense it – a process that can cost around $3000 and take several months. For example the Canadian product Tilray was promoted as “approved” in October 2015, yet that approval was only for one specific patient, Dr Hunana Hickey, and she still does not have her medicine five months later.
7. The Ministry of Health continues to unlawfully treat cannabidiol (CBD) as a controlled drug requiring special approval, forcing patients and advocates including NORML NZ Inc to proceed with a legal challenge lead by Sue Grey;
8. The Ministry of Health continues to claim no botanical cannabis products from the USA are legal – despite being legal in 26 states
9. The Ministry of Health continues to instruct NZ Customs to seize imports of cannabis medicines
“The change made today is a step in the right direction, but it is a very small step and it will remain extremely difficult for patients to obtain safe legal access to medicinal cannabis,” said Mr Fowlie. “However it does prove the rules can be changed whenever they want – and this could have been done any time.
“NORML advocates for broader changes that would benefit more people. For example they could change section 22 of the 1977 Misuse of Drugs Regulations, which prohibits doctors from prescribing cannabis (while allowing them to prescribe cocaine and opioids), and is the root cause of all the unfair restrictions on medicinal cannabis. It could be easily amended so that doctors could prescribe cannabis medications like any other medicine.”
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Where’s the leadership? English refuses public housing debate – Labour Party
Bill English has failed another test of leadership by refusing to debate the housing crisis in Mt Albert, says Leader of the Opposition Andrew Little.
When he entered Parliament, Bill English said “What I do bring to this job is a willingness to get into the argument, rather than avoid it”. Today in Parliament, he refused Andrew Little’s offer of a public debate in Mt Albert on housing ahead of the by-election.
“There is a housing crisis. Labour is prepared to face up to it and build the houses we need. Bill English is ducking, dodging, and denying.
“Why is Bill English afraid to front up? Is he afraid to admit that his government has failed to lead on the housing crisis?
“Bill English says that National has it all under control, that there is no crisis. Yet, he won’t front up and explain his record to the public in a debate.
“Just today, we’ve seen the Salvation Army confirm the housing shortage is growing, Housing New Zealand admits it is building only a fraction of the promised state houses, and Trade Me announce rents have hit a record high.
“The invitation is still open, Bill. When you’re prepared to lead, I’m ready to debate the solutions to the housing crisis,” says Andrew Little.
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BLOGWATCH: The Standard can dredge up a 12 year old Willie Jackson interview, but they can’t notice a 2 hour old news story?
This is the great grumpy man of NZ Blogging, Lynn Prentice over at The Standard mauling someone who has disagreed with him about Poto Williams.
Here’s the comment, and you decide how appropriate Lynn’s reposes is…
[lprent: You really are a bit of a silly fuckwit. She didn’t “complain to the media”. She put it on her Facebook page. Banned for 2 weeks for lying and general inaccuracy. Please lift your game. Being a STUPID troll is unacceptable. ]
Immmm well actually Lynn no, she hired a PR company to write and seed it with the media.
How come the Standard can dredge up a 12 year interview with Willie Jackson, but can’t notice a story breaking just 2 hours ago that Poto Williams hired a PR team to write the attack on Willie Jackson and that they seeded it with media before hand.
The Standard bloggers have all been taken in like chumps, yet refuse to admit it.
This unbelievable division is why Labour can’t win elections.
Well done folks.
PS – If we here at TDB think your comment is stupid, needlessly offensive or defamatory we just don’t publish it, no one gets banned, and in light of the news that Poto didn’t just innocently post up a Facebook comment and in fact hired a PR company to do it and seed it with the media, shouldn’t poor old Ross be allowed back on?
Why Ross would choose to do that is another question.
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Poto Williams hired PR company to attack Willie Jackson/Andrew Little
Where all my angry online Labour Party activists at? Where the Standard at? Where my anger Identitarians at? Where my Labour Youth at?
I want them all here for this one.
So line they claim is – “Poto was concerned, Poto was right to speak out, Poto was just saying what we all thought…Poto hired a PR company to write and tip off media to her attack on Willie Jackson…
SAY WHAT?
Poto Williams hired PR firm for Willie Jackson ploy
Labour’s Poto Williams hired a private public relations firm to craft her statement on Willie Jackson joining the party.
Christchurch-based Inform PR sent out a statement from Ms Williams condemning her leader Andrew Little’s decision to welcome Mr Jackson into the Labour fold.
As the party’s family and sexual violence spokesperson, Ms Williams said in the statement that she was “concerned” about Mr Jackson joining the party due to his comments during the Roast Busters scandal.
“I do not believe that his attitude towards victims of sexual abuse match what I expect of a member of the Labour Party. Especially a member of our caucus,” the statement read.
“As someone who speaks for the victims of family and sexual violence, and as a survivor of such abuse, I cannot in good conscience support him as my colleague.”
When Newshub asked why she needed to hire a private firm, Ms Williams didn’t want to answer.
“I don’t have any more to say on the Willie Jackson stuff,” she said.
She also didn’t answer when Newshub asked why she didn’t just use the Labour communications team.
She walked away when asked if she’d been reprimanded for the public revolt against her leader’s decision.
The statement was first sent out to select media via Inform PR then later posted to her Facebook page.
Inform PR’s Cameron Taylor was unable to confirm when he was asked to step in – saying all questions should be directed at Ms Williams.
“I can’t talk about it,” he said. “I can’t say anything about it, you’d need to ask her office about that.”
The company’s website insinuates that they charge between $70 – $100 an hour.
Inform PR boasts testimonials from companies such as Heatpumps Now, Pure Elegance Wedding Films and Hair Therapy Wigs.
…how do you think this is now looking to the voters Labour need to win in September?
These people claim to be focused on replacing the Government yet all they are doing is ensuring a fourth term!
I can’t even, I’m just bewildered by what the fuck they think they are doing.
Compare how David Cunliffe was demoted for disloyalty for merely suggesting Party members get a say on leadership to Poto Williams hiring a PR firm to knife Willie Jackson/Andrew Little in the back after telling the Leadership on the Friday before her PR firm put out the statement that she wouldn’t.
We haven’t even managed to get through this by-election yet.
Don’t all the good vibes from the Joint State of the Nation look pretty faded now.
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MEDIA WATCH: And here come the deluge of negative media over Labour’s Willie Jackson implosion
The magnitude of what Poto has done and the totally undisciplined response by activists on line will now start to hit home, and here it comes…
OPINION: It was just too good to last – The Left vibe has taken a dive thanks to the Willie Jackson farce.
Labour started the year united and looking like a legitimate, electable alternative government alongside the Greens.
The party hadn’t looked that good in years. It was refreshing. There really was a great vibe. But it was all just a façade.
Enter the vibe killers: Andrew Little and Willie Jackson on one side, with Poto Williams and the Labour’s liberal left on the other.
Little and Jackson have come in over the top and trampled on the mana of many in Labour with the ‘Jackson jack-up’. Then Williams and the liberal Left have doubled down with an out-of-control and divisive reaction.
Between them they have ruined Labour’s momentum.
Who would blame some voters for wondering if a hypersensitive and fractured party is ready to run the country?
Yes, Jackson’s selection is contentious, but he was headhunted by Little – the Labour leader. (It is now pretty obvious Jackson wasn’t worth the trouble, but what’s done is done.)
Publicly criticising, attacking, and lambasting Jackson is doing the same to Little and his judgement.
Williams knows this. She knows how the political game works. Her statement blasting Jackson’s selection was an attack on Little’s judgement.
It comes across as a premeditated hit-job on Little.
She is undermining the leader. But Little is clearly on shaky ground on the Jackson jack-up, as he has not been able to discipline her.
Then there’s this crowd-sourced Google Doc open letter to Little initiated by Young Labour.
They are undermining Little too. It shows there’s a huge disconnect between the party faithful and the leader.
Voters are always turned off by infighting.
It gives Labour’s opponents the chance to needle them for being dominated by a small group of easily offended Wellington hipsters, craft beer/chardonnay socialists who are obsessed with being politically correct.
With this kind of infighting on display, Labour risks turning off those New Zealanders looking for a credible alternative government.
And it goes without saying that every minute it talks about Jackson, it is not talking about people sleeping in cars, or struggling to find work, or unable to buy their first home.
The vibe has turned septic.
…the most hilarious part of all of this is that Labour Party online activists, The Standard, Poto and her Caucus chums, the Identitarians and the Labour Youth wing will all scream that by directly and publicly undermining Little that they’ve done nothing wrong – while having no comprehension whatsofuckingever of how this all plays out in front of the voting public they need to win over in September.
This is the Labour Party right now…
…so much for 30months of looking unified – slow clap all round folks, well done
I’ve had online Labour activists screaming at me that my pointing out that they are screaming at Andrew Little is deeply damaging, as if the mainstream media were just going to ignore this.
Just when National are on the ropes – Labour manages to self sabotage itself – unbelievable
This one’s going out to the Labour Party Caucus, turn it up loud and smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em, looks like we’re going to have another 3 years of opposition. Activists still don’t understand that in an election year, any perception that a house divided will fall is political wisdom for a reason.
Bill English is thanking his allies, The People’s Front of Judea.
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English pulling a fast one on state house build – Labour Party
Bill English’s promise of a big Government-backed building programme for Auckland has been shown to be more smoke and mirrors, says Labour’s Housing spokesperson Phil Twyford.
Housing New Zealand officials admitted at a select committee hearing today that the number of state houses in Auckland will increase by only 722 over the next three years. That is a quarter of the current Auckland state house waiting list of 2,654 families.
“When Bill English promised 30,000 new homes to be built on state housing land, what he failed to say was that National will barely increase Auckland’s state housing stock at all, despite a burgeoning population and a chronic housing crisis.
“Families are living in cars and garages, and the best National can do is add an extra 240-odd state houses in Auckland per year.
“This is a Prime Minister who deceives rather than leads. Bill English should be taking real action on the housing crisis, not dressing up his half-measures as more than they are.
“The Salvation Army says we are on the wrong track under National – child poverty is worsening and the Government is failing to end the housing crisis. National’s failures to build houses for our families who are the most in need highlights their do-nothing attitude.
“Labour will build thousands of additional state houses alongside our policies to build 100,000 affordable homes for first homebuyers, ban foreign speculators, and require all rentals to be healthy to live in,” says Phil Twyford.
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Willie JacksonGate – Maybe Labour activists might want to work together after a fourth term of National?
Are you kidding me with this shit?
I have been surprised by the fury aimed at Willie Jackson by Labour Party activists who have gone into meltdown online over his candidacy for the Labour Party.
It wasn’t just Poto Williams bewildering undermining of Andrew Little – despite promising Labour leadership she wouldn’t on the Friday before she posted – it wasn’t just the hijacking and destruction of Labour’s Waitangi Day media coverage and it wasn’t just the way it managed to destroy the perception carefully built over the last 30months that Labour are united, it was the way Labor activists online had no concept whatsoever how all their outrage over Willie Jackson was causing.
Labour look damaged and divided now, and Labour activists can’t comprehend it’s their behaviour that is building that perception.
The Left once again look far more interested in tearing themselves apart than fighting National.
This is their mentality…
…it is beginning to look like the only thing that will force Labour activists to work together will be a National Party fourth term. Jackson, for whatever faults you want to scream at him for, can connect with urban Maori in a way Labour simply don’t. You get the feeling that some Labour activists would prefer to lose this years election than allow Willie Jackson to help them win it.
Bill English will be laughing his arse off.
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What Salvation Army ‘State of the Nation’ reveals about National’s real agenda
Hahahahahahahahahahah – hungry children and lots more homeless – hahahahahahahahahah
The numbers are devastating and an indictment on what National calls its welfare reforms.
• seemingly entrenched rates of child poverty and child abuse
• the burgeoning incarceration rates of prisoners, along with high recidivism rates
• an alarming lack of safe, affordable housing that has resulted in a level of homelessness not seen in New Zealand in the lifetime of most Kiwis.
Where National claim they have had successes, there are only more questions.
Most of the ‘reductions’ are because Government agencies have played around with how they count these problems…
The number of confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect has fallen by almost 22% over the past ve years to 16,394 (almost the same as the year before). This recent decline is due to Child, Youth and Family changing its practices and de nitions. There is no evidence that recorded violent offences against children have fallen over this period however.
…and declines in youth prosecutions has more to do with Police desperately turning a blind eye to anything that is going to clog up the courts and place even more people into our groaning prison system.
As for the 50 000 children National have thrown off welfare, no one knows where they are or what they are now doing. Bill English trumpets dumping 25% of sole parents off welfare without knowing where they are now as a triumph. All National have perfected are neoliberal welfare agencies who delight in cutting off benefits for any reason they can.
This isn’t victory, it’s merely hiding the problem, that’s the reality.
212,000 New Zealand children (20% of under 17-year-olds) live in income poverty. That’s not winning, that’s losing, terribly.
The Monster of our prison empire fed by a corrupt mainstream media and tough on crime Politicians is a disgrace.
- The proportion of convictions resulting in a prison term increased from 9.6% in 2010/11 to 11.3% in 2014/15, and to 12.1% in 2015/16.
- In inflation-adjusted terms, the average cost of keeping a prisoner in prison has risen from $86,700 in 2010/11, to $91,000 in 2014/15, and in 2015/16 to $92,800.
Income growth is going now where.
- Despite strong job growth, unemployment fell by just 1,000 people during 2016.
- Wages and salaries for employees rose by 1.8% during 2016, but by almost 10% in in ation-adjusted terms over the past ve years.
- The number of people receiving working-age bene ts declined by just over 4,000 to 297,000, while the number of people being paid a retirement pension rose by 26,000.
As for housing, it’s a disaster.
- Almost 10,000 consents for new dwellings were issued in Auckland during 2015/16— the highest in 11 years. At the same time, the region’s population grew by 45,000 people, further adding to its housing shortage, which is estimated at more than 18,000 houses over the past ve years.
- Rents continue to rise faster than wages and salaries. In December 2016, it took 12.9 hours of pay at the average wage to afford the average rent—0.5 hours of pay more than a year earlier.
- Average household debt rose 6.7% during 2015/16 to $144,400, while total household debt reached a record-equalling 96% of GDP.
After 9 years of National, most have gone no where and the wealthy have benefitted.
Will it change?
Only if the property market pops.
National needs the property bubble, it keeps pushing up values and makes property owning NZers feel like they are multi-millionaires. Middle class NZ have been taken hook line and sinker with this and are happy to allow mass surveillance, 220 000 kids in poverty, 41 000 homeless and unethical political behaviour to ensure they can still get a gold credit card from their bank.
Property owners don’t care about those who have lost out, the millennials just want the same property speculation rights as boomers and the rest are left to sleep in cars.
This only changes when the market pops.
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Fringe Festival – Are You Sure?
CHOOSE YOUR OWN OUTCOME IN FRINGE’S MOST REBELLIOUS SHOW
Auckland Fringe Festival & Stray Theatre Company
– Are Your Sure?
Audiences that arrive to Are You Sure? will find themselves smack bang in a choose-your-own adventure story come to life. Starting in Silo 6 and moving throughout the vast playground of Wynyard Quarter, the choices the audience make will determine where they go, who they will follow, and ultimately how the show will end.
Director James Wenley (Risk & Win Arcade, Auckland Fringe 2013) has joined forces with Stray Theatre Company to give conventional theatre a swerve by creating an interactive outdoor experience with multiple storylines and possible endings.
Hidden away in Silo 6 by the water’s edge, a movement is beginning. Audiences will be initiated into the ‘truth-seekers’. Weary of the corruption and lies of society, they need your help to create a new social order. Audiences will be able to play out their own fantasies of rebellion and resistance in this world of dystopian disbelief.
Are You Sure? explores the anxieties of our post-truth world and social media echo chambers. Wenley says, “The truth-seekers believe that by removing the noise of the outside world they can become more enlightened.”
“No two nights of Are You Sure? will ever be the same. We encourage participants to return to see how different choices will play out differently.”
The first choice is easy: buy your tickets to Are You Sure? now.
More About Stray Theatre Company
Completely student-run, Stray Theatre Company (formally Stage Two Productions) has been an institution at the University of Auckland for decades. Performing all types of theatre, from Shakespeare to original student work, Stray strives to give opportunities to all drama-lovers – be it on stage, backstage, directing, writing, whatever!
Devised by Gary Hofman, Rory Janssen, Ryan McKee, Ruby Payne, Polly Reardon, Charlotte Robinson, Zachary Robinson, Kelaan Schloffel-Armstrong, Ben Shand-Clennell, Jonti Sosich, Caleb Wells,
Directed by James Wenley (Risk & Win Arcade: Auckland Fringe 2015) with Jess Stubbing
Produced by Iana Grace for Stray Theatre Company
Are You Sure?
Venue: Silo 6, Wynyard Quarter
6 Jellicoe St, Auckland, 1010
Dates: February 21st-28th, March 1st-2nd
Times: 7pm, 90 minutes running time
To Book Tickets: visit aucklandfringe.co.nz
$15
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New Zealand off the track with child wellbeing – Child Poverty Action Group
The Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report reveals an alarming lack of improvement for children living in poverty in New Zealand despite a significant growth in the economy.
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says that the report, Off the Track provides clear evidence that the benefits of a booming economy are not reaching those who need them most.
“Any plans to improve the outcomes for children, and reduce crime rates through the Government’s new ‘Social Investment’ approach are significantly thwarted by the lack of response to the serious levels of poverty experienced by families in New Zealand,” says Associate Professor Mike O’Brien, CPAG’s social security spokesperson.
While the housing market may be contributing to overall economic growth, it is rapidly reducing disposable income among those who are renting, as accommodation costs continue to rise faster than wages and salaries. The demand for and lack of affordable housing in many areas has resulted in unprecedented levels of homelessness in New Zealand. Among the homeless are families with young children, as well as youths aged between 19 and 24 who are struggling not only with the rising cost of living, but also to find gainful employment.
Despite an increase in jobs, a rise in the average hourly pay rate, and a reduction in the number of children dependent on welfare benefits, the number of children experiencing severe hardship and income poverty has not changed in the past ten years, and the Salvation Army continues to experience a steady increase in food parcel distribution. While there are fewer people supported by welfare, there is no evidence to suggest that families are any better off. According to the report, “A comparison of benefit numbers with unemployment numbers suggests these people have not necessarily moved into work and consequently lifted themselves out of poverty … although the Government has claimed its welfare reforms have contributed to the alleviation of poverty in New Zealand.”
The report suggests that entrenched poverty may be affected by failure of the Working for Families (WFF) tax credit scheme to alleviate hardship among the most needy.
“The worst-off families are excluded from the full package, which saves Government spending about $500m per year,” says Associate Professor Susan St John, economics spokesperson for CPAG.
But as the report shows WFF has also eroded for working families. Specifically, changes made to the scheme since 2010 saved Government about $700m in 2016.
“The lack of indexation and increased claw-back impacts on low-income working families for whom every dollar earned over the low threshold reduces their entitlements.”
CPAG agrees that the savings achieved from this paring back could have been invested in a redesigned family support programme that does not discriminate, thereby reducing child poverty rates amongst the benefit poor. The obvious way to do this is to give the In-Work Tax Credit (IWTC) to all low-income families irrespective of their work hours.
Overall the report paints a bleak picture for children in poverty. CPAG has outlined a number of policy recommendations to reduce poverty in the 2014 series Our children, our choice which is available for download.
See more about recommendations to Fix Working for Families here.
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Colourful, vibrant Aotearoa rally condemns Trump’s ‘racist, Islamophobic’ bans
Video and images by the Pacific Media Centre’s Del Abcede. Video: Café Pacific
From Asia Pacific Report
MORE than 2000 people have taken part in a colourful and vibrant “Aotearoa Against Muslim Ban” march in New Zealand’s largest city to condemn the “racist and Islamophobic” immigration bans ordered by US President Trump.
The protest rally was held in Auckland’s Aotea Square yesterday in solidarity with those affected by President Trump’s executive orders to implement a 90-day ban on people from seven Muslim majority countries and 120 day ban on all refugees, with an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees.
The Aotearoa Against Muslim Ban coalition condemned the US bans ordered by Trump.
“These border policies are racist, Islamophobic and unacceptable,” said Mehwish, one of the organisers of the “No Ban, No Wall” protest.
“They continue a pattern of white supremacist immigration exclusion in colonial settler countries like the United States. Bill English refusing to call it for what it is – racist – is a dangerously weak response and doesn’t represent the people of Aotearoa.
“Globally, there is an increase in Islamophobia that marginalises and advocates violence against Muslim communities. ‘Scary step towards facism’.”
Fahad, another organiser of the protest, said: “Singling out Muslims and people from specific Muslim-majority countries is a scary step towards fascism.”
Another organiser, Nisha, said: “We should not see the executive orders in isolation. Deportations and immigration restrictions have been in place for years.
“Rather than seeing Trump as an exception to the rule, we need to question the political and systematic racism that treats minorities, people of colour and immigrants as the ‘dangerous others’.”
Aotearoa Against Muslim Ban calls for the New Zealand government to increase the refugee quota, oppose and divest from wars in the Middle East, provide adequate resources for migrant and refugee communities and condemn these racist and Islamophobic immigration bans.
- Kiwis protest against trump’s ‘racist, Islamophobic’ travel bans
- For independent coverage of issues, visit PMC’s Asia Pacific Report
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Peter Dunne’s so called medicinal cannabis reform is a scam and it’s no victory
Hey man, Dave’s not here man.
So Dunne has rolled out his attempt to inoculate the fury at his decision to make Helen Kelly suffer and be a criminal in her final days of life.
And it’s such a scam.
Here’s the truth.
The corporate mainstream media claim this is a huge victory.
It. Is. Not.
All that Dunne has announced is that he won’t need to sign off on patients attempting to get pharmaceutical cannabis or non-pharmaceutical cannabis, he’s passing the buck and ducking from getting the blame.
All this means is that Ministry of Health officials will sign these off and there is no way or means for this patients to get raw cannabis to smoke or use for their pain relief.
If you get non-pharmaceutical cannabis signed off by a Specialist, you will then need to pay $3000 for an import licence on top of an incredibly long and difficult process of importing non-pharmaceutical cannabis knowing the whole time customs could step in and charge and arrest you for drug smuggling.
This is only a victory for the Pharmaceutical companies, it does nothing to stop the worst parts of prohibition damaging our society and it does nothing for those in pain needing medicinal cannabis now.
How the media have allowed themselves to be conned into pretending this is some sort of win is simply sad and a total lack of understanding on their behalf of the issue.
Let’s remember that Dunne and National are getting away with this because Labour and Greens are too frightened to argue for effective change, but let’s also acknowledge that the corporate mainstream media manipulate everything. Check this out. When it’s Andrew Little arguing for change, it’s Snoop Dogg time, when the Government announces it, it’s a serious issue.
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