When the socio-economic problems become too big to ignore I think a lot of nations will swing towards the left.

Those that won’t will not because they have been brought out by corporate interests that are governed by the likes of the Koch brothers. Unfortunately, this includes the United States, possibly Britain, and if we don’t give National the boot at the next election and elect a government that will put New Zealand and New Zealanders first, New Zealand as well.

Repairing the socio-economic damage that has been done is basically something that only happy with a ballot box revolution. If Labour cannot get their act together in the next 24 months, we need to be prepared to vote New Zealand First. For a lot of people that will mean biting a political bullet of some sort, but it is obvious National won’t put New Zealand first and I have doubts that Labour will either.

I was amused by this quote in the Public Address link:

“On TV, Hosking was quietly hauled in after Seven Sharp’s sponsor, RaboBank, got antsy about a flood of complaints via its Facebook page. And yes, now you’re asking, things have reached a strange pass when the grown-up editorial voice in the room belongs to the damn sponsor.”

Draco, like so many other passionate, thoughtful bloggers and commenters who frequent this site, every time I see a comment posted by you I find myself thinking, “I’m not the only one who sees the naked emperor!” I agree with you and Andrea that cooperative businesses run as workplace democracies are the way to go.

Andrew asks above how things are working out for the South American companies who have rejected neo-liberalism. The situations in South America are far from perfect, but the models they are experimenting with are a distinct improvement on the decades of IMF-imposed austerity (“Structural Adjustment Programs”). Check out this great TED Talk by Pia Mancini of Argentina did on the potential of using deep democracy platforms to run whole countries (http://www.ted.com/talks/pia_mancini_how_to_upgrade_democracy_for_the_internet_era).

I notice that Draco was (maybe still is) involved in the online policy incubator of the Internet Party hosted by Loomio – an inspiring experiment. Like Pia, I believe that such deep democracy platforms can be used to make political decisions at all levels, including the running of political parties. The NZ Pirate Party also have a Loomio group, and we are toying with the idea of dissolving our Board, and having all decisions which affect the whole party made by the membership using Loomio.

Never “mess” with the “boss”, and his flag agenda:

https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/the-nz-flag-your-chance-to-decide/your-questions-answered

Quote – second video down from the top:
“Are you listening to what the public are saying?” Answered by Julie Christie, ONZM. Director of Julie Christie Inc and board member.

The Mediaworks board member is loyal to the cause, I suppose, and was likely even behind getting rid of Campbell Live:

http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/about-campbell-live/

Some “profile” info:
https://www.nzte.govt.nz/en/about-us/our-people/board-members/julie-christie/

^ There has probably NEVER been a more accurate and succinct observation been made to summarize this country today.

I don’t think I’d agree with ‘all’ because micro-enterprises, and family-based enterprises, need to be free to serve their customers as they choose.

I don’t see how changing them into cooperatives is going to change that at all. The people working there would still choose how to serve their customers.

Whether there was truth to the ‘urban myth’ that Key wanted ‘that left-wing bastard gone’, or not, the casualisation, no overtime, mimimal wage economy started by Roger Douglas, Richard Prebble and Stan Rodger back in the 80’s has now consigned many kiwis to a life of neo-liberal serfdom and wage slavery.

With control of a compliant media, the installation of Come Dine With Me NZ to opiatise the masses, the neoliberal revolution is 95% complete and all social conscience and care for fellow kiwis is all but extinguished.

All we need now is a new flag to erase any past allegiances and create the symbol of the “Big Brother’ Key cult and Brave New Neoliberal colony.

https://www.beehive.govt.nz/minister/Paula-Bennett

Selling state homes to “community providers” is her job now, and that means forcing them into working within consortia with private real estate developers, who will use much of the Housing NZ land to build new homes on, most of which will be sold to middle class and upper class buyers.

Under Paula Bennett various social services were outsourced and privatised by the Ministry of Social Development and WiNZ, now using private “providers” for “mental health employment services” and also “sole parent employment services”.

The one who was quick to kick the lower rungs off the ladder for many, by abolishing the Training Incentive Allowance for those wanting to study beyond level 3, she is a willing mercenary for her government and her masters Key and English.

Indeed, the mostly casual, part time, marginal jobs there are, they are “suitable” enough in their eyes for sick and disabled to be pressured into, no matter what risk, it seems. But such work is actually not that “healthy” at all, as some research, and also a CTU study from a few years back reveals:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/16737-work-has-fewer-%e2%80%9chealth-benefits%e2%80%9d-than-mansel-aylward-and-other-so-called-experts-claim-it-can-cause-serious-harm/

But that did not deter Bennett, and does not deter her successor Anne Tolley one bit, they faithfully follow that mantra from seemingly biased “researchers” in the UK, for whom work is deemed as being “therapeutic” and “beneficial” to health:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15188-medical-and-work-capability-assessments-based-on-the-bps-model-aimed-at-disentiteling-affected-from-welfare-benefits-and-acc-compo/

When preparing the “reforms” that came into force in July 2013, they had “experts” like Aylward et al fly in from the UK, to present their “findings”, ignoring much of what happened in the UK:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/15264-welfare-reform-the-health-and-disability-panel-msd-the-truth-behind-the-agenda/

So we got what we have now, a slightly “softer” version of the UK approach, but still “firm” and “relentless” enough to get the results, by exiting more from benefits, into whatever jobs there are.

But when challenged for presenting REAL and reliable figures about the supposed great “success” of “mental health employment services”, MSD was rather reluctant to present anything that tells us much:
http://accforum.org/forums/index.php?/topic/17163-mental-health-employment-service-sole-parent-employment-service-oia-info-implies-msd-trials-a-failure/

An online version of the response can be found via this link:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/msd-oia-rqst-mhes-waa-other-support-services-issues-reply-anon-26-02-2015.pdf

Some earlier info they released upon an OIA request:
https://nzsocialjusticeblog2013.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/msd-o-i-a-reply-d-power-mhes-waa-information-complete-24-04-2014.pdf

You would think that if these “reforms” and new approaches were such a success, they would proudly present us more information, rather than statistics about more abuse and threats WINZ workers face now. It seems though, that many people that go through such contracted service providers and end up in precarious jobs experience similar situations as Chloe has, and simply go back to WINZ through ever revolving doors.

Chloe excellently written that tugs at my heart and I well tears.

The upper class are so cold and hard, and Government is paid by the people to represent the people so they need to understand who pays them?

To often those in power and government should realise they are only there because we all pay to keep them there to look after us all not carry out punitive actions in a way of trying to get blood out of a stone!!!

Don’t we wish they should be on the under end of this stick and they would squeal that they cant stand it either, after all we are all members of the human race aren’t we?

Keep well Chloe.

This is done purposefully. The government will now be raising your kid as soon as they turn 3.