Gordon Campbell: On Legal Aid (And The Hobbit Saga)
So far, the Key government has reduced the right to a jury trial, extended the powers of search and surveillance by state agencies, restricted the rights against self incrimination, sought the ability to conduct trials in the absence of the accused, and ended the independence of the agency dispensing legal aid – and that’s even before we got to today’s changes.
Now, Justice Minister Simon Power has confirmed the earlier fears expressed about the vulnerability of the legal aid process to political meddling... More>>
Stats: Jump In Kiwis Flying To Australia; Key "Disputes" Stats
The news that 3908 Kiwis headed across the ditch in February looking for higher paying jobs is an indictment on the National Government and its utter failure to grow our economy, says Labour Leader Phil Goff. More>>
Grand Coalition Link: Use Of Urgency Studied
In a first for the blogosphere, Kiwblog and Red Alert have teamed up to do co-ordinated posts on the use of urgency. More>>
Scoop Business: Power Drops SOE Portfolio As Head-Hunters Flood In
Retiring senior Cabinet Minister Simon Power has relinquished his State-Owned Enterprises portfolio, effective immediately, to avoid any accusation of conflicts of interest while he seeks a job in the private sector. More>>
From the bill: "The Bill sets out appropriate measures to enable the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery and/or the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) to facilitate and direct, if necessary, greater Christchurch and its communities to respond to, and recover from, the impacts of the Canterbury earthquakes." More>>
Oil Protest: Police Remind Flotilla To Mind The Gap
Police have this afternoon served notices on the protest flotilla off the East Cape to ensure boats do not get too close to the survey ship or its support vessel. More>>
Helen Kelly: The Hobbit Dispute
CTU President looks back: The founder of the performers union the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), John Howard Lawson, was also one of the ten jailed for contempt by the House Un-American Activities Committee. Jack Warner – founder of Warner’s Bros was a “friendly witness” at the hearings and cooperated with the Committee’s work including enforcing the blacklist... More>>
Price Tag: Govt To Spend $8.5b On Rebuilding Christchurch
The Government will spend about $8.5 billion over the next few years to help the rebuilding of Christchurch, Finance Minister Bill English said today. More>>
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PM's Presser Audio: Petrobrassed Off
The PM's press conference this afternoon focussed on the Government's response to Greenpeace protests again oil exploration off the East Cape. More>>
PPTA Ratification: Pay Scales "Could Not Have Been Achieved" Under Labour
April, 2011 Post Primary Teachers’ Association members ratified a collective agreement with the Ministry of Education with 86 percent support. More>>
Politics News: Labour Party's List Quite A "Gaggle" - O'Connor
West Coaster: Damien O'Connor has pitched quite a retort referring to the Labour Party's list for this year's election as being dominated by "self-serving unionists and a gaggle of gays". To read the Labour Party list, unabridged Click here...>>
Q+A Transcript: English On The "Good" Wage Gap
New Zealand wages now 30% behind Australia – “it is a good thing if we can attract the capital” - four finance companies still in government scheme - National convinced state power companies will perform better after partial privatisation, despite contrary Treasury advice ... More>>
Wellington.Scoop: Bullying And Threatening: The New Tactic For Road Planning
The NZ Transport Agency’s tactics sank to a low level this morning, with threats from anonymous staff members and a leaked letter which they say is to be sent to the Wellington City Council. More>>
John Minto: Government Cash Injections Reanimate Zombie Capitalism
Another corporate failure. Another taxpayer bailout.
This time it’s the insurer AMI with Finance Minister Bill English agreeing the government will provide a backstop of up to $500 million initially... More>>
Legal Aid Reformed: Law Society "Hopes For Improved System"
The New Zealand Law Society hopes that the passage of legislation to reform the legal aid system this week will be the start of an era where New Zealanders enjoy the benefits of an improved legal aid system. More>>
AMI Speculation: "Back Up Financial Support" For AMI Policyholders
The Government has announced it will provide a back up financial support package for AMI Insurance to give policyholders certainty and to ensure an orderly rebuild of Christchurch in the aftermath of the two earthquakes. More>>
Funny-Name Projects: Vibrant Retail Area Up And Running In CBD From Show Week
The Central City Property Owners and Business Group, Civil Defence and the Christchurch City Council today announced Re:Start 29.10.11 – a project that aims to have existing retail and hospitality buildings, combined with quality relocatable expo structures, open for business from October 29, 2011 ... More>>
Shrinking Media: Demise Of NZPA, TVNZ7 Sad Day For New Zealand
Ohariu MP and UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says New Zealanders should be deeply concerned by the pending closures of both the New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) and TVNZ7. More>>
Cloak And Dagger: SIS Amendment Bill "Should Not Be Heard In Secret"
The SIS Amendment Bill opens the possibility of the SIS creating an extensive army of informants immune from criminal and civil prosecution, NZCTU President Helen Kelly will be telling the Intelligence and Security Committee today. More>>
Public-Private Education: Hobsonville Schools PPP Will Bring Wider Benefits
The Government intends to commission two new schools in Hobsonville that will be designed, financed, built and maintained under a public-private partnership, Infrastructure Minister Bill English, Education Minister Anne Tolley and Associate Education Minister Rodney Hide announced today. More>>
Hunters Turn Gamekeepers: NZ Govt Got Game Management Body
A new independent statutory hunting body is to be established to improve the management of game animals in New Zealand, Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson and UnitedFuture Leader Peter Dunne announced today. More>>
Science Advice: The State Of Science Education In NZ Schools Examined
A new report released today by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, looks at the state of science education in New Zealand schools and makes recommendations on future directions. More>>
Gordon Campbell: On The Nation’s Gift Of A Plastic Waka To Ngati Whatua
There’s a something wrong with putting the words ‘giant plastic’ and ‘authentic Maori culture’ in the same sentence, but almost everything about the plastic waka deal signed off by government sounds bizarrely wrong. More>>
Scoop News: Goff Faces The Press Over Caucus Reshuffle
Audio on demand of Labour Leader Phil Goff's standup with the press gallery following caucus today. Phil Goff announced a portfolio/responsibility reshuffle within the caucus (featuring Rick Barker, Sue Moroney & David Shearer) and then answered questions from the Press Gallery. More >>
Legal Issues: Maori Party Seeks Protection Of Ancestral Land - The Maori Party wants the Government to remove part of a proposed law that could stop people with interests in multiply-owned ancestral Maori land from getting legal aid and therefore seeking justice. More >>
Debt Mountain: Key-Led Govt Failing Its Promise That NZ Would Be Better Off – Labour
Monday morning, Treasury released Government accounts that show as at the end of February gross debt stood at $63.4 billion (or 32.6% of GDP), which was $14.0 billion higher than the same time last year. More >>
Visit by Israeli Speaker of Knesset, Reuven Rivlin, Underway
The Speaker of the Knesset, H.E. Mr Reuven “Rubi” Rivlin will pay an official nine day visit to New Zealand from Sunday the 3rd of April. Since the visit of President Chaim Herzog in 1986 this is the first official visit to New Zealand in 25 years ... More >>
Public Accounts: National Set To Drive Us Deeper Into Recession
Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe says the government accounts released today make it even clearer that National will use the economic impact of the Christchurch earthquakes to justify savage cuts to public spending in this year’s budget. More >>
Pike River Mine Disaster: DOL Seeks Time Extension On Pike River Decision
Department Of Labour Seeks Time Extension On Pike River Decision The Department of Labour today applied for a time extension to reach decisions on whether to prosecute over the Pike River mine explosions that killed 29 miners in November 2010. The Department ... More >>
Judith Tizard: Why I Will Not Be Returning
Judith Tizard 3 May 2011 New Zealand needs to face the real issues facing New Zealand not be sidetracked into personality debates. We are facing a full-scale depression and the government has no idea and no plan to fix the economy. More >>
Sir Roger Douglas: Government Must Heed Treasury Advice
ACT New Zealand Finance Spokesman Sir Roger Douglas today urged the Government to heed Treasury’s advice to lower taxes and limit increases in Government spending, as contained in its paper ‘Government and economic growth: Does size matter?’ More >>
Gordon Campbell: On The New Rules For Christchurch's Recovery
Last year, Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee was endowed with god-like powers to over-ride existing law by the legislation passed in response to the September quake. At the time, there... More >> (Illustration by Tim Denee - www.timdenee.com)
Rethinking Crime and Punishment: Increased Imprisonment Not Responsible For Drop In Crime
"Recent claims by public commentators that the 6.7% reduction in the crime rate is due to the increased use of imprisonment, doesn't stack up against the evidence", says Kim Workman, Director of Rethinking Crime and Punishment. He was responding to a comment by the Hon Paul East, on yesterday's... More >>
Signage Sorrow: MP Charles Chauvel issues Grenada Village survey on motorway sign
Charles Chauvel, Labour List MP based in Ohariu, is sending a survey to over 500 people in the Grenada Village asking their views on the motorway sign. "Earlier this year I was contacted by a constituent who asked if the signs on the State Highway near the off and on ramps to Grenada Village would feature their name." More >>
Politics News: Top Public Servant Will Not Renew His Contract Peter Hughes one of the Government's most respected public servants has announced he will not renew his contract once it concludes later this year, Welfare Minister Paula Bennett announced today (Thursday). She said: "A job of this magnitude demands a long tenure and Peter Hughes absolutely gave it one hundred percent.” More >>
Commerce Commission: Dairy Price Control To Be Examined - The Commerce Commission is undertaking preliminary analysis to determine whether a price control inquiry into retail milk is warranted under Part 4 of the Commerce Act. A number of parties have laid specific complaints with the Commission about ... More >>
Study Examines Links Between Violence And Animal Cruelty - Pets being abused as a way of hurting partners and children is being researched for the first time in New Zealand. The SPCA has received a $100,000 grant from the New Zealand Lottery Community Sector Research Committee to commission a year-long study ... More >>
Glass Earth Gold: Drilling Commences At Serpentine Gold Prospect - Glass Earth Gold Limited ( TSX-V: GEL ; NZAX: GEL ) (“ Glass Earth ”) is pleased to announce the commencement of drilling activities at the Serpentine gold prospect in central Otago, New Zealand (refer to map below). More >>
Science: Angry Wasps Deal To Their Competitors - Scientists at Victoria University have identified a surprising and previously unknown behaviour in the animal world by studying interactions between native ants and invasive wasps in South Island beech forests. Videotapes taken at bait stations show that ... More >>
(In)equality of Bargaining Power: Employment Law Changes Come Into Effect - Businesses and employees will enjoy greater certainty and flexibility at work with changes to the Holidays and Employment Relations acts due to take effect tomorrow, says Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson. - More >>
STATE OF IT: National-Led Govt's Cuts Erode Quality Of Frontline Services - By Selwyn Manning: Yesterday the National-led Government announced it would breach its promise to cap cuts to the public service. Finance Minister Bill English announced that to balance the economy he would likely authorise further cuts … More >>
What’s The Real Story: Are Cuts to Family Support on the Horizon? - There are increasing reports that money destined for the Strengthening Families programmes is being stripped away from established organisations and given to Whānau Ora without tendering or consultation, Labour Deputy Leader Annette King said. “Organisations ... More >>
"Propaganda"? Labour Claims Govt's 1/4 page print advert politicises the earthquake - The National Government claims it wants to keep politics out of the Canterbury quake recovery, but it is taking out large advertisements in newspapers around the country congratulating itself for what it is doing, says Labour’s Earthquake Recovery spokesperson ... More >>
Gordon Campbell: On Earthquake Welfare and Libya - The Government's decision to phase out the support package for Christchurch business seems to have been plucked from the air within ministerial offices in Wellington, and not reached by any process of consultation with the businesses affected. The wage subsidies for qualifying firms will be shut down in fortnightly steps starting from April 18.
On Libya: Given the level of news discourse in the US, it is hardly surprising that Barack Obama is still taking flak over the US role in the UN intervention in Libya. More >> - Scoop News: PM John Key's Post-Cabinet Presser (audio + text)
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