Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Jeckyl and Hide - Rodney and Heather...


Jeckyl and Hide - Rodney and Heather...


ACT MP Heather Roy has defied her leader Rodney Hide and returned to Parliament against his orders.



She was supposed to be off for two weeks considering her future after losing the deputy leadership, but she has returned early, saying she supports Mr Hide and wants to put the events of last week behind her.



Following her very public demotion, she now also gets to sit behind him in Parliament.



"Eighty-six thousand New Zealanders voted for a list that I was high up on, and I have a duty to come back and do my job," says Ms Roy, "and I'm looking forward to it. I'm back."



But there was no display of unity like last week. She faced the media alone while Mr Hide avoided reporters following an appearance in the House.



That could be because he wasn't expecting her back.



"I've let Heather have a break… We said a couple weeks, but we'll se how we go," said Mr Hide.



Regardless, Ms Roy says she wants to move on from the accusations in a leaked dossier in which she described Mr Hide as a bully.



The memo was leaked by her adviser Simon Ewing-Jarvie who has lost his job.



"I was horrified, mortified and extremely angry at him," says Ms Roy. "There was no way I would condone the leaking of documents under any circumstances and I've told him that."



Returning early is an act of defiance from Ms Roy - the party is more divided than ever.



Mr Hide is now talking to her through the media, just releasing a statement which calls on her to front up to the party's other MPs and board to explain the developments of last week.



Acknowledgements: 3 News




Friday, August 20, 2010

Search for missing Kiwi four year old continues - whats the Key govt. doing to help?


 






Search for missing Kiwi four year old in Gisborne continues - the modern little boy lost...









Search for missing Kiwi four year old continues...







A young four year old boy, Lucas Ward, who apparently wandered away from his grandmother's home in Kaiti, Gisborne, on New Zealand's east coast, still hasn't been found after four days. his bike has been found close to the river.







Police divers have been searching in the local river for the youngster, described as a little extrovert who may have just been a little boy exploring new territory, or had tried to walk home to his father's home.







His extended family has been assisting the search and are now becoming deeply concerned for their young family member, a little blonde headed Lucas Ward. Prayers are now being said for the youngster. The changeable springtime weather making conditions wet and cold. The little boy was dressed in sweat shirt and track pants - hardly suitable in the conditions.





Some of you readers who are old enough will remember the search in the north American wilderness many decades ago for the 'little boy lost', and later the song written about him. I have a grandson the same age as Lucas Ward, and my heart goes out to his parents, grandparents and extended family whose hearts are now breaking. So many thanks to the Gisborne community who are assisting the police and family in the search for Lucas. I hope they find the little boy alive!


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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The economy, housing, jobs and a clueless PM John Key and his rusty lock administration...

Unemployed people in front of a workhouse in L...Image via WikipediaThe  economy, housing, jobs - and a clueless PM John Key and his rusty lock administration...


My guest this week:  Frank Macskasy


In the last seven days a triple-conjunction of political portents has publicly demonstrated just how bankrupt of imagination and policy this current government truly is. The lack of direction and paucity of creative ideas is breath-taking. A “caretaker-government” would be a polite euphemism in this context.



JOBLESS



Unemployment rose 19,000 during the June quarter to 159,000 – a rise from 6% to 6.8%. There are over quarter of a million jobless Kiwis (the unemployed plus those who have given up actively looking for a job) and another 100,000 who want more hours than they can get. The effects of the Recession are still being felt, and is taking its toll amongst workers and their families.



Social Welfare Minister Paula Bennett’s response?



”No-one wants to see a jump in unemployment. And I think that we have got to put it in perspective – where it’s 7.1 per cent in December last year and now it’s 6.8…We’d sort of see it as an evening out now.”



This government’s response thus far to our growing unemployment? That would be… the cycleway.



Total number employed under this project: a staggering… 70.



Instead of addressing this worsening situation, this government has spent tax dollars on a “working group”, led by former Commerce Commission head Paula Rebstock.



It’s conclusion? “Most people on a benefit have little or no focus on paid work, with a growing number “locked into” the system for years. ” And, according to Ms Rebstock, “we have concluded the current benefit system ignores the importance of paid work to the well-being of New Zealanders,”



When in doubt; when there’s nowhere left to turn; and when embarrassed by lengthening dole queues – reset National Government Default Setting #1: blame it on the “dole bludging beneficiaries and solo-mums”.



In the last twenty years, National has found iself taking office during two full-blown recessions; 1990 and 2008. Their knee-jerk reaction on both occasions was/is attack the beneficiaries. (Most of us remember the cruelty of Ruth Richardson’s “Mother of all budgets”.) True to form, this government attacks those New Zealanders who – until a couple of years ago – were employed in enterprises from Kaitaia to Bluff; earning money to feed their families; and not foreseeing that, because of events in Wall Street, they would soon be losing their jobs. I struggle to understand how workers in New Zealand were able to effect the collapse of Lehmann Bros on September 15, 2008, thereby sparking the worst recession since the Depression of the 1930s. And by causing that Recession, destroying their own jobs in some Lemming-like pursuit of a dole-funded Nirvana.



The Rebstock report is not a re-analysis of how social welfare works in this country. Instead it is little more than a none-too-subtle attempt at blaming beneficiaries for this current government’s laziness and ineptitude in addressing increasing growing numbers of unemployed.



Remember that prior to the Recession, our unemployment rate was a mere 3.9%. And while no one is blaming National for the Recession that nearly doubled that figure over two years – they are responsible for their abysmal response to it.



Remember: we have 357,000 people who are looking for work.



This government is sitting on it’s collective, well-padded backside; on equally well-padded ministerial seats; fiddling with dubious reports whilst our economy burns to the ground.



Which brings us to…



HOMELESS



Yet another government quango, established by Housing Minister Phil Heatley, has complained that “22,000, or 32 per cent of Housing New Zealand tenants, had been in the same state houses for at least 10 years.” They were evidently portrayed as taking up room – room required by just over 10,000 people on Housing NZ’s waiting lists;



Current Housing NZ waiting list:



As at 31 July 2010 there were 10,153 people on the waiting list. Of this:



* 334 were A priority (severe housing need)

* 4,160 were B priority (significant housing need)

* 3,093 were C priority (moderate housing need)

* 2,566 were D priority (lower level housing need)



Ten thousand-plus people on a waiting list. What does the government do? What policy does it embark on? The following is a multi-choice option:



A. Build more houses?



B. Criticise New Zealanders for daring to live long-term in their homes?



It is with considerable unease that I note that Housing Minister Phil Heatley (who has his accommodation paid for by the taxpayer) said, “We want to ensure this significant asset is utilised to the best effect. We also want the system to be fairer and to work better for those families most in need.”



This government’s idea of “fairness” seems predicated on the suggestion that one family is booted out, to allow another to take up residence.



By no stretch of the imagination can such a policy be even remotely seen as imaginative or creative. Or fair.



It is an undeniable fact that there are many families in dire need of decent, affordable, accommodation. But rather than evicting families, and uprooting them from their communities (which in itself would create even more dire social problems), it strikes me that this government has alternatives it has not bothered to consider…



CLUELESS



Fact #1: we have 255,000 jobless fellow New Zealanders, looking for work and a further 100,000 needing more work.



Fact #2: we require several thousand new NZ Housing units (commonly referred to as “homes”) for people in need.



Fact #3: the economic recovery has been uneven, and has mainly benefited exports such as dairying and unprocessed logs. The rest of the economy has not picked up – evidenced by the sharp rise in unemployment. Indeed, ANZ New Zealand chief executive officer Jenny Fagg said that “the New Zealand economy has stabilised in a number of areas although the recovery is somewhat uneven at this early stage. There are signs of a lift in business conditions although growth remains subdued.”



Taken in conjunction, the three facts above would seem to point to an obvious conclusion. The answer is not to bash beneficiaries for daring to accept tax-payer support in feeding themselves and their families. The answer is not to evict families from their state homes. Nor is the answer to guilt-trip solo-mothers or those with disabilities who haven’t a hope in hell in competing with 159,000 other unemployed people to scramble for non-existent jobs.



The answer is to utilise the resources we have and by doing so, give people the opportunity to find work.



In case I need to spell it out to this clueless government: build more bloody houses!



The flow-on effects of a crash building-programme to build five thousand new state houses would create thousands of new jobs – not just 70. There would be a demand for architects; builders; electricians; plasterers; roofers; drainlayers; glaziers; tilers; apprentices; and other tradespeople; raw materials purchased from building retailers; additional staff at each retail outlet; transport operators; increased demand from the timber industry, creating new jobs in forestry; and support businesses every step of the way. Each tradesperson; truckie; forestry worker would take home a wage. That wage would be spent at local supermarkets, which would then have to hire one or two extra staff-members as well as purchase more stock. Even the companies that rent out jumbo-bins to cart away the detritus from building sites would find their turn-over increasing. Or the local pie-shop that would sell food to nearby building-sites. That is what flow-on is.



The government would recoup much of the outlay for the building programme by way of GST, PAYE, ACC, and provisional tax receipts; rent collected from the new homes; and less spent on unemployment benefits.



This is the sort of bold initiative we require from a government with any claim to having a vision.



Instead, we are seeing a cruel bullying and calculated persecution of those at the bottom of the heap.



If this is the best that National can offer us, then it is simply not good enough. We deserve better than a caretaker government.



Acknowledgements:  Frank Macskasy


http://peter-petterson.blogspot.com/    DOWN BY THE HUTTRIVER

http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk/   ANZAC BLOGGERS UNITE


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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Leave the SAS and other special forces in Afghanistan to deal with Taliban prisoners......

New Zealand Green Politician Keith Locke campa...Image via Wikipedia
Torture claims lead to call for withdrawal of the NZ SAS...




Green MP Keith Locke says NZ soldiers should withdraw from Afghanistan after claims SAS has handed prisoners over to possible torture



There's a call for the Government to reconsider our involvement in Afghanistan, following claims the SAS has handed prisoners over to possible torture.



Green MP Keith Locke says New Zealand soldiers have been helping catch insurgents who are passed to the Afghan secret police. That is despite the British military being banned from handing prisoners over due to the risk they will be subjected to torture or serious mistreatment.



Mr Locke says the revelations strengthen the Green Party's case for withdrawal of our SAS unit from Afghanistan. He says he does not want New Zealand's good name muddied by links to the torture of prisoners, which is believed to include beatings, electric shock treatment and sleep, food and water deprivation.


Is he discussing the possible mistreatment of the Taliban prisoners?  The 12th century homosexual  philosophers of the total hatred and mistreatment of women - women are just for breeding and sexual enjoyment is gained with young men.  If women disobey men they may be disciplined by men ie cutting off their ears and noses if they leave their bestial husband

Leave SAS and other special forces troops with special methods in dealing with these bastartds right  there!





Acknowledgements:© 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

NZ public private partnerships policy doubts

Massey University logoImage via Wikipedia






Govt's public private partnership policy  doubts...


A lack of analysts and suppliers are fuelling doubts surrounding the need for public private partnerships



Public projects worth more than $25 million have to consider the option of a public private partnership, but there are doubts surrounding the need for them in New Zealand.



Massey University public policy director Stuart Birkes says New Zealand may not have enough analysts and suppliers to make it worthwhile. He says it's unlikely there will so be much competition as we are such a small country.


Pushing the proverbial uphill, some claim!


National Government credibilty  beginning to peel off.


What next John key?










Sunday, August 8, 2010

No crisis in social welfare - just the present National Government in crisis...

The only thing wrong with the NZ social welfare system is that there are no jobs to go round.

Should the DPB benefit be scrapped? Who will look after the children involved? The National Government?


 Will unemployed woman be stopped from having sex?


We know what the Government is up to  -  its all about a manufactured crisis!!
The only crisis is the National Government in crisis!