Random Politics

[Ab]

Reads like a Python skit.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...nt-overcrowded

The Labour Party diverted a press conference that was to be held outside a supposedly overcrowded South Auckland house after its occupants denied they had housing problems.

Other media had reported there were 17 people living in the Bairds Road, Otara home including in a tent on the front lawn.

But as media waited on the street for Labour leader Andrew Little on Tuesday a man came out to say he was the owner of the house and the claims had been greatly exaggerated.

The tent had been erected because the family were renovating, said the man, who declined to give his name.


"It pisses me off. There's people out there who are actually struggling."

Labour staff then directed journalists to the nearby electorate office of Labour MPs Jenny Salesa and Peeni Henare where Little spoke.

HASHTAG MUPPETS

[CCS]

#nationalsfault #thanksjohnkey

[Fx.]

Young couples with children could not afford to move out of their parents' houses and so often lived in the garage

seems more like a sex education problem than a housing problem

edit: although damn if thats true now :<
"I'm told it's pretty much expected if you go past a garage someone will be living in it."

[blynk]

Bloody hell. I really think that Labour choosing a new leader now (and just take all the jokes about all the changes they have had) is a far better option than leaving Andrew Little in charge until after the election.

* But when choosing the new leader, the union vote will surely fuck it up again for them.

[Ab]

Hold the phone, this is actually a good idea:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=11640374

[CCS]

It is a good idea. Isn't it the same one that John Palino put forward about a month ago?

Here 'tis:

John Palino's strategy to make Auckland the best city in the world

[Ab]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=11642114

Hotel chain owners Earl and Lani Hagaman have confirmed they are taking defamation action against Labour Party leader Andrew Little after he refused to apologise for comments he made last month.

The Hagamans, who own Scenic Hotels Group, had set Mr Little a deadline of 5pm today to retract his statement about the management of a resort owned by Matavai Niue Limited.

In a statement released this evening, Lani Hagaman said she would "see Mr Little in court".

[CCS]

[Ab]

the situation as described here sounds pretty fucking insane:

http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/this-is-crazy/

[MadMax]

yeah when i heard him say that on the news i knew it wasn't going to end well. ah well, give the beneficiaries loans - at least they have a guaranteed income

[Ab]

Step 1: hire 'meth consultant' to wave some crystals around and check a horoscope in order to detect meth fumes in a house

Step 2: evict tenants

Step 3: offer now-homeless people loans to find accommodation

Step 4: record the loans as assets on your balance sheet

Step 5: profit!


Now all the Ministry needs to do is bundle those loans up into collateralised debt obligations, rate them triple-A, and trade them on the open market...

[Nothing]

Originally Posted by Ab

HASHTAG MUPPETS

I'd rather our government be honestly incompetent than competently dishonest.

[Ab]

Labour and Greens to work together to effect a change of govt at the next election:

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.ne...pdf?1464654228

[pxpx]

This gon' be gud

[fixed_truth]

So basically it's what's going on now but they're going to play nicer.

Though because it is more of a public declaration it is a bit of a gamble. I mean at 42-45% they're not really going to lose any current voters (as nothing's changed in that it's still a vote for Labour is a vote for the Greens and vice verca). So will it gain votes ie, will it appeal to National & NZF swing voters and/or will it appeal to non-voters?

[Ab]

Somewhere, Winston is laughing

[pxpx]

The Herald decides to randomly add numbers together for the benefit of clickbait.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/personal-f...ectid=11651648

[Ab]

Had to happen, this group has been marginalized and ignored for too long

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/poli...-2017-election

[Lightspeed]

How inequality made these Western countries poorer - Washington Post

1. New Zealand: New Zealand's economy could have grown by 44 percent between 1990 and 2010, but the country did only achieve 28 percent growth due to inequality. Hence, it lost 15.5 percentage points -- more than any other country.

I'm sure the attitudes of those like the wonderful residents of Kohimarama don't have anything to do with this.

[Ab]

Is it 2014 again?

Originally Posted by Ab

I took some time to do something totally crazy - like, read the report - and while I ain't no international economist of mystery a few things stood out to me. According to the report:

Education does not improve economic growth. Throw heaps of money at education, whatever, doesn't make a difference.

Investment does not improve economic growth. Whatever, doesn't make a difference.

Inequality between the ninth and tenth deciles (high earners at the top of the scale) and the average income has no effect whatsoever on growth. Say it with me now, according to this report a huge inequality between the super-rich and the average earner has no impact on economic growth.

Inequality between the fourth decile (slightly-below average) income and the average income has a huge impact on growth. So the biggest thing you can do to improve economic growth is to tax the average earner more and lift the slightly-below-average earners a little bit.

And regarding the conclusion that everyone so excitedly jumped on after reading nothing but a badly-written headline in a news article: again, I ain't no economist, but it seems to me after reading the report that report's focus on New Zealand in the 80s and early 90s could lead to a completely reversed conclusion: that slow economic growth such as that experienced by NZ in that time negatively impacted equality. Not the other way around.

[Lightspeed]

Inequality between the fourth decile (slightly-below average) income and the average income has a huge impact on growth. So the biggest thing you can do to improve economic growth is to tax the average earner more and lift the slightly-below-average earners a little bit.

It seems like we're doing the opposite of this. So in the future we can expect to be poorer than we might otherwise have been.

[CCS]

Debate: Marama Fox, Axel Gietz on smoking

in which Marama Fox, Maori Party co-leader Godwins the debate by comparing her opponent to Joseph Goebbels.

[Ab]

[Lightspeed]

Ron Paterson resigns as Ombudsman

Concerning.

[cyc]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

Ron Paterson resigns as Ombudsman

Concerning.

What's so concerning about this? Unless you have some kind of proof that this was a resignation in frustration over some untoward interference with the office (let's face it, if there were you would be screaming at the top of your lungs telling any brain dead amoeba that would listen that this is National's fault) or whatever, plenty of people in similar positions resign without serving out their full term.

This especially when you consider that he has a chair professorship at the premier law school in this country to return to and that he has a well-established and well-known interest in health care law. And that he probably will be made a QC on his first application and will be able to make massive money doing legal work.

[cyc]

Accidental double post...........

[Lightspeed]

It's an important role significant to the health of our democracy. There's a large backlog in the office, his resignation is not helpful.

But political interference does come to mind, doesn't it?

[CCS]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

But political interference does come to mind, doesn't it?

Should it?

[pxpx]

This is gonna be good

[spigalau]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

But political interference does come to mind, doesn't it?

Yep political interference - http://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/news/2016/...rson-back.aspx

After nearly 20 years of commuting regularly between Auckland and Wellington, he says he is looking forward to spending more time in Auckland, where his home and heart are.

Ron PatersonRon Paterson's heart is in AucklandHe will return to the University of Auckland half time as a professor of law, a job he took leave of for the ombudsman role.

[Lightspeed]

Oh politics, such an innocent and naive profession. No room for cynicism here, eh guys?

[CCS]

Do you actually have any grounds for suggesting that he hasn't left of his own accord?

[Lightspeed]

You'll find cyc was the one who introduced the idea of political interference. My concern was the importance of the position and the backlog of work.

[CCS]

Oh sweet, that's a relief.

[Lightspeed]

Yes, it's comforting to see you all leap to the defence of our glorious leaders. We can't have no besmirching going on. I know how sensitive you lot are to besmirching. Our poor defenceless leaders, so venerable, so vulnerable. They need your protection.

[CCS]

Who's leaping to the defence of our leaders?

[Lightspeed]

You all.

[CCS]

No.

[Lightspeed]

lolz, of course not. Certainly we didn't just see demands for proof of accusations not made. No knee-jerk partisan hackery around here, nossir!

Originally Posted by pxpx

This is gonna be good

It was good for me.

[CCS]

No.