Archive for August, 2010

  • frog

    Sacked on day 85, no reason given - by frog



    Florence Cohen was sacked from her first job on her 85th day of her 90 day trial period. Her employer had expressed no dissatisfaction with her performance, she was given no reason for her dismissal, and she still doesn’t know today what, if anything, she did wrong. You could end up being treated like Florence if you take on a new job, because the Government intends extending its Fire at Will law to all employees in their first... read more
    August 17, 2010 8:56 am - 189 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, August 17, 2010 - by frog



    read more
    August 17, 2010 6:47 am - 77 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Inequality in Aotearoa: updated statistics - by Metiria Turei



    A major report was released today. Household Incomes in New Zealand: Trends in Indicators of Inequality and Hardship 1982-2009 uses data from the Household Economic Survey to update a wide range of poverty and inequality measures and analyses the findings thoroughly in a 150 page report. Missed it? You could be forgiven for doing so [...] read more
    August 16, 2010 7:25 pm - 22 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    25 years of alternative education - by Catherine Delahunty



    Last Thursday night I was one of the guests at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Porirua Alternative School. The school was developed with the support of the local community and the local colleges by some inspired people, notably Lloyd Martin, an alternative education visionary. The event last week included presentations of NCEA credits, cultural [...] read more
    August 16, 2010 11:00 am - 13 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Illegal logging – Will our Government ever step up? - by Catherine Delahunty



    Last week the Australian Labour Party launched a detailed commitment to banning the import and trade in illegally logged rainforest timber. Of course they have to get re-elected to make this law, but the work has been done and they are planning to join the global consensus to legislate and enforce penalties on traders who [...] read more
    August 16, 2010 9:51 am - 3 Comments
  • frog

    Dunne and dumber: Income splitting back on the agenda - by frog



    Today, the Eternal Minister of Revenue, Peter Dunne, is scheduled to release details of his regressive and discriminatory income splitting tax Bill. Let’s hope National sees sense and promptly consigns this stupid idea to the dustbin of legislative history where it rightly belongs. read more
    August 16, 2010 9:03 am - 66 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Inequality in Aotearoa: life expectancy again - by Metiria Turei



    There was an interesting report on Friday about the links between life expectancy, inequality, and smoking which revealed some pretty scary findings: the rich are living longer, the gap in life expectancy between rich and poor is growing, and so is the gap in life expectancy between Maori and non-Maori. Radio New Zealand’s report noted [...] read more
    August 14, 2010 9:06 pm - 87 Comments
  • frog

    Auckland rail about to overtake Wellington? - by frog



    Rail service management in Wellington and Auckland seem to be experiencing a bit of a role-reversal lately. Wellington has a long history of (relatively) good public transport, starting with electrification of the regional rail line in the 1950s, and the highest bus and train mode share in the country.  This has no doubt contributed to [...] read more
    August 13, 2010 5:42 pm - 8 Comments
  • frog

    Fire at will law needs to be repealed, not extended - by frog



    If anyone was in any doubt how unfair National’s fire at will legislation is, this video of sacked pharmacy employee Heather Smith’s experience should dispel that doubt.  The legislation needs to be repealed, not extended. Please support the NZ Council of Trade Unions’ Fairness at Work campaign. read more
    August 13, 2010 1:56 pm - 16 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    NZ MPs give some parliamentary tips to Tonga - by Keith Locke



    I’m just back from a useful parliamentary trip to Tonga. I was one of five NZ MPs there to explain how we did things in our Parliament. read more
    August 12, 2010 3:23 pm - 10 Comments
  • frog

    Podcast: Standing for something - by frog



    Local government is democracy working at the grass roots. The stuff that goes on around the council table can have a massive impact on the quality of our lives. I talked to Green MP, Sue Kedgley, one of the first Greens to win office to a city council. Click this thing to hear from her… [...] read more
    August 12, 2010 11:18 am - 9 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, August 12, 2010 - by frog



    Play nice, now. read more
    August 12, 2010 6:37 am - 90 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    “Floodgates” of Police rape? - by Catherine Delahunty



    This morning the Attorney General announced there will be no compensation for 8 women who were part of an inquiry into police rape cases. The women also said there was no apology. Instead they were part of a confidential forum where “telling their story” was facilitated and compensation was recommended. The Crown however says no [...] read more
    August 11, 2010 4:09 pm - 71 Comments
  • frog

    Alarming trend in early childhood fundraising? - by frog



    One of my froggy friends recently attended a fundraising event at her grandson’s Playcentre, and was alarmed to be greeted with a table groaning with Nestle products – flavoured coffee sachets and so on. When she asked the Playcentre parents what this was about, she learned that the company had offered a fundraising deal to [...] read more
    August 11, 2010 12:44 pm - 3 Comments
  • frog

    Hospitals, morgues overflow and coffin supply running very short - by frog



    Moscow has worst heatwave since records began Muscovites are dying from extreme heat and smoke faster than their bodies can be stored, cremated or buried Morgues are overflowing and one crematorium in the Russian capital is working around the clock in three shifts “The cheapest coffin costs 6,700 roubles ($225) but there are only a [...] read more
    August 11, 2010 9:36 am - 13 Comments
  • frog

    National’s Plan B: Strip-mine the poor - by frog



    A printed copy of an email from Paula Bennett turned up at my lilypad very early this morning. Or was it just a nightmare? National’s Plan B – having failed in their objective to strip-mine the land: Strip-mine the poor. Bad for forcing down wage rates; bad for low-income employment churn, especially given the Fire at Will extension; bad for productivity; so ultimately bad for business too. Just plain dumb! read more
    August 10, 2010 7:42 pm - 32 Comments
  • frog

    Feds play games over Manawatu clean up - by frog



    So, 27 organisations in the Manawatu region including city & regional council, industrial players, iwi and environment groups have signed an historic agreement, committing to clean up the polluted Manawatu river. Great stuff. Only problem is, the farmers aren’t playing ball. read more
    August 10, 2010 11:51 am - 8 Comments
  • frog

    Join the Fairness at Work rallies - by frog



    On July 18 2010, John Key announced the National Government’s plan to drastically change employment law in New Zealand. If passed, the changes will take away workers’ rights, remove protections, cut pay, reduce holidays and diminish access to sick leave. The NZ Council of Trade Unions are kicking off the fightback against these attacks on workers’ rights with Fairness at Work rallies in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. read more
    August 10, 2010 9:58 am - No Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Clear Fell Damage – We can do better! - by Catherine Delahunty



    This weekend I visited an area of the Coromandel where recent storms highlighted an ongoing problem with pine forestry in the wrong place. The Green Party strongly supports diverse and sustainable forestry, but this is not it! The steep hillsides of the Whangapoua and Waiau catchments are bleeding sediment into the Whangapoua and Coromandel harbours [...] read more
    August 9, 2010 2:59 pm - 5 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Ryall cuts into sinew and bone of Health sector - by Kevin Hague



    Last week brought the news of the resignation of Ken Whelan, Chief Executive of the Capital and Coast District Health Board. Coming hot on the heels of Stephen McKernon’s departure as Director-General of Health, with no replacement in sight, Whelan’s departure was initially spun as “personal reasons”. Then an email he had sent staff surfaced, [...] read more
    August 8, 2010 3:45 pm - 26 Comments
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