Posts by Jan Logie

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  Pay Equity - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The Carers Bill that was rushed through parliament under urgency last Friday was another example of how women count for nothing in this economy. The face of the family carers has been a man, and a wonderfully brave man at that, and nothing I am about to say is meant to undervalue his work – [...] read more
  May 22, 2013 1:54 pm - 11 Comments
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  Protection Orders - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Protection Orders are in the media again, after another woman was killed by her ex-partner in breach of a protection order. Protection orders were created by the Domestic Violence Act and are one of the key tools in responding to Domestic Violence. They are issued by the Family Court. The police have also recently been [...] read more
  May 15, 2013 4:03 pm - 1 Comment
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  Bill English – no solution to poverty - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Yesterday, in reference to the budget Bill English noted “We don’t believe that there is a solution to poverty in general so I wouldn’t expect any large scale intervention”? Goodness. I guess all the work of the Expert Advisory Group on Child Poverty, consisting of much esteemed doctors, and professors and community workers, was for [...] read more
  May 15, 2013 3:57 pm - 13 Comments
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  Starfish clothing - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I was very sad to hear that Starfish clothing is closing down. I’m sad for several reasons.  They’re a very local company. They started in Wellington 20 years ago and have been part of Wellington life for all that time including being active in the anti-motorway protests. Laurie Foon is a genuinely lovely woman with [...] read more
  May 14, 2013 2:05 pm - 17 Comments
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  Pacific Parliamentary Forum - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament has been blessed with the presence of political leaders from all around the Pacific for the last few days. We had some great debates and discussions. I just want to gloat about one – the motion to liberalise trade was voted down in favour of an amended motion in support of sustainable development. The [...] read more
  April 22, 2013 12:23 pm - 2 Comments
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  Julian Savea and his rugby management - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I’m not going to say much. I feel for Julian’s partner and don’t want to make this any more of a public event than what it is now. I do want to challenge his managers though. According to the story on Radio NZ this morning, his managers defended their decision to let Julian play by [...] read more
  April 22, 2013 12:22 pm - 3 Comments
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  Blinkering the watchdogs - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The Government’s decision to freeze funding for the Human Rights Commission (HRC) until 2020 has resulted in a proposal to cut 15% of staff at the Commission. New Zealand has very few checks on the power of Government and minimal tools to fight discrimination. By the response to the marriage equality bill and widespread public [...] read more
  April 22, 2013 10:50 am - 6 Comments
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  How safe is your information? - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
   Today I attended the Financial review of the Privacy Commission. It was a disturbing meeting.  The Privacy Commission is the only public organisation in this country with a focus and expertise on privacy rights.  Privacy is essential for trust in our government and economic systems. If people do not trust a website which cannot protect the [...] read more
  April 11, 2013 4:46 pm - 33 Comments
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  A bad week for women and children - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  It is pretty shocking our environment and democracy and that is the topic of this blog post. The National Government passed the Child Support Amendment Bill and the Social Security (benefit categories and work focus) Amendment Bill  into law this week. Both of these bills will reduce women’s economic and social independence and this will have very [...] read more
  April 11, 2013 4:34 pm - 2 Comments
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  Update on the Paid Parental Leave submissions - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Today the select committee heard another 12 submissions on Sue Moroney’s members bill to extend paid parental leave to 26 weeks. I am yet to hear a submission against the Bill or hear anything approaching a valid argument from the National party members against it either. Today we heard more evidence on: • the many [...] read more
  April 10, 2013 5:08 pm - 11 Comments
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  Reflections from the ‘False Economy’ tour - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Below is a presentation that was part of our ‘False Economy: The high cost of a low wage economy’ meeting in Auckland this week. I was really moved by what Darryl had to say and wanted to make sure that other people had a chance to see what he shared with us. Please have a [...] read more
  April 5, 2013 12:29 pm - 25 Comments
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  Jan’s speech to the International Parliamentary Union conference in Ecuador - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I would like to acknowledge the first peoples of this land, who allow us a temporary place to stand and discuss the theme Buen Vivir. I would like too to recognise this earth on which we all stand and the air which we all breathe. Acclimatising to this high altitude I have a new appreciation [...] read more
  March 25, 2013 2:18 pm - 6 Comments
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  Trade and human rights - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I was relieved today that my colleague Kennedy Graham put out a media release challenging our Government to raise human rights concerns with the President of the country formerly known as Burma. I went to that country last year. I was impressed by how many people spoke to me about their hope for peace and [...] read more
  March 15, 2013 5:03 pm - 8 Comments
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  Trading New Zealand’s credibility in Colombia - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Last week John Key announced his plan to sell Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV’s) to Colombia. In an effort to build trade and sell off redundant military equipment, John Key seems to have chosen to make New Zealand complicit in the further arming of a potentially illegal military force who has been responsible for very significant human [...] read more
  March 12, 2013 8:28 am - 6 Comments
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  International Women’s Day - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Today while I was sad to see fewer women in well-paid jobs I was very lucky to be able to celebrate, in brilliant sunshine, International Women’s Day with a wonderful and diverse group of women on the walk for peace. “This Peace Walk for Women was organised to raise awareness of our interconnectedness and interdependence in [...] read more
  March 8, 2013 4:51 pm - 17 Comments
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  Welfare cuts challenged by the UN - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Yesterday the United Nations released a letter to the Australian Government asking them to explain their welfare cuts. UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights and the working group on discrimination against women are warning the cuts could have a detrimental effect on the human rights of up to 100,000 Australians, and could [...] read more
  March 5, 2013 4:57 pm - 8 Comments
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  Who counts on Census day? - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Having worked in a university I know quite directly how vital census information is. This information is the lifeblood of research and planning. Like the TV advertisement says – we use it to design our cities, plan our services, develop business plans, and even decide what language books to have in our libraries. When filling [...] read more
  March 5, 2013 1:51 pm - 23 Comments
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  More damn statistics and Women in Canterbury - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I know I just wrote a post yesterday critiquing the Government’s choice of statistics, and no-one wants to read continual disputes over statistics but the following statements from Paula Bennett’s media release today are just too provoking: “I also recall dire predictions that Cantabrians would go onto benefits in huge numbers post-quake, but in fact [...] read more
  February 28, 2013 6:03 pm - 8 Comments
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  Statistics damn statistics - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Yesterday we found out the National Party’s welfare reform agenda, Future Focus, is getting results. Prior to Future Focus there was no work expectation on sole parents until their youngest child was 18 years old. “More than 10,600 sole parents on the DPB with children over six years old are now earning more than $100 [...] read more
  February 28, 2013 9:23 am - 8 Comments
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  The Beneficiary Rabbit - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  SkyCity, the closure of Christchurch schools, leaving troops in Afghanistan – it was never going to be a particularly easy week for the government. But to their political, if not moral, credit, the government seems to have planned for this and introduced the Social Security (Fraud Measure and debt Recovery) Amendment Bill.  It’s strange how [...] read more
  February 20, 2013 8:23 pm - 37 Comments
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  Richard Prosser’s attitude harmful to creating an inclusive society - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The beliefs of New Zealand First MP Richard Prosser are anathema to a truly inclusive society. Despite his apology, he has a history of comments that strongly suggest that his widely-panned column represents his real view, regardless of any retraction he needed to make due to the uproar. The role of a Member of Parliament [...] read more
  February 14, 2013 5:11 pm - 13 Comments
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  John Key and NZ’s refugee obligation - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Over the last few days, we’ve heard a number of statements from the Prime Minister relating to the decision to take 150 refugees per year from Australian offshore detention centres and the proposal for New Zealand to process asylum seekers arriving here at those same centres. John Key: “One, We don’t take more people, two [...] read more
  February 13, 2013 5:20 pm - 8 Comments
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  Asylum seekers deserve respect, dignity and compassion - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The announcement that New Zealand will take 150 refugees per year from Australia’s offshore detention centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea is good news for those refugees. They will be able to leave what the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has called “harsh” conditions with a “lack of clear and [...] read more
  February 12, 2013 11:07 am - 19 Comments
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  Earth Rights International - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Over the summer I visited some inspiring NGOs active in South East Asia. One that inspired me and really made me think was Earth Rights International. The organisation was started in Thailand by Ka Hsaw Wa, at that time a Burmese refugee, and US lawyer Katharine Redford who, while teaching English, heard about human rights [...] read more
  February 8, 2013 9:30 am - 2 Comments
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  Free Thai political prisoner Somyot Prueksakasemsuk - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Last week I visited Somyot in prison in Bangkok. On the 25th of January 2013, he was sentenced to ten years in jail for publishing a magazine that contained two fictional short stories that the court deemed to be critical of the King. No names were used in these stories and historians gave evidence at [...] read more
  February 5, 2013 12:07 pm - 1 Comment
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  The Parliamentary week that was, 11 December, for Pacific communities - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament has been very busy trying to pass quite a few pieces of relatively uncontentious legislation over the last couple of weeks. Select committees have also been very busy. Wednesday 12th December was the last day that the House sat for the year, which means the various parties made their adjournment speeches. Greens Co-leader Metiria [...] read more
  December 17, 2012 4:33 pm - No Comments
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  Make your voice count on International Human Rights Day - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Today is International Human Rights Day, a day when we can all celebrate our human rights but also make our voices count for those who’s rights are under attack across the world. In ten different libraries across Auckland City today, Amnesty International organised Write For Rights events for people to write letters in support of [...] read more
  December 10, 2012 4:52 pm - No Comments
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  Is it all in their heads? - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  After hearing around 100 submissions over 4 days on the latest welfare reform bill (see my summary of the first day of hearings here), some pretty strong themes have developed. The most obvious theme is opposition. Quite overwhelming opposition. For many reasons. I hope this is a sign that increasing unemployment is helping people realise [...] read more
  December 6, 2012 5:13 pm - 26 Comments
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  Good policy, making lives easier for trans and intersex people - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  We love good news here at the Greens. And this is just plain old good news. The Department of Internal Affairs have made a quiet change to allow intersex and trans people the choice of using the international symbol ‘X’ on their passports without having to go through the complex and intrusive process of changing [...] read more
  December 6, 2012 10:20 am - 7 Comments
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  Summary of the first day of hearings on welfare reform - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  There were several very powerful submissions from people talking about what these changes would have meant for them as well as some very personal presentations that spoke quite deeply to our values and compassion, and the potential for a loss of life due to these changes. The Home schooling lobby was very well represented and [...] read more
  November 29, 2012 5:33 pm - 28 Comments
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  Pacific representation in NZ politics - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Last week was a very sad week for Pacific Peoples’ representation in Aotearoa-New Zealand. The Pacific Peoples Advisory Panel in the Auckland Council presented to Council and raised again issues of their continuance. Pacific communities want a discussion on how to best represent their views in the council structure and what resources are needed to [...] read more
  November 26, 2012 3:55 pm - No Comments
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  Climate Change and International Development Justice - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Oxfam have just released a report called Climate Fiscal Cliff; evaluation of the fast start finance programme which is another indictment on this Government’s lack of commitment to human rights and climate justice. One of the few hopeful things to come out of Copenhagen three years ago was a commitment from developed countries to commit [...] read more
  November 26, 2012 3:41 pm - 10 Comments
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  Patriarchy - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  According to popular belief the only people reading this blog post now that I have mentioned the P word are likely to be either trolls, who will be excited that I’ve so opened myself to ridicule, or some purple wearing feminists over the age of 50. I’m testing this out because I’ve recently been heartened [...] read more
  November 26, 2012 3:28 pm - 9 Comments
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  Marriage equality hero – Boris’ story - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  I’ve been very lucky this week to spend time with Boris Dittrich who you may have seen in the media supporting our moves towards marriage equality. The media stories, understandably focussed on this issue, but his story is also quite extraordinary so I thought I would share some of the highlights. Boris’s father escaped Czechoslovakia [...] read more
  November 23, 2012 5:20 pm - No Comments
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  The Parliamentary week that was, 13-15 Nov, for Pacific communities - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  This week, Parliament was preoccupied with a few Bills that didn’t really make the headlines and many more questions about unemployment. Sky City The Greens had another Member’s Bill in the House this week; to ensure money that had been stolen and used in casinos was returned to the people it was stolen from. Massey [...] read more
  November 20, 2012 4:30 pm - No Comments
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  The Parliamentary week that was, 6-8 Nov, for Pacific communities - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament was preoccupied by two major pieces of news last week, the unemployment figures and concerns about Housing. It also passed the Climate Change legislation (as previously discussed in this blog post series) and failed to pass Labour MP Darien Fenton’s Bill to stop libraries from charging for borrowing and internet use. Unemployment During Question [...] read more
  November 15, 2012 11:30 am - 1 Comment
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  Women in the employment market - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The average hourly pay gap between men and women has been under the spot light this week with reports that it has leaped up by 1.3% to 14.1%. The Minister for Women’s Affairs responded by saying this was the wrong figure; we need to consider the median hourly wage gap which has decreased, slightly. I [...] read more
  November 14, 2012 3:23 pm - 4 Comments
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  Unemployment is a human rights issue - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  The 13,000 rise in unemployment reported in today’s Household Labourforce Survey brings the total number of unemployed New Zealanders to 175,000 – the worst number in 20 year. That represents 7.3% of our population, including 15.6% of Pasifika people and 15.1% of Māori and we know it is also likely to be worse for young [...] read more
  November 8, 2012 3:29 pm - 265 Comments
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  Tokelau language week - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Taloha Ni! This week is the first Tokelau language week. Organised by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the theme is Ke mau ki pale o Tokelau: hold fast to your treasures of Tokelau. While almost 7000 Tokelauans live in New Zealand, only approximately 2500 can hold an everyday conversation in te gagana Tokelau (Tokelau [...] read more
  October 31, 2012 3:04 pm - 1 Comment
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  The parliamentary week that was, 23-25 Oct, for Pacific communities - by Jan Logie

  
  
  
  Parliament was preoccupied by two major pieces of law last week, alcohol law reform and climate change. Climate change We can no longer debate whether Climate change is real or man-made, the science is unchallengeable and the signs increasingly visible. Pacific countries know this, because they are at the front line of Climate change. Some [...] read more
  October 29, 2012 4:29 pm - 3 Comments