john key Archive

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  A stingy and evidence-averse decision on the minimum wage - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  As I predicted in my blog post last week, John Key’s Government has announced today what amounts to a nil increase in the minimum wage – a paltry increase of 50c an hour. The nominal increase is 3.8% – but at the same time the Consumer Price Index increased 4.6% in the year to September 2011 [...] read more
  February 8, 2012 5:33 pm - 15 Comments
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  Government stuck in the ‘80s on the minimum wage - by Denise Roche

  
  
  
  Sometime around now, Cabinet will be undertaking its annual review of the minimum wage, which currently stands at a lowly $13 an hour. My bet is that we will see another effective nil increase, with the minimum wage being adjusted upwards no more than the level of inflation over the past year. That would be [...] read more
  January 31, 2012 1:19 pm - 59 Comments
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  John Key’s new Cabinet announced - by frog

  
  
  
  Prime Minister John Key announced his new Cabinet this morning. The line-up is pretty predictable, but some of the portfolio allocations and rankings are interesting: The big winners are Steven Joyce and Hekia Parata, moving up 10 and 13 places respectively in the Cabinet ranking. Parata replaces Anne Tolley as Minister of Education. Paula Bennett’s [...] read more
  December 12, 2011 1:02 pm - 10 Comments
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  National’s war on the poor - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  This afternoon John Key and Paula Bennett announced the National Party’s long-heralded welfare reform package.  As I expected, it is a punitive war on the poor that will harass beneficiaries into low paid jobs, or in many cases off benefit and into no job at all because the jobs simply don’t exist.  Metiria says National is backing [...] read more
  November 1, 2011 5:34 pm - 75 Comments
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  Kaimoana, Motiti, and the oil - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Yesterday I was on Motiti Island, where the hapu have borne the brunt of the oil and debris from the grounded Rena. You can clearly see the Rena really from the coast. The hapu are extremely well organised with clean-up crews. They have all the protective gear and they are sending teams out every day. [...] read more
  October 19, 2011 1:31 pm - 14 Comments
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  PM averse to public service radio - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  The Prime Minister is becoming increasingly picky about who he will speak to in the media. While happily fronting a weekly slot on TVNZ’s Breakfast programme, and on Radio Sports, and a one hour special on Radio Live, he has refused virtually all requests for interviews on Radio New Zealand. He has declined 174 requests [...] read more
  October 5, 2011 2:14 pm - 22 Comments
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  “National will not be raising GST” – 1st anniversary edition - by frog

  
  
  
  Celebrate the 1st anniversary of National breaking its 2008 election promise to not raise GST by making a commitment to vote for a Party you can trust – the Greens. read more
  October 1, 2011 5:49 pm - 12 Comments
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  Calls to Free West Papua at the Pacific Forum - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Genocide is not a word to be used lightly but for the last forty years West Papua has been the dirty secret of the Melanesian Pacific. read more
  September 8, 2011 11:21 am - 6 Comments
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  Welfare changes: private profit and political posturing - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Did I miss something? Did the Prime Minister say he was going to work with the business and community sectors to create jobs at a living wage for the 27 percent of young people with no jobs? No. But he did promise to privitise the management of youth benefits for profit via a food stamps system. read more
  August 15, 2011 2:05 pm - 24 Comments
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  John Key is wrong on Green plan to end child poverty - by frog

  
  
  
  On Wednesday Green Co-Leader Metiria Turei launched the Green Party’s plan to bring 100,000 children out of poverty within three years. John Key poured cold water on both the Working for Families and minimum wage proposals contained in the package. But he is wrong on both counts. read more
  August 5, 2011 10:54 am - 24 Comments
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  John Key scared to debate - by frog

  
  
  
  Russel questions John Key on why he will go on lightweight shows like the Letterman show and the Tony Veitch show,  but refuses to go on Morning Report , Campbell Live or particpate in an all-party leaders debate where he could face tough questions.  read more
  August 3, 2011 5:06 pm - 14 Comments
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  More information needed on spy story - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  It’s good that the PM finally backed down on his position that he couldn’t say anything about whether Mossad spies had been operating in New Zealand, for “national security” reasons. Pressure from the Greens, Labour and the media certainly helped the PM shift his stance. However, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. The [...] read more
  July 21, 2011 11:57 am - 2 Comments
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  Nats planning more attacks on workers’ rights - by frog

  
  
  
  Not content with its 90 day fire at will legislation, effective nil increases to the minimum wage, undermining workers’ rights to four weeks’ annual leave, and restricting union access to workplaces, John Key has revealed National is planning more attacks on workers’ rights.  Radio New Zealand reports: Mr Key has told the Seafood Industry Council [...] read more
  June 8, 2011 2:24 pm - 51 Comments
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  The curious difference between meal of fish and a ticket to Bon Jovi - by frog

  
  
  
  Recall National’s current Agriculture Minister David Carter’s words, back in 2004: [Winston] Peters last night vigorously denied claims made on TV One that the meal, at Kermadec Restaurant in Auckland’s Viaduct Basin and paid for by co-owner Peter Simunovich, might imply “corruption”. “I think the allegations are serious. If in any way he was collecting favours, it’s close to corruption,” Carter told the Herald. “At the very least it’s stupid.” read more
  June 3, 2011 8:44 am - 24 Comments
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  Dear John letter from Dr James Hansen - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Before James Hansen, noted climate scientist, left New Zealand he found the time to pen this letter to the Prime Minister. I think it’s a great read and I encourage you to send your own letter to John Key urging for greater climate action from New Zealand.   Rt Hon John Key Prime Minister of [...] read more
  May 26, 2011 10:08 am - 2 Comments
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  Statistics, hyperbole, and hypocrisy on the minimum wage - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Prime Minister John Key claims the Greens’ policy, now also supported by Labour, of increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour will “put 6000 people out of work.” Key maintains Department of Labour advice supports his claim.  So I had a look at the advice, contained in the Department’s 2010 Minimum Wage Review (PDF, [...] read more
  May 24, 2011 12:00 pm - 60 Comments
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  All about National’s infatuation with helicopter rides - by frog

  
  
  
  First we had the Tolleychopper. Yep, that’s right!  Education Minister Anne Tolley’s idea of getting a “helicopter view” of tertiary education providers in Auckland (before she was relieved by PM John Key of her Tertiary Education portfolio) was to go up in a chopper and have a look from the air at them. But last [...] read more
  April 20, 2011 8:41 pm - 32 Comments
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  SCF: A proper, businesslike, efficient and prudent manner. Yeah, right! - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday, Treasury released a stack of documents relating to failed finance company South Canterbury Finance’s involvement in the Government’s Deposit Guarantee Scheme (DGS). They reveal that within two months of entering the DGS, South Canterbury Finance breached its Deed of Guarantee by lending almost $90 million to its parent company, Allan Hubbard’s Southbury Group Limited, [...] read more
  April 15, 2011 11:53 am - 56 Comments
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  Something is crap about Government priorities in Canterbury - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s John Key, at a public meeting in Timaru last night, talking about (audio) the Government’s knowledge of the financial woes of South Canterbury Finance: But for the entire time I’ve been Prime Minister I’ve had the Treasury in my office, week after week, month after month,  telling me South Canterbury Finance was going bankrupt. [...] read more
  March 31, 2011 7:03 pm - 12 Comments
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  National will not be raising GST – April Fools Day reprise - by frog

  
  
  
  This Friday is April Fools’ Day. It also will mark six months since the National-led Government increased GST to 15%, despite John Key’s pre-election promise. How’s the increase affecting your wallet? read more
  March 30, 2011 12:51 pm - 7 Comments