A new honest PM has arisen Yeah Right

The National Party I think would be shocked by the latest poll from Roy Morgan, that shows clearly that Labour, the Greens, and Mana could govern the country, and would win an election should one be held tomorrow:

A new poll records another boost for a future Labour-Greens coalition.

The latest Roy Morgan sees a 1 per cent rise in support for a potential alliance between the two parties.

Support for the Labour party was unchanged (37 per cent) from the last poll a fortnight ago. The Greens rose to 12.5 per cent - up 1 per cent.

National was down slightly - 0.5 per cent - to 41.5 per cent. Its coalition parties were largely unchanged: the Maori Party was on 1.5 per cent (up 0.5 per cent), ACT 0.5 per cent (unchanged) and United Future 0 per cent (down 0.5 per cent).

The last Roy Morgan poll, held in the wake of the election of new Labour leader David Cunliffe, saw that party registering its highest popularity since Helen Clark was prime minister.

Pollster Garry Morgan said a Labour/Greens ticket would win easily if an election were held today.

He said Cunliffe has "re-invigorated" Labour, which sat just 4.5 per cent behind National.

NZ First rose slightly to 5 per cent; the Conservative Party (0.5 per cent) took a 1.5 per cent hit. Mana was unchanged on 0.5 per cent.

Roy Morgan polled 839 voters between September 30 and October 13.

Confidence in the government also fell with 55 per cent (down 4 per cent) saying New Zealand is heading in the right direction, compared to 31 per cent (up 1.5 per cent) who listed the wrong direction.

They [National] are already accepting that they have no support parties to assist them [National] next year. They know that the ACT party as such is dead in the water with Banks awaiting trial for fraud. While Dunne betrayed them by leaking information to Fairfax reporter during the GCSB stuff up. The Maori Party is dying a natural death because of its blind obedience to the National agenda of Asset Sales, beneficiary bashing, and future mining.

Now Key is no slug when it comes to manipulation of the media, he knows the above is true so his strategy will revolve around not needing support parties as such, but he will seek to buy support via other means, not win support via policy adaption, but by buying with cash his support required.

Here is what No Right Turn wrote on his blog:

A move towards honesty

National is going to abandon the electoral strategy of deniable "cups of tea" and instead go for explicit endorsements:

Prime Minister John Key has indicated he will abandon election-year game-playing such as the Epsom cup of tea stunt, and instead will be more explicit with voters about whether he wants them to vote strategically in some electorates next year.

Asked whether Act leader John Banks could expect another "cup of tea" in election year after being told he must face trial over donations returns from his unsuccessful 2010 Auckland mayoralty campaign, Mr Key said it was too early to say.

He then indicated he intended to abandon such stunts and instead set out a clear position on coalition partners well in advance, including possibly openly endorsing candidates from other parties in some seats.

He said decisions would be made over the next year, but National intended to be clear with voters about its coalition options.

I don't have a problem with parties saying "we want to work with this person", or with them refusing to contest a seat or standing in name only if it advantages them. But I do want them to be open and honest that that is what they are doing, so that voters can judge both the relationship and the tactic. Key's announcement is a positive step towards such honesty and it is good to see.

Key is already being successful when No Right Turn wrote his last paragraph above, for it assumes that Key and National has a desire to be open and honest. 

Key will say and do what ever it takes to win, he has no interest in being open and honest and his record thus far absolutely proves that fact. 

Did he sack John Banks when the police report eighteen months ago said clearly that Banks lied and the only thing stopping him from appearing in front of a judge was the fact that the time for a prosecution had expired. Key never even bothered to read the report...according to him that is...yet other lie.

Did he own up the fact that the Police, GCSB, broke the law, no he did not. 

Did he admit that after have a meal with Sky City boss that he suddenly stopped all the other bids for building a convention centre in Auckland, no he did not. 

John Key wants us all to forget his past dirty tricks, to forget his manipulation, forget that National refused to make changes to the present MMP voting system, ones that would have stopped the buying of support by the National party…they clearly did not support democracy and honesty.

During the press conference and public relations exercise used by No Right Turn above here is what they also wrote: [from the Herald]

The cup of tea incident involving Mr Key and Mr Banks - aimed at sending a message to Epsom voters that Mr Key wanted them to vote for Mr Banks - was one of the defining features of the 2011 campaign, partly because of the fallout after a reporter's voice recorder was found on the table and the contents of the pair's conversation was later leaked.

The cup of tea became a way of signaling voters in an electorate that two parties could work together, but Mr Key's change of stance may indicate it has had its day now voters are more aware of strategic voting. 

Options National will be assessing include whether it can get Mr Banks back into Parliament, whether it should give Conservative Party leader Colin Craig a clear run in a safe National electorate, or whether it can help boost the Conservatives' chances of getting more than 5 per cent of the vote.

Mr Banks resigned as a minister this week after he was committed for trial over donations from SkyCity and Kim Dotcom in the 2010 Auckland mayoral campaign which was declared as anonymous.

So you decide, has Key suddenly found a willingness for honesty, openness and transparency. Or is he responding to the polls of late that suggest he is a goner...

A tale of two Mayors, Banks and Brown

News Release

15 October 2013

Statement from Mayor Len Brown

“I don’t intend to comment on the highly personalised allegations made on a blog site this afternoon.

“But I do confirm that I had a relationship with a woman that lasted around two years.

“I told my wife previously, and she and I are working through the issues privately. We are looking to protect our children as best we can.

“These are matters of an entirely personal nature and I ask that the media respect my family’s privacy.”

Brown confirmed the woman was not a council employee but served on a council advisory board and stood in this year’s election for a local board.

Ends

Chinese and American style politics hits Auckland City. Cameron Slater, the son of the right-wing campaign manager [and ex-National party President] of losing mayoral candidate an ex US multimillionaire import named John Palino reveals all, shock horror it could get the ‘Truth’ back on the printing press.

Maybe both he and the woman involved were so disappointed with the result of the election that they simply had to go public with the behavior of Len Brown.

While I don’t know Len Brown, nor the woman involved I would suggest that Cameron Slater is well known as a sleaze bag. His blog is famous for its errors and its low level scandal tripe on an ongoing basis.

This three month wonder [Slater] editor of ‘Truth’ that once infamous weekly once owned by a couple of imported brothel owners.

It would appear [based on her own statements] that the woman involved was more upset about not being paid than anything else, while I have nothing against those in the legal prostitution industry, and I suppose it is possible to fall in love or be attracted by a well performing sexual woman who knows how to create the right climate.

Married men should of course know better but judging by the number of divorces etc these days many don’t.

In no way am I making excuses either for Brown or his willing partner, I mean surely she knew he was married, I mean the affair lasted two years…and it is obvious that she was a willing partner. 

What people do behind closed doors is surely private especially when both are consenting adults.

Nor should we expect once the affair fell into Whaleoils slippery and grubby hands that it wouldn’t become public. That’s what Slater is all about.

I guess now we will have some low-life prying into John Palinos' background and family life in an attempt to find connections to the Mafia or the American criminal or financial fraternity as they are both intertwined these days. 

With a name like Palino which sure sounds Italian anything is possible. And of course the independent [unemployed] ex-Herald reporter whom some foolishly call a journalist could have a field day investigating Palino, but the true question is would Cam Slater publish it?

Anyway it sounds as if Brown will fight to hang on to his job and with a salary like that, he can do little else, at least in the short term. If born again evangelists’ and Pastors can have multi sexual affairs and keep their congregations’ happy so be it. Maybe Len should become a political evangelist. 

Part Two:

2.30pm Wednesday 16th October 2013:

 

John Banks that model of honesty and man of the people is to go before a judge to plead his case. 

This deeply honest yeah-right, and forthright ACT Party leader that was gifted the seat of Epsom over a cup of tea by the Prime Minister who is well practiced at giving wealthy millionaires free gifts: [Hollywood, Peter Jackson, and Sky City etc.]  At last has been brought to account.

Banks forgetfulness is well known, remember; he couldn’t even remember his ride in Kim Dotcoms' helicopter, or lunching with him, or telling him to put his donation to his mayoral fund in two lots of twenty-five thousand dollars so that he wouldn’t have to declare it. 

The same wee chap took $15.000 in a brown envelope from the boss of Sky City Casino and now it is Banks sole vote that will enable Sky City to make around four hundred million dollars extra over the next thirty years…[boy is that some pay-back]

Yes without his vote National via John Key and Steven Joyce couldn’t get the bill passed in Parliament. The irony is that the very same boss of Sky City will have to testify in court about John Banks.

Even at this late stage John Key still heaps false and empty praise on John Banks…he is a wonderful Minister, honest, hardworking and diligent so says John Key, yes the very same John Key, who couldn’t remember who Kim Dotcom was, even though Dotcom lived in the PM’s electorate.

I don’t know which is the worse, Len Brown and his infatuation with a willing participant in an attempt to relive his youth . 

Or John Banks and his crazy desire to rip off the citizens of Auckland and later New Zealand via fraud and manipulation. Was it for power reasons known only to himself, after all he didn’t need the money and he did lose the mayoralty to Len Brown now that’s what I call ironic…

What says you.  

Here ends the lesson.

 

Judith Collins has her pants in a twist

This from the Scoop web site got me thinking about Justice, Courts and the Death Penalty…:

“In the wake of the Privy Council decision on Mark Lundy, even Justice Minister Judith Collins has reportedly rejected the need for an independent body empowered to investigate contentious cases. This is all too typical pig-headedness on her part. Arthur Allen Thomas, David Bain, Rex Haig, David Dougherty and now Lundy…almost every major criminal case in New Zealand seems to have left large numbers of people with the feeling that our justice system regularly gets it wrong, and can’t be relied on to either (a) convict the right person or (b) manage the proceedings of justice in a way that instills confidence that the ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ standard has been properly met.[quote ends]

Justice Minister Crusher Collins has had a memory failure yet again…The names Arthur Allen Thomas, David Bain, Rex Haig, and David Dougherty don’t ring a bell in her empty head. And now Lundy…Mark that is, has flashed on to her radar…and that’s a big problem because it sort of proves that our police simply watch too much TV, where the cops are always heroic and correct and never wrong and where evidence just appears out of the blue, if you’ll excuse the pun…and the good guys always get their man.

When in fact they are both, [wrong or right] most of the time, especially it would seem, when proving people guilty of murder and such like. In Judith Collin’s blinkered eyes, evidence wasn’t planted by a now deceased detective and his mates, why because a top policeman praised the detective concerned while he was buried with full Police honours when many among the mourners and the public knew exactly what the Detective had illegally done.

Recently [three or four years ago] a young Maori was convicted of rape and murder, while the real killer remained at large continuing with his raping etc. A few months ago six top detectives went to their boss and said that they felt strongly that he was wrongly convicted…but as yet Judith Collins or the police bosses have refused to reopen the case…

This is clear evidence of how morally bankrupt the minister is in upholding justice. The police even admit that the so-called confession obtained was most likely forced rather than freely given. Oh the police finally caught the rapist after he had attacked many more victims over a two year period. Beat that for a mighty stuff up.

According to Crusher Collins this represents good team work, pride in ones unit so to speak and the key responsibility seems to be:never admit that mistakes are possible and have been made. 

That she would suggest this approach represents failure of the highest order, and politically that it is dangerous to ones political health especially if you have your eye on being Prime Minister.So instead of taking action she sits on her hands and grins that now well known smirk.

So that leads to erratic and idiotic behaviour that shuts down rather than revealing possible criminal and atrocious behaviour: like planting evidence to secure a heroic conviction. The new police cry seems to be ‘That we’ve got our man’, not that we’ve got the right man! And Judith baby calls that justice.

We are just lucky that the death penalty is not in favour these days because if it were then Arthur Allen Thomas, David Bain, Rex Haig, David Dougherty and now Mark Lundy…could well be dead.

As Judith Crusher Collins would and will, no doubt point out to the cabinet she unfortunately is a member of, ‘Just think of how much money we could save if we had the death penalty', and I’m sure the Sensible Sentencing Trust and its august leader would whole heartily agree with her, for they would appear to be of a like mind, in fact it is hard to tell the difference between that organisation and Judith Crusher Collins

. 

No wonder ‘The Vote’ on TV 3 found that more citizens mistrust the police than trust them.

We need to do two things as quickly as possible. 1, Dump the minister and 2. Educate the Police.

Hekia Parata awaits her orders.

Victory by 156 primary school kids over a John Key adored Minister of Education Hekia Parata has led directly to many other schools considering taking action to correct the Minister’s invalid and ongoing bad behaviour.

Christchurch schools facing forced closure in the city’s education shake-up are reconsidering their legal options after a High Court judge declared one merger unlawful.

When I was at school smacking was still permitted, and a pupil who disobeyed the rules often felt the heavy hand of the teacher. But it would seem that nowadays Ministers of Education, well ones named Parata, can get away with shocking behaviour because her head master is named John Key and he runs a sloppy but profit charter school.

It would seem that Parata is the teachers pet, for whenever she is caught out breaking long standing school rules he simply smiles and softly pats her on the head and says ‘well done for being so assertive’ and she curtsies while giving her biggest childlike colgate toothpaste gleaming and sparkling smile and utters ‘Thank you sire’, John Key holds out his hand and she gently kisses that self same hand and skips off and joins her class mates in the playground nicknamed Cabinet, John E and Jerry B and Steven J,  Judith C as they bully the smaller kids like John B and Peter D. It is of cause at the new charter school known as ‘Privileged Brats KFC Learning Centre for future leaders’ in the heart of Wellington.

While Phillipstown School, a decile 1 primary school with 163 pupils, may yet face closure, the community has welcomed the ruling as a major win. Justice John Fogarty declared that the Ministry of Education’s consultation process failed to meet the requirements of the Education Act in two respects. First, the importance of the cost of Phillipstown continuing on its current site was mistakenly played down. Second, the financial information Education minister Hekia Parata relied on was not reasonably broken down and explained in a manner that would have enabled a critique.

‘‘These failures of process mean that the minister has not lawfully merged Phillipstown with Woolston,’’ Justice Fogarty said.

‘

‘Her decision is declared unlawful and is not valid. ’’It was the second time a Parata decision to close a school had been overturned by the High Court. Her decision to close Nelson’s Salisbury School, subject to a judicial review in December, was also deemed unlawful.

Now just imagine if you or I broke the law in such a manner would, we be lucky enough to have a smiling and understand, caring bundle of wisdom to protect our backsides.

Just imagine for one minute that Ms Parata was a simple but hard working public servant who was on an individual contract, as most seem to be now days…I’m sure that Head Master John Key would have named her publicly and said that what she did or failed to do was completely out of line, and was not up to the high standard of behaviour that he expects of his pupils [ministers]. He would no doubt add that she not only did it once, but twice.

He would also I’m sure remind us all, that when a past pupil Nick Smith failed to adhere to his stiff rules he was dumped and was brought back only when he had begged and pleaded that he simply couldn’t live on the unemployment benefit. It has been reported that others are now considering laying complaints against the dictatorial behaviour of his favorite class room pet Hekia Parata.

Branston Intermediate School Principal Jennifer O’Leary said she felt ‘‘sick’’ that she had not taken further action to prevent her own school from being closed. 

The Hornby School was set to close at the end of the year, with most pupils expected to go to Hornby High School. O’Leary said it was too early to say whether the court’s decision would prompt Branston to appeal too, but she would be speaking to the school’s board of trustees to determine their next move. ‘‘My initial reaction is if the consultation was illegal in Phillipstown’s respect and the costings were illegal in their respect then it would be the same for all the schools because the consultation was the same for each school.’’ 

There now needed to be some ‘‘political pressure’’ on the Ministry of Education and Parata to cancel all of the proposed closures and mergers, she said.

Parata has so far given no hint of whether she will appeal against the Phillipstown merger decision, resume consultation or concede defeat. This normal Key at the time of writing is out of the country being patted on the head by best mates and their financial whiz-kids.

Parata refused to front for interviews yesterday, and her press secretary, Florence Aiono, said she was also unlikely to do so today.

Prime Minister John Key said he still had ‘‘absolute confidence’’ in Parata despite the second bungled school closure. ‘‘We face court action all the time as the Government; the truth is the Government does lots and lots of things and in a democracy people have absolutely the right to challenge the decision. Many of them go our way, some of them go against us.’’ He rejected suggestions Parata had botched the process. This is true in some cases other than those relating to the GCSB, selling state assets, the Police, and anything to with John Banks.

Phillipstown School’s lawyer, Mai Chen, said if Parata opted to continue consultation based on the merger idea she would need to be very clear about why, then provides all the relevant information so the community could respond.

Ripping off young workers now an art form.

Tali Williams wrote a moving blog about the forever struggles faced by younger members of our workforce. As pointed out clearly and precisely by John Campbell the plight of cleaning staff at parliament and many other government departments.

http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/10/09/in-praise-of-every-day-defiance/

Tali Williams points out serious bullying in other work places where even a mention of a union brings a massively negative response down upon the heads of those brave enough to face their management at whatever level.

When your wages are cut without discussion by lowering the actual hourly rate or reducing the hours available or even making your job casual and reverting to an on-call basis, naturally you’d be upset.

This could lead to a really difficult situation where if the employee remains they simply can’t meet commitments already agreed which could lead to serious losses. In fact it would not be hard to picture circumstances where criminal behaviour becomes the only alternative for some.

Many huge cleaning companies such as ‘Spotless’ and fast food companies like Restaurant Brand simply ignore even the most basic human and employment rights [work breaks like morning tea etc] and any regular inspections by what used to be the Labour department have become nothing more than employer enforcers and will be especially true if the present government passes new and restrictive laws being introduced by Simon Bridges who is now considered the worst Minister of Labour since Bill Birch and that’s really bad for workers.

Unions under the era of Roger Douglas when they agreed to a so-call ‘Partnership’ policy have gone backwards ever since that period, but of late they seem to be developing a spine. Some Unions stand up and design new strategies to actually assist their members.

Unite union for example has a proven record at mobilising their membership to collectively argue for better wages and conditions. Where as a Union like the Public Service Association has still yet to get beyond their discredited Partnership mode and still see’s itself as an Association rather that a industrial union.

Young people see unions like the PSA as part of the problem rather than a helpful source of help and advice. 

Tali Williams and the workers she writes about deserve not only our empathy but our help in the difficult times ahead as they attempt to protect their working conditions and wages. After all they are our future, and things have got so bad for young workers that even highly qualified graduates can’t earn enough to repay their massive student loans. 

If we don’t do something there will be consequences beyond our control, there must be equality and justice in both working conditions and wages and salaries if we are to avoid the social and industrial upheaval in the weeks, months and years ahead. 

Please open and read Tali's blog...

Campbell Live roasts Simon Bridges

The brilliant Campbell Live show shone the light on the livable wage debate that presently sweeps across the Nation.

From his introduction remarks that pointed out the stupidity of party jumper idiot Tau Henare [now a National Party list MP] to the very real discussions with those who clean the toilets in Parliament. John was in super form, it's a must see

Watch the interviews and then with compassion sit back and put yourself in the cleaner’s shoes, try to imagine the task they undertake for the pittance they receive for what’s involved. Here is the site to go to, to view the John Campbell item:

http://www.3news.co.nz/The-Parliament-cleaners-living-on-14-an-hour/tabid/817/articleID/316236/Default.aspx

It is not enough to simply understand the enormity of the task these cleaners undertake, for sympathy won’t pay the bills, it’s not enough to show empathy, although that is a step in the right direction.

What is needed is action and commitment to achieving a livable wage for everyone…but I hear you say, “What can I do? The truth is you can do heaps, what’s needed is the energy and motivation to get started. Here are a few suggestions.

1.      Join any group supporting a living wage.

2.      Ring you local MP and ask if he/she supports a living wage, remind him/her that you won’t vote for them unless they do…that’s not blackmail that’s honesty.

3.      Next time your at your super-market ask the staff if they and other staff if they are paid a livable wage, if the answer is negative ask to speak to the boss…and suggest to him that you are looking to shop else where unless a living wage becomes their policy in the future.

4.      Next time you are at any type of council operation, ask the same question, and ring a Councillor or two to express your view.

5.      Write to the paper and do the same.

6.      Write to or ring your local hospital and pound their ear about the subject, if you’ve got email use that to push your argument.

7.      If you are not receiving a living wage, talk to your fellow workers and work out a strategy to collectively pressure the boss to discuss the issue.

8.      If you have contact with a Union seek their support and consider membership.

9.      Try not to buy goods from outfits that don’t pay a living wage and let them know.

10.  Vote for political parties that support the living wage, especially give them your party vote.

Right now CEO’s are receiving 26.4 times the average wage and the average for cleaners for example is so low that CEO’s are earning more like 150 times the average cleaners wage or the minimum wage. So saying we can't afford it simply not true, in fact it's a lie.

So don’t feel guilty about taking some form of action. The Warehouse is worried about the negative effect that wages are having on sales and staff that they are introducing a living wages [of sorts] not because they want to but because of what may happen if they don’t…

Simon Bridges the baby faced Minister of Labour is so concerned about this issue that he refuses to front up and discuss this issue on TV3 and other media, he is a gutless wimp who should be made to clear parliaments toilets…  

What Key and Abbott really said, by Eavesdropper

The real Tony Abbot.

Tony Abbott and John Key met in Australia, accompanying Key was Wheeler’s Corner agent eavesdropper, he was in the waiting room at the television studio when Tony and John were chatting; What he heard was never reported so I thought it only fair to share this with you all:

“Tony you don’t really mean what you said about New Zealanders do you? Asked John with his head lowered, his words whispered.

“Of course I did, we can’t have all your unemployed trash moving over here”, said Tony.

“But your wife is a Kiwi, is she not’, said John in his finest weasel voice.

“She’s not a Kiwi now; she’s a fair dink-um Australian, she has lived here for bloody years John”, he answered smiling.

“But Tony we let Australians use our health services and we even cover them when they become unemployed”, John muttered lowering his head even lower.

“So! That’s more fool you, look what happens in your little backwater is not my problem I have bigger issues to sort-out, like those bloody boat people”, said Tony sounding very irritated about the whole conversation.

“But”, said John before he was rudely cut off.

 “No butts about it, half of your unemployed are Maori and they give our Abo’s ideas above their station, the next they’ll want is a bloody treaty like your Treaty of, what's it called?”, shouted Tony.

“Waitangi”, stuttered John.

“Yeah that’s right wit-angee”, mumbled Tony adding, “why the hell did you do that deed, they might be good at rugby and rugby league, but seats in Parliament no way are we going to do that here in Aussie baby, Now about the interview, you’ll of course say something nice about me, since we both lead so-called centre right parties”, he said as he reached out and patted Johns thinning hair.

Now look here Tony I'm a nice guy.

“Naturally Tony, I’ve got what you want me to say in the note from your PR guy, I’ve even had a practice run in front of the mirror”, he said as he raised his head a fraction.

“That’s great said Tony, “I’ll do the same for you, and don’t worry I promise I’ll build you up so your media can say what a wonderful, strong leader you are”, and I wont mention that David what-ever-his-name-is…

Here is what Fairfax wrote about that meeting, you decide which was more meaningful and honest. My agent never tells fibs…

“Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott greeted his NZ counterpart John Key as a brother in their first formal get together. There clearly isn't much doubt in his mind about which of them is the big brother in the relationship. 

Emerging form their first formal meeting, Abbot wasted no time slapping down hopes of any change to the status of Kiwis denied citizenship rights across the Tasman.

He was also quick to junk the deal done by Key and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard for New Zealand to take up to 150 boat people a year off Australia's hands.

But there has never been any doubt where the power in this relationship rests

That was underscored by Key's whistle-stop trip across the Tasman yesterday.

Key and Abbott were due to meet this weekend at the Apec conference in Bali but the symbolism of being among the first foreign leaders to meet the new Australian prime minister was important enough for Key to board an Air Force plane yesterday and make a special trip to Canberra

The two leaders have already worked hard at getting the chemistry right between them -  something that Key never had with former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, though he and Rudd's predecessor Julia Gillard had chemistry in spades.

It helps that Abbott is a protege of former Australian Prime Minister Howard, who is widely credited elevating the trans-Tasman relationship, and who always had a soft spot for Key.

When Key delivered the John Howard lecture across the Tasman in 2012, Howard bought the then Opposition leader Tony Abbott along to meet him. Their relationship is now warm enough for the two of them to exchange texts.

But it was not just symbolism or relationship building that took Key across the Tasman yesterday; there is a big trans-Tasman work programme underway, on issues including mutual tax credits and expanding smart gate  at the Australian and New Zealand borders to facilitate easier travel.

The fear is that these are issues which could slip to the back burner with a new government in office, especially one with a heavy work programme of its own, and a big shift in focus.

But there was always going to be one issue that rose its ahead above all others in this first meeting - the plight of Kiwis who cross the ditch but were denied citizenship rights since 2001. And on that score Abbott probably did Key a big favour.

It would be an act of hari-kari for any Australian prime minister to  commit to the massive welfare bill associated with restoring the status quo prior to 2001 - but with the trans-Tasman relationship increasingly defined by the issue, Key has been obliged to ask all the same

Dilemma for John Key

When is the right time to run a referendum, over Christmas, in the middle of school holidays, slap bang in the middle of a rugby world cup?

When the public signed the petition to instruct the government to hold a non-binding referendum on the National coalition Government policy of selling off our state assets, it caused a dilemma for John Key in particular.

Key had, during the 2011 general election made it clear that he intended to sell off state assets regardless of the public’s views on the issue. He sought a mandate via that election to forge ahead with the biggest sell off of public assets since the days of Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson during the mad rush into poverty back in the early eighties the era of neo-liberalism gone mad. 

This was the era when John Key money trader made his personal fortune by money manipulation and slight-of-hand deals.

Later as we are now all aware the plastic bubble burst and the Ponzi style deals came tumbling down around various nations’ ears, and millions of people lost their jobs, homes and retirement savings. Like all Ponzi schemes the last ones in, paid dearly as their money was swept up by the Ponzi designers, one of which was John Key. Those responsible for these now well recorded were bailed out by governments that were controlled by huge corporates and multi-billionaires using the excuse that they were too big to go bust.

Unfortunately for John Key but fortunately for the rest of the population there is no rugby world-cup due, but there are school holidays and Christmas looming so the government has decided to hold the required referendum during the November / December period. I’ve no doubt that the Coalition National government public relation strategists recognised the danger of holding the referendum at the same time as the next general election [which would be normal so as to keep costs down] was dangerous because polls have shown clearly that sixty percent plus are opposed to the asset sales.

Regardless, of the hugely and obvious manipulation, by the concerned national party with its political eye on the next election, they and their hungry corporate friends will mount a extremely costly campaign to sway voters to support the sell off. Expect to read of job loses, increase taxation and the sky falling-in as the campaign heats up.

We should encourage all our friends to vote to stop the asset sales. Go to the reference below to join up with a community based campaign to ensure success to protect those assets we have all already paid for. To pay twice for the same assets is stupid in both a financial and social sense.

http://my.greens.org.nz/civicrm/profile/edit?reset=1&gid=164&id=14738&cs=fe5b2e6a9592c8e623b28e85bd0e1fa2_1380516982_168

Asset Referendum November this year.

These words are very real.

As was predicted, the asset sales process has been an expensive mistake. [So far almost a hundred million] and its your money being washed down the river…

The Government spent $125 million dollars selling half of Mighty River Power and just 2% of Kiwis bought shares. The public is losing $2 million a week in dividends, much more than we are saving in interest on Government borrowing.

Now the Government is selling the largest energy company, Meridian. In a desperate attempt to drum up sales they have introduced a crazy "buy now pay later scheme", giving away interest free loans to buy shares - at a huge cost to all of us.
 

These assets and those that have not been sold yet must stay in New Zealand ownership to secure a strong, economic future. Be part of the movement to get that message to all corners of New Zealand.

The Keep Our Assets referendum will be held as a postal vote in November - December this year.

John Key has already packed a sad…he has stated that he will simply ignore the outcome of the referendum…this is typical behaviour of a dictator in drag… but seriously folks Key considers himself a world famous salesman, and you are the actual owners of what he is selling off. He treats you as simply pawns, in his ego driven obsession to remove public ownership for many aspects of our Kiwi way of life. 

If he is successful at fooling the public over our already owned power and airline companies, the next step will our schools which he has already started privatising, by introducing Charter Schools. And after that maybe our public hospitals will appear on the list.

This is the wee chap who refuses to exempt first home buyers from a twenty percent deposit level to allow them to get their first home. And he bullshits us that its to stop interest rates rising…this is just grap of the highest order. 

He changed the law so Sky City could make millions from pokie machines; he gave a $30 million gift to Rio-Tinto, 40 Million to MediaWorks, and 60 million to Hollywood.

A winning margin will introduce a clear direction to both the Labour Party and others to join with the front line effort of the greens and stop the privatisation and introduce sound and solid policies to reverse the mass privatisation plans of the present Government, and thereby put a large dent in the pockets of the few from the pockets of the many. 

What can you as individuals do to be a part of the massive collective force, needed to drive back into their black holes those that would rip away the nations wealth and pocket the profit. This referendum vote gives you a chance to fight back and defeat the billionaires who are running our nation for their gain.    

Sign up here to join the campaign to win the referendum to stop asset sales:
http://my.greens.org.nz/civicrm/profile/edit?reset=1&gid=164&id=14738&cs=fe5b2e6a9592c8e623b28e85bd0e1fa2_1380516982_168

This from the Greens:

“Earlier this month we got confirmation that we had successfully collected 327,224 valid signatures, thousands more than needed to trigger a referendum on asset sales.
Now we can make it crystal clear to John Key that he does not have a mandate to sell our assets, by winning the referendum.
Can you help us to mobilise the vote against the sales?

So come on and do your bit. Key hopes that you will be too busy with Christmas planning, prove him wrong.

Victory for Unite and the disabled.

From:
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2013/09/a-victory-for-workers-rights.html

"Over the weekend we learned that KFC hates the disabled, having a policy of systematicly sacking their disabled workers. Now, thanks to Unite, that policy has been reversed and its victims offered their jobs back:

Unite Union has reached an agreement with Restaurant Brands over the dismissal of 17 workers at KFC with disabilities that includes offering them the chance to get their jobs back.

Over the past year and a half the company has been carrying out store “restructures” that involved demanding staff with disabilities meet an impossibly high bar of being able to do every job in the store to stay employed. The agreement with Unite Union provides for the establishment of a “limited duties role” that can be done by disabled workers once minimum health and safety training has been completed. These roles will be offered to all the dismissed staff even if they have received a settlement when the dismissal was challenged by Unite or their advocacy group.

There's an obvious lesson here: unions work. There's another: so does the threat of bad publicity. But there's also a clear problem: the laws intended to protect disabled workers from discrimination and dismissal clearly did not work in this case. Parliament needs to look at why, and tighten them".

Mana Movement and all progressive political parties thanks the Unite Union for their quick and effective action over this vital issue. The Unite union here in Palmerston North is represented by Bonita Moyes, an organiser who is making her mark. 

Being a CEO is better than being a cleaner,

At 5.30pm on the same day as cleaners  appeared in front of a select committee at parliament a public meeting was being held here in Palmerston North on the same issue. 

Helen Kelly President of the CTU presented the case of why the Nat's industrial relations  amendment bill should not be passed. 

But first here is what went on at the select committee. After the hearing ended Tau Henare a National Party List MP who is well known for his flapping tongue couldn't help himself and voiced comments on the national news, "that if Mrs. Sinota, one of the cleaners making a submission, didn’t like her job, she should leave and let someone else do the job"…this idiotic statement was typical of the kind of thoughtless and big headed statement often made by this National Party Lap-dog.I think Mrs. Sinota was very brave indeed to appear in front of the committee...she deserved a medal not an insult from an idiot supreme.

Cleaners have made a tearful plea to MPs not to pass an employment law change that could see contracted workers lose their jobs if small businesses take over cleaning and other contracts.

Mareta Sinota was one of three cleaners who appeared at Parliament's industrial relations select committee on Thursday to submit against part of the Employment Relations Amendment Bill which would exempt small companies from having to provide continuity of employment when they take over a contract.

The law would exempt cleaning, catering, orderly and laundry businesses with fewer than 20 employees from having to offer work to the previous contract company's workers.

Mrs. Sinota is one of about 30 Spotless cleaners who clean Parliament's toilets, vacuum floors and empty the rubbish late at night.

"It's a hard job, a dirty job, but we don't mind being cleaners. We are proud to clean the most important house in the country," she said.

The cleaners, who are contracted by Spotless, received $14.10 an hour - just above the minimum wage of $13.75 - and Mrs. Sinota says she spends about $100 on transport for work each week, making it a struggle for her and her family to survive on a cleaner's wage, and the threat of losing her job if a smaller business undercuts Spotless' price is an added concern.

Sosefina Masoe and her husband have worked as cleaners at the Police College in Aotea for eight years.

In that time, Spotless cut their hours, before losing the contract to OCS - which kept their jobs, but cut their hours further.

She says they are worried the contract could change again and - if the law passes - they could lose their jobs.

Mele Peaua, a Spotless cleaner at Hutt Valley High School, said small, cheap companies will drive down the quality of cleaning, and if the cleaners lose their jobs, they have no redundancy protection.

Tau Henare’s stupid and degrading comments brought this response from one on line reader, and I quote:

“Tau Henare's comment on national television that if Mrs. Sinota didn’t want her job under Nationals proposed legislative changes she should find other employment is typical of the sick, cynical, inhuman and out of touch mindset of the National Party and their many supporters in NZ business.

An absolutely disgraceful comment from a politician who leads a privileged life on the back of the NZ taxpayer while the likes of Mrs. Sinota clean up after his bowel motions!

What a pig of a "man" (if you can call him that) and what a pig of a Party he represents! Imagine what this Party is doing to hard working NZers behind their backs if they have the gall to insult toilet cleaners on national television! Despicable and unacceptable behaviour from a government politician - the last National politician who denigrated a waiter for doing his job was forced to resign - the same fate should befall Tau Henare! What a dog!

Murray Georgel DHB CEO

Since I had to leave the Palmerston North Helen Kelly meeting to attend another event, I wasn't there for the discussion, but the Leisure Centre was pack out, but I realised just how badly treated our cleaners and care givers are and how favorably employers are being treated by this government.

One could be forgiven for thinking that workers are now being auctioned off by the government to the lowest bidder and I agree completely with the statement about Henare. Its no wonder that Labour, the Greens and the Mana Party are rising in the polls.  And one last word, the Boss of our District Health Board has just received a ten thousand dollar wage increase...taking him to five hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year...while the hospital cleaners who work for Spotless receive a wage you can not even live on...