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School boards join the National Standards debate
It’s always nice to wake up to good news, and this morning it was the news that 225 school Boards of Trustees will today deliver the message to the Government that they have no confidence in National...
View ArticleJust when you thought girls could do anything
The front page of today’s Dominion Post carries the story of a Newlands college pupil who was told she “looked like a slut” for wearing her school skirt short by her school dean. The verbal apology...
View ArticleNo return on PPP investment
John Key’s Government is poised to start tendering for public private partnerships (PPPs) to build and run our schools. I’ve said before what a terrible idea this is – overseas research suggests that...
View Article“Greens’ vigilance on Gillard merits praise”– John Armstrong
Here’s John Armstrong’s view on Julia Gillard addressing Parliament, as published in the NZ Herald this morning. Greens’ vigilance on Gillard merits praise – John Armstrong The Greens have got some...
View ArticleNational Standards race to nowhere
Yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited our Parliament and promoted free trade agreements with all the fervour of the faithful. This position was predictable, but less well known is...
View ArticleThoughts on Jetstar’s discrimination
When Jetstar refused two people the right to fly because they use wheelchairs and didn’t have two caregivers, it raised the endless and ongoing issue of discrimination against people with disabilities....
View ArticleGreen MPs and US ‘influence’
It was news on the Stuff website today that Russel Norman took a State Department-sponsored trip to the USA in 2009 and that our MPs have contact with the US embassy in NZ. Apparently it was news...
View ArticlePodcast: why you should care about the file sharing law
If you’re an internet nerd, chances are you’ll know all about the Copyright (Infringing File Sharing) Amendment Act recently passed by Parliament. Tech savvy types are united in opposition to the law...
View ArticleNever mind the facts, give us an opinion!
It seems the Far-From-Sensible Sentencing Trust is getting set to launch into another round of tub-thumping about how we are all too soft on crime; let’s lock ‘em up and throw away the key before we’re...
View ArticleIsraeli SAR leader had worked in intelligence
One bit of information that hasn’t come out yet is that Hilik Magnus, who led the private Israeli search and rescue team which arrived in Christchurch shortly after the February 22 quake had previously...
View ArticlePaddy Gower: The Mash Up
Yesterday we had TV3’s Patrick Gower come into our caucus meeting and sing us the star spangled banner. No offense to Paddy, but he’s not the best singer. So I thought I’d put it out to you creative...
View ArticleProtest photo punishment too harsh?
What was the Speaker thinking about when he came down so heavily on the NZ Herald, just before the election, for publishing a photo on its website of a highly unusual event in Parliament. I wonder...
View ArticleA nation divided?
It is great to see the Herald launch a six part series highlighting the impact of inequality and poverty in New Zealand. They started yesterday with a front page piece talking about inequality in New...
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Green policies translated into NZ Sign Language
In what is a first for a political party in New Zealand and possibly the world, I am thrilled that the Green Party has marked New Zealand Sign Language week by getting parts of our website translated...
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Congratulations Keith
Congratulations Keith. It is great to see Keith recognised for his passionate hard work standing up for human rights both at home and around the world. Keith was awarded Amnesty International...
View ArticleThe death of public broadcasting?
There is something important and terrifying happening, mostly without notice. It is the death of public television. We’re about to lose our only non-commercial free-to-air broadcaster (with the notable...
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Goodbye Margaret Mahy
Margaret Mahy once told a group of kids how, when she was young, she loved stories so much she started writing to “squeeze myself right into the stories”. And in the process, she squeezed generations...
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Take the Step – Auckland!
After spending Wednesday in the House on that crazy, toilet free, golf course plentiful Planet Key, I landed smoothly in the real world at Edmund Hillary Primary at Papakura on Thursday; a decile 1...
View ArticleJT does the time warp, again
The John Tamihere Horror Show has returned and is not so much about a jump to the left or a step to the right, but a giant leap backward into some weird chauvinistic 1960s time warp where “no fat...
View ArticleWe shouldn’t need to sponsor kids in NZ
The Dominion Post reports this morning about children’s charity Variety’s new Kiwi Kid sponsorship initiative. For around $35 a month, donors can “sponsor” a New Zealand child living below the poverty...
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