tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1710857334139329492024-03-13T14:26:58.657+13:00Centrist CommentFor families, communities, and the environment. Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.comBlogger168125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-64944303685632639282017-03-24T17:10:00.000+13:002017-03-24T17:11:41.830+13:00Caritas Justice Leadership Days - an inspiring experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I've just returned from the 2017 Caritas Justice Leadership Day in Wellington. This year the Wellington JLD was held in Avalon, Lower Hutt. <br />
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The JLDs are a once a year opportunity for student leaders to learn more about putting faith into practice and bring to life the principles of Catholic social teaching. Today's workshop again showed the energy and hope which characterize student leaders today. It was inspiring to be part of and I wish the students well with the various follow up actions they identified today. <br />
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The next generation will face more than its fair share of challenges including Climate Change, the impacts on culture of globalization and the erosion of community. Justice Leadership days are an investment in the leaders of the future.<br />
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More about JLDs <a href="http://www.caritas.org.nz/justice-leadership-days">here.</a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike></div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-29195179080934065222016-10-05T20:13:00.000+13:002016-10-05T20:13:22.607+13:00Lib Dems Do God - Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A book published in the UK and edited by Jo Latham and Clare Mathys sets out the case for Christians to be Liberal Democrats. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.libdem.org.uk/">LibDems</a> are Britain's third party and were part of the Coalition government during David Cameron's time as Prime Minister.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Under new leader Tim Farron the party has rediscovered its anti-establishment, reformist, Liberal roots. The book sets out some key themes that identify a strong overlap between Christian values and those liberals. These include:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A deep respect for human rights and the dignity of all people;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Freedom of religion for all;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Respect for individual freedom;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Equality for all - through combating poverty;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Appropriate regulatory frameworks to ensure that markets serve the common good.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">A humanitarian approach to global issues and an internationalist approach to issues such as Climate Change, Refugees and Migration.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For people of all faith traditions "Liberal Democrats Do God" (Latham & Mathys) is well worth a read and I recommend it to anyone that has an interest in politics or broader social issues related to liberty, equality and community.</span></div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-50525842080172595532015-10-08T19:08:00.001+13:002015-10-08T19:08:11.109+13:00A liberal democrat view of TPPA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ministers need to allow full public participation in TPPA review.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;"><b>Free Trade</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">As a liberal democrat I believe that people should have the freedom to trade with one another provided that one person is not exploiting another. Similarly freedom to trade between countries is generally a good thing. It has tended to reduce the cost of living for people over the last one hundred years. For poorer countries increased trade has often been the means by which they have increased export income and increased living standards, healthcare and education. Conversely protectionist measures and import licensing are systems which have been fraught with abuse resulting in high prices for the public and big profits for a few private investors. Most New Zealanders who lived through the 1970s or 1980s can recall the high price of electrical equipment and motor vehicles. So free trade is fine where agreements are openly arrived at and no one group in society, particularly the poor and vulnerable, is made worse off. However that does not mean that all trade agreements are good ones or that liberals should blindly support a bad trade deal just because its a trade deal. W</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">hen it comes to the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement (TPPA) there are several things that concern me and which don't appear to line up with some key liberal democratic principles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;"><b>Open government</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Generally liberals support open government and transparent decision making. Secrecy and behind closed doors commercial deals are generally not a good thing. In fact we have laws to prevent private companies doing that kind of thing when it comes to setting prices. The reason we have laws against such secret arrangements is that they tend to be at the expense of the public and to enrich private interests. Why then, with the TPPA, is it OK for the public to be kept in the dark - but for commercial interests and government representatives to meet in secret to make deals? Such behaviour engenders suspicion and undermines confidence in public institutions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Proponents of the TPPA claim that it's nothing to worry about because "all trade deals are arrived at this way". But such an argument does not stand up to scrutiny. If our negotiating position is being shared behind closed doors with other countries representatives and with corporate interest groups then why not with the public? In a democracy citizens are entitled to be informed. It is the government's job to persuade an informed citizenry that a decision is in the public interest. Depriving the public of the information is not a satisfactory alternative. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.8267px;"><b>Serve the public interest</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.8267px;">Liberals also believe that the government has an obligation to serve the public interest or the common good. The common good is about making all people better off. Reducing the welfare of one group so that other privileged groups gain is not acting in the common good. A trade deal that increases the price of medicines for the sick but allows large agribusiness interests to line their pockets does not serve the common good. A trade agreement which limits the ability of a government to regulate in the public interest does not serve the common good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.8267px;">The government has developed a reputation for commercial pragmatism. One can debate whether that is well-founded or whether an unprincipled pragmatism is something to crow about. But even from such a standpoint - where ugly sacrifices are made in healthcare treatments and our regulators are handcuffed lest they upset private interests - the huge benefits for dairy that we were promised in return seem to have disappeared like a mirage in the desert. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;">Labour Spokesperson, Annette King, said: "<i>The deal falls well below expectations with only disappointing crumbs for our dairy industry and extended patents on new drugs which will cost the taxpayer millions and leave New Zealanders without life-saving drugs.</i>...</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;"><i> New Zealanders must be told whether the government has traded away our right to further restrict foreign ownership of housing or farm land and what agreements have been made to </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 20.8267px;"><i>allow foreign corporations to sue New Zealand for regulating in the public interest.</i></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.8267px;"></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">Commentator Colin James points out that Minister Grocer's arguments about the alleged benefits also include a hefty amount of gains that would have happened anyway under existing trade arrangements. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.3px;">"Tim Groser attributes the greater-than-forecast gains in sales to China since 2008 to the free trade agreement (FTA) when most of them might well -- probably would -- have happened anyway, given the spike in China's demand for milk products. (If he is right, then would the fall in the past year also logically have to be attributed to the FTA?)"</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.3px;"><b>Democratic decision-making</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 21.3px;">As Colin James highlights: (TPPA) <i>"</i></span><span style="line-height: 21.3px;"><i>and similar regional agreements are about regulatory convergence every bit as much as, and arguably more than, about goods trade access. That is why patents and copyright were top of the United States' list and why opponents bother a lot about patents and copyright costs here and about investor-state dispute resolution issues, which do not yet have a global supervisory mechanism." (www.colinjames.co.nz)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.3px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since 1984 New Zealand's (and many other countries') national sovereignty has been severely eroded by global economic centralisation - or what Pope Francis has termed the "technocratic paradigm". Government Ministers now say that New Zealand's influence is so small that we should join the TPPA club because being in, with a very tiny amount of influence, is better than being out on our own. However, in a democracy governments are meant to govern in the public interest. If the current economic model does not allow them to do that then they need a new model. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21.3px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The full text of the TPPA should be published now and a lengthy and comprehensive public review of the Agreement needs to take place . Otherwise the public confidence in the Agreement will be undermined and so too will be the basis of trust between citizen and government that underpins democracy. Abolitionist and liberal activist Wendell Phillips was quoted in 1852 as saying: </span></span></div>
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-8075887237761513202015-09-27T15:05:00.000+13:002015-09-27T15:11:52.661+13:00A brief history of Liberal politics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>British Liberal Prime Minister - David Lloyd-George</u></span></td></tr>
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A liberal is someone who believes in liberty and equality. Liberals espouse a wide array of views, depending on their
understanding of these principles, but generally they support ideas and
programs such as <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Freedom of speech">freedom of speech</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Freedom of the press">freedom of the press</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Freedom of religion">freedom of religion</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Civil rights">civil rights</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Democracy">democratic societies</a>, and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Internationalism (politics)">international cooperation</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> </span><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-LInternational_4-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-LInternational-4"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Nader_Hashemi_5-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-Nader_Hashemi-5"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Kathleen_G._Donohue_6-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-Kathleen_G._Donohue-6"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-The_Economist_7-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-The_Economist-7"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Sheldon_S._Wolin_8-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-Sheldon_S._Wolin-8"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Edwin_Brown_Firmage.2C_Bernard_G._Weiss.2C_John_Woodland_Welch_9-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-Edwin_Brown_Firmage.2C_Bernard_G._Weiss.2C_John_Woodland_Welch-9"></a></sup><sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-John_Joseph_Lalor_10-0"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberalism#cite_note-John_Joseph_Lalor-10"></a></sup>
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Liberalism rejected the notions of <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Nobility">hereditary privilege</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="State religion">state religion</a>, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Absolute monarchy">absolute monarchy</a>, and the <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Divine Right of Kings">Divine Right of Kings</a>. The 17th-century philosopher <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="John Locke">John Locke</a> is often credited with founding liberalism as a distinct philosophical tradition. Locke argued that each man has a <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Natural rights">natural right</a> to life, liberty and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Private property">property</a>,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-11"></sup> while adding that governments must not violate these rights based on the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Social contract">social contract</a>. </span><br />
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Liberals opposed <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Traditionalist conservatism">reactionary conservatism</a> and sought to replace <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Absolutism (European history)">monarchist absolutism</a> in government with <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Democracy">representative democracy</a> and the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Rule of law">rule of law</a>.<br />
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Although British classical liberals aspired to a minimum of state activity, the passage of the <span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Factory Acts">Factory Acts</a> in the early 19th century which involved government interference in the economy met with their approval. </span>In this period, the dominant ideological opponent of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Classical liberalism">classical liberalism</a> was <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Conservatism">conservatism</a>, but liberalism later survived major ideological challenges from new opponents, such as <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Fascism">fascism</a> and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Communism">communism</a>. </div>
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By the end of the nineteenth century, the principles of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Classical liberalism">classical liberalism</a>
were being increasingly challenged by downturns in economic growth, a
growing perception of the evils of poverty, unemployment and relative
deprivation present within modern industrial cities, and the agitation
of <a class="mw-redirect" href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Organised labour">organised labour</a>.
The ideal of the self-made individual, who through hard work and talent
could make his or her place in the world, seemed increasingly
implausible.<br />
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During the 20th century, liberal ideas spread even further as <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Liberal democracy">liberal democracies</a> found themselves on the winning side in both world wars. In Europe and North America, the establishment of <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Social liberalism">social liberalism</a> became a key component in the expansion of the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Welfare state">welfare state. </a></div>
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lloyd_George" title="David Lloyd George">Lloyd George</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill" title="Winston Churchill">Churchill</a> passed the 1909 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Budget" title="People's Budget">People's Budget</a>, aimed at the redistribution of wealth.<br />
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Another early liberal convert to greater government intervention was <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Thomas Hill Green">Thomas Hill Green</a>.
Seeing the effects of alcohol, he believed that the state should foster
and protect the social, political and economic environments in which
individuals will have the best chance of acting according to their
consciences. The state should intervene only where there is a clear,
proven and strong tendency of a liberty to enslave the individual.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69"></sup>
Green regarded the national state as legitimate only to the extent that
it upholds a system of rights and obligations that is most likely to
foster individual self-realisation.<br />
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This strand began to coalesce into the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Social liberalism">social liberalism</a> movement at the turn of the twentieth century in Britain. The New Liberals, which included intellectuals like <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse">L.T. Hobhouse</a>, and <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="John A. Hobson">John A. Hobson</a>, saw individual liberty as something achievable only under favorable social and economic circumstances.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-adams_70-0"></sup>
In their view, the poverty, squalor, and ignorance in which many people
lived made it impossible for freedom and individuality to flourish. New
Liberals believed that these conditions could be ameliorated only
through collective action coordinated by a strong, welfare-oriented, and
interventionist state.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-71"></sup> The <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="People's Budget">People's Budget</a> of 1909, championed by <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="David Lloyd George">David Lloyd George</a> and fellow liberal <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Winston Churchill">Winston Churchill</a>, introduced unprecedented taxes on the wealthy in Britain and radical social welfare programmes to the country's policies.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72"></sup> It was the first budget with the expressed intent of redistributing wealth among the public.<br />
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In New Zealand the Liberal Party was the first real <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party" title="Political party">political party. </a> It <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_Government_of_New_Zealand" title="Liberal Government of New Zealand">governed from 1891 until 1912</a>.
The Liberal strategy was to create a large class of small land-owning
farmers who supported Liberal ideals, by buying land and selling it to
small farmers on credit. The First Liberal government also established
the basis of the later welfare state, with old age pensions, developed a
system for settling industrial disputes, which was accepted by both
employers and trade unions. In 1893 it extended voting rights to women,
making New Zealand the first country in the world to enact universal
female suffrage.<br />
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New Zealand gained international attention for the Liberal reforms, especially how the state regulated labour relations.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Liberal_Party#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup>
Of special note were innovations in the areas of maximum hour
regulations, minimum wage laws, and compulsory arbitration procedures.
The goal was to encourage unions but discourage strikes and class
conflict.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Liberal_Party#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup> The impact was especially strong on the reform movement in the United States.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_Liberal_Party#cite_note-3">[3]</a></sup><br />
<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-73"></sup><br />
In New Zealand the Liberals enjoyed a brief resurgence as the United Party under the leadership of Sir Joseph Ward between 1928-30.However, during the 1930s Liberal parties began to be squeezed between left wing socialist parties and right wing conservative parties. During the Great Depression and World War Two Liberal parties tended to join in Coalition governments in the interests of national unity. </div>
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-21186990261502627782015-09-14T22:47:00.002+12:002015-09-14T22:47:56.932+12:00Something wrong with unjust financial system<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://www.caritas.org.nz/resources/social-justice-week">The Caritas social justice week dvd. </a>was shown in north Wellington tonight. The guys attending reflected on the growing gap between the rich and poor in New Zealand; the urbanisation and decline of provincial towns and the need for rebuilding linkages in communities which build trusting relationships (social capital).<br />
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One of the case studies dealt with a vulnerable woman who borrowed money from a loan shark for a washing machine. There is something very wrong with a financial system that allows loan sharks to exploit the poor and vulnerable, which allows bank interest rates of more than 20% when the OCR is less than 3% and which uses taxpayers to bailout owners of large financial companies who made bad business decisions.<br />
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The enormous power granted to global banking corporates means such organisations wield more financial power than some governments. The huge and growing tsunami of debt owed to banking and financial companies now threatens the stability of economies worldwide.<br />
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We need a financial system that upholds human dignity and promotes participation by all. </div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-67361244368780104112015-03-22T17:17:00.000+13:002015-03-22T17:17:12.606+13:00Vodafone Foundation Making A World of Difference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hYThjJ0KmOg/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hYThjJ0KmOg?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Vodafone Foundation is a charitable trust determined to make a real difference in the lives of young people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here's one of the examples of how we do that.</div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-37186003745148971032013-03-20T14:23:00.000+13:002013-03-20T14:23:29.845+13:00NZ's debt to rest of world grows<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f9f7e9; color: #310c04; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 14px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Net foreign liabilities - a measure of what New Zealand owes the rest of the</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f9f7e9; color: #310c04; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 14px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> world - rose to $150 billion or 71.7% of GDP in the year according to a </span><a href="http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/business/130881/current-account-deficit-widens"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Radio NZ report</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For a small economy, distant from world markets and reliant so heavily on one export sector this news should be cause for concern. We need a coherent strategy to develop at least two other major export sectors. ICT looks as if it could grow into one of those. Either way an economy owing so much to offshore financiers will remain vulnerable to external shocks until it has a plan to diminish that vulnerability and then executes against that plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One element towards a comprehensive solution is that the government must get back to surplus at the earliest opportunity. But wouldn't it also be smart to look to the private sector savings levels and reduction of household debt to contribute to this overseas-debt reduction cause?</span></div>
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-58162525202598457822013-03-18T21:32:00.000+13:002013-03-18T21:32:57.746+13:00Businesses opposed to new tax on mobile technology<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inland Revenue's latest tax tightening proposals will hit smaller businesses the hardest with extra compliance costs, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says in a recent <a href="http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1303/S00018/taxing-personal-use-of-work-mobile-phones.htm" style="background-color: transparent;">EMA media statement</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<i>The impact of the new taxes on car parks along with the proposal to tax the personal use of mobile phones and laptops will aggravate compliance costs for all businesses but especially SMEs,</i>" said Kim Campbell, EMA's chief executive.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"It's absolutely not worth IRD proceeding with this. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3;">A recent national survey of ours found 47 per cent of employers allow the personal use of smart phones, and 35 per cent allow personal use of tablets and laptops provided for business purposes."</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Certainly if you accept the principle that governments should tax those things they want less of then taxing mobile technologies seems like a backward step in the move towards more efficient 21st century business practice. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The IRD should not be trying to determine the extent to which households or businesses should use new technology. That is the practical effect of this tax proposal. Like the carpark tax the costs and unintended distortions of this new tax proposal outweigh any meagre benefits. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>Disclaime</u>r: the author is employed by a telecommunications provider.</span></div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-83762121103718074552013-02-21T13:03:00.001+13:002013-02-21T13:03:52.784+13:00Minister welcomes investment in New Zealand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-gcrz9-db1hIkot1mdQN7ukGTRuu-CaXlZmz6SRk30SQj-eSBmFiSyKpOCoG7xMzZJtJcDmzfYOC4EKoEiY2abzCE8d15AXdFys97t2W_oJIWbiz5J8TzNh8VqhRyycqcYXiLlLUWU64/s1600/amy+adams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-gcrz9-db1hIkot1mdQN7ukGTRuu-CaXlZmz6SRk30SQj-eSBmFiSyKpOCoG7xMzZJtJcDmzfYOC4EKoEiY2abzCE8d15AXdFys97t2W_oJIWbiz5J8TzNh8VqhRyycqcYXiLlLUWU64/s1600/amy+adams.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Minister of Communications, Hon Amy Adams, today welcomed the news that another hi-tech company was opening up new jobs in Wellington. Centrist Comment says this is precisely the sort of new hi-tech investment Wellington requires. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/minister-welcomes-investment-new-zealand">beehive.govt.nz - Minister welcomes investment in New Zealand</a></div>Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-81344297071036957542013-02-20T17:09:00.001+13:002013-02-20T17:09:00.308+13:00Govt operating deficit smaller than forecast | The National Business ReviewAccording to a recent media report <a href="http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/nz-1h-operating-deficit-smaller-forecast-actuarial-gain-pushes-books-black-bd-136132#.USRLE0JoeGc.blogger">Govt operating deficit smaller than forecast | The National Business Review</a> the government's books are in better shape than expected. However, the main reason is that budgeted expenses did not arise when they were expected. They will however arise later on so there is no room for complacency in terms of the government's goal of achieveing a budget surplus in 2014-15. Given the high level of private debt its important that the government finances are brought back into shape sooner rather than later. The challenge is how to balance a tight fiscal policy against keeping the emerging economic growth rates going.Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-78883970274482055562013-01-04T11:29:00.000+13:002013-01-04T11:29:01.838+13:002012 climate events - a cause for concern<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This <a href="http://thestandard.org.nz/climate-last-year-and-this-year/">article</a> appeared listing all the events linked to climate change. There is no doubt that the world's weather seems to be changing or that the polar ice cap is melting. There also seems to be little doubt that sea levels are rising. In the face of the evidence it seems reasonable to be taking measures to do what we can to reduce CO2 emissions and to re-orient our economy towards renewable energy. </div>
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Nations around the world are considering ways to reduce CO2 emissions that are aligned with economic development and full employment. New Zealand is well placed with its bountiful use of hydro-energy. But we should be moving towards further reduction in our reliance on imported oil and look more towards tidal, wind and solar energy. Progress in these areas can both reduce the impact on the environment and help improve our poor Current Account deficit. <a href="http://hot-topic.co.nz/the-year-the-earth-bit-back-top-climate-stories-of-2012/">http://hot-topic.co.nz/the-year-the-earth-bit-back-top-climate-stories-of-2012/</a></div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-91024951049280550392012-12-24T09:08:00.003+13:002012-12-24T09:08:33.572+13:00Yes - the guns are the problem<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Seven years ago an elderly Los Angeles woman who had agreed to move out of her
daughter's apartment bought a handgun. She cleared the background check, passed
the safety test and practiced on targets at the local shooting range. Then she
shot and killed her daughter and her daughter's fiance -- my brother David." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Seven years ago Jenny Price penned this column following the shooting of her brother by someone who had passed a gun safety check and was registered to use a gun. </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/24/AR2005122400329.html"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Washington Post</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> published the story back in 2005. </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Only 3 percent of such deaths are accidents, since most murders are committed
with legally purchased firearms. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The problem is with guns being too easily available in the USA. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As Jenny Price wrote on Christmas Day 2005:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"The problem is that 65 million people in the United States own handguns. The gun
used to kill my brother was a Glock 19, a light and portable semi-automatic.
These guns are designed to kill people: That's their sole purpose. Nearly 12,000
Americans annually use guns to do just that, and the majority use handguns.
Twelve thousand: that's comparable to the number of AIDS deaths each year in the
United States. (Great Britain has about 100 gun deaths each year.)</span> ".<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The organisations that benefit from lax gun laws are primarily the arms manufacturers. Certainly the tens of thousands of Americans who are killed by gunfire each year do not. Nor their families or communities.</span> <span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Most civilised societies have a full time police force to maintain order. They choose to do this instead of letting citizens arm themselves in a "law of the jungle" mentality which was more suited to the 18th and 19th century wild west. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">President Obama has done much to restore America's tarnished image in the international community. But Americans need to take back their nation and tell the gun lobby that enough is enough. One of the fundamental freedoms guaranteed in the constitution is "life" - the freedom to live. The biggest threat to that freedom right now is not the US government . It is the Gun Lobby. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-4840381028281796512012-12-23T21:00:00.000+13:002012-12-23T21:00:42.924+13:00What do Centrists stand for?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Someone asked me the other day what centrists stand for? The assertion they made was that centrists just make themselves equidistant from the left wing and the right wing and become a kind of bland unprincipled lot. The truth of course is very different. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Most centrists have their own, often strongly-held, principles. However, they do share a common distrust of both extreme State Socialism where government agencies are expected to solve all of a country's problems. The Soviet Union showed that such a system becomes dysfunctional and will eventually collapse under the weight of its own inefficiencies - as well as its abuse of human rights. At the same time most centrists abhor the injustices perpetuated by unregulated monopolies and the large gaps between rich and poor that deny many people equal opportunities on the basis of race, class or gender. A healthy and stable society will have a high degree of social cohesion where all citizens can participate. The institutions of civil society - such as families and religious, sports or cultural organisations help build such belonging and cohesion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
History has shown that allowing people to trade goods and services freely usually results in innovation, prosperity and improved relations between cultures and nations. But governments have a legitimate role to play in developing effective laws and regulations that protect the environment, help the disadvantaged, protect the security of all citizens and ensure that everyone has access to good quality health, education and welfare. In general centrists believe in <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">a property-owning society under the benign guidance of a fair and just government. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
In many ways centrists act as the glue that holds political processes together. They can see the effectiveness of the policies they seek to implement and are prepared to work with legislators to improve policy settings. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the US context, for example, the need for principled centrist legislators has never been greater. Whether they be in the Democratic Party -or the Republican Party - centrists need to find common cause and ensure there is progress - particularly on the control of semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles. Dwight Eisenhower, a moderate Republican, showed during the 1950s that Congress and the White House can work effectively for change. President Kennedy showed the same thing during the 1960s. It's time for ideology to be put to one side and the safety of children to be put first. </span><br />
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-39271386527004192632012-12-22T14:20:00.000+13:002012-12-22T14:20:27.101+13:00Best Chance Yet For Effective Gun Control<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">WASHINGTON (AP) -US Vice President, Joe Biden, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16.78333282470703px;">who is overseeing the administration's response to Friday's killing of 20 children and six adults at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, said he and President Barack Obama are "absolutely committed" to curbing gun violence in the United States.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Even if we can only save one life, we have to take action," he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A longtime gun-control advocate, Biden met Thursday with Cabinet members and law enforcement officials from around the country. He said he wanted to meet with the group, which included representatives of at least a dozen law enforcement organizations, because they "know better than anyone else what's needed out there."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16.78333282470703px;">It's encouraging to see that the administration is seeking out expert advice on how best to reduce gun violence in America. President Obama has indicated he is prepared to take measures which will be effective even if they are unpopular. In addition, some prominent gun-rights advocates on Capitol Hill - Democrats and Republicans alike - have expressed willingness to consider new measures. </span><a href="http://www.wtop.com/289/3165973/Biden-We-have-to-take-action-on-gun-control-" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 16.78333282470703px;">wtop</a></div>
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-67296075029913887012012-12-21T21:36:00.000+13:002012-12-21T21:39:36.763+13:00Obama takes action on Gun Laws<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">WASHINGTON — </span><a class="meta-per" href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/barack_obama/index.html?inline=nyt-per" style="background-color: white; color: #666699; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;" title="More articles about Barack Obama">President Obama</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> declared on Wednesday that he would make gun control a “central issue” as he opens his second term, promising to submit broad new firearm proposals to Congress no later than January and to employ the full power of his office to overcome deep-seated political resistance. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/us/politics/obama-to-give-congress-plan-on-gun-control-within-weeks.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0">New York Times</a></span></div>
Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-45657220320824479742012-06-16T16:39:00.002+12:002012-06-16T16:39:53.052+12:00Trans Pacific Partnership?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Legitimate questions are being asked about the trans-pacific partnership negotiations currently underway. Will foreign tobacco corporates be able to intimidate future NZ governments by claiming damages if our government signs the TPP agreement? Why won't the government tell the public what it is advancing as the NZ position? Australia refused to sign the TPP on the grounds that it would compromise the sovereignty of Australia. Why does our government believe that we can maintain our sovereignty and still be compliant with the TPP? Finally, will US and EU pharmaceutical companies be able to leverage the provisions of the TPP to bring pressure to bear on New Zealand's PHARMAC agency and thereby sell medicines at higher prices to kiwis? </div>Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-32744196671090618382011-07-02T11:32:00.000+12:002012-12-22T14:22:28.541+13:00Export-led recovery needed now<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of New Zealand's risk areas is its 40 year habit of borrowing to sustain the lifestyle we have become accustomed to. Since 1973 NZ has run ongoing current account deficits - that is we have been paying out more for imports and debt servicing then we have been earning from exports each year. The end result is that on a per capita basis NZ Inc (public and private sectors) now owes almost as much as the basket case economies of Greece, Spain and Ireland. Contributing factors were: the oil price shocks of 1973 and 1979; the UK's entry into the EU and the loss of traditional trading markets; and poor policy decisions here at home.<br />
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To get out from this hole NZ needs to change a few things:<br />
1. Stop digging a deeper hole - stop borrowing so much overseas - earn more from selling high value products in overseas markets. <br />
2. Invest more in research & development - especially into high value products for the export market.<br />
3. Ensure we have an efficient and well-maintained infrastructure - transport, broadband communications, and financial services.<br />
4. Make it easier for overseas investors to live and do business in NZ - including joint ventures, PPPs, and high-value exports where the economic benefits flow back to the national economy.<br />
5. Provide policy settings than encourage kiwis to work or start their own businesses - rather than rely on welfare, promote education and training for 21st century living and working; encourage savings and investment rather than consumption and spending. <br />
6. Encourage kiwis to look outwards to the global economy for their incomes - while living in NZ and building a strong sense of national identity and of place here in Aotearoa New Zealand. <br />
7. Promote equal opportunities - regardless of class, gender or race. Break the long tail of underachievement and ensure that all kiwis have the chance to be part of the economic, educational and social mainstream of Aotearoa NZ. <br />
8. Keep our clean green environment in good shape for future generations. <br />
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If any politicians out there want to pick up this recipe - feel free. Oh- one other thing - NZ should be setting a course and sticking with it - we need to avoid these lurches to the right and the left - especially on matter such as employment law, superannuation and compulsory saving. A good piece of bi-partisanship would be very helpful to our long term future. Both major parties know superannuation needs to be made affordable and the age probably needs raising. Why not agree on a few principles that the main parties will work within? I think the public are ready - provided there is plenty of notice and no one has the rug pulled out from under them.<br />
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Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-65172648874627439392011-04-26T23:18:00.000+12:002011-04-26T23:18:58.344+12:00Rumblings Rising on Right<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3zHqYXbeNF3J5ni-eB4CeHYvAzx-574ruH1-FpChrusgkm6sFP0qrCh1bWq3AlC-HrW66vsuFew4Zucq2lx04FS82Cj77P3XoHVsuLAO72i4u7AS7ByAqNsqKiKxjxAVXMfMv8B9SP1r/s1600/1198RodneyHide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3zHqYXbeNF3J5ni-eB4CeHYvAzx-574ruH1-FpChrusgkm6sFP0qrCh1bWq3AlC-HrW66vsuFew4Zucq2lx04FS82Cj77P3XoHVsuLAO72i4u7AS7ByAqNsqKiKxjxAVXMfMv8B9SP1r/s200/1198RodneyHide.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />
<a href="http://thestandard.org.nz/its-all-on-calvert/">The Standard</a> claims that a change in ACT leadership is likely following Don Brash's leadership bid announced today. Unfortunately for ACT its problems may be deeper than a question of who holds the leadership position.<br />
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While ACT won some public support for its tough stance on law & order and its exposure of public sector extravagance (much of the credit for which goes to Hide) it also turned off many voters with its fundamentalist adherence to the purist free market - an ideology rejected by most centrist voters in successive elections.<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Voters have concluded that selling off more of our economy to foreign ownership offers only a short term palliative at best and at worst is a betrayal of this country's long term economic interests. At a time of economic sluggishness and high unemployment opposition parties could normally be expected to be gaining ground. However Labour has identity problems of its own. </div><br />
Damien O'Connor voiced the thoughts of many traditional Labour voters (and some Labour MPs) who are centrist on economic policy but conservative on social issues. Rightly or wrongly such voters feel Labour no longer represents them.<br />
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A genuine centrist party is a movement based on the aspirations of mainstream hardworking kiwis who are fed up with those politicians who seem to be increasingly out of touch with ordinary people. </div>Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-26968566695056893712011-02-20T17:51:00.000+13:002011-02-20T17:51:40.837+13:00Liberal Democrats making progress in UK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjYu8cwhIfk-M45nkC1I3RQoc1SlT0bAI6Sf-1wBd4dbQl87dmMQYcEYm4UmAZx_VEDmzkiPwbjE25_WPXPDqtNz3a7osSMnAa7dlvqLXOi6Vuev-FsUojXSlggWLsmbtJGeHxuKEhVd6/s1600/Liberal-Democrat-Leader-N-007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjYu8cwhIfk-M45nkC1I3RQoc1SlT0bAI6Sf-1wBd4dbQl87dmMQYcEYm4UmAZx_VEDmzkiPwbjE25_WPXPDqtNz3a7osSMnAa7dlvqLXOi6Vuev-FsUojXSlggWLsmbtJGeHxuKEhVd6/s320/Liberal-Democrat-Leader-N-007.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, continues to advance the fight against child poverty with the recently announced government initiatives to assist children. <br />
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In addition the Liberals and Conservatives look likely to face a forthcoming debate over British electoral reform as an upcoming referendum pitches the First Past the Post status quo against a proportional voting system. </div>Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-8121583767320771542011-01-08T21:13:00.001+13:002011-01-08T21:13:38.878+13:00Positively Wellington for better wages - National - NZ Herald News<p>Wellington – a great place to work. Wellington is well-placed to become a fast growth, high-wage, city economy.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10698467">Positively Wellington for better wages - National - NZ Herald News</a></p> Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-61422368888875376642010-12-15T20:17:00.000+13:002010-12-15T20:17:34.602+13:00Mapp RetiresHon Wayne Mapp is retiring from politics. He deserves credit for his work in the Research, Science & Technology portfolio. He has also made the difficult decision to leave while he is at the top of his game. It will be important that the RS&T portfolio be held by another senior Minister - given its vital importance to New Zealand's future propsperity.Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-8156312117332954162010-11-30T20:53:00.000+13:002010-11-30T20:53:14.659+13:00Treasury prompting debate on key issuesIn a recent NZ Herald story <br />
<div><a href="http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10689803">More to be done on tax, education, says Treasury secretary - Business - NZ Herald News</a></div>Treasury Secretary, John Whitehead, championed the cause of reforms in tax and education to spur improved performance. It's good to see Treasury again prompting debate about longer term challenges facing the country.Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-84602684391800833172010-11-17T23:47:00.000+13:002010-11-17T23:47:01.707+13:00There is a way out for Ireland, and Britain should stand ready to offer it<a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100064000/there-is-a-way-out-for-ireland-and-britain-should-stand-ready-offer-it/">There is a way out for Ireland, and Britain should stand ready to offer it</a><br />The problem with an overly centralised EU is that it can drag down provincial economies through inappropriate monetary policy settings. There are lessons here for small island economies. Don't let speculative bubbles get out of hand. Balance the books. Keep taxes as low as is feasible.Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-11807209787233075562010-11-13T23:27:00.000+13:002010-11-13T23:27:01.636+13:00kiwis take it to kangaroosThe New Zealand league team are level with Australia 6-6 as I write. No matter the end result the kiwis have put on an awesome display of determination and strength tonight. Go the kiwis!Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-171085733413932949.post-60199477076336405032010-11-05T22:28:00.001+13:002010-11-05T22:48:08.048+13:00Nick Clegg: Coalition will support growth across whole country | The Liberal Democrats: Latest News Detail<a href="http://www.libdems.org.uk/latest_news_detail.aspx?title=Nick_Clegg%3a_Coalition_will_support_growth_across_whole_country&pPK=d9c943f5-18b2-4fad-bdf3-74b1cb88400a">Nick Clegg: Coalition will support growth across whole country The Liberal Democrats: Latest News Detail</a><br />
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A 1.4 billion pounds regional growth fund has been created - the first of many regional initiatives to be launched by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government in the UK.Roger Ellishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02302230073328412343noreply@blogger.com0