This month’s Tuesday Club meeting will be addressed by Sam MacDonald chair of the CCC Finance Committee and Pauline Cotter who was deputy mayor in the last council. They will take us through this year’s Annual Plan and answer questions from the floor. Our meeting will be this Tuesday 24 … [Read more...]
Homelessness and Poverty
The influence Poverty has on a life This issue came home with a jolt recently as I listened to my wife speak at the funeral of her mum, my mother-in-law. Jean’s story was an inspiring one. She was born into poverty in the same square in London as Charlie Chaplin had, a generation or so before. … [Read more...]
Why is Kainga Ora selling state houses to property developers instead of families
Around the corner from us are houses where the kids living in them went to school with our kids. Some of these State houses are being sold and developers are pulling them down. In the Press we have this sort of … [Read more...]
The Supposed “Power” list
Read it here I was the recipient of the top place in the first two “power” lists. I didn’t ask to be on the list, and I felt awkward being judged by the Press as the most powerful person in Christchurch. A reporter rang me the second time and asked what my goal for the next year was. My response … [Read more...]
At its heart, politics is a contest of ideas.
I read this article recently about politics (sorry forgotten the link) It’s about defining, debating, and bringing them to life. While credibility and leadership are important, what should be driving our votes, discussions, and concerns are the ideas themselves. Yes, politics needs politicians, … [Read more...]
Government reforms proposed for local government:
The government has signalled that it wishes to reform local government. In this article https://theconversation.com/a-major-overhaul-of-nzs-local-government-is-underway-will-it-really-fix-whats-broken-272424 it was reported: The proposal would abolish regional councils and replace … [Read more...]
The Face of Evil Behind Trump
I have a German relative who, as we discussed Trump for the umpteenth time, recommended that I read about the men behind Hitler. He said this would inform me on the sort of people behind Trump. The book read like a blueprint of the manifesto for the 2025 document driving those behind Trump. In my … [Read more...]
Trouble is Rates Caps are great politics – but hopeless policy
I often disagree with the style, and comments, of Wayne Brown but his response to the government about their proposed cap on rates whilst wearing this cap reading a book “Surrounded by idiots” says it all. In this article the ramification of the crazy motives of this government are laid out … [Read more...]
CCHL and CE’s Salaries
Let us consider a bit of history. CCHL was formed when councils were required under the neo-liberal reforms to place their trading assets into companies. Most councils had trading companies and many of them sold their assets to honey tongued visitors offering them good prices. Christchurch swam … [Read more...]
Where there is a will, there is a way – News from Scotland
Today, the SNP Scottish Government delivered a budget that gives voters in Scotland the best cost-of-living package in the UK - both protected and expanded. "It shows, once again, that when decisions are taken here in Scotland, we can choose fairness, compassion and investment, not cuts."The … [Read more...]
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