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Three big ideas for New Zealand’s climate change target

Gareth MorganMay 27, 2015Environment

In our last blog on climate change issues we argued that delaying action on carbon emissions is a short term strategy which portends awful long term consequences, – economic, social and environmental. Now we will take a look at the … Read More

Community water fluoridation should be a basic right and it should be expanded

Gareth MorganMay 25, 2015Health

In undertaking a new project on kids in this country, finding out what makes life good for all of them (not just some) we are looking at some of the policies that affect kids disproportionality, especially in health. Earlier we … Read More

Why are we still dragging our feet on climate change?

Gareth MorganMay 25, 2015Environment

Climate change deniers have well and truly been given the flick yet political commitment to policies to reduce carbon footprints remains limp. Given the Government’s quick and dirty climate change consultation (it is 4 weeks long, logically flawed and doesn’t … Read More

Budget 2015: Don’t worry about the surplus, worry about this… Whiteboard Friday

Gareth MorganMay 22, 2015Economics

Bill’s budget put a bit of extra change in the pocket of poor families, but that came at the cost of the promised surplus. But should you be worried about it? With government debt still only at 25% of our … Read More

Bill English’s Budget illustrates complexity in welfare system

Geoff SimmonsMay 21, 2015Tax and Welfare

Budget 2015 has been touted as a package for the poor. And it certainly delivers them more money. However, it gives with one hand and takes away with the other, revealing the confusing and perverse nature of our welfare system. … Read More

Why do we think beneficiaries are nothing?

Gareth MorganMay 19, 2015Tax and Welfare

This week Canterbury Community Law published some research on what it was like to be a beneficiary in the Canterbury region. While the research was not representative of all beneficiaries’ experiences in New Zealand, it does highlights the dehumanising, belittling, … Read More

Reserve Bank Warns of risks to financial stability

Gareth MorganMay 19, 2015Economics

The Reserve Bank has pointed out the key threats to the financial stability of our economy; housing investors in Auckland and the risk that some dairy farmers could be under the hammer if prices stay low. They are stating the … Read More

Government’s “Capital Gains Tax” too little, too late

Gareth MorganMay 17, 2015Tax and Welfare

The good thing about John Key’s announcement of a selective capital gains tax on Auckland housing is that he has responded to the Reserve Bank’s call to “do something” about the tax distortion around property ownership. There are two bad … Read More

Why we need to start educating kids about food in school – Whiteboard Friday

Gareth MorganMay 15, 2015Health

FOOD REVOLUTION DAY IS FIGHTING TO PUT COMPULSORY PRACTICAL FOOD EDUCATION ON THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. With diet-related diseases rising at an alarming rate, it has never been more important to educate children about food, where it comes from and how … Read More

Get rid of our flag of subservience

Gareth MorganMay 14, 2015Treaty

When John Key first raised the issue of changing the flag it seemed like a random flight of fancy, especially when he referred to our flag as a “brand” – as though we should decide whether we fancied the silver … Read More