2011 November archive at Grant Robertson

Archive for November, 2011

Ten Policies You Might Have Missed

November 17th, 2011

Labour has released the major planks of our plan to get the economy working for New Zealanders; taking the tough decisions for the long term, keeping assets, addressing the spiralling cost of living, and giving kids the best start in life.

But there has also been a lot of other policy, big and small, released that shows the hard work done by spokespeople across our portfolios to address the issues in specific sectors. I know there is a lot happening, so here are ten policies that have already come out that you might not have heard a lot about, but address issues that are of significance to many New Zealanders. There are of course loads of other policies, and inclusion in this list is no indication of relative importance, just to give you a flavour. You can check out all the policies, here.

1. Labour will provide an additional 5,000 fees-free training places for 16 and 17 year olds over 3 years, including 1,000 that have a M?ori mentoring element and 1000 with a Pasifika mentoring element. (YOUTH AFFAIRS)

2. Labour will work with the ITO sector to develop a Creative Industries Apprenticeship, as part of the Modern Apprenticeships Scheme. (ARTS, CULTURE and HERITAGE)

3. Labour will amend the Holidays Act to 2008 settings to protect the rights of workers to time off for rest and recreation and ensure that all NZ workers have access to 11 days off on pay for recognised public holidays, including Anzac and Waitangi Day. (WORK AND WAGES)

4. Labour will invest $75 million over four years in “e-learning? for low-decile schools, with priority going to schools with year 7 -13 students and the capability to deliver an effective programme . This includes Government funding for students to have individual use of a
mobile device. (EDUCATION)

5.Labour will immediately restore $13 million cut from ACE funding to improve access to adult and community education. (TERTIARY EDUCATION)

6. Labour will create a world sanctuary area in the EEZ around the Kermadec Islands by way of giving this area marine reserve status.(CONSERVATION)

7. Labour will therefore direct Solid Energy not to proceed with its liquid fuels lignite mining proposal.(ENVIRONMENT)

8.We will continue to participate in Trans-Pacific Partnership talks but reiterate our commitment to retaining Pharmac in particular as a bottom line item which must not be traded away. We feel similarly strongly about intellectual property provisions. (TRADE)

9. Labour will increase all one-officer Police stations to at least two officer stations. (SAFER SOCIETY)

(and for Clare) 10. Labour will bring the TV broadcasting industry together to establish a consensus for new Technical Delivery Requirements and a unified national standard for (volume on TV Ads) all broadcasters that reflects international best practice. (BROADCASTING)

Posted in Election, Policies, Own Our Future and Labour. | 1 Comment

It’s About Jobs

November 15th, 2011

There is one issue that comes up at almost every meeting, in every town that I have visited in this election, and that is Jobs. Either the general lack of them, or the kinds of jobs that might bring home the children(and grandchildren) that have left, and seem unlikely to return.

Today Labour released our plan for jobs. Its six points and it brings together some key strands of our policy that we believe will drive job growth. The six areas are

• A savings scheme that will provide new investment for New Zealand businesses;

• Support innovation to develop new products to sell to the rest of the world;(including restoring the R and D Tax Credit)

• Change monetary policy to support exporters against a volatile New Zealand dollar;

• Help unemployed youth into training and apprenticeships;

• Stimulate the economy by putting money into the pockets of those who need it;

• Making Kiwi jobs a consideration when issuing government contracts.

The details behind each of these policies is in the attached document. This is about an active government that works with business to create jobs instead of sitting on the sidelines. Its an important building block to owning our future.

Posted in Jobs. | 0 Comments

Cuppagate - Game Changer?

November 14th, 2011

Interesting to read Jonathan Milne from the Herald on Sunday’s account of the cuppagate tape.

Milne says

But the potential disclosure of the contents of that conversation – held only a metre away from the closest reporters – could yet throw a rocket into this election campaign. It is a game-changer.

And therein lies the problem. I am sure as hell not endorsing covert taping of anyone. But this was a major media stunt in a campaign. It was designed to be a public event. As David Farrar has noted if the tape reveals something where Key or Banks is saying one thing publicly and another thing privately, then that gives strong reasons in the public interest to know what was said. Milne uses the langauge “game changer”, which indicates there is something here.

Milne goes on

But it’s the sheer range of comments in Key and Banks’ discussion that is breathtaking – and the pair’s assessment of the prospects of National, Act and NZ First.

Perhaps leadership in ACT discussions? Maybe a discussion about future asset sales? Whatever, this episode has more to play out, and the all guns blazing approach of National against its release indicates there is something of public interest in those tea leaves.

Posted in Cuppagate, John Banks and John Key. | 1 Comment

The Double Negative Endorsement

November 12th, 2011

What a curious circus act yesterday between John Key and John Banks. The thing that struck me was the nature of the “endorsement”.

First, John Key appears to want National voters in Epsom to vote for John Banks, or so the media tells us. That is National voters except for him, John Key resident of Epsom, who won’t be voting for John Banks.

Not quite the “clear message” to the voters of Auckland. This is compounded by the use of the well known tactic of clarity and certainty- the double negative. In this case, “not unhappy”.

In the end I think how people vote is a very personal thing but what we are clearly saying is we’re not unhappy if National voters decide to vote tactically

Does that mean ‘happy”, does that mean something less than happy. Who knows? But its curious. If you want people to vote for him, have the guts to actually say it.

And where was poor old Don Brash in all of this. Key is reported as saying he thinks Don Brash is “flexible” and not extreme like Roger Douglas. That is a very recent change of tune from the man he described as ‘hard core’ and ‘very right wing’ over the last couple of years.Maybe we can put the double negative down to the 0.7% poll that will be out this weekend for ACT. I guess that’s what is a called “not an ideal result.”

Posted in John Banks, John Key and Don Brash. | 0 Comments