Helen Clark right to apologise for the 4th Labour Government...

I congratulate and as a New Zealander, accept Helen Clark's apology for the excesses of the Fourth Labour Government, of which she was a cabinet minister. That government had never been given a mandate for its market economic policies. Some have said that retrospectively speaking its economic policies were badly needed. I don't know about that, but New Zealand as we knew it was changed for ever in many respects.

What the Fourth Labour government did was to provide a springboard for the subsequent National Party government's even more excessive economic and social policies, such as the Employment Contracts Act, which harmed new Zealand socially more than any policy in sixty years, outside the 1951 Holland Emergency Powers regulations during the Watersiders Lockout.

The ECA on its own disempowered the trade union movement, reduced real wages, gave employers the flexibility to totally change the hours of work from 40 hours to a seven day week economy without, in many cases, any compensation for extra hours worked; and destroyed many full time positions in the process, replacing them with part-time and temporary positions, something not changed to this day . Double overtime rates have become a historical curiosity - many workers lost 100-200 dollars a week from the initial changes. Senior workers became the biggest casualties of such changes. Employers were very happy and grateful for the millions of dollars in savings made because of the imposition of the ECA on the New Zealand workforce.

The Lange/ Douglas regime used its anti-nuclear legislation to hide the affects of its market economic 'Rogernomics' from the New Zealand population. Initially Lange didn't want a bar of the anti-nuclear legislation, but soon came around to the Douglas cliche way of thinking. Lange became an ardent public supporter of the anti-nuclear legislation, using his impressive oratory powers to convince doubters of its value to NZ. Even the following National Government was loath to make any changes, because of the value of the legislation to NZ as a country.

Helen Clark was a female member of a sexist cabinet and was advised to keep her head down, perform her duties and not to interfere in other portfolios. Being politically ambitious she wisely accepted the advice given, and has politically outlived the others in that government. She has become a survivor and the New Zealand people have benefitted from her three terms as one of New Zealand's most capable prime minister's of a most progressive government.

As I wrote earlier, I thank Helen Clark for her apologies of being involved in the excesses of Rogernomics. She must be elected for a fourth term as prime minister. We must continue with a progressive left of centre government. We can not afford as a nation and a society to a return to a reactionary right wing administration.

National and Labour are the same," aren't they? "

A woman talkback caller claimed that National and Labour are the same,"aren't they?" Yeah right. Like chalk and cheese,brother!

To ask such a question proves that National is the party out of touch; and has been for well over a decade. While their economics are similar, their health and education policies are philosophically different; socially, National is on a different planet.

Labour accepts it has a responsibility to all sectors and minority groups. And has legislated with that in mind. As a consequence they are accused of having a hidden social agenda - which is a load of unadulterated horse manure; and the media knows it full well!

National philosophically supports a property and asset owning minority. And will legislate with that in mind! It will move assets from the majority lower middle and working class to upper middle and upper class of NZ society. It did that back in the Bolger/Shipley 1990's - but rightwingers don't like to be reminded of the past - but we remember them. Lest we forget!

Labour has to be re-elected later this year; New Zealand's future depends on it! If National is elected later in the year,NZ society will split down the middle in a year or two.

Labour has failed to sell itself. It has failed to recognise it has been under an almost unprecedented attack since last election day. National feel they were robbed and had victory taken off them.The fact of the matter is they didn't fully understand MMP.

He who casts the first stone - National's corruption may be hidden...

TODAY Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen is rejecting claims by National that the controversy surrounding Labour's biggest donor amounts to corruption and suggests National has escaped unscathed from similar criticism because its backers are a mystery. Great story - read on!

Expatriate Owen Glenn has rejected as a joke reports he was offered the role of Transport Minister. He now hopes to become New Zealand's honorary consul in Monaco. Also under scrutiny is Mr Glenn's recent New Year's honour, his previous half a million dollar's worth of donations to Labour, and a $100,000 interest free loan also given to the party.

National MP Maurice Williamson is accusing Labour of corruption and predicts the Glenn controversy will be its downfall, but Dr Cullen says no one knows if National Party funders have been honoured, because no one knows who the party's donors are. He says thanks to National's use of secret trusts, its backers are more anonymous than most of its MPs.

HE WHO CASTS THE FIRST STONE - NATIONAL'S CORRUPTION MAY BE HIDDEN!

Education, training or boot camp until 18 years - good or bad...

Education: You immediately get the typical conservative punitive reaction. The lowest negative common denominator from the master of the flip-flop himself, John Key.Not in so many words, but the meaning is clear: boot camps are an option and the defence force would have no room to complain. Typical Tory arrogance. Alternative prime minister? Yeah right!

At least from the PM, Helen Clark,its positive and with options. Its not all tied up with staying at school untl kids are 18 years old. It can be academic, trade training, and open to other training for possible employment outside of the traditional avenues.

Lets wait a while until the rhetoric bcomes actual policy.

National's ACC policies just a ploy to grab ACC's $6 billion reserves...

The decision by National for compulsory competition from foreign insurance companies in the accident insurance area, if New Zealand is unfortunate and stupid enough to allow the election of a fascist inclined government in November, is really just a ploy to allow National to get hold of ACC's Six billion dollar reserves.

Despite the bullying behaviour of longterm claimants by ACC, the scheme is still the best in the world in accident insurance compensation.

The real effect of such a policy would weaken ACC in the accident insurance market in New Zealand.

Condemn the congregation of fascist Tories of New Zealand

Well, let the Tories of New Zealand congregate in the middle of the road and get run over if they are not taking care. I predicted a long time ago they would declare all out war on real New Zealand and New Zealanders. Once the results of the last election became obvious, they have continued their dirty little war. In certain places and during times in the past,fascistly inclined people were strung up or shoved against a wall and shot!. Many of these Tories are not real Kiwis, just ratbags who happened to be born here. They don't wish to share NZ with us lesser types who may 'use up too much' of our resources. They want an unfair share and advantage.

Many of them were born into privilege or had the opportunity to attend private schools and university and not concern themselves too much with earning a living. The majority of us have to,or have had to over decades. Eight years of a Labour led government has supported an increased health system and educational opportunities in New Zealand. Unemployment figures have beeen slashed during the last few years. Those on benefits and on lower wages have been greatly supported, and special assistance given to families through the Working for Families scheme. So much was achieved in the very first term with income related rents for state house tenants and the creation of Kiwi Bank to help those further down the queue. The Superannuation Fund and Kiwisaver are longer term benefits to New Zealand and New Zealanders. Tax reduction and changes to the tax system itself were always going to be achieved this year as the economy improved.

The government's weakness has been its lack of self promotion, and lack of self discipline among its ministers - we have had the best and strongest prime minister since Peter Fraser. Both Peter Fraser and Helen Clark have had to deal with dangerous fascists. The fight is not yet over!

The so-called social engineering claims by the Tories are all hot air, smoke and mirrors, and the proverbial load of codswallop. Each policy and piece of legislation can stand on its own individually and be credited for its humanitarianism. Minorities are entitled to the same rights and protection as those of the majority. Many have been based on health and safety if one wishes to debate the matter. It doesn't really matter if there may well have been other ways to achieve the same results - that was the route decided to achieve these outcomes for our minority groups. By and large the major churches supported the results of these humanitarian campaigns.

Fundamentalist religious minorities such as the Exclusive Brethren who tried in vain to "buy" the last election with million dollar support of the fascistly inclined, came out and condemned the minority rights legislation. They claim to be Christians, but Jesus Christ himself would have physically ejected these hypocrites and child-beaters from the temples. They will be the ones to burn in hell- to proverbially burn in hell here on earth!

Labour must be elected for a fourth term...

It is now 2008 and there is an election in about 11 months or so. It will be one of the most important elections and watersheds in New Zealand political and electoral history. It is extremely important that New Zealand gets this fourth term. Forget the propaganda of the last year - National has been spreading the political manure around by the truckload - they don't have any policy to hang their credibility on. They don't have any credibility, no policy and no party. They are a bunch of right wing apologists.

Forget the Electoral Finance Act; I haven't lost any democratic rights. I can feel more comfortable in bed knowing that religious extremists won't be given another opportunity to try and buy another election. I still have those pamphlets delivered to my letter box during the last election campaign. I actually felt quite indignant receiving that fascist propaganda in my box. They are actually a bunch of hypocritical bastards considering they don't believe in the electoral process.

John Key was right up to his little red right wing neck during that campaign - he stood a little to the rear and to the left of Fuhrer Brash, but he knew about those meetings between Brash, other party leaders, and the Exclusive Brethren. John Key may have, and he may not have, participated in these meetings. But he can not, two years later, deny he knew they happened.

Neither John Key or the National Party are fit to govern; of course they think they have a divine right to rule. If Satan is successful this year, like he was back in 1990, we will need plenty of God's help. Of course we can assist God by not voting for a fascist political party. Labour must lead the next government back to the front benches. Helen Clark must lead the country for a historical fourth term. our future depends on it. Democracy depends on it!