The Government to beef up ER Act to protect temporary and casual workers...

The government has announced plans to beef up Employment Relations Act protection for temporary and casual staff

The government has announced plans to beef up Employment Relations Act protection for temporary and casual staff. It is also planning a campaign to make sure those workers are aware of their rights.

Council of Trade Unions spokeswoman Helen Kelly says the insecurity of such employment makes it difficult for those workers to assert their rights. She says many workers who are classified as casuals are expected to turn up on a regular basis, and are really no different from permanent workers. The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming the moves.

Ms Kelly says there is an army of casual employees, often low-paid workers, many of whom are insecure about their terms of employment, hours of work, and entitlements. She says today's announcement will be a real help for casual staff to get the rights at work the rest of the workforce have won.

While the Government is in this sympathetic frame of mind it should force employers to pay at least time and a half for overtime - I would have expected this to have happened afyer eight and a half years!

NZ Greens Party's 2008 Annual Confernce

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Green Party conference:

Deal with the Maori Party; a challenge for Fonterra; emissions trading; a lone protestor - day one at the Greens' conference
31 May 2008

The Green Party is holding its annual conference this weekend, on the Auckland University campus.

One of the party's co-leaders says deals could be struck between the Greens and the Maori Party when it comes to gathering support this election. Jeanette Fitzsimons says last election an accommodation was worked out where the Maori Party encouraged their supporters to give their party votes to the Greens. She says voters in the Maori seats will be able to work it out for themselves, but when you look at the numbers a party vote for the Maori Party won't increase its representation.

Ms Fitzsimons also urged Green Party supporters not to repeat the mistakes of 2005, telling them they should maximise the party vote. She says in 2005 voters who were scared of National under Don Brash thought they had to choose between their heart and their head in keeping him out. She says the result was National still almost made it in and voters were left with an arrangement that saw New Zealand First and United Future with cabinet posts. Ms Fitzsimons says that must not happen again.

The party also expressed the hope it would get what it is after from the Government's proposed emissions trading scheme. Support for the legislation is delicately poised, with the Greens demanding movement on agriculture and a reversal on the delayed introduction of transport if they are to support it. Ms Fitzsimons says negotiations with Labour are going well, and she appears confident the Greens will get concessions. She says when you hold the votes that will determine if the ETS passes or fails the chances of getting major change are quite realistic.

It was not been all organic wine and roses for the Green Party though. Delegates were greeted by a lone protester condemning the Party for supporting the Government's apology to Vietnam Veterans. He handed out pamphlets headed "why apologise to war criminals?"

Nelson based former MP Mike Ward proved to be a no-show for the event. He hit the headlines earlier this month when he refused to step aside from the Party's list, so co-leader Russel Norman could replace MP Nandor Tanczos in Parliament.

The Green Party conference continues tomorrow.

Just irresponsible politicking from Mr Flip Flop himself

John Key, 'Mr Flip Flop' himself, was just irresponsibly politicking when he announced tax cuts on an average of about $50.00 per week. Everybody wants more money but tax cuts ranging from about $10.00 per week(Chewing gum size) to $90.00 per week for those on higher incomes(the election bribe)lack credibility! Why not tax cuts of $50.00 per week across the board?

Because dear readers he isn't interested in the votes of the poor, just those of the greed freaks!

Where would Mr 'Flip Flop' Key get the money from for tax cuts of around $5 billion? Would he borrow for it? Or would he help himself to most of the ACC's reserves of Six million plus dollars when he privatises ACC early in his supposed first term?

Do you believe John Key's policy on P( methamphetamine) and organised crime...

Do you believe John Key's policy on P( methamphetamine)and organised crime? I have read it before. The late and legendary Labour PM, Norm Kirk, was going to take the bikes off the bikies back in the 70's. Was he successful? Of course he wasn't!

Policies on drug manufacture and distribution have been piecemeal and uncoordinated. There needs to be a comprehensive policy on organised crime and drugs manufacture and distribution.

How do you stop gangs from being successful? Stop their means of funding and recruitment.

A coordinated and comprehensive policy on organised crime needs to be implemented, and an election campaign is not the best time to see this become a reality. Only a newly elected government would have the credibility to be successful in this area.

John Key is just politicking without any real ideas on how this could be achieved. The Government has some emerging policies which should be considered first.

National continues to flip-flop like never before...

National continues to flip-flop like never before. Labour continues to release policies and governs New Zealand well. The economic signs for the future are a little disturbing, but Labour will deliver what it believes is necessary, and tax cuts have now become part of Labour's economic strategy, along with a continuation of the Working For Families policy. Labour is a real Government!

Labour realises that not all New Zealand families and many individuals do not qualify for WFF assistance and tax cuts are necessary to help these people in deterioating economic times.

What would National do? Give some tax cuts, but they are not sure how much and when. Perhaps in 2010. Yeah right!

National has said that state assets will not be sold in their first term; but what about the second if New Zealanders were so bloody stupid to vote them in in the first place?

The present National Party is totally inept, inexperienced and lacks real leadership. John Key is a smiling hyena and Bill English is a nice guy who would have learned a few things if he had been in the Labour Party. Would you vote this bunch to run your local kindergarten? Get real! Give the kids a chance, Fred.

National will continue to flip-flop all the way to this years elections! They dont have any real policies that genuine Kiwis would want in any case.

The return of the grim reaper of NZ politics - Sir Roger Douglas...

THE RETURN OF THE GRIM REAPER OF NEW ZEALAND POLITICS - ROGER DOUGLAS - ACT TWO..

Sir Roger Douglas returns to haunt the nation in general, and the National Party in particular.

Dompost columnist Richard Long, part of the National Party's propaganda team during the illfated Don Brash-led National Party election campaign in 2005, was so nostalgic about the Rogernomics policies that weren't - 23% flat tax and over 300,000 Kiwis unemployed if David Lange didn't stop for that cuppa!

Without exaggeration we would have had a private health scheme - with a standard of health care dependant on how much private health insurance you could afford and charity hospitals for those with nothing, and ditto for education.

The one great and marvellous thing about the return of the 'grim reaper is that National would need the Act party as a coalition partner under MMP, despite the ridiculouslsy high polls for National in recent months, despite the utterances of John Key to the contary.

There will be demands by the white-haired New Right Marketeer for a seat at the Cabinet table, and policies such as privatisation of all remaining state assets, 15% tax, education vouchers and private health insurance for all! I presume the police and defence force will be privatised too - constables and privates purchasing their own equipment, perhaps?

The NAT flip-floppers will need Douglas...

The tide is turning for the Nats, or is it the Gnats? The latest polls show National have lost ground again - by 5 pts this time. Blunders by John Key are beginning to impact on their credibility. The 'flip-flopper' is beginning to be found out.

The announcement that Sir Roger Douglas has joined the Act Party would have gone down like a lead balloon. He will haunt National as much as the nation.The National Party needs a coalition partner, and they will be thin on the ground. NZ First is not even registering beyond 2%. Winston couldn't be trusted anyway.The Greens and the Maori Party will not support National, even if they might appear to suggest possible future support.

Labour carry's on governing the nation. National doesn't look like an alternative government.To its benefit, Labour has shed much of its weedstalk. Many of its policy initiatives are bearing fruit. Kiwisaver is a massive success. And othersnwill follow suit. Who wants a Tory government anyway?