robson-on-politics 23 July

robson-on-politics, a weekly newsletter from Matt Robson MP Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party www.progressive.org.nz

Progressive: positive about people and jobs

Fri 23 July Matt Robson MP

Tory nightmare: another influx of inexperience Don Brash promises to spend, spend and spend the surplus three times over.

With his cunning, Muldoonist, rhetoric of dividing community against community, he hopes to boost National's current 27-member caucus significantly next election. Actually, make that 25 after a second National MP announced her retirement this week. So Dr Brash, himself inexperienced, aspires to lead a much larger and more inexperienced Tory team next year. He would struggle to hold it all together, even more so than Jim Bolger did with the 1990 intake. Remember that mess? Read Colin James' commentary on Brash's politics: http://www.synapsis.co.nz/herald/Herald_2004/Herald_column_04Mar02.htm _________________________

While Nats retire, Progressives are working Meanwhile in the real world, Progressive leader Jim Anderton this week announced further steps to deepen the intelligent partnerships that are underpinning our country's longest uninterrupted phase of economic development in 30 years. Major new funding to close skill gaps in the Canterbury information and communication technology industries was announced and on Tuesday Jim announced funding toward 365-day, all-weather access at Opotiki Harbour. Progressive working at: http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1069 http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1065 _________________________

Families Commission due to three sensible parties The highlight of the week was not those motorcades, nor Israeli spies, but the launch of the Families Commission, a long-overdue development for New Zealand which was only possible because three responsible parties with a Parliamentary majority between them made it happen. http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1066 _________________________

Aussie Tories reduce Australia to a laughing stock This week, New Zealand and all the democracies of Europe, the Americas (except the USA), Asia, and Africa voted in favour of international law at the United Nations General Assembly and demanded Israel tear down the illegal Apartheid Wall which divides Palestinian farms. Australia joined Palau, Micronesia and Marshall Islands to vote against international law. The Australian National-Liberal government could now disband their Ministry of Foreign Affairs as all Aussie foreign policy decisions seem to made by the US Republican Party these days. The solution for the Middle East is two states, Israel and Palestine, secure within their own borders and at peace. Tear down that apartheid wall, Mr Sharon! http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1072 _________________________

A Muldoonist state intervention-regulation party National, flush from its annual conference, is promising big. Spending on more military equipment, double the number of prisons. A Muldoon-style, all-powerful agency to be called the Environmental Protection Authority. The latest promise is a state-regulator of the press. Murray McCully, with a background of extensive commercial radio interests, is believed soon to be travelling to Zimbabwe and Tonga to consult Mugabe and Police Minister Clive Edwards on "media reforms." Would he name his partner as first media Commissar? Read commentary on the Nat's Think Big proposals: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/0,2106,2975303a6445,00.html _________________________

Progressive-EPMU relationship yields rewards Andrew Little's support for jobs, economic development and a work-life balance at the EPMU (Engineers Union) conference sparked an incredible out-burst by Mr McCully. Mr Little reasonably pointed out that hard-working New Zealanders need to be sure to re-elect this government (I say, with more Progressive MPs to ensure Labour sticks to its core values) and keep the Nats out. That caused McCully, Dr Brash's key adviser, to "scream like a stuck pig": All journalists must resign from the EPMU immediately! He said people vote for him because they do not read the NZ Herald nor watch the TV news. Still, he wants state regulation of the press because it is too much like a free market of ideas to be tolerated. The NBR has reported the assessment of him by fellow Nat Judith Collins: "Murray's a bit of a dick." Later she said she meant "Murray's a bit of a bloke" [sic? joke?] McCully's 'Dean Scream:' http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/archives/007105.html#more Andrew Little's reasonable speech: http://www.epmu.org.nz/SITE_Default/news/latest/andrew_speech_conf_jul_20_ 04.asp and Jim Anderton's address: http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1073 _________________________

You're invited to a special screening of Fahrenheit 9/11 at Rialto Newmarket, Sunday 8 August. Michael Moore investigates the Bush administration. For tickets, phone 09 525 5544, or email matt.robson@progressive.org.nz > Read the Herald story on the film: (remove the line-break) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/entertainmentstorydisplay.cfm?stor yID=3575132&thesection=entertainment&thesubsection=film&thesecondsubsectio n=general _________________________

Tune in Sunday 12 - 1 for the Matt Robson Hour on 531 AM. This week: Nooroa Samuela on Pacific workers and unions and Lynne Pillay on equal pay. More on this week's news at http://www.progressive.org.nz including international visitor arrivals up 20% in June (but don't tell NZ First all those foreigners are coming here to spend money and so create jobs for Kiwis). The tourism story: http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1070 on-

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>