Labour and the Greens should not be scared to support economist Arthur Grimes’ call for policies to bring down Auckland house prices by 40%. We don’t need to support all his policy suggestions. But let’s recognise that a 40% drop would only bring the Auckland median house price (now around $820,000) down to what it was four years ago ($495,000). Why not aim for that?
Jeremy Corbyn becoming leader represented a big shift to the left in the British Labour Party. But from day one the mostly right-wing Labour MPs have been plotting to get rid of him.
Marg Jones never seemed old. Well in to her 90s she could be seen on all the big protests, or running a street or festival stall for the Soil and Health Association. She was always chirpy, her mood matched by bright and often rather outrageous outfits using the best op-shop materials.
When it comes to helping out the victims of war – refugees – the government says it can only afford $25 million a year for an extra 250 refugees, a derisory amount.
From day one the Democratic Party establishment has been trying to count Bernie Sanders out of the presidential nomination race, using every trick in the book. The party leaders have been readily assisted in this by a tame mainstream media.
No New Zealander wants the government to waste money on unnecessary naval capacity, but in that respect the first assets to get rid of are the navy’s two frigates. They are designed for combat operations in a larger (American-led) task force.