Hard News by Russell Brown

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  • Dave Patrick,

    The Press has picked up where the Herald may have remained silent - a few choice quotes from their editorial this morning if anyone was evr in any doubt as to where their sympathies lie:

    Some of its rapid action is partly motivated by a desire to try to make up for what it rightly called in the Speech from the Throne Labour's "decade of missed opportunities".

    ...the sea of red ink in the Government accounts that Labour has left for the new administration to cope with.

    And the rest of it is basically a puff-piece for the 90-day "trial period" as it calls it. Apparently it will encourage employers to hire those at the bottom of the employment heap, rather than those who can, you know, actually do the job?

    Rangiora, Te Wai Pounamu • Since Nov 2006 • 261 posts Report Reply

  • Clarke,

    Apparently it will encourage employers to hire those at the bottom of the employment heap, rather than those who can, you know, actually do the job?

    That sounds like an excellent reason to bring in the legislation under urgency .... so I look forward to seeing the significant and material up-tick in employment within (say) 90 days of the bill being rushed through. 'Cos if this really is the heartland business issue that Phil O'Reilly is claiming, then there must be an overhang of demand to give jobs to the barely-employable that is being held back by the current restrictive rules.

    So I'm willing to take bets on what the next household employment survey shows .... how much will the workforce participation rate rise? Or - as everyone with a brain knows - will it simply result in the casualisation of existing jobs?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 85 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Sadly, the bill won't apply to national's MPs. But they wouldn't dare subject themselves to the same standards they want to impose on everybody else.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Harris,

    Be fair, I/S - if Labour was doing it the same would apply. No MP will subject themselves to the requirements they demand from the populace

    Waikanae • Since Jul 2008 • 1343 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Also, the MyFreeview HD PVR (officially, they're calling it a "DTR" or digital television recorder, because that's the name that came up best in consumer research)

    Maybe because DTR has been advertising TV related stuff on TV for the last 30 years. Always trust a market research company to miss the bleeding obvious.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Idiot Savant,

    Be fair, I/S - if Labour was doing it the same would apply. No MP will subject themselves to the requirements they demand from the populace

    Sure. But I think we both agree that its arrogant and hypocritical.

    If National believed in this bill, they'd let the public sack them at any time in their first 90 days in office. But that's about as likely as them recusing themselves for a conflict of interest when voting on their own tax cuts.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 1717 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    RB,
    It seems so long ago when you said you didn't mind if the Nats won. ;)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Sadly, the bill won't apply to national's MPs. But they wouldn't dare subject themselves to the same standards they want to impose on everybody else.

    MPs can be dismissed from their party at any stage and may be constructively fired at 3 year intervals by demotion on their party list. Disciplinary action may be taken for expressing dissenting opinion, even if it has no direct impact on job performance. And all this is without recourse to any employment tribunal.

    I do not feel your "sadness" that this isn't how all workers are governed.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    If National believed in this bill, they'd let the public sack them at any time in their first 90 days in office

    Don't forget that it only applies to businesses with fewer than 20 employees (which is to say that they're looking after the stuffed-shirt businessmen types whether they be employees or employers.)

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    I do not feel your "sadness" that this isn't how all workers are governed.

    So disingenuous, Angus. The hypocrisy is the point, and you know it.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    And all this is without recourse to any employment tribunal.

    Are you sure?

    And as 3410 says above, more than 20 employees.

    A correction to an earlier posting - $10 per week.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Yep. And if I recall correctly, for people earning around that mark, and who don't have children (ie aren't getting WFF), you get a whole $10!

    And that's before tax which as Cullen said yesterday, not even a block of cheese, perhaps a slice :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    not even a block of cheese

    Yeah, but what size block are we discussing here? I can get a 500gm block of house-brand Edam at Countdown for under $10.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    Also, the MyFreeview HD PVR (officially, they're calling it a "DTR" or digital television recorder, because that's the name that came up best in consumer research) should be in the shops today.

    If only.

    I've been to two stores already (DSE, JB Hi-Fi), and no-one can sell me a FreeVo.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Yeah, but what size block are we discussing here? I can get a 500gm block of house-brand Edam at Countdown for under $10.

    Ozstralian cheese! I 'spose I could support the packers but I'd rather buy some good NZ stuff. Although my concern really is the ramming of legislation, that is happening in the House this week. I felt a bit sick yesterday, but, sadly, I expected it. I am glad however, that the Maori Party has opposed the 90 day fire at will.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    And that's before tax which as Cullen said yesterday, not even a block of cheese, perhaps a slice :)

    Wait, your return from your tax cut, is taxed? That wouldn't make sense.

    Unless you mean GST.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Or, if it does make sense, it's very dishonest.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    MPs can be dismissed from their party at any stage and may be constructively fired at 3 year intervals by demotion on their party list.

    Whereupon they form their own micro-party, convince the voters of Stupidville to keep electing them despite their having left the Nats/Labour, get a nice job as Minister-outside-Cabinet and allow their ignorant pomposity to reach whole new levels.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    A technical critique of the new TVNZ site from someone who knows this stuff:

    There are a swag of technical things that they appear to have NOT set up correctly that really drag down the load times.

    Javascript files not minified, huge CSS files, no compression used when sending content ...

    I'd estimate that they are serving 30-40% more traffic than they need to.

    The home page is 1.2MB in size. which is about a 10 seconds download on 1 Meg DSL. That and the technical stuff are likely to make page serving times erratic due to unpredictable server loading.

    Yikes.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • James Liddell,

    And all this is without recourse to any employment tribunal.
    Are you sure?

    Wilkinson's presser and Q&A are unclear:

    "The trial period will also be covered by good faith provisions, meaning that employees will need to be fully informed about the trial period before agreeing to a trial period. Mediation will be available in cases of dispute.

    Does this mean mediation only where it is disputed a trial period was agreed? And what happens when mediation fails?

    You can go through the Employment Court if you believe you were unfairly dismissed on prohibited grounds of discrimination:

    Employees will still be able to take a personal grievance under the discrimination provisions of the Employment Relations Act through the Employment Relations Authority or Employment Court.

    Methinks the ERA / Court is going to be hearing many more cases of alleged dismissal for discrimination.

    But, instead of going on the Minister's presser, it'd be nice to actually see the Bill. Pity the Bill's Office hasn't had time to put it online

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 102 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    The home page is 1.2MB in size. which is about a 10 seconds download on 1 Meg DSL.

    This shows a complete, arrogant disregard for the huge number of folks in this country who're on dialup. When you've got 800-ish-thousand dialup connections in a population of 4.2 million, you don't just ignore them!

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Grassed Up,

    On the issue of the use of urgency, Prof Jeremy Waldron had some interesting (and prescient) things to say about this in a lecture published by the Maxim Institute:

    "We have to get away from a situation where those who support a bill
    support rushing it through the legislature, and only those who oppose
    the measure express any concern about the process. I have no doubt
    that if a National government, or a National-dominated coalition, is
    formed after the elections this spring, it will dominate the Parliament and make use of urgency and other parliamentary abuses, to get its measures through, just as much as its predecessor. That is what has got to stop."

    http://www.maxim.org.nz/index.cfm/Media/article?id=1758

    Since Nov 2008 • 12 posts Report Reply

  • Heather W.,

    Couldn't find an employment bill on the legislation site this morning but something there now.

    90 day overview

    North Shore • Since Nov 2008 • 189 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    Nasty. You can be sacked at any time during the 90 days, but you have no right to just walk out. Unbalanced much?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Angus Robertson,

    Yeah, but what size block are we discussing here? I can get a 500gm block of house-brand Edam at Countdown for under $10.

    An open block of this has been in the fridge for 6 months. Extremely good value compared to all the other blocks that have been consumed in the period.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

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