Kia ora
I dropped out of school at 15, believing (wrongly) that it didn't have anything to offer me. It wasn't until my 30s that I decided to give education a second chance. And, I got that second chance because of the great law we have that allows anyone over 20 to go to university, regardless of their previous qualifications.
Now, there is some really scary talk that John Key's Government might change this rule. I think this would be a disaster, and I've started this Facebook group - please join. Did you benefit from this rule too? I'd love to hear about your experiences - please share them on the Facebook group.
David Clendon, Green MP
- recommended 
- includes video
News
Higher fares leave bus and train users stranded
4 March 2010
Bus and trains fares are set to rise significantly in Auckland and Christchurch if the Government pushes ahead with their plans to raise a greater share of the costs from passengers, the Green Party said. "This is a lose-lose situation for motorists and bus & train commuters alike," said Gareth Hughes. Read more...
Greens join call to save our services
4 March 2010
New Green Party MP and Tertiary Education spokesperson Gareth Hughes today welcomed the launch of a national campaign to 'Save Our Services' from Roger Douglas' voluntary students' association membership Bill. Read more...
National going way beyond 2008 industrial relations policy
2 March 2010
National appears to be going significantly further than it said it would prior to the 2008 election with new policy regarding probationary periods for workers, Green Party Industrial Relations spokesperson Keith Locke said today. Read more...
Pig-headed Pork Board damaging their own industry
26 February 2010
The pig-headed Pork Industry Board continue to damage their own brand with the revelation they are fighting to keep pigs in sow crates, Green Party Animal Welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley said today. Read more...
Blog posts
Why are 30,000 kids a day voting with their feet? - by Catherine Delahunty
The statistics on truancy are very worrying. Not only do we have 72,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 out of work and out of any form of education, but we have 30,000 students a day not wanting to go to school.
In response, the Government has doubled funding to deal with truancy. This is good news if it’s spent wisely, but will pretty much… Read more...
Say "No" to further erosion of employment rights - by frog
Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson released a discussion document on employment personal grievances today.
After a bit of waffle about the cost of personal grievances and the quality of employment advocates, the document cuts to the quick:
The Act contains an objective test for justifiable dismissal. Do you think the current test is appropriate or does it create uncertainty? If it creates uncertainty, can you please describe the areas that create… Read more...
Will the Govt deny kiwis a second chance at higher education? - by David Clendon
I've been very alarmed to hear murmurings that John Key's government may remove the long-standing "second chance" policy of open access to tertiary education for anyone over 20.
As I noted in this video, I'm someone who has benefited directly from this policy. I left school at age 15, wrongly believing that the education system had nothing to offer me.
It wasn't until I was closer to 30 that I… Read more...
Leaky homes - $22bn to fix? - by frog
We’ve all known about the leaky homes fiasco for a long time now, but for me (and the government, it sounds like!) the scale has only just sunk in, after reading an article in the NZ Herald this morning.
A few choice tidbits:
The vast majority – between 80 and 100 per cent – of homes built with monolithic claddings (seamless-looking sheets finished with paint or plaster) would fail within 15… Read more...
If it ain't broke don't fix it, Paula - by frog
Social Development and Employment Minister Paula Bennett was quick to jump on the case of unemployment beneficiary Benjamin Easton to try to justify her proposal to cancel the benefits of people who have been on the dole for a year and make them reapply:
She would not comment on what that would involve in his specific case, but said his views indicated he was in the category of beneficiaries to… Read more...
S.O.RNZ (Save our Radio New Zealand) - by Sue Kedgley
One of the younger Radio NZ fans who turned up to the parliamentary protest to defend our under siege public broadcaster
It was great to see several hundred people at Parliament yesterday, protesting the government's freezing of funding for Radio New Zealand.
I hope this is just the first protest of many… Read more...
