I will admit before you read any further that I am a Labour party member so I am not likely to be unbiased in my reaction to the budget.
To put it bluntly we will probably be worse off from it, as per usual with a Tory government middle income earners with children will not be any better off, we nay be getting a tax cut, but G.S.T is going up and there is a big cut to early childhood funding, and to health care as well.... its more of the same, more money for the rich and life gets harder for average kiwis trying to get ahead.
I am not going to be able to sit quietly and watch Early childhood education decrease for those children that need it, I am not going to sit quietly and watch health outcomes decrease for those that need it, Children have the least voice politically yet they will be one of the biggest groups impacted by this budget.
For those without children in ECE then the tax cuts will possibly help them, but I wait to see how it can help us if we have to pay more for our children to attend our local kindy. ECE is not a luxury item... it is something that leads to better children in our classes, it is important for our kids and to have a high standard through having well trained teachers is necessary. The centres that have been hit the hardest through the budget are those that have 80-100% fully qualified teachers, the better level of educated staff, the ones we should be promoting as doing a great job for the kids they look after, instead they are going to lose at least 60cents per hour funding per child, and those costs will need to be passed on to the parents.
To Mr English I give your budget a big huge F....
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
political inactivity
Posted in at home mum, parenting, politics on 2:29 PM by Azlemed
As a Sahm with four children I am finding it hard to be as politically active as I once was, I wonder if some of this is because of the way political parties are geared more towards people who work or if its just that having children means that they are my priority?
I am finding it strange being this uninvolved with political happenings that used to be hugely important to me, I am disconnected from most of the Labour party because I arent attending meeting and are not really using the social network for keeping in the loop... it made me start wondering about political organisation and women in general.
Women are not well represented in most elected positions in our country, some of this is that they are not shoulder tapped and asked to stand and parts of it are that they just dont have the time because they are doing everything else.
I managed to stay active when I had my first baby, with number 2 I was still in the loop as well, but with 3 and 4 I have drifted further from it, some of it is to do with meeting times and some because I am too busy keeping our house running....
It saddens me that I am so distant from something that is still a huge passion for me, and that the opportunities to interact are limited in some ways....
I think I need to find new ways to keep my political involvement in the Labour party and in society in general. I wonder if Mums voices are heard very often at all? Probably not because we don't always have time or we feel that we are not listened too or valued as part of society, I would love to know what other people think about this.
D
I am finding it strange being this uninvolved with political happenings that used to be hugely important to me, I am disconnected from most of the Labour party because I arent attending meeting and are not really using the social network for keeping in the loop... it made me start wondering about political organisation and women in general.
Women are not well represented in most elected positions in our country, some of this is that they are not shoulder tapped and asked to stand and parts of it are that they just dont have the time because they are doing everything else.
I managed to stay active when I had my first baby, with number 2 I was still in the loop as well, but with 3 and 4 I have drifted further from it, some of it is to do with meeting times and some because I am too busy keeping our house running....
It saddens me that I am so distant from something that is still a huge passion for me, and that the opportunities to interact are limited in some ways....
I think I need to find new ways to keep my political involvement in the Labour party and in society in general. I wonder if Mums voices are heard very often at all? Probably not because we don't always have time or we feel that we are not listened too or valued as part of society, I would love to know what other people think about this.
D
Happy New year..... 2010 is here
Posted in depression, family, kids, labour party, politics, school, triathlons on 4:24 PM by Azlemed
I can remember seeing in the start of the millennium with two of my fave fellas listening to Dave Dobbyn playing in Hagley park with heaps of other cantabs. It was awesome, we were seeing in the new millennium and it was going to be huge....
Well its now 10 years in and in that time I graduated from University, completed a graduate diploma in teaching and learning, shifted from Christchurch to Palmerston North, we bought our first house and most importantly we became parents to four fabulous children that bring us huge amounts of happiness. I have also had two serious bouts of depression the second one meant that I lived with our children in Oamaru with my parents for a year, and have recovered from both to be a productive member of my family again. We have been politically active in the Labour party, I have held a position on New Zealand Council of the party and Ben has been a very active member of the environmental policy committee.
Ben has started and nearly completed his PhD. Its taken over 5 years so far and hes hoping to be finished in February. Its going to be a stressful 9 weeks or so as hes only able to do it in his spare time.
I don't really know what the next ten years will bring, but by this time in 2020 we will have two teenage girls, our youngest child will be 10. I will hopefully be working again in some capacity as something, but at the moment I aren't really sure what. Its all an adventure just waiting for us really.
But at the moment I am thinking of what I want to achieve in 2010, my first goal is to maintain my mental health, I am doing ok, and I want to stay this way, I also want to improve my physical health, I am many kg overweight and I plan to lose 10kg of that this year, its not a huge goal but will take me some time and dedication to do it. I want to be able to keep up better with the children too, so I am hoping to increase my fitness. I want to sew more clothes for the kids, and I want to continue breastfeeding N till she turns 1 at least.
Miss L will start school this year and O will start afternoon kindy too. I would like to get our living room wallpapered and maybe do up one of the children's rooms or the kitchen.
I aren't sure that I will be politically active, but then it depends on if a decent left wing candidate goes for the mayoralty, then I may do something, I still want to do triathlons, and want to be able to run a bit further than I currently am able.
Overall I am hoping that 2010 is a good year for my family and friends and that we all enjoy some success at whatever our goals are.
D
Well its now 10 years in and in that time I graduated from University, completed a graduate diploma in teaching and learning, shifted from Christchurch to Palmerston North, we bought our first house and most importantly we became parents to four fabulous children that bring us huge amounts of happiness. I have also had two serious bouts of depression the second one meant that I lived with our children in Oamaru with my parents for a year, and have recovered from both to be a productive member of my family again. We have been politically active in the Labour party, I have held a position on New Zealand Council of the party and Ben has been a very active member of the environmental policy committee.
Ben has started and nearly completed his PhD. Its taken over 5 years so far and hes hoping to be finished in February. Its going to be a stressful 9 weeks or so as hes only able to do it in his spare time.
I don't really know what the next ten years will bring, but by this time in 2020 we will have two teenage girls, our youngest child will be 10. I will hopefully be working again in some capacity as something, but at the moment I aren't really sure what. Its all an adventure just waiting for us really.
But at the moment I am thinking of what I want to achieve in 2010, my first goal is to maintain my mental health, I am doing ok, and I want to stay this way, I also want to improve my physical health, I am many kg overweight and I plan to lose 10kg of that this year, its not a huge goal but will take me some time and dedication to do it. I want to be able to keep up better with the children too, so I am hoping to increase my fitness. I want to sew more clothes for the kids, and I want to continue breastfeeding N till she turns 1 at least.
Miss L will start school this year and O will start afternoon kindy too. I would like to get our living room wallpapered and maybe do up one of the children's rooms or the kitchen.
I aren't sure that I will be politically active, but then it depends on if a decent left wing candidate goes for the mayoralty, then I may do something, I still want to do triathlons, and want to be able to run a bit further than I currently am able.
Overall I am hoping that 2010 is a good year for my family and friends and that we all enjoy some success at whatever our goals are.
D
End of an Era
Posted in labour, politics on 10:24 AM by Azlemed
Helen Clark gave her valedictory speech yesterday in Parliament, I watched it on the web and felt a huge sense of loss. She is an amazing woman and has been an inspirational leader of the Labour party, and our country. I am sure she will make a huge contribution to the United Nations in her new appointment.
It is strange to think of parliament without her, She became an MP in 1981, and a minister in 1987, the leader of NZLP in 1993. She is probably the main political figure who has remained constant in my lifetime so far. Helen is a remarkable woman who has made a huge impact in her career so far. She is the PM I have respected the most, I remember growing up calling the PM "piggy", and then watching my parents become disillusioned as Labour turned its back on its core beliefs in the 1980s. Helen's steady leadership brought my family back to the Labour fold and the return to core social democratic beliefs for our country.
I joined the Labour party in 1999, I was unhappy with the thought of National having another 3 years in power, I was a student, my student loan was growing daily with interest and I knew that change was necessary.
I have met Helen on many occasions and found her to be warm and caring, and genuinely interested in what was happening to people around her. I have been inspired by her and will continue to be.
D
It is strange to think of parliament without her, She became an MP in 1981, and a minister in 1987, the leader of NZLP in 1993. She is probably the main political figure who has remained constant in my lifetime so far. Helen is a remarkable woman who has made a huge impact in her career so far. She is the PM I have respected the most, I remember growing up calling the PM "piggy", and then watching my parents become disillusioned as Labour turned its back on its core beliefs in the 1980s. Helen's steady leadership brought my family back to the Labour fold and the return to core social democratic beliefs for our country.
I joined the Labour party in 1999, I was unhappy with the thought of National having another 3 years in power, I was a student, my student loan was growing daily with interest and I knew that change was necessary.
I have met Helen on many occasions and found her to be warm and caring, and genuinely interested in what was happening to people around her. I have been inspired by her and will continue to be.
D
titles do we need them?
Posted in politics, titles, treaty on 5:40 PM by Azlemed
John Key and his government have decided to reinstate the titles of Knight and Dame to Nz's merit orders..... I cant say I am very impressed... it seems like such an English concept and I do not see NZ as the mini Britain that we used to be in the 1950's. I feel that as a society we have advanced since the time that these sort of Titles were considered part of our society.
It was considered a move towards becoming a republic when they were scrapped, and that is a discussion that needs to be held in NZ as we mature as an independent country. The biggest issue though with becoming a republic is the status of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is a document signed between Maori and the Queen/sovereign of the commonwealth. How this would be dealt with in a Republics constitution is a huge issue and very complex.
ITs something I might have to do some more reading about before posting again on it, but I would love to know what other people think about titles, and republicanism....
It was considered a move towards becoming a republic when they were scrapped, and that is a discussion that needs to be held in NZ as we mature as an independent country. The biggest issue though with becoming a republic is the status of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is a document signed between Maori and the Queen/sovereign of the commonwealth. How this would be dealt with in a Republics constitution is a huge issue and very complex.
ITs something I might have to do some more reading about before posting again on it, but I would love to know what other people think about titles, and republicanism....
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