Brian Fallow takes a critical look at John Key's blue sky thinking that NZ should be a financial hub back office. Frankly, I can't see it either. In the Nineties, call centres were supposed to be NZ's future for working class jobs. They're all shutting down and setting up in SE Asia these days. Any hub would be as short-lived. It's not a goer.
A backlog of private members bills were voted on in parliament last night. National voted against the NZ Head of State Bill being sent to select committee, choosing to stick with the unambitious status quo. The Nats don't want to miss their turn to choose their own pet Governor General next year, eh. Good on the Greens, Labour and United Future voting in favour of sending it to select committee.
National did support the first reading of Paul Quinn's stripping of voting rights of short-term prisoners bill though. The Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill is a repellent little bill that displays little improvement in public good and a whole can of petty, nasty disenfranchisement. A hex on the Nats, Act and United Future for supporting this grubby vote-stripping thing.
