Wednesday, June 29, 2011



Life under National

Another day, another 600 job losses - 300 from the NZDF (who will apparently be able to reapply for their old jobs, though with reduced pay and conditions - something which would be unlawful for any other employer), and 300 at a meat works in Waipukurau. This is what happens when you leave the market to "sort itself out". This is what happens when the government sits on its hands and does nothing: ruined lives, insecurity, and misery.

I expect better from government. I expect them to protect the livelihoods of ordinary kiwis. I expect them to prevent this sort of shit from happening, to arrange policy so that people keep their jobs in a recession, rather than everyone being laid off. At the least, I expect them to have a plan to reduce the impact on people and communities, and to get things going again.

This government has nothing. It just abandons people to the market, leaves us to fend for ourselves, and beats us into the bargain. The alternatives, you see, might cost business, might result in lower profits for their rich mates. And National works for them, not us.