robson-on-politics, Thur 7 April

A newsletter from Matt Robson MP
Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party
www.progressiveparty.org.nz

Universal can be progressive or regressive

My party supports progressively lowering barriers to education and health services, as well as the universal provision of pensions for the retired. Cutting free the debt monkey from the backs of our graduates, in return for them committing their skills for our national development by working in New Zealand, will be a priority for Progressive cabinet ministers in the next Helen Clark-led government.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=105

National will cut health and education for roads

This week National moved against user-pays too, but not, alas, for education and health. No. National believes in higher general taxation to fund - wait for it - more roads!

Just as every government in the world is trying to clearly signal to individual road users the true costs of resource use, New Zealand's Opposition gives socialism a bad name by promising "free" roads (funded by general tax increases and artificially low petrol prices!)

Global action against Sudan genocide

Many have spoken this week of the late Pope John Paul II's strengths, not least of which was his resolute opposition to the racism in his own country in the 1930s.

The best tribute global leaders could give to John Paul and to the victims of Nazism would be to find the will and the capacity to intervene and stop the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=253263&kaid=131&subid=192

Mr. Tamihere is sorry, but Mr Robson is angry

Mr. Tamihere acknowledged last night that he had made a huge mistake with a series of incorrect assertions about all manner of things.

Honest apology accepted, but, I remain angry. Angry because the scandalously under-resourced, foreign-owned Fairfax and APN newspapers (almost every newspaper in NZ) don't have enough journalists to report Tamihere's latest anti-worker tantrums, plus the real news, so the real news doesn't get reported properly.

The real news: Budget 2005

Only readers of Robson-on-politics get to read the Parliamentary news about real events that truly affect the quality of our lives as New Zealanders

On Tuesday, Jim Anderton and very impressive line-up of key leaders in the forest industry agreed to accelerate our common work to promote the development of this absolutely vital export industry.

The Forest Industry Development Agenda is a really significant break through for the industry and the Labour-Progressive government is expressing confidence in the future by investing $18 million to further propel the sector, matched not with words, but with further millions to be invested by the private sector itself.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=1679

Suicide rate continues decline

On Wednesday, Jim released the latest suicide data which show the trend decline in the rate that started in 1999 continues and the rate of suicide is now 25% below its peak in 1998.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1681

Progressive Budget 2005 Policies

Each and every year the Progressive Party negotiates hard with our Labour coalition partner for Budget funding to promote our anti-drugs, pro-safer communities policies. Expect further Progressive budget initiatives this year in the anti-substance abuse and pro-public health areas. Progressive keeps Labour's feet firmly on the ground on these subjects.

http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=929

Dr Brash never been to South Wairarapa

Brash is going on about Maori allegedly trying to close eastern Bay of Plenty beaches to others. Progressive is waiting for him to demand public access to the South Wairarapa coast that the Riddiford Dynasty currently excludes us commoners from going on.

More real Parliamentary news stories are at

www.progressive.org.nz

ENDS

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