robson-on-politics Friday 12 December
robson-on-politics, a weekly newsletter from Matt Robson MP Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party
As we approach summer, I look back over one hell of a year. Politically the Progressives are firmly established on the
scene. Conference - 180 delegates at the Waipuna -showed that we are a nationally organised party. Our votes do make a
difference - yesterday, Labour Progressive and United cast 62 votes to pass the Families Commission into law. And
Parliament is set to vote four weeks leave for all employees into law with a thumping 30+ vote majority. Look for that
on Tuesday. See: http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=651 and http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=639 _____________________
Gerry Brownlee booms, Nats would repeal 4 wks During the debate on four weeks, Gerry Brownlee made lots of noise but no
sense. National MPs promised to repeal it if Don Brash and Richard Prebble ever formed a government, and said the
Progressives were responsible. Voters should remember that at the 2005 election.
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Brian, the PSA delegate: credit where its due "Credit where credit is due . . . remember Matt Robson & the Progressives worked hard for this for you," said Brian in Nelson to his networks. Thank you Brian for sending me
copies as you pushed the message out. Look back over the campaign as it evolved this year at: http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=categories=newindex=5
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David Drage, ANZ economist, on jobs On Morning Report on Thursday, the broad trends of the ANZ's survey of job ads, plus
the results of other surveys, point to more jobs being created in the next few months. So four years of pro-jobs
policies pays off. Latest government jobs news is that Jim Anderton announced $200,000 to establish Textiles NZ to give
leadership, strategic direction and assist the sector in the trasition to new traffic levels. See http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News=article=647 _____________________
Optimism rewarded: Chch Press 30 Aug 2003 "The committee is hearing submissions on a bill to update the old Holidays
Act, in tandem with Progressive Mp Matt Robson's Holidays (Four Weeks Annual Leave) Amendment Bill that would give all
workers a minimum four weeks paid holiday rather than the present minimum of three. The Government bill retains three
weeks leave, but Mr Robson is confident his measure will be adopted to take effect after the 2005 election." Well, the
Progressives got there with four weeks coming in after the election, though not as early as we proposed.
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Tom Scott at Wellington meeting on Zaoui 200 people packed the Loaves and Fishes Hall on Tuesday. Tom Scott said, about
the denial of legal rights, "Ahmed Zaoui is not on trial, but New Zealand is. I would like to think we are a better
country than this."
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and Greg Fortuin Appointed to the boards of NZ Post, ACC, and the Crown Forestry Rental Trust by the government, Greg
Fortuin asked "Next time, who will be Ahmed Zaoui?" If we allow this to happen to one person, it could happen to another
- perhaps a member of your family or mine.
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and Mr Churchill: 1943 cable from Cairo to London "The power of the Executive to cast a man into prison without
formulating a charge known to the law and particularly to deny him judgement by his peers is in the highest degree
odious and is the foundation of all totalitarian governments, whether Nazi or Communist. It is only when extreme danger
to the state can be pleaded that this power may be temporarily assumed by the Executive, and even so its working must be
interpreted with utmost vigilance by a Free Parliament." Within days the government, backed 327-62 by Parliament, had
released fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley from prison, where he had been held without charge.
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Breaking news: Lawyers tell Lauire Greig "Outski" ! More next week on this development. See http://www.freezaoui.org.nz
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A spokesman for the Prime Minister When I said it was a pity the visit of a U.S. nuclear spin doctor was so short, the
Chch Press asked for comment and was told "He's in a separate party. Those are Matt's views. That's fairly standard for
Matt." Exactly right, the Progressives are a separate party. We have to keep saying that. That's why members have
delivered nearly 200,000 postcards to letterboxes across NZ, with the message: Two Parties, One Government.