robson-on-politics, a weekly newsletter from Matt Robson MP Deputy Leader of the Progressive Party www.progressiveparty.org.nz

A small amount of seed money will boost the film and television industry in Auckland. The $2 million investment is expected to boost GDP by up to $35 million and lead to more than 250 jobs each year. Now that's Progressive!

At the Maori student debt summit at Victoria University this week, I said Progressive has < a concrete plan to tackle the debt burden. As our billboard says:

Meeting repayments for graduates working in New Zealand will benefit the whole economy. That will benefit Maori, who have a higher participation rate in tertiary ed than Pakeha but take longer on average to repay the debt. Our economic development polices are helping too, by delivering nearly 250,000 new jobs in five years.

I'm happy to tell a snide ex-colleague that the billboard money isn't Parliamentary funding nor from corporates, but donations from Progressive members and supporters. If you like the billboard, forward this email and tell youtr friends the URL is www.progressive.org.nz/student-loans

I welcome the support of the Catholic church leaders for a lot of good things that are happening. Their courage in speaking out for justice for Ahmed Zaoui is one example. But Jim Anderton and I both regret the church's alignment with Destiny's misunderstandings on civil unions. All that the Bill does is to provide legal recognition of people's relationships. Civilisation did not come to an end when Homosexual Law Reform was passed in 1986, nor will the sun stop shining in 2004.

Click http://www.progressive.org.nz/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1431 here for Matt's speech in the 3rd reading yesterday

Over the past fortnight it became obvious that release from prison was inevitable, so it was sweet to see Ahmed Zaoui arrive at the Dominican Priory last night. It has been a long, long journey since he was held in isolation at Paremoremo and Mr Winston Peters started spouting off about 'an un-named terrorist.'

Still there is a long road ahead. Ahmed faces the Crown appealing in the Supreme Court against the decision that human rights must be considered. Then there is the review of the security risk certificate by the Inspector General of Security, and whether it is upheld.

We MPs now have the responsibility of changing the law so that never again can anybody be imprisoned for two years without trial or charge.

There are reactionaries, some Right and sadly some Left, who say New Zealand "can't" compete internationally, that China "will never" be democratic, that governments "shouldn't" legislate to reward loving long-term relationships, establish four weeks annual leave and paid parental leave for working families, nor establish a Kiwi-owned bank to deliver services for all of our regions.

This week we had National and ACT highlight yet again they'd wreck New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and pull down Kiwibank. Strangely, National keeps on attacking people investing in New Zealand. But at least National gave up on their original threat to tear up working families' fourth week of annual leave. Kids can rejoice.

Five years ago today the new government was sworn in with high hopes. What a lot Jim Anderton and I have been able to deliver as part of the coalition: Kiwibank, four weeks leave, the anti-drugs campaign to protect the young, industry and regional development leading to jobs, and more. Today's news is that the jobs ads survey records a 14% jump in the last year.

On The Robson Hour on 531PI on the AM band, Sun noon - 1pm: Tim Barnett on civil unions, Senator Abacca Anjain-Maddison from the Marshall Islands (used as a nuclear weapons test site) and Su'a Kevin Thomsen on just what the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs does.

ENDS

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