It’s Tax Cut Day - well that’s how National are pitching it. And they want you to be excited as they tell you this will ease the pain of the cost of living crisis they exacerbated for low to middle income earners which they kept low and middle earners through their increased costs and below inflation minimum wage increases.

And while a minimum wage earner will be lucky if they get $12.50 a week (remember to read the fine print folks), they’re putting aside over $200 Million for tobacco companies…

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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Congratulations on the new job - turns out you’re now a mushy member of Te Whatu Ora management - the most paradoxical organisation in the country! There’s both too many nurses and not enough, not enough funding and too much, and it even makes our Deputy PM, the leader of NZ First, go with his hand out to an asian country and ask for help.

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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Local body politicians have to walk a very fine line usually, knowing they have to work with central government no matter their own political leanings. Most opt to be diplomatic - which makes a lot of sense. But after they leave office, there’s nothing stopping them showing their true colours - like the former Mayor who called Blake to base and threaten him over his campaign to reverse Whaikaha funding reductions.

*Please note the pictures of cake are much more impressive in video form ;)

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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I’m spending time with family this weekend - but if you want depressing news then I’ve got your back!

And if you don’t then I totally understand as well!

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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As Parliament returns from its recess, we’re once again facing the chaos of this government in action - not just with what they do in in the house, but how they impact lives outside of it for the rest of us.

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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A recent announcement from Dr Shane Reti claiming an overspend at Te Whatu Ora is just not only spin, it’s wrong. It’s an underfunding of an integral piece of the country’s infrastructure, which they have added pressure to with their changes, while ignoring the warnings from industry, economists and academics. 

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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It’s Joever in the US as President Joe Biden announces he won’t be seeking re-election. But that doesn’t mean VP Kamala Harris gets the job automatically, but it would be easier for the Democrats if she did, and the lawyers, and the campaign teams. But even then, Republicans will probably sue and then there’s the Ohio problem…

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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Tauranga has voted! Well 30% of it at least…

But those 30% had some clear messages - not fans of the pre-commissioner Council and they don’t want people being openly racist or pushing mis and disinformation.

Oh and because it’s over, I can now explain why some controversial candidate’s campaign to Gish Gallop and get me worked up with the threat of Netsafe and police because of my content won’t work. And no, it’s not because of free speech, which seems to be something they only like for themselves…

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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MSD numbers out yesterday show an unsurprising increase in people receiving help from what is meant to be our safety net social welfare system - but cruel new sanctions have increased, the people being sanctioned are disproportionately people of colour, the people most impacted by the govt reserve bank choices are people of colour and it is all just going to get much much worse.

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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An Audio version of our most recent live event - with Andrew Caie, a candidate running in Tauranga's Local Body elections on how the campaign has been going, and the reaction from local voters, then a look into frontline medical care and the impacts it has on the disabled community.

A left leaning look at the world with Media and Political commentator, Paul… The Other One Barlow.

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