Judith Collins is boasting about the economic benefits of a new private prison at Wiri, South Auckland. She says the prison will generate $1.2 billion in economic activity over 30 years (yes, that’s 30 years). Something for the people of South Auckland to really look forward to.
I’m not proud that NZ already locks up more people (other than the USA) in any country in the OECD. But it looks like we’re going to need more prisons because of the NActs lock-em-up and throw-away-the-key policies that they’ve been steadily introducing since they became government.
In fact, if we look at parliamentary time spent since the NActs became government, I would guess that more than 50% has been spent on “being tough on crime”, while meantime, programmes for families - programmes that will ensure our children and families are supported and valued are being cut.
I think we’ve lost the plot if we think economic opportunities lie in locking more people up. This is not going to improve the quality of life for all New Zealanders, let alone lower inequalities.
But I do know who will be doing well out of this. Private foreign owners of prisons.
John Key said he was ambitious for New Zealand.
Ambitious to become the prison centre of the world?
“finger-printing of children at school without parental permission.”
deleted language Trevor????
@Simon – no one has ever had a mandate to do those kinds of crazy things,
Private prisons ideological stupidity.
Most of the anti terrorist legislation n the UK was stated with Thatcher and Major all IRA related New Labour did extend some of the powers.
Not so strangley the financial down has its roots deep down into the reforms of 80s with Thatcher and Regan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Thatcher
“flourishing in Britain and America under Thatcher and Reagan, “casino capitalism” – as speculation and trading in financial claims became a more important part of the economy than industry”
New Labour carried them on.
@Loota, the loss makers are exactly the SOE’s to be getting off the government books (as long as they are not monopolies like the loss making Transpower) but your quoting of Air NZ and Singaporean Airlines is cherry picking…
1). The Singaporean are smart, hard woking, savers… I’m convinced they could start a profitable typewriter or canned air company…
2). Air NZ’s success shows that Rob Fyfe is a genius and worth every penny he’s paid (Air NZ staff love him) and that NZers are consumeristic idiots who’ll pay too much for a flight becuase the plane’s got a Koru on the tail or they’re flying on the government’s dime…
JMH did you hear Paul Henry railing at NZers to use the national airline every time because it’s well, the national airline.
I am currently pricing a trip to the UK via Bangkok one way, and canada the other.
Air NZ would be great, but Thai is cheaper, and a great airline to fly… and am tossing up for the flight back, but not Air NZ because price matters.
As for NZers achieving in innovation, this might interest some of you… we can’t put trains together but we can make people walk again…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10658985
Jeremy, I know people love Thai food, but to describe them as “hard woking” is surely a bit much. You must have meant “hard wokking”.
JMH of course its cherry picking my man! (it would be silly to look at the failures and to copy them, its much better to look at and learn from the successes which demonstrate what is possible)
@Tracey: Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology…
Spud, you’re right they didn’t get a mandate for the simple reason they were voted out. But check it out, this was all ‘new’ Labour policy.
@Richard, Singaporeans aren’t Thai…
Deep,
Never was much good at geography Jeremy. Close though.