By: Larry Williams | Friday, May 18, 2012 5:11 PM

Pre budget announcements

 

A rise in the prescription charge from $3 to $5. This hasn't gone down well with the opposition parties. There were the usual suspects.  Hone Harawira who claimed that the $2 extra would "lead to children dying" was typical of the hysteria around the decision.

 

This though was another decision around the edges. It was tinkering when the Government could have got real and targeted the subsidies at the lower paid, and brought in a higher cost for others.

 

As they do in Australia.

 

Workplace laws

 

There to be some minor changes to workplace laws. But the unions described them as vicious.

 

The fact that workers will be docked wages for partial strikes is hardly vicious. Indeed it’s very fair.

 

The Herald

 

The PM got attacked for stating the obvious. That the Herald had become more tabloid in its approach.

 

Remarkable.

 

Education

 

Teachers don't like the changes to class funding and they don't like the idea of performance pay.

 

Actually that may not be entirely true. The unions are railing against the changes.

 

It is quite unbelievable the excuses they come up with NOT to pay great teachers more money.

 

On the class size, what was missing in the debate is that it is still the school that decides on how many kids are in a class. What was changed was the funding model.

 

The Minister Hekia Parata looks like she is across the issues. She knows her stuff. This won't please the teacher unions.

 

Defamation action

 

Labour MP's Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little are laughing off defamation action by Judith Collins.

 

They obviously think either Collins will withdraw or that she hasn't got a case.

 

Time will tell on that one.

 

But the MP's actions of trying to dodge being served papers and filming the event is making them look a little bit silly.

 

Greece

 

Greece is a time bomb. Greece was downgraded to junk status overnight. If the next election produces an anti-bailout government then Greece will likely exit the euro.

 

Nobody can really gauge the exact impact, the experts differ, but either way it won't be pretty.