“Government does things not for profit but to build a country”
In the Greens’ fiscal plan policy speech, Chloe Swarbrick lays out what good government is, and lays down a challenge to National’s Minister of Finance Nicola Willis.
Let’s talk about the Opportunity Party in New Zealand
Is Opportunity a Trojan Horse Party? And what scenarios are likely to play out with them in play in Election 2026?
Open Mike 24/10/2026
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Daily review 23/10/2026
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Gangs are bad. Crime is not?
Let’s ask this question again – is crime bad and if so, when? Is association with criminals problematic, if so when?
Open Mike 23/10/2026
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Daily review 22/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Luxon lies about 54 nurses
Do Kiwis deserve better than obfuscation and deception when it comes to our kids and their health?
Open Mike 22/10/2026
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Daily review 21/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Open Mike 21/10/2026
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Daily review 20/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Twopenneth on MMP and Class
A contribution to the current discussion of MMP and the next election.
Let’s talk gangs
Sir Peter Gluckman was John Key’s Chief Science Advisor. He said some of the most important factors to prevent youth crime was alleviating poverty and keeping people out of incarceration.
If you want to change the Government …
It is crunch time. The next five days may determine who is the next Government.
Open Mike 20/10/2026
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Daily review 19/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
A Faulty Handbrake Analogy
Pulling the handbrake in a moving car is not a smart way of preventing a breach of traffic rules and can cause chaos, confusion, and collision.
National wants to supress voter turnout
In recent news Christopher Luxon chose November 7 as election day even though he was told by the Electoral Commission that the date was challenging and that other dates were more feasible.
Open Mike 19/10/2026
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The Health Crisis and the Election
The quickly developing health crisis the country is facing is providing a major incentive for people to change the Government at this election.
Open Mike 18/10/2026
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Feeds are back
After a considerable bit of work, the feeds are back in the sidebar. The previous system used a wordpress plugin that drifted over the years from something that could do what I wanted, to a system that seemed to be largely targeted at ‘borrowing’ whole pages from other sites to push advertising. Let me know if what places you’re reading, and you think should accessible from on here.
Open Mike 17/10/2026
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Daily review 16/10/2026
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How To Celebrate Getting Really Rich
Pleading for more protection for the super-rich during an election is not going to land well for National.
Open Mike 16/10/2026
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Daily review 15/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Voting for Opportunity could cement the right wing for another 3 years
Nearly 40% of Opportunity’s voters come from the left. Around 17% come from the right. Can we risk another 3 years of the current right wing Government?
The Opportunity National Courtship
National has softened some policy positions, bringing it closer to meeting some of Opportunity’s five bottom lines. Is Luxon preparing to pull off the post-election flip-flop to end all flip-flops?
Enrolment levels
From this morning’s PolitikToday, the enrolment figures are out. Currently sitting at 90.77% overall against the estimated electorate. As you’d expect the 18-24 age group, is the worst off, having about 62% enrolled. What is interesting is the age groups of 65-69 and 70+ show more than 100% enrolment. The 70+ group having a remarkable 103.25%. I can feel the conspiracy theorists stirring…
Open Mike 15/10/2026
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Daily review 14/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Open Mike 14/10/2026
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 13/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Open Mike 13/10/2026
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Daily review 12/10/2026
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …