Lest we forget
The New Republic has a good article on Keynes that points out the tendency for governments (specifically in the US) to flock toward […]
January 2009
Identity Politics
In 2007 Te Ata Tino Toa applied to Tranzit New Zealand to have the Maori Sovereignty flag flown on the Auckland Harbour Bridge […]
Iceland: not just a leader in cod
Nicked from the Hand Mirror, who got the story from No Right Turn – hattips all round: Next week Iceland’s going to get […]
The long game
Last night, I heard something worrying. It was Gareth Morgan saying he can’t ‘see through’ this recession; that he can’t see the economic […]
The praiseworthy and the pitiful
Last year, we had The Standard Week as a regular feature on a Friday. We might resurrect that if there is popular demand but, […]
A key birdshit shortage
Our economy depends on other key resources apart from oil. For instance our farming sector still depends heavily on using phosphates to increase […]
Blogger ethics
I see that over at Kiwiblog DPF is hawking an Air New Zealand viral advertisement. Now DPF has had at least one junket […]
Whither the PIF?
I attended the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji back in 2006. The shadow of Bainimarama’s approaching coup hung over the forum but it […]
Fonterra’s Corporate Accountability
Despite very serious allegations from former Sanlu CEO Tian Wenhua that an unnamed Fonterra board member influenced her decision to not cease production […]
Obama makes world safer, already
In response to U.S. President Barack Obama’s review of the proposed U.S. missile defence system in Eastern Europe, Russia is scrapping plans to […]
Pedal to the metal but still no traction
Another review of the Official Cash Rate, another record cut. This time, it’s a 1.5% cut bringing the OCR to 3.5%. That’s the […]
Thank God somebody’s awake at Granny Herald
Surprise, surprise, it’s Garth George. “The economic situation is without a doubt the most urgent of predicaments to be dealt with, but so […]
Fingers burned
Word is Tony Ryall is feeling a bit burned over the herceptin funding. Turns out the private specialists needed to administer the treatment […]
Just Left becomes group blog
Jordan Carter’s long-running Just Left has become a group blog with several new contributors. Jordan explains: The logic is simple. Some of the […]
John Key keeps disappearing into satire
Danyl at The Dim-Post has been indulging in his favored pastime again – satire. In this case Cabinet expresses concern over missing PM […]
Walk the walk
Parents around the country are counting down the days until school starts for the year – but for some the NZHerald had some […]
Bureaucracy cutters call for more bureaucrats
Today on Radio NZ, Health Minister Tony Ryall’s razor gang for the health sector was discussed. One of its proponents argued there was […]
Let me say that again
“It’s important that I get an Australian perspective on the unfolding international economic situation, particularly the impact of a slowdown in China and […]
The Neo-Liberal Front
National’s two main internal factions consist of the Conservatives, and the Neo-Liberals. Overall the Conservatives want to keep things pretty much as they […]
Biz NZ opposes minimum wage increase
As we reported on Monday, the Cabinet is set to review the minimum wage. The Labour Department recommended maintaining its purchasing power by […]
NZ Herald: Nobody Wants It
It seems that Irish millionaire Tony O’Reilly won’t be solving his debt problems any time soon. O’Reilly is desperate to be shod of […]
Conservatism and Progressivism
Conservatism is all about maintaining the status quo. It assumes that the status quo is essentially ok, while change is best avoided. The […]
Paving paradise
We have received information that National’s plan to change the definition of ‘environment’ under the RMA in their 100-day legislation roll out will […]
BastardWatch
After losing their last four seats in the Senate after Australia’s 2007 election, the Australian Democrats are trying hard to stay relevant and […]
Worrying, or what I did with my holidays
I’ve meaning to write a wee post thanking Young Labour for inviting me along to speak at their Summer School the other weekend. […]
Wage for minimum wage workers set to drop
In the Bay Report in December 2007, John Key was quoted as saying “we would love to see wages drop“. Inexplicably, the media […]
Standard writer in shock agreement with KBR!
Over at Kiwiblog David and his rabid followers are screaming over the HoS’s treatment of National’s Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and the […]
Helen Clark greatest living NZer – Herald
I wonder if someone at the Herald is going to get sack for letting this happen? The NZ Herald’s week long poll to […]
Stop the auction
The tragic shooting death of Halatau Kianamanu Naitoko on the motorway today was not National’s fault. In fact it was nothing to do […]
Join the job queue – an Aussie perspective
Jobs, jobs, jobs seems to be the theme of the day. After reading that Microsoft has announced that 5,000 jobs are to go (the […]
We would love to see wages drop – Key
Staying with today’s wages theme, The Herald is reporting: “Mr Key would not rule out pay cuts for public servants in the next […]
Job losses in Aussie
Across the Tasman Kevin Rudd’s plea for employers to save jobs has fallen on deaf ears, with some of Australia’s biggest companies (mining, retail and automotive […]
A pointless symbolic distraction. At best.
I’m the last person who’d criticise freezing the pay of our MPs but John Key’s cynical opportunism is at best a piece of […]
Obama implements pay freeze for some aides
President Obama has announced his intention to institute a pay freeze on the salaries of senior White House aides earning over $US100,000. He says […]
Still swilling the small beer
John Key has written to the Remuneration Board imploring them not to increase wages for MPs and judges in the annual review later this […]
What lies around the corner?
Under the full warmth of the summer sun those clouds that keep gathering on the horizon seem to have been quickly dismissed by many, with the hope […]