Undeterred by the failure of their state house selloff plans in Invercargill and Horowhenua, the Nats are trying to push ahead with a sale in Christchurch - Prime Minister John Key's childhood state house up for sale as Government offers 2500 properties to NGOs Housing…
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It was disappointing to see Michael Woodhouse's complacency for the government at one worker each week dying on the job. That can't be acceptable. The new health & safety laws are a big improvement, and are making a difference in NZ businesses. It took a…
Via the NZ Herald: A specialist in coal mine explosion prevention has called Solid Energy's decision not to re-enter the Pike River mine irrational. Engineer David Creedy prepared a report, which concluded it would be safe to cautiously enter the mine to look for evidence…
https://twitter.com/TheNBR/status/801267884848648192 Later: "We look like a bunch of muppets." Key unhappy the holes weren't pre-dug at Mangawhai Heads.
RNZ seem to be the only ones with this important story this morning: Child abuse report 'shut down' A former Human Rights Commissioner is accusing the government of killing off a critical report on the way it handled hundreds of cases of children abused in…
I started a subscription to Politik - Richard Harmon's paywall site, and I find that I have been enjoying it. Now that I have my uncompensated, unexpected, and unsolicited plug out of the way... I was rather amused reading today's Politik's "Despite the pact Shaw takes on…
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 … Note: Open Mike is now for US politics too.
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 …
This is just something that gets my goat, and there was a particularly egregious example on the RNZ Business News this morning. Apparently Wall St was going 'gangbusters', and the reason they came up with for that was 'Wall St' liking Donald Trump's policies (lowering…
I get the impression that the Mt Roskill by election is not going well for National. The seat should be in play. Last election Labour lost the party vote to National by 2,200. Sure Goff won the electorate vote by over 8,000 but this was…
Revelations surrounding the role of fake news in the American election have been stunning. If you haven't been following the topic, here's a quick catch-up: Click and elect: how fake news helped Donald Trump win a real election This Analysis Shows How Fake Election News…
Another fail in National's plan to sell off state houses is good news for those of us who believe that it is the government's responsibility to take care of society's most vulnerable. From RNZ: Govt backs away from Horowhenua state house sale The proposed sale…
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About the only good thing I have to say about the misogynist buffoon, under-skilled charlatan and ignorant bigot that the Americans have elected to be their constitutional monarch for the next four years1 is that he appears to have killed the current version of the constraint of…
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 …
On Checkpoint Nigel Hampton QC (representing some of the families) described the Pike River mine as a 'crime scene' and a 'homicide scene', and he questioned the motives of those rushing to seal the mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OsVT1fy_sQ John Key promised the families that the bodies would…
Gerry Brownlee has been in the news lately. First for attacking a public servant for not telling the Government about a rather major gap in our civil defence network then for attacking him after admitting that the scientist had actually raised the issue in reports about this rather large…
When you injure someone with your car there are consequences - Chester Borrows to face trial over protest incident (RNZ) The MP for Whanganui, Chester Borrows, is headed to trial over a charge of careless use of a motor vehicle causing injury. It follows an…
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 … Note: Open Mike is now for US politics too.
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 …
Turns out that the earth's climate is more sensitive to warming than we thought, and: Climate change may be escalating so fast it could be 'game over', scientists warn. In this "game" New Zealand will be on record as among the most useless of players:…
After two significant earthquake events in Christchurch in the past six years and with a number of other earthquakes happening you would have thought that the Government would have made sure that our earthquake and tsunami warning system are fit for purpose. At least you…
Before the 2008 election National promised tax cuts on average "north of $50 a week": National leader John Key believes tax cuts of the magnitude it promised in 2005 are credible under today's economic conditions. Didn't happen. Before the 2011 election National instituted a "tax…
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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 … [In order to keep Open Mike and Daily Review free for other conversations, please put all discussion,…
Apparently today, Netsafe will finally start acting as the "Approved Agency" of section 7 of the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015. This is an act that is meant to deal with some of the excessive online abuse and bullying. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to me that…
From the Labour Party website. Six years on from the Pike River disaster, the memory of that day still burns strong, and the families still wait for the Government to make good on its promises. They are still waiting for justice. Mining communities are special.…
Via Scoop, GRANNIES FOR PEACE MAKE TEA NOT WAR! Grannies for Peace -Make Tea…Not War' picnic is to be held this Sunday 20th November. From 1.00pm-2.00pm at The Cloud, Queen’s Wharf, Auckland Waterfront, while the NZ Navy's 75th birthday open day is taking place. We will be…