The Standard

Author Archive

What If Trump Is Right?

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, April 5th, 2026 - 38 comments

What if Donald Trump is right and the West should reopen the Strait of Hormuz?

Destroying Business 2025

Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, March 25th, 2026 - 6 comments

This government has an appalling record of large scale business closures, which continue to damage the careers of thousands of New Zealand workers.

What We Can Do

Written By: - Date published: 6:50 pm, March 20th, 2026 - 30 comments

In absence of a concrete leadership plan from this government to address the impending oil supply crisis, this post is for us to simply note down what actions we are taking ourselves. 

What Should Be In the Plan for New Zealand’s Upcoming Oil Crisis?

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, March 11th, 2026 - 90 comments

In the short and medium term, what should this government do as a plan?

New Zealand needs regime change

Written By: - Date published: 11:56 am, March 3rd, 2026 - 22 comments

A prime minister who does not understand how vulnerable New Zealand’s economy is to a Middle Eastern war as we have now, is a Prime Minister who should be removed from office.

The United States and Israel attack Iran, again

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, March 1st, 2026 - 42 comments

Trump’s attack on Iran has a high risk of turning into another Afghanistan in which the United States was utterly humiliated.

Green Shoots, Anyone?

Written By: - Date published: 4:11 pm, January 30th, 2026 - 27 comments

There is no evidence of immediate improvement in our economy, or of this government improving it.

The rise of Winston follows the rise of Pauline Hansen and Nigel Farage

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, January 25th, 2026 - 47 comments

Ten months to go and there is no political party currently countering the sustained rise of New Zealand First.

Our Quiet Tyranny

Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, January 16th, 2026 - 17 comments

The attack on the NZ Reserve Bank is lock step with Trump.

MCERT V MAF V MBIE V Treasury

Written By: - Date published: 3:01 pm, January 15th, 2026 - 4 comments

The merger of many functions of the central public sector concerned with cities, the environment, housing and urban development, and transport, was announced in the week before Christmas and is now underway. There’s plenty of good on the face of it.

A Radical Gets Real Power and Runs Something Big

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, January 10th, 2026 - 7 comments

Tim Shadbolt’s passing shows what it’s like when a bona fide radical activist gets into power for long enough to make a permanent difference.

Advantage’s 2026 predictions

Written By: - Date published: 12:03 pm, December 23rd, 2025 - 11 comments

Advantage gets out the crystal ball and postilated what may happen next year.

It’s Changed Too Much For The Nostalgia Cure

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, December 14th, 2025 - 13 comments

If Labour wins government in 2026, many things won’t be recoverable.

“National is Getting NZ Back on Track”?

Written By: - Date published: 2:21 pm, December 8th, 2025 - 13 comments

That’s the headline of the pamphlet in the letterbox. But from their own measures is that true?

Abolishing New Zealand’s Regional Councils

Written By: - Date published: 7:06 am, November 30th, 2025 - 19 comments

The government on Tuesday announced plans to replace regional councillors with boards made up of mayors and maybe some minister-appointed representatives. It’s a mess.

Labour Gets Ready To Win Election 2026

Written By: - Date published: 1:08 pm, November 29th, 2025 - 60 comments

Labour has recovered from the 26.9% vote share hiding it received in 2023, and is ready to run government again. 

The Old Left is Wrong about Russia

Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, November 20th, 2025 - 151 comments

This weeks’ sabotage of a Polish rail line that enables freight to get to Ukraine is a big step in the undeclared war by Russia against European countries that support Ukraine.

Who’s winning the Climate Change Revolution?

Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, November 17th, 2025 - 3 comments

The world’s largest economies are lowering or flatlining emissions at the same time as they are growing their economies. 

Why Is National Allowing Trans Tasman Resources to Destroy our Common Good?

Written By: - Date published: 10:52 am, November 15th, 2025 - 20 comments

This government is deliberately enabling private seabed mining in Taranaki to prevent New Zealand’s largest future renewable electricity supply.

Our Accelerating Public Sector Decline 

Written By: - Date published: 2:44 pm, November 13th, 2025 - 26 comments

New Zealanders are losing confidence in the institutions that once held us together. Can this be changed?

This Fonterra Failure is a New Zealand Failure

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, October 31st, 2025 - 49 comments

The vast majority of Fonterra shareholders have agreed to sell all its consumer brands to Lactalis, and it’s an economic crime against New Zealand.

Labour’s Sub-Therapeutic Dose for Economic Sickness

Written By: - Date published: 6:41 pm, October 20th, 2025 - 53 comments

Why is Labour proposing $200 million for a growth fund when New Zealand First got $3 billion?

So, New Zealand First Then?

Written By: - Date published: 2:17 pm, September 4th, 2025 - 43 comments

In 2026 New Zealand First in all likelihood will be back in power because Labour and National will need them to form government.

The Curious Case of Central Otago

Written By: - Date published: 8:48 am, August 18th, 2025 - 31 comments

How can a region be so pretty, so rich, but so poor? 

Good, Democratic, Easy-To-Support Energy Policies

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 11th, 2025 - 16 comments

How to make fundamental changes to the country’s energy systems to ensure that future supply is sustainable and democratically controlled/

Power Companies Collude to Require New Zealand Coal-Fired Electricity

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, August 6th, 2025 - 20 comments

The country’s four main power companies have signed an agreement to stockpile coal and to extend the life of the coal-fired Huntly power station.

Give Young People The Vote

Written By: - Date published: 2:53 pm, July 27th, 2025 - 25 comments

If we are to renew the purpose of democracy after this current bunch of old people have had a crack at shrinking it, we need to turn this into something prospective voters can actually hope for: they can make change happen through the vote.

The Time For The Left To Act Is Now

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, July 23rd, 2025 - 50 comments

None of National’s policies are working. But the time of Labour’s policy vacuum needs to be over. It’s time to make their mark and take Luxon front on and win.

The left should unite on tax, fast

Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, July 20th, 2025 - 39 comments

… before the election starts to get real.

We Have a Human Right to Water, and to Democracy

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, July 1st, 2025 - 25 comments

hand rising out of the dark ocean

National is rolling out comprehensive water corporatisation, across New Zealand.  For those who don’t live in Auckland, Wellington, or other centres with commercialised water services already, this is coming to you fast. “Water Done Well” is the policy of this government to require all communities to decide on forming commercial water delivery entities, to run […]

State-run food stores anyone? 

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 am, June 30th, 2025 - 26 comments

What if we broke New Zealand’s grocery misery with our own grocery store?