The Standard

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National split on super?

Written By: - Date published: 7:09 am, October 19th, 2012 - 26 comments

Foss has effectively challenged the PM’s stance on ruling out changes to the age of eligibility for NZ Super. A minor rebellion? A faint flickering of independent and rational thought form within the National caucus?

Shearer: Jobs that work for you

Written By: - Date published: 1:07 pm, October 18th, 2012 - 115 comments

This afternoon David Shearer gave a speech about jobs at the Hornby Workingman’s Club. It’s exactly the kind of speech I want to hear from the Labour leader, with plenty of substance to add weight to rhetoric.

Pike River: New video footage proves Key made the promise he denies

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, October 17th, 2012 - 62 comments

Key denied promising the Pike River families that the bodies of their loved ones would be retrieved. Now that his faulty account has been corrected by new video evidence, he owes it more than ever to the families to do the right thing. Key made the promise – he should honour it.

Another revenge leaking from Nats

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, October 17th, 2012 - 31 comments

Paula Bennett’s MSD ignored not one, but two warnings last year that its public kiosks were insecure. When a third warning came from Ira Bailey, Bennett (or her staff) appear to have leaked his name to the media. Bennett has a history of leaking private details to the media – by taking no action Key is giving his tacit consent.

Asset sales grind on

Written By: - Date published: 5:50 pm, October 15th, 2012 - 37 comments

Amidst all the current scandal and chaos, the Nats’ privatisation agenda grinds on.

Lies, damn lies, and rigged polling questions

Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, October 15th, 2012 - 30 comments

In 2010 the largest protest for a generation in NZ marched down Queen St to oppose mining. But by squinting sideways at some rigged polling questions, industry advocates (aided and abetted by dumb headline writers) would have you believe that we the people support mining…

Shearer, Key, credibility

Written By: - Date published: 9:46 am, October 13th, 2012 - 157 comments

The strange case of what was or was not said on February 29th by Key to GCSB staff regarding Kim Dotcom. In the Shearer Key face-off I know who I think the public will believe – surprise surprise it’s David Shearer. Here’s why…

Poverty Watch 7

Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, October 13th, 2012 - 6 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, three good pieces on the recent Children’s Commisioner’s report, the Nats dither on food in schools, and much more…

Harawira’s arrest

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, October 12th, 2012 - 70 comments

On any other morning Hone Harawira’s arrest would be the big political news story of the day.

Watch Campbell Live at 7pm

Written By: - Date published: 6:39 pm, October 11th, 2012 - 103 comments

Apparently there’s a tape of Key mentioning Dotcom on February 29th. Another bit of Key’s story collapses? Watch Campbell Live at 7 for more…

The race to the bottom

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, October 11th, 2012 - 21 comments

Youth rates are an admission of economic failure.

Key’s snub to unions and workers

Written By: - Date published: 6:37 am, October 9th, 2012 - 99 comments

National promised us an “unrelenting focus on jobs” and delivered record highs in unemployment and emigration.  Now Key is refusing to even attend a Union jobs summit,  because on Planet Key everything is just fine. The unwillingness to admit that anything is wrong is just blind arrogance.

Herald promotes cheating and tax evasion

Written By: - Date published: 9:51 am, October 8th, 2012 - 223 comments

I was surprised this weekend to see The Herald come out with a strongly stated piece in favour of cheating and tax evasion.

A Sunday treat for everyone except Fran O’Sullivan

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, October 7th, 2012 - 27 comments

Parasitic blogger takes on Very Important Columnist who does Real Journalism Work to bring to her readers Informed and Insightful Commentary on The Issues That Really Matter.

97% of teachers are useless – right?

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, October 6th, 2012 - 13 comments

Teachers are terrible at national standards. Almost half of them get them wrong, on one standard 97% of teachers were wrong. This is an outrage! Teachers are terrible!! Right? Am I right? Or is there an alternative hypothesis…

Poverty Watch 6

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, October 6th, 2012 - 7 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, immigrant Pacific Island families in poverty, and a thoughtful and challenging piece on the role of philanthropy in NZ.

Meanwhile back on Planet Earth

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, October 5th, 2012 - 18 comments

It’s now clear that National are unfit for office anywhere but Planet Key. Which is unfortunate, because here on Planet Earth, things aren’t going so well. We need new ideas, we need action, we need results. We aren’t going to get them from National.

Key changing his story

Written By: - Date published: 5:50 pm, October 3rd, 2012 - 21 comments

Key is trying to subtly rewrite history on his denials re Dotcom. Unfortunately for Key his categorical denial is on record.

Parata bungling inexcusable

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, October 3rd, 2012 - 74 comments

Parata is trying to close schools based on data that is (as even the Ministry now admits) massively incorrect. The attack on the social fabric of Christchurch was already inexcusable. This latest fiasco makes it even worse.

When memes attack

Written By: - Date published: 2:52 pm, October 1st, 2012 - 22 comments

The speed with which Planet Key caught on is a measure of the public recognition that the Nats have lost the plot.

Poverty Watch 5

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, September 29th, 2012 - 23 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, right wingers whine about the focus on poverty, 3 News and Kidscan try to do something about it.

The cost of doing nothing

Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, September 28th, 2012 - 34 comments

Another report confirms the findings of the 2006 Stern Report. The future economic costs of doing nothing far outweigh the current costs of taking action on climate change. But National is taking us backwards…

Ombudsman: Government secrecy “highly dangerous”

Written By: - Date published: 7:17 am, September 28th, 2012 - 31 comments

The Chief Ombudsmen has attacked the government’s moves to keep official information secret, calling them “highly dangerous”. The ongoing GCSB and John Banks scandals show just how important it is to be able to hold the government – at all levels – to account.

Austerity vs. stimulus

Written By: - Date published: 1:15 pm, September 27th, 2012 - 53 comments

The UK and USA make for interesting case studies in their differing responses to the global recession.  A pity that NZ followed the wrong leader.

Key / Peters 2014

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, September 27th, 2012 - 50 comments

John “power at any cost” Key isn’t ruling out a deal with Peters in 2014. Peters isn’t ruling it out either. Deputy PM Peters anyone?

A fish rots from the head down

Written By: - Date published: 1:50 pm, September 25th, 2012 - 51 comments

Key has failed to uphold high ethical standards for himself, his Ministers, or his government. The GCSB illegal spying fiasco is just the latest example.

Encouraging polls

Written By: - Date published: 2:53 pm, September 24th, 2012 - 69 comments

Encouraging polls in both NZ and America.

Politician subtitled for honesty

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, September 22nd, 2012 - 15 comments

When parties that claim to have a social conscience end up propping up right-wing governments it doesn’t usually end well. Here is the Lib Dems leader Nick Clegg, apologising to his supporters for breaking a core promise. He has been subtitled for honesty.

Poverty Watch 4

Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, September 22nd, 2012 - 7 comments

Welcome to Poverty Watch, a weekly update on National’s lack of response to the urgent and growing issue of poverty in NZ. This week, a new Labour Bill, an Otago University study, and Live Below the Line.

I did not have relations with that police report!

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, September 21st, 2012 - 51 comments

What exactly did John Key mean when he said on 31 July – “That is my reading of the police report”?

Banks and Dunne vote down minimum wage

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, September 20th, 2012 - 51 comments

David Clark’s private member’s Bill to increase the minimum wage was voted down 61 to 59 last night. Shame on John Banks and Peter Dunne.