The Standard

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Budget Smudgeit

Written By: - Date published: 2:43 pm, May 30th, 2024 - 80 comments

Early comments on the budget. Basically tax cuts are being paid by more borrowing. There is no way this can be described as being fiscally neutral.

What does the Government have against Māori wards?

Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, May 28th, 2024 - 49 comments

The Government is moving with urgency to reverse Labour’s repeal of referenda for Māori wards on local councils.

What is that word that starts with “C” and ends with “orruption”?

Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, May 26th, 2024 - 46 comments

The past fortnight has seen a number of breaking stories each of which raises concerns about the motivations and goals of this Government. It makes you wonder whether the pursuit of self interest is an embedded feature as opposed to a bug.

National MP *forgets* to declare $178,000 in donations

Written By: - Date published: 11:23 am, May 21st, 2024 - 21 comments

In breaking news New Plymouth National MP David MacLeod apparently *forgot* to declare $178,000 in declarations to the Electoral Commission.

Speech time

Written By: - Date published: 9:02 am, May 21st, 2024 - 6 comments

In the past week Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins have both delivered future vision themed speeches. With some dramatic contrasts.

Charter schools are back

Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, May 16th, 2024 - 69 comments

Following on from the decision to cut $103 million a year from the school lunch programme the Government has announced the return of chartered schools at a cost of $153 million over four years.

Celebrating the ending of a policy that no longer exists

Written By: - Date published: 9:22 am, May 15th, 2024 - 31 comments

As part of its coalition agreement NZ First is wanting to end a policy that has already ended. And the Government is struggling to work out what to do.

Court of Appeal rules against Chhour

Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, May 15th, 2024 - 16 comments

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the summons issued to Children’s Minister Karen Chhour was valid but decline to enforce it as the date has passed. And the Government has hastily introduced the bill to stop any further action being taken by the Tribunal.

The Waitangi Tribunal v Karen Chhour

Written By: - Date published: 10:08 am, May 12th, 2024 - 109 comments

The Waitangi Tribunal has released a scathing interim decision relating to the Government’s intention to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989.

Three waters lite

Written By: - Date published: 8:55 am, May 6th, 2024 - 39 comments

The Government has announced the reaching of an agreement with Auckland Council about Watercare which will over time be more expensive than Labour’s Tree Water alternative.

A one term Government?

Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, May 5th, 2024 - 86 comments

The Government is less than 12 months away from a change in the Deputy Prime Ministership and the transition will be a smooth one. Labour needs to be getting ready now. Because for the first time in this Country’s history this could be a one term National led Government.

In defence of Julie Anne Genter

Written By: - Date published: 9:01 pm, May 2nd, 2024 - 203 comments

Yesterday in Parliament Julie Anne Genter lost her cool when Matt Doocey misrepresented what the last Government’s NLTP priorities were. Should she be sanctioned? Or should she get a medal for pointing out that Doocey was totally wrong?

MPs pay increases

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, May 1st, 2024 - 94 comments

The Remuneration Authority has announced that MPs will be getting a 10% increase in their salaries during the course of this Parliament.

Right wing plunges in latest poll

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 pm, April 29th, 2024 - 52 comments

The latest One News Verian poll suggests that the right is in trouble.

The Treaty of Waitangi and Oranga Tamariki

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, April 29th, 2024 - 8 comments

Treaty of Waitangi

Minister for Children Karen Chhour has resisted attempts by the Waitangi Tribunal to get her to explain how removing requirements to improve outcomes for Māori children is not a breach of the Treaty.

This is fine

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, April 27th, 2024 - 8 comments

There is absolutely nothing to worry about if the Fast-track Approvals Bill gets passed into law and Shane Jones gets extraordinary powers to decide on consent applications which normally would be subject to enormous rigour and oversight.

Goneburger

Written By: - Date published: 1:04 pm, April 24th, 2024 - 55 comments

As predicted 10 days ago the first Ministerial goneburger has occurred and it is Melissa Lee.

What does this Government have against the environment

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, April 24th, 2024 - 5 comments

It is almost as if the environment was really cruel to senior members of the Government when they were kids. But whatever the reason this Government appears to be intent on wrecking the local environment with a degree of vengeance and stupidity not seen before.

The Liz Truss of the South Seas

Written By: - Date published: 9:43 am, April 21st, 2024 - 35 comments

Liz Truss’s short reign as UK Prime Minister foundered after her budget requiring borrowing to fund tax cuts was released. The budget tanked the UK economy and caused Truss’s resignation. This week amongst announcements of massive cuts it has emerged that the Government is also planning borrowing for tax cuts.

Towards Banana Republic Status

Written By: - Date published: 10:25 am, April 17th, 2024 - 27 comments

There is a bill before Parliament right now that has the potential of blowing a rather big hole in our reputation as an open and transparent democracy.

The first Ministerial scalp?

Written By: - Date published: 10:34 am, April 14th, 2024 - 27 comments

Already we have what looks like an odds on favourite for the first Ministerial scalp.

National only wants to help tenants *

Written By: - Date published: 10:22 am, April 12th, 2024 - 48 comments

* get evicted more easily.

A sustainable environment should be a human right

Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, April 10th, 2024 - 47 comments

James Shaw’s attempt to create a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is expected to be voted down soon by Parliament. But the New Zealand Supreme Court as well as the European Court of Human Rights have shown a willingness to recognise a right to a sustainable environment that some politicians refuse to.

Back on Track?

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, April 7th, 2024 - 71 comments

National campaigned on the promise of getting the country back on track. How is it going?

Israel’s latest atrocities

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, April 6th, 2024 - 60 comments

In the past week it has been disclosed that Israel’s Artificial Intelligence driven security system was responsible for the killing of seven international aid workers. And there are reports that Israel directed a missile attack on the Iraqi embassy in Syria.

The Government thinks that Local Government should determine what works best for them*

Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, April 5th, 2024 - 22 comments

* unless they want to set up Maori wards.

The future of UK Labour and what it means for Aotearoa

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 am, April 2nd, 2024 - 55 comments

It appears almost inevitable that Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But his taking the party to the right and an active drive to rid the party of left wingers raises the spectre that his Goverment would be a pale immitation of its predecessors.

The Culture War Coalition

Written By: - Date published: 10:57 am, March 29th, 2024 - 53 comments

We have just had yet another week of the Government manufacturing culture wars and picking fights while ignoring the big issues. Like dealing with climate change, child poverty and homelessness.

The GCSB revelations

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, March 24th, 2024 - 24 comments

RNZ has reported that a foreign agency collected signals intelligence out of the GCSB for years without ministers knowing. And the collection only stopped after the equipment broke down.

Hoatu he tumanako ki a rātou

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 21st, 2024 - 20 comments

Grant Robertson has given his valedictory speech in Parliament.

This is what happens when you give landlords a big tax cut #1

Written By: - Date published: 3:34 pm, March 20th, 2024 - 57 comments

No funds to continue to give families of disabled people