The Standard

Author Archive

Tamaki Makaurau’s very own wannabe Trump

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, June 20th, 2022 - 41 comments

What started out as an ego driven campaign is now developing into full blown Trumism as Leo Molloy thrashes around attempting to court attention in the belief, Trump like, that it will convert into political support.

The Tauranga by election

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, June 18th, 2022 - 64 comments

The Tauranga by election has been one of the most low key by elections held in some time. The polls are now closed. If Labour get within 25 points of National they can regard this as a victory.

Human rights, culture wars and the right

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, June 17th, 2022 - 39 comments

Christopher Luxton has proposed that social media posts showing gang members wearing bling should be censored.  And in the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has railed against a ECHR decision which has upset his efforts to illegally extradite refugee status applicants to Rwanda.  These are different examples of something the right is finessing, culture wars against minorities in breach of their rights for political advantage.

The Cabinet reshuffle

Written By: - Date published: 8:52 am, June 14th, 2022 - 64 comments

There was some drama yesterday in the Beehive where Kris Faafoi and Trevor Mallard announced that they will be resigning from Parliament and Jacinda Ardern took the opportunity to reshuffle the Cabinet.

BusinessNZ has been telling porkies about fair pay agreements

Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, June 13th, 2022 - 10 comments

BusinessNZ’s attempt to put New Zealand on the ILO naughty list because of fair pay agreements has failed.

National’s anti gang policies and the Bill of Rights

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, June 12th, 2022 - 33 comments

This weekend National threw out a few hunks of red meat to some of its more rabid supporters by going to its old favourite of gang bashing.

The prospects of a snap election

Written By: - Date published: 2:18 pm, June 10th, 2022 - 85 comments

Various media and the National Party are speculating that there may be an early election.  What are the chances of one being called?

He Waka Eke Noa?

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, June 10th, 2022 - 16 comments

The He Waka Eke Noa report recommends the introduction of farm-level split-gas levy on agricultural emissions. The anticipated savings are very small and reliant on Government proposals for the sector to reaching the Government target of 10% methane reduction.  Are we really all in this together?

National needs better lawyers

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, June 8th, 2022 - 68 comments

Christopher Luxon this morning called for the police getting warrantless search powers for arms.  But the law already allows for warrantless searches where Arms Act violations are suspected.

Is Boris gone?

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, June 7th, 2022 - 17 comments

Reports from the UK suggest that Boris Johnson’s reign as Prime Minister may be over because it appears sufficient conservative MPs have a sufficient sense of morality to be outraged about Boris’s Covid lockdown busting ways.

Update:  he survived but over 40% of Conservative MPs voted to remove him.

China and the Pacific

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 5th, 2022 - 223 comments

National and it allies have this week attacked Nanaia Mahuta for not responding to China’s forays in the Pacific.  But they do not appreciate the quiet diplomatic work that Labour MPs have been doing in the background or the reasons why the Pacific rejected having a joint security arrangement with China.

Ardern is apparently to blame for National having racist supporters

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, June 2nd, 2022 - 273 comments

Yesterday on Morning Report Chris Luxon pivoted from a question about National supporters expressing distaste for Te Ao Maori to blaming Jacinda Ardern for not burning up political capital on co governance.

National’s policies don’t add up

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, May 31st, 2022 - 48 comments

In 21 tweets Clint Smith has set out why National’s tax cut policies and its rhetoric are absurd and how the media is doing us a disservice by not asking the hard questions like what will be cut and how the promised tax cuts will be paid for.

The problem with keyboard warriors and media commentators

Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, May 29th, 2022 - 178 comments

Internationally Jacinda Ardern’s speech to the Harvard graduating class has been very well received.  But locally not so much.

If not now then when?

Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, May 26th, 2022 - 47 comments

Yet another school shooting has occurred this time in Texas with 19 children and two teachers shot.  And this weekend the NRA is holding its annual Convention in Texas and Donald Trump is one of the guest speakers.

Wood announces boost to Coastal shipping

Written By: - Date published: 9:47 am, May 25th, 2022 - 36 comments

Transport Minister Michael Wood has announced funding to increase coastal shipping services in New Zealand in a move that will decrease highway congestion, reduce wear and tear on roads, improve employment, support regional development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Australian Election

Written By: - Date published: 7:08 pm, May 21st, 2022 - 66 comments

Post for people to comment on developing news about the Australian election.

The time that Roger Douglas was right

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, May 21st, 2022 - 39 comments

Roger Douglas may have caused New Zealand a lot of harm through his policies and actions but there was one occasion where if a policy he had helped to introduce had been retained New Zealand would be a much better place.

The Media and the Australian election

Written By: - Date published: 2:03 pm, May 20th, 2022 - 28 comments

I cannot understand why in Australia Scotty from Marketing still has a fighting chance of remaining as Prime Minister.  But the recent tightening in the polls suggests that this is a possibility.

The Goldilocks budget

Written By: - Date published: 9:25 am, May 20th, 2022 - 24 comments

How was the 2022 budget?  Was it the worst since Ruth Richardson’s mother of all budgets or the best since the first Labour Government gave everyone a Christmas bonus in 1935?

Budget Day!

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, May 19th, 2022 - 50 comments

Today is budget day.  What surprises will Grant Robertson announce to address the country’s many and varied problems.  Will Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis be able to sound like they actually understand what is in the budget?  Stay tuned for 2 pm …

Has Business NZ been telling porkies?

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, May 17th, 2022 - 18 comments

Business NZ has claimed that the proposed Fair Play legislation breaches International Labour Law and that the International Labour Organisation agrees with it. But its claims appear to be on the wrong side of what we could politely describe as the truth.

Justice for Shaireen

Written By: - Date published: 12:11 pm, May 16th, 2022 - 30 comments

The spotlight is again on Israel after the senseless shooting of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh allegedly by an Israeli army sniper and on the subsequent disruption of her funeral by Israeli defence forces.

The Auckland Mayoralty campaign

Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, May 15th, 2022 - 9 comments

The Auckland mayoralty campaign promises to be a fascinating contest between a right winger promising to spend $1.5 million on the campaign and wants to turn sprinklers on the homeless and Efeso Collins who promises to run an inclusive respectful campaign.

Shane Jones’ weird premature budget take

Written By: - Date published: 11:02 am, May 14th, 2022 - 11 comments

Former Labour MP Shane Jones has criticised the 2021 budget even though he has no idea what is going to be in it.

Kia kaha Kelvin Davis

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, May 12th, 2022 - 27 comments

Kelvin Davis gave an outstanding speech in Parliament yesterday where he ridiculed opposition for proposals that if passed would enhance inequality.

Act’s scorched earth proposal

Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, May 11th, 2022 - 41 comments

Act has publicly released its proposal to decimate the state should it have a say in the next Government.  Its Real Change Alternative Budget may be wet dream inducing for Ayn Rand acolytes but for the rest of us the proposals should instill a deep sense of dread.

Paula Bennett’s rewriting of Pharmac history

Written By: - Date published: 9:29 am, May 9th, 2022 - 22 comments

Paula Bennett has forgotten history by advocating for a significant increase in spending on Pharmac while at the same time forgetting that under the National Government she was a senior member of Pharmac’s funding stagnated.

The politics of opposition to cycleways

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, May 8th, 2022 - 53 comments

Opposition to Auckland Council’s Cycling and Micromobility Programme Business Case appears to be motivated by the belief that plans to have more of the population walk and cycle instead of using cars will be unpopular.  Overseas experience suggests that not only can these types of projects contribute significantly to sustainability but they can also be very popular.

The end of Roe v Wade

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, May 4th, 2022 - 149 comments

America’s status as a potentially failed republic is growing stronger with the highest court of the land having a draft judgment leaked in an apparent attempt to shore up a conservative majority position on overturning abortion rights.

Latest poll result – all steady but the Herald needs an English lesson

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 pm, May 3rd, 2022 - 109 comments

The latest Reid Research poll result has been released.  Basically it reflects other polls that have been recently conducted.  But the Herald have chosen to suggest it shows a dramatic change.