The Standard

Author Archive

The manufacturing of a narrative

Written By: - Date published: 1:27 pm, March 31st, 2018 - 606 comments

The past week has seen the Herald focus on issues concerning Clare Curran to the almost exclusion of anything else, including the perilous state of our Health system and Kim Dotcom’s successful appeal against the last Government’s breach of his rights of privacy.

Joyce may have been right about the Fiscal hole

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, March 28th, 2018 - 100 comments

Steven Joyce’s prediction of a $11.7 billion deficit in the Government’s finances may be true.  But this is because the last Government has underfunded health and hidden problems.

Finlayson found to have breached Dotcom’s rights

Written By: - Date published: 7:13 am, March 27th, 2018 - 59 comments

The Human Rights Tribunal has found that the last Government and Chris Finlayson breached Kim Dotcom’s rights in not providing him with information requested by him.  And awarded him $90,000 for the breach.

Kiwibuild kicks off

Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, March 26th, 2018 - 218 comments

The first big Kiwibuild announcement, 3 to 4,000 houses in Mt Albert has been made.  And National has responded that it was all their idea and they did not want to announce it because it would be seen as pork barrelling.

Doofus of the week – March 24, 2018

Written By: - Date published: 7:56 am, March 25th, 2018 - 20 comments

This weeks award goes to Jonathan Coleman for failing to know that a leaky building crisis existed in Manukau DHB, and for then refusing to talk about it and hanging up on Suzy Ferguson of Radio New Zealand.

Facebook is in trouble

Written By: - Date published: 8:24 am, March 21st, 2018 - 80 comments

A whistleblower, Christopher Wyllie, has explained how Cambridge Analytica managed to secure the data of 50 million Americans and how it was used in the last US Presidential election.

Ardern suggests that oil exploration may cease

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, March 20th, 2018 - 83 comments

The Government is reconsidering the future of New Zealand’s block offer process which releases exploration permits to the oil industry for exploratory drilling.

Greens give National their primary questions for oral answer

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, March 19th, 2018 - 268 comments

The Greens have offered National their Primary Questions for oral answer in Parliament without conditions.

Du Plessis-Allan jumps the shark

Written By: - Date published: 9:59 am, March 18th, 2018 - 87 comments

Heather Du Plessis-Allan has suggested that there is a power struggle happening in the Labour Party.  Without the benefit of things normally considered to be important elements of an argument, those things being facts.

Doofus of the week – March 17, 2018

Written By: - Date published: 12:48 pm, March 17th, 2018 - 37 comments

is awarded this week to Lisa Prager who is convinced that construction of cycleways in Auckland is part of a global conspiracy to take away our rights and whose sledge hammering technique is not optimal.

Collins: No one cares about National’s abject failure over housing

Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, March 16th, 2018 - 111 comments

Judith Collins thinks that no one cares that National oversaw the creation of a significant housing crisis.

Housing needs a builder not a crusher

Written By: - Date published: 8:11 am, March 12th, 2018 - 82 comments

Phil Twyford has the perfect response to National’s claim that Judith Collins’ appointment as Housing Spokesperson would cause him to lose sleep.

National announces new line up

Written By: - Date published: 3:47 pm, March 11th, 2018 - 121 comments

National’s new line up has been announced.  And there are some heavy hints to a few MPs that their careers may be ending soon.

Andrew Little reflects

Written By: - Date published: 12:59 pm, March 11th, 2018 - 18 comments

Stuff have published online a video interview with Andrew Little where he goes through the circumstances of his resignation as leader,  the ascension of Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister and his work as a Minister.

Is youth the new political divide?

Written By: - Date published: 9:21 am, March 11th, 2018 - 44 comments

There is evidence in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand that youth and not class may be the new political divide.

Doofus of the week March 10, 2018

Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, March 10th, 2018 - 157 comments

An occasional post where we celebrate the extremely banal or bad taste or idiotic behaviour in politics.

Justice for the family carer claimants

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, March 8th, 2018 - 28 comments

National’s constitutionally outrageous attempt to stifle the claims of family carers for compensation for discrimination should be repealed and a just settlement reached with the caregivers.

Who is next?

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, March 7th, 2018 - 65 comments

Steven Joyce’s resignation may be the first of many as National adjusts to the possibility of a lengthy stay in opposition.

Steven Joyce threatens to sue Matthew Hooton and the NBR

Written By: - Date published: 5:22 pm, March 5th, 2018 - 76 comments

Matthew Hooton has been sacked as a contributor to the NBR and Steven Joyce has threatened to sue him and the NBR over claims that Joyce is not popular in caucus and should be sacked.

Simon Bridges’ not very good first week

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, March 4th, 2018 - 44 comments

In this very important first week Simon Bridges has committed two major blunders. He has claimed he was environmentally friendly when any view of his Ministerial history would confirm that this is not the case. And he forgot his Government oversaw the stripping of democratic rights from all prisoners, and adjusted his position when his error was pointed out.

Doofus of the week – March 3, 2018

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, March 3rd, 2018 - 29 comments

David Seymour has created history by being the first person to win two doofuses of the week awards for blatant misogyny and disrespecting young kiwis who this week won olympic medals.

Right wing activists are not happy Bridges is leader

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, February 27th, 2018 - 49 comments

The initial response from right wingers online to the news that National’s new leader is Simon Bridges is a big meh.

Who will the new leader of the National Party be?

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, February 27th, 2018 - 52 comments

Today we will find out if National is taking a step backwards. Or two steps backwards.

Damien Grant thinks National is stuffed

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, February 26th, 2018 - 44 comments

Damien Grant thinks that National is a relic and should fracture into libertarian and conservative parties.

Why does Criminal Justice have to be so politicised?

Written By: - Date published: 9:49 am, February 25th, 2018 - 67 comments

Judith Collins has indicated that the chances of a mature debate about Criminal Justice are slim.

Doofus of the week – David Seymour

Written By: - Date published: 1:00 pm, February 24th, 2018 - 21 comments

Hot on the heels on the news that he is going to spend valuable time dancing with the stars David Seymour has engaged in a good old fashioned piece of fat shaming. From Anna Bracewell-Worrall at Stuff: ACT party politician David Seymour has openly fat-shamed politicians, saying journalists should use a wide-angle lense to figure […]

Little proposes radical shake up of the Criminal Justice system

Written By: - Date published: 11:39 am, February 24th, 2018 - 152 comments

Andrew Little has called for a complete change the way criminal justice works.  But National’s initial response suggests that the prospects of a mature discussion on the issue are slim.

Joyce stands down as National struggles to find new leader *

Written By: - Date published: 8:07 am, February 24th, 2018 - 13 comments

* in Australia.

Arm me with

Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, February 23rd, 2018 - 186 comments

Teachers in America have responded to Donald Trump’s proposal to arm teachers in response to the Parkland School massacre with a request that they be armed with anything but guns.

National’s meh leadership contest

Written By: - Date published: 4:27 pm, February 22nd, 2018 - 76 comments

National’s leadership contest is one week old.  The latest is a central edict that all candidates have to be nice to each other and a claim that candidates are not offering senior positions to MPs in exchange for their support.

Hager posts Dirty Politics chapter on Mark Mitchell on web

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, February 21st, 2018 - 25 comments

Nicky Hager and the publishers of Dirty Politics have released into the public arena the chapter dealing with Mark Mitchell’s campaign to be selected as National’s Rodney candidate.