The Standard

Author Archive

New Electricity Tax Coming

Written By: - Date published: 3:07 pm, February 10th, 2026 - 5 comments

National Party, laser focused on the cost of living, threw away ~$1 billion on ferries, introduced Paywave changes that will increase fees & are now levying a new tax on Kiwi families and businesses

2.8% of New Zealand population outbound in 2 years as division widens

Written By: - Date published: 2:56 pm, February 10th, 2026 - 4 comments

OPINION: I visited Facebook recently and noticed some fake accounts (you know the ones with AI pictures depicting Māori in an unfavourable light, along with NZ flags featured prominently, as if love for a country is about a piece of cloth), and there’s a distinct anti-Indian sentiment being cultivated on the platform1 This particular account […]

Despite Denials, US-NZ Minerals Agreement likely to proceed

Written By: - Date published: 10:02 pm, February 8th, 2026 - 8 comments

The NZ government has shrouded US rare minerals discussions in secrecy, refusing to provide information to Kiwis even as the US confirms talks are in progress. The agreement may requires countries to commit to accelerated and extended mining

GOOD NEWS: Fast-Track Seabed mining application rejected

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, February 6th, 2026 - 7 comments

TTR were asked to apply for Fast-Track by Chris Bishop after trying and failing for a decade through NZ courts. Yesterday, it looked like they were rejected again

“Surprise” unemployment high masks more damaging developments

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, February 4th, 2026 - 8 comments

Unemployment hits 5.4% in the December quarter, but that doesn’t include the 140,000 plus Kiwi citizens that have fled in the last 2 years

Is Shane Jones really to blame?

Written By: - Date published: 8:37 am, February 3rd, 2026 - 8 comments

NZ First is openly allegiant to commercial fishers, mining (fossil fuels) and tobacco companies, but is it really their fault?

Mr 8%

Written By: - Date published: 7:57 am, January 30th, 2026 - 14 comments

2026 school lunches are just as bad, but they are also emblematic of Seymour’s spin and facade

How the Atlas Network is shaping your life, even if you’ve never heard of it

Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, January 28th, 2026 - 43 comments

Australia’s media covers the nefarious rise and links of Atlas Network in Australia and NZ.

Civil war wasn’t inevitable – but it may be

Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, January 26th, 2026 - 268 comments

How misinformation and lies created the environment for battle in the US and elsewhere

What price is a “Kiwi” worth?

Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, January 22nd, 2026 - 11 comments

Some NZ hospitals are going into critical status at least twice a day, turning away patients who are then as twice likely to die. Plus: National isn’t meeting its targets and election day announced.

The C Word

Written By: - Date published: 9:36 am, January 12th, 2026 - 6 comments

Mountain Tūī Opinion and Analysis on New Zealand’s “C” word

Simeon Brown & Van Velden VERSUS NZ Firefighters

Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, January 10th, 2026 - 17 comments

Simeon Brown and Brooke Van Velden

Brooke Van Velden, responsible for refusing a firefighters’ levy increase in 2024, piled on to firefighters who have been struggling for over a year to be heard – leading to catastrophic losses & risk

Simeon Brown sidesteps key issues in “catastrophic” Manage My Health breach

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, January 6th, 2026 - 12 comments

The company has been accused of using outdated encryption protocols, and has been slow to respond to community concerns. And importantly, has National put our other public health data at risk too?

Israel only country in history to ban Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontière)

Written By: - Date published: 11:44 am, January 1st, 2026 - 67 comments

Israel bans 37 NGOs from Gaza including the world renowned medical charity Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontière)

National takes $90 million awarded for Wairarapa Masterton Hospital – for itself

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, December 19th, 2025 - 3 comments

Shane Reti and Simeon Brown

Masterton hospital has been deemed structurally unsafe with money awarded for its remediation after a long court case.

NZ First repeals Foreign Home Buyers Ban Under Urgency, Late At Night, During X’mas Period

Written By: - Date published: 12:29 pm, December 16th, 2025 - 17 comments

PLUS: Brooke Van Velden overturns historic Supreme Court Uber ruling, after Uber lost their appeal unanimously last month

i-Rex ferries would have started arriving today

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, December 13th, 2025 - 5 comments

NZ previously secured next-gen, hybrid ferries for 40% less than market price during Covid. The cancellation of these partially built 2026 ferries resulted in a loss of $700m to more than $1bn

$270 a year more in energy costs for householders – Government pushes fossil fuel / agricultural corporate welfare

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, December 13th, 2025 - 5 comments

Under a series of science driven policy options, National / ACT and NZ First unanimously choose “catastrophic peril”. Anything for the fossil fuel and farmer industry, but at what cost, NZ?

Jason Walls’ Odd Choices & Chris Bishop’s Sly RMA

Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, December 10th, 2025 - 13 comments

Jason Walls is a former Newstalk ZB Political Editor turned TVNZ business correspondent. Under his choices, can we still rely on 1News business reports? Plus: Chris Bishop’s nefarious RMA play

New Zealand losing democracy rapidly

Written By: - Date published: 5:46 pm, December 5th, 2025 - 6 comments

Many unaware as what we hold dear and for granted slips.

76% of Kiwis rate National Coalition poor to neutral

Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, November 17th, 2025 - 5 comments

Government hits a NEW low today after hitting a previous record low in February 2025

National’s Measles Gambit

Written By: - Date published: 10:51 pm, November 3rd, 2025 - 52 comments

As measles cases increase, National and ACT have chosen to come over the top of health officials and schools exercising caution.

Tend Health re-brands as Aratataki – A “Charity” – And Lobbied Simeon Brown

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, November 2nd, 2025 - 90 comments

Cecilia Robinson and Chris Luxon

Ryan Bridges fawns over Tend’s Telehealth corporate model which is subsidised by taxpayers, rewards private equity investors, and costs about $80 per consult

Stuff’s Lloyd Burr infers striking workers are puppets

Written By: - Date published: 2:05 pm, October 24th, 2025 - 11 comments

Burr unironically asks: “Politics or pay – what’s really behind the mega strike?” without understanding all action is political, and that unions are made up of individual workers who vote

National’s $62 billion budget hole

Written By: - Date published: 1:19 pm, October 21st, 2025 - 14 comments

National’s road plans are fraught with risks, with one of these projects will suck up $1 in every $10 of capital spending over 20 years. Plus: NZIER analysis has been called into question

Labour’s Future Fund is full of promise

Written By: - Date published: 1:09 pm, October 21st, 2025 - 6 comments

Labour’s first cornerstone policy is a solid start

Judith Collins’ Open Letter Is Dirty Politics

Written By: - Date published: 1:35 pm, October 19th, 2025 - 15 comments

The senior National Party Cabinet Minister has penned an “Open letter to the people of New Zealand” on the New Zealand Government’s official website

Simeon Brown threatens doctors as mega strike looms

Written By: - Date published: 10:37 am, October 19th, 2025 - 5 comments

An exodus of professionals are leaving – with Kiwi citizens fleeing at levels we haven’t seen in 24 years. These incl. community GPs, doctors & nurses – and Simeon is going after those that remain

Crime Soars Under National

Written By: - Date published: 12:54 pm, October 16th, 2025 - 5 comments

Mitchell, Luxon and Goldsmith

Violent crime, sexual assaults and retail crime soar under National Party

Simeon Brown Cagey On Privatisation Meeting with Serco

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, October 1st, 2025 - 4 comments

Shane Reti and Simeon Brown

The British multinational meeting was first reported by ODT. Plus: Physician Associates spell more danger for the health of our health system

Christopher Luxon: We’ve shown meaningful leadership on Palestine

Written By: - Date published: 4:56 pm, September 29th, 2025 - 53 comments

Hipkins also declared his stance on Palestine recognition on the day, but it wasn’t widely reported.