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Ratana – LIVE

Written By: - Date published: 3:05 pm, January 24th, 2016 - 46 comments

Te Reo Putake is live blogging the visits of politicians to Rātana pā during the weekend celebration of the life of church founder Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana. The shadow of the TPPA hangs over the weekend; how will our political leaders address this latest attack on Te Tiriti o Waitangi?

Fisiani Gets it Right

Written By: - Date published: 6:41 pm, January 23rd, 2016 - 211 comments

Let’s get this straight. Fisiani’s on-going sycophantic love-in with John Key may be nauseatingly embarrassing to read, but this does not make him necessarily wrong. Unforeseeable circumstances aside, John Key will see out five or six terms in office. He will then likely hand over to his carefully anointed National party successor. National will govern […]

Fourth term Key?

Written By: - Date published: 1:47 pm, January 23rd, 2016 - 122 comments

Key confirms that he will be standing at the next election – he wants that fourth term. Not sure why.

Another housing policy screwup?

Written By: - Date published: 1:39 pm, January 22nd, 2016 - 38 comments

Bennet’s proposal to incentivise / coerce state housing applicants to leave Auckland for housing elsewhere seems to have hit a snag…

National’s vision for New Zealand’s future

Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, January 12th, 2016 - 94 comments

Stephen Joyce has had published an opinion piece in this morning’s Herald which extolls the virtue of free trade and ignores the pitfalls.  Such as those shown this week when TransCanada sued the US Government for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline contract.

The problem with free market capitalism

Written By: - Date published: 11:16 am, January 9th, 2016 - 249 comments

This morning’s Herald contains a story about a young man who with a family gift has managed to purchase eleven houses over the past five years and can afford to pay World of Warcraft all day.

Little: Labour to Defy TPPA

Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, January 8th, 2016 - 717 comments

Labour Leader Andrew Little has announced that the next Labour led Government will defy the TPPA’s attack on our sovereignty. Good on Labour – that’s the leadership we need.

The myth of drug dependancy and poverty

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, January 2nd, 2016 - 306 comments

New research from Morgan Foundation suggests that poverty can be alleviated by increasing incomes and that the beneficiaries will be children of poor families not vendors of alcohol and cigarettes.

The great carbon credit swindle

Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, January 2nd, 2016 - 56 comments

On December 17, 2015 the Government released a series reports suggesting that New Zealand is complying with Kyoto Protocol obligations.  A dig into the reports confirms however that the compliance is in name only and is for spin purposes rather than a real attempt at addressing the world’s most pressing problem.

The media in 2015

Written By: - Date published: 12:25 pm, December 29th, 2015 - 88 comments

Some random musings on what happened in New Zealand’s media this year.

John Key – the White Ribbon Ambassador

Written By: - Date published: 12:03 pm, December 28th, 2015 - 278 comments

A comprehensive run through of behaviours and attitudes associated with a White Ribbon ambassador.

Rudd v Clark

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 am, December 28th, 2015 - 99 comments

Helen Clark is considered to be to be a front runner for the position of next United Nations Secretary General.  But Kevin Rudd is also being talked about as a candidate.  And if his previous behaviour is repeated it could be an interesting contest.

Treachery and silly season political snippets

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 am, December 23rd, 2015 - 61 comments

There’s still a few MPs “on duty”. Their function is to maintain the semblance of active government and to roll out a bunch of announcements they hope will escape full scrutiny.

Ladies and Gentlemen this is your Prime Minister

Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, December 21st, 2015 - 177 comments

Video of John Key’s recent interview with The Rock.

Rachel Stewart eviscerates John Key

Written By: - Date published: 11:51 am, December 20th, 2015 - 211 comments

Rachel Stewart has penned an opinion piece highlighting John Key’s avoidance of serious media in preference to engaging in rude, crude and highly unattractive stunts on commercial radio.

Key – too far even for his fans

Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, December 17th, 2015 - 154 comments

While there is a certain amusement value in having a performing monkey for a PM, his participation in the great rape jape yesterday was too far even for his fans.

When Animals Attack!

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 pm, December 16th, 2015 - 32 comments

Crikey! My Little Ponytail meets the Parnell mind meld. Cancel Xmas, I’ve already got my pressie!

 

Key is blaming child poverty on – wait for it – – drugs!

Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, December 16th, 2015 - 206 comments

John Key has tried to deflect from his government’s appalling record on child poverty with some throw-away nonsense about drugs. There are just three teeny tiny problems with that line…

Rhetoric and reality: Nats on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, December 15th, 2015 - 55 comments

The Nats want to wallow in the feel-good rhetoric of COP21 action to address climate change. But it’s clear that they don’t intend to take the “ambitious action” they are heralding.

This Year

Written By: - Date published: 9:35 pm, December 14th, 2015 - 38 comments

2015’s just about up. Here’s my quick summary of the year here at the Standard. Thanks y’all!

John Key is relaxed about COP21

Written By: - Date published: 3:09 pm, December 14th, 2015 - 34 comments

The Government has responded to the COP21 convention agreement with the suggestion that little will need to change. And John Key has put the likely annual cost of fulfilling our pledge at less than a tenth of the figure that Tim Groser has used.

COP21 and the implications for New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, December 13th, 2015 - 56 comments

COP21 has set the benchmark, no greater than 1.5 degrees increase in global temperatures. But current national pledges suggest that the world is on track for at least 3 degrees.  And if New Zealand’s effort was replicated throughout the world the increase would be more like 4 degrees or more.  So what should New Zealand be doing?

CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 13th, 2015 - 24 comments

A public private organisation with the acronym CERT was announced this week along with the new cyber security strategy. CERT’s role is to provide information to government so it can protect against cyber threats.  Which is one of the roles of the GCSB.

Sua William Sio: COP21 and the Pacific Islands

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 12th, 2015 - 25 comments

Labour MP and associate spokesperson for Foreign Affairs (Pacific Climate Change) Sua William Sio describes the repercussions of a COP21 conference that does not agree to limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees.

“Jihadi brides” and Peter Dunne

Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, December 10th, 2015 - 19 comments

Like a stopped watch, Peter Dunne sometimes gets it right.

John Key’s hedge fund mate behind Teach First (NZ)

Written By: - Date published: 7:36 am, December 9th, 2015 - 195 comments

Julian Robertston, a US billionaire who made his money with hedge fund Tiger Management, Merryl Lynch’s largest customer when John Key was working there, is the man behind privatisation trojan horse Teach First (NZ).

Paula Bennett, Climate Change Minister?

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, December 8th, 2015 - 68 comments

Despite having no scientific background, no relevant experience and no related portfolios Paula Bennett is the new Minister in charge of Climate Change Issues.

Hey Tracy Watkins – Judith Collins was not “cleared” of dirty politics

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, December 8th, 2015 - 33 comments

No, Judith Collins was never investigated, let alone “cleared”, of the serious issues raised by Dirty Politics. After a token year off Key is happy to have her back because he has precisely as many principles as she does.

Collins and the “monster” board

Written By: - Date published: 10:21 am, December 7th, 2015 - 43 comments

Idiot turn of phrase or deliberately inflammatory? You be the judge.

Use of Teach First (NZ) illegal

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, December 7th, 2015 - 113 comments

To date, TeachFirst(NZ) has received more than $6.4 million dollars of public money and, as a result, has infested 18 schools with dozens of so-called “teachers”.

Key’s Xmas Reshuffle; UPDATE + bonus Winston Peters zinger!

Written By: - Date published: 7:24 am, December 7th, 2015 - 49 comments

John Key has announced that there will be a minor cabinet re-shuffle. Could this mark the return of Judith Collins? If so, what does this tell us about how the post-Key National Party will look?