Written By: - Date published: 10:14 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 40 comments
What a craven cave-in. Lobbied by big booze, Collins has given in. Alco-pops will be left to the industry to regulate. It’s not a good look. Key wants to give the pokie industry free rein, and Collins wants to give the booze industry free rein, which means more families suffer, and more hospitals are overrun. As leaders they both get a fail.
Written By: - Date published: 4:30 pm, August 24th, 2012 - 63 comments
Waitangi Tribunal says Government must halt asset sales until Treaty issues sorted, and Tom Scott gives a progress report. National’s wheels are coming off.
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, August 23rd, 2012 - 53 comments
Key owes it to the families to provide them with an explanation as to what purpose remaining in Afghanistan serves.
Written By: - Date published: 1:25 pm, August 22nd, 2012 - 31 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on Key’s made up numbers.
Written By: - Date published: 9:01 am, August 22nd, 2012 - 39 comments
You have to remember sometimes that Steven Joyce’s introduction to politics was as a campaign strategist. That explains why he is still obsessed with style over substance. He’s released the second of six glossy publications from his new Mobie super-ministry. Like the previous one – like the decision to form the super-ministry – there’s no meat behind it: the point is merely to appear busy.
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, August 21st, 2012 - 56 comments
It was standing room only in Auckland last night with over 200 people packed into the Polish Society clubrooms to hear David Parker deliver a very positive message on Labour’s economic policy. Labour’s Auckland organisation is also getting into good shape. And there is more to come. Watch this space.
Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, August 18th, 2012 - 39 comments
When he was Don Brash’s campaign manager, Steven Joyce used to talk about the ‘optics’ being what matters. Well, let’s consider the optics of a fat, bald old man personally insulting three good-looking young journalists every time they ask him sensible questions. If I were Joyce’s media minder, I would have had my head in my hands throughout Joyce’s appearance on The Nation this morning.
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, August 17th, 2012 - 141 comments
Pagani wrote it. Robertson cleared it. And Shearer uttered it. To summarise; those living by sickness entitlements are probably dodgy b’stards. Nice. Before I go on, I should be clear that this post isn’t some insightful fiction. This is the reality of getting by with a sickness benefit.
Written By: - Date published: 9:51 pm, August 16th, 2012 - 32 comments
Fresh ideas to grow a stronger manufacturing sector, on top of the major changes Labour has already signalled featured in a speech given today by David Parker to a union audience in Wellington. David Cunliffe was there too, and I particularly liked the discussion afterwards. The key players are receptive to good ideas and it looks like Labour will have a real alternative to offer at the next election.
Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, August 16th, 2012 - 22 comments
I look forward to Trevor Mallard and Andrew Little calling Paula Bennett as a witness in their defamation suit with Judith Collins. Bennett openly admits doing what Collins has sued Mallard and Little for accusing her of doing: using ministerial powers to leak the private details of a political opponent. Bennett even says she’ll do it again. She obviously doesn’t see doing it as hurting her reputation.
Written By: - Date published: 9:08 am, August 15th, 2012 - 36 comments
Minister after Minister denied it, but it turns out that common sense is right. Private power companies charge more. Privatisation surely means that prices will rise. Is it even news when this government lies these days?
Written By: - Date published: 11:33 am, August 14th, 2012 - 3 comments
Idiot/Savant at NRT on the need to reform the Terrorism Suppression Act.
Written By: - Date published: 12:46 pm, August 12th, 2012 - 163 comments
It has been an interesting week for the leaders of the two main parties – one I think that they would both rather forget.
Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, August 7th, 2012 - 28 comments
As usual it is the kids who will suffer.
Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, August 3rd, 2012 - 27 comments
Anyone else taking a perverse pleasure in the Pullar-Collins-Boag-Judge affair? They’re all Tory villains. And they’re eating each other alive. Judge was handpicked to privatise ACC. Now, Collins is trying to stick the Boag email leak to him, Did he do it? Who knows. The other most likely option is Collins. So implicating Judge serves Collins’ purpose.
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, August 2nd, 2012 - 31 comments
Man, this brighter future sure is sweet. In just four short years, all the country’s problems are solved and the Prime Minister has literally nothing left to do. For a lark, he spends his time playing DJ. Oh… wait. Update- There’s a #DJJohnKey hashtag trending on Twitter in NZ. The Greens inviting suggested songs for Key to play. Pretty funny suggestions coming through.
Written By: - Date published: 8:43 am, August 2nd, 2012 - 60 comments
“At all times, Ministers are expected to act lawfully and to behave in a way that upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest ethical standards. Ultimately, Ministers are accountable to the Prime Minister for their behaviour.” – The Cabinet Manual. John Banks lied to reporters, and the public, while a minister. That’s not upholding the highest ethical standards. When will John Key hold him to account?
Written By: - Date published: 6:59 am, August 1st, 2012 - 45 comments
Key says the local elections law is an ass. Presumably, he knows what that phrase means: it delivers unjust results. Key thinks its unjust that Banks has escaped justice for his anonymous donation rort. Well, John you’re not helpless. Banks lied to media. He lied to you. He said he hadn’t solicited the donations. Didn’t know about them. He did. He lied to you and New Zealand. Sack him.
Written By: - Date published: 11:13 am, July 31st, 2012 - 103 comments
Many of those who participate in the comments here at The Standard also run their own excellent blogs. We regularly feature No Right Turn and Imperator Fish Today we’re reposting (with permission) pieces from two other blogs that attracted some attention in Open mike recently. First up here’s Frankly Speaking…
Written By: - Date published: 5:06 pm, July 30th, 2012 - 20 comments
Finally the truth is out. Gaynor and Armstrong agree – National Party politics are the real reason for asset sales. They make no sense economically. They are not about debt reduction. Key’s asset sales are a political bribe – nothing more and nothing less.
Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, July 29th, 2012 - 56 comments
Matt McCarten doesn’t pull any punches, comparing Banks to both Phillip Field and Winston Peters.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 27th, 2012 - 23 comments
After 18 months of doing nothing to fix the insurance crisis that every man and his dog has been saying is crippling the Christchurch rebuild, Overlord Brownlee has finally acted. He’s come out with …. wait for it ….. a big whinge at insurance companies. Oh bravo, Generalissimo Gerry. That’ll get the rebuild started. Well done, oh King of Christchurch. Your belated rant has saved us all.
Written By: - Date published: 12:07 pm, July 26th, 2012 - 22 comments
National is threatening to veto a Labour bill to extend paid parental leave, claiming it costs too much. At the same time, they’re trying to defend writing a blank cheque for looters’ bonuses. And they’re getting nasty about it. Maggie Barry attacked Jacinda Ardern for not having children yet while John Key had a hissy fit at anyone who questioned his looters’ bonuses.
Written By: - Date published: 6:57 am, July 26th, 2012 - 26 comments
John Key’s grasp of his own asset sales policy is being revealed to be shakier by the day. He doesn’t know how it would hurt the government books. He flips his position on water rights each day. He doesn’t know how much a looters’ bonus of free shares would cost. And, yesterday, he didn’t even realise that $56m is budgeted to cover sharebrokers’ fees for the looters.
Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, July 25th, 2012 - 26 comments
When the Nats created CERA – the Gerry Brownlee Enabling Act – they tried to make it so no-one could challenge his decisions under the Act in court. The Courts hate such ‘ouster clauses’ and react by allowing cases on whether a decision was made under the Act or was so wrong it wasn’t an exercise of the powers granted. Brownlee’s just found that it ain’t easy to make yourself dictator in a free society.
Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, July 25th, 2012 - 49 comments
There’s been some talk around the ‘sphere about a speech where David Parker made comments that some (*cough* Chris ‘the Right’s favourite Leftie’ Trotter *cough*) thought meant he supported asset sales. That obviously caused confusion because Parker and Labour are clearly against asset sales. Now, someone’s taken the innovative step of asking Parker what he meant (spoiler: it’s not what Trotter thought).
Written By: - Date published: 5:29 pm, July 24th, 2012 - 25 comments
Loyalty Scheme: $360 million.
Brokerage Fees: $90 million.
Advertising/PR: $30 million.
Iwi Settlements: $unknown.
Lost Revenue: $100 million/year.
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, July 24th, 2012 - 38 comments
Ha ha ha! Wasn’t it funny when Judith Collins brandished a TASER at the National Party conference and said she wanted to use it on Trevor Mallard. I guess it’s alright for me to whip out an airgun or a knife next time I’m at the pub. You know, as a joke. Oh? It’s only OK when Ministers are using to further their phony tough guy brand? Must have missed that section of the Arms Act.
Written By: - Date published: 3:35 pm, July 23rd, 2012 - 17 comments
Imagine a place with a stagnant economy; led by a government that is anti-growth, doesn’t have any plan, and is not prepared to make the tough decisions needed to ensure the future prosperity of its people; where most people struggle to get ahead; and where those who aspire for better things are probably thinking of leaving.
Written By: - Date published: 9:41 am, July 23rd, 2012 - 7 comments
Key has been giving different messages on the water rights issue to the Maori Party and to the wider public. No one knows what, if anything, his “promises” mean. Why isn’t the Maori Party (which has been burned before) seeking urgent clarification?
Written By: - Date published: 7:42 am, July 23rd, 2012 - 207 comments
On Breakfast just now, Petra Bagust asked John Key what’s so great for the economy about listing our assets on the stockmarket. A good question. In his answer, Key tried to make out that floating these companies on the stockmarket would give them more cash to grow. But not a cent of the revenue will go to the companies and Key knows it.
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