The Standard

Social issues

Categories under Social issues

In defence of the MP’s lot

Written By: - Date published: 2:29 pm, June 7th, 2026 - 19 comments

Surging populist thinking is compounding neo-liberalism’s dislike of the public sector and our democratic institutions.

They all do it…

Written By: - Date published: 5:16 pm, June 6th, 2026 - 14 comments

FiveEyes issues warning re possible Chinese intelligence recruiting methods! Beware! China issues warning re already recruited anti-China MPs. Cue shock horror!

Kamikaze Chris does Labour a favour

Written By: - Date published: 8:33 am, June 5th, 2026 - 31 comments

On May 21st, 2026 National’s Chris Bishop did his best to lose the 2026 general election and his Hutt South electorate.

When is a Free Speech Union not a Free Speech Union?

Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, June 4th, 2026 - 117 comments

When it is a right wing astroturfing front.

No nukes

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, June 1st, 2026 - 30 comments

The timing of the recent suggestion by Chris Penk that New Zealand should review its nuclear free policy makes you wonder if the Trump Administration has applied pressure to do so.

Hegseth accuses New Zealand of freeloading because we don’t want to arm for war

Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, May 31st, 2026 - 32 comments

Pete Hegseth has claimed that New Zealand is freeloading because it is not spending enough of weapons of war at a time of international chaos created by the United States.

More fishy than a bait shop

Written By: - Date published: 8:38 pm, May 27th, 2026 - 15 comments

Christopher Luxon has implied that a junior staffer met major polluters and received submissions urging him to sink Mike Smith’s bid to hold them to account which were then hidden. But it was his Chief Policy Advisor.

The absurdity of the Move on Orders law

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, May 24th, 2026 - 5 comments

Paul Goldsmith’s move on orders bill applies to young people aged 14 even though existing legislation provides police with all the powers they need to deal with homeless young people.

National wages war on the poor

Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, May 22nd, 2026 - 32 comments

How cruel do you have to be to raise rents for some of our poorest citizens during a cost of living crisis?

New Zealand And Palantir

Written By: - Date published: 3:13 pm, May 21st, 2026 - 7 comments

Palantir, founded by Alex Karp and New Zealand citizen Peter Thiel, is at the centre of an array of A.I. driven kill programmes for the US, Israeli and other militaries, including the NZDF.

Reformism or bust?: Making the best of a bleak future

Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, May 15th, 2026 - 4 comments

Some initial ideas about the integrated policy package Labour must consider if it is to meet contemporary challenges posed by emerging populism and the narrowing of the Labour vision over the past five decades

Stop This Madness

Written By: - Date published: 10:20 am, May 14th, 2026 - 33 comments

Why is Chris Bishop wanting to review the cost of the City Rail Link while at the same time is happy to proceed with roads of national signficance that are very expensive but provide limited financial return?

Smash Left populism, get Right populism

Written By: - Date published: 11:41 am, May 11th, 2026 - 76 comments

That’s Starmer’s achievement, as the local elections show. He always was a muppet puppet; his string-pullers are much more sinister.

The Last Old Party Election

Written By: - Date published: 10:27 am, May 9th, 2026 - 23 comments

Anyone who thinks that New Zealand won’t be touched by the same rapid democratic pessimism as we see in our most comparable democracies, is like those who thought COVID could be stopped from reaching us.

Who Ended No‑Fault Evictions in England? Labour Did

Written By: - Date published: 10:09 am, May 6th, 2026 - 3 comments

Former Wellington Tramways Union President Nick Kelly is running as a Labour Councillor in the London borough of Lewisham.

From Friday 1 May 2026, no‑fault evictions are finally banned in England. The end of Section 21 marks a hard‑won victory for renters after years of campaigning, organising, and living under the constant threat of being forced from our homes without explanation. This change did not happen by accident — it happened because tenants, housing activists and communities refused to accept a system stacked against them.

Who’s best on Foreign Affairs?

Written By: - Date published: 1:58 pm, May 1st, 2026 - 6 comments

When Ambassador Chen Mingming sent Zhang Wei in 2005 to ask me whether Winston Peters would follow government policy, I said I didn’t know but would ask. I did, and he did.

Uncertain Futures and Political Change

Written By: - Date published: 5:54 pm, April 21st, 2026 - 65 comments

The world is turned upside down and challenges progressive politics to change gear.

Luxon is toast

Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, April 21st, 2026 - 36 comments

Any time a political leader has to put their position to a vote, they become a dead pigeon. David Lange knew winning the vote didn’t end the matter.

Missing in action

Written By: - Date published: 10:15 am, April 6th, 2026 - 48 comments

As this Government’s inaction over the oil crisis becomes more pronounced more and more people are noticing that Christopher Luxon is missing in action.

Shane Jones: Government isn’t Nostradamus

Written By: - Date published: 10:07 pm, March 27th, 2026 - 23 comments

Shane Jones appeals for understanding for the Coalition, but did he extend any to others?

The Government’s National Fuel Plan

Written By: - Date published: 12:36 pm, March 27th, 2026 - 23 comments

Nicola Willis and Shane Jones present the details in the current plan for the Hormz oill crisis.

Why does this Government hate poor people?

Written By: - Date published: 11:15 am, March 24th, 2026 - 23 comments

The Government will today announce its response to increasing pressure on household budgets cause by the oil crisis. And it seems inevitable that poor people who are not working will be excluded from its effect.

We owe a great debt to Grant Robertson

Written By: - Date published: 5:16 pm, March 22nd, 2026 - 9 comments

Today I learned, we owe a great debt to Grant Roberston and just wanted to say thanks

Neoliberalism is anathema to effective crisis management

Written By: - Date published: 5:04 pm, March 21st, 2026 - 24 comments

Don’t hold on to an old umbrella in a wuthering storm.

What We Can Do

Written By: - Date published: 6:50 pm, March 20th, 2026 - 30 comments

In absence of a concrete leadership plan from this government to address the impending oil supply crisis, this post is for us to simply note down what actions we are taking ourselves. 

Failure to lead – is New Zealand is walking into an energy shock?

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, March 18th, 2026 - 10 comments

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be fired over the imperilment of the New Zealand economy by his government’s laissez-faire response to the coming energy shock.

PSA: Help Us Now – 23,000 Home Support Workers Hit By Petrol Price Hikes Urge Govt. To Act

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 pm, March 16th, 2026 - 25 comments

“There are 23,000 home support workers on low wages who look after our most vulnerable people – the elderly, disabled and injured – every single day who need help urgently, right now. They deserve better than being left to foot the bill” – Fleur Fitzsimons, PSA

The oil crisis – What would Jacinda do?

Written By: - Date published: 11:52 am, March 14th, 2026 - 43 comments

Jacinda Ardern led the country through some of the most taxing international crises imaginable. How would she deal with the potential oil shock caused by the Iranian war and how does this compare to Christopher Luxon’s response?

Lies, damned lies and Shane Jones’ Oil Refinery take

Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, March 12th, 2026 - 29 comments

Shane Jones has been making a song and dance about how the previous Labour Government was responsible for the closure of the Marsden Point Refinery. But a perusal of the cabinet paper he cites in support shows that this clearly is not the case.

What Should Be In the Plan for New Zealand’s Upcoming Oil Crisis?

Written By: - Date published: 11:31 am, March 11th, 2026 - 90 comments

In the short and medium term, what should this government do as a plan?

What will Winston do if National sacks Luxon?

Written By: - Date published: 12:53 pm, March 9th, 2026 - 16 comments

Winston Peters has been in this scenario before. The brutal replacement of Jim Bolger as PM in 1997 eventually saw Peters walk away from the coalition. What will happen this time around?