Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, June 17th, 2015 - 139 comments
Trickle down economics is pronounced dead by the IMF. Housing, the working poor and the economy – the policy settings are wrong everywhere.
Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, June 16th, 2015 - 40 comments
You’ll never guess!
Written By: - Date published: 7:59 am, June 16th, 2015 - 20 comments
The Herald has reported that, contrary to John Key’s assurances that the Government did not have to do so, one of the pieces of land set aside for the Government’s affordable housing partnership with private developers has already been offered to iwi under right of first refusal.
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, June 16th, 2015 - 243 comments
Auckland has an urgent deficit of 20,000 to 30,000 houses. Meanwhile 22,000 houses are sitting empty. Behold the efficiency of the market!
Written By: - Date published: 12:17 pm, June 15th, 2015 - 30 comments
It is looking likely that the Australian Government has broken its own laws and international treaties by paying off people smugglers. Did John Key know? Did he approve of what may be criminal activity?
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, June 15th, 2015 - 60 comments
Ngati Whatua and Waikato-Tainui have announced that they will seek a declaration from the High Court on their rights to participate in the constructing of social housing on Crown land in Auckland. Their proposal that the Crown joins with them in making a joint application is a good one. Surely Nick Smith will agree to this.
Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, June 15th, 2015 - 69 comments
Even under the best assumptions National’s “affordable” houses in Auckland are not actually affordable for the average paid worker. Nick Smith is dreaming.
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 14th, 2015 - 43 comments
This is the true irony of National governments. Their entire platform is one of “fiscal responsibility” and “good economic management” yet time and time again they spend money the way I did when I was a teenager: false economies and short-term wish fulfilment.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 14th, 2015 - 45 comments
The death of Emma-Lita Bourne is not just a personal tragedy for the family: it is an event that should make New Zealand angry with the powerful people in our society who control the purse strings. They are responsible for condemning thousands of children to life-threatening conditions. And they are doing it in our name!
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, June 13th, 2015 - 123 comments
A few stories of recent weeks which show exactly what kind of government we have.
Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, June 13th, 2015 - 94 comments
There is always a need for rental properties and the idea that there is not enough supply again comes from the inability for people to purchase housing themselves. This swells the demand above and beyond. So should the Government try to stop people becoming landlords? Of course not. But to raise the standard of living that a landlord must provide will slow demand and give better housing
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, June 12th, 2015 - 27 comments
Slightly redesigned in support of #CampbellLives.
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other.
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, June 12th, 2015 - 51 comments
Written By: - Date published: 3:17 pm, June 11th, 2015 - 5 comments
Someone who used his skills and intellect to fight in their corner. Someone who could go anywhere and do a good job on behalf of them
Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, June 11th, 2015 - 48 comments
National is appearing to be changing tack and trying to now blame a junior official rather than the Labour Party for the failure to complete the Gulf Free Trade Agreement. And the promised release of the relevant cabinet papers proving it was all Labour’s fault has still not occurred.
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, June 11th, 2015 - 66 comments
In 2013 Nick Smith promised an effective housing WOF. Yesterday he said “People dying in winter of pneumonia and other illnesses is not new.” Has National ever kept a constructive sounding social policy promise?
Written By: - Date published: 10:26 am, June 10th, 2015 - 84 comments
Freeing up Auckland land for private development and sale at market rates isn’t going to cut it.
Written By: - Date published: 5:03 pm, June 9th, 2015 - 127 comments
This should not be happening in New Zealand.
Written By: - Date published: 2:00 pm, June 9th, 2015 - 71 comments
I/S at No Right Turn: “Any improvement is better than what we’ve got now .. At the same time, we should recognise that this is pathetically weak.”
Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, June 8th, 2015 - 72 comments
An anonymous editorial in The Herald this morning really is atrocious. Apparently the limited uptake one of the Nats’ pet education policies is all the fault of the unions.
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, June 8th, 2015 - 77 comments
Cameron Slater has posted one statement in response to Ben Rachinger’s allegations. It was by way of a jpg and was not searchable. As a public service broadcast I thought that New Zealand should have the benefit of the text of his response.
Written By: - Date published: 10:51 am, June 7th, 2015 - 4 comments
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, June 6th, 2015 - 189 comments
I hesitated before writing this. I knew that nothing I could write would do justice to the courage of Ms Seales and her family and supporters. The recent decision of Justice Collins on assisted death makes legal sense to me. I struggled to understand prior to his decision how he could legally support Ms Seales’ […]
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, June 5th, 2015 - 26 comments
A superb piece by Dita De Boni on the Nats’ plans to privatise mental health. See also (and sign!) Labour’s open letter opposing the “social bonds” scheme.
Written By: - Date published: 7:11 am, June 5th, 2015 - 57 comments
The Nats seem determined to buy a fight with iwi over Auckland land, practically challenging them to court action. Do they really think this is going to end well for them?
Written By: - Date published: 8:25 am, June 4th, 2015 - 54 comments
Yesterday we covered National’s blunder in not considering Treaty settlement obligations in its plans to free up state land for Auckland housing. Today you can read someone who actually knows what they’re talking about on the issue, check out Professor Geddis’ piece at Pundit.
Written By: - Date published: 5:34 pm, June 3rd, 2015 - 124 comments
The NZ Labour party’s review of election 2015 makes for interesting reading. It’s honest, straightforward and heartening. There is much to be learned from the last election campaign and it looks like the membership have got their points across to the review team. Good work, Labour!
Written By: - Date published: 3:11 pm, June 3rd, 2015 - 6 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on the “poor job the courts are doing of overseeing surveillance”.
Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 90 comments
The problems for National’s housing plans for keep coming, with Ngati Whatua pointing out that it has first call on the land to be “freed up” under treaty agreements.
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, June 3rd, 2015 - 67 comments
Further evidence that “national standards” are an omnishambles.
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