Written By: - Date published: 2:01 pm, April 16th, 2015 - 23 comments
Steven Joyce has today announced his latest appointments to TEI. These are important because after changes to the Education Act 1989 in 2009 the Minister controls the appointment of half of the appointees of Councils. The Council appoints the other half. Think about the possible implications of Government influence. Manukau Institute of TechnologyMs Rachael Tuwhangai, […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:35 am, April 16th, 2015 - 61 comments
National is leading by example in creating a culture of intimidation and fear. The latest case, a threat to withdraw funding a rape prevention group for speaking out.
Written By: - Date published: 3:37 pm, April 15th, 2015 - 71 comments
Written By: - Date published: 10:24 am, April 15th, 2015 - 57 comments
There is more information and a petition here
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, April 15th, 2015 - 8 comments
Key’s attempts to drum up enthusiasm for this year’s upcoming budget have fallen absolutely flat. And as usual, promised funding actually represents an ongoing cut in real terms.
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, April 14th, 2015 - 16 comments
John Key’s latest pronouncement is that achieving a budget surplus is as difficult as landing a 747 on a pinhead. Michael Cullen must be a super airline pilot if this is the case.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, April 14th, 2015 - 7 comments
At a Fabian Society event on Saturday April 18 in Owen Glenn Building, Auckland University speakers Michael Cullen, Peter Harris, Sarah Helm, Anne Martin, Richard Harman, & Annie Newman will offer their thoughts on what will be needed for political strategy, economic policy, government formation under MMP, political communication and organisation if we are to reach the destination.
Plenty of room for discussion and chat afterwards. All interested welcome; please register here.
Written By: - Date published: 7:23 am, April 14th, 2015 - 69 comments
Apparently this budget surplus that the Nats have been going on about for the last 6 years is an “artificial” target that is “like trying to land a 747 on a pin head”.
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 14th, 2015 - 116 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 13th, 2015 - 67 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, April 12th, 2015 - 41 comments
Rodney Hide suggested in the Herald this morning that if James Shaw was leader of the Greens there would be a greater chance they could go into coalition with National. James Shaw does not think so.
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 12th, 2015 - 84 comments
There’s nothing particularly wrong with Bryce Edwards’ article except that it ignores how National Ltd™ Police Ministers have successively sat by and done nothing in response to the on-going police failings.
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, April 11th, 2015 - 67 comments
John Key and National have staked a huge amount of their credibility on returning the country’s books to surplus this financial year. Looks like they are going to fail.
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 pm, April 10th, 2015 - 33 comments
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: 11:54 am, April 10th, 2015 - 67 comments
A blogger charged with breaching suppression orders protecting the names of others has obtained interim name suppression. This is not a joke …
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, April 10th, 2015 - 186 comments
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 10th, 2015 - 64 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 11:38 am, April 9th, 2015 - 15 comments
On the one hand the government are pushing for more and more NCEA passes to feed the league tables, and on the other they are acknowledging that those passes are no longer enough to suggest success at Tertiary level and tightening criteria to exclude students. Mixed messages, perverse incentives, a giant shambles.
Written By: - Date published: 10:16 am, April 9th, 2015 - 14 comments
For those who are wondering how National’s “social housing” policy is going to work in practice, The Herald today has a piece that gives a pretty fair idea.
Written By: - Date published: 9:14 am, April 9th, 2015 - 84 comments
Some people, Left and Right state they won’t vote for New Zealand First while Winston is its leader. Various reasons are given including not trusting him, being self obsessed (only after the baubles of office) and loyal only to himself. My question is: Will the National voters who feel that way, still vote for National […]
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 9th, 2015 - 203 comments
Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, April 8th, 2015 - 10 comments
Details of a public meeting hosted by the West Auckland Labour MPs about housing issues to be held tomorrow night.
Written By: - Date published: 12:42 pm, April 8th, 2015 - 6 comments
The office of the Children’s Commissioner is cutting back work due to funding pressure. Not that you would know about it, from the almost complete lack of media coverage.
Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, April 8th, 2015 - 22 comments
Last week National shut down Peters’ attempt to introduce a Bill on paedophile name suppression. Presumably this was out of petty spite at Peters’ Northland victory, but in the context of the Thatcher revelations this was surely an issue that would have been worth debating.
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, April 8th, 2015 - 172 comments
Trouble is brewing in National’s ranks. In a series of recent tweets occasional Standard commenter Matthew Hooton outlines his reasons for now opposing John Key’s Government.
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, April 4th, 2015 - 90 comments
John Armstrong in the Herald and Tracy Watkins in the Dominion Post have both written opinion pieces on the implications of Winston Peters’ win in Northland which reach very similar conclusions.
Written By: - Date published: 5:48 pm, April 2nd, 2015 - 24 comments
Turns out that “Planet Key” is not an election advertisement after all.
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, March 31st, 2015 - 25 comments
Simon Bridges announced yesterday the release of the 2015 block offer. Potentially oil companies could be drilling in deep sea pristine environmental areas off the West Coast where the endangered Maui’s Dolphin lives. He calls for a “mixed balance” of energy generation. But all this means is that he wants the good mixed with the bad.
Written By: - Date published: 3:22 pm, March 30th, 2015 - 25 comments
Make a submission about how our voting system should be improved.
Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, March 30th, 2015 - 86 comments
There are many specific reasons why National lost Northland, but arrogance is the thread running through all of them.
Written By: - Date published: 3:34 pm, March 29th, 2015 - 65 comments
Big day for NZ cricket – all the best to the Black Caps!
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