Written By: - Date published: 8:27 am, December 16th, 2014 - 89 comments
As anticipated, the Sydney cafe siege was caused by a lone nutter with a dubious history. He committed suicide by cop apparently after killing a hostage. Meanwhile we have had opportunistic jerkoffs like National MP Mark Mitchell displaying their paranoid fantasies (probably as urine dribbles down their leg) to justify recent poorly written and rushed legislation.
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, December 13th, 2014 - 48 comments
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, December 12th, 2014 - 16 comments
On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”. NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades. The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.
Written By: - Date published: 4:18 pm, December 11th, 2014 - 55 comments
New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”
Written By: - Date published: 9:18 am, December 11th, 2014 - 31 comments
The lied about surplus in the run up to the 2014 National Election is looking like matching Penn and Teller for magical skills. It’s the ultimate disappearing act. Unlike bad economic figures when Labour is in Government, this isn’t National’s fault. Bill English says so. It’s all down to a whole lot of unusual and […]
Written By: - Date published: 6:30 am, December 11th, 2014 - 219 comments
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 3:11 pm, December 10th, 2014 - 4 comments
A last-minute, urgent appeal from Phil Twyford – oppose the sell off of state houses – today!
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, December 10th, 2014 - 41 comments
Another day of shame for the New Zealand Government. as they march us in lockstep…….
Towards the sort of police State we used to fight.
Written By: - Date published: 11:04 pm, December 9th, 2014 - 85 comments
a new report shows that poverty related illnesses are growing at a rapid rate for asian children, and so are other poverty indicators. some of this is related to a more settled population, but we also need to talk about racism.
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 9th, 2014 - 7 comments
As the matter seems to be heading for trial now is a good time for the audio from the teapot tapes to be released.
Written By: - Date published: 10:49 am, December 9th, 2014 - 40 comments
The new report from the Government finds Fonterra woefully inadequate in its food safety culture putting profits before the safety of people. The Ministry doesn’t escape either. “The ministry had no single, coherent (or reviewed or rehearsed) crisis plan for a food incident that it could implement straight away after receiving notification of C. botulism. […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, December 9th, 2014 - 31 comments
The plan to reduce beneficiaries by 25% is based on actual data, right? Prior to the election Ms Bennett, then Minister for Social Development, now Associate Minister of Finance (note there isn’t much difference between the two portfolios in practice for kiwis unfortunate to have to rely on the safety net of welfare), announced National […]
Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, December 8th, 2014 - 91 comments
The Westcity Bible Baptist Church based in West Auckland has posted a biblical passage on its Facebook page suggesting that homosexuals should be put to death. And its pastor has some strange views.
Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, December 5th, 2014 - 113 comments
If anyone thought that David Parker was content to fade quietly into obscurity, they been proven thoroughly wrong. Parker has confronted one of politics’ sacred cows – police neutrality.
Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, December 4th, 2014 - 15 comments
Say – did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola? John Key reckons its hilarious!
Written By: - Date published: 7:52 am, December 4th, 2014 - 45 comments
So despite the vast amount more funding (5x more per pupil) to charter schools, 1 of the 5 first, Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru, is failing abysmally.
The Government has previously said that all their problems were fixed, or being fixed – but they clearly aren’t.
Written By: - Date published: 6:51 am, December 4th, 2014 - 157 comments
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 9:51 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 28 comments
So John Key reckons the decile 1 & 2 principals he talks to say that hardly any kids at their school need lunch. Campbell Live & Kids Can seem to only find school principals who say that lots of kids need lunch. So maybe John Key can name these mythical decile 1 & 2 schools that are doing so well. And then when he gets shown up again, maybe National can move to support Hone’s Food in Schools Bill.
Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 85 comments
In the House today Megan Woods embarrassed John Key with some very simple yet direct questions about Jason Ede. Key’s attempts to joke away the issue was met with silence from his side of the house. Dirty Politics is clearly having an effect.
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 60 comments
The Herald today suggested John Banks is thinking of another tilt at the Super City Mayoralty. This video shows why he should never be trusted with this position.
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 93 comments
I guess we can conclude that Key has something to hide, otherwise what could he possibly have to fear?
Written By: - Date published: 3:31 pm, December 2nd, 2014 - 31 comments
Is David Farrar being paid to attack plain packaging? His latest post quotes research described by the Melbourne Age as “pushed by the smoking lobby.” He also misrepresents New Zealand researchers’ views. The Age says “a co-ordinated assault just ahead of the review of plain packaging laws is emerging.” Looks to me like Farrar has joined it.
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 6 comments
The second annual Child Poverty Monitor was released today. bsprout on Local Bodies on poverty and inequalities in Invercargill, “provides a good snapshot of New Zealand society”.
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, November 30th, 2014 - 55 comments
The past week has been a terrific one for Andrew Little and a very bad one for John Key, thanks to Cameron Slater. Key failing to cut contact with Slater is bizarre. It makes you wonder what Slater has on Key.
Written By: - Date published: 6:50 am, November 30th, 2014 - 127 comments
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Written By: - Date published: 7:15 pm, November 29th, 2014 - 13 comments
Very good …
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, November 28th, 2014 - 12 comments
Kevin Hague says, the government’s plan to replace state housing with “social housing” will make the affordable housing crisis worse & is “economically reckless”. The Labour Party have circulated a petition to save state houses from being sold by the NZ government.
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, November 26th, 2014 - 16 comments
John Key thinks that the finding by Cheryl Gwyn that his office helped Cameron Slater with his OIA request is “contested”. Who should we believe? Updated: Key will be asked this question this afternoon in Parliament.
Written By: - Date published: 4:28 pm, November 25th, 2014 - 13 comments
Jason Ede deleted his personal emails. Some of those emails concerned ministerial business and should therefore are public records. There is a fine of $5000 per email destroyed. Similarly the SIS was illegally refusing media requests that are OIAs. All as dodgy as hell. Time to charge some people violating public information acts?
Written By: - Date published: 2:42 pm, November 25th, 2014 - 7 comments
Just as almost everyone predicted, the enquiry into Collins (dumped today to confuse coverage of the Gwyn enquiry) delivered a nice big bucket of whitewash.
Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, November 24th, 2014 - 49 comments
A recent report from the Waitangi Tribunal questions the “constitutional” foundation of NZ and challenges the received wisdom of our history.
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