Swarbrick 2 Bennett 0
Paula Bennett has declined to engage in a debate with Chloe Swarbrick on National TV.
Social issues
@Melulater on Teachers’ Strike
Reprinted with permission from the blogsite How Melulater sees it, an important backgrounder to the impending teachers’ strike.
Swarbrick 1 Bennett 0
Chloe Swarbrick has responded Paula Bennett’s derisory comments about the proposed cannabis drug reform with a very elegant burn.
Reeferendum madness
The Government parties have all decided to support draft drug reform legislation should the referendum to be held at the next election succeed. But National is refusing to say what it will do.
Watch out Iran
National Security Advisor John Bolton has announced that the US is sending an aircraft carrier and a bomber task force to the Middle East.
10,000 lies
The Washington Post tracker of Trump whoppers suggests that he has told his 10,000th presidential lie.
Letter From the United Kingdom
Jeremy Corbyn’s class performance has been driving the MSM, the Tories, and the Blairite remnants crazy
Kiwi Cultural Cringe is Alive and Well
New Zealand is too small for high-achievers and star-performers and does not offer enough challenges and rewards.
Easter Miracle: JC Rises Again!
TVNZ have just announced a surprise return for NZ’s favourite sermoniser.
CGT Dumped
The Government has announced that there will be no Capital Gains Tax. It’s a shame, but it’s good politics.
Trump’s border problem
Donald Trump has considered taking some extraordinary steps to quell a surge in migration through the southern boarder of the United States.
National’s culture review shambles redux
Simon Bridges has given a train wreck of an interview this morning on Radio New Zealand’s morning report about National’s culture review. It appears that National is keeping the report secret because of fears that the report may be leaked.
Reflections on Free Speech and Public Discourse
Silencing dissonant voices only leads to more and stronger dissonant voices and further radicalisation.
Assange Must Be Extradited
There is no doubt that Julian Assange should be extradited when his UK jail sentence ends. Justice demands it.
Support Tax Fairness Reform
The Tax Justice Network has started a campaign to gain support for taxing capital as income to support and improve our public services. If you would like to support the campaign, you can sign the petition here or donate here. All funds donated will go to the campaign advertising.
MSSA Bill reported back
The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee has reported back the Arms Amendment Bill which will ban the general availability of military style semi automatic weapons with only modest changes.
But, Rugby!
On top of RSA bigots baying about the use of a prayer on ANZAC day, rugby fans are getting exercised about the possibility of the Canterbury team changing its obviously offensive name. Apparently empathy with the innocent dead in Christchurch only lasts until kick off.
Why we cannot afford to tolerate fascists
Inn the United Kingdom a neo nazi has been convicted of making plans to kill a female Labour Member of Parliament.
New Child Poverty statistics will provide a sound baseline for reduction targets
Child Poverty Action Goup has provided comments about new child poverty measurements.
Life and Death in Aotearoa – Debating Euthanasia
David Seymour’s Private Member’s Bill on euthanasia is back for debate in Parliament. Maggie looks at one of the great social issues of our time.
Brexit: May’s Remaining Options for Leaving
Theresa May is entering the Brexit death spiral. Her last real chance to get her own preferred deal over the line will happen in a Tory cabinet meeting overnight. But what are the other options?
UPDATE: May has now invited Jeremy Corbyn for talks on a soft Brexit. But will the Labour leader be in a mood to help?
Dumb as a plank
Pro gun lobby groups are making some outlandish claims about the Government’s proposed gun law changes.
Walking the Human Rights Tightrope in NZ Prisons
The question of prisoners’ rights has hit the news today. That’s rare because we don’t normally care.
A new Guest Post from Maggie puts the case that we walk a tightrope when we seek to simplify the complex issues at play in prison.
Xi-ing Jacinda
Jacinda Ardern will get a very warm welcome in Beijing based on immense respect for her and for New Zealand. Xi Jin-Ping has just returned from a very successful visit to Europe, joining Italy to the Belt and Road initiative and buying 300 jets from Airbus. Pepe Escobar outlines the implications for Eurasia. Much food for thought.
Daily review 29/03/2019
Daily review is also your post.This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply […]
The Green Party on the Mosque murders
Recent criticism of Marama Davidson and Golriz Ghahraman over their drawing links between racism and the Mosque murders is misplaced.
The Repentant Right
The former leader of various NZ neo Nazi groups reckons the kiwi far right are being driven underground. TRP argues they will instead look for another home.
Daily review 25/03/2019
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas 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 …
We need more than capital gains tax to address inequality
The most important comment in the Tax Working Group’s Final Report is that even the reasonably comprehensive capital gains tax proposed is likely to have only a minor impact on addressing inequality — what is needed is a more progressive income tax system that lifts the top marginal tax rate
Power pricing not just a rip-off, it’s immoral
Submissions for the final report on the Electricity Price Review closed today at noon. My recent experience with Genesis Energy reveals pricing by power company majors not only rips customers off, but is immoral. The initial report of the EPR is unlikely to address this issue.
Banning Rambo weapons not a knee-jerk
Passing stringent gun controls is far from a knee-jerk reaction to the Christchurch massacre – our politicians of all stripes have procrastinated over this ever since the 1990 Aramoana massacre. We already have the 13 recommendations of the 2017 Law & Order committee that were rejected. Let us at the very least now accept those.
The power of compassionate politics
Jacinda Ardern has shown over the past week that she is one of the country’s best leaders.
Lets ban assault weapons – now
The Government needs to urgently change the law to ban the sale of military style semi automatic weapons.
The trouble with hate speech
Yesterday’s terrorist attack which has resulted in 49 kiwis losing their lives highlights issues brought up by the tour of New Zealand by Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux and the debate about if hate speech should ever be tolerated.
Just outlaw semi-automatic weapons
I’ve used and worked with weapons for large chunks of my life. They’re not there for dickheads. There aren’t any reasons to keep operational semi-automatic weapons in civilian life. Just outlaw them. The conviction for unlawful possession of them requires mandatory imprisonment.
Christchurch: The Next Day
It’s the morning after the horrific attacks in Christchurch. 49 are dead, many more injured. The PM is flying to the city, having announced our gun laws are to be immediately strengthened. The country is reeling, but the fascists are bound to lose.