The Standard

Daily review 02/06/2026

Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, June 2nd, 2026 - 14 comments
Categories: Daily review - Tags:

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 …

14 comments on “Daily review 02/06/2026 ”

  1. Mercurio 1
    2 June 2026 at 6:10 pm

    It feels pretty sh*t to have the CoC smash their way through so many dearly-held, hard-fought-for, left-wing, progressive gains of the past decades. When a Labour-led Government is reinstated, will we smash them back into place? Answer: doubt it – we are not wired that way, thereby, we lose ground. We have lost so much ground this term.

    Happy to discuss 🙂

    Reply
    • Drowsy M. Kram 1.1
      2 June 2026 at 7:27 pm

      We have lost so much ground this term.

      QFT, and with so much the wealth and political influence already concentrated in a few hands, progressives are battling private capital with one hand tied behind their back.

      The paradox of democratic backsliding [Project Syndicate, 4 March 2026]
      A similar phenomenon occurs in the public realm: authoritarian and populist leaders erode civil liberties, weaken democratic checks and balances, and browbeat the press and the judiciary. Yet, rather than taking to the streets in protest, many voters seem to love it.
      …
      So, the cliche that the cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy gets it partly wrong. Call for a more plebeian democratic politics, and you will have the right battle cry.

      I'd like a Kiwi version of the anti-oligarchic 'for the many, not the few', but would Hipkins?

      Anti-Oligarchy, Anti-Authoritarianism, The Constitution, and the Court [UCLA Law Review, 15 April 2026]
      The present Supreme Court has done much—from eviscerating campaign finance and anticorruption law to attacking the administrative state—to lay the groundwork for oligarchic rule.

      Whereas NZ's Supreme Court facilitated Smith’s legal push back against the freedom to pollute, only to be over-ridden by the NActF CoC doing their corporate masters' bidding.

      Complaint laid with Ombudsman about 'apparent withholding' of information by PM's office [be careful RNZ, 21 May 2026]

      Chlöe Swarbrick, who called for a debate on the issue at Parliament, said Luxon was "attempting to shrug this off, as if there is nothing to see here".

      Earlier that day she'd said it was in the prime minister's interest for there to be an urgent, independent inquiry.

      "If his hands are clear, then he should show us that his hands are clear, and he should have that independently verified."

      She said it was concerning the prime minister was normalising "as business as usual" secret meetings between his officials and corporate lobbyists, who have successfully had the law changed in their favour.
      …
      "It's therefore incumbent on the government to show us all why we should trust them."

      She raised the lack of transparency as an issue, and "active coverups, or some really weird stuff" that's going on with record keeping.

      Transparency smearency – keep those document shredders primed – trust Luxon?

      Reply
  2. Mercurio 2
    2 June 2026 at 6:24 pm

    Teenagers! Yes, seriously!!!

    [deleted]

    Reply
  3. Mercurio 3
    2 June 2026 at 6:35 pm

    "The Prime Minister says the use of a personal email address in receiving a lobbying document is "unacceptable" and undermines public trust and transparency."

    Yes, it is, we know that, Prime Minister.

    What are you going to do about it???

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/597026/climate-case-briefing-against-major-emitters-sent-to-former-beehive-staffer-s-private-email

    They are caught out BIG TIME.

    Reply
    • tc 3.1
      2 June 2026 at 7:34 pm

      what they always do, rely on a complaint corporate media to do SFA and hope the bullying of RNZ takes care of them.

      As for TVNZ that's well under control with that complaint board they can call anytime.

      Reply
      • Mercurio 3.1.1
        2 June 2026 at 7:38 pm

        Any chance "under-the-radar" sites like this will have an effect on fanning the embers?

        Reply
        • tc 3.1.1.1
          2 June 2026 at 7:50 pm

          Not without readers carrying the message to their fellow voters to vote them out, after checking you can vote of course.

          I wouldn't put it past that non lawyer Goldstone to have more shit up his sleeve as he's been a very diligent operator for the Atlas crew.

          Reply
  5. Drowsy M. Kram 5
    2 June 2026 at 10:05 pm

    A year after Luxon’s press secretary scandal, it’s still legal to secretly hit record [The Spinoff, 2 June 2026]
    A year on, justice minister Paul Goldsmith told The Spinoff that the government has not made any changes to the law to address the issues, despite Christopher Luxon responding to calls for legislative change at the time by saying he was open to looking at legal settings. Luxon also said he was “incredibly concerned with this issue”.

    The Spinoff asked Luxon and Goldsmith for comment. Goldsmith responded. “We are still taking advice and will consider potential reforms when resourcing allows. We have an extremely busy legislative agenda, particularly in justice,” he said.

    If CEO Luxon was not just 'concerned', but "incredibly concerned" a year ago, and there have been no changes to the law, it kinda puts the urgency of ensuring Kiwis can't challenge the ‘right‘ of honest, hard-working corporate climate polluters to carry on polluting in a new light – "It’s a case of slower to go faster… It’s a watch this space."

    Greenpeace Aotearoa [20 Oct 2025]

    The New Zealand Government is weakening climate action targets at the request of dairy industry lobbyists like Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ, and Beef + Lamb NZ. This is a Government prioritising industry profits over a stable climate for future generations.

    Help us make sure the meat and dairy industry are held accountable for their climate pollution – sign the petition now for an end to livestock industry expansion in a climate crisis!

    "Held accountable" – surely you must be joking!

    Reply
  6. SPC 6
    2 June 2026 at 11:38 pm

    Late night post.

    If Georgina Beyer was in the House in 2026, she would have recourse to remind other MP's of the words of Nancy Astor to Winston Churchill and others such as

    "Winston requiring a transgender woman to use his man's spaces would pose no threat to his relationship with a biological woman, as she was not paid to be there to cater to his needs".

    Reply

Leave a Comment