I've always considered the handling of Julian Assange's case by the Swedish and UK authorities as being politically motivated in the extreme. LPrent voiced the very same suspicion about the Swedish prosecutor Marianne Ny way back in 2010 and that has been the way things…
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.
In breaking news: Inquiry to be held into Saudi sheep deal The controversial deal that saw $11.5 million of taxpayer money on a Saudi farm is to be examined by the Auditor-General. Lyn Provost has announced she will carry out an inquiry into the expenditure…
National (worst "dealmakers" ever) have already given up on protecting Pharmac in the TPP negotiations. Key glibly says that the government will just cover any increased medication costs. Sounds easy doesn't it, but here's the reality under which Pharmac operates today: Pharmac plea for more…
While we devote acres of pixels to flag distractions and "celebrity" nonsense, the health of the nation goes largely unremarked. Was there any MSM coverage of the latest Ministry of Social Development report - Household Incomes in New Zealand: trends in indicators of inequality and…
John Key and National has always appeared to be on the leading edge of understanding and manipulating public opinion. But it seems that something of a tsunami has erupted and Key's most trusted media supporters are being denigrated for their bias. And his judgment appears to…
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 …
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.
John Key was interviewed this morning by Paul Henry on TV3. The interview was cringeworthy. The complete lack of independence shown by Henry and the obsequious nature of his treatment of Key were a joke. Winston Peters has criticised Mike Hosking for being a National…
August 13th was Earth Overshoot Day 2015 (aka Ecological Debt Day). Read all about it: Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services in a given year exceeds what Earth can regenerate in that year. We maintain this deficit…
The old myth that National are good managers of the economy should now be well dead and buried. By any realistic assessment of the records of the last two governments, Labour is the party of economic competence. Labour: 9 surplus budgets, paid down net government…
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 …
Voting for a new UK Labour Leader has now begun. But the steady drum beat of establishment prejudice against left wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn continues unabated. The UK's Media Lens organisation systematically takes apart The Guardian's claims that their coverage of Jeremy Corbyn has been…
In writing this article I had a read of Frank Macskasy's excellent blogpost which is here. Regrettably the earlier annual reports that were available on Solid Energy's website appear to have been removed. What gives? Is a state owned entity hiding information which is important…
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 …
An open post to cover the TPPA protests today. In Auckland it was big and noisy with an estimated 10,000 plus people attending. Congratulations to the organisers including Jane Kelsey and well done to everyone who turned up despite the weather. There is a lot of…
I'm continuously amazed about how mind-numbingly stupid and outright ignorant Tim Groser is in his pursuit of the TTP. This really comes through in Fran O'Sullivan's article in the Herald this morning He also made the point to NBR that a TPP deal will create…
As reported on Stuff: Samantha Wilson, 18, was supposed to be rostered a minimum of 22 hours per week in early August. But Wilson noticed that she was only rostered for 12 hours over two shifts. Her last pay was $95. Wilson says that makes…
In the Herald this morning the suggestion is made that the long touted trade benefits from TPPA may not actually be there and that New Zealand is under intense pressure to cave in on access for our dairy products. From Fran O'Sullivan's article: [Tim] Groser is…
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 …
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.
So much for this being a quiet news day. In the first of two blog related news events Jordan Williams has gone on the front foot and commenced defamation proceedings against Colin Craig as well as former Conservative Party office holders Nathaniel Heslop, Kevin Stitt…
Weekend social is for non political chat. What's on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can't we all just get along?
Don't forget the TPPA demonstration tomorrow 1 pm at Aotea Square in Auckland. Although if you are an American Citizen your consulate thinks you should be careful ...
In South Korea the colliding intersection between tradition and demographics is probably at its most extreme - see Economist article "I don't". However the same kinds of effects are being seen all over the developed world, and increasingly in parts of the underdeveloped world. The proportion…
My name is James Gluck, and I am currently doing a Masters degree at Victoria University. I'm doing a project entitled Radicals, Reformists or Revolutionaries? Studying Ideologies of the Left and I have been kindly allowed some space here on The Standard to inform people…
' While both Labour and National Ltd™ are, IMHO, as guilty as the other for the Pike River deaths, National Ltd™ has learned nothing and, in fact, is preparing to make things worse. After failing to insist on prosecutions stemming from the Pike River tragedy, National…