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What on earth is going on between the National Party and the banks? The week before last Key and English were waxing hot on how the Australian-owned banks that dominate the New Zealand market were charging relatively high interest rates in New Zealand. The Reserve…
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It's a good outcome of the Worth scandal that these things are now being dealt with. Worth was known as a man women steered clear of around Parliament. Even back at Simpson Gierson. It was never dealt with until it got really serious. Garrett has…
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Commenting on Key's policy to force the Guardians of the Super Fund to invest 40% of funds in New Zealand, ACT's Roger Douglas notices a pattern we've posted on here at The Standard before: "This only enforces the emerging trend we have seen between Mr…
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Obama kills a fly with his bare hands. Awesome.
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Last night at the Gen-i Public Sector Excellence Awards the New Zealand Police and Porirua City Council won the Prime Ministers Award for Public Service Excellence for their collaborative 'Safer Porirua' project. John Key himself announced the winners at the awards dinner, and congratulated the Police…
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For some reason, Tracey Watkins' blog is hidden away deep within the Stuff website, far from the other blogs. Which is a pity because it's where she writes her best stuff. Like this: One part of me thinks it's bleedingly obvious why John Key lost…
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I'm unsure exactly what the server glitch was earlier today. The hosting company had a problem with our database going ballistic, so they shut it down and suspended the account until fixed. By the look of it, I was told about 5 minutes later and…
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Paula Bennett's image as a Westie solo mum who's been on the DPB has been an important part of National's centrist branding. By putting her in charge of the Ministry of Social Development, despite any relevant experience or discernable talent, National gave a clear signal…
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The Herald reports Pita Sharples has backed down on his demand to 'open' the universities to Maori. Now he says: "he wants Maori to have free access to universities but only if they pass a course showing they have reached required standards." We already have…
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The Herald really really wants to uncover an expenses scandal like in the UK. Think of the fun they could have. But they're not finding anything for two reasons: 1) our expenses system is much tighter than the UK's 2) MPs in the UK are…
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So. There's this dude who writes a song a day (weekdays only) and puts it on Youtube. Calls it The Daily Refrain. He's been going three weeks now. Mostly pretty funny and well written. Great little project. Seems like he's a Kiwi. He's put up…
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Taken just now from the front page of Stuff.co.nz: Here's something a little more substantial you might enjoy.
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The University of Auckland's Political Studies Department is hosting a free public workshop presented by Rob Thomas to assist people interested in making submissions to the Select Committee on Auckland's Governance. This is a non-partisan community event to encourage community participation in the decision making process. At the…
auckland supercity community democracy democracy under attack democratic participation
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This is the latest YouTube clip from 350.org, the international movement planning a worldwide day of protest on October 24 to demand our political leaders negotiate a fair and effective global climate treaty. There are a few events listed in New Zealand but it doesn't…
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I have to disagree with the guest post below, which argues that because citizens' initiated referenda tend to be brought by groups peddling an interest (so what?) and often deal with complex issues we should just put them in the too hard basket and leave…
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A lot of people (like a million people or more according to the experts) are set to get sick from swine flu or not be able to go to work because the business is shut because of swine flu. What will happen to people's incomes…
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It's hard to argue with the idea of referenda. What could be more democratic than citizens deciding precisely what issues the New Zealand public should consider, and taking a vote on them? Won't that process get people thinking, encourage participation in the democratic process and…
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I fully understand the political reasons for both Key and Goff not voting in the upcoming referendum. Neither want to have an official position that either puts them on the side of the child-beaters and against a law they recently voted for, or that puts…
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Great quote from Gordon Campbell: "Faced with the dying embers of the Richard Worth scandal at his press conference John Key reached for gasoline" By being secretive, Key has given members of the media a huge incentive to be the first to find out the secret…
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Despite women being 51% of the population, and it being women who won National the last election, they are still showing their contempt for us. State Services Minister Tony Ryall decided that pay equity isn't important, dropping a study into why female public servants are…
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The folks at The Yes Vote point to a hilarious exchange this morning between Sean Plunket and Larry Baldock on Morning Report. Challenged repeatedly to come up with one single example of a parent who has been criminalised for smacking a child, Baldock fudged, then…
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No Right Turn has published an excellent guest post from Labour MP Charles Chauvel about his private member's bill to stamp out loan sharks. Ever since I became an MP, an issue that I have supported is the regulation of so called "loan sharks". Loan…
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What the hell's going on with John Key's leadership lately? He's just chickened out of answering the traditional question from the Leader of the Opposition. He transferred his Prime Minister's question down to the the Minister of Finance, making the whole thing rather absurd: Hon…
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Judy Kirk claims she didn't show at Lee's election night gathering because Coleman had told there was 'plenty of support'. John Key didn't show because of the proverbial "long-standing family engagement" and he's passing the buck on the distinct lack of senior National figures present, saying…
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I've never been the biggest fan of Clayton Cosgrove, but he's sure got 'Crusher' Collins running scared on her cuts to police vehicles. Yesterday in Parliament she refused to answer a question as the Minister of Corrections, telling Cosgrove he should take it up with…
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Some thoughts on Key's continuing refusal to tell us why he fired Worth. First, it's tautological to say that a Prime Minister fired a minister because he lost confidence in him. The statement provides no new information. Second, it is completely irrelevant that Worth is…
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Noticed this comment in the Dom this morning [offline] about National's decision to slash funding for night classes in the Budget: Finance Minister Bill English said the Government would continue to fund some adult and community education programmes, but had higher priorities in the current…
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It's appalling that if you go to the Ministry of Health or Beehive websites there is nothing easy to find about how we as individuals should be reacting to the swine flu pandemic (plenty of info on the Jobs[sic] Summit though). All the experts say…
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Duncan Garner said something interesting during the Mt Albert by-election special: "I'll tell you why John Key came back from overseas... He came back to get the t-shirt that says 'I've been Prime Minister'. It marries up with what failed National Party candidate Paul Henry…