In the US the Democrats and the Republicans are more similar than different, and both are vassals of big money and lobbyists. A presidential election can still throw up some characters though, and the current one has a field that ranges from the sublime 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.
Twenty eight legal academics have written an open letter to Murray McCully expressing their concern at the worsening rule of law situation in Nauru. Some of them are asking for it to be circulated. Professor Andrew Geddis, one of the signatories, writes at Pundit: Bad…
Greece is in an impossible situation. It's clear that rejecting the demands of the IMF / "troika" might lead to instant catastrophe. But is it widely understood just how bad accepting those demands would be? An excellent piece in The Guardian: IMF: austerity measures would…
The Social Housing Reform (Transaction Mandate) Bill allows designated Ministers to sell off state houses. Currently Housing New Zealand has no such power. Interestingly however, this Government could introduce a Bill with criteria to enable sales to be signed off by the CE of Housing…
Compare and contrast. Charter school: Massive surplus for cash cow charter A Whangarei charter school has banked an operating surplus of more than $2.4million, thanks to funding well above the amount regular schools receive. Audited financial accounts released to the charities commission show the He…
Radio New Zealand has just reported that New Zealand First deputy leader Tracy Martin may be replaced by Ron Mark as deputy leader this week. Jane Patterson said this morning that caucus sources have reported that Mark will take over tomorrow. Martin's mother is the president…
In August 2013 National announced the payment to Rio Tinto of $30 million to persuade the multi national corporation to continue with its contract to purchase electricity from Meridian Energy. Many thought at the time that the payment was cynical manipulation by Rio Tinto of…
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 Standarnistas 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.
I've been meaning to write on this madness for a long time: KiwiRail cost-saving plan 'nuts' Cash-strapped KiwiRail is proposing to replace electric trains with more diesel-powered engines - a move which will horrify environmentalists and could see the loss of hundreds of jobs. Fairfax…
On the left we are all busy people. Our activists are trying to balance work and family and the desire to make the world a better place. Our bloggers are trying to say or post something profound and take care of all of their other…
The financial world is uncharted territory now as Greece has defaulted on and IMF loan repayment. The Guardian's live blog is the best place to go for news. As the last Global Financial Crisis taught us, we're in for another round of protecting the banks…
The police should be above the law. Well that's the opinion of Judith Collins at least, in this piece from last week. It's so mind boggling that I have to quote it at length: Devil is in the detail for undercover cops in Red Devils…
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 Standarnistas 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.
It is likely that the Harmful Digital Communications Bill will receive its final reading today (for background see Bryce Edwards today). The Greens are allowing a split vote: ...The Harmful Digital Communications Bill seeks to protect those being “harmed” by material on the internet and…
The invisible hand of the market is busy punching itself in the face today. Some observations on Greece and the Euro crisis, from the factual to the fun, courtesy of Twitter this morning. https://twitter.com/guardianworld/status/615634987895775232 https://twitter.com/danylmc/status/615621004849614849 https://twitter.com/danylmc/status/615622735910187008 https://twitter.com/norightturnnz/status/615620734975520769 https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/615618314270736385
Diseases of poverty, notably rheumatic fever, are making a comeback in this country, and there is no quick fix. Today we can add another disease of deprivation to the list: Number of rickets cases on the rise in New Zealand Rickets, a disease generally associated…
Pro Palestinian terrorists intending to smuggle into Gaza weapons of mass destruction including solar panels and medical supplies. Yesterday we had an early test for Murray McCully's desire to solve the Middle East crisis. Two Maori Television journalists, Native Affairs reporter Ruwani Perera and cameraman Jacob…
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 …
[Picture to commemorate the last Native Affairs show with Mihi Forbes' involvement] Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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 on Radio New Zealand this morning talking about the sale of social housing to Australian Social Housing provider Horizon Housing. Vague John as opposed to Definite John ("it is all Labour's fault and here is the conclusive proof" or "Labour does it…
Remember how National's youth rates were going to raise levels of youth employment? Turns out not so much. This slide from a talk by CPAG's Alan Johnson is doing the rounds on Twitter this morning: The red line is employment for the over 65's. The…
Last week Treasury came out with a detailed and interesting report, Inequality in New Zealand 1983/84 to 2013/14. The web page is here, and the full document (pdf) here. From the summary: The results indicate an increase in the inequality of market and disposable income…
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 …
That's not my headline. That's Stuff's business section's headline. Middle-aged white men might be sick of being cast as villains, but a report suggests they should check their privilege. And that's not my first sentence, that's business reporter Richard Meadows' first sentence. I'm going to…