Perfect for a Friday... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naqdZWjgak0 Includes the clearest explanation you will ever hear on why raising taxes is A Bad Thing! If you missed them, check out the YouTube channel for earlier episodes...
“Rock-star economy” is a catch-phrase that has served very well to persuade us that we are doing well in economic terms. But “chickens coming home to roost” and “living in a fool’s paradise” may be nearer the truth about our economic performance. First, those chickens. …
The Nat's grand plan to free up Auckland land is a complete shambles. First it turned out that some of it is occupied by cemeteries, substations and the like. Then it emerged that iwi had first right of refusal to the land, and the government…
I can't tell you how relieved and pleased I was to read this yesterday by Pattrick Smellie: Business Leaders' Health and Safety Forum backs reform Big business backers of controversial health and safety reforms say New Zealand "risks forgetting" the Pike River mine disaster if…
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 …
Slightly redesigned in support of #CampbellLives. 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.
During the Labour leadership contest I had the opportunity to share a few minutes and a couple of thoughts with Andrew Little. One thing I asked him, nay urged him to do, was to pay attention to the situation of the SNP and the Labour…
The Combined Trade Unions (CTU) released a tribute to Peter Conway today The staff at the NZCTU, those in its affiliated unions and their members lost more than a dear dear friend this week. They lost someone who genuinely wanted them to succeed. Someone who…
National would have us believe that our Government paid over $11.5 million to a Saudi sheep farmer in the hope and expectation that he would not sue us for $30 million based on a cause of action that has still not been identified. The more likely…
Thanks to Wikileaks: Today, Wednesday 10 June 2015, WikiLeaks publishes the Healthcare Annex to the secret draft "Transparency" Chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), along with each country's negotiating position. The Healthcare Annex seeks to regulate state schemes for medicines and medical devices. It…
Here (ht Brian Rudman) is Nick Smith in 2013: HOUSING WOF TO BE DEVELOPED AND TRIALLED The Government is to develop a Housing Warrant of Fitness system and trial it on Housing New Zealand properties, Housing Minister Nick Smith says. “There are real gains for…
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 …
Slightly redesigned in support of #CampbellLives. 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.
Hey Spark - this is a terrible, terrible decision... https://twitter.com/toby_etc/status/608406423945547776 Update: https://twitter.com/publicaddress/status/608442045598961665 So Spark - better put out a statement disclaiming sponsorship then. Update: https://twitter.com/gtiso/status/608452043766947840
As widely reported this morning the OECD is sounding the alarm on our "rockstar" economy. The Herald: OECD's stark NZ property warning Dramatic house price growth is burdening Kiwi households with debt and putting the nation's financial stability at risk, the OECD warns. ... "Rapid…
Richard Harman has blogged on Politik on proposals for a right wing third way think tank being formed in New Zealand. The think tank is apparently to be modelled on the British Organisation Progress which is a UK based think tank associated with the Labour Party espousing a Blairite third…
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 …
Slightly redesigned in support of #CampbellLives. 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.
Duncan Garner does some good work on social issues. His piece today (warning annoying autoplay video) is another sad example of an avoidable death: HUSBAND DIES AFTER PLEAS TO LEAVE COLD STATE HOUSE IGNORED Soesa Tovo died on August 15 last year. ... Doctors and…
From I/S at No Right Turn... Half-measures on housing quality Last week we learned that a child's death had been explicitly blamed on the poor quality of the state house she lived in. The government's polling must have been telling them about how angry the…
Advocates of Kiwisaver and other funded "retirement savings" schemes perpetuate the fundamental misunderstanding that "conventional" in New Zealand's case "neo-liberal" economists, speculators, finance companies, politicians and those with a lot of share holding wealth in non-productive enterprises like to perpetuate. In other words all those…
I blogged about this previously. Relationships Aotearoa will close its doors today and the actions the Government has taken to address related issues are looking increasingly inept. From Radio New Zealand yesterday morning: The Ministry of Social Development has met with five other providers; Barnardos, Presbyterian Support, Stand Children's Service,…
UPDATE In breaking news the Prime Minister of New Zealand makes a shocking announcement "There is "no question" that quarries need tighter health and safety regulation, Mr Key said today." THIS is why he is PM people, his mental acuity, his insight, his ability 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 …
Slightly redesigned in support of #CampbellLives. 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.
In entirely predicable: news today: Prime News outrates TV3 as audience numbers halve ...Gillman says it's possible some viewers have tuned out following MediaWorks' decision to axe Campbell Live and the company's perceived lack of commitment to current affairs. "MediaWorks obviously feel comfortable experimenting but…