The Standard

Open Mike 02/04/2026

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 2nd, 2026 - 15 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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15 comments on “Open Mike 02/04/2026 ”

  1. PsyclingLeft.Always 1
    2 April 2026 at 8:57 am

    Bay of mini-pigs?

    FBI visits Cuba to probe Florida speedboat attack as survivors face terrorism charges

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/591316/fbi-visits-cuba-to-probe-florida-speedboat-attack-as-survivors-face-terrorism-charges

    While some of the Trump/Rubio heat has gone off Cuba (Trumps other irons in fire are currently in meltdown ) there is still a very real threat to Cuba.

    Some ways you can support Cuba and stand up to Trump…

    https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/solidaritycuba_loc/?bWvcLib&v=173130&cl=22618853356&_checksum=b2764e6c4e50f11e8c1c53005c65d4866ee475ddf023bb813396ece85d0f84f8&utm_source=email&utm_medium=blast_email&utm_campaign=173130

    https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/call-for-peace-and-sovereignty-for-cuba-and-the-world

    Reply
  2. Subliminal 2
    2 April 2026 at 10:57 am

    Limor Son-Har Melec, who wrote the death penalty law exclusively for Palestinians, defended Israeli terrorist Amiram Ben-Uliel, calling him a "holy man," for burning alive a Palestinian baby and his parents while they slept in their home in the occupied West Bank, while his accomplices chanted "Ali is on the grill."

    This refers to an event that occurred in 2015. Ali and both his parents were incinerated in an arsonist attack on their home by settler terrorists. The only survivor was a badly burnt boy, Ahmad. During the court proceedings, Ahmads grandfather, Hussein was subjected to chants.

    “Where’s Ali? There’s no Ali. Ali is burned. On the fire. Ali is on the grill” – all this was thrown at our face – including at the grandfather Dawbsheh concerning his 18-month-old grandson by the riff raff of ‘price tag’. In front of us stood policemen and officers and did nothing. No words…

    The terror supporters also referred to the other family members: “Where is Ali? Where is Riham? Where is Saad? It’s too bad Ahmed didn’t burn as well.”

    In 2015, zionist settlers considered this to be normal behavior. These are the actions that were projected onto Palestinians after Oct 7 even though no parents lost babies except for one caught in documented cross fire. This is the pure evil that Palestinians faced in their daily lives and now face from rabid settlers every day. And people can still blindly asssert ignorance over the explosion of Gaza outwards into Israel on Oct 7.

    Meanwhile, last month (2018), in what was probably much less noticed, the Dawabsheh family home was torched once again:

    “A group of settlers attacked my home at dawn today, breaking a window and throwing a Molotov cocktail inside before fleeing the scene,” Yasser Dawabsheh said. “We were lucky that I was able to hear them when they attacked, so I was able to evacuate all my family,” he said. “Fire crews reacted quickly and put out the fire before the whole house burnt down…”

    https://substack.com/@mksensei/note/c-236363506?r=b9n9c

    https://mondoweiss.net/2018/06/settlers-celebrate-palestinian/

    Reply
  3. Incognito 3
    2 April 2026 at 1:01 pm

    The Coalition Government has put a wee plaster on its self-inflicted wound but it’s not going to stop the bleeding.

    https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/increased-mileage-rates-home-and-community-support-workers

    Interestingly, they haven’t provided how much this is in dollars and where it’s coming from (presumably from NZ Health’s operational budget).

    These workers are often part-timers on low wages which makes them vulnerable to the Coalition's Employment Leave Bill. They were also weaselled out of their pay equity claims thanks to Brooke van Velden. This leaves them with little choice but to keep on fighting.

    "The PSA will keep fighting for home support workers in the ERA, at the bargaining table, and wherever else it takes. These workers deserve a permanent, adequate mileage rate, secure hours, and the pay equity they were promised."

    https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2604/S00006/union-win-for-home-support-workers-but-mileage-increase-still-falls-short.htm

    I wish them good luck; they’ll need it with the Coalition.

    Reply
  5. adam 5
    2 April 2026 at 5:02 pm

    Good news from the government in waiting. Positive and uplifting in the time of crisis. An open declaration of supporting this country and all of it's people.

    Reply
  6. Jilly Bee 6
    2 April 2026 at 5:13 pm

    Louise Upston as Leader of the House – ppppfffftttt, and don't get me started on Paora Goldsmith. One of my offspring was at secondary school with him back in the day and thought he wasn't the sharpest tool in the kit then.

    Reply
  7. adam 7
    2 April 2026 at 6:22 pm

    Will our government condemn the IDF if the three dead Indonesian Peacekeepers were found to have died at the hands of the IDF?

    The investigation has only started, and the incident is in an active conflict area, so it will take some time to get answers.

    That said, I know this government will be quick to condemn Hezbollah or the Lebanese army – so I suppose the follow up question is – Will the government condemn whoever is found guilty in a timely manner? Be they the IDF, Hezbollah or the Lebanese army?

    Reply
  8. Incognito 8
    2 April 2026 at 8:10 pm

    A more nuanced look at making public transport free to combat the increased fuel cost-crisis.

    But, to what extent do free or heavily discounted public transport fares change travel behaviour during this time? Do they reduce petrol demand? And how evenly are the cost-of-travel benefits distributed across the population?

    […]

    Free or heavily discounted public transport does not benefit all travellers equally. The ability to use the system depends on access to the network and the nature of the trip.

    […]

    While past evidence points to modest shifts away from car travel, the present conditions create a stronger basis for behavioural change, at least for some segments of the population. The longer these schemes remain in place, and fuel prices remain elevated, the stronger these effects are likely to be.

    https://theconversation.com/is-free-public-transport-a-good-idea-it-depends-on-who-gets-on-board-279666

    In all likelihood, the Coalition will not consider such move and in fact, I’ve not heard them mentioning it all, but possibly because no reporter has asked them yet.

    Reply
  9. aj 9
    2 April 2026 at 8:51 pm

    The fundy wing of the National Party seems to be the winners in this reshuffle.

    Reply

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