The Standard

Let’s talk mental health

Written By:
Date published: 10:51 pm, October 21st, 2018 - 298 comments

With the news about Jami-Lee Ross being taken into care, now’s a good time to talk about mental health, and how it should be handled in politics.

The Mariana Trench Fix.

Written By:
Date published: 1:53 pm, October 21st, 2018 - 59 comments

The Mariana Trench is pretty huge. And deep. And if the idea is to fill a hole in the ground with ‘stuff’, then it’s a fair sized hole to be filling, right?

Caption contest

Written By:
Date published: 12:30 pm, October 21st, 2018 - 29 comments

Keep it seemly.

Everything is awesome

Written By:
Date published: 8:28 am, October 21st, 2018 - 463 comments

National is trying to say that everything is fine with Simon Bridges’ leadership, that he has handled the Jami-Lee Ross crisis well and that his leadership is assured. I beg to differ.

Open Mike 21/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 21st, 2018 - 161 comments

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 …

Saudi Arabia Admits Killing Khashoggi

Written By:
Date published: 2:58 pm, October 20th, 2018 - 66 comments

Saudi Arabia sensationally fesses up to killing missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But it was all his own fault, apparently.

What are we waiting for?

Written By:
Date published: 11:47 am, October 20th, 2018 - 66 comments

Sheeple following instructions.

We seem to be waiting for something? But what is it?

Open Mike 20/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 20th, 2018 - 182 comments

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 …

Jami-Lee Ross: But Wait, There’s More!

Written By:
Date published: 6:09 pm, October 19th, 2018 - 191 comments

Jami-Lee Ross has twisted the knife a little further into Simon Bridge’s back this arvo, releasing a second tape and announcing he won’t be quitting Parliament. Turns out he may need the income to fund a divorce.

Daily Review 19/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, October 19th, 2018 - 35 comments

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 …

Trademe advertises National List MP position for sale

Written By:
Date published: 11:58 am, October 19th, 2018 - 17 comments

Some wag on Trademe has advertised National Party list positions for sale.

Two Chinese are more valuable than two Indians

Written By:
Date published: 8:05 am, October 19th, 2018 - 87 comments

The repercussions of Jami-Lee Ross’s expulsion continue to be felt.  Disclosures about complaints regarding Ross’s behaviour are difficult to reconcile with what Bridges and Bennett have said recently. And National’s relationship with ethnic groups has taken a battering.

Open Mike 19/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 19th, 2018 - 168 comments

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 18/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, October 18th, 2018 - 93 comments

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 …

No smoking gun but plenty of sunlight from Bridges tape

Written By:
Date published: 3:32 pm, October 18th, 2018 - 207 comments

Maybe not a smoking gun, Jami-Lee Ross’s tape recording of Simon Bridges sheds plenty of sunlight on the influence that money can buy within the National Party, casual racism endemic within National, the manipulation of ethnic communities and, most importantly, insights into the wielding of “soft power” by China.

Censorship again.

Written By:
Date published: 1:46 pm, October 18th, 2018 - 13 comments

I’m not a great fan of George Monbiot. And Alex Jones is rubbish. But …

The Jamilee tweets

Written By:
Date published: 7:49 am, October 18th, 2018 - 246 comments

Jami-Lee Ross has released the tape of his talking with Simon Bridges where the suggestion was made that two Chinese MPs would be more valuable than two Indian MPs. And Melanie Reid has published an article containing the allegations of four women against Ross of inappropriate behaviour.

Open Mike 18/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 18th, 2018 - 127 comments

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 17/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, October 17th, 2018 - 91 comments

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 …

Khashoggi

Written By:
Date published: 12:50 pm, October 17th, 2018 - 56 comments

A counter to the “heroic dissident” narrative.

Saudi Arabia and the United States

Written By:
Date published: 10:17 am, October 17th, 2018 - 21 comments

Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that the U.S. resident and investigative reporter did indeed die in their embassy in Turkey.

Mutually assured destruction

Written By:
Date published: 8:17 am, October 17th, 2018 - 380 comments

Paula Bennett has broken the understanding that MPs do not refer to each other’s private lives.  And Jami-Lee Ross has alleged that a $100,000 donation was split so that it did not have to be declared and it has been confirmed that National then nominated the donor for a Queen’s Birthday Honour.

MAFS Botany

Written By:
Date published: 7:45 am, October 17th, 2018 - 36 comments

The Botany by-election is an opportunity for National to woo a future party leader. There’s an obvious candidate if the Tories have the nerve to propose.

Open Mike 17/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 17th, 2018 - 79 comments

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 16/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, October 16th, 2018 - 87 comments

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 …

Ross resigns, to lay corrupt practices complaint against Bridges with police

Written By:
Date published: 12:41 pm, October 16th, 2018 - 171 comments

Jamie-Lee Ross will seek to win a by-election as an independent. Says that Simon Bridges is corrupt and unlikeable and that he could prove it.  Refutes Simon Bridges claim against him of harassment of women. Said the by-election would be a referendum on Bridges’ leadership. Updated: Simon Bridges responds – what he doesn’t say is more interesting

 

Jami-Lee Ross Doubles Down; Resigns From Parliament

Written By:
Date published: 11:28 am, October 16th, 2018 - 60 comments

Jami-Lee Ross is to resign from Parliament amid further claims about unlawful activity from Tory leader Simon Bridges. Ross says he will stand in the Botany by-election. Ross also says he will lay a complaint against Bridges with the Police.

National’s caucus meeting today – nothing to see here

Written By:
Date published: 7:30 am, October 16th, 2018 - 83 comments

All eyes will be on National’s caucus meeting today.  And Simon Bridges will need to explain what Jami-Lee Ross meant when he said that he had recorded a conversation where he was asked by Bridges to break the law.

Open Mike 16/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 16th, 2018 - 177 comments

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 15/10/2018

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, October 15th, 2018 - 18 comments

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 …

Civil war breaks out in National’s ranks

Written By:
Date published: 1:07 pm, October 15th, 2018 - 235 comments

Jami-Lee Ross has gone public and announced that he will be blamed for the leaking of Simon Bridges’ travel information and said that he will continue to speak publicly about the issue.