Open Mike 05/10/2017
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Daily Review 04/10/2017
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 …
Gilbert calls out Nat “tribalists” who continued to back the lies
Outspoken sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert on the “tribalists” who continued to back the Nats despite their brazen lies – “if Labour had made the same accusation against National and not a single economist supported it, would you have reacted the same way? No. Of course not. And that’s what defines you as a moron.”
ETS is useless, scrap it
I suspect that ETS has become a political football in the next parliament, but probably not part of a coalition agreement with either National or Labour. My guess is that both NZ First and the Greens will want it off the table unless it is agreed that it will go. That leaves them able to vote against further stupid patches being added to it.
There is hope
Anarchism and democracy.
WINZ: where hope and dignity go to die
“It is not okay that nearly everyone I have advocated for at WINZ, has broken down in tears during appointments and have often been close to a panic attack. Most people I advocate for at WINZ unanimously tell me it is a humiliating and utterly defeating experience.” – political writer and community activist Chloe King.
Open Mike 04/10/2017
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Daily Review 03/10/2017
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 …
Electoral Commission refers Sean Plunket’s tweets to the police
The Opportunities Party’s election campaign Communications Director and recent appointee to the Broadcasting Standards Authority has had their election day tweets referred to the police.
Indigenous and green politics require changes in perspectives
One of our key political challenges now is to broaden the understanding of what matters.
Guns
Another gun massacre has occurred in the United States. And the well worn excuses and justifications by the right and the gun lobby are again being used.
Good call from Ardern
I have very mixed feelings about a Labour Green NZF government. I certainly don’t think that Labour should “pay any price”. So I’m pleased to see Jacinda Ardern acknowledging the Greens.
Uncertainty doesn’t bother “the market” at all
There is no “strong and stable” government to “lead” us. Maximum uncertainty! No end in sight! According to received wisdom (and all those people in a self-interested rush to ordain the born-to-rule-party) the market should be panicking! In fact…
The environmental open letter to political party leaders
Climate, water, conservation. Whoever forms government now has a citizenry with high expectations for the environment.
Open Mike 03/10/2017
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
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Daily Review 02/10/2017
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 …
Cling to power vs the right thing to do
The Nats are desperate to make big concessions for a coalition with the Greens. The establishment is lining up in The Herald to beg for this to happen. Promises to strengthen environmental and social policies in order to cling to power – but not for the last nine long years when it was simply the right thing to do…
National no friends
In a sign of desperation Bill English rang Winston Peters on the weekend but the call was not answered. Clearly National realises that waiting for the special votes to be released will significantly weaken its bargaining position.
Resistance is futile …
The Standard regular Incognito writes about the unique voice the Greens bring to NZ politics and why a coalition deal with National would be the end of that.
Open Mike 02/10/2017
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Climate Scientists Open Up
Four climate scientists offer a little bit of their personal stories, and their plans in relation to global warming.
The Herald doesn’t want Winston to go with Labour
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
We need a new version of MMP
This guest post looks at the ways that the national governments in Scotland and Wales operate. Their functional systems are effectively MMP, but they break up their list into regional areas which makes it easier to gain the voters to put regional issues into the wider debate.
The Future of Food
A short film about a Wairarapa organic farm using Community Supported Agriculture to bypass agribusiness control of the market and sell direct to customers.
Open Mike 01/10/2017
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English, Joyce, Bennett et al desperate to keep their power?
This might look like smart politics for National to draw the Greens in with National but a more primary motivation might be that English/Joyce and co. are desperate to form a coalition with anyone, otherwise as individuals, they’ll certainly lose their power within the party in the inevitable shakeup.
Nats fought a FPP campaign and blew it – Labour went with MMP…
You know that old saying about how generals always prepare to fight the last war? That’s National and their FPP election campaign (hello creepy joggers). There will be a certain poetic justice played out if Labour’s MMP campaign is the winner in the end.
On that stupid coalition deal…
A possible National/Green coalition deal? Matthew Whitehead discusses why and why not from a Green perspective.
Open Mike 30/09/2017
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Weekend social 29/09/2017
It’s been a long election and we’re currently in political limbo. Writers are taking it easy. Time to revive weekend social? This post is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no aggro, why can’t we all just get along?
Why are we angry about tax and apathetic about low pay?
National’s one and only strategy this election was lying about Labour, specifically Labour’s budget and their tax policy. The $11.7bn hole lie just made the Nats look stupid, but the evidence suggests that the tax lie did real damage. Why are we so angry about tax and so apathetic about the much more important issue of low pay?
The political strategy of Winston Peters
The Winston Peters interregnum provides New Zealand with the opportunity to work out what are core values and what can be the subject of compromise.
Open Mike 29/09/2017
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Daily Review 28/09/2017
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 …
National the anti-environmental party
You can stop the silly chat now media – the Greens can’t go into coalition with National because of their members, their social polices… but mainly because of their environmental policies.
Dirty Politics 2017 style
The Greens aren’t going to support a National government, so why is there so much push to make it look like it might happen?