Nick Smith screws up again
We should probably just schedule this as a monthly post.
Jonathan Pie – A Socialist agenda
Jonathan Pie on why being a socialist is actually a good thing.
Open Mike 22/02/2017
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Win for sanity in Hager vs Westpac
The Privacy Commission issues a ruling that should not have been unnecessary.
Living wage rises to $20.20 an hour
The living wage rises, and an odd argument for abolishing the minimum wage.
NRT: Two ideas to get rid of electorate deals
Idiot/Savant suggests removing the 5% threshold and introducing preferential voting for electorate seats.
What if anything does Bill English believe in?
Can anyone work out what English stands for? His actions and his words are at odds. Vernon Small tries and fails to pin English down on electoral deals, Winston Peters, abolishing the Maori seats, and more.
Open Mike 21/02/2017
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Maryan Street defers to Raymond Huo
For very human reasons former Labour Party President and Labour List MP Maryan Street has confirmed that if Jacinda Ardern wins the Mt Albert by election this weekend she will not seek to return to Parliament via the list.
Rocketwerkz – an enlightened employer
We sometimes give employers a bit of a hard time on this blog, so it’s nice to occasionally celebrate a good one. Dunedin gaming company Rocketwerkz is in the headlines for all the right reasons.
He Kawenata ki Waenga i Te Roopu MANA me Te Paati Māori
The agreement between the Mana Movement and the Māori Party.
Daily Review 20/02/2017
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 …
The Greens in Te Tai Tokerau
Te Tai Tokerau looks to be a hotly contested seat in the 2017 general election, and the Greens are entering the fray there for the first time, with new candidate Godfrey Rudolph.
Māori Mana deal in Te Tai Tokerau
As reported on Stuff: “Hone Harawira gets clear Te Tai Tokerau run for Mana not running against Maori Party in other seats”.
Duncan Webb for Christchurch Central
Another strong Labour selection in an interesting electorate.
John Key – Mr 2%
John Key’s support as preferred Prime Minister has plunged in the latest Colmar Brunton poll. And he has been seen playing sponsored golf for a Japanese businessman with unusual characteristics.
National’s one-trick election pony – the eternal mirage of tax cuts
As Finance Minister Bill English effectively ruled out tax cuts, but it’s election year, and so of course the Nats can’t help but trot out their one-trick election pony again.
Open Mike 20/02/2017
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Colmar Brunton poll
1 News: “The gap between National and the centre left block of Labour and the Greens has tightened in the wake of John Key’s departure as leader, according to the first major poll since his shock resignation.”
The Trump bump
This week’s Economist looks at the resurgence in the business of the more effective mainstream media in the US. But the effect reaches all the way over here. Even I’m reading more on a the ongoing debacle that is the incompetent Trump White House. Good reporting and perfect reading for the summer season and I suspect that it is impacting all of the blogs at present.
The Standard Book Club – Small is Beautiful, Economics as if People Mattered
The Standard’s inaugural book club looks at E. F. Schumacher’s sustainability classic.
Open Mike 19/02/2017
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Greg O’Connor responds
In a guest post, Labour’s Ōhāriu candidate Greg O’Connor responds to some of the topics of comments in the post “Greg O’Connor selected for Ōhāriu” and elsewhere on the blogs.
The new world order
With former adversaries USA and Russia now the best of friends and with China now emerging again as the preeminent economy in the world the question is will the transition of power be handled smoothly?
Bungling Brownlee under fire
Gerry Brownlee is a walking disaster. Such is the depth of National’s talent pool that he is ranked number 4 in their lineup.
Helen White for Auckland Central
Looks like a strong candidate – all the best in Auckland Central!
Open Mike 18/02/2017
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Daily Review 17/02/2017
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Good ideas in Gisborne
Andrew Little’s announcement yesterday in Gisborne of Labour’s pledge of up to $20million to build a prefabricated timber plant there is a much-needed boost to the area and a sign that Labour’s 100,000 new house pledge first made by David Shearer in 2012 has legs.
English wants Pike River out of the headlines in election year
Any sign of progress is welcome, but let’s hope English is not deliberately stringing along the Pike River families with false hope.
What’s the deal? There isn’t one.
What are the Greens up to then?
Fires are the new normal
Hey Bill English, it’s not the case that “no one could have anticipated the large-scale fire on the Port Hills”. Just about every relevant organisation could and did predict it. Most of the other predictions relating to climate change will come true too.
Open Mike 17/02/2017
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Daily Review 16/02/2017
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 …
State care inquiry
We need one – and an apology. Bill may wonder aloud whether we’ll learn much, but I wonder if he’s more concerned we’ll learn too much…
Treat her right
The Equal Pay Act was passed in 1972. It’s now 2017 and it’s never been enforced. It’s time to ‘Treat Her Right’.