Daily Review 15/12/2016
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 …
McCully is going
Murray McCully has announced that he too is standing down from politics at the next election and his removal as a Minister this week appears almost inevitable.
Housing? A National mess
3 stories from Checkpoint yesterday that add up to a picture of National’s response to housing: waste on unacceptable temporary housing; empty state houses where they’re needed most; and vilify anyone who dares complain.
Taxing multinationals
In March the Nats were still rejecting the idea of a crackdown on multinational companies’ tax avoidance. But there has been – in large part due to the work of Matt Nippert in The Herald – a partial back-down. Another Labour policy adopted!
A cutting review of National’s lineup
Jay Kuten writing in the Wanganui Chronicle: “Most of these folks couldn’t reliably run a bath.”
Open Mike 15/12/2016
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NRT: Even more expensive
NoRightTurn: The police’s illegal raid on Nicky Hager’s home has got even more expensive
Daily Review 14/12/2016
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Lotu-Iiga is going
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has announced that he will stand down from Parliament at the end of the current term. He will be a loss to National.
Fare well David Shearer
This pattern of Kiwi’s exploiting migrants is shameful
A depressing feature in The Herald this morning explores the exploitation of migrant workers. The same pattern as the private sector’s treatment of foreign students. This paints a shameful picture of New Zealand. Greed has made us forget who we were.
Open Mike 14/12/2016
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Daily Review 13/12/2016
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 …
Expert report shows urgent need for Pike River re-entry discussions
The Pike River families have presented expert reports at Parliament today to establish the mine is safe to re-enter.
Andrew Little: Middle New Zealand needs answers from English
Andrew Little talks about what a Bill English leadership may look like. John Key promised to lift up the underclass, to fix the housing crisis, and to close the wage gap with Australia but failed. Will English be the same?
The cusp of something “special” in Auckland
Could be that the Auckland property market is turning downwards.
The B Team
Govt response to poverty report will tell us all we need to know about Bill English
The 2016 Child Poverty Monitor Technical Report is out today. As usual it paints a bleak picture. What will Bill English’s government do about poverty – evasions, words, or actions? Update: Bill fails.
Open Mike 13/12/2016
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StandWithPike – it’s always “later”
Bill English tells the families he’ll meet them “later”. They’ve waited for justice for six years. It’s always “later”.
Daily Review 12/12/2016
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Caption competition
Time for cross party accord on super
English is not making the same stupid pledge as Key, to let superannuation consume the future. Time for a cross party accord. Take it off the table as a political football and solve the damn problem.
Out with the old – in with the old
Bye John, out with the old. And in with the old. Shortly the Nats will anoint the chosen one, Bill English. A pre-failed leader. Mr 21%. The greedy double dipper. The boring, conservative choice for a boring conservative party.
Whaleoil and Rachinger – the final chapter starts
In the Manakau District Court later this morning the trial of Ben Rachinger on fraud charges related to a admitted solicitation attempt to hack this site by Cameron Slater begins. The trial is set down for 5 days. Unfortunately I won’t be there. However there aren’t any court orders to prevent me from expressing my views and advice on the trial.
Open Mike 12/12/2016
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Stand With Pike: You shall not pass
Newshub has revealed the attempt to seal Pike River mine is now facing both legal, and physical, roadblocks.
Climate change change vs scaremongering
Things are too serious to sanction the doom-merchants.
Nats continue to have a quid each way on tax cuts
Tax cuts – the Nats are continuing to rule them both in and out for the election. Incoherence or deliberate strategy? Either way – Key got away with this kind of bullshit for 8 long years – are we going to let it continue?
The great US climate scientist witch hunt
Donald Trump’s transition team have been quizzing state employees of the Department of Energy about their beliefs and activities in relation to climate change. Is a clear out of those who believe climate change is a reality possible? And why is he refusing to investigate the possibility that Russia affected the Presidential election in his favour?
The Essential Forest-Gardener – the humus factor
Robert Guyton continues his series on life in a Riverton Food Forest.
Open Mike 11/12/2016
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Cabinet reshuffle – Haere ra McCully?
Bill English gets to name his own cabinet on Monday. It will be interesting to see what happens to McCully. In February McCully announced his intention to stand down in East Coast Bays and that he would seek a list place, but only if he remained as Minister of Foreign Affairs after the next election. It’s an ultimatum he may have cause to regret.
Denis Tegg: How earthquake safe are the mine tailings dams at Waihi?
Denis Tegg has identified how a modest earthquake in the Coromandel could cause massive environmental devastation in Waihi if either of two tailings dams are ruptured.
The Political Scientist: Is that all there is?
Puddleglum has perhaps the most accurate description of the Key years and equates it as the equivalent of a Big Mac, perfectly engineered but ultimately deeply dissatisfying.
Open Mike 10/12/2016
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