There is no surplus
In Year Eight of this National government, the idea of a budget surplus is a joke. They’ve promised it for nearly a decade. They’ve fiddled the books. The truth is, there is no surplus.
Helen Kelly: Just plain good
I’m going to miss you, mate.
RIP Helen Kelly
Helen Kelly, NZ’s most prominent trade unionist, has died. A battler to the very end, Helen will be greatly missed.
Open Mike 14/10/2016
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
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Daily Review 13/10/2016
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 …
Housing Corp is running out of money
Housing Corporation is forecast to run out of money by next February if urgent action is not taken.
I see a poverty of ideas and a poverty of Government responsibility
Judith Collins yesterday said that child poverty is the fault of parents and not the fault of her Government.
Open Mike 13/10/2016
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Step up to the mike …
Daily Review 12/10/2016
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 …
Government announces watered down version of Labour’s Kiwibuild policy
National is borrowing another Labour-Green policy and has announced a lite version of Labour’s Kiwibuild policy.
The crime spike
Who would have thought that a surge in homelessness would result in a spike in crime, and that a dramatic increase in the number of people with no or compromised housing situations would cause an increase in burglaries, robberies and assaults.
Racist Nats Attack Chinese Grannies Shock!
National have slammed the door shut on the parents of already settled migrants who wish to move to NZ to complete the family unit. Minister Michael Woodhouse accuses elderly Asians of bludging off the NZ taxpayer. You won’t believe the howls of outrage from the right!
Open Mike 12/10/2016
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Daily Review 11/10/2016
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 …
Trump continues to get massive popular traction – why?
After Trump’s worst week in the campaign so far he attracted a capacity ~8,000 strong crowd to hear him speak in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., including thousands of women. What’s going on? Maybe it’s the fact that a hundred million Americans are essentially flat broke in an economy that the MSM repeaters keep insisting is recovering well, and anti-establishment feelings are running very, very high.
Nothing’s Going to Happen.
A wee reflection on our psychological fuck-edness.
Victory! Fast-food workers get fully guaranteed hours
UNITE Union members have won big following the banning of zero-hour contracts.
More people taking strike action over low wages and insecure work
Members of FIRST Union are striking over terrible pay and conditions at Brand Developers TV Shop.
The best you can hope for, after the Local Government elections
Now that the local government elections have been completed what is the best that local communities can expect of their elected representatives?
Open Mike 11/10/2016
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 10/10/2016
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 …
Solidarity with junior doctors
Junior doctors taking strike action are being bullied and threatened that they’ll harm their careers.
Cross-Party Inquiry into Homelessness releases report – Government must act
Labour, the Green Party and the Māori Party are have released their Ending Homelessness in New Zealand report and are calling on the Government to immediately adopt the 20 recommendations.
Utopians and pragmatists
Nick Leggett places himself in the “pragmatic” part of the Labour Party spectrum and derides others as being “utopian” and not interested in winning. But given the recent election result for the Mayoralty is he right?
Water and community
In coming together around a common need to protect water and land, community forms.
Clinton vs Trump; Debate 2
Round 2 of the Presidential debates. Trump is on the ropes, can Clinton land the knockout blow? Certainly, there’s a lot of Republican Party grandees hoping Hillary puts them out of their misery. Seconds out at 2PM, NZ time.
UPDATE: Obama nailed Trump’s real issue a few minutes ago; it’s insecurity. Video in post.
UPDATE 2: LIVE STREAM now in post.
Open Mike 10/10/2016
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For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Online voting – the only choice for idiots
As a computer programmer and someone who has been involved in politics for decades, I’m always amazed at idiots like Malcolm Alexander of the LGNZ talking about something that they clearly don’t understand the technicalities of. Online voting is way too fragile to roll out. And anyway young voters are still going to not have their voting details at hand.
Local Government results good for Labour and terrible for National
In Auckland, Christchurch and in mayoral races throughout the country Labour and Progressives had a very good day while National and its proxies must be wondering what they did wrong.
International Days of Prayer and Action with Standing Rock
What we know is coming largely from outside the mainstream. Which is how it should be.
The Essential Forest-Gardener
Robert Guyton begins a weekly series on life in a Riverton food forest.
Open Mike 09/10/2016
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Trump physically slams WWE billionaire McMahon to the ground, mercilessly mutilates him
Definitive documentary evidence of Trump the violent, volatile, unpredictable sociopath revealed.
Local Government election results
A running post for people to comment on local government election results as they come in.
Expect results to come in from 1 pm.
Trumped
It looks all its over for Donald Trump. On the eve of the second Presidential debate, his polling has tanked, the Russians have come out in support of him and his team have run out of money for TV ads. Plus, truly awful video has emerged overnight of him admitting sexual assaults. Has there ever been a worse candidate? And will he still be the right’s candidate in a month’s time?
UPDATE: Trump says he will be a better man. Pearl Jam sue.
Water and cultural values
Day one of the International Days of Prayer and Action with Standing Rock. Here’s a post on NZ’s relationship with water, and whether water is a resource or a taonga.