Employers failing Kiwsaver obligations
In a sign of just how stressed our economy is: “Inland Revenue is chasing employers for unpaid KiwiSaver contributions worth tens of millions of dollars.”
Fewer police, more crime
The number of police (per head of population) is falling, and crime figures are rising. But no doubt National will play the “tough on crime” card again next year.
Labour plans to crack down on negative gearing
Labour has announced that it will review tax exemptions for landlords achieved through negative gearing.
Free Petrol Pt IV
Part IV of IV
Open mike 05/08/2016
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Daily Review 04/08/2016
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 …
Free Petrol Pt III
Part III of IV – a focus on road transport.
The New Silk Road
The New Silk Road is a massive economic transport system being built at rapid speed with Chinese money, Chinese politicking, Chinese engineering, and yes, Chinese steel.
Mama said
Mama said was the top blog listed in NZ this month on Open Parachute. I have to say that I loved Emily Writes explanation about her long absence from writing blogs after writing a viral review of Tarzan. But it is just the essence of why most of us blog.
Pack Mentality
The Waikato Chiefs rugby franchise have admitted two incidents of abuse at a drunken post season celebration. Their response to claims of sexual abuse? Blame the victim.
EDIT: The CEO accepts he got it wrong and has made a modern ‘if offence was taken’ style apology on Radio Sport. No direct apology to the woman concerned, however.
Kiwi Treason
Vegemite and marmite taste the same, rugby is naff, John Clarke’s an Australian. What?
Government puts 15% tax on foreign house buyers
No, not our government. Though as the average NZ house price just hit $600,000, and Auckland just short of $1m, they really should.
Open mike 04/08/2016
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Guest post: Eva Hartshorn-Sanders for Senior Vice President
The Standard’s authors have offered candidates for the upcoming Labour Party internal elections the chance to guest post about why they’re running. Eva Hartshorn-Sanders has been nominated for the position of Senior Vice President. Here’s her vision for the role and the party.
Daily Review 03/08/2016
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Trade retaliation
The Nats are in a difficult spot here, no doubt about it. The weak steel is a serious issue and it should be investigated. But their usual tactics of deny and lie have been caught out yet again.
Meth Fries Housing NZ’s Brains
Housing NZ has admitted that it is evicting tenants when only tiny trace amounts of meth are found on the property. It further admits that the testing regime is not fit for purpose. But, hey, they have the power to make people homeless and they’re not going to let fairness or common sense get in the way of their moral panic.
When did the War on Drugs become the War on the Poor?
Team Trump pretty much calls for civil war
Team Trump is pretty much calling for civil war if they don’t get their way. We are through the looking glass.
Open mike 03/08/2016
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Free money from climate change deniers
Double or nothing?
Daily Review 02/08/2016
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Breaking: Compensation for Bain for Government’s mishandling of compensation process
The Government has agreed to pay $925,000 compensation to David Bain, not for wrongful conviction but as an ex gratia payment for the flaws in the compensation process.
Listen to Nick Smith trying to defend fudged foreign ownership data
Anyone who believes the Nats’ figures needs to listen to yesterday’s interview – Why won’t Nick Smith answer this one simple question? Excellent work from Garner.
The EU thinks that our tax system’s clean bill of health is not so clean
The European Union is considering sanctions against New Zealand for operating as a tax haven and the proposed reforms by John Sherwin may not be enough.
NZ being used as international example of a bad welfare system
NZ under National is being used internationally as an example of a bad welfare system.
Do we care? Are we going to fix it?
Open mike 02/08/2016
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Free Petrol Pt II
Part II of IV. How to achieve zero carbon from the shipping and aviation sectors by the 2030s.
Daily Review 01/08/2016
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Free Petrol Pt I
Part I of a IV part series of posts on what we can do to hold global warming below 2 degrees C.
The Unitary Plan will not solve the Housing Crisis
The Unitary Plan has been described as a panacea for the housing crisis by the Government. But will it actually address this most acute of issues?
Who will be to blame if a bridge collapses?
Who will be to blame if untested, undetected, weak steel causes the collapse of a structure?
We can’t say we weren’t warned
When the Auckland housing bubble bursts a lot of people are going to lose a lot of money. They won’t be able to say they weren’t warned.
Open mike 01/08/2016
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Caption contest
Climate change pedal to the metal
Avoiding 2 deg C warming is a ship that’s sailed. Global warming is now happening at about 4.3x the previous long-run rate. And it might go up to 18x the previous rate over the next few years. That’s what the pundits call “abrupt climate change.”
Open mike 31/07/2016
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