Open mike 13/06/2016
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Essential reading – Hickey on immigration
Hickey: “Helping employers to bring in low-skilled migrants instead of investing in new technology and becoming more productive so they can pay local workers more is essentially stunting our productivity and real GDP per capita.”
Fiji flop

Open mike 12/06/2016
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Scottish Parliament votes to ban fracking.
Imagine a country where the political divide is over whether to ban fracking outright or to be opposed to fracking but have a moratorium first in order to gather more evidence.
Police undermined by their own minister
Good piece by Jo Moir on Stuff this morning, about National’s train-wreck week. Follow it up with Andrew Geddis on the legality of the Collins blurt.
Warren on Trump (and the Republicans)
Elizabeth Warren, who is positioning herself as Clinton’s potential VP, rips in to The Donald (and the Republicans) in a speech to the American Constitution Society (ACS).
Where is Paula?
In the middle of a housing crisis the Minister of Social Housing Paula Bennett is nowhere to be seen.
Open mike 11/06/2016
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Daily Review 10/06/2016
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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 …
Jonathan Pie thinks Tony Blair is a psychopath
Jonathan Pye analyses Tony Blair’s history and contrasts his statements and actions with that of Jeremy Corbyn.
Caption contest

There is no housing crisis in New Zealand *
* according to Nick Smith and Paula Bennett.
Banks act on housing affordability crisis (while National sits on its hands)
Despite Key’s barnstorming 2007 speech on the housing affordability crisis, National these days prefer to deny that it exists. Apparently fed up with waiting for the government to take action, banks are moving to reduce their risk and limit foreign buyers.
H1 and H2
In a few months, the two most important leadership roles on the planet could be held by women. How cool is that? We’ve come a long way, world!
Open mike 10/06/2016
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Daily Review 09/06/2016
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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 …
Robert Reich’s letter to Bernie Sanders
The text of an open letter written by Ribert Reich to his friend Bernie Sanders.
FIFY: Bennett too embarrassed to visit marae

National’s lies, damn lies and statistics on housing
The housing crisis is not going away, and National needs to offer something better than lies, damn lies, and statistics.
If you still need to be persuaded about New Zealand’s homeless crisis …
Eleven year old TA is bright, dedicated but homeless. She has challenged John Key to try walking in her shoes.
Time for Bernie to stand down?
What will Bernie do now?
Open mike 09/06/2016
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Daily Review 08/06/2016
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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 …
Funding priorities
Why are we spending so much money on “defense” when there are so many real and urgent needs? It is hard to imagine that our “enemies” could possibly do us more damage than we are inflicting on ourselves.
Yet another indicator of the homeless crisis
The homeless population of central Auckland has more than doubled in the last 3 years. That’s quite a legacy John Key. Meanwhile Te Puea Marae is still putting the government to shame, you can donate here.
The Sky City ghost jobs
Radio New Zealand has reported that the promised jobs relating to the construction of the Convention Centre are appearing. But in Thailand, not New Zealand. Updated with comment on the terms of the supplemental agreement.
Labour Green MOU well received in poll
A modest bump for the Labour Green block in the latest Colmar Brunton. And what appears to be a shift from NZF to Labour after the MOU announcement. That might wipe the smile off Winston’s dial.
Open mike 08/06/2016
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Daily Review 07/06/2016
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas 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 …
What the Swiss voted on (UBI proposal)
Some context for the debate.
Taihoa on Immigration?
Winston Peters has called for a slashing of migrant worker numbers and for screening of would be workers based on things like their attitude to women. Is it time for a taihoa on immigration or is Winston just doing a Trump?
What now Paula?
Seeing is believing they say, and Paula Bennett says that she has taken on board the climate change message after a Pacific visit. So what now Paula? It’s a tough question for sure. But at least you’re blessed with an opposition that will cooperate, instead of trying to whip up people’s fears and obstruct progress for political gain.
Switzerland votes against UBI
Seems the path towards acceptance of the UBI is not going to be smooth.
Open mike 07/06/2016
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