The Standard

Nicola Willis’s Debt Higher Than All 6 Years of Ardern Government

Written By:
Date published: 12:31 pm, May 28th, 2025 - 18 comments

Current & planned debt will surpass Labour’s full term debt in less years. Willis also admitted Budget 2024 had a higher deficit than all of Grant Robertson’s bar Covid.

Migration: the spectre at the feast

Written By:
Date published: 10:48 am, May 28th, 2025 - 26 comments

The challenge posed by migration pressures is real and often underestimated. They are greater today than ever before in modern history.

The Peoples’ Select Committee on Pay Equity

Written By:
Date published: 8:19 am, May 28th, 2025 - 8 comments

In very bad news for the Government former National MP Marilyn Waring has announced that she will be doing something the Government did not do, organise hearings to consider the Government’s sabotaging of Pay Equity.

Open mike 28/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 28th, 2025 - 43 comments

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 27/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 27th, 2025 - 4 comments

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 weird similarities between the Trump and the Willis budgets

Written By:
Date published: 7:05 am, May 27th, 2025 - 25 comments

A comparison of Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Budget and Nicola Willis’s recent budget disclose remarkable similarities.

Open mike 27/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 27th, 2025 - 42 comments

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 26/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 26th, 2025 - 14 comments

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 …

Open mike 26/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 26th, 2025 - 86 comments

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 …

Open mike 25/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 25th, 2025 - 26 comments

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 …

Willis’ Roundup Budget will not grow new shoots of the economy

Written By:
Date published: 12:55 pm, May 24th, 2025 - 11 comments

Nicola Willis’ Budget is bad for growth and a Big throwback unfit for NZ.

Our growing stress is everywhere

Written By:
Date published: 9:38 am, May 24th, 2025 - 22 comments

We don’t know where this country is going and it’s getting worse. 

Open mike 24/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 24th, 2025 - 43 comments

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 23/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 23rd, 2025 - 16 comments

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 …

Open mike 23/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 23rd, 2025 - 40 comments

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 22/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 22nd, 2025 - 7 comments

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 …

Liam Hehir needs to relearn his civics

Written By:
Date published: 7:30 am, May 22nd, 2025 - 17 comments

Generally I like reading Liam Hehir over at the The Blue Review. He is usually interesting despite his position. However he asserted that “Parliament Must Rule Itself”. Of course parliament must control itself. But rule itself – no! Voters do that. Parliamentary rules are mainly there to keep a low profile to voters looking at their poor performance. Right now that is inside the privileges committee.

BHN and CTU’s Craig Renney on the Budget

Written By:
Date published: 6:05 am, May 22nd, 2025 - 98 comments

Open discussion post for the Budget. BHN livestreams at 2pm and 9pm

Open mike 22/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 22nd, 2025 - 17 comments

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 21/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 21st, 2025 - 24 comments

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 Government blinks

Written By:
Date published: 9:35 am, May 21st, 2025 - 15 comments

Faced with the threat of an impassioned filibuster against the Priviliges Committee extreme recommendations the Government yesterday abruptly stopped debate on the committee report by voting to adjourn the debate.

Open mike 21/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 21st, 2025 - 36 comments

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 20/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 20th, 2025 - 28 comments

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 …

What would the Greens’ inheritance/gift tax mean for farming?

Written By:
Date published: 8:07 am, May 20th, 2025 - 48 comments

In a climate crisis world we should be treating farming as a national strategic asset.How would a wealth transfer tax affect that?

Open mike 20/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 20th, 2025 - 31 comments

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 19/05/2025

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Date published: 5:30 pm, May 19th, 2025 - 11 comments

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 …

Privileges Committee recommendations are partisan, indefensible and racist

Written By:
Date published: 3:39 pm, May 19th, 2025 - 21 comments

The Privileges Committee recommendation for suspension of three Maori Party MPs for performing a haka in Parliament has been described as appearing to be partisan, indefensible and open to attacks of racism. Parliament’s response tomorrow will show how political the issue has become.

Jacinda Ardern’s speech to Yale graduates: leading with empathy is a strength

Written By:
Date published: 2:43 pm, May 19th, 2025 - 3 comments

Ardern at her finest.

Open mike 19/05/2025

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Date published: 6:00 am, May 19th, 2025 - 24 comments

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 …

RNZ’s report on its Israel/Gaza coverage is not credible

Written By:
Date published: 6:13 pm, May 18th, 2025 - 1 comment

Radio New Zealand’s decision to conduct a review of its Israel-Palestine coverage post-7 October 2023 is commendable.   We believe the presented report does not meet a credible standard in terms of breadth, methodology and analysis. 

The Coalition Continues to Defund Science

Written By:
Date published: 2:28 pm, May 18th, 2025 - 6 comments

Another science fund bites the dust in New Zealand.