Common ground at Abel Tasman National Park
The desire of many New Zealanders to put a beach in the South Island under public control presents the opposition parties with a great opportunity to identify and defend common ground.
Petition Peter Dunne to show some sense and some compassion
Helen Kelly is getting the run around from Peter Dunne with her request for permission to use cannabis oil. The talented Foxy is running a petition.
Open Mike 16/02/2016
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Twerking For Daddy
As if the second round of booing in a week wasn’t bad enough, John Key got royally trolled by a young BGO attendee on Instagram. Then the Herald bizarrely decided her selfie of the PM with his hand tantalisingly close to her hair was a genuine BGO good news story. But wait! There’s more!!!
Afghanistan – a forgotten war
More than a decade after the Taliban Government was ‘regime changed’ by the west, the Taliban are resurgent and Afghan civilian deaths are as high as ever.
Daily Review 15/02/2016
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 …
Shock Horror media bias exists in New Zealand
Claire Robinson has analysed press use of photos during the 2014 general election campaign and has concluded that the major newspapers exhibited substantial bias in favour of Prime Minister John Key.
John Key, Nikki Kaye, and Maggie Barry booed off the stage
National Ltd™ MPs Nikki Kaye and Maggie Barry were also subject to the same vociferous booing. Nikki Kaye’s speech lasted less than John Key’s 20 second effort while Maggie Barry didn’t even bother trying to speak.
Open Mike 15/02/2016
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Kia Kaha Christchurch
A further earthquake has occurred in Christchurch today.
Syria escalating
Turkey has started shelling the US backed Kurdish forces that are fighting against ISIS. What could go wrong?
Sanders v Clinton Campaign ads
Recent campaign videos from Bernie Saunders and from Hillary Clinton provide interesting contrasts on who the candidates are targeting. Which approach is best?
Open Mike 14/02/2016
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Police illegally arrest and detain union officials
Its bad enough that workers’ rights and conditions are being crushed by National Ltd™ but now Police have joined in. Again.
Three Videos and a Song
It’s over fifty years since JFK, MLK and RFK died. Is this the year America finally gets their message?
Minister sacked over Chinese business trip
In Australia Stuart Robert has been dumped from Cabinet for mixing Ministry and personal business on a trip to China. Imagine what would happen if a Minister did that over here?
Open mike 13/02/2016
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Daily Review 12/02/2016
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 …
Corporate Saviours
oh, hallelujah…
Key’s Bitter Legacy; Gareth Hughes Nails the PM’s Vanity.
The Green’s Gareth Hughes delivered a blistering speech in reply to the PM’s statement to the House. It begs the question ‘what will Key’s lasting legacy be?’. A failed flag referendum? Poverty? Inequality? Corruption? Selfies with AB’s?
As Key’s star fades, the less he seems to have left us to remember him by. What was the point of him anyway?
Gareth Hughes on the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Green MP Gareth Hughes’ response in Parliament to John’ Key’s opening speech for 2017. Hughes cleanly and definitively nails Key’s true contribution to New Zealand.
Bob McCoskrie confuses correlation with causation
Family First’s Bob McCoskrie has released a research paper that essentially concludes that the anti smacking bill and not child poverty is responsible for the plight of children deteriorating over the past decade.
Open mike 12/02/2016
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Daily Review 11/02/2016
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 …
Establishment appointed Council protects Establishment
So National’s appointed ECan (undermining democracy since 2010) has decided that leading business man Hugh Fletcher & Chief Justice Sian Elias shouldn’t be fined for their cows sh!ting in a lake. National were accused of taking voting rights so they could favour dairy over Christchurch, and this seems a good example. Canterbury has suffered enough – it needs democracy back.
The battle over climate change continues
Two recent international incidents show that the resistance to meaningful action on climate change has not given up. In the USA Barak Obama’s climate change policies are under attack in the Supreme Court. And in Australia CSIRO has decided to get rid of all of its climate change scientists.
Northland Fishing Competition
Winston Peters has stitched John Key up again, this time hook, line and sinker. When Key lied in Parliament about the Northland MP’s supposedly leisurely lifestyle, Peters offered a challenge: provide some evidence or donate $100k to charity. Will cowardly Key take the bait?
Key’s sham “consultation” an insult to Māori
Last week 95bFM tweeted some audio from a Key media session, which shows his “consultation” with Māori over the TPP to be a condescending sham.
What have the Unions ever done for us?
A video from the TUC in the UK explaining how important Unions are which is just as relevant for Aotearoa as it is for the UK.
Open mike 11/02/2016
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Daily Review 10/02/2016
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Leave Josie Butler alone
Stuff is asking the employer of Josie Butler, thrower of the fake sex toy at Steven Joyce, if it will take disciplinary action against her for protest activity taken while she was not at work.
Buying Awaroa beach
“There is a pristine piece of beach and bush in the heart of the Abel Tasman up for private sale. Together we can buy it and gift it to NZ.”
National the party of economic lunacy
A “$17 billion hole in the economy”. An estimated $18 billion lost because National stopped investing in the super fund. A record national debt. And we’re still talking about tax cuts? Lunacy!
Private group sells tickets to Prime Minister’s official speech
It has become clear that John Key’s recent SOTN speech was delivered to an audience that paid for the privilege of attending.
Open mike 10/02/2016
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