Carter’s last fan
How fitting that Audrey Young is Speaker David Carter’s very last fan in the world.
Collins and the “monster” board
Idiot turn of phrase or deliberately inflammatory? You be the judge.
The Anthropocene
Heavy flooding in Chennai and the North of England is the latest in a long line of recent extreme weather events. Welcome to the Anthropocene.
Use of Teach First (NZ) illegal
To date, TeachFirst(NZ) has received more than $6.4 million dollars of public money and, as a result, has infested 18 schools with dozens of so-called “teachers”.
Key’s Xmas Reshuffle; UPDATE + bonus Winston Peters zinger!
John Key has announced that there will be a minor cabinet re-shuffle. Could this mark the return of Judith Collins? If so, what does this tell us about how the post-Key National Party will look?
Open mike 07/12/2015
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 …
Rabblerave: New Zealand’s Next Top Model Politician
Invisiphilia analyses events of last week where environmental collective responsibility is finally gaining control over neo-liberalist philosophy and the old notion of an environmentalist being a sandal wearing, mong bean eaters has finally been given a decent burial.
Key should apologise to Tania Billingsley and Slater should be ashamed
The disputed facts case involving Tania Billingsley’s complaint against the Malaysian Diplomat suggests the diplomat was engaged in some bizarre drug induced behaviour and completely exonerates Ms Billingsley. John Ken will have to reconsider his petty refusal to apologise to her. And Murray McCully’s actions will be closely monitored as soon as the completed report into the invocation of diplomatic immunity is released.
Open mike 06/12/2015
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 …
Left Internationalism
Hilary Benn and Maria Eagle have invoked “Labour’s proud internationalism” to support their votes for bombing ISIL in Syria to keep Britain safe! As Michael Chessum points out in the LRB, this view of Labour’s internationalism is statist rather than socialist. We can be proud that Kirk, Lange and Clark have all shown a different version of left internationalism that is much more genuinely “labour’s answer to capital’s global power.”
Offending comment was made from Giltrap!
The court order obtained by the internet pest Marc Spring against the YourNZ blog and Pete George to remove references about Spring AND his employer the Giltrap Group, was obtained using a comment made from the place of work of Marc Spring. It was probably made by Marc Spring in a deliberate perversion of the course of justice.
Collision course Syria
Russia is backing anti-Islamist Kurds in Northern Syria to control their own territory, and acting directly against the interests of the jihadist groups that Turkey, a NATO member, is supporting. The temperature will only rise from here.
TiSA reduces COP21 to a charade
That National Ltd™ is currently in the process of giving away New Zealand’s sovereignty in areas such as energy resources and related regulations, explains its contempt for the environment and the talking down of expectations regarding climate change.
Helen Clark on A Zero-Carbon Future
Good piece by Helen Clark on Huff Post: “Paris must be a catalyst for stepped up climate action. The world must move towards a zero-carbon future. There is no room for short-sightedness or a lack of ambition.”
Open mike 05/12/2015
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 04/12/2015
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 …
As we bind ourselves with the TPP, so other countries will fill the need
Reeling from tough produce sanctions, Russia will pursue a strategy as the world’s largest supplier of ‘ecologically clean’ food. And where is NZ?
Little in free fall! (In a good way)
Hilary Benn: we never should walk by on the other side of the road
UK MP Hilary Benn has given one of the finest speeches Westminster has heard in years in the debate over Syria. It will go down as a defining moment in the fight against Daesh and proves that bombing alone is not the answer. Watch it. It’s how politics can be, when done right.
#Sheepgate – but wait there’s more
At the same time that there is an Auditor General’s investigation into the appropriateness of the Government spend on the sheep farm in the middle of a Saudi desert the Government has announced a further spend of $2.6 million on a kit set abattoir. And the resumption of live exports by ship may be in the pipeline.
National Ltd™’s Sam Lotu-Iiga tries to pull the wool over our eyes
It was suggested in Parliament that SERCO’s first place position on the Prison Performance Table had been the result of Lotu-Iiga and his department having had the wool pulled over their eyes.
Morgan on Key’s climate change cheat
Gareth Morgan calls Key out as a climate change cheat, and concludes that “We are dangerously close to being laughed out of Paris”.
Open mike 04/12/2015
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 03/12/2015
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 …
Dunedin leads the way
On carbon emissions I don’t have any hope for NZ under National, which is still stuck in a stupid fossil fuel mentality. I do have hope for the people, organisations, and regions within NZ who are collectively taking action. And I’m proud that my home of Dunedin is leading the way.
UK votes to bomb Syria
A Labour Mayor for Wellington
Deputy Mayor Justin Lester has announced his candidacy for the top job in the nation’s capital.
The great future tide of homelessness
The Salvation Army, and not the Government, has pointed out some very worrying trends relating to home ownership in New Zealand.
Mopping up the fossil fuels subsidy shame
McClay said he could not answer the specific question because he had “been advised” no such data exists.
How convenient.
Open mike 03/12/2015
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
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 …
Deportee
Standard Exclusive:
Te Reo Putake interviews one of the first batch of deportees from Australia under the Liberal Government’s hardline approach to Kiwis who serve jail time in the lucky country.
Good reviews for Little’s reshuffle
A couple of good reviews for Little’s reshuffle of the Labour lineup.
Our man in Paris
Some time today, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, John Key, will be wandering around the hallways of his Paris hotel in his underpants. Or maybe his swimming togs.
The great greenhouse gas research funding switcherooni
John Key has announced an increase in funding on research into the reduction of agricultural emissions of greenhouse gasses of $20 million over four years or $5 million a year. Which is the amount the Government cut from this research two months ago.
Police raiding journalists is a thing now
Yesterday the police raided the home of a 3 News journalist. This seems to be quite a trend in the Brighter Future.