Maori language is not boring, John Key
John Key has managed to insult an idealistic young woman and Maori at the same time by saying that her suggestion that Maori Language week should be extended was boring.
Absurdistan
An excellent piece by Graham Adams – well worth reading the whole thing in Metro, but here are some extracts “on the slow unravelling of a small democracy”.
Open mike 02/08/2015
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TPPA hopefully sinking again
Looks like the TPP press conference has been delayed. Good. Lets hope this restraint of trade agreement stays that way. I had time to look at the varied opinions in the Herald this morning. A range from the good to the pathetic…
A thinking opposition
So the news on Labour’s first paper from its “Future of Work” Commission revolves around “ex-Labour member” Phil Quin noticing some missing quote marks and National making gleeful diversions from it. But of course what is actually important is the content.
Dirty Politics: Police refuse to charge Slater
The police are refusing to even let the Courts rule on whether Cameron Slater and Jason Ede hacked Labour’s server despite there being a serious issue to be considered and despite the need for our justice system to be transparent.
The Future of…Jobs?
A relevant and real “Future of Work Commission” needs to be centred on building creativity, increasing collectivity, dealing with climate change and achieving fossil fuel transition.
Open mike 01/08/2015
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Whitewash
Astonishing release late on a Friday afternoon (dump time!) that the police will not be pursuing any action against Slater/Ede for hacking Labour’s website. Given a whole year to investigate, they didn’t manage to find out how to spell Nicky Hager or Tim Barnett’s names.
Daily Review 31/07/2015
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Caption competition
Malaysia are better negotiators
Looks like (ht Danyl Mclauchlan) Malaysia is smarter than us.
Amnesty International calls for prosecution of Israeli war crimes in Gaza
Amnesty International has release chilling video footage and analysis suggesting the Israeli armed forces committed war crimes against civilians during last year’s assault on Gaza.
All police to carry tasers
All frontline police will routinely carry tasers.
Parasite Drive; the NBR Rich List
The NBR’s annual list of the one percent is out. No surprises that the growing inequality in New Zealand is working well for the parasites at the top of the hill.
Guest Post: Sneaky and sudden Government move on genetic engineering
A guest post on a Government attempt to change the Resource Management Act to prevent local councils from restricting the planting of genetically engineered trees.
Shut up and take your medicine
As commentators and dairy industry insiders warn of TPP disaster, the Nats’ message to we the people is shut up and take our medicine – oh and by the way the price just went up.
Open mike 31/07/2015
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Daily Review 30/07/2015
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
John Key – Snake Oil Salesman
John Key has tried to suggest that we have nothing to worry about planned changes to Pharmac caused by TPP. But a recent further release by Wikileaks on the effects of the Trans Pacific Partnership on State Owned Enterprises makes you wonder if the implications of TPP on Pharmac are as limited as he says.
We can do better on health and safety
Labour is proposing a set of amendments to fix the Health and Safety Reform Bill. They need the support of Peter Dunne and the Māori Party. Will they do the right thing?
What’s a charter school gotta do?
What exactly does a charter school have to do in order to be held accountable?
We’re going to sign a rubbish deal
We’re not making progress on dairy in the TPP negotiations, but the smart money reckons we’re going to sign anyway.
Update: Read what a real journalist has to say on the current state of negotiations.
Open mike 30/07/2015
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Daily Review 29/07/2015
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.
Craig suing Slater – bring popcorn
Colin Craig is suing Cameron Slater and Jordan Williams in defamation.
Updated with booklet.
left wing leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn well ahead
Hard lefty Jeremy Corbyn has a 22 pt lead in the UK Labour leadership race. The Labour Party Blairites are definitely not happy.
Breathless children
Tim Groser has some advice for us on the TPP – “We need adults to do this, not breathless children to run off at the mouth when the deal is not actually finished.”
Jumped tripped or fell
Giving away the shop for nothing
We are giving away the shop and we don’t know what if anything we will get in terms of dairy access yet. Our negotiators have signaled that they are weak. And even if we get what we want it is probably worth bugger all anyway.
Kia kaha New Zealand First
Winston Peters was thrown out of Parliament yesterday and New Zealand First MPs walked out in sympathy for raising points of order following a personal explanation from Anne Tolley where she corrected an answer to a parliamentary question that was clearly wrong.
Open mike 29/07/2015
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Daily Review 28/07/2015
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.
The great Chinese sharemarket selldown
The Chinese Stock market sell off has started again a couple of weeks after rather desperate measure were put in place. The question has to be what will the Government do now?
What will National give away?
Labour has set out its bottom lines for supporting the TPP. My question to National and its supporters – which of Labour’s bottom lines are you prepared to give away, and why?
Update: We can cross off point 1, Key sells out Pharmac.
Internal polling apparently good
It’s not a good idea in general to comment on internal polling. But since they were discussed on other blogs yesterday – Labour’s current numbers are looking good.