Daily Review 26/05/2015
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.
Fixed Term Parliaments
An argument in favour of New Zealand adopting Fixed Term Parliaments Act legislation.
Government incompetence threatens Relationships Aotearoa
Government incompetence, drastic cuts in funding and a refusal to provide a helping hand is likely to cause the closure of Relationships Aotearoa, a charitable entity that has existed in one form or another since 1949.
Campbell on the budget
Should have covered this earlier – extracts from Gordon Campbell on the budget.
Roy Morgan for May
The Roy Morgan poll out yesterday for May is pretty brutal reading for the left.
Open mike 26/05/2015
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 …
Political Strategy for a Progressive Majority
Sir Michael Cullen discussed political strategy at the “Destination- Next Progressive Majority” seminars held recently by the Fabian Society in Auckland and Wellington. He started by sharing what he used to say to his students when they were facing a test – “never forget to state the obvious.” For a progressive majority that means “get more votes than the others” – he had some good ideas how.
Daily Review 25/05/2015
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.
Is Maurice Williamson jumping ship?
Rumours are surfacing that Maurice Williamson wanted to jump ship to Act but was turned down.
Epsom has its finger on the pulse of the people
So what is important to the people of Epsom? Paul Goldsmith in his Newsletter recently told us what is important to him and suggested what might be important to us.
Mortgagee sales
A marked drop in mortgagee sales recently. Good news?
Superannuation and Government forecasts
National has again refused to consider doing anything about the future of Superannuation. Yet its policies of increasing Crown debt, stopping contributions to the Cullen Fund and attacking Kiwisaver have made a discussion about the future of superannuation more important than ever.
Oram on the budget and Treasury fantasies
Extracts from Rod Oram’s piece in the SST as posted on Facebook. “What’s missing from [the budget], and the six before, is any glimpse of the world we live in, let alone the political leadership we need to survive and thrive in it.”
Open mike 25/05/2015
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 …
Ireland votes for same sex marriage
Ireland has voted overwhelmingly to legalise same sex marriages.
The media and two child poverty policy releases
The media’s handling of Labours Best Start policy announcement in January of last year and its handling of National’s recent budget announcement of a $25 a week increase for beneficiary families provides an interesting contrast.
Owning the news agenda
He who pays the piper calls the tune. The killing of Campbell Live is just the latest example.
English not even trying any more
Anyone remember departure tax?
Open mike 24/05/2015
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 …
The Standard’s reputation rises after Judith Collins comments
The Standard was mentioned on Back Benchers last night by Crusher Collins. From her comments it looks like we are doing our job properly.
Outflanking Labour on the left
Aka “swallowing dead rats”. Aka “losing the argument”. Aka shifting the political center – yay!
Smith not even trying any more
Let them eat cake.
Key not even trying any more
Those pesky knuckleheads.
Open mike 23/05/2015
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 22/05/2015
(Hint above is satire) Daily review is also your post. This provides Standarnistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules […]
NRT: An abuse of the OIA
No Right Turn points out that the answer given by John Key in response to an Official Information Act request was completely inadequate legally. It doesn’t matter if he was in his guise of the infamous Parnell Pony Puller, or PM as he sometimes likes to call himself. He isn’t allowed to advise Rachael Glucina of the NZ Herald to attack his victim and then hide it behind his official role.
Budget Blues
Twenty five dollars a week can’t be bad, can it? For families on the breadline, it’s surely better than nothing and every little […]
I’m done with TV
Brief reflections on a few decades of TV from an ex watcher.
Weekend social 22/05/2015
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
Dunedin climate consultation meeting
“It was an emotional meeting and I felt in turns angry, frustrated, helpless, very sad, and disillusioned. I also felt privileged to be in the company of so many knowledgeable, passionate people.”
Budget gives with one hand and takes with the other
An increase to the base rate of benefits is welcome, but it comes with nasty fishhooks. As the Nats are forced to address leftie / progressive issues – a capital gains tax, Auckland housing, poverty – we the people need to keep the pressure on.
Open mike 22/05/2015
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 21/05/2015
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.
Budget speeches
Budget debate speeches – Little, Key and Turei.
Campbell Live Dumped
John Campbell has quit TV3. Campbell Live is dead.
Campbell live to go and a second hair incident
Interestingly two stories have broken during the presentation of the Budget. John Campbell has quit TV3 and a further hair incident involving John Key has hit the news.