Open mike 03/06/2015

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 02/06/2015

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.

How Did We Come to This?

When did New Zealanders become convinced that the care of the most vulnerable in our society, and particularly of those suffering mental illness and disability, should be treated as an opportunity to make a profit rather than as a community responsibility?

Conservatives and Human Rights

In Australia a recent attempt by Abbott and some supporters to give the Minister of Immigration the power to cancel an Australian’s citizenship status was met by a cabinet revolt.  In England there is talk of the UK withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights.  So much for the Conservative commitment to the rule of law.

Open mike 02/06/2015

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 …

Peter Talley is now a knight

The Queens Birthday Honours List has been announced with Peter Talley’s contribution to philanthropy being rewarded with appointment as a Knights Companion.

Voices of the people on emissions targets and climate change

A record of the Dunedin consultation meeting on NZ’s emission targets. It was an extraordinary evening. So many people spoke with concern, with intelligence, with anger, with compassion, with emotion. Some spoke with hope, some without.

Please – make a written submission before Wednesday.

Open mike 01/06/2015

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 …

Labour and the Greens

Some thoughts on how Labour and the Greens need to manage relations in the hope that they can form a future progressive Government.

Open mike 31/05/2015

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 …

Coup Coup Ca Choo!

So why was Maurice dancing with ACT? Why was Borrows bullshitting about bikes? Does Judith Collins sleep with a copy of the Art of War under her pillow? I don’t know, but I think we should be told.

Kelvin Davis’ massive Hikoi

Over the next two weeks Kelvin Davis and supporters will be going a Hikoi through the North to publicise the curse of sexual violence and to get more men to speak out against it.

Open mike 30/05/2015

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 29/05/2015

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.

Auto Kiwisaver

Nice to see English acknowledging the importance of Kiwisaver – thanks Michael Cullen, thanks Helen Clark! I certainly support default enrollment. But – isn’t this Big Government Nanny State Gone Mad?

RIP Campbell Live

Campbell Live plays for the last time tonight.  With New Zealand on Air having new targets that will make support for similar shows unlikely the holding of the powerful to account is about to become more difficult.

Money for nothing and the sheep are for free

The legal suit offered as part justification for the Government paying $11 million to a Saudi businessman was apparently “off the table” at the time that Cabinet agreed to the payment.  So why was the payment made?  And why didn’t Murray McCully tell this to Cabinet or to Parliament earlier?

Open mike 29/05/2015

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 28/05/2015

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.

Students speak on loan cap

Students speak on the lifetime limit on eligibility for student loans. This particularly affects those committed to a long term course of study, such as medical students. They can’t get loans for their final years of study. It’s crazy.

Sheepgate

It has emerged that the New Zealand Government has paid money to a Saudi businessman allegedly to settle a legal dispute that does not exist but more probably to persuade the Saudi Government to enter into a free trade agreement.  Update – and maybe there was a threat of legal action but because of the actions of National, not Labour.