Open mike 28/05/2015
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RIP the Alliance Party
The demise of the Alliance Party was announced today.
Daily Review 27/05/2015
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.
In Praise of Key
Hardly a comprehensive take, but in the interest of stating some obvious stuff…
Some Nats growing a spine on health and safety?
Helen Kelly and the CTU have done a great job raising the issues of workplace health and safety. Have they even got the attention of some Nats? Apparently there are delays to proposed changes as some in caucus resist.
Crosby ‘most successful propogandist since Goebbels’ – Ken Livingston
Ken Livingston talks about Lynton Crosby and neoliberalism.
Petition: Raise the age of child protection
Currently, child protection law means a young person leaves CYFS care at 17, but other state support, like housing and student allowances, doesn’t start until age 18.
Sky City redux – the house still wins
Sky City has managed to persuade the Government to allow it to build a cheaper building while retaining the same valuable gambling regulatory concessions. Update: and the Government appears to have made further contractual concessions to Sky City.
Open mike 27/05/2015
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Effective political communication
Richard Harman concluded his presentation to the recent Fabian “Destination Next Progressive Majority” event by quoting the noted political scientist Bob Chapman’s remark that he had “reluctantly come to the conclusion that it was far more important for a political party to have a communication strategy than an economic policy.” I’m inclined to agree.
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
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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
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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
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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.