As anticipated, the Sydney cafe siege was caused by a lone nutter with a dubious history. He committed suicide by cop apparently after killing a hostage. Meanwhile we have had opportunistic jerkoffs like National MP Mark Mitchell displaying their paranoid fantasies (probably as urine dribbles down their leg) to justify recent poorly written and rushed legislation.
The Sydney siege has now finished. Three people including the gunman are dead. And it is clear that the siege was caused by a lone person rather than a terrorist group.
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Up to 20 civilian hostages are being held in a Sydney chocolate shop in a developing hostage situation.
Update: The siege is over, reports suggest two dead and three injured.
Well worth a look. A straight talker, with a sense of humour, freshness and vigour.
The Nats have finished focus-grouping their attack line on Andrew Little and are moving in to deployment. As narrated by Twitter this morning…
John Key’s only formal apology this year was to serial privacy breacher Cameron Slater for breaching his privacy. Not to any of the victims of dirty politics or to any of the victims of this Government’s policies. Why is it that National is continuing to allow Slater to undermine the Prime Minister’s position so effectively?
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Inequality has been very much in the news recently. Friday saw the publication of two really excellent pieces that between them provide a comprehensive, if depressing overview.
While I have come to expect nothing from the annual climate change talks, this years’ failure is particularly galling because of the active role that NZ played in it.
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Two New Zealands will shortly celebrate Christmas, the poor and the rich. Here’s a crazy thought…
Herald journo John Drinnan seems all excited about Freed. That’s the dirty politics model that you’re celebrating John. You really want journalists to become pawns to paid attack politics? WTF?
The last Roy Morgan poll for the year provides Andrew Little and Labour with welcome news.
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
On RNZ this morning PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff criticised Bill English for his misleading rhetoric about rises in “average wages”. NZ’s income and wealth gaps have increased in recent decades. The lowest income remain low; the top earners get big salary increases.
Message to today’s anonymous Herald editorialist – competition doesn’t close the inequality gap, it widens it. In other news, black is black not white, and water is wet. How can you write such drivel?
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”
Andrew Little has wasted no time in making his mark, not just on the Labour Party but on New Zealand politics. What is […]
finally, we have the release of the report that documents interrogation techniques carried out by the CIA. it’s pretty awful stuff.
The lied about surplus in the run up to the 2014 National Election is looking like matching Penn and Teller for magical skills. […]
A good speech from Green MP James Shaw in Parliament’s closing session yesterday.
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
Various Tory voices, fresh from finding Len Brown guilty of needing a wee; now find he’s to blame for failing to get his visionary Central Rail Loop started on time, with its delayed start to 2018. But surely the blame lies not with him, but squarely with National and Key for refusing to pay their share until 2020.
A last-minute, urgent appeal from Phil Twyford – oppose the sell off of state houses – today!
A guest post from BLiP on Labour’s support for the “terrorism” legislation.
The normal rules apply.
Right-wingers recently got all hot and bothered about the idea of “recall elections”. Perhaps we do need them, not for the scandal of a Mayor having a bathroom, but for governments that systematically and cynically deny the truth, to the detriment of us all.
From the Local Bodies blog, 2 posts on the government’s “head in the sand” approach to climate change and the environment. A critique of the government’s approach to business, mining and the environment & a report on the protest against the government’s head in the sand approach.
Colin James has an excellent piece on the housing market. Simon Collins has a piece on the implications on young renters. Meanwhile, a number of other big problems are being ignored by National as well.
Another day of shame for the New Zealand Government. as they march us in lockstep…….
Towards the sort of police State we used to fight.
Rob Salmond notes the OECD report saying the West – and New Zealand more than any – have had their growth held back by income inequality. Do we have a government willing to do anything about it?
Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …
