Polity: Newsflash: Houses are assets
Prime Minister John Key, in his capacity as Prime Minister, promised no asset sales this term in the run up to the last election. But now they are selling assets – state houses.
About climate change …
The IPCC has released a further report refining previous research and announcing with practical certainty that climate change is happening because of the production of greenhouse gasses. It proposes that we stop burning fossil fuels, and change the electricity generation system so that by 2050 the vast bulk of the world’s power is produced by renewable means. The diagnosis is clear as are the remedies. And meanwhile Tim Groser thinks the Greens are to blame for the recent drop in the milk price …
Where would you spend $26 million?
If you were the NZ government, with $26 million to spend, what would you spend it on?
Labour leadership hustings video
In case you haven’t been able to make it to any of the leadership hustings, here’s the speeches from the Nelson meeting last week.
Open mike 03/11/2014
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 …
Moving away from the politics of fear
Politics from a position of fear is never going to be successful. Politics based on conviction and the ability to put forward a sound argument is a much better strategy. Yes, anyone selected is going to be subject to attack. But there’s no point in allowing that to cloud our judgement.
Grant Robertson live Q&A
Grant Robertson will be joining us live here tonight at around 7:30pm. As usual all comments / questions will be strictly moderated.
The bad blogger
It looks like Cameron Slater has finally woken up to the costs of walking over legal boundaries. Rather than dealing with the numbers of people who don’t like him or his actions. He instead has concocted a paranoid conspiracy theory. Oh, and he wants others to pay for his mistakes. Typical.
Should Right-wing newspapers just shut up?
In the spirit of Philip Matthews…
Conservation Week
How much is too much?
In England there is a couple who own nearly 1,000 houses, who previously evicted beneficiaries in favour of Eastern European immigrants but who have recently taken to evict immigrants with too many children. And in Uruguay there is a former President who used to give most of his salary to charity, who lived in a farmhouse rather than a palace and who drove a VW Beetle rather than a limousine. Which particular form of humanity should be in charge?
Open mike 02/11/2014
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 …
Chat with Grant Robertson Sunday 7:30
Labour leadership contender Grant Robertson will be joining us here at The Standard live on Sunday around 7:30pm for a chat.
The future of work, income
Automation is changing everything – faster than we think…
The exciting sexy selloff of our State housing
Paula Bennett thinks that selling off much of the country’s housing stock is exciting and sexy and that the market and a group of charities will be able to resolve the country’s housing issues.
EEO Commissioner blasts employment law changes
Workers have lost the statutory right to meal breaks and smokos. Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Commissioner Jackie Blue – who happens to be an ex Nat MP – pulls no punches in setting out the consequences.
Open mike 01/11/2014
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 …
Labour leadership events this weekend
Meet the candidates.
NRT: Long past time
How long has it been since homosexuality as a crime was removed from the the law books? It passed into law on the 8th of August 1986. The government is finally considering wiping past convictions under the strange previous laws. It is an action that is more than 18 years overdue.
Weekend social 31/10/2014
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
No wonder Key wouldn’t say who Rawshark was!
Another contender for John Key to confirm or deny the identity of…
“As authorities close in, I think it’s time to admit I’ve been harbouring Rawshark for 5 months now.”
Leadership carnage! Crisis! Farce! Civil war!
Last night I attended the Dunedin meeting of the Labour leadership traveling roadshow. Carnage! Crisis! Farce! Civil war!
Open mike 31/10/2014
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 …
Time for a real Police Tribunal?
Yesterday the “Independent” Police Conduct Authority released its report into the conduct of Police during the 2012 mass arrest of students at the “Blockade the Budget” protest. In the “About the Authority” section near the bottom the document claims that the IPCA is similar to a court
Lowly science
I’m sure it’s true, but…
Meet the Candidates.
For those interested, a pre-hustings catch up with Labour Party leader contenders in Dunedin today.
Key’s “high ethical standards”
Key’s “high ethical standards” were on display in Parliament again yesterday. So many questions. (And a bonus note – apparently Key knows the identity of Rawshark.)
Nanaia Mahuta – live Q&A
A statement from Nanaia Mahuta concerning the Labour Leadership contest. She should be available to answer questions this afternoon between 2 pm and 3 pm.
Leadership Election: Candidates Start Painting Themselves Into Corners
InsideOut has a look at the current state of the labour leadership campaigns. Predictably they plump down on the side of a particular candidate. But they do point to various issues with all of the campaigns.
Open mike 30/10/2014
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 …
Meet Nanaia and Andrew in West Auckland this weekend
Labour West are hosting an event this weekend where you can meet two of the Labour leadership candidates.
Roast busters – not prosecuted?
Dairy Workers back Andrew Little
The Dairy Workers Union has officially endorsed Andrew Little’s bid for the Labour leadership.
ImperatorFish: There appears to be an off button
Scott wonders how we can get around the wonder of whether John Key is currently Prime Minister
There is no child poverty in New Zealand
A recently published UNICEF report on levels of child poverty amongst developed economies suggests that despite our rockstar economy and our brighter future child poverty levels in New Zealand have stagnated since 2008 while in Australia meaningful changes have been made.
Bat Bean Beam: Dirty journalism
Giovanni Tiso on Bat Bean Beam is pulling at the threads of the connections between National’s dirty politics and journalism.