Cullen endorses Robertson
Grant Robertson picked up a heavyweight endorsement yesterday.
Open mike 23/10/2014
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 …
Question time this year
Question time this year isn’t going to be much fun for Dirty John. Here’s today’s Question 3 as told by Twitter.
The wisdom of David Seymour
David Seymour’s maiden speech must be a front runner for most unusual Parliamentary speech this term and it has only just started.
Dirty politics and dirty cyclists
Jason Ede has resurfaced at Teamtalk, a company with significant links to the National Party and a managing director with unusual views about cyclists.
Measuring poverty
The National government has always been selective about what it likes to measure, and so far refused to measure poverty. Under questioning on Morning Report this morning Key finally made a commitment to do so. We must hold him to it.
Parker on cults and colours
David Parker is reported in The Herald this morning with some comments which seem likely to provoke a strong response! His email pitch to party members also arrived today…
Open mike 22/10/2014
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 …
I have the form – but none to vote for
My Labour leadership voting form turned up in email today. The problem is that unusually I have absolutely no idea who I want to vote for. Nor who I want to vote against. Perhaps a blender might help? Any advice? But please read to the end of my post. It is safer.
NRT: National’s failure on housing
A year ago National rammed through special housing areas promising 9000 homes consented in the first year under it. Over the last year they have managed to build 5 and consented 294. Nick Smith fails maths yet again. This year 13,000 – yeah right!
Gough 1916-2014
When Gough Whitlam was PM of Austrialia, it was a time when people were looking forward to a more inclusive, caring, and egalitarian society: a time of hope. His PM-ship ended in controversy.
Dirty politics aftermath: Slater
Pete George has an interesting summary of recent discussion on Slater’s blog in the aftermath of dirty politics. Is Slater about to turn on Key?
Hypocrisy and the cost of crime
The Government canned a report on the costs of various kinds of economic crime. RNZ obtained a copy under the OIA, and we can see why the Nats would never have wanted it released…
Open mike 21/10/2014
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 Blog: On The Left
“OTL was born when a couple of lefty comms people got together for coffee and decided that the NZ blogosphere was lacking an accessible, well-written, interesting and above all fun group blog which provided a space for discussing and propagating left-wing ideas.”
EPMU endorses Andrew Little for Labour leader
The EPMU have just announced they’re endorsing Andrew Little for Labour leader.
Labour’s Leadership campaign heats up
The Labour leadership campaign is now under way and the first meet the candidates meetings are scheduled for this week.
Strategic voting
It’s all very well taking the moral high ground on strategic voting, but the nice guys are finishing last. Enough already, time for the Left to use the same tactics as the Nats.
Open mike 20/10/2014
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 …
David Parker live Q&A
David Parker joins us here live on Sunday at around 3pm. Post your questions for David here. As usual all comments / questions will be strictly moderated.
The 4th estate & its pretenders
Some journalists continue to try to fulfill the fourth estate ideal of pursuing truth & speaking truth to power. Others, with powerful links to corporate media & governments, work to suppress debate and democracy, often using threats, abusive nastiness & fear mongering.
Len Brown’s future
The Herald has stated that Penny Hulse will not rule out an attempt at the Super City Mayoralty although she will not do so if Len Brown is standing. Now is a good time for Len to say what he intends to do.
Open mike 19/10/2014
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 …
Let them go to war
Back when I was a teenager, a mate of mine decided that he was going to give up on school and would get in some combat. So he worked his way into the Rhodesian Light Infantry. A few years later I heard that he’d been killed in action. Other young men going overseas with similar excitement issues have came back a lot less interested in excitement. Sounds safer to me than letting them have a car.
To arms!
We are about go to war partnered with multiple armies, none of whom is a champion of any of our democratic values of fairness, equality, human rights, or impartial justice. Meanwhile one in ten of us is about to be evicted from our state house home and put into the streets. Labour’s leadership candidates are silent in the media..
David Parker live here Sunday
David Parker will be joining us here live on Sunday at 3pm. A post will go up Sunday around 2 for questions, as usual this will be strictly moderated.
NRT: TPPA would criminalise journalism
I/S at No Right Turn on how “the TPPA would criminalise investigative journalism”.
No point in state houses
There’s no point in state houses. Not according to the Nats anyway. Unbelievable.
Open mike 18/10/2014
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 …
Sherman Cunliffe
Surely this should put Paddy Gower and co to bed once and for all. With great grace despite Shearer’s baiting, and with great […]
Which West Wing politicians do the Labour Leadership candidates most closely resemble?
So which West Wing politician do the current Labour Leadership candidates most closely resemble? Dedicated to one of the best political activists I know.
Weekend social 17/10/2014
Weekend social is for non political chat. What’s on for the weekend, gigs, film or book reviews, sports, or whatever. No politics, no […]
Hiding the government’s failure on poverty
Thanks to Radio New Zealand, we now know that National got no real plan to address poverty, but also that they really, really don’t want to be honest about it.
Responding to our greatest threat
Right and Righter
Hosking, Henry, National and SkyCity – it’s all so cozy…
Security council seat
The news this morning is all about NZ winning a seat on the UN Security Council.