Slow off the mark
Colin Espiner also writes in yesterday’s blog: The Government was slow off the mark in sending a minister up to Samoa. While Labour quickly […]
It’s not about Dipton, it’s about corruption
Colin Espiner: “To start with the ironical, Acting Prime Minister Bill English had no sooner hauled his protesting family back to Dipton for […]
The walking dead
Fran O’Sullivan has laid out the business elite’s preferred successors to Bill English: At this stage English is not mortally wounded. But his […]
Education cuts don’t heal
Remember “Education cuts don’t heal”? That was the rallying cry during the last National government. Looks like we might be needing it again […]
PoliticsNZ – New role playing game
A couple of young nats and young labourites have created an online NZ Politics simulation game. It officially starts on the 3rd of […]
Closing time for Banks
There is an astounding editorial in today’s business newspaper The Independent (not online) titled Foolish idea spirited away. Commenting on the recent 11pm […]
LKJ: If I was a Top-notch Poet
For my old mate Mercurius. I hope things are looking up.
“Caped crusader’s plan flawed”
That’s the headline from today’s editorial in the DomPost. Th DomPost starts off: The last time this Government got into real trouble it […]
A fighting Left
This live performance on CNN by Congressman Alan Grayson gives me some hope for the American Left. Unlike nearly every other Democrat I […]
Wee gripes: Crying wolf
I want to make clear this post isn’t about the relief effort in Samoa and Tonga. I think that has been well handled. […]
I live in Dipton!
That last post was probably a bit dull for a Friday morning, so now for something completely different. I was a little surprised […]
Pecuniary interest 2
Bill English keeps claiming that he has “no pecuniary interest” in his family trust. What does that mean? A while back John A […]
World Farm Animal Day – Oct 2nd
Following on from yesterdays guest post on World Vegetarian Day, today is World Farm Animal Day. At the end of last year, I […]
Caption Competition
Corruption must never be tolerated
I have to disagree with my comrade Zetetic’s post arguing that it’s best if Bill English stays in office. Yes, this scandal has […]
Crime leaps along with unemployment
The Police statistics out today show the crime rate continues to follow the unemployment rate. With unemployment on the rise, so is crime. […]
What can you buy with 5x$10,000?
National has released its proposals for election law. Labour has criticised the $10,000 level above which donations must be disclosed as too high. […]
World Vegetarian Day October 1st
I’m a vegetarian and today, October 1st, is the worldwide day to celebrate the benefits of not eating meat and the healthy contribution […]
He’s good where he is, thanks
Around the media, they’re talking about the growing odds English will be sacked. The other day, my mate Marty asked ‘who would replace Bill?’ and I said […]
The Cindy effect
National in opposition irresponsibly fanned the flames of all kinds of unrest, from the divisive Iwi / Kiwi campaign, to the nanny state […]
Pulling together
I think I can safely speak on behalf of all of the Standard when I offer my condolences to those who have lost […]
MAF “animal welfare” is a joke
The recent news that NZ’s largest dairy farmer allowed calves to dehydrate and starve to death is appalling, but there are much larger […]
When you wake up to the fact your paper is Tory
Hilarious reading through the Herald’s Your Views on election funding. Seems the Herald’s meek acceptance of the Government’s electoral funding plans has alerted […]
Carter, do your job
One area where I agree with Fran O’Sullivan is the dairy industry. Today she covers the Crafars: CraFarms’ bankers should do the decent […]
Open Country shows contempt for the law
The Talleys and National Party linked Open Country Cheese continues to show its contempt for the law as it attempts to break the […]
Johnnie’s Boys
subversifpoet sent us this song about our corrupt government:
Support Open Country/Telecom workers
If you’re in Wellington this Friday you might want to pop along to a quiz night fundraiser that Finsec and the NDU are […]
Poor Bill
Bill English is teetering on the edge. National spinners are claiming that he has done what is needed to “close the issue down”. […]
McGovernment
This increasingly ramshackle government continues to astound. They’ve basically done nothing in a year when the country has been dealing with the worst […]
Talk about politics
RNZ’s Kathryn Ryan talks to Matthew Hooton and Andrew Campbell about the failures of Key’s trip to NYC, English’s terminal status and contenders […]
Electoral finance: the proposal document that didn’t
Rob Salmond Yesterday Simon Power released the Government’s Proposal Document about how to reform electoral finance. On the easy issues, he got it […]
Crocodile tears from Crafars
I saw one of the Crafar brothers on the TV last night. Crying fake tears over calves that a whistle-blower had revealed were […]
The miracle of the fishes
First they increase the number of endangered Hooker Sea Lions that can be killed as bycatch, then they voted down legislation to protect […]
Bomber’s War on News
If you haven’t been able to see it yet or can’t get Triangle/Stratos, here’s a link to recent episodes of Bomber Bradbury’s War […]
Who would replace Bill?
There’s a grim irony to Bill English’s career. Despite being regarded as competent and having a Cullen-like role as the heavy-lifter in this […]
Next, I’m going to Disneyland
I was surprised to see this at the bottom of John Key’s press release on the English housing allowance scandal: “The PM is […]