Half truths
Across the Tasman Kevin Rudd has announced a huge recovery package. Here at home, National is merely tinkering around the edges. Key’s standard […]
Always look on the bright side
Clown incites lawbreaking.
Clown Rodney Hide is the Minister of Local Government. He is also the lead clown of the long-time opposition circus that is the […]
Better than nothing
I’ve just had a read of John Key’s speech today announcing measures to help small and medium businesses through the recession. And my […]
Does that make sense?
I know when I write a post that if two statements in the post seem to disagree someone will quickly point out the […]
DPF and Whale make me happy!1!
There’s been a story that I have been dreading having to respond to because it is so low, dishonest, and despicable. Truth be told, […]
Fonterra set to simmer
Lawyer Stephen Price has rubbished Fonterra’s claim that the Chinese sub judice status of the Sanlu case prevents Fonterra releasing documentation of their communications. Price […]
A view from the coalface on RMA reforms
Our guest RMA expert, offers an analysis of National’s proposed changes to our resource management framework: National’s phase one RMA review document looks […]
First thoughts on RMA changes
We’ve got an expert guest post coming on National’s newly announced RMA changes. I’ve got a few brief(ish), non-expert thoughts first (which, hopefully […]
The return of DL Wellington
Drinking Liberally Wellington is back for the new year. Brian Easton, one of our leading left-wing economists, is speaking. Doubtless, he’ll have some […]
Car crushing fist of the State
Despite being remarkably quiet throughout a spate of serious police controversies, Police Minister Judith Collins has finally risen to the challenge of leadership […]
Does raising the minimum wage really hurt employment?
National’s excuse for illegally* failing to complete the annual review of the minimum wage is that it wants to ensure any increase doesn’t […]
I understand now
Over the past few weeks, I and many others have been shocked by the sudden, appalling change in John Armstrong’s writing. Having long […]
A musical interlude : Mary Poppins – a tale for our times
The stage has often been the realm where society holds itself up for examination and consideration, but who amongst us would have picked […]
Splits and divisions on minimum wage
So Cabinet has deferred its decision on the minimum with John Key simply promising “it won’t be very far away at all”. Now […]
So that’s the plan
Well it may not have been particularly self-evident just what National have been doing since the election, but clearly John has some kind […]
No room for Roger
Roger Kerr from the Business Roundtable is full of advice for the Government’s upcoming jobs summit in today’s Dom Post. Which is unfortunate […]
It’s a crime
I have a crime to report. Someone has kidnapped one of our most insightful journos and replaced them with an illiterate wowser. How […]
New Left blog
Dread Times, a new blog by former Green MP Nandor Tanczos. Hat tip: No Right Turn.
Nick Smith stays mum
The Sunday-Star Times has an article on National’s proposed RMA changes. Unfortunately, it’s just Nick Smith describing the changes. And, surprise, he doesn’t mention […]
The Standard wager
Today, Labour Minister Kate Wilkinson will be presenting a paper to her Cabinet colleagues regarding the minimum wage. The Department of Labour recommended […]
So what’s the plan again?
Labour got a fair amount of mileage during the election campaign out of harassing National about its lack of distinct policy. I guess […]
Lest we forget
The New Republic has a good article on Keynes that points out the tendency for governments (specifically in the US) to flock toward […]
Identity Politics
In 2007 Te Ata Tino Toa applied to Tranzit New Zealand to have the Maori Sovereignty flag flown on the Auckland Harbour Bridge […]
Iceland: not just a leader in cod
Nicked from the Hand Mirror, who got the story from No Right Turn – hattips all round: Next week Iceland’s going to get […]
The long game
Last night, I heard something worrying. It was Gareth Morgan saying he can’t ‘see through’ this recession; that he can’t see the economic […]
The praiseworthy and the pitiful
Last year, we had The Standard Week as a regular feature on a Friday. We might resurrect that if there is popular demand but, […]
A key birdshit shortage
Our economy depends on other key resources apart from oil. For instance our farming sector still depends heavily on using phosphates to increase […]
Blogger ethics
I see that over at Kiwiblog DPF is hawking an Air New Zealand viral advertisement. Now DPF has had at least one junket […]
Whither the PIF?
I attended the Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji back in 2006. The shadow of Bainimarama’s approaching coup hung over the forum but it […]
Fonterra’s Corporate Accountability
Despite very serious allegations from former Sanlu CEO Tian Wenhua that an unnamed Fonterra board member influenced her decision to not cease production […]
Obama makes world safer, already
In response to U.S. President Barack Obama’s review of the proposed U.S. missile defence system in Eastern Europe, Russia is scrapping plans to […]
Pedal to the metal but still no traction
Another review of the Official Cash Rate, another record cut. This time, it’s a 1.5% cut bringing the OCR to 3.5%. That’s the […]
Thank God somebody’s awake at Granny Herald
Surprise, surprise, it’s Garth George. “The economic situation is without a doubt the most urgent of predicaments to be dealt with, but so […]
Fingers burned
Word is Tony Ryall is feeling a bit burned over the herceptin funding. Turns out the private specialists needed to administer the treatment […]
Just Left becomes group blog
Jordan Carter’s long-running Just Left has become a group blog with several new contributors. Jordan explains: The logic is simple. Some of the […]