No policy?
A reader just sent us the screenshot below with the attached explanation: Thought I should start to read up on some of the […]
Negative vs dirty
There’s an important difference between negative campaigning and dirty tricks but it already seems the two are getting confused in the media. Negative […]
The Standard Week: September 5 – 12
The election date was announced as November the 8th. Everyone had worked that out based on the available dates. But that didn’t stop […]
Booed on boot camps
It’s not John Key’s week really. Winston disappears like magic off the front pages (I honestly thought I had time travelled somehow when […]
You dicks
Anyway, Tane sees the article on Stuff that the election date is going to be announced. He puts up a post about it […]
Election date to be announced
So, Helen Clark is expected to announce the election date at 12.30. $20 says it’s November 8. UPDATE: The 8th it is. I’ll […]
A new champion
Finally, from realestate.co.nz, we have an example of illiteracy to rival National’s billboards: I blame Labour’s failing education system. [Hat-tip: Matthew Pilott.]
On morality
The Catholic Church has called for politicans to take a ‘moral stand’ on abortion, adoption by same-sex couples, gambling, embryonic stem-cell research, and euthanasia. […]
National: for a more confused future
On Sunday, John Key, apparently off-the-cuff, announced he would dismantle the Families Commission and give the money to church groups, who just happened […]
Who’s clueless?
Visit google.co.nz search for the word “clueless” then hit “I’m feeling lucky”. I wonder where you’ll end up… Update: Make sure you select […]
Introducing Campaign Hub 2008
Helena Catt, head of the Electoral Commission, says the EFA has had a ‘chilling effect’ on democratic participation. I’m convinced that that is […]
Sideshow
With an almost Winston-esqe turn of phrase Owen Glenn has labelled Labour Party president Mike Williams an “unmitigated falsifier of veracity”. Yet Glen […]
National on student loans
Nats still getting money from trusts
One of the great things about the EFA is that donations over $20,000 must be declared within 10 working days. Because of that, […]
Fewer literacy?
Like John Key, I’m utterly bored with Peters. So, just a short, tangentially-related note. Tracy Watkins, like every other press gallery journo, thinks […]
Video: Take aim and wave goodbye
Is this our first real Youtube election? 08wire is doing its bit with another new video:
NZ – still a great place to do business
We can do good news here on the Standard! According to a World Bank survey shows New Zealand is still ranked second in […]
Nats’ leaked health policy full of holes
Having just read the National health policy and background paper released by Labour, a few things stand out to me. 1) There is […]
Mr Slippery at it again
An interesting interview between John Key and Wammo today. He starts out saying Labour is spending all its time talking about Owen Glenn […]
Nat health policy: more money for rich, fewer for poor
Jim Anderton is releasing elements of National’s health policy at Question Time: – Pharmac’s independent decisions could be overruled by politicians. – Private […]
The truth behind the Shawn Tan affair
For the last several weeks the EPMU has had to weather an extraordinary series of attacks from ACT, ACT candidate and EPMU employee […]
End of the line for Peters
Winston Peters will be wondering why he has let his political legacy be destroyed by not simply declaring donations that came from legal […]
Which seems more likely?
Multiple spies, whom National has been unable to catch, and a series of ‘gaffes’ and accidents involving sensitive papers? Or a bitter faction […]
Video: Nats head in sand on environment
Boosting their green credentials is not proving as straightforward as National would like, as this video that’s doing the rounds shows.
Key breaks flip-flop world record
Can’t put it any better than Jafapete has: Seems that John Key has done it again. Announced policy off-the-cuff and back tracked later. […]
How many leaks to sink a ship?
This is really getting pretty serious now – a fourth National party policy has been leaked to Labour, who have made it public. […]
Video repeat: Leaking Hollow Man
Apologies if you’ve seen this before – but I had a reader request a replay.
Another leak
God, another leak from National, this time their research, science and technology policy. From Mallard’s press release: “Mr Key should not only be […]
Spin-busting: ‘Labour has no policy, either’
John Key is running a line that first emerged in the rightwing blogs a few months ago: ‘Labour doesn’t have any policy, either’. […]
What I want from a 4th term Labour-led Govt
With the election fast approaching, here’s a non-exhaustive list of policies I would like to see from a 4th term Labour-led Government. Hopefully, […]
The polls and petrol prices
Updating a post from a few months ago, here’s how Labour’s Roy Morgan poll numbers are going compared to the price of petrol since the […]
Political Funding – Have your say (eventually).
In 1993, the then National government reluctantly implemented the MMP system by putting in the Electoral Act 1993. This was an act that […]
The Greens’ billboards, too good?
I’m impressed with the Green’s new billboard campaign and I’m pretty certain it’ll work as it is clean and effective marketing and reminds […]
Nats’ adman an objectivist fruitloop
If you’ve caught yourself asking why the Nat’s billboards are so bad, then Jafa Pete has the answer. Their adman, Glenn Jameson, is […]
The Standard Week: August 29 – September 5
As always at The Standard, we’re interested in the issues that affect people’s lives. So, rather than endless posts on who said what […]
The sincerest form of flattery
The Greens billboards have shown how it’s done – striking and simple without being dishonest or simplistic. Maybe National could imitate them: Maybe […]