Archive for January, 2012

Job system & RA in need of reform, not benefits

Written By: - Date published: 12:10 pm, January 10th, 2012 - 41 comments

Other day, Curran asked what they should do with Red Alert. Now, Mallard’s again using it, in conjunction with Pagani on his blog, to try to do an end run around his own party to promote benefit ‘reform’. Leaving aside the fact it’s the employment system, not the backstop, that’s broken, this is more strategic idiocy.

What’s really going on at Ports of Auckland 2

Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, January 10th, 2012 - 256 comments

Since my post yesterday, Ports of Auckland has upped the ante  threatening to sack all its workers and contract out (to quick and loud cheers from the National-aligned blogs they are working with – Cameron Slater’s rate is $10,000 for an operation like this). What they’re proposing is a breach of the law and wouldn’t work, but its just setting the scene for the next stage.

Summer service: open mike 10/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 10th, 2012 - 30 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

What’s really going on at Ports of Auckland

Written By: - Date published: 7:42 pm, January 9th, 2012 - 125 comments

The Right is up to its old tricks over the Ports of Auckland. It’s the usual pattern: make up some bullshit about how the workers are spoiled and unreasonable, cry that the sky will fall if the company doesn’t get its way, and (this is the long-game) suggest privatisation as the solution. What you haven’t heard is the cause of the ‘crisis’: the Port’s attempt to cut the workers’ conditions and pay.

Home advice better for Shearer

Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, January 9th, 2012 - 22 comments

Here we go – the DomPost offers advice to Shearer on welfare policy, based on a Guardian article by Liam Byrne, British Labour welfare spokesperson. Trevor Mallard, our America’s Cup spokesperson, quotes him on Red Alert as “slaying some sacred cows.” Beveridge and Savage are used in ways they never envisaged. Savage at least had it right – jobs are the priority, not beneficiary-bashing.

The political year ahead

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, January 9th, 2012 - 173 comments

Here’s a few guesses about what’ll happen in the year ahead in politics. Shearer will cement his leadership by turning his back on the old guard who put him there. The Greens will hold on to their gains. National will go hell for leather. Mana will build as the Maori Party dies. Asset sales and the economy will be the big issues – can the Left win the framing?

Summer service: open mike 09/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 9th, 2012 - 29 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

Summer service: open mike 08/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 8th, 2012 - 42 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

2012, more of the same?

Written By: - Date published: 3:01 pm, January 7th, 2012 - 57 comments

After blissful isolation in the bush, it’s a shock to come back and read of more earthquakes, the government bullying the media, port workers having to strike to get an inflation-rate pay raise, more road deaths, and today’s balloon tragedy in Carterton. Not to mention government massacre in Kazakhstan and rising violence in Syria. Looks like 2012’s going to be another tough one.

Summer service: open mike 07/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 7th, 2012 - 54 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

Post-xmas blues

Written By: - Date published: 1:58 pm, January 6th, 2012 - 15 comments

My blobbed out and weight gaining holiday in sunny Southland  is over. I’m back at work and feeling like an early day. Generally I have the post-Xmas blues and a couple of kilos that I need to wear off. But this came up on my playlist at work…. Yeah right

Summer service: open mike 06/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 6th, 2012 - 78 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

ImperatorFish: Spill the Beans, Now!

Written By: - Date published: 4:07 pm, January 5th, 2012 - 15 comments

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here

Scott suffers from being a political blogger with sudden time on his hands, and a lack of politics.

Summer service: open mike 05/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 5th, 2012 - 125 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

ImperatorFish: New Year Bombshells Rock Nation On Edge

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 pm, January 4th, 2012 - 7 comments

Scott at Imperator Fish has kindly given us permission to syndicate posts from his blog – the original of this post is here

Scott suffers from a lack of news.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, January 4th, 2012 - 35 comments

I read Colin James’s piece on the need for a resilient economy/society in yesterday’s ODT. A competent explanation of a risks facing New Zealand and an acknowledgement that New Zealand needs to design itself to withstand and exploit them. Nothing new to readers of The Standard. But are we building that resilience? James offers no opinion. The answer is ‘no’.

Summer service: open mike 03-04/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 3rd, 2012 - 153 comments

As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix… Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. Step […]

Tax-take bullshit

Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, January 2nd, 2012 - 104 comments

An earlier post by Mike Smith on inequality referred to a claim by Geoff Vincent that 12% of the taxpayers were paying 49% of the the taxes. Now this was patently a spinners interpolation on the tax data and shouldn’t be part of the debate.. A comment by DH has a look at that bullshit. […]

The Governor-General’s message.

Written By: - Date published: 2:15 pm, January 1st, 2012 - 24 comments

New years message from the Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM QSO Governor-General of New Zealand.

Summer service: open mike 01-02/01/2012

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, January 1st, 2012 - 43 comments

Happy New Year!  As usual, it’s reduced service over the summer break, unless anything big happens. We hope you’ll get a good break with those dear to you, and that we’ll have some decent weather to enjoy. And if you still need your politics fix – open mike is your post…

Happy New Year!

Written By: - Date published: 12:01 am, January 1st, 2012 - 26 comments

To everyone in the Standard community – Happy New Year!

We hope 2012 finds you all safe and well and ready for another year of arguing about politics 😉