Preliminary talks underway
Written By:
Date published: 11:28 am, October 5th, 2017 - 166 comments
Preliminary talks between NZF and National have concluded, talks between NZF and Labour are due this afternoon. (Image from Vernon Small)
Cameron Slater makes valuable contribution to blog defamation jurisprudence
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Date published: 9:04 am, October 5th, 2017 - 55 comments
Cameron Slater and friends and clients are in the High Court defending a claim that he defamed three health researchers. They tried to have the case kicked out but failed. The judgment makes for an interesting read.
Blade Runner
Written By:
Date published: 8:00 am, October 5th, 2017 - 17 comments
A film review on the latest Blade Runner movie.
Ten Reasons for National to do another term
Written By:
Date published: 7:30 am, October 5th, 2017 - 28 comments
A tongue in cheek list of reasons why it may be best for National to form the next Government.
Open Mike 05/10/2017
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Date published: 6:00 am, October 5th, 2017 - 76 comments
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Daily Review 04/10/2017
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Date published: 5:37 pm, October 4th, 2017 - 44 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Gilbert calls out Nat “tribalists” who continued to back the lies
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Date published: 2:07 pm, October 4th, 2017 - 67 comments
Outspoken sociologist Dr Jarrod Gilbert on the “tribalists” who continued to back the Nats despite their brazen lies – “if Labour had made the same accusation against National and not a single economist supported it, would you have reacted the same way? No. Of course not. And that’s what defines you as a moron.”
ETS is useless, scrap it
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Date published: 9:11 am, October 4th, 2017 - 25 comments
I suspect that ETS has become a political football in the next parliament, but probably not part of a coalition agreement with either National or Labour. My guess is that both NZ First and the Greens will want it off the table unless it is agreed that it will go. That leaves them able to vote against further stupid patches being added to it.
There is hope
Written By:
Date published: 9:00 am, October 4th, 2017 - 22 comments
Anarchism and democracy.
WINZ: where hope and dignity go to die
Written By:
Date published: 7:00 am, October 4th, 2017 - 66 comments
“It is not okay that nearly everyone I have advocated for at WINZ, has broken down in tears during appointments and have often been close to a panic attack. Most people I advocate for at WINZ unanimously tell me it is a humiliating and utterly defeating experience.” – political writer and community activist Chloe King.
Open Mike 04/10/2017
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Date published: 6:00 am, October 4th, 2017 - 145 comments
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Daily Review 03/10/2017
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Date published: 5:30 pm, October 3rd, 2017 - 26 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Electoral Commission refers Sean Plunket’s tweets to the police
Written By:
Date published: 2:14 pm, October 3rd, 2017 - 19 comments
The Opportunities Party’s election campaign Communications Director and recent appointee to the Broadcasting Standards Authority has had their election day tweets referred to the police.
Indigenous and green politics require changes in perspectives
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Date published: 12:17 pm, October 3rd, 2017 - 9 comments
One of our key political challenges now is to broaden the understanding of what matters.
Guns
Written By:
Date published: 10:42 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 155 comments
Another gun massacre has occurred in the United States. And the well worn excuses and justifications by the right and the gun lobby are again being used.
Good call from Ardern
Written By:
Date published: 9:46 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 86 comments
I have very mixed feelings about a Labour Green NZF government. I certainly don’t think that Labour should “pay any price”. So I’m pleased to see Jacinda Ardern acknowledging the Greens.
Uncertainty doesn’t bother “the market” at all
Written By:
Date published: 7:02 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 57 comments
There is no “strong and stable” government to “lead” us. Maximum uncertainty! No end in sight! According to received wisdom (and all those people in a self-interested rush to ordain the born-to-rule-party) the market should be panicking! In fact…
The environmental open letter to political party leaders
Written By:
Date published: 7:00 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 91 comments
Climate, water, conservation. Whoever forms government now has a citizenry with high expectations for the environment.
Open Mike 03/10/2017
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Date published: 6:00 am, October 3rd, 2017 - 53 comments
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Daily Review 02/10/2017
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Date published: 5:30 pm, October 2nd, 2017 - 40 comments
Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …
Cling to power vs the right thing to do
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Date published: 9:21 am, October 2nd, 2017 - 17 comments
The Nats are desperate to make big concessions for a coalition with the Greens. The establishment is lining up in The Herald to beg for this to happen. Promises to strengthen environmental and social policies in order to cling to power – but not for the last nine long years when it was simply the right thing to do…
National no friends
Written By:
Date published: 8:27 am, October 2nd, 2017 - 194 comments
In a sign of desperation Bill English rang Winston Peters on the weekend but the call was not answered. Clearly National realises that waiting for the special votes to be released will significantly weaken its bargaining position.
Resistance is futile …
Written By:
Date published: 7:30 am, October 2nd, 2017 - 100 comments
The Standard regular Incognito writes about the unique voice the Greens bring to NZ politics and why a coalition deal with National would be the end of that.
Open Mike 02/10/2017
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Date published: 6:00 am, October 2nd, 2017 - 87 comments
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
Climate Scientists Open Up
Written By:
Date published: 2:24 pm, October 1st, 2017 - 17 comments
Four climate scientists offer a little bit of their personal stories, and their plans in relation to global warming.
The Herald doesn’t want Winston to go with Labour
Written By:
Date published: 11:58 am, October 1st, 2017 - 132 comments
The Herald has offered a number of opinions this weekend saying that Labour forming a coalition with New Zealand First would be a very bad thing.
We need a new version of MMP
Written By:
Date published: 10:26 am, October 1st, 2017 - 124 comments
This guest post looks at the ways that the national governments in Scotland and Wales operate. Their functional systems are effectively MMP, but they break up their list into regional areas which makes it easier to gain the voters to put regional issues into the wider debate.
The Future of Food
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Date published: 8:00 am, October 1st, 2017 - 36 comments
A short film about a Wairarapa organic farm using Community Supported Agriculture to bypass agribusiness control of the market and sell direct to customers.
Open Mike 01/10/2017
Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, October 1st, 2017 - 72 comments
Open mike is your post.
For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).
Step up to the mike …
English, Joyce, Bennett et al desperate to keep their power?
Written By:
Date published: 9:54 am, September 30th, 2017 - 60 comments
This might look like smart politics for National to draw the Greens in with National but a more primary motivation might be that English/Joyce and co. are desperate to form a coalition with anyone, otherwise as individuals, they’ll certainly lose their power within the party in the inevitable shakeup.
Nats fought a FPP campaign and blew it – Labour went with MMP…
Written By:
Date published: 7:56 am, September 30th, 2017 - 88 comments
You know that old saying about how generals always prepare to fight the last war? That’s National and their FPP election campaign (hello creepy joggers). There will be a certain poetic justice played out if Labour’s MMP campaign is the winner in the end.
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