Archive for September, 2017
Green Party announces a better deal for students
Written By: - Date published: 7:20 am, September 14th, 2017 - 8 comments
“Students are the only group in society expected to borrow just to get by. We believe that students should be supported so that they can focus on learning the skills they need to contribute to a smart, innovative economy and a fairer society”
Create WINZ as it should be
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, September 14th, 2017 - 13 comments
Auckland event on Sunday – if you have ideas about how to #FIXWINZ you are invited to come along.
Labour’s families package
Written By: - Date published: 6:22 am, September 14th, 2017 - 5 comments
Under Labour’s Families Package 70% of families with kids do better than they do under National’s tax plan. Labour launched their online calculator yesterday…
Open Mike 14/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 14th, 2017 - 232 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 13/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, September 13th, 2017 - 33 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 …
National MP Jian Yang was investigated by SIS for possible ties to Chinese Government
Written By: - Date published: 2:04 pm, September 13th, 2017 - 168 comments
Newsroom and the Financial Times have reported that National MP Dr Jian Yang was educated at a Chinese University specialising on training spies and was investigated by the SIS for possible links to the Chinese Government.
Ardern on Nat’s campaign of ‘fear and lying’
Written By: - Date published: 12:20 pm, September 13th, 2017 - 98 comments
Jacinda Ardern has spoken out about National’s campaign of “fear and lying”. Meanwhile Joyce keeps lying about his imaginary hole, and English tries to reinvent the fart tax attack.
Bryan Bruce’s documentary ‘Who Owns NZ Now?’
Written By: - Date published: 9:33 am, September 13th, 2017 - 27 comments
Reviewed on Stuff: “Who owns New Zealand now? The NZ On Air-funded documentary that screened on Three on Tuesday, September 12 confronts the housing crisis head on and it’s an eye-opener.”
A meeting in Wanaka
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, September 13th, 2017 - 162 comments
Ad reports on a recent meeting in Wanaka where David Parker addressed farmers face to face on Labour’s water policy.
National use opening of Christchurch Justice Precinct for political purposes
Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, September 13th, 2017 - 21 comments
National has acted in breach of State Services Commission guidelines for the pre election period by having a flash opening of the Christchurch Justice Precinct even though it was not finished.
Kia Kaha Lefties – it’s one poll
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, September 13th, 2017 - 93 comments
Somewhere between complacency and losing hope there’s the mahi that still needs doing.
Early voting
Written By: - Date published: 6:15 am, September 13th, 2017 - 16 comments
Early voting has started with a bang – almost four times the 2014 figure. Jacindamania?
Open Mike 13/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 13th, 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 …
The Bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 8:37 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 84 comments
National up, NZ Labour down, Greens dead? Really!?
Daily Review 12/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 34 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 …
US presidential campaign heats up along with the hurricanes
Written By: - Date published: 4:00 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 9 comments
The first contender has declared, albeit so far in a humorous manner. Less humorous has been the hurricanes that have been hitting southern states this season. You can understand why the oil industries anti-scientist Scott Pruitt that Trump put in charge of the EPA doesn’t want to talk about it.
Poll tonight
Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 217 comments
“Dramatic and Devastating” according to Patrick Gower. Do you think he wants us to watch?
Is NZF positioning itself for a 4th term National government?
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, September 12th, 2017 - 34 comments
It’s a timely reminder that 12 days before the election Winston Peters has just reaffirmed the door is very much open to a coalition or Confidence and Supply agreement between National and NZF. If you want to change the government, a vote for NZF is a risk.
“Boardroom” backing change
Written By: - Date published: 10:35 am, September 12th, 2017 - 18 comments
The Herald’s “mood of the boardroom” makes encouraging reading for Labour, with support for change and strong themes of social conscience.
Cartoon “Hurricane Ardern” by Emmerson.
If you walked away from the Greens, it’s time to come back
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, September 12th, 2017 - 111 comments
Graham Cameron from First We Take Manhattan writes about the importance of voting Green this election in order to change the government and green the government.
Anyone who believes Nats’ panicked election bribes I have 10 bridges in Northland to sell you
Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, September 12th, 2017 - 23 comments
Meet the new bridge, same as the old bridge.
Nat attacks on Ardern reach new low
Written By: - Date published: 6:41 am, September 12th, 2017 - 30 comments
Simon O’Connor’s attack on Jacinda Ardern yesterday represents a new low, even for National.
Open Mike 12/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 12th, 2017 - 105 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 11/09/2017
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 27 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 …
I’m off to vote today
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 75 comments
Voting has opened for advance votes and the expectation is that it will be pretty heavy prior to polling day over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be out there voting today for Jacinda Arden as my local MP, and for the Greens as my party vote.
This is how you change the Government – electorate vote Goldsmith if you are on the Epsom roll
Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 32 comments
For progressive Epsom voters the best way to change the Government may be to give your electorate vote to Paul Goldsmith.
Guest Post: The Spectre of the Bloody Fetus Placard
Written By: - Date published: 12:40 pm, September 11th, 2017 - 2 comments
Reprinted with permission from Julia Schiller’s blog Enough is Enough. Julia analyses Abortion politics in New Zealand and details a recent interaction she had with National MP Simon O’Connor.
Business leaders endorse Labour / Green government
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, September 11th, 2017 - 67 comments
In The Herald: “Fear of a Labour/Green Government in the business community is well gone, says SkyCity chairman-elect Rob Campbell”, “Business doesn’t necessarily do better under National led Governments”.
Plant trees, love NZ: the Greens’ bold Climate Protection Plan
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, September 11th, 2017 - 68 comments
The Greens have a comprehensive, detailed plan for NZ on what to do about climate change that works through transforming the economy, ending poverty, and protecting the environment.
Below 40% National loses its diversity
Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, September 11th, 2017 - 26 comments
Some polls have National below 40%. If that is reflected in the election result then National will lose much of its diversity, setting the party back by many years. The current list was constructed for the “pale stale male”. They need to be better balanced in the future.
Divisions in National
Written By: - Date published: 6:28 am, September 11th, 2017 - 14 comments
Seems Joyce doesn’t have the credibility to run another planned hit job. Labour insiders report debate and anger within a divided National party.
- Te Pāti Māori MP referred to Privileges Committee
The referral relates to comments Tākuta Ferris made during last week's general debate. ...4 days ago - Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris referred to Privileges Committee
The referral relates to comments Tākuta Ferris made during last week's general debate. ...4 days ago
- Camera Roll-out A Win For The Ocean, Now Needed For Full Fleet
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Dr. Russel Norman says, "Cameras on boats are our eyes at sea, helping to keep the fishing industry accountable, and giving us a clear picture of how commercial fishing impacts the ocean. ...4 days ago - With The Puzzle, David Williamson shows his continual capacity to satirise the middle-class
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Fewster, Lecturer in Performing Arts, University of South Australia Matt Byrne/State Theatre Company South Australia Fun, sex, Renoir and a reckoning might be a succinct way to introduce the new play by David Williamson, The Puzzle. As Williamson noted to ...4 days ago - Kāinga Ora set to cut about 330 jobs
The cuts come on top of 232 already announced, in a second round of restructuring. ...4 days ago
- How do women with disability and LGBTQIA+ people experience menopause?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate O’Reilly, Director International (Programs & Engagement) | Lecturer School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University pikselstock/Shutterstock After hearing about the experiences of the diverse spectrum of people across Australia, the Senate inquiry into issues relating to menopause and perimenopause ...4 days ago
- Revealed: A cost-benefit analysis for public servants returning to the office
Should public servants be allowed to work from home? This week, finance minister Nicola Willis issued new work-from-home guidance for public servants. It specified that working from home is not an entitlement and must be agreed to and monitored by the employer. In a statement, Willis said the changes would ...4 days ago - Reading into the future: publisher Maiko Lenting-Lu’s books confessional
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Maiko Lenting-Lu, product manager at Hachette NZ. Weirdest question you’ve ever been asked at work My two favourite phone calls to the office have both been about maps. The first was someone who was ...4 days ago
- Kāinga Ora set to cut about 330 jobs, RNZ understands
RNZ understands some of the job cuts come on top of 232 already announced, in a second round of restructuring. ...4 days ago
- Ministry of Education’s head Iona Holsted to leave role early
Her contract as secretary for education was due to end in December but she will finish on 11 October for family reasons. ...4 days ago
- Changes to Marine and Coastal Area Act pass first reading
A bill unwinding changes that made it easier for iwi to be granted customary marine title has passed its first reading in Parliament. ...4 days ago
- Octopuses work together with fish to hunt – and the way they share decisions is surprisingly compl...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Culum Brown, Professor, Macquarie University Karen Willshaw/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution lifts the veil on what happens when octopuses and fish hunt together. As it turns out, this cross-species relationship is more complex than ...4 days ago
- Is parliament in a state of decay?
The deputy prime minister has been quick to criticise what fellow MPs are wearing or how they speak, but what about the decorum of his own party? Parliament – it’s full of suits, ties, and clerks with purple hair. In the debating chamber, members often interrupt and rarely treat each ...4 days ago
- Female councillors question mayor’s decision to reshuffle committees
Councillors are questioning why a mayor's changes leave no women in charge of committees, despite making up half the council. ...4 days ago
- Both Greenpeace and seafood industry welcome change to fishering camera rules
The government has also delayed the remainder of the rollout by three months. ...4 days ago
- Fostering a love of stories in a child’s first years is key to lifelong reading
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elaine Reese, Professor of Psychology, University of Otago Children’s literacy rates are falling around the globe. In response, a number of governments, including New Zealand’s, are overhauling the way reading is taught in primary school. One key change is a renewed ...4 days ago
- New Zealanders’ trust in key institutions declines, Stats NZ survey shows
New Zealanders' trust in institutions including the health system, Parliament, media, police and courts has fallen since 2021, according to newly released data. ...4 days ago
- Can we find hidden graves of murder victims with soil imaging? New Australian study gives it a try
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Berezowski, Lecturer, Forensic Science, Deakin University Kyle Towns/Shutterstock To avoid being caught, murderers often attempt to hide bodies using various methods. This can include shallow or deep burials, submersion in water, encasing in concrete or even disposing of remains in ...4 days ago
- Reproductive coercion is a form of gender-based violence. It’s likely more common than we realise
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Desireé LaGrappe, PhD Candidate & Coordinator, Reducing Gender-based Violence Network | NHMRC and Fulbright grantee, La Trobe University Peopleimages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock From contraception access to safe abortion, there is growing awareness about reproductive health and rights. Around the world, ...4 days ago
- Charter schools revived as bill passes final reading
'All of our children are not the same," ACT says, as Labour calls it "the worst type of experiment". ...4 days ago
- Dear Emerald Fennell, please don’t Saltburnify Wuthering Heights
Welcome, friends, to the inaugural meeting of the Support Group for Concerned Citizens Against the Saltburning of Wuthering Heights. It has been brought to our attention that one Emerald Fennell, the writer and director of that embarrassingly over-hyped movie about the wee Irish actor from The Banshees of Inisherin fucking ...4 days ago
- Legislation re-introducing charter schools passes final reading
The legislation is part of National's coalition agreement with the ACT party. ...4 days ago
- Government trims rules for cameras on fishing boats
It has also delayed the remainder of the rollout by three months. ...4 days ago
- US Election 2024: Kamala Harris leads Donald Trump 47-40% in latest Reuters poll
The US Democratic Vice appears to be blunting her Republican rival's edge in the debate over the economy with just weeks to go in the presidential race. ...4 days ago
- Watch: Power outage to 88,000 Northland homes ‘entirely avoidable’ – report
Staff had raised concerns about the refurbishment of the tower in 2021. ...4 days ago
- National appears to abandon plans to streamline space launch permits
National campaigned on removing individual ministerial approval but Judith Collins says they're in a coalition government and satisfied with the current regime. ...4 days ago
- Christopher Luxon’s chief press secretary resigns
The departure means the prime minister's office will be without its two most senior press secretaries by Christmas. ...4 days ago
- What is going on with Taika Waititi’s Instagram?
The film director turned influencer has been promoting a weird range of products – including full body health scans, spa pools and mattresses. Amid Instagram’s amorphous scroll of pyjama pants that look like work pants and skincare that looks like a glue stick, it really looked like Taika Waititi was ...4 days ago
- The hidden crisis of preschoolers in poverty
Early childhood is an intensely vulnerable time. As families struggle with the cost of living, under-fives are bearing the impact – without many of the supports available to their older siblings. Naomii Seah reports. “We have a single dad who comes in with his daughter – it’s obvious he loves ...4 days ago
- 59 jobs to go at GNS Science
Seven roles were retained from the initial cuts proposed as part of the public sector downsizing. ...4 days ago
- Why do people breach their bail? Our research shows it’s not because they’re committing more cri...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Natalie Gately, Associate Professor, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock In Australia and most countries, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Because of this, keeping someone in detention before trial comes with serious legal, practical and human-rights consequences, not just for the person ...4 days ago
- AI is fuelling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What’s behind it – and how can it be fixed...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sungshin (Luna) Bae, PhD student, Gender Equality Policy Special Public Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in South Korea, Monash University It’s difficult to talk about artificial intelligence without talking about deepfake porn – a harmful AI byproduct that has been used ...4 days ago
- PSA: If you’re trying to get away with murder, don’t Google ‘how to get rid of a body’
Loath as we are to assist killers, it has to be said: there is no such thing as private browsing when it comes to hiding your crime. It’s hard to get away with murder these days. Back in the good old days, you could simply escape justice by hopping on ...4 days ago
- MP ‘frustrated’ over respite care confusion
How many respite care beds are available in North Canterbury is causing confusion, with the associate health minister demanding answers from Health NZ. ...4 days ago
- Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Anenburg, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University Phawat/Shutterstock Extinct volcanoes are hard to study – we never see them erupt. Using a unique experimental technique, we were able to recreate a certain type of extinct volcano in a ...4 days ago
- The design tricks keeping your kids hooked on games and apps – and 3 things you can do about it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Zomer, Associate Research Fellow at the Centre of the Digital Child, Deakin University This article is part of a series on the great internet letdown. Read the rest of the series. Ever found yourself unable to resist checking out a ...4 days ago
- Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia fac...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darryn Snell, Associate professor, School of Management, RMIT University James Jones Jr, Shutterstock Oil and gas wells are dotted off Australia’s shores. They involve huge steel structures fixed firmly to the sea floor, and thousands of kilometres of pipelines. Most ...4 days ago
- Dutton’s nuclear plan would mean propping up coal for at least 12 more years – and we don’t kn...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute Opposition leader Peter Dutton has revealed the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan relies on many of Australia’s coal-fired power stations running for at least another 12 years – far beyond the time ...4 days ago
- Govt Blind To Risks As Science Cuts Leave Kiwis More Vulnerable To Natural Disasters
"The Government is wilfully blind to the damage its attack on science is wreaking on our ability to be prepared for future earthquakes or tsunamis," said Duane Leo, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. ...4 days ago
- Gas industry boasts about killing proposed ban with lobbying
Gas NZ went to an international fossil fuel forum and claimed responsibility for killing off a proposed government ban on new gas connections. ...4 days ago
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