Archive for 2020
Business Develops Practical Plan for New Zealand Climate Response
Written By: - Date published: 8:56 am, October 31st, 2020 - 10 comments
The Sustainable Business Council has released a list of priorities for the new government. And they are pretty good.
Open mike 31/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 31st, 2020 - 47 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 …
UK Labour suspends Corbyn for stating the obvious about anti-semitism in the Party
Written By: - Date published: 7:36 pm, October 30th, 2020 - 35 comments
Following a report into anti-semitism in the UK Labour party, Corbyn said it exists in the Party but it is over-stated and the campaign against it is politically-motivated by opponents inside and outside the Party. He was instantly suspended from the party and had the whip removed by leader Sir Keir Starmer, which seems excessive and will cause further discord. Corbyn is not an anti-Semite.
Daily review 30/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 30th, 2020 - 47 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 …
The reeferendum fails
Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, October 30th, 2020 - 207 comments
The referendum seeking to decriminalise cannabis appears to have failed narrowly although special votes are still to be counted.
On the US election.
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, October 30th, 2020 - 30 comments
This year forecasting the U.S. election has an interesting additional element, with Trump and the Republican Party gearing up to steal the election if it is not a landslide for their opponents. It is going to be difficult with Joe Biden currently estimated at a 89% probability of winning the electoral college.
Its all just manure – mix it in and avoid the river.
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, October 30th, 2020 - 39 comments
There has been a rather patronising meme running in recent weeks that voters who previously voted National did so because they wanted to make sure Labour didn’t want the Greens to be in government. Just complete bullshit. As far as I can see most voters and their MPs vote for our collective future like I do and expect the political mixing to provide good outcomes for us all.
Open mike 30/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 30th, 2020 - 70 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 29/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 29th, 2020 - 32 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 …
Could the real Labour Party please stand up
Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, October 29th, 2020 - 35 comments
We need to get the Labour government to focus on decreasing inequality and poverty in all its forms and effects. The new government needs to show that Labour has changed the country for good. Otherwise there’s no reason to vote for them in 2023.
Aotearoa New Zealand is a hell hole paradise dystopian democracy
Written By: - Date published: 8:09 am, October 29th, 2020 - 55 comments
Fox News has seized upon a four month old video of Jacinda Ardern to suggest that New Zealand has a terrifying new response to the disease and are throwing people into quarantine camps.
Open mike 29/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 29th, 2020 - 24 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 …
Trump Hacked.
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 pm, October 28th, 2020 - 8 comments
Had to laugh, albeit with a resigned anger, when I saw this in my emails today. This afternoon, the official Trump campaign website was hacked and defaced.
Daily review 28/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 28th, 2020 - 29 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 …
The boy from Matamata
Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 28th, 2020 - 43 comments
Trump deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, who is also a Kiwi, has announced his candidacy to be head of the OECD. The Greens have announced their opposition because he has been part of inhumane decisions and also decisions that undermine international institutions. The right back him because he is a kiwi. What should Labour do?
Justice Coney Barrett appears to be a climate change denier
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, October 28th, 2020 - 10 comments
Newly appointed Republican and Trump supported Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is not convinced that humans are changing the world’s climate. Meanwhile China and Japan are convinced and have announced dates by which time they intend to be carbon neutral.
Open mike 28/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 28th, 2020 - 59 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 27/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 27th, 2020 - 13 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 …
A bit about how The Standard works
Written By: - Date published: 12:08 pm, October 27th, 2020 - 16 comments
Mostly about moderation.
Melbourne gets on top of Covid
Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, October 27th, 2020 - 15 comments
Yesterday the city of Melbourne recorded its first day of no new reported covid infections in nearly five months. At the same time in America the White House has effectively said that control is too difficult and that it is giving up.
Open mike 27/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 27th, 2020 - 185 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 …
Labour day
Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, October 26th, 2020 - 41 comments
Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!
Open mike 26/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 26th, 2020 - 156 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 …
Large caucuses can be devilishly dangerous as National showed
Written By: - Date published: 12:19 pm, October 25th, 2020 - 17 comments
A post mortem of the 2017-2020 parliament shows that far from being the “opposition from hell” as they had threatened, National’s caucus was as ineffective as Donald Trump dealing to Covid 19. It is a salutary lesson for the new Labour caucus which has won 64 seats in the new parliament. There may be many backbench MPs who are underemployed.
What should Labour do in the next three years?
Written By: - Date published: 10:01 am, October 25th, 2020 - 74 comments
With the hand brake gone and the Government’s policy platform already complete what should the Labour Government set out to achieve this term?
Kelvin for DPM
Written By: - Date published: 9:13 am, October 25th, 2020 - 16 comments
Some thoughts on who the country’s Deputy Prime Minister should be.
Open mike 25/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 25th, 2020 - 150 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 …
Rangitata and the Future of the National Party
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, October 24th, 2020 - 42 comments
As National reels from the disastrous 2020 election result could a policy based on high tech agriculture represent a way back?
Open mike 24/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, October 24th, 2020 - 126 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 23/10/2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:30 pm, October 23rd, 2020 - 20 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 …
The Trump Biden debate
Written By: - Date published: 2:02 pm, October 23rd, 2020 - 21 comments
Discussion post for this afternoon’s live US Presidential debate.
- Free lower North Island counselling service facing uncertain future
Marton Counselling Centre is now fighting for survival, furious about its plight compared with Mike King's well-funded Gumboot Friday programme. ...3 days ago - Flags to fly at half-mast following death of WWII veteran Sir Robert Gillies
All government and public buildings will fly the New Zealand flag at half-mast on Tuesday to mark the burial of Sir Robert Gillies. ...3 days ago
- Counselling service fumes after funding cut
Marton Counselling Centre is now fighting for survival, furious about its plight compared with Mike King's well-funded Gumboot Friday programme. ...3 days ago
- Wellington City Council’s Crown observer named as Lindsay McKenzie
He will start on Wednesday, concluding his term on 31 July next year. ...3 days ago
- Government to abolish strip searches of children in care
The announced comes ahead of Tuesday's formal apology for historical abuse. ...3 days ago
- Practising culture on Country can improve Aboriginal people’s health and wellbeing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Biles, Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Engagement and Research; Senior Scientia Lecturer, UNSW Sydney Despite decades of policy interventions, the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is declining against defined targets. And yet, health and wellbeing continue to be measured against ...3 days ago - Watch live: PM Christopher Luxon faces questions as national hīkoi begins
The Prime Minister is set to face questions over the Treaty Principles Bill and the formal apology to victims of abuse in care. ...3 days ago
- Government reverses decision to bar journalist from abuse apology at Parliament
Aaron Smale covered abuse in care for eight years, but was initially declined accreditation by Parliament's speaker. ...3 days ago
- Speaker lifts ban on Newsroom journalist ahead of Crown apology
House Speaker Gerry Brownlee has rescinded his decision to ban Newsroom journalist Aaron Smale from tomorrow’s national apology to survivors of abuse in care, after a day of high-profile public reaction.Brownlee has issued a temporary accreditation for Smale, who will be able to report on the historic events at Parliament.The ...3 days ago - What’s the difference between liquid and powder laundry detergent? It’s not just the obvious
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania Towfiqu ahamed barbhuiya/Shutterstock When shopping for a laundry detergent, the array of choices is baffling. All of the products will likely get your laundry somewhat cleaner. But what gets the best outcome ...3 days ago
- Firearms law reform: the case for making club membership compulsory for NZ gun owners
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato Getty Images The rationale behind the coalition government’s proposed reform of New Zealand’s gun laws sounds reasonable on the face of it. Responsible gun owners, shooting ranges and clubs deserve a sensible legal ...3 days ago
- ‘Death hotspot’: we found 145 koalas killed along a single Queensland highway last year
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rolf Schlagloth, Koala Ecologist, CQUniversity Australia IngeBlessas/Shutterstock Warning: this article contains graphic images some readers may find distressing The beloved koala is now endangered in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The tree-dwelling marsupial is threatened by land ...3 days ago
- ‘A woman is not a baby-making machine’: a brief history of South Korea’s 4B movement – and w...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ming Gao, Research Scholar, Gender and Women’s History Research Centre, Australian Catholic University bigshot01/Shutterstock In South Korea, a growing number of young women are rejecting societal expectations of marriage, motherhood and heterosexual relationships, known as the “4B Movement” or the “4 ...3 days ago
- Barring Aaron Smale from the abuse in care apology is a very, very bad joke
The grim irony of prohibiting a journalist who has shown such tenacity in the face of an obstructive state. The story of abuse in New Zealand state and faith-based care is a long and sorry dirge of ignominy. To which can now be added: the decision to deny Aaron Smale ...3 days ago - Young men who see women as objects are more likely to be violent towards their partners: new researc...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adriana Vargas Saenz, Lead Researcher at Atlassian & Honorary Fellow, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne Raushan_films/Shutterstock Intimate partner violence is a global scourge. One in four Australian women have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands ...3 days ago
- Rotorua Lakes Council apologises for wrong information on Tarawera sewerage scheme
Geoff Thomas - of Outdoors with Geoff fame - has called a council's claim "scandalous". ...3 days ago
- A single atom can change the colour of a bird. These are the genes responsible
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Griffith, Professor of Avian Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University A dusky lory (Pseudeos fuscata). dwi putra stock/Shutterstock Across the animal kingdom, birds are some of the most colourful creatures of all. But how did all the amazingly coloured different bird species arise? ...3 days ago
- Why I made a ‘punk rock’ documentary about gender in Aotearoa
Perrin Hastings, creator and host of The Gender Agenda, shares their personal journey to making a new local series about gender for rangatahi. From a very young age, I knew I was going off-script. I would sit and study television shows where gay characters were punchlines. If there was a ...4 days ago
- Meeting with Seymour ‘pointless’, says protest hīkoi organiser
RNZ News Leaders of a hīkoi against David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill have rejected the ACT party leader’s offer of a meeting as they set off for Wellington. A dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua launched the national hīkoi today. Hīkoi mō te Tiriti participants gathered for a dawn blessing ...4 days ago
- Rising Tide climate crisis ‘Protestival’ to go ahead despite court ruling
The NSW Supreme Court has issued orders prohibiting a major climate protest that would blockade ships entering the world’s largest coal port in Newcastle for 30 hours. Despite the court ruling, Wendy Bacon reports that the protest will still go ahead next week. SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon In a ...4 days ago
- Apology will be hollow without meaningful legal and system changes
On Tuesday the Prime Minister will apologise in Parliament to survivors of abuse in care. His speech will follow apologies from heads of ministries called out as offenders by the final report of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission. The event will be live-streamed alongside simultaneous events hosted in Auckland, ...4 days ago
- Open Letter Against Oceana Gold And Fast Track Expansion
“Oceana Gold have opted to use the Fast Track legislation to go ahead with the Waihi North gold mining project at Waihi and in the conservation forest at Wharekirauponga. ...4 days ago - Coalition retains narrow Newspoll lead as Dutton gains; where Democrats may have erred in US electio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted November 4–8 from a sample of 1,261, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged since the previous Newspoll ...4 days ago
- Government bars journalist from abuse apology at Parliament
Parliament's Speaker has barred Aaron Smale from attending the official Crown apology at Parliament to victims of abuse in state care. ...4 days ago
- The NZ Super Fund has Israeli investments worth $35m. Could it divest?
Sanctions would likely require a law change, but there’s another path the government could consider if it chooses to take a tougher line. The decision by Israel’s parliament to designate the United Nations’ Palestinian relief agency UNRWA a “terrorist organisation” has been condemned by many governments, with claims it will ...4 days ago
- Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi organiser rejects David Seymour’s offer to meet
The ACT leader is open to meeting with organisers of the protest, but they say they are not at his "beck and call". ...4 days ago
- For abuse in care survivors, an apology without action means nothing
Tomorrow, the prime minister will deliver a national apology for abuse that occurred in state and faith-based care. But for survivors, redress and accountability still look to be a long way off, writes Steve Goodlass. As we drew closer to the date of the public apology, the response minister Erica ...4 days ago
- Can you die from long COVID? The answer is not so simple
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rose (Shiqi) Luo, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University Jan Krava/Shutterstock Nearly five years into the pandemic, COVID is feeling less central to our daily lives. But the virus, SARS-CoV-2, is still around, and for many ...4 days ago
- The COP29 climate talks are about to kick off in Baku, Azerbaijan. Here’s what to expect
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matt McDonald, Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland The next major United Nations meeting on climate change, known as COP29, is about to get underway in Baku, Azerbaijan. These annual meetings are the key international summits as the world attempts ...4 days ago
- In a record-breaking drought, bush birds from around Perth flocked to the city
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Harry Moore, Adjunct Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia Western spinebill Martin Pelanek/Shutterstock Perth is no stranger to hot and dry summers, but the period from October 2023 to April 2024 was exceptional. The city’s rainfall ...4 days ago
- Why is the oboe used to tune an orchestra? And other questions about tuning, answered
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kathleen McGuire, Senior Lecturer in Education (Music), National School of Education, Faculty of Education and Arts, Australian Catholic University furtseff/Shutterstock The iconic sound of an orchestra tuning is highly recognisable, even for those who’ve never set foot in a concert hall. ...4 days ago
- Live updates: Treaty Principles Bill hīkoi day one
A dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua has begun a national hīkoi opposing the controversial bill. ...4 days ago
- Abuse in care: Survivors say they were tortured by state employees in psychiatric hospitals
Children were given electroconvulsive therapy and sedatives as punishment - and it wasn't limited to Lake Alice. ...4 days ago
- Stalking law: ‘Shouldn’t be up to victims to prove they were scared’
A victim advocate says proposed stalking legislation is a good start but she'd like to see some tweaks. ...4 days ago
- Rural families panic as government slashes school bus routes
The Detail - The Ministry of Education has cancelled 39 rural bus routes. Parents say it will leave hundreds of students unable to get to school. ...4 days ago
- Abuse in care: Survivors, advocates uneasy ahead of national apology
A man forced, as a teen, to dig his own grave at gunpoint says any apology without financial compensation is "disingenuous". ...4 days ago
- US elections: Climate finance negotiations could be harder after Trump’s victory
NZ will argue at COP29 for oil-rich companies to join a climate finance fund - but any future US contribution could be in question. ...4 days ago
- Dawn karakia at Te Rerenga Wairua launches national Hīkoi mō te Tiriti
Participants are beginning a nine-day journey to Wellington, with thousands expected to join the convoy as it makes its way across the country. ...4 days ago
- Inside the urgent race to solve homelessness in Aotearoa
As homelessness hits an all-time high, New Zealand’s frontline organisations are embracing unconventional and innovative strategies. Joel MacManus takes a closer look at the crisis and meets the people who claim to have the cure. Photos taken by David Jensen on an outing in Wellington, October 2024. The names of ...4 days ago
- Hīkoi (v.24)
A poem by Ātea editor Liam Rātana. We should write something about it— strange if we didn’t. You’d want something insightful, wouldn’t you, something about feet moving, fists pounding, flags waving, horns honking, voices shouting loud enough to wake even the deepest sleep. We’re always angry, ready to mobilise, ...4 days ago
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