Author Archive

Our most effective Prime Minister

Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, October 1st, 2016 - 234 comments

Ad ranks post second world war according to criteria which produces some interesting result.

Do elections matter?

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, September 27th, 2016 - 27 comments

Despite politics the world keeps turning. So why is it important and why should everyone vote?

India’s general strike

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, September 13th, 2016 - 9 comments

The world’s biggest general strike ever occurred this month in India.

Big Oil in plain packaging

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, September 10th, 2016 - 95 comments

Big Tobacco was hit this week in New Zealand after Parliament passed laws requiring smokes to be sold in plain packaging. The science about the health threats posed by smoking is settled, as is the science over climate change. When can we expect laws being passed against the oil companies?

Racism Resurgent

Written By: - Date published: 12:27 pm, September 7th, 2016 - 45 comments

A Trump win in America would cause a resurgence of the most racist toxic views imaginable, not only in America but elsewhere.

Women wearing clothes

Written By: - Date published: 1:26 pm, September 2nd, 2016 - 109 comments

In France and Italy there have been recent examples of men telling women what they can and cannot wear.

European Union v Apple and the US

Written By: - Date published: 8:02 am, September 1st, 2016 - 49 comments

And in Europe the EU has taken steps against Apple for rampant tax evasion and an EU-US free trade deal appears to be dead.

Why I hate UBER

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, August 29th, 2016 - 66 comments

Uber is great for the consumer but terrible for its contractors.

Things other than States

Written By: - Date published: 9:26 am, August 25th, 2016 - 17 comments

What are the New Zealand institutions other than the State who can achieve good for New Zealanders?

Between what we want and what we need

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 19th, 2016 - 122 comments

New Zealand is slowly losing faith with this Government and this is why.

A UK Labour Split

Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, August 16th, 2016 - 90 comments

The options for UK Labour appear to be limited.  Split or die or do both.

Left Militant

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 13th, 2016 - 140 comments

With wars breaking out at an alarming rate and democracy going backwards in much of the world what should a leftie foreign policy be?

The great slowdown

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 11th, 2016 - 69 comments

Eight years after the Global Financial Crisis the major western economies are stagnant.  Is this the new norm?

Foreskin’s lament

Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, August 7th, 2016 - 49 comments

The Waikato Chief’s mad Monday shows that Rugby’s attitude to women are still mired in the past and a threat to New Zealand’s interests, as well as an affront to all women.

Stopping the sale of agricultural land and agri-business

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, July 29th, 2016 - 26 comments

Australia’s national interest test applied to attempts by foreign interests to buy Australian agriland and agribusinesses is deliberately vague. New Zealand could take lessons.

We need to talk about Islam

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, July 23rd, 2016 - 365 comments

A post in which Ad responds to TRP’s recent post suggesting that all religion should be banned by suggesting that religious tolerance is a necessary feature of a liberal democracy.

If I were John Key

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, July 22nd, 2016 - 104 comments

What should John Key do to reassert momentum for National?

How to collapse liberal society

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 19th, 2016 - 131 comments

Liberal society is in reverse in many parts of the world. What do we do to arrest this?

More bold intervention needed

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 17th, 2016 - 71 comments

National Labour and the Greens are all proposing to intervene in the market to do something about the housing crisis. What other policy areas are there where the parties can agree on active state intervention?

What I would like from the Labour Party Conference

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 8th, 2016 - 120 comments

Some thoughts on what this weekend’s centennial Labour Party conference might achieve.

Is Democracy peaking?

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 5th, 2016 - 48 comments

Has traditional democracy’s power peaked and will it be replaced by a social media generated consciousness?

The good ones get it

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, June 28th, 2016 - 126 comments

A recent interview with Barack Obama displayed an understanding of the problems offered by globalisation but also understands the complex relationship between trade, elites, workers, and redistribution.

The hills are alive …

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, June 27th, 2016 - 96 comments

Does Brexit present us with the opportunity to create a better world?

Should I stay or should I go?

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, June 24th, 2016 - 24 comments

Brexit or bremain whatever happens today the United Kingdom will never be the same.

GPS

Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, June 23rd, 2016 - 219 comments

GPS may offer the perfect way to enforce a fuel tax but how do we feel about the Government knowing where we are and where we are heading every minute of the day?

Can We Support Phil Goff for Auckland Mayor?

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, June 21st, 2016 - 59 comments

Every year, Auckland is more of New Zealand. More of its real estate risk, more of its social problems, more of its productivity drag. Just more. And hence more of its politics. This government has long since abandoned policy coherence over any Auckland issue: housing, immigration, innovation, transport, electricity, youth employment, poverty, public health, growth, […]

Why American Foreign Policy still matters

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, June 14th, 2016 - 17 comments

So what should the next President of the United States focus on?  Military power or economic domination or international institutions?

Daily Review 02/06/2016

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 pm, June 2nd, 2016 - 29 comments

Daily review is also your post.  This provides Standarnistas 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 …

Is the petro world in decline?

Written By: - Date published: 10:00 am, June 2nd, 2016 - 13 comments

There are various suggestions that the metro industry’s domination of the world may be in decline.

Strategic Arse Elbow

Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, June 2nd, 2016 - 135 comments

Today at about the same time the Government will turn the first sod of the city rail link and then announce more urban sprawl for Auckland.  This is the most massive policy and programme contradiction in a lifetime.

Time to wake up to the Electricity Authority

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, May 29th, 2016 - 46 comments

The Electricity Authority is planning hearings on proposals that will mean that Rio Tinto will save money on electricity charges but people living in Auckland and Northland will pay more.  Time to make your voices heard.