Author Archive

The SPOTY’s 2018

Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, December 15th, 2018 - 39 comments

Here’s your chance to vote in the Standard’s Politician of The Year awards. The SPOTY’s are recognised worldwide as the leading indicator of political success in NZ and have been awarded annually for over two hundred years.

Now it’s your turn to prick the Thorndon Bubble, dear reader. Who’s your Politician of the Year?

A Right Shambles

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, December 13th, 2018 - 34 comments

With the UK Tories self imploding, the US President contemplating jail time, Angela Merkel moving on and the conservative parties on both sides of the Tasman looking increasingly irrelevant, what should the left do to fill the gap?

Let it Be

Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, December 12th, 2018 - 56 comments

Letting fees are a thing of the past. Labour’s Phil Twyford has outlawed the practice of charging tenants an upfront fee for a non existent service. It’s about fairness and it’s about time.

Praying for Grace

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, December 11th, 2018 - 153 comments

There will be vigils for murdered tourist Grace Millane over the next few days. The grief we have shown over her death reflects the best of NZ. However, the routine violence inflicted on so many other women and children here in Aotearoa is our real shame. What are Kiwi men going to do about it?

Pete Shelley: History is Made by Those Who Turn Up

Written By: - Date published: 8:08 pm, December 7th, 2018 - 31 comments

Pete Shelley, lead singer of ground breaking punk band Buzzcocks has died. And Ed Sheeran still walks among us. Where’s the justice?

National; Leaking Like a Sieve

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 4th, 2018 - 60 comments

Another day, another leak from the National Party. If it’s not JLR, just who is poking the borax inside the Tory caucus?

TERFed Out: UPDATED

Written By: - Date published: 10:56 pm, November 29th, 2018 - 327 comments

Labour MP Louisa Wall has written an opinion piece in response to Herald columnist Rachel Stewart’s attack earlier in the week on the trans community and their LGBTIQ+ allies. It’s very good.

UPDATE: Rachel Stewart, as predicted, has blocked me on twitter. But not before going full on racist.

Employment Law Changes; A Win for the Workers

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, November 28th, 2018 - 40 comments

The Labour Party sponsored amendments to the Employment Relations Act are a step closer to becoming law. That’s a good thing for working people and a good thing for coalition politics.

#IStandWithHarry

Written By: - Date published: 10:53 pm, November 21st, 2018 - 8 comments

Harry Leslie Smith, the 95 year old socialist Twitter star, is seriously ill in a Canadian hospital.

#IStandWithHarry

Go Bus Lockout; Hypocrites Ngai Tahu and Tainui Screw Workers

Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, November 19th, 2018 - 70 comments

Ngai Tahu and Tainui remind us that they like exploiting working people as much as the next capitalist. They’ve locked out their Waikato bus drivers for asking to be paid the Living Wage.

Pike River; Victory For the Families, Victory for Us

Written By: - Date published: 8:13 am, November 14th, 2018 - 121 comments

Pike River mine is to be re-entered and finally the truth will be told. Victory for the 29 is victory for all of us.

ILG, a Rock, and a Hard Place

Written By: - Date published: 6:40 pm, November 8th, 2018 - 91 comments

The Sroubek beat up is still with us. Why won’t National tell us what they knew and what they agreed to?

Proxy Music

Written By: - Date published: 5:37 pm, November 7th, 2018 - 39 comments

Jami-Lee Ross has passed his proxy vote to NZ First, elevating waka jumping to an Olympic sport. How bad does it have to get before the Tory caucus puts Simon Bridges out of his misery?

Leader’s Speech – Live Stream

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, November 4th, 2018 - 25 comments

The most united, upbeat Labour Party conference in decades comes to a conclusion with a speech from Jacinda Ardern. The Otago Daily Times is suggesting that it will include an announcement on wellness and health in schools. The upper level of the Dunedin Town Hall has been opened up for public attendance. This is significant […]

Labour Party Conference 2018

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, November 1st, 2018 - 149 comments

It’s conference time! The NZ Labour party is into it’s second century and into Government. What can we expect from this weekend’s hui in Dunedin and what policies and positions do Standard readers think need to be pushed?

Lime Sour

Written By: - Date published: 7:17 pm, October 25th, 2018 - 56 comments

Lime scooters are this year’s finger spinner. The problem is that unlike last year’s must have toy, e-scooters are a public menace.

TVNZ Colmar Brunton Poll

Written By: - Date published: 6:06 pm, October 23rd, 2018 - 162 comments

National slump in the latest poll; Judith Collins is up in the preferred PM race.

Saudi Arabia Admits Killing Khashoggi

Written By: - Date published: 2:58 pm, October 20th, 2018 - 66 comments

Saudi Arabia sensationally fesses up to killing missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. But it was all his own fault, apparently.

Jami-Lee Ross: But Wait, There’s More!

Written By: - Date published: 6:09 pm, October 19th, 2018 - 191 comments

Jami-Lee Ross has twisted the knife a little further into Simon Bridge’s back this arvo, releasing a second tape and announcing he won’t be quitting Parliament. Turns out he may need the income to fund a divorce.

MAFS Botany

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, October 17th, 2018 - 36 comments

The Botany by-election is an opportunity for National to woo a future party leader. There’s an obvious candidate if the Tories have the nerve to propose.

Jami-Lee Ross Doubles Down; Resigns From Parliament

Written By: - Date published: 11:28 am, October 16th, 2018 - 60 comments

Jami-Lee Ross is to resign from Parliament amid further claims about unlawful activity from Tory leader Simon Bridges. Ross says he will stand in the Botany by-election. Ross also says he will lay a complaint against Bridges with the Police.

Second Kremlin Killer Unmasked, Putin Untroubled

Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, October 9th, 2018 - 185 comments

We know the real names of the Russian spies who bungled the Salisbury novichok poisoning. Will it make a difference to the Kremlin’s plans?

Bigot’s Billboard

Written By: - Date published: 8:58 am, October 2nd, 2018 - 284 comments

Anti-Vaxxers are targeting South Auckland families in their latest bid to spread the virus of ignorance. You can help needle the pricks. The Standard shows you how.

UPDATE: The billboard is coming down!

How Patriarchy Works; A Newshub Special Investigation

Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, September 25th, 2018 - 80 comments

A schoolgirl correctly identified exactly what caused the stink at Carterton South school. Why wasn’t she listened to?

Beyond Left and Right?

Written By: - Date published: 8:27 pm, September 17th, 2018 - 78 comments

Does an understanding of class politics define being left? And if we’re not reading books by Marx and Lenin any more, will the revolution be digitalised?

Coalition Problems? Tell ’em they’re Dreaming!

Written By: - Date published: 6:44 pm, September 13th, 2018 - 82 comments

Oh dear. The Winston Peters led governing coalition has completely collapsed and thank God Simon Bridges is there to pick up the pieces. I warned you this would happen! And look! Over there … the sky is falling. Falling, I tells ya!

US Mid Terms; Obama Enters the Ring

Written By: - Date published: 1:24 pm, September 8th, 2018 - 30 comments

America gets ready to rumble in the November mid terms, as Barack Obama enters the ring. At stake is control of both houses and the fate of the Trump presidency.

Kremlin Killers?

Written By: - Date published: 7:25 am, September 6th, 2018 - 272 comments

UK Police have named the two Russian spies accused of the Novichok poisonings. But what can Britain do about it?

Zionism and Anti-Semitism Both Suck

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 pm, September 3rd, 2018 - 86 comments

Jeremy Corbyn has a problem. His supporters are struggling to seperate anti-Zionism from anti-racism and the Tories can’t believe their luck.  UK Labour desperately need to turn around the narrative that they’re tolerant of bigotry. And in just two days, a definition is going to define Corbyn.

Facing Meka

Written By: - Date published: 9:11 am, August 31st, 2018 - 143 comments

How should Labour react to the loss of two Ministers in a week? And what would John Key have done?

Rental Rights Review

Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, August 27th, 2018 - 68 comments

The Labour led Government has announced a review into tenancy laws. It’s about time we balanced the rental market, which has for too long let renters down.