activism

Categories under activism

Spying (310)

Key to make GCSB’s illegal spying legal

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 7:49 am, April 10th, 2013 - 171 comments

So, the GCSB has been systemically breaking its own law by assisting the SIS and Police to spy on New Zealanders – a clear violation of the GCSB Act and, potentially, the Crimes Act. Key leaked the report revealing this while he was overseas so it would be ‘old news’ by the time he gets back. Now, he’s offered his ‘solution’ – make GCSB’s illegal actions legal, make it legal for the GCSB to spy on you.

The fix is in

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:03 pm, April 9th, 2013 - 47 comments

So, here’s the play. Key’s been caught asleep at the wheel of our spies. 88 people illegally spied on. Key knew last July, but didn’t act until the Dotcom case brought things out in September. The Nats’ goal is to deflect blame from Key (and spies who could leak against him). So, they’re blaming the law. They want us to believe the law that clearly states the GCSB can’t spy on Kiwis was ‘confusing’.

I thank Margaret Thatcher …

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:03 am, April 9th, 2013 - 314 comments

… for her major contribution to my political education: of the need to combat the extensive, destructive power of the “neoliberal” elites. I lived in London during the entire time Thatcher was prime minister. It was a time of major change; of political activism; of hope; of disillusionment.

Fletcher GCSB Change manager – and QLD

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:38 am, April 5th, 2013 - 87 comments

Key & a government source responded to Ferguson’s criticisms by attacking Labour & Ferguson. They claimed Fletcher was the best person to “change manage” the GCSB. Yet, in Queensland Fletcher was publicly criticised for the management of his department. [Updated]

Rennie: Key vetoed the shortlist?

Written By: karol - Date published: 2:58 pm, April 4th, 2013 - 115 comments

Rennie now says it was ultimately Key’s decision to scrap the original shortlist for head of the GCSB. Has Key misled the House and the country, or has he successfully employed the science of obfuscation?

Vance asks the right questions on Key cronyism

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:07 am, April 4th, 2013 - 65 comments

Key’s adopted what Andrea Vance labels his “so what demeanour” as he tries to shrug off his highly irregular and inappropriate role in the selection of Ian Fletcher to head the GCSB. But whether or not Key was too involved in getting his mate a job is only the first round of this – the next calls into question the reliability of both Key and Fletcher’s account of the Dotcom saga.

Cronyism

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 8:30 am, April 3rd, 2013 - 289 comments

You know, when it came out that Key was good mates with his new GCSB spy boss, Ian Fletcher, (a man who was appointed despite lack of experience in spying or the NZ public service), I kind of thought ‘so what’? People know each other. But then I gave Robertson enough credit not to be raising this if he didn’t have a killer punch waiting. Today, he landed it.

Democracy for sale

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:49 am, April 2nd, 2013 - 43 comments

The Nats have sold favours to Hollywood, to Sky City, to Rio Tinto (work in progress), and now with the “Petrobras law” it looks very much like they’re selling us out on our right to protest too.

How austerity is destroying Britain… coming soon near you

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments

A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.

Mining & the sly dismantling of conservation protections

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:00 am, March 28th, 2013 - 32 comments

Cuts to DOC, the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill [3rd reading today], permits allowing the exploration for minerals on Schedule 4 land: here is the stealthy NAct MO in action, to undermine the strong public protests against Schedule 4 mining. [Update: the Bill is #6 on today’s Final Order Paper]

GCSB cover-up an “operational matter”

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:25 am, March 21st, 2013 - 19 comments

The extent of the GCSB cover-up in the Dotcom fiasco is now clear. Key is pleading ignorance, claiming that it was an “operational matter”. If Key isn’t briefed on “operational matters” then what possible oversight can he provide? In fact he was briefed on this “operational matter” – the only question is when…

Billy Big Stepper

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 6:54 am, March 20th, 2013 - 27 comments

Our wee James Bond wannabes had a code name for Kim Dotcom (you know, in case their comms were intercepted by the bad guys). They called him Billy Big Stepper. So witty! But Labour’s uncovered something more serious too. It seems that the GCSB was aware in February that they may have broken the law and went into a quite a tizz, before covering it up.

Keep Our Assets petition submission

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:25 am, March 12th, 2013 - 51 comments

The Keep Our Assets petition will be submitted today at 12.30 at Parliament with approximately 400,000 signatures. It is the largest petition in New Zealand history. The referendum that will follow will test National’s mandate for asset sales – clearly and unequivocally. Well done to the thousands of collectors and all the signatories. National – stop the sales and listen.

Wise response

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:55 am, March 8th, 2013 - 81 comments

“Wise Response” is an Otago based group set up to advocate for a serious and considered response to climate change, to the “symptoms too serious to ignore”. They are holding their launch today.

TPPA: US, corporate dominance – let’s do ACTION!!

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:00 am, March 5th, 2013 - 38 comments

TTPA talks under way in Singapore. Jane Kelsey leads critical discussion in NZ: Obama skewing the agenda in favour of US corporates; pharmaceuticals, internet, copyright & more; John Key’s dodgy figures. In Aussie today, a seminar on the TPPA & corporate dominance over women’s rights & health provisions.

Novopain protest Tuesday!

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 8:37 pm, March 4th, 2013 - 18 comments

Nationwide protest against the Novopay fiasco tomorrow Tuesday (early!). Check here for details of a protest near you…

Think tanks & global-local networks

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:52 am, February 20th, 2013 - 25 comments

George Monbiot exposes how well-funded right wing ‘think tanks’ and individuals operate through networks including the AEI, IEA & Koch. These have links to the NZ Initiative (BRT & NZ Institute). The coming DailyBlog may help challenge such influential networks and their destructive ‘neoliberal’ politics.

“There is Power in a Union”

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:16 am, February 18th, 2013 - 80 comments

Unions have been under concerted attack for several decades. Though weakened, they still produce results for workers. NZ Teachers’ Unions act on sound research, aiming to provide a quality and fair education system for all Kiwis. Global federations are campaigning against anti-worker corporates, like DHL.

Bomber, Tumeke and the next step…

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:33 am, February 12th, 2013 - 65 comments

Bomber Bradbury today steals The Pope’s limelight by announcing that he is stepping down from Tumeke. But fear not Lefties – it’s for a good cause…

February 14 – One Billion Rising

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:32 am, February 12th, 2013 - 31 comments

Never mind Valentines Day. This February 14 is One Billion Rising…

Thank you activists

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:42 am, February 8th, 2013 - 32 comments

Yesterday the New Plymouth District court sentenced eight Greenpeace activists for their actions last year, in a protest against Arctic oil exploration. I think we all owe these activists a vote of thanks (and I think the Court’s judgement was pretty reasonable on this occasion).

Britain – gay marriage bill progresses

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:01 am, February 6th, 2013 - 9 comments

After a fascinating debate in Britain, their gay marriage bill has passed it’s first hurdle with a huge majority. This bodes well…

Growing the Left vote

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 6:49 am, February 5th, 2013 - 279 comments

At the moment the Left and Right political blocs are poised more or less evenly in the polls. So how do we grow the Left vote to win in 2014?

Questions questions

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:21 am, January 14th, 2013 - 96 comments

What is the role of blogs in the run up to the next election? What can the community here at The Standard accomplish in that time?

Upcoming talk on Canadian student uprising

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 3:44 pm, January 11th, 2013 - 6 comments

This Sunday hip hop artist and political activist Darius Mirshahi will be speaking in Auckland about the political situation in Canada and how the left are organising to resist Neo-Liberalism. Later he will be performing material which has lead to attention from Glen Beck and the Canadian police.

The unreported & off the cliff

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:58 am, January 2nd, 2013 - 12 comments

Over the last year some issues have been under-reported, some ignored: the climate/environment, subversive FBI activities, bankster rorts, decline of democracy, the need for new left & green politics. Some news has been overdramatised, some masks the real needs. And the “fiscal cliff”?

Bare your soles for child poverty

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:53 am, December 12th, 2012 - 27 comments

The Child Poverty Action Group has organised a rally on Parliament’s grounds today at 1pm, where the public, media and politicians are urged to “bare their soles for child poverty” .

Advocacy activism in precarious times

Written By: karol - Date published: 5:31 pm, December 11th, 2012 - 25 comments

In these troubling times, it was uplifting to see the flax-roots, practical and collaborative action at the Onehunga Recession Busting rally for beneficiaries today. Volunteers in front of the WINZ office in Onehunga Mall, are giving support and assistance to those most in need.

Something rotten in the state…

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:58 am, December 11th, 2012 - 88 comments

As an outsider watching the struggles in the Labour Party unfold, I am becoming increasingly despondent about the state of Left wing politics in NZ. Right now, NZ, and those of us who party vote Green/Mana, require a strong, democratic and solidly left wing Labour Party.

Protest! Asset Sales – TPPA

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:00 am, December 8th, 2012 - 51 comments

Yesterday evening there was an Aotearoa Not For Sale protest in Auckland: 350,000 signatures achieved! Today, Sat 8 Dec, Day of Action against TPPA: NELSON – noon: AUCKLAND – march leaves Aotea Sq at 2.00 pm sharp! [Update: only news when there’s violence!]

GCSB cover-up once in a decade

Written By: Eddie - Date published: 7:22 am, December 5th, 2012 - 79 comments

Remember when Bill English signed a Ministerial Warrant on behalf of John Key in a last-ditch attempt to stop the GCSB’s illegal spying on Kim Dotcom from becoming public? Did you wonder ‘what’s a Ministerial Warrant?’ I did. I’d never heard of one. Well, the Greens investigated. Now, it turns out there’s only been one issued in at least a decade.