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What Cheeto, Bojo and Scomo are up to
Written By: - Date published: 3:56 pm, December 21st, 2019 - 76 comments
It has been a tough week for conservative leaders with Trump impeached and the evangelical magazine Christianity Today calling for his resignation, Johnson in the UK announcing voter fraud measures reminiscent of the American deep South, and in Australia Morrison being criticised for missing in action, upstaged by a 13 year old girl and pushing through protection for religious bigotry that Israel Folau would be pleased with.
Rush to Judgment redux
Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, December 20th, 2019 - 151 comments
Barrister Maria Dew has delivered a strong conclusion in the report concerning allegations of sexual assault by one Labour Party member against another member. And Paula Bennett has not as yet apologised for her totally unfounded allegations against third parties.
Bridges fights losing twitter battle with Nigel Latta
Written By: - Date published: 7:52 am, December 19th, 2019 - 18 comments
Simon Bridges’s twitter account has chosen to celebrate Christmas by engaging in a twitter spat with well known Media personality Nigel Latta. And has not fared well.
The freedom to lie during an election campaign
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, December 11th, 2019 - 75 comments
Two recent National advertisements involving drastically inaccurate graphics have attracted attention. And at the same time National is opposing changes to the Electoral Law that would extend the time that it is an offence to publish a false and misleading advertisement during an election period.
Crash ‘n Burn
Written By: - Date published: 10:14 am, December 10th, 2019 - 17 comments
A chuttering PM and…well, I guess being left speechless.
Right wing lies
Written By: - Date published: 8:29 am, December 6th, 2019 - 110 comments
New Zealand and the United Kingdom are both cursed with the right wing parties having the same advisors and similar means of campaigning
Little’s Electoral Bill a curate’s egg – good in parts
Written By: - Date published: 1:51 pm, December 4th, 2019 - 11 comments
I’ve always liked Punch magazine’s famous cartoon “True humility” where the curate assures his bishop noticing his bad egg that parts of it are excellent. Most discussion on Little’s Bill has focused on the bad bits regarding foreign donations. The good bit requires all political ads online to be attributed.
Why some MPs should not tweet
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, December 3rd, 2019 - 7 comments
National MP Joanne Hayes has provided a textbook example of the perils of Twitter.
National’s Youth lauranorda rhetoric
Written By: - Date published: 2:16 pm, November 27th, 2019 - 20 comments
National is proposing changes to the Youth Court system that show not only a disregard for working in the interests of young people but disturbingly show a complete lack of understanding about how the Youth Court works.
Just another typical week in US politics
Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, November 17th, 2019 - 38 comments
The last week in US politics has seen the Trump Impeachment Hearing go public, Trump confidant Roger Stone convicted of lying to Congress, Alex Jones ask for the Presidential pardon to be used to free him, and details revealed of multiple meetings between Trump and Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas who are charged with campaign rule violations. Trump says he does not know them. Just another week in the Trump Presidency …
UK Conservative’s social media is remarkably similar to National’s social media
Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, November 6th, 2019 - 31 comments
The British Conservative Party and the New Zealand National Party appear to be using very similar twitter strategies involving the setting of highly edited video to naff music and the making of patently ridiculous claims.
Unapologetic populism?
Written By: - Date published: 7:51 am, October 29th, 2019 - 44 comments
A Wall Street broker has accused Democratic nominee Elizabeth Warren of unapologetic populism in her desire to help workers, the environment, those with lower incomes, and women and minorities as if these are bad things.
Truth, boomer memes and the next election campaign
Written By: - Date published: 9:05 am, October 26th, 2019 - 54 comments
Thanks to Facebook’s lax attitude to fact checking it appears that the next election campaign is going to be a rough one.
National’s plans to torment poor people leaked
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, October 4th, 2019 - 110 comments
National’s plans to torment poor people for political gain have been leaked.
National’s faux outrage
Written By: - Date published: 8:35 am, September 27th, 2019 - 33 comments
The National Party has described as “censorship at the extreme” a rule in Parliament’s standing orders the latest version of which was enacted under the last National Government. Updated with Simon Bridges opposing the relaxation of the rule in 2017
Every day New Zealanders
Written By: - Date published: 12:37 pm, September 18th, 2019 - 20 comments
Simon Bridges thinks that Jacinda Ardern’s international campaign to change the way that social media handles hate speech and terrorism a big talkfest that will achieve nothing, even though Facebook has as a result announced significant changes to its platform.
National’s double standard
Written By: - Date published: 9:31 am, September 15th, 2019 - 100 comments
National has a rather murky past when it comes to dealing with issues relating to the behaviour of its Members of Parliament.
National advertisements ruled misleading
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 am, September 13th, 2019 - 32 comments
National has recently had two different advertisements ruled misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority.
The biggest loser
Written By: - Date published: 2:15 pm, September 10th, 2019 - 21 comments
Boris Johnson has lost a sixth Parliamentary vote in six days as Britain lurches into a constitutional crisis.
Toxic masculinity
Written By: - Date published: 8:36 am, August 28th, 2019 - 153 comments
As the Amazon burns and the world looks on aghast as our lungs go up in flames Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has chosen to respond to an offer of help from the G7 by picking a fight with French leader Emmanuel Macron.
Cmon Aussie …
Written By: - Date published: 10:48 am, August 18th, 2019 - 54 comments
In the last week Australia has insulted Pacific nations by refusing to commit to a 1.5 degree maximum increase in global temperatures and by claiming that Pacific Islands will be fine because they can pick Australia’s fruit. And Alan Jones has almost lost his job through misogynist attacks on Jacinda Ardern.
National still does not get MMP
Written By: - Date published: 8:23 am, August 14th, 2019 - 62 comments
National has shown that it does not understand MMP by being overly concerned that some electorates may be slightly bigger or smaller than other electorates.
Do poor people and women exist in right wing economics land?
Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, August 13th, 2019 - 125 comments
David Seymour has written a critique of Deborah Russel’s review of the hard right economic tome “Economics in one lesson”. And totally missed the point of what she was saying.
Five days is a long time in politics
Written By: - Date published: 2:20 pm, August 6th, 2019 - 27 comments
Five days ago Simon Bridges predicted that unemployment had gone up. The latest figures show that the unemployment rate is at its lowest rate for the past eleven years. Update: My enthusiasm was too high. It has been pointed out to me that the Bridges tweet was from last year. My apologies to Simon …
Memo from Crosby Textor – fake news
Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, August 2nd, 2019 - 19 comments
The Standard has obtained an internal memo from CTF Partners (formerly Crosby Textor) where it responds to allegations that it is a kindergarden for the rich children of Conservative Party donors, has engaged in misogynist behavior and ran anti and pro cycle astroturf campaigns to get a cycleway moved from near a client’s business premises to near an opponent’s premises.
Later Whaleoil
Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, August 1st, 2019 - 66 comments
The Whaleoil blog has announced that there will be no new blog posts on the site.
The unbelievable lightness of Simon Bridges
Written By: - Date published: 11:49 am, July 31st, 2019 - 31 comments
Simon Bridges has insulted women and Tokelauans at the same time with a thinly veiled attack on Jacinda Ardern.
When your Comms team goes rogue
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, July 24th, 2019 - 8 comments
Former UK Labour MP Jared O’Mara must be regretting not treating his staff better as his Comms adviser has announced his resignation via O’Mara’s own twitter account.
Sometimes explaining is not losing
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, July 18th, 2019 - 98 comments
Stacey Kirk thinks that Julie Anne Genter should not have criticised National’s spin on the Government’s fuel efficient importation policy but forgets to do her basic job of analysing National’s spin.
Make America white again
Written By: - Date published: 11:32 am, July 16th, 2019 - 81 comments
Donald Trump has attacked a group of young female Democrat politicians and has claimed they should go back to the country they were born in. Even though they were actually born in the United States.
Simon Bridges Going Blue in the Face Barking at Green Cars
Written By: - Date published: 3:48 pm, July 14th, 2019 - 51 comments
Simon Bridges is barking madly at green cars.
- A bitter rivalry is emerging in the Middle East between two old adversaries over the future of Syria
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Conversation; Mohammed Badra (EPA), Maxim Shemetov (Reuters Pool/EPA), Stoyan Nenov (Reuters Pool/AP) The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria has opened a new front for ...7 days ago - Flying this holiday season? Here’s why air travel makes us so cranky – and what to do about it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock The holidays are coming, airports are packed and emotions are running high. You’ve probably seen it or even been part of it: that tense moment when a passenger snaps ...7 days ago
- Minister Needs To Listen To The Evidence On Engineered Stone Ban
“We need to follow Australia’s example and implement a total ban of engineered stone, a dangerous product that is killing workers,” said Polaczuk. ...7 days ago - How to not hug people you don’t want to hug this holiday season
You dread it, but they love it: here’s how to tell your family you’re hoping for a no-contact Christmas before they wrap their unwanted arms around you. There is nothing like Christmas to bring the blow of family obligation hurtling through your otherwise enjoyable life like a wrecking ball. And ...7 days ago - MPs Should Take A Break & Reject Easter Trading Bill
We reject any liberalisation of Easter trading laws and also Anzac and Christmas days because workers deserve this special annual break to spend time with their families. ...7 days ago
- Watch: Lake Alice survivors to get $150,000 each in redress
Erica Stanford has unveiled the government's redress plan for those tortured at the psychiatric hospital. ...7 days ago - Peters considers legal action over judge’s ‘verbal attack’
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is considering legal action after a district court judge and a celebrity doctor “verbally attacked” him and other party members at a Christmas function.On Wednesday, The Post reported District Court judge Ema Aitken and intensive care specialist David Galler had apologised after their actions ...7 days ago - A return to balanced budgets is a decade away, mid-year update says
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The federal budget is headed for a deficit of $26.9 billion this financial year – $1.3 billion better than the estimate in May – but in the following three years the budget is forecast to ...7 days ago
- Labor and Albanese end 2024 in worst poll position this term
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 Essential poll , conducted December 11–15 from a sample of 1,151, gave the Coalition a 48–47 lead including undecided, unchanged ...7 days ago
- How feelings of disconnection and lack of control fuel conspiracy beliefs – new research
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elianne Albath, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Social Psychology, University of Basel Conspiracy theories have always been a part of society, offering explanations – sometimes simple, often elaborate – for complex events. Some have uncovered genuine conspiracies, such as the Watergate scandal. ...7 days ago
- Watch live: Lake Alice survivors to get $150,000 each in redress
Erica Stanford has unveiled the government's redress plan for those tortured at the psychiatric hospital. ...7 days ago
- The Spinoff’s favourite music of 2024
From Eden Park stepping up to rappers stepping each other out, we look back at the best of music this year. Read The Spinoff’s favourite TV shows of 2024. We’re a very small team here at The Spinoff, but we’ve tried our best to up our music coverage this year. ...7 days ago
- Vanuatu quake: Missing MFAT staff found safe, NZ offers search and rescue help
There are 58 New Zealanders registered as being in Vanuatu, though MFAT expects there are more who are not registered. ...7 days ago
- Government consults on engineered stone benchtop ban
Australia banned its use and manufacture in July. ...7 days ago
- Chris Penk rejects bid to change Petone’s name to Pito One
Chris Penk has said no to the change after it received backing from the . ...7 days ago
- How the Fast-track Approvals Bill became law
The contentious Fast-track Approvals Bill is now law - but it hit a few speed bumps on the way. ...7 days ago
- In six hours, everything changed: Watching Korea’s political turmoil from afar
In the aftermath of Yoon Suk-Yeol’s attempted insurrection, South Koreans around the world have been making their voices heard as they defend their homeland’s democratic institutions. Aotearoa is no exception, explains Rebekah Jaung. As we forge on ahead Those who live, follow on – from the song ‘March for Our ...7 days ago
- Kindergarten group fears rule overhaul will lower standards
Most early childhood groups backed changes to the sector's rules but Kindergartens Aotearoa said the review was focused on the needs of businesses rather than children. ...7 days ago
- Vanuatu quake: Death toll rises – 14 dead, hundreds hurt in 7.3 disaster
RNZ News The death toll from Vanuatu’s 7.3 earthquake is expected to rise because concrete buildings have collapsed with people inside in the capital Port Vila. International Federation of Red Cross Pacific head of delegation Katie Greenwood posted on X that the Vanuatu government was reporting 14 confirmed fatalities and ...7 days ago
- What happened to the Queenstown KFC road sign?
The iconic ‘No left turn except access to KFC’ road sign has vanished. Joel MacManus investigates. Queenstown is home to many of the world’s great natural wonders: Lake Wakatipu, The Remarkables and the only known skeleton of the New Zealand Mountain Dolphin. But all the beauty of mother nature pales ...7 days ago
- Calf’s head consommé with truffle quenelles: a history of what the royals ate for Christmas, from...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa J. Hackett, Lecturer, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, University of New England Rijksmuseum As we prepare our Christmas fare – a hot roast with all the trimmings, a seafood smorgasbord or a beach-side barbecue – it is timely to think ...7 days ago
- Astronomers’ world-first discovery: twin stars trapped in galactic black hole orbit
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Barnes, Lecturer in Physics, Western Sydney University A laser aims at the centre of our galaxy, in the heart of the brightest part of the Milky Way. G. Hüdepohl/ESO At the centre of the Milky Way is a supermassive black hole ...7 days ago
- Most journalism fails Australians by failing in its reportage of Indigenous affairs. 7 changes would...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Alessia Francischiello via Unsplash Much has been written about the longstanding failings of the Australian media in its reportage of Indigenous affairs. The most recent example is the ...7 days ago
- We studied 20 places around the world and found the most common diseases linked with voluntary assis...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eliana Close, Senior Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology Ground Picture/Shutterstock More and more countries are legalising voluntary assisted dying. This lets a doctor, or sometimes a nurse practitioner, give life-ending medication to an eligible ...7 days ago
- A push to cool Australian cities may inadvertently increase our skin cancer risk, unless we act
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Stanford, Researcher Associate, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University Picture this: you’re working from home and it’s sweltering outside. You venture out for a coffee and move between patches of shade as you go. Good thing you wore your sunglasses, because ...7 days ago
- Some ancient Romans got to retire with a pension at 42, but retirement’s changed a bit over the ce...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Asher, Associate Professor in the UNSW Business School, UNSW Sydney siloto/Shutterstock This article is part of The Conversation’s “Retirement” series where experts examine issues including how much money we need to retire, retiring with debt, the psychological impact of retiring ...7 days ago
- Glam tidings of joy: how Slade made Merry Xmas Everybody a seasonal hit for the ages
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Blair, Teaching Fellow in Music, University of Otago Getty Images Are you hanging up your stocking on your wall? It’s the time that every Santa has a ball! You’ve probably just heard the 1973 Slade classic at the ...7 days ago
- The very long road to fiscal recovery
Treasury’s latest update showed only small glimmers of light at the end of the tunnel, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...7 days ago
- Opposition accuses Nicola Willis of ‘creative accounting’
The finance minister's new indicator for measuring the budget has led to accusations of creative accounting from opposition parties. ...1 week ago
- Zombies given new life as fast-track passes into law
Ministers behind the bill say allowing certain projects to avoid extra scrutiny was a feature, not a bug, as fast-track is set for royal assent The post Zombies given new life as fast-track passes into law appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Waitangi trust chair urges Christopher Luxon to show up Treaty grounds
The Waitangi National Trust chair hopes Christopher Luxon makes his way to the Treaty grounds for the annual commemorations. ...1 week ago
- Early childhood education regulations ‘excessive and confusing’ – Ministry
Children in early learning are at an unacceptable risk of harm due to gaps in the way the sector is monitored, the regulatory review of early childhood education says. ...1 week ago
- Allegations against TAB’s operator spark money laundering scrutiny
Racing Minister won’t say what’s being investigated: ‘You don’t tell a burglar when the cops are going to turn up’ The post Allegations against TAB’s operator spark money laundering scrutiny appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- How the Fast-track Bill Approvals became law
The contentious Fast-track Approvals Bill is now law - but it hit a few speed bumps on the way. ...1 week ago
- The 2024 Golden Jandals for conspicuous contributions to NZ politics
Charge your glasses and gather around for the latest edition of the world’s most coveted footwear-themed political prizes, with your hosts, Toby Manhire and Ben McKay. Forget boot camps. This is the jandal academy. Affordable, rubbery, and radiating that unmistakable aroma of sea salt and toe sweat, the official ceremony ...1 week ago
- Our outlandish political predictions for 2024, revisited
This time last year, our esteemed team of political pundits made their wildest predictions for the year of our Lord 2024. Did anyone make an accurate call? Let’s find out. Madeleine Chapman: Barbara Edmonds reluctantly takes the position of Labour leader or deputy. Somewhat surprisingly, there has been no movement ...1 week ago
- Winton’s Kāinga Ora lawsuit balloons to $305m-plus
Despite donating to governing parties, developer widens legal case to encompass multiple stymied housing projects The post Winton’s Kāinga Ora lawsuit balloons to $305m-plus appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Xmas: Best coffee table book
Okay so the next day, the very next day, that my feature on the top 10 coffee table books of the year was published last week in ReadingRoom, I came across a courier package in the corner of my room, opened it up, and it revealed not just a book ...1 week ago
- Government’s ‘abject failure’ on secrecy clauses
Govt agencies are giving themselves a ‘get out of jail free card’ on OIA requirements, observers say The post Government’s ‘abject failure’ on secrecy clauses appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
- Why universities must be neutral
Opinion: Academic freedom is key to exploring ideas in the classroom and to produce innovative research The post Why universities must be neutral appeared first on Newsroom. ...1 week ago
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