Well that is good to see a critique of the Hobson's Pledge "ad" in the Herald. The "ad" seemed deliberately aiming to foster anti-Maori division.
Hobson’s Pledge are entitled to a 'robust expression of opinion' but are not entitled to mislead and deceive consumers and, in our view, The Herald should have known, or investigated, whether the information was misleading or deceptive before the advertisement was published.
First, the advertisement calls for the “restoration” of the foreshore to public ownership. The foreshore has never historically been in public ownership: it is not owned by anybody, except for the areas of the foreshore that are currently in (mainly non-Māori) private ownership.
Second, the ad implies, on the front page, that “customary marine titles” give iwi, hapū and/or whānau the right to own parts of the foreshore…….
I recall NZH ramping up on crime reporting in the six months before an election in the eighties, aligned with a Law'NOrder campaign by the Nats. It's been pushing that agenda for decades.
An accountant who is out of work is trying to find an accountancy job. He may live in a part of the country where such jobs are scarce. He is currently on a benefit. He has been told his benefit is to be halved because he failed to attend a meeting last Friday. He has been through all his emails and was never informed of it in the first place.
"Please get in touch even if you don't have a good reason. We'll talk you through the things you need to do to get your full payment. You can also ask us to review this decision."
“Charter schools will be publicly funded but will be operated by sponsors holding a contract with the Crown.”
On April 2, Cabinet agreed on plans to share resources between schools – approving charter schools to use their own curriculum if standards are “at least equivalent” to students at state schools.
The issue of shared resources is being put forward “so that students continue to have access to shared resources and are not disadvantaged by attending a charter school”. If approved, state school workers “may not refuse” requirements from their employer to provide services to a charter school or to students enrolled at one, provided it’s lawful and “reasonable”.
Charters are all about leveraging and bludging on public assets by for profit operators. A gift from the Atlas Network, and theft from previous generations of citizens and taxpayers.
And a major union busting attempt to undermine Education Unions NZEI and PPTA which stood up well against Hekia Parata’s National Standards and original charters. The institutional knowledge may not be there now from newer teachers to mount a strong campaign but hopefully this will be resisted.
Really?…I missed that memo…don’t blame LP at all if that transpires as much as a number of people would miss the site.
There are few more entitled people than those that don’t pay a cent to the upkeep of an online presence and then whinge about the rules of engagement. I have read The Standard and put the odd comment on almost since it started.
Bugger! Maybe forming a Sub-Reddit like "LeftInNewZealand" (suggested name) may be viable I have no idea if there are costs associated with that – I believe moderators on reddit are unpaid. Just spit balling here….
Lprent is shutting down the site because he is uncomfortable with gender-critical points of view and the debates that ensue. Lprent: feel free to correct me if I have mischaracterised your position. For reference, these points of view include:
men don't belong in women's sports, especially combat sports
it's homophobic to tell gay kids they are broken and need to be fixed with irreversible and expensive and experimental and profitable medical interventions
it's not progressive to redefine a marginalised group without the consent of that marginalised group
Apparently these POV are so problematic and evil that lprent does not want to deal with the arguments that ensue.
This is relevant to your comment, because Reddit is notorious for banning exactly the same points of view. Entire subreddits have been deleted.
So, it might actually work, because important and controversial topics would just not be discussed. So we could all sit around agreeing with each other about how shit Luxon is and how scary the climate crisis is. And we could all sink into the warm pillow of bland agreement on issues we all agree with.
I don't see the point though.
[lprent: I don’t see the point of lazy sanctimonious self-appointed busybodies misrepresenting me with misinformation. But hey, that is your thing isn’t it.
There is literally nothing in your statement that is not misinformation, playing the victim, and denigrating the lawful decisions of others. What I keep asking for is something concrete that can be debated. Not misinformation bullshit. Things that can actually be made into legislation, regulation, or policy. None of that ever appears. Just whinging and trading misinformation is pointless and that is all I ever seem to see on this topic.
As usual for for a busybody, you don’t suggest anything useful like a feasible course of action. It appears that your only active action you ever do is to just finger your small and shrivelled ego by denigrating others to make yourself feel bigger. Characteristic of busybody.
As a long time user I'll be sad to see the site go. I've come across such a varied and knowledgeable range of people on here over the last 10 years or so, including Lynn, that has enriched my life and knowledge.
A place where poor working class people had a voice. People who did not elsewhere.
There's been plenty of robust debate and right wing trolling and disagreement. Lots of tangental stuff as well about growing forests.
It feels like a small group of people have used the site to be toxic. It isn't like the issues aren't important and they could have discussion it just feels it was their way or no way.
If you don't see the point then just go. Take you negativity towards people who have been here, many for a long time, and go spread it somewhere else. You clearly have no love for The Standard in any way shape or form. Many of us do.
Nice comment. And like Barfly, I avoid the topic in general – mostly because I don't understand enough about the topic to reliably converse, but also I can't agree to a pile on to a people who are choosing to exercise a choice and already demonized by far too many. That feels like an unfair and irresponsible thing to do but as always it's a YMMV thing.
I'll miss this site for sure even though in recent times I've been frustrated at the displays of horrible politics often put forth about a minority that hasn't really done anything to merit that level of vitriol or dark mutterings.
I'm sorry that I've been so angry about being on The Standard nor wanting to be on it sometimes. It's one thing to say you're worried about how children may be affected by certain gender-related issues so these children can be well-served and properly helped, yet it's another to relentlessly pile on whatever's happening with that minority of people in terms of unearned skepticism.
At times, it felt suffocating to be around that sort of politics. It felt so hardgoing to read all that resentment and anxiety about such a small minority that really hasn't affected you in any sense.
It has personally affected my mood due to my experiences of being a non-binary adult person which meant reading such stuff is something I should never have subjected myself to doing.
Anyway, my relationship with the Standard was as a long-time reader. I think I have been reading for over a decade until I recently joined due to my fears about the coalition.
That is easy enough to do. However as someone just noted to me, they are not only unpaid but they also
In Reddit, mods lock the thread and mass delete. You could always delete BTW.
My response was
I don’t like to just delete. It tends to stifle all conversation. We will ban, sometime remove actual legally offensive text with [deleted]. But we ban, and ban with cause [lprent: you are banned because… ] because it is more effective longer term if people come back after a ban knowing why they got banned.
And would add – depends on the moderator team – but in my experience on r/newzealand (the main NZ subreddit) – they will lock threads, and from what I hear, ban people for dissent, and just for being annoying or provocative – in their eyes.
Just read at the top of the thread about lprent calling it a day. This had been a great place to visit and to pick up snippets of context that miss the news. Plus the quality of the posts has been excellent.
There is a huge amount of behind-the-scenes work with a site like this. It's a big thanks from me for those workers, for providing this playground of ideas.
And another teeheehee: the United Auto Workers union in the US has filed charges against Trump and Musk. It is illegal in the US to threaten to fire workers for striking. Trump congratulated Musk on his anti-union stance, including firing strikers, in their highly-publicised chat yesterday.
“When we say Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. When we say Trump stands against everything our union stands for, this is what we mean,”
“Donald Trump will always side against workers standing up for themselves, and he will always side with billionaires like Elon Musk said Fain. “Both Trump and Musk want working-class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly. It’s disgusting, illegal and totally predictable from these two clowns.”
It will take more than a 0.25% cut in lending rates. This government has engineered a depressed economy.
It is now common knowledge that many builders are now short of work. The halcyon days of record building consents under Labour are long gone.
Like the proverbial oil tanker, it takes a long time to turn this around. Maybe by talking the economy down the Coalition of Cuts has shot itself in the foot?
Its amazing how people can bring politics into any statement. The OCR has been at 5.5% since May 2023. 5 months before the election. That has been the main reason for the state of the economy as households and businesses have shut their wallets to counter higher interest rates.
There is plenty to hit this government over the head about, but it would be disingenuous to suggest that they engineered a depressed economy when it was depressed well before they came to power due in main to the OCR being set high, to counter high inflation.
What about savers? It's interesting how dependent society and this economy has become on record low rates. It wasn't like this for a long time, yet people seem to have forgotten and assume the key is to keep rates as low as possible.
Very saddened to read that Iprent is going to close down the site. The site is a valuable meeting place for ideas and recording the issues that matter. As an elderly person it is accessible and reasonably free of nasty opinions. I will miss it.
I accidently discovered it while doing family tree research. A relative was involved in producing the original paper based printed Standard. Found it, enjoyed it and stayed.
I've been reading every day since I found this site via a commenter on The Daily Blog a few months ago. All these years and I didn't know about it. The Standard the best I've seen, I really appreciate all the great commentary here, I've loved it. I haven't commented as am not confident to do so, but wanted to put in my 10c worth today about keeping it afloat – please keep it going somehow Micky! I would also pay a small sub. Thank you to all those who have made it what it is, it must be a big job to moderate
A great big Thank You to those who have come on here with a Left view, and an open heart. In Key’s days while awaiting a hip operation, I had many a support from people here. I think we have all become a little shattered by events, and age. I will miss this venue. Go well Iprent, "we never know what we've got till it is gone" Hope you can come up with something Micky.
Loathe your politics Patricia, but i know from your posts you are a good and well meaning person. I hope you stay healthy and well . Fight the good fight as you see it.
How about some modest advertising and pay someone to keep the server going…
I’d do a small sub rather than see The Standard end. But then, maybe blogs have a lifespan and it is thoughtful to let them go when the original movers and shakers have had enough…
Ditto! I read TS every day but seldom comment. Where will I go for comments on the news of the day that is so well moderated for rational and respectful comment?
Always a daily reader, and will miss the site ( and im very right wing, but know your enemy and all that ). But yeah sometimes things just reach their natural end point. No doubt folks will find other sites to express their thoughts.
If/when you’re feeling that you’re being trolled then call them out on it then & there and alert the Mods. This instance is nothing more than a pointless personal attack and uncalled for.
BTW, I found one exchange between you two that occurred 2 years ago; it was about Muldoon and fairly low on the trolling scale, IMO.
This is sad news that the site is shutting down. I will miss my daily dose of mostly very sane and well thought through thinking on the issues of the day and things brought to my attention that I've missed. I hope we can find another home somewhere, where left thoughts can shine. I don't know why the trans debate has become so, so toxic, and I wonder if understanding that toxicity might give us better insight into other issues too.
Go well lprent, and thank you very much. It's been swell.
This (very) unexpected OCR cut smells of political manipulation.
Everything the Reserve Bank has said for the last year up til now has been "no cuts at least until the new year".
And now, miraculously for those with mortgages, the bank does a 180 degree turn and tries to fob it off as "we received new information…..".
This smells of b…s!
This is a case of the CoC so worried about opposition to their right-wing ideological hamfisted policies – so worried about the rising cost of living that had to engineer a "good news story" to divert attention away from the harm they are inflicting on a sizeable proportion of society.
I bet that Adrian Orr didn't want to lower the OCR but was told by the three stooges to do it or he could look for another job.
Widespread recent speculation about the possibility of a cut – as the economy slowed, and inflation reduced.
You can't attribute *everything* to machiavellian manipulation (and you're also attributing major-league political skills to the trio, whom the left prefer to characterize as bumbling incompetents)
I'm sure that the government will endeavour to spin this in the most positive way. But that's a far cry from the blatant political corruption you're alleging.
"I bet that Adrian Orr didn't want to lower the OCR but was told by the three stooges to do it or he could look for another job."
Claiming that the government leadership threatened the Reserve Bank governor with being fired, if he didn’t follow their orders – is absolutely accusing them of political corruption. Own your own slurs.
And once again 'three stooges' are the masters of political manipulation – don't you even see the inconsistency of your own rhetoric.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer had it just right describing the three stooges as the dark triad, which is made up of:
Three personality traits, the Machiavellian, the psychopath and the narcissist.
It was a very neat description of, in order, Luxon, Seymour, and Peters. Perception of personality and intent is one of the many strengths of the Maori world.
Maori from the right have pretty much abandoned the Māori world. They see little value in tikanga, in being Māori. Rather, they see the future to be more like Pakeha. You can see this in the reckless dismantling of recent moves to support Te ao Māori.
I do question whether the framing of Māori vs. Pakeha, or indigenous vs. [white] settler/colonialist, is helpful and possibly even misleading. It easily allows in labels and accusations of racism, for example, and changes genuine class war into a phony culture war. Unfortunately, TPM and its supporters are also all too happy to buy in and propagate this narrative, further polarising debate and further dividing people.
Randians oppose just about anything and anyone promoting even the slightest hint of unification and unionisation. This gives rise to pseudo-arguments such as TPM doesn’t speak for all Māori, Māori X doesn’t speak for all Māori, and person Y is Māori [but a rabid Randian]. This can and does easily slide down a slippery slope of stupid claims that person Z is ‘not Māori enough’ or that such-and-such is a ‘redneck racist’. We have seen many examples of this here on TS too, both from LW and RW commenters.
I admire the energy and directness TPM bring to their activism. Could do with a bit more of that sort of fight on the left if you ask me.
After all, should we not be loud and proud against those who seek to minimise and dominate the vulnerable and marginalised? Only the comfortable feel threatened by TPM…
And talk about one Maori not speaking for all Maori, let's be clear, that one Maori, David Seymour, is all too happy to draw a line over which no other Maori shall cross with the highly divisive principles bill. We know that if it goes to referendum the weight of centuries of white privilege in funding will be brought to bear on a result which benefits them.
Representative, participatory democracy will be taken out the back and abused. Once again the powerful will have their way.
Fight it now, energise people, because soon it will be too late.
The use of language by TPM might be confronting to some people but that is what they feel is necessary to energise their base and their allies. It's much harder for low-income, marginalised people to make their voices heard and it is largely done through direct action and making noise.
We might not see Seymour speak in the same way publicly but the intensity of activism against Maori is there, just behind closed doors with hugely wealthy fellow activists. He doesn't need to speak loudly to energise his base, just calmly in the school debating style safe in the knowledge they are backed by huge resources with which to market opinion.
The well-bred and powerful know the system is to be used at their will and the only thing they are afraid of is mass movement of people. People need to be fired up.
Perception of personality and intent is one of the many strengths of the Maori world.
Anyone – or any group of people – who has been systematically stigmatised, put down and denied what belongs to them becomes wiser and more intuitive than most of their fellow citizens. So it is with Maori who have been subjected to all three for nearly 200 years.
"Hurt people hurt others, but luckily:
Healed people, heal others,
Safe people, shelter others,
Free spirits, free others,
Enlightened people, illuminate others,
And love always wins.
So shine your light of love on all who may cross your path in life,
because what you do matters"
The RBNZ are saying the difference between the May statement and the August cut is the data was worse then expected.
Well, you can thank the National led government for that because they have run a sustained negative campaign on the economy since before the election. What happens when you insist on 7% cuts across the board in the public sector? Answer, the private sector, and households will do the same.
I think the RBNZ might have been caught out by the rank incompetence of Luxon and Willis and have been forced, on the insistence of NZ’s monied elite, to reprime the country before it is ready.
Well, that's a more interesting argument, than the apparent belief of Mike the Lefty, that it's all a cunning plot by the government.
It will be interesting to see if A) the rate cut triggers more business confidence and individual spending (begins to turn the economy around), and B) holds inflation at at least the current rate.
Achieving both is a big ask. But we'll see.
I'd concur with that reasoning. My understanding is that RBNZ had been talking next year before any rate cut but the current contraction in activity (it's bloody hard work for retailers right now) and a looming wave of business collapses forced their hand.
There could be more bad news from dairy land coming up too, which would really put the skids under things.
lprent, you have been attacking people rather than their points. I think you've made the right decision to go. I hope this site continues as it's a great forum to read, even if I don't make many comments.
lprent attacks people because of what they are saying not because of who they are. His style may not meet with approval by some, but it is who he is. If you follow the subject matter he is talking about rather than how he says it, you would know he is always bang on in his analysis.
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Willis announces more plans of plans for supermarketsYesterday’s much touted supermarket competition announcement by Nicola Willis amounted to her telling us she was issuing a 6 week RFI1 that will solicit advice from supermarket players.In short, it was an announcement of a plan - but better than her Kiwirail Interislander ...
This was the post I was planning to write this morning to mark Orr’s final day. That said, if the underlying events – deliberate attempts to mislead Parliament – were Orr’s doing, the post is more about the apparent uselessness of Parliament (specifically the Finance and Expenditure Committee) in holding ...
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC’s plan to build a plant in the United States looks like a move made at the behest of local officials to solidify US support for Taiwan. However, it may eventually lessen ...
This is a Guest Post by Transport Planner Bevan Woodward from the charitable trust Movement, which has lodged an application for a judicial review of the Governments Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2024 Auckland is at grave risk of having its safer speed limits on approx. 1,500 local streets ...
We're just talkin' 'bout the futureForget about the pastIt'll always be with usIt's never gonna die, never gonna dieSongwriters: Brian Johnson / Angus Young / Malcolm YoungMorena, all you lovely people, it’s good to be back, and I have news from the heartland. Now brace yourself for this: depending on ...
Today is the last day in office for the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Adrian Orr. Of course, he hasn’t been in the office since 5 March when, on the eve of his major international conference, his resignation was announced and he stormed off with no (effective) notice and no ...
Treasury and Cabinet have finally agreed to a Crown guarantee for a non-Government lending agency for Community Housing Providers (CHPs), which could unlock billions worth of loans and investments by pension funds and banks to build thousands of more affordable social homes. Photo: Lynn GrievesonMōrena. Long stories shortest:Chris Bishop ...
Australia has plenty of room to spend more on defence. History shows that 2.9 percent of GDP is no great burden in ordinary times, so pushing spending to 3.0 percent in dangerous times is very ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Winston Peters will announce later today whether two new ferries are rail ‘compatible’, requiring time-consuming container shuffling, or the more efficient and expensive rail ‘enabled,’ where wagons can roll straight on and off.Nicola Willisthreatened yesterday to break up the supermarket duopoly with ...
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 23, 2025 thru Sat, March 29, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. The formatting is a ...
For prospective writers out there, Inspired Quill, the publisher of my novel(s) is putting together a short story anthology (pieces up to 10,000 words). The open submission window is 29th March to 29th April. https://www.inspired-quill.com/anthology-submissions/ The theme?This anthology will bring together diverse voices exploring themes of hope, resistance, and human ...
Prime minister Kevin Rudd released the 2009 defence white paper in May of that year. It is today remembered mostly for what it said about the strategic implications of China’s rise; its plan to double ...
In short this morning in our political economy:Voters want the Government to retain the living wage for cleaners, a poll shows.The Government’s move to provide a Crown guarantee to banks and the private sector for social housing is described a watershed moment and welcomed by Community Housing Providers.Nicola Willis is ...
The recent attacks in the Congo by Rwandan backed militias has led to worldwide condemnation of the Rwandan regime of Paul Kagame. Following up on the recent Fabian Zoom with Mikela Wrong and Maria Amoudian, Dr Rudaswinga will give a complete picture of Kagame’s regime and discuss the potential ...
New Zealand’s economic development has always been a partnership between the public and private sectors.Public-Private-Partnerships (PPPs) have become fashionable again, partly because of the government’s ambitions to accelerate infrastructural development. There is, of course, an ideological element too, while some of the opposition to them is also ideological.PPPs come in ...
How Australia funds development and defence was front of mind before Tuesday’s federal budget. US President Donald Trump’s demands for a dramatic lift in allied military spending and brutal cuts to US foreign assistance meant ...
Questions 1. Where and what is this protest?a. Hamilton, angry crowd yelling What kind of food do you call this Seymour?b.Dunedin, angry crowd yelling Still waiting, Simeon, still waitingc. Wellington, angry crowd yelling You’re trashing everything you idiotsd. Istanbul, angry crowd yelling Give us our democracy back, give it ...
Two blueprints that could redefine the Northern Territory’s economic future were launched last week. The first was a government-led economic strategy and the other an industry-driven economic roadmap. Both highlight that supporting the Northern Territory ...
In December 2021, then-Climate Change Minister James Shaw finally ended Tiwai Point's excessive pollution subsidies, cutting their "Electricity Allocation Factor" (basically compensation for the cost of carbon in their electricity price) to zero on the basis that their sweetheart deal meant they weren't paying it. In the process, he effectively ...
Green MP Tamatha Paul has received quite the beat down in the last two days.Her original comments were part of a panel discussion where she said:“Wellington people do not want to see police officers everywhere, and, for a lot of people, it makes them feel less safe. It’s that constant ...
US President Donald Trump has raised the spectre of economic and geopolitical turmoil in Asia. While individual countries have few options for pushing back against Trump’s transactional diplomacy, protectionist trade policies and erratic decision-making, a ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sebastian Maslow, Associate Professor, International Relations, University of Tokyo Two months into US President Donald Trump’s second term, the liberal international order is on life support. Alliances and multilateral institutions are now seen by the United States as burdens. Europe and ...
Starving public services of resources, gutting the workforce and then proposing private market solutions has been a key strategy of this government, says Vanessa Cole, spokesperson for Public Housing Futures. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
The government’s own Regulatory Impact Statement acknowledges that organic producers will bear the financial burden of adapting to the risks posed by GMO expansion. ...
The committee has "rammed it through with outrageous haste", with a report now expected tomorrow, but excluding thousands of submissions, Duncan Webb says. ...
The US president’s sweeping programme of global tariffs will hit every country abroad, including New Zealand, and dramatically raise prices at home. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here.In a dramatic, flag-draped address from the White ...
Alex Casey talks to Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi, the couple who launched a project to change 51 lives in honour of those lost in the Christchurch mosque attacks. When Bariz Shah and Saba Afrasyabi walked into Naeem’s house in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, they knew immediately that he needed their help. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hayley Geyle, Ecologist, Charles Darwin University Sarah Maclagan/Author provided The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is one of Australia’s most iconic yet at-risk animals — and the last surviving bilby species. Once found across 70% of Australia, its range has contracted by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Shutterstock Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents. The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and ...
The three MPs whose rule-breaking haka caught the world’s attention didn’t attend their scheduled hearing yesterday. Constitutional law expert Andrew Geddis has the rundown of what happened, why, and what’s likely to come next. I see Te Pāti Māori and the privileges committee are in some sort of stand-off – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Turner, Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park, Iceland.Nido Huebl/Shutterstock Earth is the only known planet which has plate tectonics today. The constant movement of these giant slabs of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra US President Donald Trump singled out Australia’s beef trade for special mention in his announcement that the United States would impose a 10% global tariff as well as “reciprocal tariffs” on many countries. In ...
Meta has stolen millions of books to train its AI, including books by kaituhi Māori. What does that mean for mātauranga and its status as taonga? New Zealand authors are among the millions whose books have been pirated and scraped by Meta to train its AI. The New Zealand Society of ...
Some hoped the open of the New Zealand markets would open with a bounce as certain tariffs fell short of the worst-case scenario, but investors were met with a deflated thud.The New Zealand market fell immediately as stock market darling Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s shares were punished, with no update ...
Healthcare dominated the debate in an unusually sober and serious question time. “Hey David!” a group of high school students in the public gallery called out as Act leader David Seymour entered the debating chamber. Standing in the middle of the floor, before any other MPs had arrived, he happily ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History, University of Portsmouth How the Shuqiao barges may be used to ferry troops ashore. X (formerly Twitter) China’s intentions when it comes to Taiwan have been at the centre of intense discussion for years. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kiera Vaclavik, Professor of Children’s Literature & Childhood Culture, Queen Mary University of London This spring, Babe is returning to cinemas to mark the 30th anniversary of its release in 1995. The much-loved family film tells the deceptively simple but emotionally powerful ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sophie King-Hill, Associate Professor at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham Netflix television series Adolescence follows a 13-year-old boy accused of the murder of his female classmate. It touches upon incel online hate groups, toxic influencers and the misogynistic online ...
I don’t want my neuroses about someone being ‘good enough’ to keep me from finding love. But choosing to be with someone who isn’t quite right seems like a death sentence.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I’m a straight single woman in my late 20s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Reyes, Postdoctoral Fellow, Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Australian National University Pavel Gabzdyl / Shutterstock The “music” of starquakes – enormous vibrations caused by bursting bubbles of gas that ripple throughout the bodies of many stars – can reveal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Clune, Honorary Associate, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney The five-week election campaign is now in full swing throughout the nation. Amid the flurry of photo opportunities and press conferences, candidates campaign in specific areas for a reason: to shore ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Whittle, ANZMUSC Practitioner Fellow, Monash University Marinesea/Shutterstock More than 500 million people around the world live with osteoarthritis. The knee is affected more often than any other joint, with symptoms (such as pain, stiffness and reduced movement) affecting work, sleep, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cornelia Sattler, Research Fellow in Ecology, Macquarie University Samantha Terrell/Shutterstock If you go walking in the wild, you might expect that what you’re seeing is natural. All around you are trees, shrubs and grasses growing in their natural habitat. But there’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Fraser, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Australian Catholic University One of the first things parents want to ask their children after school is “how was your day?” We simply want to know how they are going and what happened at school. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Johnston, Director of Learning and Teaching at Excelsia University College and Research Affiliate, University of Sydney As Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young waved a decapitated salmon dripping with blood in parliament last week, you could feel the election coming. Hanson-Young ...
Well that is good to see a critique of the Hobson's Pledge "ad" in the Herald. The "ad" seemed deliberately aiming to foster anti-Maori division.
https://subslack.substack.com/p/just-giving-this-a-push-along?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=40073&post_id=147652367&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=false&r=25honw&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Also discussed here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/525042/nzme-to-review-advertising-policies-after-hobson-s-pledge-ad
I think NZH is hiding behind its advertising policy. Unless an AI bot made the decision to place the add, it was a human who did it.
Exactly Incog…they knew what they were doing. But none of us should forget that the Herald has shown clear support for the Far Right.
I recall NZH ramping up on crime reporting in the six months before an election in the eighties, aligned with a Law'NOrder campaign by the Nats. It's been pushing that agenda for decades.
Never has it been truer that money speaks volumes.
An accountant who is out of work is trying to find an accountancy job. He may live in a part of the country where such jobs are scarce. He is currently on a benefit. He has been told his benefit is to be halved because he failed to attend a meeting last Friday. He has been through all his emails and was never informed of it in the first place.
Oh, that’s nice of them. (sarc.)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350377819/jobseekers-already-being-warned-benefit-cuts
Pricks.
/
Teachers at state schools could be required to fill in for charter schools and share resources with them, granted the request to do so is “reasonable,” under current proposals from Associate Education Minister David Seymour.
[…]
“Charter schools will be publicly funded but will be operated by sponsors holding a contract with the Crown.”
On April 2, Cabinet agreed on plans to share resources between schools – approving charter schools to use their own curriculum if standards are “at least equivalent” to students at state schools.
The issue of shared resources is being put forward “so that students continue to have access to shared resources and are not disadvantaged by attending a charter school”. If approved, state school workers “may not refuse” requirements from their employer to provide services to a charter school or to students enrolled at one, provided it’s lawful and “reasonable”.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/inside-the-goverments-plans-to-implement-charter-schools-and-convert-35-state-schools-timeframes-and-advice-revealed/3VJBM32COVABLHZBHIAMQMF3LU/ ( https://archive.li/QoxxN)
The precedent is already set with private hospitals dependent on the public system to
makeprofitsbe viable.Charters are all about leveraging and bludging on public assets by for profit operators. A gift from the Atlas Network, and theft from previous generations of citizens and taxpayers.
And a major union busting attempt to undermine Education Unions NZEI and PPTA which stood up well against Hekia Parata’s National Standards and original charters. The institutional knowledge may not be there now from newer teachers to mount a strong campaign but hopefully this will be resisted.
Does anyone have any suggestions we to where we migrate at the end of the month? Are there any other blogs or sites like this in New Zealand?
Eh? Wot?
LPrent has decided to close down the site
Really?…I missed that memo…don’t blame LP at all if that transpires as much as a number of people would miss the site.
There are few more entitled people than those that don’t pay a cent to the upkeep of an online presence and then whinge about the rules of engagement. I have read The Standard and put the odd comment on almost since it started.
Yep, and we have agreed to disagree many times as the barbs after they had been placed and the furore diminished.
Is this true, Lprent? You're closing down the site? That's a damn shame
How do you know this and others don't?
sorry Grey for the delay
Over on the Gender Olympics thread is where LPrent announced it
If you can get past the bombast and ignore the comments there is The Daily Blog.
They do have really good guest bloggers like John Minto, Murray Horton, Susan st John,Ian Powell.
But not so much serious long form commentary from commenters as here.
There's not the intemperate aggression and somewhat unhinged abuse from moderators either.
Nah.
No room for reasoned debate on TDB. Mostly fanatics and trolls. I gave up on it a couple of years ago.
How do you know this? What end of the month?
Bugger! Maybe forming a Sub-Reddit like "LeftInNewZealand" (suggested name) may be viable I have no idea if there are costs associated with that – I believe moderators on reddit are unpaid. Just spit balling here….
r/newzealand is more consistently leftie than The Standard, I reckon.
Lprent is shutting down the site because he is uncomfortable with gender-critical points of view and the debates that ensue. Lprent: feel free to correct me if I have mischaracterised your position. For reference, these points of view include:
Apparently these POV are so problematic and evil that lprent does not want to deal with the arguments that ensue.
This is relevant to your comment, because Reddit is notorious for banning exactly the same points of view. Entire subreddits have been deleted.
So, it might actually work, because important and controversial topics would just not be discussed. So we could all sit around agreeing with each other about how shit Luxon is and how scary the climate crisis is. And we could all sink into the warm pillow of bland agreement on issues we all agree with.
I don't see the point though.
[lprent: I don’t see the point of lazy sanctimonious self-appointed busybodies misrepresenting me with misinformation. But hey, that is your thing isn’t it.
There is literally nothing in your statement that is not misinformation, playing the victim, and denigrating the lawful decisions of others. What I keep asking for is something concrete that can be debated. Not misinformation bullshit. Things that can actually be made into legislation, regulation, or policy. None of that ever appears. Just whinging and trading misinformation is pointless and that is all I ever seem to see on this topic.
As usual for for a busybody, you don’t suggest anything useful like a feasible course of action. It appears that your only active action you ever do is to just finger your small and shrivelled ego by denigrating others to make yourself feel bigger. Characteristic of busybody.
Banned. ]
You're such an arse.
As a long time user I'll be sad to see the site go. I've come across such a varied and knowledgeable range of people on here over the last 10 years or so, including Lynn, that has enriched my life and knowledge.
A place where poor working class people had a voice. People who did not elsewhere.
There's been plenty of robust debate and right wing trolling and disagreement. Lots of tangental stuff as well about growing forests.
It feels like a small group of people have used the site to be toxic. It isn't like the issues aren't important and they could have discussion it just feels it was their way or no way.
If you don't see the point then just go. Take you negativity towards people who have been here, many for a long time, and go spread it somewhere else. You clearly have no love for The Standard in any way shape or form. Many of us do.
Nice comment. And like Barfly, I avoid the topic in general – mostly because I don't understand enough about the topic to reliably converse, but also I can't agree to a pile on to a people who are choosing to exercise a choice and already demonized by far too many. That feels like an unfair and irresponsible thing to do but as always it's a YMMV thing.
I'll miss this site for sure even though in recent times I've been frustrated at the displays of horrible politics often put forth about a minority that hasn't really done anything to merit that level of vitriol or dark mutterings.
I'm sorry that I've been so angry about being on The Standard nor wanting to be on it sometimes. It's one thing to say you're worried about how children may be affected by certain gender-related issues so these children can be well-served and properly helped, yet it's another to relentlessly pile on whatever's happening with that minority of people in terms of unearned skepticism.
At times, it felt suffocating to be around that sort of politics. It felt so hardgoing to read all that resentment and anxiety about such a small minority that really hasn't affected you in any sense.
It has personally affected my mood due to my experiences of being a non-binary adult person which meant reading such stuff is something I should never have subjected myself to doing.
Anyway, my relationship with the Standard was as a long-time reader. I think I have been reading for over a decade until I recently joined due to my fears about the coalition.
It's been real, y'all.
I try to avoid gender critical like the bloody plague
It's one of several issues used by elites and their propaganda organs to divide the people. (Others include race and vaccine paranoia).
It's bait and sometimes I have engaged when I probably shouldn't have.
Solidarity is more important.
Same – I dislike gender critical ideology immensely.
Moderator note.
Everybody on here is unpaid; it’s a Labour of love until the love runs out.
That is easy enough to do. However as someone just noted to me, they are not only unpaid but they also
My response was
And would add – depends on the moderator team – but in my experience on r/newzealand (the main NZ subreddit) – they will lock threads, and from what I hear, ban people for dissent, and just for being annoying or provocative – in their eyes.
Just read at the top of the thread about lprent calling it a day. This had been a great place to visit and to pick up snippets of context that miss the news. Plus the quality of the posts has been excellent.
There is a huge amount of behind-the-scenes work with a site like this. It's a big thanks from me for those workers, for providing this playground of ideas.
For a snigger: Musk cartoon at the Guardian.
And another teeheehee: the United Auto Workers union in the US has filed charges against Trump and Musk. It is illegal in the US to threaten to fire workers for striking. Trump congratulated Musk on his anti-union stance, including firing strikers, in their highly-publicised chat yesterday.
“When we say Trump is a scab, this is what we mean. When we say Trump stands against everything our union stands for, this is what we mean,”
“Donald Trump will always side against workers standing up for themselves, and he will always side with billionaires like Elon Musk said Fain. “Both Trump and Musk want working-class people to sit down and shut up, and they laugh about it openly. It’s disgusting, illegal and totally predictable from these two clowns.”
Orr has cut the OCR by 0.25%.
More good news for people with mortgages.
And business overdrafts/loans.
Very good news. Fingers crossed this triggers a recovery
It will take more than a 0.25% cut in lending rates. This government has engineered a depressed economy.
It is now common knowledge that many builders are now short of work. The halcyon days of record building consents under Labour are long gone.
Like the proverbial oil tanker, it takes a long time to turn this around. Maybe by talking the economy down the Coalition of Cuts has shot itself in the foot?
Its amazing how people can bring politics into any statement. The OCR has been at 5.5% since May 2023. 5 months before the election. That has been the main reason for the state of the economy as households and businesses have shut their wallets to counter higher interest rates.
There is plenty to hit this government over the head about, but it would be disingenuous to suggest that they engineered a depressed economy when it was depressed well before they came to power due in main to the OCR being set high, to counter high inflation.
Shorts an understatement its turning into a bloodbath worse than gfc now.
What about savers? It's interesting how dependent society and this economy has become on record low rates. It wasn't like this for a long time, yet people seem to have forgotten and assume the key is to keep rates as low as possible.
That was before the property market exploded and people borrowed at low rates to service 7 figure bank loans.
I agree our economy now seem to be dependent on historically low interest rates.
Very saddened to read that Iprent is going to close down the site. The site is a valuable meeting place for ideas and recording the issues that matter. As an elderly person it is accessible and reasonably free of nasty opinions. I will miss it.
And hope that there is a reprieve???
Hold that thought. I would also hate to see it go. Am working through some options.
Keep us posted. While I've only recently discovered The Standard, I've found the quality of people and comments to be a small gem.
I accidently discovered it while doing family tree research. A relative was involved in producing the original paper based printed Standard. Found it, enjoyed it and stayed.
I've been reading every day since I found this site via a commenter on The Daily Blog a few months ago. All these years and I didn't know about it. The Standard the best I've seen, I really appreciate all the great commentary here, I've loved it. I haven't commented as am not confident to do so, but wanted to put in my 10c worth today about keeping it afloat – please keep it going somehow Micky! I would also pay a small sub. Thank you to all those who have made it what it is, it must be a big job to moderate
A great big Thank You to those who have come on here with a Left view, and an open heart. In Key’s days while awaiting a hip operation, I had many a support from people here. I think we have all become a little shattered by events, and age. I will miss this venue. Go well Iprent, "we never know what we've got till it is gone" Hope you can come up with something Micky.

Loathe your politics Patricia, but i know from your posts you are a good and well meaning person. I hope you stay healthy and well . Fight the good fight as you see it.
I appreciate you truly, Patricia
You've been a true light in the landscape of the Standard for a very long time.
How about some modest advertising and pay someone to keep the server going…
I’d do a small sub rather than see The Standard end. But then, maybe blogs have a lifespan and it is thoughtful to let them go when the original movers and shakers have had enough…
Fingers Crossed.
Ditto! I read TS every day but seldom comment. Where will I go for comments on the news of the day that is so well moderated for rational and respectful comment?
Well said.
+1,000,000 ianmac.
As another daily reader of your site I am sorry to hear that you are leaving us. Fully support the previous comments. Go well. Regards. Keith
Always a daily reader, and will miss the site ( and im very right wing, but know your enemy and all that ). But yeah sometimes things just reach their natural end point. No doubt folks will find other sites to express their thoughts.
Appreciate the comment, thanks.
I’d like to think that TS was a little more than that.
No shit? You left off right wing troll.
Please no pointless personal attacks, thanks
Its my personal opinion, as I have been trolled by same. Thanks.
If/when you’re feeling that you’re being trolled then call them out on it then & there and alert the Mods. This instance is nothing more than a pointless personal attack and uncalled for.
BTW, I found one exchange between you two that occurred 2 years ago; it was about Muldoon and fairly low on the trolling scale, IMO.
This is sad news that the site is shutting down. I will miss my daily dose of mostly very sane and well thought through thinking on the issues of the day and things brought to my attention that I've missed. I hope we can find another home somewhere, where left thoughts can shine. I don't know why the trans debate has become so, so toxic, and I wonder if understanding that toxicity might give us better insight into other issues too.
Go well lprent, and thank you very much. It's been swell.
This (very) unexpected OCR cut smells of political manipulation.
Everything the Reserve Bank has said for the last year up til now has been "no cuts at least until the new year".
And now, miraculously for those with mortgages, the bank does a 180 degree turn and tries to fob it off as "we received new information…..".
This smells of b…s!
This is a case of the CoC so worried about opposition to their right-wing ideological hamfisted policies – so worried about the rising cost of living that had to engineer a "good news story" to divert attention away from the harm they are inflicting on a sizeable proportion of society.
I bet that Adrian Orr didn't want to lower the OCR but was told by the three stooges to do it or he could look for another job.
A more balanced appraisal
https://www.reuters.com/markets/real-possibility-new-zealand-central-bank-start-cutting-rates-this-week-2024-08-12/
Widespread recent speculation about the possibility of a cut – as the economy slowed, and inflation reduced.
You can't attribute *everything* to machiavellian manipulation (and you're also attributing major-league political skills to the trio, whom the left prefer to characterize as bumbling incompetents)
I'm sure that the government will endeavour to spin this in the most positive way. But that's a far cry from the blatant political corruption you're alleging.
Ah excuse me!
I never mentioned corruption, that was YOUR terminology.
It was manipulative, planned political brinkmanship.
Just because you are feeling charitable to the three stooges because your mortgage repayments might go down a peg, I'm not.
"I bet that Adrian Orr didn't want to lower the OCR but was told by the three stooges to do it or he could look for another job."
Claiming that the government leadership threatened the Reserve Bank governor with being fired, if he didn’t follow their orders – is absolutely accusing them of political corruption. Own your own slurs.
And once again 'three stooges' are the masters of political manipulation – don't you even see the inconsistency of your own rhetoric.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer had it just right describing the three stooges as the dark triad, which is made up of:
It was a very neat description of, in order, Luxon, Seymour, and Peters. Perception of personality and intent is one of the many strengths of the Maori world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_triad
I'm sure you wouldn't want to read the character analysis of Ngarewa-Packer from the right!
NB: some of them are Maori, too…..
Maori from the right have pretty much abandoned the Māori world. They see little value in tikanga, in being Māori. Rather, they see the future to be more like Pakeha. You can see this in the reckless dismantling of recent moves to support Te ao Māori.
Thankyou for that in depth analysis – Thankfully most people have moved on from 'Uncle Tomming'.
I do question whether the framing of Māori vs. Pakeha, or indigenous vs. [white] settler/colonialist, is helpful and possibly even misleading. It easily allows in labels and accusations of racism, for example, and changes genuine class war into a phony culture war. Unfortunately, TPM and its supporters are also all too happy to buy in and propagate this narrative, further polarising debate and further dividing people.
Randians oppose just about anything and anyone promoting even the slightest hint of unification and unionisation. This gives rise to pseudo-arguments such as TPM doesn’t speak for all Māori, Māori X doesn’t speak for all Māori, and person Y is Māori [but a rabid Randian]. This can and does easily slide down a slippery slope of stupid claims that person Z is ‘not Māori enough’ or that such-and-such is a ‘redneck racist’. We have seen many examples of this here on TS too, both from LW and RW commenters.
I admire the energy and directness TPM bring to their activism. Could do with a bit more of that sort of fight on the left if you ask me.
After all, should we not be loud and proud against those who seek to minimise and dominate the vulnerable and marginalised? Only the comfortable feel threatened by TPM…
And talk about one Maori not speaking for all Maori, let's be clear, that one Maori, David Seymour, is all too happy to draw a line over which no other Maori shall cross with the highly divisive principles bill. We know that if it goes to referendum the weight of centuries of white privilege in funding will be brought to bear on a result which benefits them.
Representative, participatory democracy will be taken out the back and abused. Once again the powerful will have their way.
Fight it now, energise people, because soon it will be too late.
Okay, my comment hasn’t landed and found fertile soil, so let’s agree to disagree on this.
@ Incognito.
The use of language by TPM might be confronting to some people but that is what they feel is necessary to energise their base and their allies. It's much harder for low-income, marginalised people to make their voices heard and it is largely done through direct action and making noise.
We might not see Seymour speak in the same way publicly but the intensity of activism against Maori is there, just behind closed doors with hugely wealthy fellow activists. He doesn't need to speak loudly to energise his base, just calmly in the school debating style safe in the knowledge they are backed by huge resources with which to market opinion.
The well-bred and powerful know the system is to be used at their will and the only thing they are afraid of is mass movement of people. People need to be fired up.
TPM aims to do just that.
TPM is a different beast from the days of Tariana Turia and its coalition with National under John Key. But so is the National Party.
The current atmosphere is highly charged with arseholes like Seymour stirring pots and driving wedges.
TPM don’t seem to realise that they’re wrestling with a pig and the pig is loving it.
Muttonbird @ 13.1.1.1.1
Anyone – or any group of people – who has been systematically stigmatised, put down and denied what belongs to them becomes wiser and more intuitive than most of their fellow citizens. So it is with Maori who have been subjected to all three for nearly 200 years.
But, according to Muttonbird, only those people from that group who politically agree with him….
Seen on X (@thematrixwizard)
The RBNZ are saying the difference between the May statement and the August cut is the data was worse then expected.
Well, you can thank the National led government for that because they have run a sustained negative campaign on the economy since before the election. What happens when you insist on 7% cuts across the board in the public sector? Answer, the private sector, and households will do the same.
I think the RBNZ might have been caught out by the rank incompetence of Luxon and Willis and have been forced, on the insistence of NZ’s monied elite, to reprime the country before it is ready.
Well, that's a more interesting argument, than the apparent belief of Mike the Lefty, that it's all a cunning plot by the government.
It will be interesting to see if A) the rate cut triggers more business confidence and individual spending (begins to turn the economy around), and B) holds inflation at at least the current rate.
Achieving both is a big ask. But we'll see.
I'd concur with that reasoning. My understanding is that RBNZ had been talking next year before any rate cut but the current contraction in activity (it's bloody hard work for retailers right now) and a looming wave of business collapses forced their hand.
There could be more bad news from dairy land coming up too, which would really put the skids under things.
lprent, you have been attacking people rather than their points. I think you've made the right decision to go. I hope this site continues as it's a great forum to read, even if I don't make many comments.
lprent attacks people because of what they are saying not because of who they are. His style may not meet with approval by some, but it is who he is. If you follow the subject matter he is talking about rather than how he says it, you would know he is always bang on in his analysis.