Open mike 20/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 20th, 2024 - 47 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 19/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 19th, 2024 - 4 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

Open mike 19/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 19th, 2024 - 59 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

National’s carbon budget is a crock

Written By:
Date published: 7:26 pm, July 18th, 2024 - 16 comments

It is now clear why Simon Watts rushed out a three page brochure setting out what this Government’s response to climate change will be. It knew that the latest Climate Change Emissions Reduction Plan was coming out for consultation. And that it could not come up with a credible plan.

Daily review 18/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 18th, 2024 - 20 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

PSA wins an important case about collective agreements

Written By:
Date published: 4:17 pm, July 18th, 2024 - 3 comments

The PSA just won an important case in the Employment Relations Authority against the Ministry of Education about collective agreements. There are significiant downstream implications to planned layoffs, legal fights, and Nicola Willis’s already tax cut strained budget.

Mountain Tui: ‘Corruption First’ Strikes Again – Is the National, ACT, and New Zealand Government in tobacco’s pocket?

Written By:
Date published: 3:53 pm, July 18th, 2024 - 10 comments

A track record of deception and pro tobacco industry policies is becoming evident in the Coalition. Casey Costello is at it again, this time quietly halving excise tax for some tobacco products. This is the first time in NZ’s history to have reduced excise on tobacco. We should all ask ‘Why now?’

Minister Bishop’s Misguided Legislation

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Date published: 8:20 am, July 18th, 2024 - 32 comments

Chris Bishop’s plan to “flood the market” with housing development described as being “unaffordable, unworkable and unfair” is also “unsustainable” and even “unhinged”.

Tui: National Party’s Local Water Done Well – A more expensive 3 Waters with potential for privatisation

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Date published: 6:30 am, July 18th, 2024 - 4 comments

Simeon Brown is working on National’s New 3 Waters called “Local Water Done Well.” But is it just a more expensive version with a privatisation catch?

Open mike 18/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 18th, 2024 - 36 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 17/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 17th, 2024 - 10 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

A nation reinvented: 40 years on from its 1984 victory, the Fourth Labour Government still defines NZ

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Date published: 6:05 am, July 17th, 2024 - 9 comments

“After nine years of economic nationalism and social conservatism under National prime minister Robert Muldoon, David Lange’s new broom left no corner unswept. In the space of a few short years, fuelled by a high-octane blend of neoliberal theory and neoclassical state minimalism, it reinvented the nation.”

Open mike 17/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 17th, 2024 - 157 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 16/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 16th, 2024 - 26 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

Mountain Tui: Crashing New Zealand’s health system is not the way to prosperity, Prime Minister

Written By:
Date published: 2:44 pm, July 16th, 2024 - 15 comments

The drumbeat of health warnings continues from hospitals, doctors and nurses. But is the Government prepared to listen?

Remember that time we had a global pandemic?

Written By:
Date published: 11:19 am, July 16th, 2024 - 5 comments

how’s it going five years on?

Open mike 16/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 16th, 2024 - 36 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 15/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 15th, 2024 - 26 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

Government wins pay dispute with police: National Party 1, Police 0, Public -1

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Date published: 3:53 pm, July 15th, 2024 - 25 comments

The National Government has won in its long standing pay dispute with New Zealand police. With Australia offering $20,000 cash bonuses and attractive packages to poach our cops, what’s going to happen to an already demoralised and stretched police force?

Mountain Tui: Trump’s shooting reveals a hidden danger for New Zealand too

Written By:
Date published: 10:00 am, July 15th, 2024 - 73 comments

Trump’s shooting has left the world shocked and bewildered. But what, if anything, does it mean for us here in New Zealand?

Open mike 15/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 15th, 2024 - 22 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Trump shot

Written By:
Date published: 11:37 am, July 14th, 2024 - 142 comments

In breaking news Donald trump has been shot in a Pensylvania. Film suggests that he is fine although suffered a wound to his ear. The implications for the US elections are profound. This is a post for general discussion and will be updated as matters develop. Updates 1305: BBC interviewed a witness who is talking […]

Government is paying lip service to climate change

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Date published: 11:29 am, July 14th, 2024 - 6 comments

This week Change Minister Simon Watts showed the depth of the Government’s thinking by releasing a three page brochure outlining its collective thoughts. If the Government is at that level of thinking the country is well and truly stuffed. And meanwhile ACT’s Mark Cameron wants to prevent local government from considering climate change when formulating regional plans.

Open mike 14/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 14th, 2024 - 32 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Open mike 13/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 13th, 2024 - 64 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 12/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 12th, 2024 - 4 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

Conflict what conflict?

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Date published: 1:22 pm, July 12th, 2024 - 16 comments

National activist Sunny Kaushall is to head a committee with a budget of $3.6 million over two years to advise the Government on complex legal and privacy issues for which Kaushal’s qualifications are not clear.

Mountain Tui: When is an independent expert or advisory group “independent?”

Written By:
Date published: 11:06 am, July 12th, 2024 - 5 comments

As reports confirm that the Government intends to sell off Kiwirail ferries, the question has to be asked: “Why is the Government paying thousands of dollars to former National Party members for advice” and when is independent advice not reliable?

Open mike 12/07/2024

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Date published: 6:00 am, July 12th, 2024 - 45 comments

Open mike is your post. For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Daily review 11/07/2024

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Date published: 5:30 pm, July 11th, 2024 - 10 comments

Daily review is also your post. This provides Standardistas the opportunity to review events of the day. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Don’t forget to be kind to each other …

Winston Peters – lazy hypocrite on ferries

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Date published: 11:33 am, July 11th, 2024 - 15 comments

My ire was raised this morning when I read a pile of PR drivel from acting PM Winston Peters about the Interislander. If he wanted to be useful looking at “critical part of our infrastructure” – then there are number of better things he could usefully do – rather than chasing headlines.