The Standard

Police neutrality

Written By: Anthony R0bins
Date published: 8:50 am, December 5th, 2014 - 113 comments

If anyone thought that David Parker was content to fade quietly into obscurity, they been proven thoroughly wrong. Parker has confronted one of politics’ sacred cows – police neutrality.

du Fresne: Stop bullshitting us, prime minister

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 7:49 am, December 5th, 2014 - 79 comments

An excellent assessment by Karl du Fresne, honest and direct.

Open mike 05/12/2014

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 7:00 am, December 5th, 2014 - 103 comments

Open mike is your post. The Standard is not a conspiracy – just a welcome outlet for the expression of views. Leaders that command respect will not be undermined by this. The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy). Step up to the mike …

Fred Dagg – User’s Guide to NZ

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: 10:07 pm, December 4th, 2014 - 35 comments

I miss Fred Dagg – John Clarke’s latest is a purler. “New Zealand … is an egalitarian nation made up of well over four million rugged individualists and naturally gifted sportspeople and is run on alternate days by the government and whoever bought the national infrastructure.” Read, laugh and weep – he might be gone but we’re not forgotten, and thank God for that.

Did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola?

Written By: Natwatch
Date published: 9:52 am, December 4th, 2014 - 15 comments

Say – did you hear the one about the escaped pedophile killer cannibal with ebola? John Key reckons its hilarious!

Brownlee catches Key’s thirdtermitis

Written By: Anthony R0bins
Date published: 8:58 am, December 4th, 2014 - 34 comments

What could possibly have Gerry behaving so erratically?

National’s campaign of false equivalences

Written By: lprent
Date published: 8:23 am, December 4th, 2014 - 102 comments

John Key has been advertising us in parliament. But he has a problem distinguishing how his right puppet blogs operate compared to the volunteer blogs of the left. It says more about how John Key thinks than it does about us. Key prefers sites that recruit prostitutes in order to blackmail reporters.

Charter Schools: F

Written By: Ben Clark
Date published: 7:52 am, December 4th, 2014 - 45 comments

So despite the vast amount more funding (5x more per pupil) to charter schools, 1 of the 5 first, Te Kura Hourua ki Whangaruru, is failing abysmally.

The Government has previously said that all their problems were fixed, or being fixed – but they clearly aren’t.

Open mike 04/12/2014

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 6:51 am, December 4th, 2014 - 157 comments

Prove It

Written By: Ben Clark
Date published: 9:51 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 28 comments

So John Key reckons the decile 1 & 2 principals he talks to say that hardly any kids at their school need lunch. Campbell Live & Kids Can seem to only find school principals who say that lots of kids need lunch. So maybe John Key can name these mythical decile 1 & 2 schools that are doing so well. And then when he gets shown up again, maybe National can move to support Hone’s Food in Schools Bill.

Is John Key on the skids?

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: 4:25 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 85 comments

In the House today Megan Woods embarrassed John Key with some very simple yet direct questions about Jason Ede. Key’s attempts to joke away the issue was met with silence from his side of the house. Dirty Politics is clearly having an effect.

Why John Banks must never be the Super City Mayor

Written By: Natwatch
Date published: 12:00 pm, December 3rd, 2014 - 60 comments

The Herald today suggested John Banks is thinking of another tilt at the Super City Mayoralty. This video shows why he should never be trusted with this position.

Distract and Divert

Written By: Ben Clark
Date published: 9:15 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 16 comments

Why do I want to know about Bronagh’s private 30th wedding anniversary gift to John Key? The PM is in trouble and trying to get fluff out to distract from his recent repeated lying, make people think more nicely of him. Presumably his superstitiousness played well in focus groups.

Petition for Royal Commission on dirty politics

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 7:48 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 11 comments

“Please take immediate steps to call for the establishment of a high calibre, non-partisan Royal Commission to investigate the inner workings of government in New Zealand and recommend a form of governance that has integrity, is truly democratic, and fit for the 21st century.”

Nothing to hide nothing to fear?

Written By: Anthony R0bins
Date published: 7:44 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 93 comments

I guess we can conclude that Key has something to hide, otherwise what could he possibly have to fear?

Open mike 03/12/2014

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 6:44 am, December 3rd, 2014 - 187 comments

Blowing smoke

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: 3:31 pm, December 2nd, 2014 - 31 comments

Is David Farrar being paid to attack plain packaging? His latest post quotes research described by the Melbourne Age as “pushed by the smoking lobby.” He also misrepresents New Zealand researchers’ views. The Age says “a co-ordinated assault just ahead of the review of plain packaging laws is emerging.” Looks to me like Farrar has joined it.

NRT: Just the beginning

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 2:26 pm, December 2nd, 2014 - 59 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on current and future spying legislation. “I will not vote for a party which supports spying. Neither should you.”

Key calls Slater’s bluff

Written By: Natwatch
Date published: 11:11 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 54 comments

Key says he is not concerned about his calls with Slater being made public.

Local Bodies: Government Responsible for Invercargill Poverty

Written By: notices and features
Date published: 9:00 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 6 comments

The second annual Child Poverty Monitor was released today. bsprout on Local Bodies on poverty and inequalities in Invercargill, “provides a good snapshot of New Zealand society”.

The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: 8:16 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 34 comments

The Countering Terrorist Fighters Legislation Bill is set to return to Parliament today with some changes likely to be recommended by the select committee. And John Key is sounding conciliatory by promising to wind some powers back while at the same time promising an increase in powers next year even though a review of the Intelligence agencies has not been completed.

Losing money

Written By: lprent
Date published: 7:32 am, December 2nd, 2014 - 26 comments

The economic news is depressing for NZ at present. After riding a dairy commodity boom for the last few years, the payout for farmers looks like it will drop from a high of $8.50/kg last season to $4.85/kg this coming season. Meanwhile National has neglected our most sustainable resource – people. So expect a busted economy for the next few years.