National’s three waters policy

Written By:
Date published: 1:21 pm, February 26th, 2023 - 44 comments

National has announced its alternative to the Three Waters Policy with the standout feature being greater central control of asset management and investment plans than offered by Three Waters and even greater loss of local control.

Open mike 26/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 26th, 2023 - 22 comments

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What To Do About Climate Change

Written By:
Date published: 2:33 pm, February 25th, 2023 - Comments Off on What To Do About Climate Change

West Auckland’s activism, through such examples as the Arc in the Park sanctuary to the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area through to the protection of the environment provided by the South Titirangi Neighbourhood Network, provides examples of the sort of activism that may be needed if Aotearoa New Zealand is to deal properly with climate change mitigation.

Climate change – do we mitigate or do we adapt?

Written By:
Date published: 1:32 pm, February 25th, 2023 - 21 comments

The political debate about climate change is coming to an end as the North Island is battered by the third huge climate change induced storm in a month.  The focus will not be on what to do?  Do we still mitigate the effects by reducing greenhouse gas emissions?  Or do we dig in and adapt?

Open mike 25/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 25th, 2023 - 53 comments

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Daily review 24/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 24th, 2023 - 14 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 24/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 24th, 2023 - 112 comments

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Daily review 23/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 23rd, 2023 - 15 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 23/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 23rd, 2023 - 39 comments

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Daily review 22/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 22nd, 2023 - 11 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 …

Is Labour heading for Muriwai-scale landslide win?

Written By:
Date published: 8:15 am, February 22nd, 2023 - 37 comments

Here’s my prediction: Labour will not just win the October election, but it will complete a landslide of similar proportions to the 2020 election. It has been Labour’s response to the cyclones that will be the decisive factor in October. Luxon’s low energy performance helps.

Open mike 22/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 22nd, 2023 - 96 comments

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Daily review 21/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 21st, 2023 - 3 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 …

This is really awkward

Written By:
Date published: 3:13 pm, February 21st, 2023 - 63 comments

National MP Maureen Pugh has questioned the existence of human induced climate change.

Sturgeon, like Ardern, a casualty of online abuse

Written By:
Date published: 7:25 am, February 21st, 2023 - 65 comments

Nicola Sturgeon’s shock resignation as Scotland’s First Minister was something of a replay of Jacinda Ardern’s resignation. While subject to widespread abuse, both were reluctant to cite this as their main reason for quitting. But the abuse undoubtedly played a major role. But the misogynist trend is endemic and needs to be quelled.

Open mike 21/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 21st, 2023 - 26 comments

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Daily review 20/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 20th, 2023 - 13 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 …

Windfall tax on bank super-profits needed to help fund repair

Written By:
Date published: 3:57 pm, February 20th, 2023 - 69 comments

The repair bill for the recent cyclones will be similar to the direct cost to government of the Canterbury earthquakes, in the $13 billion region. Banks are currently making obscene profits. The time is right to impose a one-off banking windfall tax. If a conservative Margaret Thatcher can do it, it is pretty hard to argue why a Labour government can’t.

Towards National Recovery

Written By:
Date published: 7:00 am, February 20th, 2023 - 42 comments

Just over seven months from the election the Labour government has been granted as great a political momentum as that leading into the 2020 election.

Open mike 20/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 20th, 2023 - 43 comments

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Why right wing media is bad for democracy and the planet

Written By:
Date published: 12:21 pm, February 19th, 2023 - 37 comments

Newstalk ZB hosts have rightfully been criticised for minimising the danger posed by Cyclone Gabrielle.  Which funnily is that they have been doing about climate change for the past few decades.

Open mike 19/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 19th, 2023 - 42 comments

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Natural disasters test new leaders in New Zealand – some did better than others.

Written By:
Date published: 4:48 am, February 19th, 2023 - 1 comment

After the Auckland flood, Wayne Brown’s election will now be viewed as a cautionary tale. What can happen when someone who is inexperienced and unsuited to political office is elected to important political leadership roles. The blowback of this on the New Zealand right should not be understated, it is bad news for them.

What Chat GPT thinks of the Standard

Written By:
Date published: 10:28 am, February 18th, 2023 - 27 comments

I thought that I would get Chat GPT to write 500 words on the Standard and this is what it came up with.

Open mike 18/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 18th, 2023 - 44 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 17/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 17th, 2023 - 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 …

Prime Ministerial

Written By:
Date published: 11:38 am, February 17th, 2023 - 31 comments

Chris Hipkins has so far not put a foot wrong.  Since he became PM he has quickly and competently reformed the Cabinet and jettisoned policies that were for one reason or another causing problems. And he has quickly asserted control over two massive storms, the first which pummeled the country’s major city and the second which has caused massive floods to much of the East Coast of the North Island.

Open mike 17/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 6:00 am, February 17th, 2023 - 30 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 16/02/2023

Written By:
Date published: 5:30 pm, February 16th, 2023 - 8 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 …

Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation and Scottish Independence.

Written By:
Date published: 9:19 am, February 16th, 2023 - 56 comments

While Sturgeon’s strong leadership and vision have helped build support for Scottish Independence, the Conservative and Unionist Party’s arrogance and self-serving incompetence in government have greatly aided her in this.

Greenpeace calls on government to cut Big Dairy climate pollution

Written By:
Date published: 6:05 am, February 16th, 2023 - 20 comments

Join our call on the government to take real action to cut climate pollution from NZ’s biggest polluter: industrial dairying.

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