The power of protest
There’s always a danger in croaking too soon.
Yesterday, I was getting all excited because the Government was about to announce its intention to consider alternatives to Transpower’s massive power pylon plans for the Upper North Island. After I did so, I got a little worried that I might have clutched the wrong end of the reed.
Well, the announcement did materialise, and it did represent one of Labour’s more “listening-to-the-people” moments. In the face of angry protests from Waikato residents and the Greens, Labour’s decided to stall Transpower’s plan to build big hulking powerlines from just north of Taupo to just south of Auckland.
There remain some concerns about Labour’s intentions. Is Labour just deferring the decision till after the election when people can no longer talk with their votes? Will the alternatives they’re getting the Electricity Commission to look into include non-electrified options such as putting money into helping Aucklanders use less power at peak times?
But, nevertheless, it’s still cause for celebration. And for remembering the power of protest.
April 14th, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Dont get your party frocks out yet. As soon as the election is over the pylons will start going up. Sadly big business will once again get its way at the expense of the little guy
April 14th, 2005 at 5:33 pm
Pathetic greenies, get over it no one ever died of having a pylon going over their property, grow up and get a real job and stop filling up parliament with your unelected representatives!
April 14th, 2005 at 5:51 pm
Protest has no power. The hidden agenda of the decision makers is where the power is at. Please refrain from posting such twaddle.
On another note - good to see the wellington inner city bypass construction running smoothly.
April 14th, 2005 at 6:15 pm
Unfortunately Bernard, you are dead wrong.
As a primary education, there is an item in today’s Herald by Robin Smart quoting recent research from 83 scientific papers.. 40 suicides and up to 400 lung cancers attributed to power lines in the UK. This is only part of the human cost.
A review paper is available on the notowers.co.nz website.
“Health Effects of High Voltage Transmission Lines: A Survey of the Medical Literature”
This is the third link down at
http://www.notowers.co.nz/articles/information/health.htm
April 14th, 2005 at 7:10 pm
Ntddevsys, AKA my good ACT-supporting friend Jack, obviously doesn’t know his history. The Black Civil Rights Movement in the US, the Vietnam war protests, the end to appartide in South Africa to name a few high profile ones, plus all the work Amnesty International does (ie. the organisation you support at school!) strike me as protests and such that have and are working. Maybe you need to brush up on your history a little better and realise that the ultimate power does lie with the people and it is up to us to make a difference.
Twaddle-de-de!
April 14th, 2005 at 11:44 pm
David Broatch, I have examined the study that you reference: “Association Of Health Problems with 50-hz Magnetic Fields in Human Adults Living Near Power Transmission lines” and nowhere in it can I find any reference to the household income of the people living near power lines. Their houses are cheaper than houses away from power lines, and are therefore bought or rented by people with a low income, who therefore have less money to spend on proper medical care, nutritious food etc. That could explain their poor health. I therefore find that study and similar studies are flawed.
April 15th, 2005 at 8:50 am
Ma chere Nikola, LOL ! Who is paying you ? Amazing how the electro fascists work.
Keep examining ! You have 81 studies still to read..
June 3rd, 2005 at 7:38 pm
fyi
leukaemia link item in recent popular press.
Kind Regards, David Broatch BSc. (Edin) School of the Built Environment MREINZ
http://www.eco-expo.org/EFR_Consultant_Profiles.htm#David_Broatch
Items on today’s http://news.google.com/
“Power lines linked to child cancer”
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/PA_NEWA12321291117713421A0 0?source=PA%20Feed
This is London - 3 hours ago
Children who live close to high voltage overhead power lines may be at an increased risk of leukaemia, a study has suggested. Researchers estimated that those youngsters living within 200 metres of the lines …
Leukaemia ‘link’ to overhead power lines Life Style Extra
Fears over child leukaemia link to power lines Independent
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/story.jsp?story=643681
The Observer - BBC News - Telegraph.co.uk - The Sun - all 50 related ยป