Archive for October, 2005

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  The Police have been called… - by frog

  
  
  
  The Chief Electoral Officer, David Henry, has passed judgement on the Exclusive Brethren’s ‘Beware’ leaflet and found it wanting. In a letter sent to Green Party campaign manager Russel Norman last week, Henry writes: I have concluded that the leaflet does appear to promote the party vote for National. I have decided to refer the [...] read more
  October 25, 2005 2:50 pm - 24 Comments
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  What the folx think on The Deal - by frog

  
  
  
  One News last night ran a poll on the new Government: Do you approve of Winston Peters’ appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister? 49% – Disapprove 33% – Approve 16% – No opinion Should Labour have been more loyal to the Greens or were the Greens victim of the election result? 60% – Greens are victim [...] read more
  October 25, 2005 12:07 pm - 8 Comments
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  Sweet Talk Sucks - by frog

  
  
  
  Hi, all, the swamp has sunk and I’ve recovered from the shock of being out of the water for the weekend. So to kick off life in the new swamp, here’s a comment from that provincial provocateur – crab… Sweet Talk Sucks The mangrove around here is not bustling with Labour MPs seeking out Green [...] read more
  October 25, 2005 11:20 am - 4 Comments
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  The swamp is sinking - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s not just the MPs who have a new seating arrangement around here. The Parliamentary office shuffle bought on by that pesky election result means the swamp is sinking six floors over the long weekend. While the descent occurs, I can’t get at my lily pad and talk to you good folx, so this is [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 5:39 pm - 27 Comments
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  A post-election, pre-Govt-forming poll - by frog

  
  
  
  A new poll buried on page twenty of today’s NBR (offline): Labour – 43% National – 40% Green – 6% NZ First – 5% Maori Party – 2% United Future – 1.9% ACT – 1.1% The poll was taken before the Government deal was done; 750 people were polled for a margin of error of [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 2:56 pm - 12 Comments
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  The flap over bird flu - by frog

  
  
  
  I don’t know about all of you, but I think if the predicted bird flu pandemic hits not a lot of business will be carried out. The Economic Development Ministry yesterday published a planning guide for how businesses can prepare for the pandemic and keep their operations running. It contains some really useful information about [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 12:17 pm - 11 Comments
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  Maybe the weka will win next year - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald reports this morning: The tui stands out from the flock as New Zealand’s favourite bird, according to a recent poll by Forest and Bird. The iconic songbird was the most popular choice in the inaugural New Zealand Bird of the Year 2005 poll, attracting 20 per cent of the vote. [snip] The top [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 11:55 am - 27 Comments
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  Farmers welcome a green solution - by frog

  
  
  
  Slowly but surely, farmers are waking up to the fact that the things those damn Greenies are proposing might actually be in their interest. This week’s Rural News reports: After years battling the salt-laden winds which dominate the weather and the landscape on the North Island’s south-west coast, some farmers are hoping a multimillion-dollar wind [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 11:29 am - 9 Comments
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  A face-off over who faces who - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, you heard it here first yesterday. NZPA has this morning picked up the brewing stoush over seating arrangement in The House. Mr Brown said although the Greens planned to abstain from giving the Government confidence and supply votes, he believed NZ First should have first call to sit on the opposition benches. “The Greens [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 10:51 am - 7 Comments
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  The Greens’ new best friends - by frog

  
  
  
  Something curious is happening out there in the provincial newspapers. Check out these quotes from various Labour MPs: Steve Chadwick in The Daily Post (Rotorua) on Wednesday (offline): Meanwhile, she thought the Green Party had been given a raw deal by being left out of the formal coalition, Mrs Chadwick said. “The Greens acted with [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 10:31 am - 17 Comments
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  Interview: Sue B on the CTU conference - by frog

  
  
  
  Our campaign audioblog series may be over, but we thought we’d continue to do the odd interview. So here’s an interview with Sue B about her experience at the CTU conference a couple of days ago. (mp3, 0.6MB, 3.40 mins). And for those who read my initial post yesterday but haven’t seen the comment I [...] read more
  October 21, 2005 8:54 am - 6 Comments
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  Milking the profits - by frog

  
  
  
  Now that billionaire Graeme Hart has got his hands on Meadow Fresh it seems he has evaluated how best to milk some more profits out of the company. Last month he announced that he planned to close the Meadow Fresh youghurt factory in Christchurch giving its 50 staff less than a month’s notice that they [...] read more
  October 20, 2005 10:54 am - 25 Comments
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  CTU on its feet for Sue B - by frog

  
  
  
  An event of some significance in the history of the Greens’ relationship with the wider left occurred yesterday, but is yet to register on the mediascope. Sue B received a standing ovation at the end of her speech to the CTU conference. Not only was the standing ovation more enthusiastic and genuine than the one [...] read more
  October 20, 2005 9:52 am - 16 Comments
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  The new psychogeography of the House - by frog

  
  
  
  A question that is yet to be answered around here – where is Winston going to sit in the House when Parliament resumes? Rumour has it that the Frown Affairs Minister (as he is dubbed in this morning’s Herald) wants to be on the opposition side so that he can maintain the fiction of not [...] read more
  October 20, 2005 9:32 am - 17 Comments
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  In the best interest of whom? - by frog

  
  
  
  In an Alliance media release yesterday, Leader Jill Ovens says: “Rod Donald is correct when he says the new Government has the potential to be completely reactionary. “This may well be good for the Greens as they won’t be tainted by being in Government, but it will not be good for ordinary people.” That reflects [...] read more
  October 19, 2005 11:06 am - 22 Comments
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  Can we trust either of them? - by frog

  
  
  
  Check this out. If you Google ‘Can we trust him? No, we can’t! site:unitedfuture.org.nz/’ you get an interesting result. The first link leads to a blank page. But the cached version shows what used to be there. Now why would UF(O) take down a media release from just a month ago…? read more
  October 19, 2005 10:16 am - 12 Comments
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  Pssst, the Greens won, pass it on - by frog

  
  
  
  David Farrar writes this morning: it’s time to look at who are the winners and losers from the coalition negotiations. [snip] Major Losers Rod & Jeanette. They got the photo op, but got shafted on everything else. Their policy wins are ridiculously light. Not a single thing that Labour wouldn’t probably do anyway. But they [...] read more
  October 19, 2005 10:04 am - 38 Comments
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  Frog Day! - by frog

  
  
  
  Something to hop along to if you’re in wellington the weekend after next: Frog Day Saturday 29 October 2005 Hop along to the Sanctuary and learn all about what’s special about New Zealand frogs. There’ll be fascinating talks between 11am and 2pm and the opportunity to see some Southern Bell frogs on loan from the [...] read more
  October 19, 2005 9:17 am - 5 Comments
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  Klingons On The Starboard Bow - by frog

  
  
  
  The swamp had a visit last night from a friend from the sticks, the mangrove sticks actually. Crab, who hitched a ride into town from the country, reckons we need a perspective from the rural blocks. Here is Crab’s contribution: The frog is essentially an urbane political observer from that small seething pond called Wellington. [...] read more
  October 18, 2005 12:45 pm - 20 Comments
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  In the centre of the compass - by frog

  
  
  
  The Political Compass provides an interesting take on the New Zealand political spectrum and illuminates how the four parties forming the new Government are relatively closely aligned, particularly the key players Labour and NZ First. For those who haven’t visited this amusing wee site, the positions on the compass are found through answering a questionnaire. [...] read more
  October 18, 2005 12:07 pm - 65 Comments