Archive for November, 2005

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  The Green bashing moratorium is obviously over - by frog

  
  
  
  In a post appropriately called Green Bashing, Dave Farrar last night links to and quotes a blogger who is claiming that Nicky Hagar blamed the Right for Rod‘s death and links to and summarises another who lists various things Keith said decades ago. I’m disappointed that DPF has chosen to point to such rubbishy posts. [...] read more
  November 23, 2005 11:44 am - 28 Comments
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  Reading between the lines - by frog

  
  
  
  Billionaire Graeme Hart has finally confirmed the rumours that he will be dumping glass milk bottles in the South Island in favour of milk cartons. Yesterday afternoon his company, Meadow Fresh, issued a press release trying to justify the environmental friendliness of this clearly profit-driven move. It said: Leading New Zealand consumer dairy products company, [...] read more
  November 23, 2005 11:19 am - 28 Comments
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  Holly and wood are both green - by frog

  
  
  
  The Ministry for the Environment has launched Greening the Screen, a comprehensive online guide for film makers on how to reduce the environmental impacts of their productions. It is a good well-designed site with a lot of information that would be useful in any business. I note particularly that in the Behind the Scenes: Art [...] read more
  November 22, 2005 3:42 pm - 11 Comments
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  Sitting MP - by frog

  
  
  
  Yes folx, its the ‘Nandor’ chair! Available online from Ikea UK for just thirty quid. Its ‘eco-friendly’ (“Possible to separate for material or energy recovery”) but not Kiwi made… Handy for sudden overhangs in the House when an MP need to sit in the aisle What random product can we next expect? The ‘Helen’ cabinet? [...] read more
  November 22, 2005 2:03 pm - 6 Comments
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  Unhappy in the valley - by frog

  
  
  
  Efforts to save Happy Valley from the stunningly dumb proposal to dig it up as the Cypress export open-cast coal mine met up with some in-the-field intimidation from Solid Energy on the weekend. Today’s Press has the media version of what happened. For a more detailed view from the campaigners themselves, see their report. As [...] read more
  November 22, 2005 12:14 pm - 7 Comments
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  The final act - by frog

  
  
  
  The memorial service for Rod at Parliament today was a much less civil affair than his funeral ten days ago in Christchurch. There were several times during proceedings when speakers made a point of saying things to the Labour MPs’ faces. Rod did some of it himself. The 400 people in the Legislative Council Chamber [...] read more
  November 21, 2005 7:34 pm - 19 Comments
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  Music is morally useful - by frog

  
  
  
  A quick plug for a nice thing. Over at Public Address they’ve got a link to an MP3 of ‘Nuclear Weapons Are Morally Indefensible’ by the Tomorrow People. It’s a surprisingly well done electronica reworking of David Lange’s 1985 Oxford Union speech. Check it out and let me know what you think. read more
  November 21, 2005 9:08 am - 4 Comments
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  Cop show - by frog

  
  
  
  In an inspired piece of we’re-not-a-tabloid journalism, the Sunday Star Times reports today: A tattooed skinhead south Auckland policeman is the frontman for a satanic death metal band which calls for the “eradication of the weak and inferior”. Apparently the Police Minister has asked for a report on Dawn of Azazel lead singer Rigel Walshe. [...] read more
  November 20, 2005 9:21 pm - 13 Comments
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  What’s a third, or fourth, term Government to do? - by frog

  
  
  
  Further to my earlier post on the Rugby World Cup. Another spin-off of the Cup, picked up in passing so far by the media, is the kudos to Helen Clark for her part in winning the bid. Tom Scott’s cartoon in yesterday’s Dom Post says it all. Assuming the World Cup is going to be [...] read more
  November 20, 2005 8:43 pm - 5 Comments
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  Let’s hope our society is the winner on rugby’s day - by frog

  
  
  
  Oh, yeah, we can look forward to six years of build up to the Rugby World Cup. Don’t get me wrong, I like watching the odd rugby game, but then I also like watching sumo, which is another highly ritualised sport played by physical freaks hell bent on shortening their life expectency. It’s just that [...] read more
  November 18, 2005 1:21 pm - 30 Comments
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  Mr Dunne - by frog

  
  
  
  From Wednesday’s Molesworth and Featherston (sub only): Dunne roamin’ We did advise United Future leader Peter Dunne last week to give Rod Donald’s funeral in Christchurch a miss, but did he listen? Nope. Rumour has it his chief of staff Rob Eaddy went on a fact-finding mission to the Greens ahead of the service and [...] read more
  November 18, 2005 9:28 am - 38 Comments
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  Melbourne celebration of Rod’s life - by frog

  
  
  
  The Melbourne celebration of Rod‘s life is happening 6.30pm this Sunday, 20 November at the Standard Hotel’s garden bar, 293 Fitzroy Street, Fitzroy. Everyone is invited to share a couple of beers and plenty of stories with Victoria Greens, NZ expats and Melbourne Social Forum participants. Enquiries to kakarikioteao@gmail.com read more
  November 17, 2005 4:45 pm - 4 Comments
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  Is a Co-Leader suitable, or can he wear a skirt? - by frog

  
  
  
  Dave Farrar said yesterday: While talking Greens I do think it is somewhat ironic that their gender quota for the co-leadership, no doubt originally introduced to help women, is now discriminating against them. I think there is a lesson for everone here about quotas. He misunderstands why the Green opted for the co-leadership model. It’s [...] read more
  November 17, 2005 4:44 pm - 81 Comments
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  Swear words - by frog

  
  
  
  NZPA reports: Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos followed the Maori Party’s lead by inserting “Treaty of Waitangi” into the oath of allegiance. [snip] Maori Party members stood as Mr Tanczos read out his pledge to the Treaty and Crown. They, last week, tried to swear allegiance to the Treaty of Waitangi, but repeated the correct [...] read more
  November 17, 2005 9:22 am - 5 Comments
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  Save the (other) pint! - by frog

  
  
  
  In his new role as Waste-free Spokesperson, Nandor has taken up Rod‘s battle to save the South Island’s glass milk bottles by launching our late Co-Leader’s petition, aimed at New Zealand’s own billionaire Graeme Hart. As Nandor says: “If Graeme Hart and Meadow Fresh ditch glass bottles, they will create a mountain of waste and [...] read more
  November 16, 2005 4:47 pm - 32 Comments
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  Dunedin memorial for Rod - by frog

  
  
  
  The Dunedin Green Party is inviting the public to join them this Saturday for a tree planting ceremony and weeding session to mark the passing of Rod Donald. 3.00pm, this Saturday, 19 November, Chingford Park, North Rd, in North East Valley, Dunedin. Gather near the Stables in the park shortly before three. read more
  November 16, 2005 4:22 pm - 2 Comments
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  Nandor on his new and resumed portfolios - by frog

  
  
  
  Nandor was yesterday appointed as the Green Party’s Environment Spokesperson. In this interview (mp3, 1.3MB, 7’40″), he talks about the challenge of his new role, resuming his work in the Justice portfolio and letting go of the drug law reform area. read more
  November 16, 2005 12:22 pm - 9 Comments
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  Nmbr 3 isn’t going 3G - by frog

  
  
  
  Telstra has decided not to build a 3G mobile network in New Zealand, leaving it to Telecom and Vodafone. Computerworld reports: [Chief executive Allan] Freeth says while the willingness to invest in New Zealand is there at a corporate level, problems in the short term with the regulatory regime means the money is not forthcoming. [...] read more
  November 16, 2005 11:08 am - 10 Comments
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  The pros and cons of bio-diesel - by frog

  
  
  
  NZPA reports: The company that created the world’s largest biodiesel plant, is investigating building a biodiesel refinery in New Zealand. Argent Energy vice-chairman Jim Walker told Glasgow’s Sunday Herald that the company has scaled up plans to invest in a further two plants in the United Kingdom and possibly a third in New Zealand. The [...] read more
  November 15, 2005 5:19 pm - 18 Comments
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  Nandor is the new Environment Spokesperson - by frog

  
  
  
  At this morning’s Caucus meeting, Nandor was allocated his portfolios for the coming parliamentary term. The big news is that he is NOT going to be fronting on drug law reform for the Greens. At his request, that responsibility stays with Metiria, who was appointed Associate Health (Alcohol and Drugs) Spokesperson last month. The other [...] read more
  November 15, 2005 4:01 pm - 26 Comments