Archive for February, 2007

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  Aucklanders’ views on transport - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  The NZ Herald online asked their readers for their views on how to solve Auckland’s transport problems. Overwhelmingly they want more and better public transport ahead of more and more roads. Surprise surprise. Someone should tell the government. read more
  February 28, 2007 3:15 pm - 24 Comments
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  Public transport, how do you spell that? - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Increasing public transport capacity is one of the desperate needs we have if we are to reduce our greenhouse emissions and make Auckland, in particular, a more liveable city. Jeanette engaged Michael Cullen in the debate last week. Here is an edited version of the transcript with my comments in square brackets. It’s a bit [...] read more
  February 28, 2007 3:04 pm - 19 Comments
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  Sustainability and sustainability - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Sustainablity is going to be one of the most contested words of our times. Michael Cullen’s latest speech to the Waikato Chamber of Commerce shows once again how he is trying to get “sustainability” to mean “endless exponential growth in GDP” which is the very antithesis of true sustainbility (unless we can delink GDP growth [...] read more
  February 25, 2007 12:54 pm - 64 Comments
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  Solid Energy hopes for carbon capture and storage - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Solid energy has put out a release announcing that the consortium they have invested in has started drilling a research well in Victoria, Australia. They hope to find a way to store carbon released from the burning of Southland lignite coal. Carbon capture and storage is the big hope for the coal miners and coal [...] read more
  February 24, 2007 7:55 pm - 23 Comments
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  Falun Gong kicked out of Cuba Carnival - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Wellington City Council have kicked Falun Gong out of the Cuba Street parade, after previously allowing them in. The word is that the Council told them that the Chinese Embassy had paid for the big Chinese New Year celebration and the Chinese Embassy did not want Falun Gong in the parade, so they had to [...] read more
  February 24, 2007 1:32 pm - 5 Comments
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  Waitangi Day to stay – how about more holidays - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Peter Dunne’s bill to change the name of Waitangi Day to New Zealand day has been rejected by the Justice Select Committee. Good job too. The Treaty is a founding constitutional document and having a national day named after the Treaty, and timed to coincide with the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty, makes [...] read more
  February 23, 2007 4:03 pm - 45 Comments
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  The votes are in, and s59 is on the way out - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, Sue did it! The Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Bill has just passed it’s second reading. The vote went thus: In favour – Labour 49, National 6 (Katherine Rich, Simon Power, Paula Bennett, Paul Hutchison, Jackie Blue and Chester Borrows), New Zealand First 3 (Brian Donnelly, Doug Woolerton, [...] read more
  February 22, 2007 9:28 am - 320 Comments
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  Section 59 Update - by frog

  
  
  
  The Parliamentarians have popped off for dinner, after a surprisingly demure series of speeches on the Crimes Amendment Bill. Sue’s was typically simultaneously measured and passionate (read it here or listen the the audio) and included references to the despicable business with that paragon of free speech and direct democracy, cyfswatch. This has garnered an [...] read more
  February 21, 2007 7:09 pm - 39 Comments
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  EU 20% by 2020. New Zealand? - by frog

  
  
  
  European Union ministers backed ambitious targets on Tuesday to cut greenhouse gas emissions unilaterally by at least 20 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels. While short of the massive cuts necessary to halt a catastrophic temperature rise it still is a significant move in the right direction. The bloc may also be willing to [...] read more
  February 21, 2007 3:05 pm - 5 Comments
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  Southern right whale dolphins - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  OK, while I’m on dolphins I can’t help but mention the extraordinary Southern Right Whale dolphin which remarkably lacks a dorsal fin. This from Te Ara (as is the photo above): Southern right whale dolphins Southern right whale dolphins are seen only occasionally, being a mainly offshore species. Like right whales, they lack a dorsal [...] read more
  February 21, 2007 2:11 pm - 1 Comment
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  Dolphins in danger - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Been reading the February edition of Forest and Bird magazine with some great articles as usual. One by Helen Bain is about the amazing Hector’s dolphin, which is in real trouble. The South Island population is down to 7000 from 26,000 in 1970, and the North Island population, a subspecies called Maui’s dolphin, is down [...] read more
  February 21, 2007 1:59 pm - 8 Comments
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  Three nil, yeah right - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Every now and then you’re there when a fairytale unfolds. Maybe once in your life. I wasn’t at the game in Hamilton, but watching it on the tele in a bar in Wellington. The ad girls and guys were already drafting the next Tui billboard – “three nil, yeah right”. McMillan and McCullum were truly [...] read more
  February 21, 2007 11:22 am - 22 Comments
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  ACC’s great new ad campaign - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  I was watching the TV last night when on came ACC’s new ad. Part of the “Covered” campaign that ACC has launched in February. I know that ACC has shafted lots of people over the years, especially when they had a culture of cutting everyone off. But I still think ACC is a fantastic idea [...] read more
  February 20, 2007 6:17 pm - 24 Comments
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  Government Procurement - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Labour has announced that they intend to actually do something about making Government procurement more environmentally friendly in the May budget. If they are serious it could make a real difference. I released a report on this back in December that showed that departments were not matching the nice words of the Government with actual [...] read more
  February 20, 2007 4:02 pm - 13 Comments
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  Quieter Please - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  In the interests of encouraging inter-blog cooperation and promoting an issue, I asked the good people at Quieter Please to write a blog for FrogBlog. Here it is: Imagine if you will that you’re in charge of the City Plan for your City. Your City’s ‘Vision for the Future‘ states: “Everyone’s quality of life improves [...] read more
  February 19, 2007 1:45 pm - 44 Comments
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  A good start to the Chinese new year - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Happy Chinese new year. And there is indeed good news from China with the agreement of the Chinese delegation at the latest climate change meeting that they need to place some constraints on their greenhose emissions. The informal and non-binding meeting of legislators from the G8* plus China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico carries [...] read more
  February 18, 2007 12:08 pm - 5 Comments
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  You can’t fool all the people all the time - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  The Weekend Herald’s jury is interesting. The charge: “Helen Clark’s global warming announcements this week were a token response to something she should have taken far more seriously years ago – by ditching the crown limos for a start.” Verdict: 9 guilty and 3 not guilty. Seems Labour will need a bit more media spin [...] read more
  February 17, 2007 8:02 pm - 49 Comments
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  Ethical investment wins - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  After my recent battles with the Government over the investments of the NZ Super Fund, and its lack of an ethical investment strategy, I was pleased to see that an ethical fund has topped the UK all companies growth league. “The Co-operative Insurance Sustainable (CIS) Leaders trust, a fund that buys shares only in ethical [...] read more
  February 16, 2007 5:22 pm - 42 Comments
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  Field’s options - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  I think if I were Field I would resign now and force a byelection asap. The longer he leaves it, the longer Labour has a chance to discredit him in the electorate and the greater opportunity Labour has to rebuild their party organisation on the ground. Not that I want to help him out particularly, [...] read more
  February 16, 2007 4:56 pm - 3 Comments
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  I love the jury system - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  This week I’ve been on jury service. I thought about seeking an exemption but I thought, hey I should do it, we all should do it unless there is something we really really really can’t get out of. And I can still get work done outside of jury time. I don’t want to comment on [...] read more
  February 16, 2007 1:43 pm - 55 Comments