Archive for May, 2008

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  Sue Kedgley on Peak Food

  
  
  
  Sue Kedgley spoke at the Farmers Market Biennial Conference yesterday on Peak Food: We are in danger of becoming a cash crop nation –producing dairy and to a lesser extent meat for export –while other sectors are being eroded by cheap imports. We import 2.8 million tonnes of food each year — bananas from Equador, garlic [...] read more
  May 31, 2008 7:38 am - 39 Comments
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  Hoodie Day

  
  
  
  The National Party might be complaining that Labour hijacked Hoodie Day but the photo in the Herald is all of Green MPs.  Ha ha. Photo Credit: New Zealand Herald read more
  May 30, 2008 4:10 pm - 45 Comments
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  Herald Digipoll

  
  
  
  Three quick things worth mentioning about the Herald Digipoll this morning: One – there’s a large 13.8 per cent of voters who aren’t committing to any party yet. That suggests to me that the messages from the two largest parties who dominate the media discourse in note resonating yet with many voters. It also implies that [...] read more
  May 30, 2008 1:37 pm - 75 Comments
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  Carbon fin prints

  
  
  
  Jeanette’s question this afternoon on the Government’s claim to be the first carbon neutral country in the world resulted in the usual banter with the Michael Cullen, who was answering on behalf of the Prime Minister. Even National’s Nick Smith got in on the game, asking much the same as what many Green supporters [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 9:15 pm - 17 Comments
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  When I grow up I want to be a Wolverine Frog

  
  
  
  Harvard University Scientists have discovered a group of African Wolverine frogs with retractable claws: The frogs defend themselves with sharp bone claws on their hind feet but to do so, the animals have to drive the claws through their own skin. It’s an extreme defence that is completely unique in the animal world. The clawed frogs belong [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 4:05 pm - 1 Comment
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  Green Party Annual Conference

  
  
  
  I’m off to Auckland tomorrow for the Green Party’s annual meeting at Waipapa Marae.  So you probably won’t hear much from me tomorrow.  But hopefully I’ll find a computer from which I can report on the three major Conference speeches over the weekend (Nandor on Friday night, Jeanette on Saturday morning and Russel on Sunday [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 2:18 pm - 14 Comments
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  Two questions in Parliament from Jeanette today

  
  
  
  It’s not often the Greens get allotted two questions in one day at Parliamentary question time. (I think today’s double dose might have come about due to some horse trading with the Maori Party?)  Anyway, they’re both good ones: Question 1 – Jeanette Fitzsimons to the Prime Minister Does she still aspire for New Zealand to be [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 11:27 am - 24 Comments
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  Orangutan Island

  
  
  
  The Indonesian Embassy and documentary producers Natural History New Zealand hosted Russel and Jeanette along with some 180 other people at Peter Jackson’s studios – Park Road Post Production – last night for the launch of the nature documentary series Orangutan Island. Jeanette also spoke briefly to the gathering. Orangutan Island is a 13 part series [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 11:07 am - 2 Comments
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  Russian milk, Kiwi cows

  
  
  
  Yesterday New Zealand First’s Doug Woolerton took an opportunity to ask the Minister of Finance about Russian company Nutritek being allowed to create New Zealand’s first totally foreign-owned dairy producer and whether the Overseas Investment Act should have stepped in to do something about this takeover.  Foreign investment generally and the Overseas Investment Act in [...] read more
  May 29, 2008 9:58 am - 11 Comments
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  Saying sorry

  
  
  
  A few days ago I asked Catherine Delahunty and some of the other Green candidates to send in an occasional post to Frogblog.  I haven’t managed to set up a login for her yet, but she has promptly sent in this post on the Government’s Vietnam veteran apology this afternoon, which I’ll post for her: Saying [...] read more
  May 28, 2008 4:01 pm - 27 Comments