Archive for November, 2008

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  Oratory - by frog

  
  
  
  From one of the companies that helped with the Green election campaign: read more
  November 17, 2008 2:09 pm - 1 Comment
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  Collective responsibility the heart of Maori National deal - by frog

  
  
  
  The most interesting part of the Maori Party’s agreement with National (pdf) is the clause on collective responsibility: The Maori Party agree to be bound by collective responsibility in relation to their Ministerial portfolios and their Associate Minister responsibilities. When the Maori Party Ministers speak about issues within their portfolios and Associate Minister responsibilities, they [...] read more
  November 17, 2008 1:53 pm - 10 Comments
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  The Climate Change Select Committee - by frog

  
  
  
  Looking at the Climate Change Select Committee Terms of Reference agreed by the Act and National parties it seems like we are going to need to go through a significant re-litigation process that will be costly in terms of time and missed opportunities. Among other things Act proposes that the Select Committee will: • hear [...] read more
  November 17, 2008 12:30 pm - 10 Comments
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  Act and National’s agreement - by frog

  
  
  
  Well I have to say I was somewhat surprised to read that one of the first headline topics to be addressed in the National-ACT Confidence and Supply Agreement is ‘Joint Aspirations’. It seems the two parties have come to an agreement about getting higher (productivity growth) and allowing more (economic) freedom. read more
  November 17, 2008 11:21 am - 7 Comments
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  Should Sam resign? - by frog

  
  
  
  My intent is to foster a debate as much as to express my own, personal opinion on the matter. But yes, I believe that Sam Lotu-liga should resign as either the Auckland City Councilor for Tamaki-Maungakiekie, or as MP for Maungakiekie. Holding two such offices simultaneously does have some historical precedent, but does anyone really [...] read more
  November 16, 2008 3:16 pm - 12 Comments
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  The real economy suffers a stroke - by frog

  
  
  
  I´ll start with Wikipedia´s straightforward definition of a stroke: A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood supply) caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage. As a result, [...] read more
  November 15, 2008 4:00 pm - 81 Comments
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  Climate Change and Security - by frog

  
  
  
  I spent the day today at the Institute of Policy Studies Symposium on Climate Change and Security. (Hence the lack of posts) They had a great line up of speakers from around the world, including one American and one Canadian via video link. The message? Very simple. Climate Change, or rather the rate of climate [...] read more
  November 14, 2008 5:57 pm - 86 Comments
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  Rocky - by frog

  
  
  
  Before we begin this topic let’s remember that carbon emissions are just one of the problems with burning fossil fuels at unsustainable rates. Nevertheless, this is kind of cool: Scientists say that a type of rock found at or near the surface in the Mideast nation of Oman and other areas around the world could [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 4:38 pm - 13 Comments
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  Getting down and dirty - by frog

  
  
  
  Although I don’t agree with them I can see there are many strong arguments why they Greens should have put ourselves in a position to do a deal with National after the election.  But I really don’t get this one from the editorial of the Taranaki Daily News: THE Greens just don’t get it. Sometimes, [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 3:04 pm - 92 Comments
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  Three strikes and you’re out of ideas - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald is rightly pouring cold water on Rodney Hide’s lock ‘em up rhetoric.  The “three strikes and you’re out” penal policy was a good line in an election pitch but unless its application is narrowed in the small print of the policy it would require a fearful increase in prison accommodation. New Zealand has [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 2:48 pm - 91 Comments
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  Seguing towards a new way of transport - by frog

  
  
  
  This article yesterday from the Herald on the legal status of Segways caught my attention: As for regulations – there aren’t any. It’s one of those machines that is not covered by any current laws. The power output of the electric motors puts the Segway out of the range of what are called wheeled recreational [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 11:36 am - 36 Comments
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  Excess packaging - by frog

  
  
  
  Hat tip: Celsias read more
  November 13, 2008 10:22 am - No Comments
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  A consumer challenge for the liberal party - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s interesting news that Heather Roy is being discussed as the likely Minister of Consumer Affairs.  You would expect Act, with its focus on properly functioning free markets and consumer rights, to have similar kinds of policies to the Greens in the area of consumer affairs – that is a strong focus on consumers right [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 9:33 am - 80 Comments
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  Speed Hui - by frog

  
  
  
  From what I could tell from the radio yesterday evening and this morning the Maori Party are engaged in series of 40 ‘speed hui’, each about one hour long, where Maori electorate voters are get to hear the broad parameters of the deal that the Maori Party has struck with National, but not the specifics.  [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 9:31 am - 8 Comments
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  Legs - by frog

  
  
  
  Nelson’s police force has taken up bicycling.  Good on them, especially for this bit of ‘kiwi ingenuity’: The special lights and sirens can be ordered from the United States for about $US300 ($NZ520), but police had rigged their own up for about a 20th of the cost. The siren was more like an air horn [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 3:26 pm - 6 Comments
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  Security threat - by frog

  
  
  
  John Key is being shadowed by a heavy police presence, with three diplomatic protection squad members accompanying him even to a caucus meeting attended by his MPs and party officials. Poor old John Key!  That doesn’t sound like much of a life, surrounded by DPS guards.  At least they seem to have isolated the threat as [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 3:21 pm - 5 Comments
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  Scenes from Antarctica - by frog

  
  
  
  There are some astonishing phtographs from Antarctica (such as this one below) at the Boston Globe After waiting for over two weeks for his mate to return from the sea and relieve him of nest duty, this Adelie penguin’s hunger helps him make the decision to abandon his egg in search of fish and krill [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 2:22 pm - 2 Comments
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  Does John Key read Michael Pollan? - by frog

  
  
  
  With new MPs in our caucus and a general parliamentary reshuffle underway we Greens are on the move out of our offices.  While it’s still not certain where we are off to, this time it looks like we’re big enough to warrant two rather than one floor of Bowen House. Gerry Brownlee was wandering about [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 2:12 pm - 25 Comments
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  In times of war - by frog

  
  
  
  theyworkforyou.co.nz has a sobering post following the election results which notes: Two parties which New Zealand has just elected into power, National and Act, voted in favour of the New Zealand Government joining the USA-led war coalition. This coalition invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003. For those of you that missed my previous post here’s [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 9:35 am - 45 Comments
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  Brainy children ‘likely to vote Green’ - by frog

  
  
  
  We have always been aware of the fact that we are the party of academics, scientists and free thinkers. It often gets in the way of our communications, all our dense and carefully crafted policy. But now the research is in. Brainy children are likely to grow up and vote green. According to the The [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 9:11 am - 58 Comments