Archive for February, 2009

  • frog

    Bondage This! - by frog



    This week’s announcement that the Government will extend the bonding scheme for teachers, nurses, doctors midwives and vets is all good for the serious shortage in the next few years but typically fails to address the real issues behind losing so many students overseas – the student loan scheme. The student loan scheme imposes an [...] read more
    February 27, 2009 4:30 pm - 29 Comments
  • frog

    Job Summit & The Green New Deal - by frog



    Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman talks about today’s Jobs Summit, jobs in general and the Green New Deal. read more
    February 27, 2009 1:42 pm - 17 Comments
  • frog

    Air Freshener: A dose of reality - by frog



    The This Is Reality campaign has published their latest “Clean Coal” advertisement. It was directed by Academy-award winners Joel and Ethan Coen and it’s pretty funny. There is no such thing as clean coal, Gerry. read more
    February 27, 2009 9:13 am - 9 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Ryall: headlines over healthcare? - by Kevin Hague



    I’m worried that Health Minister, Tony Ryall, doesn’t seem to have made the transition yet from Opposition to the responsibilities of government. In opposition he was able to take pot shots at the Government based on populism and what he thought would be most effective in attracting headlines – an essentially political framework. Now as [...] read more
    February 26, 2009 4:45 pm - 10 Comments
  • frog

    Energy Minister’s recipe for economic disaster - by frog



    The government’s call to scrap the New Zealand Energy Strategy is yet another instance of the environment being sacrificed on the altar of exponential growth, and is a recipe for economic disaster. However, there may be a tiny silver lining. At least this time the Energy Minister has not hidden behind the farce of “balance” [...] read more
    February 26, 2009 4:14 pm - 16 Comments
  • frog

    Back Benches Job Summit special - by frog



    Last night, Back Benches broke with convention and invited more than just politicians, adding Charles Finny of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Phil O’Rielly from Business NZ to the conversation. Politicos included our very own Sue Bradford and Labour’s Trevor Mallard. The topic on tap was JOBS. The jobs summit, the global recession and [...] read more
    February 26, 2009 12:30 pm - 18 Comments
  • frog

    Will the ladies please retire to the drawing room? - by frog



    It seems that Catherine Delahunty may have hit a sore point within the National Party caucus, as Women’s Affairs Minister Pansy Wong has finally responded to our calls for proper input from women at the jobs summit. Who would have thought they had a spokesperson for Women’s Affairs, given the appalling state of their policy [...] read more
    February 25, 2009 4:01 pm - 25 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Confusing the Superfund with superannuation - by Russel Norman



    Peter Dunne is the first politician out of the blocks to defend payments made to the New Zealand Superfund confusing the rollercoaster fortunes of the Superfund with the survival of superannuation as we know it. His statements are unhelpful. Government superannuation payments are guaranteed. A strong economy with a broad and equitable tax base is [...] read more
    February 25, 2009 1:30 pm - 92 Comments
  • frog

    More Aucklanders leave their cars at home - by frog



    Yesterday’s Herald detailed further dramatic rises in growth of public transport patronage in Auckland. ARTA statistics show public transport patronage grew eight percent in 2008 to almost 58 million trips—a level not seen since 1984. The figures at a glance:        >> 18% more rail journeys to 7.2 million passenger trips in 2008        >> 7% [...] read more
    February 25, 2009 12:04 pm - 25 Comments
  • frog

    Catherine Delahunty graces the first Back Benches for 2009 - by frog



    The season has kicked in once again, and first up for the Greens this year was Catherine Delahunty. She was joined by National’s Chris Tremain, Labour’s Grant Robertson and Act’s David Garret. Should the government bail our Fisher & Paykel? Bootcamps for young offenders? These and many other questions are answered online at TVNZ OnDemand’s [...] read more
    February 24, 2009 5:46 pm - 12 Comments
  • frog

    Medical mishaps – the full story? - by frog



    The Government’s report yesterday on accidents in our hospitals was a start in the right direction.  Sue Kedgley has been campaigning for years to have a monitoring system set up and finally progress is being made!  This is only the second time there has been a nationwide report into hospital accidents. It’s a good start. [...] read more
    February 24, 2009 5:09 pm - 13 Comments
  • frog

    Cartoon: Fitzsimons’ award - by frog



    Well done Rod Emmerson over at the Herald. I like! read more
    February 24, 2009 1:54 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    Jeanette’s leadership video - by frog



    Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons announces that she will step down as co-leader this year and invites the party membership to get involved in our democratic process to elect the next co-leader. read more
    February 23, 2009 12:43 pm - 11 Comments
  • frog

    We are so damn lucky. Thanks Jeanette - by frog



    When Jeanette topped a poll of Kiwis’ most trusted politicians last year, it confirmed what we in the Green Party have long understood. You can trust Jeanette. You can trust her to do what’s right. You can trust her to speak up for those who don’t have a voice. While the cult of the personality [...] read more
    February 23, 2009 12:38 pm - 42 Comments
  • frog

    Jeanette hops along - by frog



    Even a frog couldn’t help but get emotional as I watched Jeanette officially announce her stepping down from the leadership of the Green Party. It’s undeniable: She’s been one of the world’s great green leaders. Bob Brown, the leader of the Australian Greens, had this to say about her: “Jeanette is a pre-eminent national and [...] read more
    February 23, 2009 11:42 am - 41 Comments
  • frog

    Dylan Horrocks Cartoon: S92A Copyright Blackout - by frog



    I found this gem over at Scoop. I think Dylan captures the essence of the debate! In the meantime, the open water beckons… Scoop’s full coverage of the s92(a) blackout can be found here. read more
    February 22, 2009 10:11 am - 44 Comments
  • frog

    Why the National Party killed the pay-equity inquiries - by frog



    The Herald online highlighted the issue; The Government has axed two investigations aimed at improving the pay of women as it tries to save money by controlling public sector salaries. State Services Minister Tony Ryall said the investigations would “generate an additional form of remuneration pressure that is unaffordable in the current economic and fiscal [...] read more
    February 21, 2009 10:11 am - 70 Comments
  • frog

    Maori Rugby: A new political football - by frog



    So maybe South Africa doesn’t want a visit from the New Zealand Maori team anymore, but does that mean we don’t want the team either? Those of you who took intro to logic at uni can probably give us a formal refutation in two minutes flat, and while you’re doing that, a couple of things [...] read more
    February 20, 2009 4:40 pm - 35 Comments
  • frog

    Jailing kids for cash: a lesson on private prisons - by frog



    There is no doubt in my mind where all this tougher-than-though-on-crime posturing in the House this week is going. It’s going straight towards private prisons, to the detriment of justice in this country. We need only look to the early adopters of private prisons, the US, to see where this will take us. Truthdig makes [...] read more
    February 20, 2009 10:02 am - 22 Comments
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