Archive for April, 2009

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  Dozy bulls bear down on Auckland - by frog

  
  
  
  Aucklanders are getting a raw deal when they try to oppose NACTs propose changes proposed to environmental protection laws as reported in Granny Herald today. The problem, say interested groups, is no one contacted them to let them know when or where the hearings were to be held, or when their submissions were scheduled to [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 5:19 pm - 11 Comments
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  Black Drain Revisited - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  The pulp and paper mills of Kawerau are once again applying for a licence to pollute! After 53 years of maintaining a river in a state of semi blackness and invisible degradation they now want to apply for new consents for thirty five years of business as usual. Business as usual in this community means [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 12:11 pm - 16 Comments
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  Jeanette questions Salinger sacking - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  By hiding behind the public service rules the minister of Research, Science and Technology has shot himself in the foot. What seemed like the safest path to a new minister may in the end prove the most embarrassing. Tuesday, with my question in the House, I tried to give Wayne Mapp an opportunity to express [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 10:55 am - 33 Comments
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  Salvation Army & Law Commission support rational alcohol laws - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  On Tuesday the Salvation Army released their submission to the Sale of Liquor Bill currently before the Justice and Electoral select committee, calling for the bill to be scrapped. They said that the bill simply tinkered with the issues and didn’t deal with the almost complete cultural acceptance of the harm this highly dangerous and [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 8:30 am - 25 Comments
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  Divine retribution? - by frog

  
  
  
  Since we’ve had a few negative posts on developments in Happy Valley recently, here’s one to cheer up those of you who, like me, think coal sux and wetlands are cool. It’s been raining on the Coast - not just cats and dogs but tigers and seals! The rain has apparently caused a massive slip on the [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 7:01 am - 9 Comments
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  New Vikings Now Green Vikings - by frog

  
  
  
  We’re baaa-aack! The Green Party in Iceland is back in the business of trying to pick up the pieces. Iceland, the world’s canary in the coalmine of catastrophic economic failure, has just returned the Left Greens to power as Iris Erlingsdottir explains over at Huffington Post: The voters of Iceland decisively repudiated the 18-year rule [...] read more
  April 30, 2009 5:57 am - 32 Comments
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  Mt Albert and me - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Tonight I’ve been selected as the Green Party’s candidate for Mt Albert so I thought I should explain to everyone why I’ve decided to stand. Green issues are Auckland issues, and as a Green Party candidate I’ll have the opportunity to stand up for Mt Albert issues in a way that the National and Labour [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 10:56 pm - 10 Comments
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  The happs in the RMA Select Committee - by frog

  
  
  
  After two 12-hour marathon days of submissions, last week and yesterday, it looks like the National-led Government’s attempt to “simplify and streamline” the Resource Management Act – New Zealand’s primary environmental protection law – by removing the “non-complying” consent category is full of holes and sinking fast. Green Co-Leader and MP on the Select Committee, Russel Norman, [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 5:30 pm - 15 Comments
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  The Mother of All Mergers - by frog

  
  
  
  I am going to go out on a limb here. I am going to do something that I rarely ever do, and make a prediction about politics. I predict that in the same way that Ruth Richardson’s Mother of All Budgets was the death knell for Jim Bolger, Rodney Hide’s Mother of All Mergers in [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 4:56 pm - 28 Comments
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  When is fair fair in the ETS? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Yesterday’s select committee hearings on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) were a lesson on how to do it. We had invited all the iwi submitters to present in the early afternoon, just as we have grouped other like-minded submitters. But instead of each taking their individual 15 minutes for presentation and questions, they organised themselves [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 2:15 pm - 14 Comments
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  Indigenous climate change conference - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Jeanette has blogged today on the Emissions Trading Scheme submissions from iwi and hapu. She talked about how it is necessary to treat Treaty settlement land and resources differently under the scheme, particularly forestry. This is a crucial point, especially in light of the issues discussed at the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 9:30 am - 10 Comments
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  From alpine wilderness to a big hole - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s the beginning of the end for the unique red tussock lands of Happy Valley. Solid Energy commenced coal-mining preparations in the area on Earth Day by constructing fences, installing security equipment, and taking apart the Save Happy Valley camp. Metiria discusses the devastating implications of this, the first move to turn Happy Valley into [...] read more
  April 29, 2009 8:30 am - 5 Comments
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  Keira Knightley gets censored: too violent! - by frog

  
  
  
  I love a good public service announcement that cuts to the chase. Particularly when it exceeds my otherwise high tolerance for violence/destruction and makes my skin crawl. This is one such advert. Too bad that the UK censors deemed it too violent for television. In an age when our tellies screen dozens of murders per [...] read more
  April 28, 2009 10:52 am - 30 Comments
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  Paying for the science of denial - by frog

  
  
  
  A recent unrelated court case has shed interesting light on the inner workings of the now disbanded Global Climate Coalition. The Coalition was formed to cast doubt on the science of climate change to protect the interests of large corporations from the oil, coal, and automobile industries by delaying attempts to limit climate change emissions. [...] read more
  April 28, 2009 10:42 am - 51 Comments
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  Are Auckland buses really running 98.5% on time? - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald on Sunday yesterday reported on the uglier side of commuting home on the bus to places like Botany Downs or New Lynn. Using GPS readings to record real time bus movements, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority were able to track the actual punctuality of buses. While the GPS information they’ve amassed is not [...] read more
  April 27, 2009 3:56 pm - 18 Comments
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  To Save Happy Valley Coalition, From Jeanette - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  I was absolutely gutted yesterday to hear that Solid Energy has moved into our beautiful valley to begin its destruction. I wish I could be here [in Christchurch] with you today. I want to celebrate all the people who have kept vigil at the camp, walked five hours to get there in hard weather, given [...] read more
  April 26, 2009 8:01 pm - 70 Comments
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  Rapping the Hadron Collider - by frog

  
  
  
  How to communicate science to yoofs? Or maybe how not to! read more
  April 26, 2009 2:46 pm - 4 Comments
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  Lest Auckland Forgets - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s ANZAC day, and as well we ought, we remember all those who have given their lives or served our country. There are many who would protest such a statement, for various reasons, but I am not one of them. In order to have any notion of those who have served, you first need to [...] read more
  April 25, 2009 8:00 am - 96 Comments
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  A letter in a bottle[nose dolphin] - by frog

  
  
  
  This great letter appears in the April issue of Seafood New Zealand magazine. I’ll let it speak for itself: Dear Editor Well, the dolphin observer program has come to an end and, might I hazard to say, with some very positive results. Our worst fears of being landed with some hairy armpit, tattooed Green who [...] read more
  April 25, 2009 7:42 am - 15 Comments
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  Dunedin risks haemorrhaging money in risky ventures - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Justice Chisholm has dismissed Stop the Stadium’s injunction to prevent the Dunedin City Council from signing a contract with Hawkins Construction to build the stadium, before public consultation on this year’s annual plan is heard. I am in no doubt that the Council will relieved, given the depth of the financial hole they have already [...] read more
  April 24, 2009 11:21 am - 16 Comments