Archive for May, 2009

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  General Debate, May 12, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  This one’s for the fly. read more
  May 12, 2009 7:16 am - 73 Comments
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  It’s not what you know it’s who you know - by frog

  
  
  
  Last week, the Speaker Dr Lockwood Smith sent ‘our Russel’ a letter saying that seven lobbyists with access to the parliamentary precinct did not want their names out in the public domain.  The Speaker’s Office contacted the lobbyists after Russel wrote to them concerned that eight people have special passes that give them access to the [...] read more
  May 11, 2009 4:34 pm - 19 Comments
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  Mt Albert is set to get a new hue - by frog

  
  
  
  Green was the scene at the Green Party’s Mt Albert by-election campaign launch. Many of those present wore this most natural of colours, myself included. Party Co-Leader Russel Norman was a notable exception, choosing a blue tie that matched his eyes, but core green issues dominated his campaign speech. Russel spoke of the grey future [...] read more
  May 11, 2009 4:03 pm - 3 Comments
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  The Greens look in Mt Albert - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s a sneak preview of the billboards going up around Mt Albert this week… Another reminder that, when it comes to campaigning, there’s the Green Party and then there’s the old grey parties. read more
  May 11, 2009 2:56 pm - 29 Comments
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  The water crisis – a sequel - by frog

  
  
  
  Water pollution comes from other sources beside dairy (see post last night), so a broader solution is needed, than just best-practice and full compliance from the dairy industry. NZ also needs a basic standard for water quality that says all water must be swimmable, and if it isn’t at the moment, then it needs to [...] read more
  May 10, 2009 11:00 am - 57 Comments
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  Nice words, but where’s the action? - by frog

  
  
  
  The release of a Strategy for New Zealand Dairy Farming slipped quietly under the public’s radar this week, with few media picking it up. At the Strategy launch, the PM and Ag Minister David Carter mooed in the direction of the environment: the PM said, “It is important that farmers step up and take leadership [...] read more
  May 9, 2009 8:05 pm - 6 Comments
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  Battered Jellyfish and Chips? - by frog

  
  
  
  This week, the Fishing Industry announced it was seeking Marine Stewardship Council certification for five NZ fisheries. The Government endorsed the move, saying the “eco-label will be further endorsement of New Zealand’s careful fisheries management”. The Greens would love all of NZ’s fisheries to be MSC-certified, if only the “careful fisheries management” was a true [...] read more
  May 9, 2009 12:09 pm - 8 Comments
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  RMA Phase II: a Pandora’s box? - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Today, the Government announced its “work programmes” for Phase II of the reform of the New Zealand’s resource management laws… These reforms are opening too many Pandora’s boxes at once. Unless achieving better environmental outcomes becomes a key objective, they will simply facilitate the increased degradation of our water, land, coast and communities that are the very reasons we all love this country and which underpin the brand our export industries need. read more
  May 8, 2009 2:32 pm - 5 Comments
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  Red Alert - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, it seems like Labour has finally come out of the closet and fronted, or rather backed, its very own blog. I approve heartily. It seems that kiwiblog approves too, and flatters us by saying that Labour and National should pattern themselves after frogblog. The lillypad blushes crimson. Further proof that conceptually, the Greens still [...] read more
  May 8, 2009 1:50 pm - 38 Comments
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  Trotter on Norman: Demise or Debutante? - by frog

  
  
  
  In his usual fashion, Chris Trotter is both cursing and blessing the Greens in almost the same breath. In his article for The Independent this week, entitled Grave Issue for the Greens, Trotter pedals a few tired myths and predicts the demise of the Green Party. He then follows up with a glowing Greens Have [...] read more
  May 8, 2009 1:19 pm - 22 Comments
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  General Debate, May 8, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  Back by popular request – It’s General Debate time. Play nice! read more
  May 8, 2009 8:29 am - 88 Comments
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  Seeking justice becomes 9 times harder today - by frog

  
  
  
  Today the Government’s increase in the filing fee to lodge an appeal with the Environment Court takes effect. The increase of the filing fee from $55 to $500 takes this mediation out of reach of many Kiwis, and will mean that big developers and Councils will not have to find agreed solutions that improve outcomes [...] read more
  May 7, 2009 10:49 am - 48 Comments
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  Bradford’s Truth – Banks and Bangalore - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  My regular column in the NZ Truth this week focuses on the banking industry, and the Government’s approach to it in the context of economic recession: Late last year the Government introduced a scheme which means that all taxpayers are now guaranteeing our local banking and finance industry. You would think that in return we [...] read more
  May 6, 2009 6:25 pm - 102 Comments
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  Sign Up - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  This week is New Zealand Sign Language week. Sign is of course one of the three official languages of Aotearoa New Zealand along with Te Reo and English. So it is great to see the translators in the gallery of Parliament for two days. It is magical to watch to see their skills and to [...] read more
  May 6, 2009 2:58 pm - 7 Comments
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  Foreign Affairs is a million shades of grey - by frog

  
  
  
  I was wading through the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area a few weeks ago – a little light reading for a Frog. Looks like New Zealand will be doing business with Burma (or Myanmar as the military dictators refer to Burma). Green MP Dr Kennedy Graham spoke about this in the [...] read more
  May 6, 2009 2:58 pm - 8 Comments
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  Banks should be expected to do their bit on jobs - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  Yesterday I hosted the launch at Parliament of a petition signed by 10,500 New Zealanders calling on the Government to protect jobs in the NZ banking sector. The Green Party, the bank workers’ union Finsec – and the signatories to the petition -  believe that in return for the massive support the NZ taxpayer is [...] read more
  May 6, 2009 7:50 am - 45 Comments
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  Farming and the ETS – the latest from the select committee - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Yesterday we heard all the farming related submissions. Federated Farmers continued to be the most extreme – agriculture should be entirely left out of the ETS because food production is important. But in NZ methane and nitrous oxide from farming are the large half (51%) of our emissions. Leaving them out means taxpayers fork out a hefty subsidy to farming, or other energy users pay twice as much as they otherwise would. read more
  May 6, 2009 7:30 am - 112 Comments
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  Aussie Greens strike out at ETS - by frog

  
  
  
  Australia can, must and will meet 40% cuts by 2020. The Greens are confident that once we set off on the path to 25% cuts, delivered mostly at home, we can easily accelerate our effort towards 40% and beyond to carbon neutrality. Putting 25% on the table will see Australia taken seriously at the Copenhagen [...] read more
  May 5, 2009 2:50 pm - 17 Comments
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  AGW Haiku - by frog

  
  
  
  Regretfully, I made a quip about global warming haiku on another thread. Frogblog readers have responded with a flourish of creativity. I invite all readers to make a contribution here. read more
  May 5, 2009 11:32 am - 42 Comments
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  Pest Control - by frog

  
  
  
  DANGER DANGER :  Attention David Carter’s press secretaryALERT ALERT:  Attention well-paid Beehive media advisors.  You face serious risk today of meeting a scientist with an opinion and there may not be departmental guidelines to keep him in line. It’s Bee Week and Ag Min David Carter has a photo opp planned this afternoon with the Bug [...] read more
  May 5, 2009 9:25 am - 32 Comments