Archive for July, 2009

• 

  Whitehead reveals Government’s Hand ?? - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  In an interesting move the Treasury seems to be foreshadowing the Government’s privatisation agenda by yesterday putting out a press release of their CE’s speech which calls for change in the public sector. Given how closely the speech aligns with the Government’s rhetoric around the public sector and their ideological commitment to the private sector, [...] read more
  July 21, 2009 2:35 pm - 12 Comments
• 

  Emissions webcast a bit fizzy - by frog

  
  
  
  Last night’s webcast from MfE was not a triumph in technological consultation, but it does give us a glimpse into what is possible. Aside from the usual technical challenges, like all the panel appearing in smurf blue for the first 20 minutes and some viewers whinging because they chose a bandwidth far in excess of [...] read more
  July 21, 2009 10:23 am - 2 Comments
• 

  Paula Bennett has forgotten her own - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  “I’ve always proudly stood up and said I’ve had benefit from the welfare state and I’m incredibly grateful for it. To now have that being used against me, I think is offensive to those people who are on benefits and trying to better their lives.” So says Paula Bennett, Minister of Social development and one [...] read more
  July 21, 2009 9:07 am - 176 Comments
• 

  Moving forward on folic acid fortification - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
    Image by Lyndon Hood The Green Party welcomes the decision of the Government to review the decision to mandatorily fortify almost all bread sold in New Zealand with folic acid.  We are not sure why such a review would take three years, however. In our view a panel of experts should review the new science and [...] read more
  July 20, 2009 3:16 pm - 16 Comments
• 

  Last chance to have your say on emissions – online - by frog

  
  
  
  I’ll give MfE credit for one thing. If you are going to hold a Clayton’s consultation on a 2020 target, (like giving 1.4 million Aucklander’s just an hour and a half to have their say), you certainly get high marks for courage with tonight’s online webcast/consultation round. Pulling this off without a hitch would be [...] read more
  July 20, 2009 11:51 am - 23 Comments
• 

  Town and Country at Loggerheads - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  There was a stark contrast between the Napier consultation meeting on our climate change target, and those in the major cities. We’re now reaping the consequences of several years of misinformation being fed to the farming community about climate science and it is driving the deepest town-country divide I have seen in my lifetime. Auckland [...] read more
  July 20, 2009 9:04 am - 127 Comments
• 

  General Debate, July 18, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  read more
  July 18, 2009 7:14 am - 119 Comments
• 

  Fitch is sending New Zealand a message - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  It is hardly surprising Fitch has signalled a credit watch on account of our current account deficit. The Greens have been pointing out the seriousness of our overseas deficit for many years. There is not much compassion in international circles for people who have been living beyond their means for many years and expecting others [...] read more
  July 17, 2009 5:57 pm - 72 Comments
• 

  NZ Government to censor the internet - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Thomas Beagle sent me an email about Net censorship which has taken me a while to respond to. But since the issue is so significant, I thought I would respond here. Thomas has exposed the issue publicly though an OIA and provided significant information about it. The Department of Internal Affairs has undertaken a trial [...] read more
  July 17, 2009 3:32 pm - 43 Comments
• 

  Food Price Hikes: Less Lunch To Munch - by frog

  
  
  
  Much like a monkey aboard a 1960s Space Rocket it appears food prices don’t want to come back down to earth either.  A brand of chocolate that is now banned at Auckland Zoo seems to be partly responsible. Apparently the increase in Grocery Sub Group One was driven by a price increase for chocolate that [...] read more
  July 16, 2009 4:19 pm - 6 Comments
• 

  Nick Smith’s statistical massage - by frog

  
  
  
  This is one of the slides used by the Minister for the Environment in the climate change target consultation presentation. The bar graph showing percentage emissions change for sectors between 1990 and 2007 serves to focus attention on the electricity sector, where the emissions have grown over 90% in that time. But astute readers will [...] read more
  July 16, 2009 3:08 pm - 37 Comments
• 

  The Future is Green - by frog

  
  
  
  Last nights Back Benchers TV show featured “young guns” from the youth wings of the political parties. It covered a whole range of stuff including drinking, bread, provocation, student loans and using a brothel for the Olympics. Zachary Dorner, our youth co-convenor did an excellent job of representing the Greens and telling it like it [...] read more
  July 16, 2009 10:25 am - 79 Comments
• 

  Bradford’s Truth – The referendum approaches - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  My regular New Zealand Truth column this week is about section 59 of the Crimes Act and the child discipline referendum: In just a couple of weeks we are all going to be asked to vote on the child discipline referendum question in a postal ballot. Voting opens on 31 July and closes 21 August. [...] read more
  July 16, 2009 9:36 am - 49 Comments
• 

  Giving Companies the Freedom to Dare - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s an AIG commercial that, with hindsight, just drips with delicious irony. For the record: AIG posted one of biggest losses ever in corporate history last year and have since received $US182 billion in bail-out money from the US taxpayer. read more
  July 16, 2009 9:27 am - 6 Comments
• 

  General Debate, July 16, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  read more
  July 16, 2009 6:59 am - 13 Comments
• 

  One Way to Free the World From War - by frog

  
  
  
  Green MP Kennedy Graham is on a mission to outlaw war. This week, he took his first significant step towards that end with the launch of his Member’s Bill, the International Non-Aggression and the Lawful Use of Force Bill. I talk to Kennedy about the likelihood of achieving his vision for a world free of [...] read more
  July 14, 2009 6:35 am - 32 Comments
• 

  Public Debate likely to ensue over our daily bread - by frog

  
  
  
  Over the weekend Sue K was on TVNZ’s Q and A talking about a subject many people and frogs may be unaware of – the fact that as of early September all bread in New Zealand excepting organic bread will be fortified with folic acid. This decision was taken in 2007 by the previous Labour [...] read more
  July 13, 2009 5:22 pm - 31 Comments
• 

  Using the Force? Make sure it’s legal - by frog

  
  
  
  A bit of culture jamming is what you need to show that people are, in fact, paying attention. So it was when Scoop’s Gordon Campbell wrote up Kennedy Graham’s International Non-Aggression and Lawful Use of Force Bill, which was released last week. I’m not sure who to credit for the photo, beyond scoop, but if [...] read more
  July 13, 2009 2:57 pm - 30 Comments
• 

  General Debate, July 11, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  Winston returns – what’s next? Top US spook caught having secret meetings in Wellington – what do they want? Nick Smith conducts clayton’s consultation on 2020 emissions target - what did you expect? read more
  July 11, 2009 7:26 am - 130 Comments
• 

  The world’s most diverse seabird community needs you - by frog

  
  
  
  If ever there was an opportunity to protect a marine environment abundant in unique species, a growing tourism interest, and with minimal impact on fishing interests, this is it. The Subantarctic region is recognised as being of international significance. While the islands themselves enjoy considerable protection as nature reserves, little of the marine area surrounding [...] read more
  July 9, 2009 2:00 pm - 3 Comments