Archive for September, 2009

• 

  All Hail the Tsar of Auckland - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  John Banks, in a revealing early morning interview with Ewing Stevens Wednesday on Radio Live, enthused about the Auckland Super City, and his ambitions to be the first Mayor. He confided that he already had a campaign team of 600 in place, and confirmed the campaign would be very expensive, as it would cost $130,000 [...] read more
  September 18, 2009 10:07 am - 3 Comments
• 

  Deputy PM calls for direct action against supermarkets - by frog

  
  
  
  In a surprise move, Bill English has called for supermarkets that stock palm oil products to be picketed. After a series of questions from Russel Norman on New Zealand’s complicity in the devastation of rainforests in South East Asia, Bill stepped up to the plate with his proposal for an environmental campaign:    … the primary [...] read more
  September 18, 2009 9:56 am - 23 Comments
• 

  What’s wrong with the National-Maori Party ETS? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Basically, it’s less obligation for everyone, and more delay. Taxpayers pick up the cost. It seriously weakens the scheme we have now, and will do little to reduce emissions. read more
  September 18, 2009 6:30 am - 41 Comments
• 

  Give me an ‘H’ for Whanganui! - by frog

  
  
  
  The Geographic Board has spoken. Unanimously. Whanganui should get its ‘H’ back, as the original settlers intended. read more
  September 17, 2009 9:23 pm - 62 Comments
• 

  Unlock the camps - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  “Unlock the Camps” has been the call of Sri Lankan Tamils on demonstrations I attended in Auckland and Wellington recently. It is horrendous that 300,000 Tamils are still detained in camps in northern Sri Lanka. The response of the world community has been pathetic, given the scale of suffering. read more
  September 17, 2009 2:24 pm - 14 Comments
• 

  Stiglitz questions GDP as a measure of progress - by frog

  
  
  
  At the request of French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has produced a report questioning the adequacy of GDP as a measure of progress. read more
  September 17, 2009 11:54 am - 12 Comments
• 

  General Debate, September 17, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  Gerry “Sexy Lignite” Brownlee assured Metiria Turei in the House yesterday that the govt would not mine in National Parks.  Immediately afterward he took a patsy question that allowed him to expound on the merits of “responsible mining”.  So let’s start this general debate with an informal poll: Which Gerry do you believe? read more
  September 17, 2009 6:40 am - 34 Comments
• 

  Parliament mined, fossils detected - by frog

  
  
  
  I glanced out my window this afternoon and was alarmed to see Parliament lawn swarming with menacing figures dressed in white suits and armed with metal detectors, seemingly prospecting one of New Zealand’s finest heritage sites for minerals. read more
  September 16, 2009 4:13 pm - 18 Comments
• 

  My new clothes – uh, theme - by frog

  
  
  
  How do you like my new theme? Just so we don’t hi-jack every thread discussing it, put your comments here please! read more
  September 16, 2009 2:37 pm - 31 Comments
• 

  The ETS, power prices and income compensation - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  The Maori Party seems to be having difficulty getting the National Party to agree to raising the core benefit to compensate for higher electricity and transport fuel prices under the ETS. read more
  September 16, 2009 12:35 pm - 16 Comments
• 

  Green Streets for Our Cities? - by frog

  
  
  
  The North Shore Times reports that a new trial of permeable paving in Birkdale has been highly successful, decreasing storm water run-off by up to 75 per cent. The run off also had a much lower content of harmful metals like copper and zinc.  Stormwater contamination is something Auckland has a bit of a problem [...] read more
  September 16, 2009 12:14 pm - 1 Comment
• 

  Greenpeace occupies palm kernel shipment - by frog

  
  
  
  They’re at it again! The World Bank may have changed it’s mind about funding palm kernel and the destruction of our rainforests, but Fonterra and this National-led government still have their heads in the sand. (Like so many issues, it seems) Twelve activists have boarded the Easy Ambition and chained themselves to prevent the shipment [...] read more
  September 16, 2009 10:28 am - 106 Comments
• 

  “Classless” Society - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Last week during Adult Learners Week many people marched in all our main cities protesting against the night class cuts. The Government and the Minister of Tertiary Education have  maintained an icy silence. The Minister attended no functions celebrating Adult Learners Week Previously the Minister of Tertiary Education  Anne Tolley said that the 80% cut [...] read more
  September 16, 2009 10:01 am - 13 Comments
• 

  World Bank Goes Green? - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Sometimes something really good happens. The World Bank has withdrawn funding for the palm oil sector including the Wilmar company that supplies [PDF] palm kernel to Fonterra. The World Bank is not satisfied that the palm plantations they loaned to in parts of the developing world met acceptable standards for sustainability. Congratulations to the Forest [...] read more
  September 14, 2009 12:22 pm - 77 Comments
• 

  Minister mining for inspiration - by frog

  
  
  
  An avid frog reader has sent in this photo of the Minister of Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee, mining inspiration from a quality resource. read more
  September 14, 2009 9:09 am - 33 Comments
• 

  An open letter to Phil Goff, on reading Friday’s Herald - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Dear Phil, I am deeply disappointed you are letting Nick Smith’s electioneering define the Labour party, and apologising for that definition. It is hard to see how Labour will ever have an independent identity if it leaps to deny sensible policy whenever National attacks it. Even using their term, “nanny state” fails politics 101 – never repeat your opponent’s terms of abuse. read more
  September 12, 2009 5:17 pm - 180 Comments
• 

  Send the leaky houses bill to Ruth and Roger - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  One of the series of damaging legacies from the new right revolution of the 80s and the 90s is the leaky housing fiasco. The NZ Herald reports this morning that the leaky houses fiasco is now threatening NZ’s credit rating because the liabilities are so large ($6 billion) to fix the houses. The 1991 Building [...] read more
  September 12, 2009 8:55 am - 58 Comments
• 

  Bill Moyers on Obama and the US Healthcare Debate - by frog

  
  
  
  Many Kiwis won’t be familiar with Moyers, who has had a long career in US journalism. In the 1960′s he worked for JFK, founding the Peace Corp, and later as Johnson’s press secretary. Moyers then played a key role in establishing the Public Broadcasting System which has been his home almost ever since. Bill is [...] read more
  September 12, 2009 7:07 am - No Comments
• 

  General Debate, September 11, 2009 - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m one grumpy amphibian today.  This week RMA “reform” passed and New Zealand’s core environmental protection regime was trashed. Nick Smith finally admitted in the end that his intention all along was to tip the balance from the environment to developers.  Next week its Auckland’s turn to get dicked. And on this 8th anniversary of [...] read more
  September 11, 2009 6:39 am - 83 Comments
• 

  Government takes baby step on Biosecurity, in face of need for giant stride - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  In the face of massive threats, Government has moved to cut the Budget for biosecurity by 11% (and 54 jobs), and is moving from universal biosecurity screening of incoming passengers to a “risk profile” based selective screening. This is certain to increase biosecurity incursions. read more
  September 11, 2009 6:25 am - No Comments