Archive for November, 2009

  • frog

    Podcast: Mining our Sacred Places - by frog



    The National Government are poised to do the unthinkable — open up our most treasured places, our national parks and reserves — to mining. Can they be serious? Didn’t we have this fight 100 years ago? Do New Zealanders really believe that no place is sacred if there’s a goldmine or a coalmine sitting underneath [...] read more
    November 10, 2009 9:28 am - 5 Comments
  • frog

    Spinning it on ACC levies - by frog



    ACC’s advertising last week promoting the Government’s proposed increase in motorcycle levies countinues a disturbing trend under the National-led Government of using public service funding – in this case your and my ACC levies – to promote Government political spin. read more
    November 9, 2009 2:06 pm - 17 Comments
  • frog

    What Would Rod Say? - by frog



    This first anniversary of the National-led government is also the fourth anniversary of the death of former Green Party Co-Leader, Rod Donald. With the many retrospectives being written about the “new” government, my thoughts turn today to what Rod might have thought about the developments of the last year. There’s been commentary claiming the government [...] read more
    November 6, 2009 5:33 pm - 68 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Access to Dental Care a Human Right - by Catherine Delahunty



    I am horrified that the Ministry of Health’s mobile dental clinics won’t be wheelchair accessible.  If the vision is to take health out to the people then access is a fundamental issue.  The excuse that a ramp would cost $70,000 must be examined.  What has happened to the DIY approach to practical problems like building [...] read more
    November 6, 2009 3:56 pm - 107 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Afghanistan’s Agony: What in the world to do? - by Kennedy Graham



    Afghanistan gets progressively worse.  The US President is caught in a vice-like grip between personal judgment and political constraint.  Having characterised Afghanistan as a war of necessity to escape a war of choice (Iraq), he cannot exit early.  Yet a late exit becomes a quagmire.  He thus equivocates over the military’s request for another surge, [...] read more
    November 6, 2009 12:25 pm - 29 Comments
  • frog

    National Out of Touch on Transport? - by frog



    I’ve blogged before about the gap between what Steven Joyce wants for Auckland (more roads) and what the average Aucklander wants (more public transport). It’s nice to see the Herald agrees with me (for a change). They rate Joyce’s performance as a Minister 6 out of 10 – not because he isn’t an effective Minister – [...] read more
    November 6, 2009 12:10 pm - 6 Comments
  • frog

    Mokihinui – Brownlee’s burp - by frog



    So this week our Minister of Mining and Damming (aka Energy and Resources) let slip that the Mokihinui hydro-dam “would not go ahead”. Does he know something or was it just his ‘opinion’? Whatever the brain-burp was, he was ill-advised to say it but it’d be nice to think that there may be Moki fans in Government – perhaps they are closet readers of the 1400-fan facebook page! read more
    November 5, 2009 10:16 pm - 28 Comments
  • frog

    Smart hook – smart economics - by frog



    Fisher-turned-inventor Hans Jussiet explains the shield and dissolvable pin that covers baited-hooks as they are launched in this video from an ABC TVshow. Once the shielded hook sinks below the depth of seabirds and turtles, the pin dissolves and the shield is released. [Video included] read more
    November 5, 2009 9:20 pm - 5 Comments
  • frog

    The last ocean - by frog



    The Ross Sea is described as the world’s last ocean. The Greens support making the Ross Sea a Protected Area, which would mean protecting the Ross Sea’s Antarctic toothfish from fishing. Do you agree? read more
    November 5, 2009 9:33 am - 8 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Attack on invalids is a sick policy - by Metiria Turei



    Last month one-time Act party candidate and full time crusader against the DPB Lindsay Mitchell released a statement criticising National for not implementing their draconian pre-election welfare policy.  According to Ms Mitchell, who writes from the leafy Wellington sea side suburb Eastbourne, what is needed is a bit more carrot and probably a rather large [...] read more
    November 4, 2009 9:00 am - 51 Comments
  • frog

    General Debate, November 4, 2009 - by frog



    read more
    November 4, 2009 7:35 am - 155 Comments
  • frog

    Burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner - by frog



    Well known conservative commentator Thomas Friedman contends that destroying our biodiversity to fuel unregulated economic growth is like burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner. The issue of how we should treat natural capital in our economy resurfaced today in a new economic think-tank report. read more
    November 3, 2009 3:49 pm - 11 Comments
  • frog

    Vote for a sustainable ocean: buy the best fish - by frog



    Forest and Bird has issued an update of its popular, and very useful, Best Fish Guide. The guide takes into account the state of fish stocks, the amount of seabird, marine mammal and non-target fish bycatch, the damage done to marine habitats and other ecological effects caused by the fishing to decide on its rating. [...] read more
    November 3, 2009 10:02 am - 9 Comments
  • frog

    Economic debate gets Green voice - by frog



    TVNZ7’s much hyped economic debate (you’ve probably seen the adds by now) will have a Green voice.  Following TVNZ’s Guyon Espiner interviewing Finance Minister Bill English Green Party Co-Leader Dr Russel Norman will critique National’s first year in Government along with Roger Douglas (ACT) and David Cunliffe (Labour).  TVZN7’s economic debate screens tonight on TVNZ7 [...] read more
    November 3, 2009 9:52 am - 16 Comments
  • frog

    Think our native forests were safe? Think again. - by frog



    “Agricultural intensification over the past 10 years has led to the highest rate of native vegetation loss since European colonisation.” Landcare Research Annual Report read more
    November 2, 2009 11:29 am - 18 Comments
  • Sue Bradford

    Audioblog: Green MPs pay tribute to Sue Bradford - by Sue Bradford



    Sue Bradford delivered her valedictory speech in Parliament on Wednesday, to a packed gallery of supporters from the Green Party, unions, child welfare groups, churches, NGOs and the public, and a standing ovation from MPs of all colours. This week, as Sue leaves Parliament after ten years, the Green MPs pay tribute to one of [...] read more
    November 2, 2009 10:06 am - 9 Comments
  • frog

    Fancy that. Kiwis hate National’s ETS - by frog



    It was no surprise to me to find this morning a new ShapeNZ poll shows Kiwis overwhelmingly reject National’s proposed changes to the ETS. Eighty-two percent of National voters believe emitters should pay for any emissions in excess of New Zealand’s agreed limit under the Kyoto treaty, not taxpayers. Among Maori Party voters this rises to ninety-one percent. read more
    November 2, 2009 9:18 am - 12 Comments
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