Archive for April, 2010

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  New coalition forms to oppose Super City - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  If you read the Aucklander you’ll know there has been a new and very positive development in the story of the SuperCity today. A group of concerned citizens and community groups have come together to form an organization called Our Auckland. They’re campaigning to get National & Act to run a real consultative process with [...] read more
  April 30, 2010 2:30 pm - 3 Comments
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  Tourists speak out on mining National Parks - by frog

  
  
  
  Greenpeace has taken a more serious angle with their latest video, which has our fearless duo, Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcolm, talking to tourists about John Key’s plans to mine our National Parks. read more
  April 30, 2010 9:24 am - 20 Comments
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  Cabinet celebrates the ECan coup - by frog

  
  
  
  A picture is worth a thousand words! If you are in or near Christchurch tomorrow Friday 30 April, come and join the protests against this abrogation of democracy: 5:30 pm @ ECan office 58 Kilmore St, moving to the Jenny Shipley gloat-fest lecture at the Copthorne Hotel, corner Durham and Kilmore Streets an hour or so later. read more
  April 29, 2010 7:57 pm - 41 Comments
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  Methyl bromide protest - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  I met a port worker at our protest against the use of the highly toxic and ozone depleting fumigant Methyl Bromide at the Tauranga Port yesterday. He told me that for years his job on the wharf had been to drive cars, which had just been fumigated with Methyl Bromide, out of the fumigation area [...] read more
  April 29, 2010 12:05 pm - 8 Comments
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  Bail conditions digging up too much info - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  There is a very disturbing side to the raids on Switched on Gardener hydroponics store. We learn that the shops are reopening on the condition that staff require customers to produce photographic ID. This is presented as a condition for giving bail to the staff that have been charged. read more
  April 29, 2010 10:25 am - 30 Comments
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  Your chance to help us out :) - by frog

  
  
  
  Want to help us out? Got 15 minutes to spare? Sitting infront of a computer? Then we need you! Sort cards into piles so we know how you think our web site should be organised – go to http://nzgreens.optimalsort.com/gprestructure/ to get started. Thanks so much! read more
  April 29, 2010 6:41 am - 2 Comments
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  Is New Zealand dropping the ball on our clean, green brand? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  In 499 days the Rugby World Cup will kick off in New Zealand. The Rugby World Cup will be the biggest international event to come to New Zealand ever and is our best chance in a generation to invest in sustainable infrastructure and build our international brand. I’ve been writing for a couple of years [...] read more
  April 28, 2010 11:22 pm - 13 Comments
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  Pink Shirt Day Against Bullying - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Today has been designated Pink Shirt Day, although as I looked around the House I didn’t see anyone from any of the other parties who seems to have remembered. Tony Ryall customarily wears a pink shirt, but today it’s white with a stripe through it (very understated). Charles Chauvel is wearing a fantastic shell-pink tie, [...] read more
  April 28, 2010 9:59 pm - 18 Comments
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  Photo – fern - by frog

  
  
  
  While it’s easy to fall into the trap of anthropomorphising non-human life-forms like this unfolding fern frond, it’s easy to see in it the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland, don’t you think? read more
  April 28, 2010 8:49 pm - 1 Comment
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  Why cuts to Early Childhood Education are a dumb idea - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  This morning I was dismayed to hear Bill English signalling – to all intents and purposes – that there will be funding cuts for Early Childhood Education in the upcoming Budget. As the NZEI have pointed out today, spending on ECE is an investment, not a cheap way to balance the books. In fact, it [...] read more
  April 28, 2010 3:46 pm - 24 Comments
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  UN slams prisoner voting ban - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  The UK has come under heavy criticism from both the UN and the Council of Europe for its ban on prisoners’ voting. Despite this John Key’s Government is pushing ahead with the Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill to disenfranchise prisoners. They have provided no evidence that this bill will achieve anything, and it [...] read more
  April 28, 2010 12:51 pm - 27 Comments
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  Henry VIII clauses and ECan - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  I have posted recently about the ECan Act and the clauses that National and Act forced through under urgency, clauses that give Nick Smith the ability to suspend the RMA at will in Canterbury. I have discovered they have a name – Henry VIII clauses. I think you can figure out why. Another great example of this [...] read more
  April 27, 2010 9:49 pm - 10 Comments
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  Inequality in Aotearoa: Education - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  It is often assumed that the desire to raise national standards of performance in fields such as education is quite separate from the desire to reduce educational inequalities within a society. But the truth may be almost the opposite of this. It looks as if the achievement of higher national standards of educational performance may [...] read more
  April 27, 2010 4:50 pm - 237 Comments
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  MMP referendum, submit now - by frog

  
  
  
  The Electoral Legislation Committee has called for submissions on the Electoral Referendum Bill. You can make an online submission or a written submission (enclose two copies), by Thursday, 10 June 2010. read more
  April 27, 2010 12:44 pm - 9 Comments
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  D.R.I.P. – Like Water on A Stone - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  If water keeps dripping it eventually changes the shape of a stone. Thus the D.R.I.P (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People) will help change our country. It took 22 years of hard work and tough negotiation to achieve this milestone and good on the Maori Party if they managed to speed up the National [...] read more
  April 27, 2010 11:19 am - 48 Comments
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  General debate, April 27, 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  More on Earth Day at 40 from National Geographic Environment360 on NYC adapting to rising seas Mother Jones: Tuvalu v. ExxonMobil? Garbage In, Garbage Out – unfortunately, Conservation Magazine is talking about our oceans 100,000 Okinawans tell US to take its base and shove it Cruise missile launcher disguised as shipping container goes on sale read more
  April 27, 2010 7:36 am - 39 Comments
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  Podcast: It’s Dam Madness! - by frog

  
  
  
  Behind every illogical decision, there’s an illogical system read more
  April 27, 2010 5:27 am - 2 Comments
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  Saving our Treasured Places for Earth Day - by frog

  
  
  
  On Saturday Green MPs and suppporters took to the streets, malls and the odd National Party office in a nationwide day of action against the Government’s proposal to mine in our most precious conservation lands. In the Auckland CBD, Dave Clendon joined volunteers dressed up as miners at fake mining sites and spread the word [...] read more
  April 26, 2010 5:43 pm - 3 Comments
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  Sexy coal with Robyn and Lucy - by frog

  
  
  
  It is just too good to let this one go by… Greenpeace have made a stunning little vignette featuring Lucy Lawless and Robyn Malcolm, lampooning Gerry Brownlee’s sexy coal video. read more
  April 26, 2010 5:35 pm - 4 Comments
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  Republican Referenda or Te Tiriti Based Reform? - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  It is not always easy being Green. I don’t care much for the monarchy but I don’t see republicanism as the only alternative and last night I had to decide whether to support Keith Locke’s Head of State Bill through to Select Committee. For some months we have had lively debate in our Caucus about [...] read more
  April 26, 2010 4:57 pm - 35 Comments