Archive for April, 2010

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  Who will stand for Auckland’s powerless local boards? - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  Would you apply for a job when you didn’t know exactly how much you would be paid? how many hours you’d be expected to work? what tasks you’d be responsible for? what resources or authority you’d have to achieve your responsibilities? Sadly, this is the situation confronting people who are considering whether to stand for [...] read more
  April 14, 2010 12:37 pm - 5 Comments
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  Photo – water - by frog

  
  
  
  Of all the elements, water is the most highly regarded by frogs. We’re first to notice when it’s polluted or scarce  - it’s our sensitive skins – we need clean water – it’s Natural Glow for amphibians! Plants too, look their best when adorned with water, as this dewy pea flower shows. read more
  April 14, 2010 11:09 am - 6 Comments
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  National fights effort to lift lid on aged care cuts - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  What a cheek John Carter has, telling Grey Power that they shouldn’t be collaborating with the Labour/Green investigation into the state of aged care! read more
  April 13, 2010 4:31 pm - 2 Comments
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  Don’t mess with university entrance - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  You might have heard on this story on Morning Report yesterday that a standardised entry requirement for all degree level courses could be in place by 2013. At the moment, university entrance requirements apply to anyone enrolling for a degree at university, while polytechnics and other tertiary institutions are not bound to use UE (though many do). read more
  April 13, 2010 3:24 pm - 11 Comments
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  Submit on the Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill - by frog

  
  
  
  The Social Assistance (Future Focus) Bill has been referred to Parliament’s Social Services Select Committee for submissions. Metiria Turei and Catherine Delahunty have produced a submission guide to assist people wanting to make submissions opposing this Bill. The deadline for submissions is Friday 14 May 2010. read more
  April 13, 2010 2:27 pm - 6 Comments
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  Podcast: Betting the Superfund against Climate Change - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Is it a good idea to invest $177 million of the New Zealand Superannuation fund into catastrophe bonds — bonds that pay out big if there are fewer hurricanes in Florida? And is it a good idea to invest a further $212 million of our retirement savings into Shell’s petrol stations and other retail assets when [...] read more
  April 13, 2010 11:35 am - 12 Comments
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  Positive transport news from Auckland - by frog

  
  
  
  Sometimes life under this government can be a bit of a downer. Money losing motorways here, cuts to benefits there… It’s easy to lose sight of the positive.  So here’s some good transport news from Auckland: 1. The Wiri rail link opened a few weeks ago. This rail line runs from Port of Auckland (down [...] read more
  April 13, 2010 9:00 am - 5 Comments
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  Want to pay for whale meat as part of your taxes? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  As we count down to the International Whaling Commission meeting in June an interesting point has been raised – that New Zealand taxpayers may have to pay for a return to commercial whaling. A number of Non Governmental Organisations have suggested that if the so-called ‘compromise’ proposal supported by New Zealand (that would see a [...] read more
  April 12, 2010 4:58 pm - 8 Comments
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  Inequality in Aotearoa: Life expectancy - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  In the pursuit of happiness there is one essential thing you need: good health. There are many contributing factors to good health and there are also many indicators to measure if you are healthy. Over the next few posts I’ll explore a few of these indicators. This post is focussed on life expectancy. Terminal problem [...] read more
  April 12, 2010 4:55 pm - 33 Comments
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  On Palmer and US Warships - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Sir Geoffrey Palmer has raised two issues: whether the return of US warship visits to our ports is possible, and whether it is desirable. read more
  April 12, 2010 4:39 pm - 24 Comments
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  Have your say on the Building Act - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  The Government is looking at changing the Building Act and is currently consulting on its proposals, so this is your chance to have your say.  It’s a big deal – along with food and water, shelter is one of the essentials of life. The last big review in 2004 cleaned up many of the disastrous [...] read more
  April 12, 2010 1:29 pm - 8 Comments
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  General debate, April 12, 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  The Parable of the Electric Bike – Scientists Develop First Underwater Robot Powered Entirely by Ocean’s Thermal Energy – A beginner’s guide to permaculture gardening… read more
  April 12, 2010 7:40 am - 77 Comments
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  My drinking challenge to Steven Joyce - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  I haven’t met the Minister of Transport Steven Joyce yet but I’d like to invite him out for a few drinks and a chat about road safety. The Government’s reviewing the blood alcohol levels and recently Steven Joyce said he could drink three-quarters of a bottle of wine in 90 minutes and remain under the [...] read more
  April 9, 2010 2:57 pm - 39 Comments
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  Waikato river safe for swim, as long as it doesn’t rain - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  The Waikato River five bridges swim is coming up on Sunday. All power to those swimming the river. The regional council’s water quality scientist Bill Vant was at pains this week to reassure people that the river is safe at the moment for swimming. From the press release: Mr Vant explained that Environment Waikato measured two things when [...] read more
  April 9, 2010 11:32 am - 4 Comments
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  Men and trees - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  I spent yesterday at the Farm Forestry Association Conference in Invercargill and I can confidently report that what those people don’t know about eucalypts and acacias and redwoods is not worth knowing. I was there to promote the Green New Deal on forestry and to learn about the sector from a group of very experienced [...] read more
  April 9, 2010 9:36 am - 20 Comments
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  Mining submission guides coming out our ears! - by frog

  
  
  
  Everyone’s on the submission guide bandwagon! For those who are time-poor: Corromandel watchdog, Greenpeace and Forest & Bird all have forms that are mostly pre-filled out. Pretty much all you need to do is put your name in and click submit. For those who like to sink their teeth into the issues, the Green Party’s [...] read more
  April 9, 2010 9:07 am - 14 Comments
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  How will agricultural emissions be reduced? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Yesterday Te Papa hosted the first day of the first meeting of the Global Research Alliance (GRA), complete with a keynote address from our own Minister of Tourism, John Key. The Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases was New Zealand’s pet Copenhagen project, possibly one of the few good things to come from a [...] read more
  April 8, 2010 6:48 pm - 39 Comments
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  Aged care investigation launches - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  I am looking forward to joining Labour’s Winnie Laban for a nationwide tour to investigate the state of aged care in New Zealand. Winnie and I will be travelling around New Zealand, talking to people in their homes and communities about the quality of care they receive. We will be working closely with Grey Power [...] read more
  April 8, 2010 5:18 pm - 14 Comments
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  On Carter and conflicts - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Agriculture Minister David Carter has over a fortnight before Parliament resumes to ponder his personal explanation of how, back in October last year, his recollection of then recent events involving the Hurunui River Water Conservation Order application was so faulty. read more
  April 6, 2010 2:01 pm - 19 Comments
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  Inequality in Aotearoa: a brief history of inequality - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  “For over 90 per cent of our existence as human beings we lived, almost exclusively, in highly egalitarian societies.” – from The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett In the case of New Zealand, it has only been quite recently — the 1990s in particular — where inequality has emerged as a defining [...] read more
  April 6, 2010 12:50 pm - 179 Comments