Archive for May, 2010

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  Will this “turn-around” Kiwirail? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Some ostensibly good news for Kiwirail today, as Transport Minister Steven Joyce just announced $250m in the upcoming budget, and potentially an additional $500m the next two budgets, as part of a  “turn-around plan”. He said the Government was committed to retaining and improving the rail network so that it could cover its own costs [...] read more
  May 18, 2010 5:03 pm - 45 Comments
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  Is oil too expensive right now? - by frog

  
  
  
  I know the idea of oil being too dear is not a normal question canvassed here on frogblog, but I am left scratching my head as to why the price is staying stubbornly high when the data suggest it should be drifting downwards. read more
  May 18, 2010 11:13 am - 19 Comments
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  General Debate, 17th May 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  unleash! read more
  May 17, 2010 8:17 pm - 98 Comments
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  NZ should support UN Mediation in Thailand - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  New Zealand shouldn’t stay silent as Thailand descends into chaos and potentially a bloodbath. We should be backing the Red Shirts’ call for UN mediation. read more
  May 17, 2010 4:56 pm - 43 Comments
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  Inequality in Aotearoa: Mind the Gap! - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  As you know, I’ve been writing a series of blog posts about Inequality in Aotearoa during April and May. I’ve also been working on ideas for solutions to the growing gap between rich and poor in New Zealand, and this morning I’ve launched a major package of eight practical ideas to reduce inequality. Here I [...] read more
  May 17, 2010 3:43 pm - 139 Comments
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  Past administrations appeased SA rugby shamefully - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  On Friday I put out a press statement welcoming the apology from the NZ Rugby Football Union over the exclusion of Maori from the 1928, 1949 and 1960 teams sent to South Africa. read more
  May 17, 2010 2:36 pm - 5 Comments
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  Could progressive electricity pricing cut inequality? - by frog

  
  
  
  Metiria has just launched the Green Party’s Mind the Gap package, the third instalment of our Green New Deal and frankly, a better way to prioritise spending in this week’s budget. This year’s package focuses on tackling inequality. read more
  May 17, 2010 2:26 pm - 8 Comments
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  Environmental policies of the new UK coalition Govt - by frog

  
  
  
  Environmental journos at Grist analysed the environment policy platform of the new UK Conservative/Lib Dem coalition. Some items of note: The establishment of a high-speed rail network. The cancellation of the third runway at Heathrow International Airport. The establishment of a smart grid and the roll-out of smart meters (I bet they won’t be the [...] read more
  May 17, 2010 2:17 pm - 4 Comments
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  Photo – love apple - by frog

  
  
  
  When these ‘love apples’ were first introduced to the West from South America, no one would eat them, believing them poisonous! They were grown as ornamental plants, curiosities to be looked at but not sliced, sprinkled with salt and pepper, placed between two slices of buttered bread and eaten. read more
  May 17, 2010 10:53 am - 6 Comments
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  What do you get from an “independent” commission on electoral reform stacked with politicians? - by frog

  
  
  
  Let’s get one thing clear, the AV/PV electoral system is not proportional. Even the Jenkins report recognised the problem of adopting the Australian version of AV/PV: “On its own AV would be unacceptable because of the danger that in anything like the present circumstances it might increase rather than reduce disproportionally and might do so in a way which is unfair to the Conservative Party.” read more
  May 14, 2010 8:46 am - 9 Comments
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  Change the world one coffee at a time - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Right now it is Fair Trade fortnight in NZ. There have been events all over the country to raise awareness of the terrible working conditions many people in the developing world suffer from - tiny wages, ridiculously long hours, or dangerous conditions – and the benefits of buying ethically produced goods. If you haven’t been to any events yet [...] read more
  May 13, 2010 1:44 pm - 20 Comments
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  Smile and Wave reveals nasty side with cannibal reference - by frog

  
  
  
  I can barely believe this. In an address to an Auckland tourism audience this morning, John Key is reported to have said: “The good news is that I was having dinner with Ngati Porou as opposed to their neighbouring iwi, which is Tuhoe, in which case I would have been dinner, which wouldn’t have been quite so attractive.” read more
  May 13, 2010 12:29 pm - 100 Comments
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  Gerry Brownlee fails as travelling salesman for mining industry - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  About one hundred Coromandel people came out in the pouring rain yesterday to tell Gerry Brownlee what they thought of his plans to undermine Schedule 4 areas of the conservation estate. read more
  May 13, 2010 9:24 am - 14 Comments
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  A whiff of robbing Peter to pay Paul - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  The government’s pre-budget announcement about funding for science is a classic curate’s egg – good in parts, but potentially concealing something a bit malodorous. read more
  May 12, 2010 5:35 pm - 3 Comments
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  Inequality in Aotearoa: an idea whose time has come - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  A major feature of the UK election campaign whose results we’ve all been hanging off (and by the way why would we even contemplate a return to FPP given the grossly disproportionate result it’s produced over there?) was the importance of inequality. One of the Liberal Democrats’ key campaign planks was a tax-free threshold of [...] read more
  May 12, 2010 4:24 pm - 48 Comments
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  Burnouts: Why the Govts transport policy needs to be crushed - by frog

  
  
  
  We’ve got a new podcast up — this one is about everyone’s favourite topic: transport. Gareth Hughes talks about being a boyracer, why New Zealand is so car dependent, the Government’s uneconomic motorway binge, and the advantages of a balanced, sustainable transport policy. And the music is one of my favourite Bright Eyes songs! read more
  May 12, 2010 9:26 am - 10 Comments
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  General debate, May 12, 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  Check out this video that busts many myths about wind power. read more
  May 12, 2010 6:35 am - 152 Comments
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  Do we really want to go back to FPP? - by frog

  
  
  
  The recent British election has clearly demonstrated what a deeply flawed and undemocratic system FPP is. The Labour Party got 6% more of the vote than the Liberal Democrat Party but they got over 400% more seats- seem fair to you? MMP is a much fairer system as pretty much everyone’s vote counts and so [...] read more
  May 11, 2010 1:50 pm - 59 Comments
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  Even the right doesn’t like the three strikes bill - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  It’s fair to say (in fact probably a major understatement!) that the Maxim Institute would seldom be seen as a natural ally to the Greens.  The ‘independent research and public policy think tank’ is generally much further to the right both economically and socially than the Greens (see for example their stance on taxation, ‘family’, [...] read more
  May 11, 2010 11:21 am - 38 Comments
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  Photo – Tetragonia tetragonioides - by frog

  
  
  
  Tetragonia tetragonioides is our native spinach and loves the beach, growing in sandy soils and enjoying salty winds. Tastes excellent lightly steamed. New Zealand spinach has odd-looking seeds, shaped something like a cross between a spikey pillow and a manta ray. Find some and sow them in the springtime. read more
  May 11, 2010 10:05 am - 26 Comments