Archive for October, 2010

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  Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear - by frog

  
  
  
  In response to the Restoring Honor rally, Jon Stewart held his Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear this weekend, attended by ~215,000 people. Here’s his speech at the rally. He’s absolutely on fire Here’s some media coverage for more reading Rally to Restore Sanity: ‘If we amplify everything, we hear nothing’ – Washington Post At [...] read more
  October 31, 2010 4:27 pm - 5 Comments
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  A couple of troubling questions on the Hobbit Bill - by frog

  
  
  
  Who was telling the truth, John Key or Gerry Brownlee? Their stories differ. And how does this legislation clarify the law as to who are contractors and who are employees in the film industry, when it just seems to confuse an issue the Supreme Court had already made clear? read more
  October 30, 2010 8:05 pm - 9 Comments
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  General debate, October 30, 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  Let’s talk energy! read more
  October 30, 2010 1:03 pm - 108 Comments
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  Fonterra’s discharge into the Manawatu - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  I’ve been looking into Fonterra’s discharge of condensate into the Mangatainoka River in the Wairarapa, which leads to the Manawatu. You can read it about it here. [UPDATE - Fonterra just announced that they are reconsidering their application and "decided to look at alternatives, such as irrigating to land or diverting through the local town [...] read more
  October 29, 2010 4:21 pm - 7 Comments
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  Another podcast with a transcript - by frog

  
  
  
  Yay, the momentum is building and we have a transcript for another of our podcasts, thanks once again to a very awesome writer who’s been transcribing them for us! This one’s from a few weeks back, but it’s been super-popular, so click through to listen or download the transcript of Gareth Hughes talking about his [...] read more
  October 29, 2010 4:14 pm - No Comments
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  To queer youth: It gets better! (Now with video!) - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  We admired the American “It Gets Better” campaign so much that we decided to make our own: The point of these videos is to reach out to young people who may be feeling alone and scared to provide hope, let them know that there are people who understand what they’re going through and want to [...] read more
  October 29, 2010 11:33 am - No Comments
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  Greens hosting conference on Sustainable Economics - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  How can we have an economy that works over the long-term, creating prosperity for our children and theirs? The Green Party is organising a cross-party economics conference next month to explore how to make the New Zealand economy truly sustainable. The conference will cover economic theory and practice and include input from the three major [...] read more
  October 29, 2010 8:08 am - 120 Comments
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  The Hobbit Bill or Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment - by frog

  
  
  
  For those of you who were having trouble earlier accessing the The Hobbit Bill [Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Bill] , it is now up here. Update: And here is Keith Locke’s First Reading speech: Transcript to come when available. Update 2: Here’s Russel Norman’s Second Reading speech (sorry, it is in two parts, [...] read more
  October 28, 2010 5:06 pm - 143 Comments
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  Questioning Nick Smith on climate change - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Last week I attended a seminar on climate change and the prospects for the Cancun summit in December.  I know that in our post-Copenhagen catatonia we all prefer not to think of climate change, but that will not solve the problem. The seminar was comprised mainly of government officials, academics and think tank experts.  There [...] read more
  October 28, 2010 11:06 am - 8 Comments
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  Establishing a Disability Commissioner - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Before I came to Parliament I thought making change happen was all about passing legislation and getting the numbers in the House. In many ways, that’s true, but sometimes it’s about even stranger twists of politics. Take the example of the member’s bill I placed in the ballot last year to establish a fulltime Disability [...] read more
  October 28, 2010 9:00 am - 4 Comments
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  Rafting the majestic Mokihinui - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Over 100 of us rafted and kayaked down the Mokihinui River on Sunday. The Mok is a fantastic wild West Coast river, a river full of life which makes its way through some of the last of our great lowland forest. Meridian Energy wants to dam and destroy the Mokihinui and drown the surrounding forest, [...] read more
  October 27, 2010 3:59 pm - 9 Comments
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  Wasted opportunities - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  A few sharp-eyed people may have noticed that E-Day is coming around again this year, on November 6th.  The event has certainly come in under the radar, having been announced scarcely four weeks out from the event date, whereas in past years there has been quite a long lead in time that has enabled organisers [...] read more
  October 27, 2010 10:54 am - 7 Comments
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  Latest podcast – this time with transcript - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s our latest podcast from Parliament, this time about the cross-party friendships Green MPs have struck up across the chamber. Parliament is a strange place, and often the only images we get are of MPs shouting at each other across the chamber during Question Time. But when the gloves are off, how do MPs from [...] read more
  October 26, 2010 3:45 pm - 4 Comments
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  Inspired moves - by frog

  
  
  
  Need some inspiration first day back at work? Check out what’s possible when you use your imagination to get around an urban landscape… read more
  October 26, 2010 1:25 pm - 2 Comments
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  General debate, October 26, 2010 - by frog

  
  
  
  read more
  October 26, 2010 10:08 am - 77 Comments
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  Bottom trawling for excuses: how low can they go? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Yesterday’s paper brought back a flood of memories when I was rather surprised to see a photograph of myself in the NZ Herald. This photo from 2005 was in the paper because Peter Bodeker, chief executive of the Seafood Industry Council, had written an industry opinion piece defending the most destructive fishing practise used in [...] read more
  October 26, 2010 8:40 am - 11 Comments
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  Gerry Brownlee: The “employers’ representative” - by frog

  
  
  
  If an employer’s representative made a statement like this one from Gerry Brownlee, it would be in serious breach of prohibition of duress under the Employment Relations Act. But Gerry thinks he can say it anyway. Unless he’s actually acting as the “employer’s representative”, which maybe he is. Perhaps we need an Official Information Act request abut his communications to and from Warner Bros and associated corporate interests to determine that. read more
  October 23, 2010 7:04 am - 63 Comments
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  Nick Smith needs to open his ears to the deaf - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  As an MP I receive many lobbying letters.  Today one arrived that really caught my attention.  It was from the National Foundation for the Deaf, and it was about the cutbacks to ACC cover and entitlements for work-related hearing loss. Attached to the letter was a very detailed 82 page position paper.  The paper describes [...] read more
  October 22, 2010 4:45 pm - 2 Comments
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  Time for a pecuniary interest register for judiciary - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  The announced resignation of Justice Wilson has highlighted the need for a register of the financial interests of the judiciary. Such a register would stop financial conflict of interests or perceived conflicts of interests from occurring in the future. While the case against Justice Wilson has been dropped, the perception of a conflict has led [...] read more
  October 22, 2010 3:47 pm - 3 Comments
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  Hobbit fallout mustn’t affect workers’ rights - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  The dispute over the Hobbit shouldn’t be used to attack workers’ rights. Earlier this morning Gerry Brownlee spoke about ‘clarifying’ employment laws. read more
  October 22, 2010 3:43 pm - 186 Comments