Archive for February, 2011

• 

  What does ‘a better Christchurch’ mean to you? - by frog

  
  
  
  We do have a chance to do the new, green, environmentally sound, fantastically state-of-the-art, 21st-century place, that will attract the brains and the thinkers of the world to come and live here That’s former Christchurch mayor Garry Moore quoted in today’s papers under the headline ‘Better, safer, city will emerge from ruins, former mayors say’. [...] read more
  February 28, 2011 9:18 am - 93 Comments
• 

  The purgatorial delights of liquefaction - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  From middle distance it looks ugly – alien and threatening. Something from another planet, menacing to humans. Actually, from Middle Earth. At shovel distance, it starts to attain a character you can come to terms with. If that is a metaphor for this stricken city, then not all is lost. This morning I volunteer to [...] read more
  February 26, 2011 5:59 pm - 1 Comment
• 

  Day two in Hell - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Thursday night I convene a meeting of Green members in my house. Twelve turn up, one from the eastern suburbs. He is not sure if he can get back or, if not, where he will stay. He has student friends, so he is not worried. He is young, so he is not worried. We exchange [...] read more
  February 26, 2011 9:25 am - 1 Comment
• 

  Paying to rebuild Christchurch: A small temporary earthquake levy - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  While the horror of Christchurch’s second earthquake continues to unfold, those of us not immediately involved in the recovery can begin to plan for the rebuilding of a city and the livelihoods of those who live there. The question that immediately comes to mind is how are we going to pay for the recovery and [...] read more
  February 25, 2011 9:45 am - 76 Comments
• 

  Cry the Beloved City - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  In the House, I had said, “Whatever lies ahead, we shall not be daunted”….may I meet my own standards. read more
  February 25, 2011 8:55 am - 1 Comment
• 

  Libyans join hands with the people of Christchurch - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  At lunchtime today I joined a group of Libyans in Wellington’s Midland Park. They were calling for an end to the cruel Gaddafi regime.   The first placard I saw was not about Libya at all. It read: “Our hearts go out to the victims of the Christchurch earthquake.” The vigil began with a minutes [...] read more
  February 23, 2011 5:25 pm - 3 Comments
• 

  Another earthquake in Christchurch – twitter feeds - by frog

  
  
  
  A sad day for us all. Our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch. I’ve found twitter to be a good way to get a feel for what’s happening: Tweets from people in/near Christchurch All earthquake-related tweets Photos tagged with eqnz read more
  February 22, 2011 2:12 pm - 81 Comments
• 

  Privatisation is not a hit – not even at Kiwiblog - by frog

  
  
  
  Even among those on the right who will dominate participation in Kiwiblog internet polls, there is no majority support for partial privatisation of the energy SOEs. A scientific 3 News Reid Research poll is showing public opposition to partial privatisation as high as 60%. Which makes sense really, because the idea is sheer economic lunacy. read more
  February 22, 2011 8:51 am - 44 Comments
• 

  The people of the Middle East need our support - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Since Mubarak fell the pro-democracy protests in other Arab countries have mushroomed. In Libya people are braving the bullets of Gaddafi’s thugs. Many have been killed. Today the people of Morocco have joined those in Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and Bahrain in challenging their rulers. Many on the streets ask: what are the Western countries [...] read more
  February 21, 2011 1:16 pm - 31 Comments
• 

  Key keeps digging on BMW fleet purchase - by frog

  
  
  
  Is John Key really expecting anyone to believe that his Government’s shambolic handling of the BMW fleet purchase was caused by Private Kirifi Mila’s death in Afghanistan and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s visit? “What I can say is it wasn’t helped by the death (of Private Kirifi Mila). Also the (Australian PM Julia) Gillard [...] read more
  February 21, 2011 12:15 pm - 39 Comments
• 

  Greens agree to cast Carter proxy - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  The Green Party has agreed to cast proxy votes for Te Atatū MP Chris Carter. The agreement takes effect in the next session of Parliament. Mr Carter can tell us whether he wishes to support or oppose and we will cast his vote accordingly.  (And we will use the Green Party’s position as a default [...] read more
  February 21, 2011 11:08 am - 6 Comments
• 

  Outsourcing our opposition to whaling - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  It’s fantastic the now finished Japanese whaling season was a dismal failure, but in typical right-wing fashion our Government has outsourced doing something about stopping whaling to the activists and Australians. As whaling season 2010/11 finishes I’m hopeful we’re making progress towards the end of whaling altogether. Pity the whalers. This has been a terrible [...] read more
  February 19, 2011 9:15 am - 36 Comments
• 

  General debate, February 19, 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
  read more
  February 19, 2011 5:31 am - 78 Comments
• 

  Climate change, lignite, and Solid Energy: Searching for truth and reason - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Matters are coming to a head, on the lignite saga in Southland. As climate change intensifies around the world and not least here in New Zealand, our national responsibility to respond proportionate to our size and liability increases commensurately. The UN has prescribed a national emission reduction target of 25% to 40% off 1990 levels [...] read more
  February 18, 2011 4:52 pm - 37 Comments
• 

  Thoughts from the Big Gay Out - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  I am the gayest man in Parliament. Everybody knows. So it was a bit galling to get essentially upstaged by John Key and Phil Goff. Perhaps I’m just a bit self-absorbed, but this strikes me as suggesting a weird prism through which at least some straight people see this queer event. Let’s review: I started [...] read more
  February 17, 2011 4:42 pm - 25 Comments
• 

  National Standards race to nowhere - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited our Parliament and promoted free trade agreements with all the fervour of the faithful. This position was predictable, but less well known is her stance on education. Julia is the leader who imposed the Australian version of National Standards on Australian schools against the wishes of the teachers’ unions. read more
  February 17, 2011 10:31 am - 21 Comments
• 

  Dodgy trade deals done dirt cheap need scrutiny - by frog

  
  
  
  The news last week that Natural Dairy was willing to threaten New Zealand’s reputation to advance their bid for the Crafar farms shows the kind of behaviour that goes on behind the scenes when dealing with trade and foreign investment issues. read more
  February 17, 2011 9:40 am - 4 Comments
• 

  Bad telecommunications call by Joyce - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Steven Joyce is noted more for ramming motorways through and manipulating public consultations than for following fair process and he has given the nation a week to read, analysis and prepare submissions on his re-writing of the Telecommunications Act. It’s a bad call. He introduced it as a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) or amendment to [...] read more
  February 17, 2011 12:05 am - 2 Comments
• 

  Government Beamer contract optional, no penalty - by frog

  
  
  
  Well done Metiria, for breaking the story of the Government’s BMW limousine purchase for its Ministers. When Bill English is encouraging everyone else to cut back, spending $6.8 million on new limousines for Ministers to swan about in when the existing fleet is less than 3 years old is indeed a disgrace. There has been [...] read more
  February 16, 2011 10:12 pm - 17 Comments
• 

  www.RedneckCoalition.co.nz - by frog

  
  
  
  Seems someone has been having a bit of fun with the Koastal Koalition Klowns‘ billboards: And just to dispel a couple of bits of disinformation being promulgated by the rednecks and/or Nat apologists: The Koastal Koalition Klowns are being totally deceptive on this issue.  The foreshore is the bit of land that is sometimes wet [...] read more
  February 16, 2011 6:05 pm - 20 Comments