Archive for April, 2011

  • frog

    Have your say on the Biodiversity NPS - by frog



    The Government is consulting on the proposed National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity. Have your say and let the Government know that you love and want to protect our native plants and animals. Submissions close this Monday, May 2nd, so be quick! If you want some tips on how to write your submission, please see [...] read more
    April 29, 2011 5:21 pm - No Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Aucklanders, you know you’re drinking the Waikato River - by Russel Norman



    One in three New Zealanders (Auckland, Hamilton et al) have a very direct interest in the quality of the water coming down the Waikato River because their drinking water is extracted from that catchment. The more polluted that water is, the more expensive and difficult it is to treat it. So how bad is the water at the end of the Waikato river? read more
    April 29, 2011 5:05 pm - 18 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Visions of Christchurch: My Public Forum Series - by Kennedy Graham



    For the first few weeks, it was shovelling.  Then it was door-knocking.  Then it was fund-raising to buy food and deliver it to welfare centres, attending memorial services, participating in MP briefings, and travelling into the suburbs and Lyttelton for meetings with Green members and others. Now it is time to refocus and plan for [...] read more
    April 29, 2011 3:57 pm - 3 Comments
  • frog

    Podcast: Russel’s Dirty Rivers Wrap-up - by frog



    Russel is about to wrap his second annual Dirty Rivers Rafting Tour. Russel has been visiting rivers that are either dangerously polluted, or threatened due to large dam and irrigation projects, and rafting or kayaking them with local environmentalists, whitewater enthusiasts, iwi, farmers, and media. The purpose of the tour is to highlight the threats [...] read more
    April 29, 2011 3:47 pm - No Comments
  • Keith Locke

    It’s not all roses on the big day - by Keith Locke



    We don’t often get to see a big pageant and tonight many New Zealanders will be enjoying watching the Royal Wedding. It is unfortunate, therefore, that in trying to make the event go smoothly British authorities have exceeded their mandate in a couple of ways. Firstly, it is reported that the Police have conducted “pre-emptive” [...] read more
    April 29, 2011 3:19 pm - 7 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Congratulations to Carl for cagey protest - by Sue Kedgley



    Carl has been cooped up in a cage for 31 days outside Mainland Poultry in Waikouaiti (just North of Dunedin). Today Carl has flown his self-imposed ungilded cage for hopefully a hot shower and a chance to stretch his legs read more
    April 29, 2011 2:44 pm - 2 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Workers’ Memorial Day - by Keith Locke



    Workplaces are safer when workers and their unions feel confident to address safety issues, and this has not been helped by the National government’s industrial legislation. read more
    April 28, 2011 3:26 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, April 28, 2011 - by frog



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    April 28, 2011 8:27 am - 76 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Fuel tax deferral won’t help - by Gareth Hughes



    Kiwis are feeling the pain at the pump, and the Government’s grand “solution” is to defer a 1.5c increase in the petrol tax until next year. Let’s put this in perspective. 1.5 cents a litre will save the average driver less than $1 when they fill up their tank. It’s about 0.6% of the total [...] read more
    April 27, 2011 3:42 pm - 24 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Kayaking the Kaituna - by Russel Norman



    April 15, 2011 The Kaituna is internationally famous for white-water rafting and kayaking. And having just gone down it, I can see why. A deep gorge with trees overhead, fast flowing, lots of rapids, and a really big waterfall – 7 metres apparently. I’d like to be able to tell you that I kayaked this [...] read more
    April 26, 2011 1:49 pm - No Comments
  • frog

    Space Oddity – the David Farrar version - by frog



    This is ground control to Major Don, you’ve really made the grade And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear Now it’s time to leave the capsule if you dare If I was a member of the ACT Board, I would be asking why are all these National Party members trying to take [...] read more
    April 25, 2011 5:44 pm - 14 Comments
  • frog

    Petrobras protest and the Maritime Rules - by frog



    I’m more accustomed to splashing around in a freshwater pond than being out on the high seas, but I do know enough about maritime navigation to know that a powered vessel that is underway is normally required to give way to a vessel that is fishing.   That principle is enshrined in both international navigation rules [...] read more
    April 24, 2011 11:34 am - 86 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, April 24, 2011 - by frog



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    April 24, 2011 7:50 am - 39 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Dunedin bus services: the community needs to be involved - by Metiria Turei



    Like most Dunedin residents I too am shocked to see that the DCC is in the final stages of selling Citibus. Is it really that urgent that we the ratepayers of Dunedin find out on Thursday that a sale is mooted, and are informed now that there is a conditional deal? That the council is [...] read more
    April 21, 2011 3:24 pm - 1 Comment
  • frog

    $36 million more in “essential” Government spending - by frog



    Times are tough.  We all have to tighten our belts.  So says Bill English. So let’s give $36 million to a yacht race: Team New Zealand will get $36 million from the Government to contest the 2013 America’s Cup, the Government has confirmed. Acting Economic Development Minister David Carter said the Government was contractually obliged [...] read more
    April 21, 2011 1:07 pm - 26 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Council rail-roaded into supporting roads - by Gareth Hughes



    I attended the extraordinary Wellington City Council meeting that voted last night to support the Government’s $2.4 billion roading plans. Essentially the Council has written a blank cheque to the NZTA. It is preposterous that the Council could vote on a project when no one, not even the council officers, has seen the final plans. [...] read more
    April 21, 2011 12:01 pm - 34 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, April 21, 2011 - by frog



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    April 21, 2011 7:36 am - 31 Comments
  • frog

    All about National’s infatuation with helicopter rides - by frog



    First we had the Tolleychopper. Yep, that’s right!  Education Minister Anne Tolley’s idea of getting a “helicopter view” of tertiary education providers in Auckland (before she was relieved by PM John Key of her Tertiary Education portfolio) was to go up in a chopper and have a look from the air at them. But last [...] read more
    April 20, 2011 8:41 pm - 32 Comments
  • frog

    Time for another inquiry into ACC medical assessments - by frog



    The NZ Herald today reports on orthopaedic surgeon Brian Otto who featured in an ACC appeal judgment from the District Court recently: Liangfang Lu, 48, was awarded about $5000 after Auckland District Court Judge Martin Beattie found ACC wrongly suspended payments to him on the basis that his back pain was caused by degeneration. read more
    April 20, 2011 3:01 pm - 4 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Family Court review must keep kids in mind - by Metiria Turei



    I’m pretty concerned at the announcement of a major review of the Family Court. While I acknowledge that the court is not perfect, I’m sceptical that this review will be about identifying areas where it can be improved. It seems to be much more about identifying areas from which to cut. Any review of the [...] read more
    April 20, 2011 11:57 am - 8 Comments
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