Archive for June, 2011

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  Police failing duty of care to cyclists - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Have you ever lodged a Community Roadwatch report documenting dangerous driver behaviour on our streets only to get the feeling later on that nothing has been done about it? I have, and when I used the Official Information Act to find out if my experience as a cyclist was shared by others, the Police couldn’t [...] read more
  June 13, 2011 8:53 am - 37 Comments
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  Stronger collective bargaining will create a more stable economy - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  The IMF released a study late last year that found that the global financial crisis was, in part, driven by growing inequality. In brief, they found that the American middle classes went into great levels of debt to keep up with the rapidly increasing consumption habits of the wealthiest 5% of American society. The IMF [...] read more
  June 12, 2011 7:13 pm - 20 Comments
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  General debate, June 12, 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
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  June 12, 2011 8:19 am - 48 Comments
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  Kevin Hague talks to Pasifika on ACC privatisation - by frog

  
  
  
  Last week, Green ACC spokesperson Kevin Hague and Pasifika lawyer Amelia Saafi were interviewed on Pacific Viewpoint, a programme broadcast on Triangle/Stratos. The interview is 27 minutes long, but it’s well worth a watch to see Kevin and Amelia expose the Government’s economy with the truth in manufacturing a “crisis” in ACC in order to [...] read more
  June 11, 2011 7:49 am - 13 Comments
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  Budget 2011: Gareth Hughes’ speech on transport - by frog

  
  
  
  Kia ora, Mr Assistant Speaker. It is a privilege to take a call in this Budget debate, and I intend to focus on transport issues. When it comes to transport, this Government, under Steven Joyce as transport Minister, is simply on the wrong track. This Government is creating monuments in concrete and asphalt to 1950s-style [...] read more
  June 10, 2011 4:02 pm - 11 Comments
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  The Biosphere and Politics: Coming to a town near you - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Yesterday some of the leading authorities in Australasia presented at the IPS conference on Biophysical Limits and their Policy Implications in Wellington. Some 300 people turned up. Two were members of Parliament. Both were from the Green Party. read more
  June 10, 2011 3:40 pm - 4 Comments
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  More transparency on lobbying needed - by frog

  
  
  
  Is it the case that John Key’s government is so ideologically inspired, evidence averse or economically illiterate that economic policies that are bound to be disastrous for New Zealand get past the Cabinet table with little scrutiny? Or are there more sinister forces at play? Lobbying of public office holders has a major impact on the democratic process and lobbyists should be required to be transparent about their role. read more
  June 10, 2011 2:52 pm - 16 Comments
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  It must be something in the Southland water - by frog

  
  
  
  Environment Southland Regional Councillor and Green Party member Robert Guyton has a blog.  He’s had it since 2007, long before his election to the Regional Council last year. But suddenly it has become controversial.  On Wednesday Robert Guyton blogged: Should councillors blog? Nope, I was told, in no uncertain terms by my fellow councillors, rounding [...] read more
  June 10, 2011 9:25 am - 27 Comments
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  Dalai Lama raises spirits in Christchurch - by Keith Locke

  
  
  
  Realising Cantabrians could do with a moral boost the Dalai Lama altered his schedule and fitted in a talk in Christchurch before his Australian tour. The Canterbury Arena was packed for the event. The only sour note was from the Chinese Embassy, which approached our government after they heard about the visit. Presumably, as they [...] read more
  June 9, 2011 5:20 pm - 2 Comments
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  General debate, June 9, 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
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  June 9, 2011 10:34 am - 138 Comments
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  World Oceans Day - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  I recently learned to scuba dive at the Taputeranga Marine Reserve on Wellington’s wild South coast which has given me a whole new appreciation of our marine environment. In contrast to outside the marine reserve, life is flourishing with an abundance of fish, crabs and crayfish. We are so lucky to have places like Taputeranga [...] read more
  June 8, 2011 8:57 pm - 10 Comments
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  Growing in a way that makes us happy - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  According to a piece in the Herald today, people with longer commutes are less likely to be healthy, happy or stay married. The study found that if you commute for 45 minutes plus then your chance of getting divorced is 40% higher than for those with shorter journeys. This is good news for me (and [...] read more
  June 8, 2011 6:42 pm - 17 Comments
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  Nats planning more attacks on workers’ rights - by frog

  
  
  
  Not content with its 90 day fire at will legislation, effective nil increases to the minimum wage, undermining workers’ rights to four weeks’ annual leave, and restricting union access to workplaces, John Key has revealed National is planning more attacks on workers’ rights.  Radio New Zealand reports: Mr Key has told the Seafood Industry Council [...] read more
  June 8, 2011 2:24 pm - 51 Comments
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  “Business attire” - by Sue Kedgley

  
  
  
  Intrigued by the Speaker’s ruling today that all women MPs should wear “business attire”, I sought guidance from Google. It appears that directing women to wear “business attire” is code for telling women to dress like men. So what I have deduced from the Speaker’s ruling is it is okay for women MPs to wear [...] read more
  June 7, 2011 5:42 pm - 31 Comments
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  AGM update: political position, Kiwibank, tackling child poverty - by frog

  
  
  
  Political positioning, a call to boost Kiwibank, a plan to cut child poverty in NZ plus candidate and campaign training. The Green Party’s AGM in Auckland has had it all over the long weekend. Political positioning was confirmed yesterday and summed up by Metiria thus: We’re more likely to support Labour on confidence and supply, [...] read more
  June 6, 2011 12:00 pm - 99 Comments
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  General debate, June 6, 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday’s General Debate thread has become so long and dominated by the Greens’ political positioning I’ve decided to start another one.  So keep the discussion about the Greens’ political positioning going over there.  This thread is for other topics you may want to discuss. read more
  June 6, 2011 9:05 am - 73 Comments
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  General debate, June 5, 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
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  June 5, 2011 6:53 am - 177 Comments
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  UN: Internet termination breaches human rights - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  One of the main reasons the Green Party opposed the new controversial file-sharing law passed under urgency was that it still contained internet termination as a potential remedy. I argued at the time it was disproportionate, wouldn’t work, and took away a modern human right. More and more of our democracy, interaction with Government departments, [...] read more
  June 4, 2011 5:38 pm - 29 Comments
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  An inspiring and visionary look at the NZ economy - by frog

  
  
  
  If you want a clear and exciting alternative to “More dairy, more mining“, look no further than this! Sir Paul Callaghan busts some common myths about ourselves and puts for a vision for our future that everyone can get excited about. Watch the presentation on YouTube. Sadly embedding of the video has been disabled for [...] read more
  June 3, 2011 9:59 am - 33 Comments
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  The curious difference between meal of fish and a ticket to Bon Jovi - by frog

  
  
  
  Recall National’s current Agriculture Minister David Carter’s words, back in 2004: [Winston] Peters last night vigorously denied claims made on TV One that the meal, at Kermadec Restaurant in Auckland’s Viaduct Basin and paid for by co-owner Peter Simunovich, might imply “corruption”. “I think the allegations are serious. If in any way he was collecting favours, it’s close to corruption,” Carter told the Herald. “At the very least it’s stupid.” read more
  June 3, 2011 8:44 am - 24 Comments