Archive for September, 2011

  • Gareth Hughes

    The WHO was wrong, but Auckland still needs better buses and trains - by Gareth Hughes



    It was reported yesterday that a World Health Organisation survey had found Auckland’s air quality to be twice as bad as Sydney’s. Having friends who live and cycle around Auckland regularly, I didn’t find this impossible to believe. There’s no question that the proliferation of diesel buses and trucks, as well as old cars with [...] read more
    September 29, 2011 8:48 pm - 5 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Kiwis consider water pollution our biggest environmental issue - by Russel Norman



    A new study recently released by Lincoln University has found that water pollution is rated by New Zealanders as the most important environmental issue facing our country. The Public Perceptions of New Zealand’s Environment 2010 study, which surveyed over 2000 people, states: “It is clear that New Zealanders have a very high desire for a [...] read more
    September 29, 2011 4:17 pm - 8 Comments
  • frog

    Sue and Keith’s valedictory speeches - by frog



    Sue Kedgley and Keith Locke — two of the original seven Green MPs who came into Parliament in 1999 — are standing down from Parliament at this election. The House grants outgoing MPs a chance to reflect on their time in Parliament with a valedictory speech. You can watch Sue and Keith reflect on their [...] read more
    September 29, 2011 2:20 pm - 6 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Frack No! Sign the Petition - by David Clendon



    A lot of New Zealanders  have not yet heard about hydraulic fracturing (fracking), but many of those who do know something about it are worried, and rightly so! The technique is used to extract ‘unconventional’ oil and gas – that’s industry speak for sources of hydrocarbons that until recently were deemed too expensive or difficult to [...] read more
    September 29, 2011 11:01 am - 16 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Blueprint for safer queer youth - by Kevin Hague



    Last week I had the chance to participate in several of the events in the Hamilton Pride Festival for queer and transgendered people in the Waikato. I spent my secondary school years at Hamilton Boys High School, so I really valued the opportunity to launch there a landmark new report by Murray Riches entitled “How [...] read more
    September 29, 2011 8:13 am - 1 Comment
  • Gareth Hughes

    Controversial ACTA to be signed this weekend - by Gareth Hughes



    This weekend, the Key Government is yet again putting our country’s sovereignty on the line by signing up to the controversial Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in Japan. Until recently, this international agreement had been negotiated entirely in secret despite huge concerns about sovereignty and copyright law. However, active campaigning and a great deal of leaked [...] read more
    September 28, 2011 4:43 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, September 28, 2011 - by frog



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    September 28, 2011 7:47 am - 53 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Moving Planet - by Gareth Hughes



    Did you get to a 350.org.nz Moving Planet event on the weekend? read more
    September 26, 2011 9:16 pm - 5 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Pirates in Parliament - by Gareth Hughes



    Fifteen Pirate Party MPs were just elected in Berlin State, Germany. Will we ever see the skull and cross-bones flag flying over the Beehive and what does it all mean for politics? read more
    September 25, 2011 11:27 am - 20 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, September 24, 2011 - by frog



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    September 24, 2011 6:51 am - 73 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    A warning from the OECD on NZ’s deteriorating water quality - by Russel Norman



    I was a key note speaker on Tuesday at the DIPCON conference in on Diffuse Pollution and Eutrophication in Rotorua. Tomorrow Dr Kevin Parris of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate of the OECD in Paris will be presenting the findings of a recent OECD report highlighting New Zealand’s deteriorating water quality. His findings across OECD [...] read more
    September 22, 2011 4:39 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    Green Jobs policy in five seconds - by frog



    The Green Party launched their Green Jobs initiative yesterday promising to create 100,000 new green jobs through business incentives and government leadership. Here’s what the 20-page fully-costed fiscally conservative peer-reviewed economic package looks like as a word cloud: read more
    September 22, 2011 4:23 pm - 3 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Cruisin’ with Charles on Carfree Day - by Gareth Hughes



    Today is World Carfree Day – how did you get around? Did you have a choice of safe walking or cycling; or to catch a bus, train or ferry; or were you like many Kiwis and was driving your only choice? World Carfree Day is a great day to say we deserve choices about how [...] read more
    September 22, 2011 2:07 pm - 5 Comments
  • frog

    Watch the Green Jobs launch online, live! - by frog



    We have a practical economic plan that creates decent jobs, adds resilience to our economy, and protects our natural environment. It is a plan for clean green prosperity for all New Zealanders. UPDATE: You can watch a recording below read more
    September 21, 2011 10:14 am - 16 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Retrospective surveillance laws shouldn’t be rammed through Parliament - by Keith Locke



    We should be very worried that the government intends to rush legislation through Parliament next week that could restrict New Zealanders’ ability, under the Bill of Rights, to protect themselves from unreasonable surveillance. To add insult to injury, the legislation will be retrospective, to make legal the behavior of the Police over recent times in [...] read more
    September 20, 2011 2:02 pm - 21 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, September 20, 2011 - by frog



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    September 20, 2011 8:07 am - 32 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    It’s official: Abolishing youth rates did not increase youth unemployment - by Gareth Hughes



    The Department of Labour has a new report out (PDF) on the impact of the Green Party initiated abolition of youth rates for the minimum wage. It’s official: Abolishing youth rates did not increase youth unemployment read more
    September 19, 2011 6:34 pm - 19 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Youth! Y U NO ENROL? - by Gareth Hughes



    It is important young Kiwis are involved in the political process. They are the future and have a stake in our democracy. However, at the moment almost a third of 18–24-year-olds and a fifth of 25–29-year-olds are not enrolled to vote in the upcoming election! If you aren’t enrolled you can’t vote and have a [...] read more
    September 16, 2011 9:42 am - 59 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Graduates and gender pay equity - by Catherine Delahunty



    A new study from the Ministry of Education shows in many occupations tertiary qualifications make very little difference when it comes to the gender pay gap. Four years after graduating, women earn on average $4380 less than men with the same qualifications. The only professions where this is not the case are the performing arts [...] read more
    September 15, 2011 12:15 pm - 7 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Transport fiasco inquiry blocked - by Gareth Hughes



    Just now the National-dominated Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee blocked my attempt at the committee conducting an urgent inquiry into the transport fiasco on the opening night of the Rugby World Cup. read more
    September 15, 2011 11:40 am - 10 Comments
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