Posts by Catherine Delahunty

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  Privatisation in education legislation

  
  
  
  The word opposition doesn’t always describe Labour’s voting patterns. In fact, Labour have voted with National almost exactly as often as the Maori Party, even though Labour is the official opposition, and the Maori Party is actually part of the Government! [For the political junkies, Labour have voted with National 12 times at first readings, and [...] read more
  March 19, 2010 2:46 pm - 17 Comments
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  Mapua Contamination – Secrets and Lies

  
  
  
  This week a Ministry of Health Report came out on the health effects of the dubious remediation at the toxic site in Mapua. The way the Ministry of Health’s media release read, glossed over the risks to the community, which could now be declared negligible. I only had to read the Executive Summary of the report [...] read more
  March 18, 2010 10:47 am - 4 Comments
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  The Roger Awards strike again

  
  
  
  Last night, the Roger Award For The Worst Transnational Corporation operating in New Zealand, 2009 was awarded to ANZ. The Aussie-owned banks continue to rip us off, and the Green Party believes a bank is a worthy recipient of this award. read more
  March 12, 2010 1:33 pm - 8 Comments
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  “Reshaping” the Ministry of Education

  
  
  
  I’m not a morning person at the best of times, and trying to understand what the Minister of Education was saying on “Morning Report” today about cuts to the Ministry of Education cuts was a true challenge. Is this an opposition beat up? Is the Minister directing the Ministry to cut administration services? Is it a [...] read more
  March 11, 2010 11:02 am - 7 Comments
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  International Women’s Day

  
  
  
  Happy International Women’s Day. Isn’t it exciting that the Minister of Women’s Affairs spoke at the Commission on the Status of Women in New York last week and supported the formation of streamlined UN gender entity in New York last week? Meanwhile back home at the other end of the world her Government has: Axed pay equity investigations [...] read more
  March 8, 2010 1:05 pm - 16 Comments
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  The End of the Line

  
  
  
  This great documentary on the demise of the planet’s fish stocks was launched at the Paramount last night by a coalition of environmental groups (ECO, Forest and Bird, WWF and Greenpeace). read more
  March 5, 2010 10:39 am - 2 Comments
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  Why are 30,000 kids a day voting with their feet?

  
  
  
  The statistics on truancy are very worrying. Not only do we have 72,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 out of work and out of any form of education, but we have 30,000 students a day not wanting to go to school. In response, the Government has doubled funding to deal with [...] read more
  March 3, 2010 2:10 pm - 24 Comments
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  Not Our Heritage to Mine Karangahake

  
  
  
  On Friday last I hosted a meeting about the effects of mining at the Karangahake Hall near Paeroa. The hall is close to a major historical and recreational area including many artefacts and remnants from the early gold mining days. It is also close to the newest gold mining permit issued for the Coromandel area. The [...] read more
  February 23, 2010 2:44 pm - 11 Comments
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  NZEI Bus Tour out west

  
  
  
  I have always had trouble with geography in West Auckland and frequently get lost in Glen Eden while trying to get to Muriwai or Karekare beaches. Today was no exception when I tried to find the NZEI National Standards campaign bus at a mall out west. I entered a kind of Bermuda Triangle of malls from Westgate [...] read more
  February 23, 2010 2:39 pm - 24 Comments
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  Equal pay – is the Minister equal to the challenge?

  
  
  
  Following up from frog’s earlier post, there is something disturbing about watching a Minister for Women’s Affairs who doesn’t fight for pay equity. The feisty and energetic Pansy Wong enjoys verbal combat in the House, but seems to have no stomach for the real battles for women’s rights. Her shallow response to my questions in the House [...] read more
  February 19, 2010 4:31 pm - 80 Comments