THE ISSUES Archive

  • Catherine Delahunty

    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 - 7 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Wake Up Cantabrians! Your democracy is at stake!



    I can’t believe the people of Canterbury are going to allow a democratically elected Council—Environment Canterbury—to be thrown out and replaced by an unelected and unaccountable political appointee—most likely Jenny Shipley. What is happening in Canterbury is eerily similar to what is happening in Auckland—layers of democracy are being quietly got rid of and replaced by [...] read more
    March 19, 2010 11:31 am - 26 Comments
  • frog

    Factory farming reprieve



    Some fantastic news late last night – the companies applying to start factory-style dairy farms in the Mackenzie Country have shelved their effluent consent applications, citing costs. This is a real victory for the Greens, the environmental movement, and everyone who’s spoken up in opposition to the proposals since we revealed them in December. More than [...] read more
    March 19, 2010 10:45 am - 14 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    Firefighters deserve clean air in their workspace



    The Green Party are siding with the firefighters in their bid to have extractors installed at their workplaces. The DominionPost reported yesterday that the Fire Service was dragging its feet over the installation of diesel fume extractors at fifteen fire stations around the country. The extractors are expensive — $15,000 per unit — and the Fire [...] read more
    March 19, 2010 9:45 am - 6 Comments
  • frog

    Drunk in charge of a sickness benefit



    No amount of work-testing is going to get people who cannot work because of alcohol or drug dependency back into the workforce. All that will do is make them feel harassed and more likely to sink deeper into the faux refuge of their dependency. read more
    March 19, 2010 8:17 am - 16 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    McCully, it’s time to bring home Bethune



    I’m looking forward to meeting the Steve Irwin and her crew when they arrive in Wellington tomorrow. While life goes on as normal in Parliament it seems the Government has forgotten we have a Kiwi sitting, right now, in a Japanese jail. I asked the Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, on Tuesday what he was doing to [...] read more
    March 18, 2010 2:32 pm - 27 Comments
  • frog

    Metiria grills the PM on mining contradictions



    Metiria Turei grills the Prime Minister on his government’s confused and contradictory statements about the mining of protected Schedule 4 lands on the conservation estate. Her question was: Does he stand by his statement “Notwithstanding the public consultation process, it is my expectation that the Government will act on at least [...] read more
    March 18, 2010 1:56 pm - 4 Comments
  • Gareth Hughes

    Dodging Roger’s Bill



    Yesterday the National Party shot down Sir Roger Douglas’ dreams of returning New Zealand back to Victorian England by saying they will not support his Members’ Bill which would have re-introduced youth rates. It’s a rare piece of good news out of the Beehive, but let’s face it; the bill was a stupid idea to begin [...] read more
    March 18, 2010 12:51 pm - 12 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    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
  • frog

    General Debate 18th March 2010



    Misc links: Nats to pay miners to dig up national parks Video: what we know about climate science Lehman Brothers: the next Enron Israeli envoy sees “historic crisis” with U.S.: report National Rules Out Supporting Roger Douglas Youth Rate Bill read more
    March 18, 2010 10:45 am - 30 Comments
Older entries »