act party Archive

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  Corporate welfare at its worst - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  It seems that National is using the confidence and supply agreement with its former MP John Banks acting as an ACT Party MP to push through some silly ideologically driven policies and hope that the terminal ACT rather than National cops the blame for them when the wheels fall off. Among those polices are several [...] read more
  December 6, 2011 1:40 pm - 12 Comments
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  g.blog’s resurrection, and that of Bob Clarkson - by frog

  
  
  
  Many current frogblog readers probably won’t have heard of g.blog. g.blog was set up before the 2008 election, but has been in hibernation for a while.  It is a blog where any Green Party member can post. If you are a Green member,  all you need to do to get posting rights at g.blog is [...] read more
  June 1, 2011 6:19 pm - 6 Comments
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  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
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  Found on floor outside Rodney Hide’s office - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s amazing the things that turn up when I’m hopping around Parliament.  Look what I found a few hours ago on a rare visit to the Act Party offices: read more
  April 1, 2011 12:01 am - 12 Comments
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  Not raindrops on roses; nor whiskers on kittens - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s ACT MP Hilary Calvert’s bizarre contribution on the Electoral (Disqualification of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill: If this vile affront to human rights and democratic principles that will strip all sentenced prisoners of the right to vote was not one of Hilary Calvert’s favourite things, then why the hell did she support it? read more
  December 9, 2010 1:07 pm - 6 Comments
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  Hide nailing down the rats - by frog

  
  
  
  Speaking to TV ONE’s Q and A show today, Rodney Hide revealed that the whole Act caucus and some of the senior party management knew about David Garrett’s fraudulently obtained passport. I’ve avoided commenting on the ongoing train wreck [mixed metaphor corrected] slowly sinking ship that is the ACT Party until now.  They are doing [...] read more
  September 19, 2010 5:00 pm - 10 Comments
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  A hard ACT to follow - by frog

  
  
  
  It seems the infighting within the ACT Party is not confined just to Rodney Hide, Heather Roy, Roger Douglas and the Parliamentary wing. Following ACT on Campus President Rick Giles’ profound argument in denial of human induced climate change on TV3’s Sunrise earlier this week: I think my argument is so powerful, it’s not necessary to talk about it read more
  April 3, 2010 6:28 am - 18 Comments
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  Gutting ACC: What a shambles! - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m planning to do a series of frogblog posts on National’s plans to gut ACC, highlighting the devastating impact of each of them on people who have been injured and their families. But before I even got to post the first one, ACC Minister Nick Smith has revealed how badly National has politically managed their [...] read more
  October 15, 2009 5:52 pm - 28 Comments
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  Green MPs Support 350 Challenge - by frog

  
  
  
  Green MPs support Bill McKibben’s campaign to reduce carbon in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, down from the current 389 ppm which is going up every year.  Scientists believe this would keep the global temperature rise to less than 2C. Meanwhile, the NACT government struggles with denial.  National’s “target” is a 50% reduction [...] read more
  June 9, 2009 7:00 am - 42 Comments
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  Greens And Granny Herald Subs Stop Potential Port Sale - by frog

  
  
  
  Image crafted by Lyndon Hood ***** This morning I just about choked on my breakfast of lilies and insects as I was reading the New Zealand Herald (online version). The Herald had an article implying that the Ports Of Auckland chairman Gary Judd thought now – as in right in the middle of an economic [...] read more
  March 11, 2009 6:13 pm - 7 Comments
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  The Tale of Sheriff Garrett and his Judge Dreddful Law - by frog

  
  
  
  I reckon new ACT MP David Garrett has been inspired by the George Bush/Dick Cheney/Donald Rumsfeld school of lawmaking when he drafted his “three strikes and you’re out” law. When told that his bill may breach the Bill of Rights Mr Garrett apparently suggested the Bill of Rights should be amended not his law.This is [...] read more
  March 3, 2009 2:41 pm - 24 Comments
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  Denial is no longer an acceptable response - by frog

  
  
  
  Greenpeace ironically notes that New Zealanders should be seriously alarmed at the prospect of the National-led government damaging the country’s relationship with the United States. “New Zealand is at serious risk of becoming an international Pariah over climate, and jeopardising its international standing and trade relations. The last thing we want is to become the [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 12:10 pm - 51 Comments
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  Economics and climate science are not Hide’s strong suits - by frog

  
  
  
  Brian Rudman today pins down the real danger the Rodney Hide’s climate denialism represents to New Zealand: The British Government Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, published in March, was blunt. “The scientific evidence is now overwhelming; climate change is a serious global threat, and it demands an urgent global response. Hundreds of [...] read more
  November 19, 2008 12:09 pm - 14 Comments
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  The Emissions Trading Scheme hits the backburner - by frog

  
  
  
  There is some good commentary about the Emissions Trading Scheme going on hold at Pundit: Have we wasted the whole last decade debating climate change policy, if we need to go back and start from scratch with a select committee review of ETS? No party was happy with the scheme that was finally passed in [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 3:50 pm - 34 Comments
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  Act’s ally - by frog

  
  
  
  Well one sector of society had to draw the short straw and get an Act Minister in charge of their area of interest, and this time it was local governments.  But it seems that one mayor, the one in the Rodney District, is looking forward to working with Rodney Hide. “I am sure the new [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 3:13 pm - 13 Comments
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  The Climate Change Select Committee - by frog

  
  
  
  Looking at the Climate Change Select Committee Terms of Reference agreed by the Act and National parties it seems like we are going to need to go through a significant re-litigation process that will be costly in terms of time and missed opportunities. Among other things Act proposes that the Select Committee will: • hear [...] read more
  November 17, 2008 12:30 pm - 10 Comments
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  Act and National’s agreement - by frog

  
  
  
  Well I have to say I was somewhat surprised to read that one of the first headline topics to be addressed in the National-ACT Confidence and Supply Agreement is ‘Joint Aspirations’. It seems the two parties have come to an agreement about getting higher (productivity growth) and allowing more (economic) freedom. read more
  November 17, 2008 11:21 am - 7 Comments
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  A consumer challenge for the liberal party - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s interesting news that Heather Roy is being discussed as the likely Minister of Consumer Affairs.  You would expect Act, with its focus on properly functioning free markets and consumer rights, to have similar kinds of policies to the Greens in the area of consumer affairs – that is a strong focus on consumers right [...] read more
  November 13, 2008 9:33 am - 80 Comments
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  In times of war - by frog

  
  
  
  theyworkforyou.co.nz has a sobering post following the election results which notes: Two parties which New Zealand has just elected into power, National and Act, voted in favour of the New Zealand Government joining the USA-led war coalition. This coalition invaded Iraq on 20 March 2003. For those of you that missed my previous post here’s [...] read more
  November 12, 2008 9:35 am - 45 Comments
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  Negotiating with Act - by frog

  
  
  
  Act is entering its negotiations with National today talking about its campaign themes: “three strikes” law and order policy, cutting government spending and dumping the emissions trading scheme. All of which sends shivers down many Green spines.  Act does empty bluster and noise better than most parties so I guess we’ll have to wait and [...] read more
  November 10, 2008 1:56 pm - 87 Comments