economy Archive

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  David’s Diary #2 – bridging the divide - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  Our second full day in Korea (and I do mean a full day!) has been illuminating in all sorts of ways, but the biggest buzz was entering North Korea (albeit briefly) without even having to produce a passport!  The opening session was a meeting over coffee with a professor of political studies from Chung-ang University, [...] read more
  March 24, 2010 12:14 pm - 1 Comment
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  Mortgagee sales in Auckland – graph - by frog

  
  
  
  Sayeth the NZ Herald: the number of mortgagee sales – where a borrower’s property is sold by the [bank] – reached the highest levels since records began They’ve only been keeping records since 1994 though At the end of the article there are some numbers, which I made a graph of Manukau (orange line) is [...] read more
  March 4, 2010 5:06 pm - 6 Comments
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  Wake up call for NZ exporters - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  If Kiwi businesses are to stay in the international retail game they need to get serious about adopting environmental and sustainable business practices. This is the message coming loud and clear from research revealed by major British retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S). M&S says environmental and social issues remain important to UK consumers. A survey [...] read more
  March 4, 2010 1:28 pm - 2 Comments
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  Fish industry uses net to catch hoki criticism - by frog

  
  
  
  To the surprise of conservationists, in 2001 the New Zealand hoki fishery was recognised as a sustainably managed fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council. Yet conservationists have continually raised concerns over how the fishery could possibly be sustainable when bycatch rates of NZ fur seals and seabirds are so high and the bottom trawling equipment [...] read more
  December 12, 2009 10:05 am - 9 Comments
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  The brand vs battery cows - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  This is how we present our butter to the world: “Only our cows are free to roam all day long. Anchor – the free range butter company”. And this is cubicle factory dairy production – the battery cow. Or this: Cognitive dissonance anyone? read more
  December 9, 2009 7:56 pm - 62 Comments
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  Herd homes vs cubicles like home vs prison - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Have you ever felt that after a long day inside a building you just have to get out and feel the sun and breathe some air? I guess not being able to do that is one  of the punishments the prison system imposes on offenders. But even they get an hour or so out in [...] read more
  December 9, 2009 3:35 pm - 11 Comments
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  Global concern at Nats’ plan to mine national parks - by frog

  
  
  
  Scrutiny of Government plans to mine our conservation lands is deepening internationally. And it’s got people hot on Facebook too. The Sunday Star Times ran a powerful feature on the weekend called “Picture imperfect”. It looks at international concern at New Zealand’s environmental performance, including National’s plan to mine conservation land: IT’S JUST a stock-take [...] read more
  December 7, 2009 8:30 pm - 10 Comments
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  Hugging trees: with a spade, trap and chainsaw - by frog

  
  
  
  A Wellington couple, entreprenuerial tree-huggers if you wish, criticise Fed Farmer’s head-in-the-sand attitude on climate change in the Nelson Mail today. They’ve invested in carbon farming a 47ha block of marginal land in Golden Bay. Jonathan Kennett and Bronwen Wall aren’t wringing their hands or seeking emissions subsidy handouts; they’re getting their hands dirty planting [...] read more
  December 2, 2009 1:16 pm - No Comments
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  Mokihinui – Brownlee’s burp - by frog

  
  
  
  So this week our Minister of Mining and Damming (aka Energy and Resources) let slip that the Mokihinui hydro-dam “would not go ahead”. Does he know something or was it just his ‘opinion’? Whatever the brain-burp was, he was ill-advised to say it but it’d be nice to think that there may be Moki fans in Government – perhaps they are closet readers of the 1400-fan facebook page! read more
  November 5, 2009 10:16 pm - 28 Comments
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  Smart hook – smart economics - by frog

  
  
  
  Fisher-turned-inventor Hans Jussiet explains the shield and dissolvable pin that covers baited-hooks as they are launched in this video from an ABC TVshow. Once the shielded hook sinks below the depth of seabirds and turtles, the pin dissolves and the shield is released. [Video included] read more
  November 5, 2009 9:20 pm - 5 Comments
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  Burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner - by frog

  
  
  
  Well known conservative commentator Thomas Friedman contends that destroying our biodiversity to fuel unregulated economic growth is like burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner. The issue of how we should treat natural capital in our economy resurfaced today in a new economic think-tank report. read more
  November 3, 2009 3:49 pm - 11 Comments
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  Economic debate gets Green voice - by frog

  
  
  
  TVNZ7’s much hyped economic debate (you’ve probably seen the adds by now) will have a Green voice.  Following TVNZ’s Guyon Espiner interviewing Finance Minister Bill English Green Party Co-Leader Dr Russel Norman will critique National’s first year in Government along with Roger Douglas (ACT) and David Cunliffe (Labour).  TVZN7’s economic debate screens tonight on TVNZ7 [...] read more
  November 3, 2009 9:52 am - 16 Comments
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  Think our native forests were safe? Think again. - by frog

  
  
  
  “Agricultural intensification over the past 10 years has led to the highest rate of native vegetation loss since European colonisation.” Landcare Research Annual Report read more
  November 2, 2009 11:29 am - 18 Comments
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  Love Wild Rivers? Give them your support - by frog

  
  
  
  Cool. Today a new campaign has been launched for one of New Zealand’s most iconic features – our Wild Rivers. It’s great to see diverse groups – tree-huggers, deer-stalkers, bird-watchers, knobbly-kneed trampers, sharp-edged climbers, risky rafters, kool-kat kayakers, and angelic anglers – representing “over 100,000 New Zealanders” and united in seeking to protect wild rivers [...] read more
  October 28, 2009 12:37 pm - 3 Comments
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  Chalking Nick in Nelson - by frog

  
  
  
  Chalking the opinion of many on the streets of Nelson this morning and challenging Nick Smith, who welcomed Schedule 4 thus: “This Bill at long last puts some pegs in the sand in some very significant areas of New Zealand and says to the mining industries of New Zealand: “These are no-go areas.”…” read more
  October 27, 2009 2:31 pm - 7 Comments
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  A blast from the coastal past - by frog

  
  
  
  Guess the author of this quote: “…How much coastline and seafront must be sacrificed forever before we learn that, in issues of profit versus the environment, environment must win? There can be no alternative.” read more
  October 10, 2009 11:00 am - 13 Comments
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  Minister Smith please stand up - by frog

  
  
  
  Nick has been surprisingly silent on the decision of Ministers Brownlee and Groser to do a stock-take of our premiere conservation land for its mining potential. Was he consulted? We know he was given a copy of Brownlee’s speech prior, but did he read it? Does he support it? What’s up, Nick? read more
  October 4, 2009 9:11 am - 22 Comments
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  Frog Week with Gerry and Tim - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s frog week! My favourite week of the year. But this one comes under a large grey cloud. My local native frog rellies have not been faring well for a while. They’re threatened by all sorts already. But now they have a new predator – Gerry with his sidekick Tim. All New Zealand’s native frog species are now threatened by mining. read more
  September 29, 2009 6:02 am - 3 Comments
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  Today is Earth Overshoot Day - by frog

  
  
  
  From today we will meet our demand for ecological services by depleting resource stocks and accumulating carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. …we’re really good at accounting, but forgot to factor in our most important assets — the natural ones. What are your thoughts? read more
  September 26, 2009 10:15 am - 31 Comments
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  Undermining our most generous gifts - by frog

  
  
  
  On 23 September 1887 – 122 years ago yesterday – Te Heuheu Tukino of Tuwharetoa gifted the mountains of Tongariro, Ngaruhoe and Ruapehu to the people of Aotearoa…. This anniversary was sullied by the fact that the Crown is now considering the Park’s mining potential. read more
  September 24, 2009 2:30 pm - 12 Comments