Keith Locke Archive

  • Keith Locke

    Next Harbour crossing must include rail, walking and cycling options - by Keith Locke



    The Aucklander reported today that the Minister of Transport has asked consultants to conduct a study into whether the next Harbour crossing for Auckland should be a bridge or a tunnel.* Parallel tunnels for road and rail going under the Harbour are the preferred option that was selected by various stakeholders  (including the New Zealand [...] read more
    June 25, 2010 5:34 pm - 27 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Prejudice against Pasifika players offside - by Keith Locke



    The New Zealand Herald was right to call “offensive” Andy Haden’s suggestion that the Crusaders rugby team has done better by having fewer Polynesians in the team. After claiming the Crusaders had a quota of three Polynesian players Haden said “and it’s worked”. This prejudicial attitude is not new, particularly in Haden’s Auckland where some [...] read more
    May 30, 2010 12:33 pm - 46 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Change the world one coffee at a time - by Keith Locke



    Right now it is Fair Trade fortnight in NZ. There have been events all over the country to raise awareness of the terrible working conditions many people in the developing world suffer from - tiny wages, ridiculously long hours, or dangerous conditions – and the benefits of buying ethically produced goods. If you haven’t been to any events yet [...] read more
    May 13, 2010 1:44 pm - 20 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Popping the balloon of secrecy around Waihopai - by Keith Locke



    Last weekend’s protest at Waihopai was the usual colourful affair. It began with a march through Blenheim, and speeches from Murray Horton, John Minto and myself. We then adjourned to the spy base itself, up the beautiful Waihopai Valley. More speeches and chants followed by the ceremonial popping of 13 white ballons, each displaying a [...] read more
    January 26, 2010 2:29 pm - 54 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Bearded Apiata on NZ Army website - by Keith Locke



    There are two (related) debates raging following the decision of the Herald and other newpapers to publish the photo of VC winner Willie Apiata on active duty in Kabul following a Taliban attack. The Christchurch Press argues this morning that it was just sharing a photo ‘that anyone could see on the internet’. The Press [...] read more
    January 25, 2010 12:04 pm - 14 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Bring SAS troops home from Afghanistan! - by Keith Locke



    It’s good that New Zealand won’t be sending any more troops to Afghanistan. However, that’s not because John Key has just seen the light. With its existing troop commitments – in Afghanistan, the Solomons and East Timor – the NZ Defence Force simply doesn’t have any troops to spare. I’m asking John Key to look [...] read more
    December 3, 2009 9:58 am - 17 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Workers demand end to wage freeze - by Keith Locke



    The sun shone on rallies for low paid workers held in cities and town across New Zealand. In Auckland they were led by Service Workers Union members in their bright red T-shirts – coming from hospitals and rest homes across the region. Other unions like the Public Service Association and NZ Educational Institute also brought their low paid members along. read more
    November 27, 2009 6:06 pm - 29 Comments
  • frog

    7 Months, 7 Roads, and 7 Days… - by frog



    Steven Joyce likes saying he’s tired of the “road versus rail debate” – implying that his government recognizes both roads and public transport are needed and important. But what does this government’s record on transport in Auckland, especially when it comes to 7s, really suggest? read more
    October 23, 2009 12:36 pm - 8 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Secret agreement for SAS on Afghan prisoners? - by Keith Locke



    According to Jon Stephenson in this morning’s Sunday Star-Times the SAS soldiers realise they are in for a tougher time in Afghanistan this time around. However, it is still not entirely clear what will happen to any prisoners our SAS hands over to the Afghan authorities. Jon Stephenson says Afghanistan has now promised, in writing, [...] read more
    September 27, 2009 8:35 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    Tokelau navigates towards cleaner, greener future - by frog



    Core Green issues of transport, energy and Pacific climate change were raised in a meeting with our MPs Keith Locke and Kennedy Graham.  A delegation from Tokelau – that included the three high chiefs of Tokelau – Faipule Foua Toloa (Ulu o Tokelau/leader of Tokelau) , Faipule Kuresa Nasau, Faipule Pio Tetimuatoga Tuia Iosefo and officials – [...] read more
    September 20, 2009 8:00 am - 8 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    NZ must take a stand on human rights abuse in Iran - by Keith Locke



    All eyes were on Iran during its presidential elections on June 12. The re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was seen as fraudulent by many, and set off a spate of protests in following weeks. The crackdown by the Iranian government shocked the world. Many protestors and bystanders were killed or injured; over a thousand were detained. [...] read more
    September 7, 2009 5:47 pm - 51 Comments
  • frog

    Just how does the SIS protect our ‘economic wellbeing’? - by frog



    Image by Lyndon Hood I haven’t yet requested my file from the Security Intelligence Service just in case it diverts some hard working intelligence operative from detecting an outrage from Al-Qaeda, the Red Army Faction, Baader Meinhof Gang or the Action, Research and Education Network of Aotearoa (ARENA). Of course the group most likely to [...] read more
    August 10, 2009 3:16 pm - 61 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Bain verdict time for sober reflection - by Keith Locke



    It’s good that the Police have said they will learn from the Bain case if there is any thing they could have done better.   However, it shouldn’t just be admitting they did a few things wrong at the beginning.   The review needs to cover the whole of the last 15 years – since [...] read more
    June 8, 2009 4:58 pm - 24 Comments
  • frog

    Foreign Affairs is a million shades of grey - by frog



    I was wading through the agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia New Zealand Free Trade Area a few weeks ago – a little light reading for a Frog. Looks like New Zealand will be doing business with Burma (or Myanmar as the military dictators refer to Burma). Green MP Dr Kennedy Graham spoke about this in the [...] read more
    May 6, 2009 2:58 pm - 8 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Sex Bomb, Sex bomb - by Keith Locke



    Just in case anyone thinks the Greens were letting some hard core sex offenders run riot by voting against yesterday’s sex offender law amendment, here are the facts: The key amendment in the bill was not “just implementing the intention of the original legislation”, as the government claimed . The Attorney-General’s Report on Parole (Extended [...] read more
    April 3, 2009 2:32 pm - 40 Comments
  • frog

    No Refuge for Labour’s Record On Jailing Refugees - by frog



    It is great news to me that an Iranian Christian convert -  after much suffering in New Zealand has finally been given refuge.  Ali Panah, a man so concerned at being sent back to Iran after he converted from Islam to Christianity, starved for seven weeks in 2007 to bring attention to his and other Iranians’ [...] read more
    February 18, 2009 2:16 pm - 57 Comments
  • frog

    Nothern Busway; Success story or not? - by frog



    Auckland’s Northern Busway celebrated its first birthday over the weekend. But you wouldn’t know it. Other than a piece in the North Shore Times talking about free rides on the 1st of February, there has been scarcely a murmur in the press. Why not? The Busway has been an overwhelming success. So overwhelming in fact [...] read more
    February 2, 2009 7:12 pm - 30 Comments
  • frog

    Strange Bedfellows - by frog



    Politics is a funny business, and can produce some very strange bedfellows. The Rob Gilchrist spying affair has highlighted a significant lack of oversight regarding police covert activities, and frankly, some very poor judgement. I have been asked a few times by commenters why I haven’t waded into the scandal. The  reason is that I [...] read more
    December 18, 2008 12:09 pm - 84 Comments
  • frog

    60th Anniversary of Universal Declaration - by frog



    On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The rights seem so simple and so obvious that we in New Zealand quite easily take them for granted. The document is not legally binding in the way a treaty is, but it does formally [...] read more
    December 10, 2008 10:58 am - 34 Comments
  • frog

    Our transport plan for Auckland - by frog



    The Auckland transport plan that the Greens released yesterday got good coverage in the Herald which covered how the MPs got to the launch: Metiria Turei: Small ferryboat chartered from the base of Te Atatu Peninsula to highlight its dearth of public transport services. Sue Kedgley: Train from Mt Eden. Keith Locke: Bike from Mt [...] read more
    October 16, 2008 2:17 pm - 18 Comments
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