national party Archive

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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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  Gutting ACC – Sewer-side Smith - by frog

  
  
  
  It won’t matter if a suicide victim was incapable of forming a rational intent. It won’t matter if the suicide was caused by an abject failure of mental health services to provide appropriate treatment. The victim’s family will get no help from ACC. It’s just not fair. read more
  October 20, 2009 9:04 am - 1 Comment
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  Gutting ACC – it’s just not fair: Hearing loss - by frog

  
  
  
  The ACC scheme is a social contract. Before ACC came into being, New Zealanders were able to sue each other for personal injury. We gave up that right, in return for the no-fault, comprehensive cover scheme that is ACC. National wants to erode the comprehensive cover aspect of the scheme in an ominous way. read more
  October 16, 2009 1:41 pm - 10 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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  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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  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
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  From little things, big things grow… - by frog

  
  
  
  There was a recurring riff behind National’s opposition to two very different Bills on Members’ Day Wednesday. One commonality was that both Bills were voted down by National, Act and United Future, and supported by Greens, Labour, Progressives and Maori Parties. But the riff I want to highlight is the idea that the problem is [...] read more
  June 19, 2009 11:33 am - 7 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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  Seeing the forest and the trees - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  RadioNZ reported this morning that forest plantings in NZ are at their lowest level since World War II. The report shows that just 1000 hectares of new forest was established during 2008 – down from 2400ha in 2007. New planting peaked at 100,000ha in 1992. Deforestation (not replanting forest after harvesting or converting forest to [...] read more
  May 21, 2009 3:30 pm - 5 Comments
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  I’ll ask again: Should Sam resign? - by frog

  
  
  
  Way back in November of last year, asked; should Sam resign? Those were heady days for the national Party, and in all seriousness I asked if new MP Sam Lotu-liga could handle the workload of being both a City Councillor and an MP. An article in The Aucklander this week finally provides the answer. read more
  May 15, 2009 7:38 am - 43 Comments
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  Nice words, but where’s the action? - by frog

  
  
  
  The release of a Strategy for New Zealand Dairy Farming slipped quietly under the public’s radar this week, with few media picking it up. At the Strategy launch, the PM and Ag Minister David Carter mooed in the direction of the environment: the PM said, “It is important that farmers step up and take leadership [...] read more
  May 9, 2009 8:05 pm - 6 Comments
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  Bradford’s Truth – An MoU and a coup - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  My regular column in the New Zealand Truth appeared again today: A couple of weeks ago the Green Party signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National-led Government. Some of our supporters have been worried that perhaps we are selling our souls to the Nats in return for a few favours. However, I would like [...] read more
  April 23, 2009 12:24 pm - 43 Comments
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  Labour MIA at the Maori representation hui - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  The hui at Orakei Marae today was excellent. Ngati Whaatua put out the call for Maori in Tamaki Makaurau to gather to consider what should be done next to oppose the government’s rejection of guaranteed Maori seats on the new Auckland unitary council. They have decided to hold a hikoi on 25 May, the 31st [...] read more
  April 15, 2009 4:01 pm - 246 Comments
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  Greens sign MoU with National - by frog

  
  
  
  I confess it makes an interesting headline, that! nevertheless, here is a video of the press conference, for your viewing pleasure: Despite what a few on frogblog have been saying, this MoU is exactly what we said we would do before, during and after the election – that is – work constructively with National on [...] read more
  April 9, 2009 11:20 am - 76 Comments
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  The biggest Maori urban population shut out from their own city - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  National’s decision to ditch the Maori seats on the Auckland super city is another means to remove Maori from the barest minimum of decision-making in the biggest Maori city in the country. Catherine has blogged on the general issue before but the issues are even more acute in Auckland. According the 2006 census, nearly 25% [...] read more
  April 7, 2009 6:03 pm - 59 Comments
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  Where everyone bags a bargain… - by frog

  
  
  
  News today that the Warehouse is moving to introduce a 10c fee for plastic bags is worthy of a shout out. The Environment Minister and the Mayor of Waitakere also welcomed it. The Minister’s statement is interesting for his comment that: “This approach is also consistent with the Government’s Bluegreen agenda of encouraging more environmentally friendly behaviour [...] read more
  March 18, 2009 4:20 pm - 7 Comments
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  Hope that the Foreshore Act will be repealed is real - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  I was at the announcement of the terms of reference of the Foreshore review yesterday. It was rather hard in some respects, seeing many people there who were such a major part of the campaign against the law and remembering what an awful campaign of hatred it was. I heard the Maori Party clearly state [...] read more
  March 5, 2009 10:37 am - 45 Comments
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  Lowest paid should not be expected to bear the cost of recession - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  Rumours are growing in Wellington that National will not increase the minimum wage this year. A Government announcement is expected on or before 9 February. Intimations that Kate Wilkinson, the new Minister of Labour, will recommend a nil minimum wage increase to Cabinet have hit the blogosphere despite her own Department supporting a rise from [...] read more
  January 27, 2009 1:57 pm - 105 Comments
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  New domestic violence bill kept secret from public - by Sue Bradford

  
  
  
  The Green Party has just received a copy of yet another bill which the new National Government is pushing through under urgency – the Domestic Violence (Enhancing Safety) Bill. We don’t think most members of the public or interested organisations have had a chance to see it yet so here it is. We only got [...] read more
  December 17, 2008 12:40 pm - 33 Comments
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  Poor ol’ Maurice – no longer on the roads again - by frog

  
  
  
  Maurice Williamson misses out on cabinet but wins our Photoshop Willie award. It seems mentioning roading tolls that don’t exist (?) repeatedly through the campaign means Key has put him on the road to the backbenches again. read more
  November 18, 2008 8:10 am - 2 Comments