national Archive

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  Goff delivers wedge to split the left

  
  
  
  For all the indignation at the response to his speech , what did Goff expect whanau and hapu would hear in it? He starts with a criticism of Hone, he attacks the Maori Party, he promotes unjust treaty settlements and he defends the discriminatory foreshore legislation. And all delivered to a predominately Pakeha audience. How could [...] read more
  December 1, 2009 10:14 am - 50 Comments
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  Green Oral Question for today

  
  
  
  In Parliament today, the Green Party’s Questions for Oral Answer (number 3) is from Russel Norman to the Minister of Finance, Bill English: Does he stand by his statement that “water assets will not be privatised as a result of the restructuring” of local government; and if so, how does he reconcile it with Cabinet’s decision [...] read more
  October 29, 2009 11:42 am - 30 Comments
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  Chalking Nick in Nelson

  
  
  
  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 - 6 Comments
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  Gutting ACC – National flies true colours

  
  
  
  National has now openly revealed its plans to privatise ACC – clearly, the Government has been softening the public up for this for a while. read more
  October 23, 2009 2:26 pm - 9 Comments
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  A few quotes from John Key – pre election

  
  
  
  “National will have policies that reflect the fact that living on a diet of carbon will be increasingly bad – bad for the world and bad for our economy. We will have policy that encourages ‘climate friendly’ choices like windmills, hydro power and tree planting, and reduces the desire for ‘climate unfriendly’ behaviours, like burning [...] read more
  October 10, 2009 1:16 pm - 14 Comments
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  Minister Smith please stand up

  
  
  
  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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  Minister mining for inspiration

  
  
  
  An avid frog reader has sent in this photo of the Minister of Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee, mining inspiration from a quality resource. read more
  September 14, 2009 9:09 am - 33 Comments
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  National: everyone else must cut emissions by 40%

  
  
  
  I know we keep banging on about climate change a lot over here, but this is just amazing so I had to post it! From No Right Turn: So, having set itself an utterly pathetic climate change target of 10% – 20%, and derided all talk of going for 40%, guess what target the New Zealand government [...] read more
  August 14, 2009 10:26 am - 70 Comments
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  From little things, big things grow…

  
  
  
  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 so [...] read more
  June 19, 2009 11:33 am - 7 Comments
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  Herald approves, but gets some basics very wrong

  
  
  
  Today’s Herald editorial seems keen on the new working relationship between the Greens and National.  But their positive assessment comes at the very end, while much of the piece discusses a supposed change in attitude by the Greens. This agreement, under which the Greens and ministers will work together in several policy areas, clearly owes a great deal to [...] read more
  April 13, 2009 11:48 am - 30 Comments