national Archive

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  “Choice” versus fairness in education - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Why is it that this country continues to adopt failed models from elsewhere instead of strengthening our own structures based on our own experience? The schools and communities of South Auckland and Eastern Christchurch are being used to justify ideological experimentation. After all there are many good schools doing their best in these regions and [...] read more
  December 7, 2011 5:08 pm - 72 Comments
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  State of the Planet speech 2011 - by frog

  
  
  
  Last Sunday Russel gave the annual State of the Planet speech to a packed and excited crowd at Te Mahurehure Marae in Auckland. It was a great and powerful speech that clearly defined the Green vision for Aotearoa. Russel also attacked National and Labour for bludging off our grandchildren and pulling the ladder of opportunity [...] read more
  February 3, 2011 9:22 am - 11 Comments
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  Key Government hides from the truth about oil - by frog

  
  
  
  Make your submission on the draft Energy Strategy by 5pm on 2 September read more
  August 29, 2010 6:47 am - 78 Comments
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  Goff delivers wedge to split the left - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  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 [...] read more
  December 1, 2009 10:14 am - 50 Comments
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  Green Oral Question for today - by frog

  
  
  
  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 [...] read more
  October 29, 2009 11:42 am - 30 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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  Gutting ACC – National flies true colours - by frog

  
  
  
  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 - by frog

  
  
  
  “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 - 15 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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  Minister mining for inspiration - by frog

  
  
  
  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% - by frog

  
  
  
  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 [...] read more
  August 14, 2009 10:26 am - 70 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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  Herald approves, but gets some basics very wrong - by frog

  
  
  
  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 [...] read more
  April 13, 2009 11:48 am - 30 Comments
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  Declaration of Indigenous Rights Down Under - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  On Tuesday I got to ask my first proper Question in the House. Unsurprisingly Hone Harawira asked more or less the same question. Will the Government follow the lead of Australia and change their position to support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People? The Prime Minister did a good imitation of saying [...] read more
  April 2, 2009 7:00 am - 106 Comments
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  Dr Coleman Saves NZ from Totalitarian TV! - by frog

  
  
  
  Image crafted by Lyndon Hood New Zealand’s chances of turning into North Körea got a little bit slimmer thanks to the current Government’s plan to cancel the TVNZ charter. In 2003 when the then Labour government introduced the TVNZ Charter aimed at bolstering our national identity I thought yippee.  National identity bolstering is good stuff.  [...] read more
  March 27, 2009 9:22 am - 16 Comments
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  Private prisons are not cheaper - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Last night the parliament debated the first reading of the Corrections (Contract Management of Prisons) Bil. I have blogged about this issue frequently, but not yet addressed the key argument of National – that private prisons are cheaper. So I used my speech last night to refer to both Australian and US research that showed [...] read more
  March 25, 2009 6:40 pm - 64 Comments
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  Universities under pressure to keep wages low - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  The Tertiary Education Union reports today that some universities are under great pressure to keep the wages and salaries of university staff as low as possible. The government’s document Expectations for Pay and Employment Conditions in the State Sector seems to be placing pressure on many tertiary-education institutions to depress wages rather than face explaining [...] read more
  March 19, 2009 5:24 pm - 49 Comments
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  National gags Pita Sharples: Maori deserve better - by Metiria Turei

  
  
  
  Todays performance in the House has confirmed that the Minister of Maori Affairs, Pita Sharples is being locked out by the National Government from answering serious questions concerning Maori. My question today directly concerning Maori and their loss of rights under the RMA reforms was transferred by the government from the Maori Affairs Minister to [...] read more
  March 11, 2009 6:17 pm - 4 Comments
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  Co-leader’s Parliamentary update - by frog

  
  
  
  Jeanette and Russel talk about insulation, energy efficiency, the Electoral Finance Act and their meeting with the Nats. read more
  February 19, 2009 8:27 am - 1 Comment
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  Shock Announcement: Normal maintenance to proceed under National - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  We look forward to more announcements from this very busy government that schools will buy chalk this year, trains will refuel, nurses worn out uniforms will be replaced and the harbour bridge repainted. The press secretaries will be working overtime. It is, of course, entirely a good thing that Transpower will do essential maintenance on [...] read more
  February 13, 2009 11:32 am - 41 Comments
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  Irish government unveils insulation scheme - by frog

  
  
  
  While our government prevaricates and even cancels our shovel ready Green Homes Insulation fund, the Australians and the Irish have announced ambitious plans of their own. The Irish Times reported today: HOW TO cut heating bills, reduce carbon emissions and create thousands of jobs in the construction sector in the process? The Government, through its [...] read more
  February 10, 2009 5:08 pm - 17 Comments
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  Government tells those on minimum wage to tread water - by frog

  
  
  
  Very conveniently, at 4pm on the eve of parliament re-convening, the government has tried to quietly announce that they will raise the minimum wage by 50 cents, in line with inflation. It’s not good enough, given that the current minimum wage is not a living wage. Our lowest paid citizens, already up to their gunwales [...] read more
  February 9, 2009 4:48 pm - 104 Comments
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  Stimulus Reality: Spending creates VASTLY more jobs than tax cuts - by frog

  
  
  
  That is the title of a very thought provoking post over at OpenLeft. The author, Paul Rosenburg, takes data from Moody’s economy.com and combines it with research from the Center for Economic Policy and Research to create the following chart: It lends credence to Treasury’s call for tax cut’s to be delayed or reduced if [...] read more
  February 9, 2009 1:59 pm - 10 Comments
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  RMA reform roundup - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday the government announced its proposed reforms for the Resource Management Act (RMA). Personally, I was unimpressed, as it seemed to me that many of the so called reforms were mechanisms that already existed in the current legislation. It looked like a re-branding exercise. Most of the changes were actually tweaks to the existing regime, [...] read more
  February 4, 2009 4:02 pm - 39 Comments
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  National’s two-faced approach to Australian harmonisation - by frog

  
  
  
  I laughed out loud as I read the National Business Review’s article about how keen National is to fast track the development of a single market. Apparently Gerry Brownlee didn’t get the memo, as he has summarily torn up a long standing, well developed standards agreement with Australia in his first few weeks. The article, [...] read more
  February 2, 2009 11:32 am - 25 Comments
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  Armstrong should know better - by frog

  
  
  
  Many thanks to John Armstrong for a bit of coverage in today’s Herald, but really he should know better than to say we have changed our tune. John says: Having slammed the door shut to working with National a mere three months ago, the Greens now want to reopen it. The Greens’ co-leader’s language in [...] read more
  January 27, 2009 4:44 pm - 86 Comments
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  Nats tax bill costs the low paid - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Nats yesterday introduced their tax bill. They dropped the bill on parliament without giving anyone a chance to read it before it hit the house and are pushing it through under urgency without giving a select committee or anyone else a chance to examine it properly. Even the Regulatory Impact Assessment stated that they hadn’t [...] read more
  December 10, 2008 9:14 pm - 34 Comments
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  Upton warns of a laughing stock - by frog

  
  
  
  Simon Upton writes a good critique of New Zealand’s climate change situation in today’s Dom Post. It must be amazing for the former National Party Minister who got us involved with the Kyoto process in the first place to watch as once again, we go back to square one in terms of our response to [...] read more
  December 2, 2008 12:01 pm - 23 Comments
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  NZ red-faced over climate change - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Why would someone who believes climate change is a hoax and human activity is not contributing to climate change, want a carbon tax? Why would you tax fossil fuels if you don’t believe they are doing any harm? Why would a party that has campaigned on a carbon tax since 1993 and accepted the ETS [...] read more
  November 30, 2008 4:31 pm - 89 Comments
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  Focus on Pharmac - by frog

  
  
  
  Rarely are so few asked to do so much with so little for the benefit of so many, who are ungrateful. That’s how I would describe Pharmac’s calling. Today’s Sunday Star Times spends an inordinate amount of column inches discussing the challenges Pharmac faces. Or does it? The unattributed comment piece on A11, “Pharmac’s $635 [...] read more
  November 30, 2008 1:45 pm - 37 Comments
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  NZ now a joke in Europe - by frog

  
  
  
  Thanks Rodney. Thanks John. From Scoop: Specialist news service Carbon News this morning reports broker Nigel Brunel, of OMF Financial, as saying New Zealand is “a bit of a joke in Europe at the moment” following the National-Act agreement to suspend the emissions trading scheme. “This was New Zealand’s opportunity to reinvent its financial markets [...] read more
  November 22, 2008 4:13 pm - 69 Comments
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  Movin’ on up - by frog

  
  
  
  Things will be a bit sketchy around here at frogblog, as I help the parliamentary team pack up their office and shift further up in Bowen House. With our newer, bigger caucus, we’ll be inhabiting two floors now instead of one. The views from level 8 were lovely. At almost twice the height, they will [...] read more
  November 21, 2008 9:09 am - 28 Comments
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  Five headed monsters - by frog

  
  
  
    I laughed out loud at this image over at Tumeke this morning, in a post from Bomber. I’m not entirely sure who gets the image credit, but perhaps it is best ascribed to John Key himself, as quoted in the NZ Herald: Do [New Zealanders] want to put in a National government with a [...] read more
  November 20, 2008 11:48 am - 24 Comments
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  Should Sam resign? - by frog

  
  
  
  My intent is to foster a debate as much as to express my own, personal opinion on the matter. But yes, I believe that Sam Lotu-liga should resign as either the Auckland City Councilor for Tamaki-Maungakiekie, or as MP for Maungakiekie. Holding two such offices simultaneously does have some historical precedent, but does anyone really [...] read more
  November 16, 2008 3:16 pm - 12 Comments
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  Energy shakeup looming - by frog

  
  
  
  The DomPost Business section leads with a discussion of what national is likely to do with the imminent shakeup of our energy sector. It amounts to privatisation by other means, and sets it for a complete government sell-off to foreign investors in 2011. (No-one else could afford the $12 billion asset!) Re-combining Mighty River Power, [...] read more
  November 11, 2008 1:40 pm - 28 Comments
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  Privatisation still on National´s agenda - by frog

  
  
  
  Despite no one wanting it besides the ACT party, National is persisting on the path towards privatising ACC. Business doesn’t want it, the EMA doesn’t want it, doctors don’t want it and unions don’t want it. Most workers don´t want it because it is so confusing. Still, National´s ACC spokeswoman Pansy Wong is keeping it [...] read more
  October 24, 2008 2:34 pm - 14 Comments
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  National Party to dump the billion dollar Green Home Fund - by frog

  
  
  
  Last night in Auckland, National Party Climate Change Spokesman Dr. Nick Smith MP announced under pressure that National has no plans to keep the billion dollar Green Home Fund that the Greens negotiated with Labour. Speaking at the Oxfam Climate Change Debate, Smith was pressured by Minister Parker as to whether National would keep the [...] read more
  October 14, 2008 6:11 am - 62 Comments
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  Nat’s forestry policy is Labour lite - by frog

  
  
  
  True to form, the National Party has released a forestry policy that leaves Labour’s policies completely unchanged, but whinges mightily about the RMA. What a yawn. The now familiar recipe goes like this; Ingredients: 1 Labour policy (ripe) 1 cup of meaningless statistics 1 National Party spokesperson 1 cup of self-righteous bile standard seasonings Implements: [...] read more
  September 24, 2008 2:25 pm - 3 Comments
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  Chicken Nats afraid to front on Back Benches - by frog

  
  
  
  Wallace Chapman of TVNZ7′s Back Benches programme gave a not too subtle hint to the Nats that they really might want to front up to the programme again, despite the disastrous policy gaffes and leaks of the last few weeks. On this week’s show, he opened with: National have declined to be on the show [...] read more
  September 12, 2008 12:03 pm - 22 Comments
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  Did the Nats leave the Maori Party at the altar? - by frog

  
  
  
  There has been a whirlwind of interest and speculation as to why the National party pulled support at the last moment for a Maori Party amendment to the Emissions Trading legislation. The amendment would have inserted a clause giving effect to the Treaty of Waitangi as well as a targeted review of the effect of [...] read more
  September 11, 2008 4:32 pm - 137 Comments