Nick Smith Archive

• 

  Fancy that. Kiwis hate National’s ETS - by frog

  
  
  
  It was no surprise to me to find this morning a new ShapeNZ poll shows Kiwis overwhelmingly reject National’s proposed changes to the ETS. Eighty-two percent of National voters believe emitters should pay for any emissions in excess of New Zealand’s agreed limit under the Kyoto treaty, not taxpayers. Among Maori Party voters this rises to ninety-one percent. read more
  November 2, 2009 9:18 am - 12 Comments
• 

  Gutting ACC – There is hope! - by frog

  
  
  
  There is hope! Just today, ACC Minister Nick Smith partially backed down on ACC’s proposals for sexual abuse victims to have to be diagnosed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist as being mentally ill before they can get cover. That has to be great news for everyone else affected by Dr Zachary Nick Smith’s planned [...] read more
  October 27, 2009 7:38 pm - 7 Comments
• 

  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
• 

  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
• 

  Gutting ACC – Employer disunity over ACC privatisation - by frog

  
  
  
  Conflicting statements from business lobbyists reveal that there is no consensus amongst New Zealand business about the privatisation of ACC. Business New Zealand has issued a statement supporting foreign-owned insurance companies being able to compete with ACC in workplace accident compensation. They are at loggerheads with the Employers and Manufacturers Association, who oppose ACC privatisation. read more
  October 22, 2009 7:22 pm - 7 Comments
• 

  A 350 Banner In Parliament! - by frog

  
  
  
  Metiria Turei displayed the 350 banner in parliament today, while asking Nick Smith what the government’s ppm target is. Thanks to scoop.co.nz for the photos Click for big version Click for big version Click for big version Click for big version Click for big version Nick Smith responded to the question with “450″, which, according [...] read more
  October 21, 2009 5:45 pm - 5 Comments
• 

  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
• 

  Gutting ACC – the secret agenda - by frog

  
  
  
  Introduce a $50 or $100 excess on every ACC claim? Try selling that one to someone on the minimum wage! Go to your local A&E clinic to get your cut finger stitched and a quarter of your take home income disappears – even if the accident happened at work and was because the employer’s equipment was faulty. read more
  October 19, 2009 9:30 am - 18 Comments
• 

  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
• 

  Gutting ACC – it’s just not fair: Vocational independence - by frog

  
  
  
  This is the first in a series of blog posts I’m doing to explain National’s plans to gut ACC and highlight how unfair they are. One of the proposed changes is to vocational independence assessments.  These assessments are used by ACC to decide if an ACC claimant receiving weekly compensation for loss of earnings is [...] read more
  October 16, 2009 9:41 am - 9 Comments
• 

  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
• 

  George Orwell would be impressed with ETS minions - by frog

  
  
  
  In a classic case of doublethink, the minions at the Ministry for the Environment have withheld all the contents of an ETS cabinet document clearly labelled “Approved for Release”. read more
  October 13, 2009 3:59 pm - 66 Comments
• 

  One week left to submit on flawed ETS - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m using Nick Smith’s own words from last year because they are so suitable. This Government’s ETS legislation is so flawed and so rushed that it will require significant amendments after the election to make it workable. In the meantime, the rushed consultation period is coming to a close, hot on the heels of the [...] read more
  October 7, 2009 10:05 am - 19 Comments
• 

  You may no longer be consulted - by frog

  
  
  
  “If you live nearby to a development, you may no longer be consulted about its effect on you” – what a Council says about the what the RMA changes will mean in practice. read more
  October 6, 2009 10:16 pm - 5 Comments
• 

  Stumbling and bumbling over ACC - by frog

  
  
  
  What a shambles the Government’s proposed changes to ACC’s clinical pathway for sexual abuse survivors is becoming. Without any consultation with the professional bodies representing psychotherapists or counsellors, ACC announced changes last week that would have required sex abuse survivors to relate their trauma to up to three different health professionals before they would receive [...] read more
  August 26, 2009 1:31 pm - 2 Comments
• 

  Nick Smith: incompetent, negligent, or something else? - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s a very serious question which I don’t take lightly, but I am beginning to wonder why the media aren’t asking this question when it comes to the Minister’s handling of the Climate Change portfolio. Probably the most vexing issue is the Minister’s cynical use of a flawed NZIER/Infometrics report, which he commissioned, in order [...] read more
  August 24, 2009 6:46 am - 40 Comments
• 

  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
• 

  John Key versus Graham Henry - by frog

  
  
  
  Picture this: It is one week out from the great All Black Wallaby clash. The ABs have just purchased brand new uniforms, the selectors have brought in a few new players, and the management team have just christened their shiny new office. Graham Henry fronts up to the cameras and says: Well, we actually think [...] read more
  August 11, 2009 12:32 pm - 20 Comments
• 

  Nick Smith doesn’t get it - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Nick Smith’s response to “Getting There“, the Green Party’s analysis of how much of a 40% greenhouse gas reduction target we could meet in NZ at low cost, was entirely predictable. We asked him 7 questions in the House today and are none the wiser. First, he refused to give any information about any work [...] read more
  August 5, 2009 10:32 am - 148 Comments
• 

  Emissions webcast a bit fizzy - by frog

  
  
  
  Last night’s webcast from MfE was not a triumph in technological consultation, but it does give us a glimpse into what is possible. Aside from the usual technical challenges, like all the panel appearing in smurf blue for the first 20 minutes and some viewers whinging because they chose a bandwidth far in excess of [...] read more
  July 21, 2009 10:23 am - 2 Comments