politics Archive

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  Democracy, secrecy, and good process. - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  On Thursday, Keith Locke and I spent a good part of the day in the House going to bat against the government’s ‘secret squirrel’ bill to amend the Police Act that Frog blogged on earlier .  Our objections to the bill were matters both of process and substance.  I want to comment here just on the process, which was appalling, [...] read more
  August 19, 2011 12:24 pm - 5 Comments
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  Donald Brash, racism, and political advantage - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  I almost feel sorry for ordinary members and supporters of the Act party.  Most of them base their support on a shared belief in laissez faire free market capitalism; a preference for a small, ‘non-interventionist’ state; and a form of social liberalism that gives primacy to the rights of the individual. That’s not a worldview [...] read more
  July 9, 2011 8:45 am - 56 Comments
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  Are people really apathetic about politics? - by frog

  
  
  
  Politics has a huge impact on everyone’s lives. So why don’t more of us actually get involved? Is it apathy? Are people too stupid, selfish or lazy? Dave Meslin says no. He identifies seven barriers that keep us from taking part in politics, even when we truly care. Fortunately the last barrier he mentions doesn’t [...] read more
  May 30, 2011 7:07 am - 8 Comments
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  Who is Ayn Rand? - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m sure there are a lot of ways to answer that question. We’ve had some heated debate on religion vs science around here recently, so it is with some trepidation that I offer this controversy within the Republican Party in the US on Ayn Rand’s views on religion. The GOP currently has two very strong [...] read more
  May 30, 2011 6:05 am - 64 Comments
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  Blackball Mayday Speech - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  While some others were focused on political events elsewhere in the country, I was in Blackball for the annual Mayday celebrations and for the launch of a memorial wheel for those who have lost their lives in West Coast mines in recent years, most notably the Pike River 29. Families had made tiles with the [...] read more
  May 1, 2011 11:59 am - 2 Comments
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  Reading the National Government’s playbook - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  It’s a bit of a hobby of mine – trying to infer the content of the advice they have received from Crosby-Textor from the behaviour of the Government. Of course it may not be that it’s just Crosby-Textor’s advice: some might come from Stephen Joyce himself, but you get the idea. Some of it’s obvious, [...] read more
  July 22, 2010 6:00 pm - 7 Comments
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  Environmental conference season highlights clash of values - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  Just grabbing a few days’ rest after a full-on three weeks in Parliament, including yet another week of pointless urgency. The weekends have kept me busy too, but much more constructively. I’m not only talking about the great Invercargill march against the Government’s mining plans, but also a whole series of important environmental conferences. The [...] read more
  July 7, 2010 1:33 pm - 7 Comments
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  Metiria grills the PM on mining contradictions - by frog

  
  
  
  Metiria Turei grills the Prime Minister on his government’s confused and contradictory statements about the mining of protected Schedule 4 lands on the conservation estate. Her question was: Does he stand by his statement “Notwithstanding the public consultation process, it is my expectation that the Government will act on at least some of these recommendations [...] read more
  March 18, 2010 1:56 pm - 4 Comments
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  Not Our Heritage to Mine Karangahake - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  On Friday last I hosted a meeting about the effects of mining at the Karangahake Hall near Paeroa. The hall is close to a major historical and recreational area including many artefacts and remnants from the early gold mining days. It is also close to the newest gold mining permit issued for the Coromandel area. [...] read more
  February 23, 2010 2:44 pm - 12 Comments
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  Copenhagen 4: I remain, Your Humble and Obedient Servant - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  A funny thing happened on the way to the Climate Change Forum. Fate allowed me to serve Her Majesty’s Government, once again. In a phantom role, it is true. But it was a privilege, nonetheless. read more
  December 16, 2009 4:01 am - 10 Comments
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  Copenhagen II: Gentlemen (Ladies?), Choose your Weapons - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  The first week of the Copenhagen Conference has not been without its drama.  This will of course be nothing compared to Week 2, but the preliminaries have been fast and furious. The best-known drama has been the leaked ‘Danish draft’.  This has been reported as infuriating the developing world, especially the major emerging economies – [...] read more
  December 14, 2009 10:24 pm - 12 Comments
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  Making Sense of Copenhagen - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Saturday was our first day at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.  Jeanette Fitzsimons and I, along with staff member Rick Leckinger, are attending.  It is a remarkable event in itself, as well as being critical in substance. Two quick things to clear up. First, yes we expended carbon getting here, along with the other participants.  [...] read more
  December 14, 2009 12:21 am - 29 Comments
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  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
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  ETS is sure to spur growth – but what kind? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Now here’s a great idea for economic development. Extract lignite, the lowest quality coal, very wet and of low calorific value. Add copious water pollution, coal seam methane and land disturbance from open cast mining. read more
  October 1, 2009 6:45 am - 20 Comments
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  Oil companies declare that CO2 is green - by frog

  
  
  
  Some stupidity is just too good not to share. You only need half a second with this new US television advert to guess who’s behind it. The Guardian has a great article on the video, who’s behind it and why it is so ripe for a spoof. I’m tempted to do one myself! In a [...] read more
  September 30, 2009 5:06 pm - 30 Comments
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  Population and Climate Change - by frog

  
  
  
  As greens, it seems pretty intuitive that runaway population growth is unsustainable. That argument rages in back rooms, but rarely gets much air in the media because it is such a controversial topic. read more
  September 28, 2009 10:37 am - 18 Comments
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  Now we see the hidden costs of the ETS - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Last night’s briefing on the ETS finally revealed the two missing columns from the curious page of numbers tabled in the House on Tuesday by Nick Smith. That table, to the extent it was comprehensible at all, showed there would be a $415m cost to the taxpayer from now to 2013; a saving between 2013 [...] read more
  September 24, 2009 10:32 am - 10 Comments
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  ETS makes us the seventh state - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  It is clear from the minister’s briefing last night that the main purpose of National’s changes to the ETS is to make us effectively the seventh state of Australia. The bill mimics exactly the bill the Rudd government has been trying (unsuccessfully) to get through the Australian senate. So a bill that has been twice [...] read more
  September 24, 2009 9:17 am - 8 Comments
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  Give me an ‘H’ for Whanganui! - by frog

  
  
  
  The Geographic Board has spoken. Unanimously. Whanganui should get its ‘H’ back, as the original settlers intended. read more
  September 17, 2009 9:23 pm - 62 Comments
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  The ETS, power prices and income compensation - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  The Maori Party seems to be having difficulty getting the National Party to agree to raising the core benefit to compensate for higher electricity and transport fuel prices under the ETS. read more
  September 16, 2009 12:35 pm - 16 Comments