rodney hide Archive

  • Russel Norman

    No place for TABOR in New Zealand - by Russel Norman



    The Government has introduced a TABOR Bill to Parliament.  TABOR is an acronym for “Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights”.  But rather than have anything to do with a real Bill of Rights, TABOR is actually a wacky libertarian measure designed to shrink the state and inhibit its ability to protect the vulnerable or respond adequately to [...] read more
    August 15, 2011 4:30 pm - 10 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Saints or support workers? Rodney Hide on special education - by Catherine Delahunty



    In the middle of his other troubles, Associate Education Minister Rodney Hide spoke at our Select Committee on Wednesday about the Review of Special Education. It was apparent that his 6 month journey with this portfolio has included some transformative moments, as documented in TVNZ’s Make the Politician Work. He has been open about the [...] read more
    May 5, 2011 5:21 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    Found on floor outside Rodney Hide’s office - by frog



    It’s amazing the things that turn up when I’m hopping around Parliament.  Look what I found a few hours ago on a rare visit to the Act Party offices: read more
    April 1, 2011 12:01 am - 12 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Who will determine Auckland’s future? - by David Clendon



    The cabinet papers that Rodney Hide has released relating to Auckland’s Spatial Plan make for interesting reading. It is obvious that this government will attempt to call the tune on Auckland’s development, despite the substantial mandate that Auckland voters gave to their mayor and council just a few months ago. A  discussion document that will in part inform the Spatial [...] read more
    March 21, 2011 4:56 pm - 7 Comments
  • frog

    Parliamentary expenses: Here are ours, where are the rest? - by frog



    The last few days have resulted in a renewed focus on Parliamentary expenses. In the interests of transparency and democracy, the Greens are fronting their own expenses, despite changes in rules and proposed rules that may help MPs to hide taxpayer-funded expenses. Let’s see which other parties front with theirs! read more
    November 2, 2010 6:47 pm - 24 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Wellington local body cliff-hanger - by Sue Kedgley



    I could hardly believe it, when the Returning Officer read out the figures—Celia Wade Brown was only 40 votes behind incumbent Mayor Kerry Prendergast! Kerry looked mortified, Celia looked stunned, and the crowd that had gathered in the Wellington Council foyer looked amazed—because there had been no hint, in the media, that the election was [...] read more
    October 11, 2010 4:31 pm - 21 Comments
  • frog

    Hide nailing down the rats - by frog



    Speaking to TV ONE’s Q and A show today, Rodney Hide revealed that the whole Act caucus and some of the senior party management knew about David Garrett’s fraudulently obtained passport. I’ve avoided commenting on the ongoing train wreck [mixed metaphor corrected] slowly sinking ship that is the ACT Party until now.  They are doing [...] read more
    September 19, 2010 5:00 pm - 10 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Academic angle on Super City changes - by David Clendon



    Pro-Vice Chancellor of AUT University, and Professor of Public Policy with the University’s Institute of Public Policy. Professor Ian Shirley has chipped in his two cents about the Auckland Super City changes. “local government in Auckland will be replaced with ‘a corporate structure where the major beneficiaries will be the exclusive brethren of big business, [...] read more
    August 18, 2010 1:06 pm - 2 Comments
  • frog

    CTU spot on with submission - by frog



    Submissions to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee about the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill closed last week. Out of the 427 submissions, one of the most interesting and well done was put forward by the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions. The submission outlines the problems with defining core services, the emphasis on investing and undertaking [...] read more
    July 9, 2010 10:51 am - 9 Comments
  • frog

    Thousands protest against the ECan coup - by frog



    It’s great to see the people of Canterbury fighting back in their thousands, and to see Green MPs Russel Norman and Kennedy Graham supporting them, to return to democratic regional governance. read more
    June 13, 2010 7:47 pm - 9 Comments
  • frog

    ECan Act “constitutionally repugnant” - by frog



    … constitutionally repugnant … contains elements of subterfuge … a constitutional affront … simply unacceptable … failed the legal requirement that the law should be general and forward-looking, not retrospective … denied all the equal protection of the law … either gratuitous or disingenuous … does nothing to promote respect for the law … a disproportionate response to the issues. Pretty strong words from a Professor of Law read more
    May 20, 2010 9:52 am - 16 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Water and democracy - by Sue Kedgley



    Every New Zealander should be worried about Rodney Hide’s latest bill on local government — which will allow our water supplies [DOC] to be controlled and managed by private companies for 35 years, and will force Councils to focus only on ill-defined ‘core business’ [DOC] (which excludes, amongst other things, the environment).’ Multinational corporations are [...] read more
    May 5, 2010 6:40 pm - 18 Comments
  • frog

    Cabinet celebrates the ECan coup - by frog



    A picture is worth a thousand words! If you are in or near Christchurch tomorrow Friday 30 April, come and join the protests against this abrogation of democracy: 5:30 pm @ ECan office 58 Kilmore St, moving to the Jenny Shipley gloat-fest lecture at the Copthorne Hotel, corner Durham and Kilmore Streets an hour or so later. read more
    April 29, 2010 7:57 pm - 41 Comments
  • frog

    A hard ACT to follow - by frog



    It seems the infighting within the ACT Party is not confined just to Rodney Hide, Heather Roy, Roger Douglas and the Parliamentary wing. Following ACT on Campus President Rick Giles’ profound argument in denial of human induced climate change on TV3’s Sunrise earlier this week: I think my argument is so powerful, it’s not necessary to talk about it read more
    April 3, 2010 6:28 am - 18 Comments
  • frog

    Rodney-mandering the super city - by frog



    Gerrymander is an ugly, ugly word. So I won’t use it. Instead I’ve made a beautiful table for you to look at. What it shows is the names and the degree of representation each of the 13 new wards (with 20 councillors between them) created by the Local Government Commission for the Auckland Super City elections will have. read more
    March 31, 2010 9:51 am - 2 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Taking a Hiding - by David Clendon



    You know your plans are not being well received when one of the major players in the sector speaks out against them. Mr Hide has already faced widespread public opposition to his plans for the Auckland Super City, as well as from other politicians, the current Auckland councils and now the President of Local Government [...] read more
    March 15, 2010 3:34 pm - 23 Comments
  • frog

    A putrid stench in the Canterbury environment - by frog



    It looks like Canterbury is in for a taste of the “Auckland treatment” – local democracy gutted and decision-making handed over to unelected Ministerial appointees. read more
    March 8, 2010 3:01 pm - 24 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Wellingtonians won’t fall for Dunne’s Super city plans - by Sue Kedgley



    Wellingtonians are far too intelligent to fall for Peter Dunne’s ‘we must follow Auckland and become a super-city’ line. read more
    February 12, 2010 3:26 pm - 13 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Auckland Supercity – Rogernomics Round 2 - by David Clendon



    The Super (Monster?) City meetings we are hosting along with Labour are well under way, and we are getting good numbers attending.  What is coming through loudly and clearly is that people are angry and frustrated at the blatant attack on democracy and the underlying agenda of ‘Rogernomics Round 2’. Waiheke last Thursday attracted 40-odd [...] read more
    February 4, 2010 2:19 pm - 1 Comment
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