Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, April 18th, 2013 - 42 comments
The current direction of Key’s government, and the challenging circumstances of the 21st century create a need for urgent attention to the form of a new left politics; one that embraces the working class, trade union solidarity, gender, diversity & the emerging “precariat”.
Written By: - Date published: 2:15 pm, April 16th, 2013 - 48 comments
The Greens and Labour are planning a joint announcement on their policies on power prices. Both parties want to bring down costs of electricity. The policies of the two parties will also have some differences. How will it mesh with Green Party policies on sustainability?
Written By: - Date published: 9:44 am, April 12th, 2013 - 27 comments
John Key’s government has been gradually dismantling NZ’s democratic processes. Various activities this week are a major part of a frightening shift: a Bill enabling mining conservation land; punitive social security Act; Key’s control over NZ’s “intelligence community”.
Written By: - Date published: 8:38 am, April 12th, 2013 - 11 comments
The EQC data leaked to a Christchurch advocate / blogger has been posted on line.
Written By: - Date published: 11:14 am, April 11th, 2013 - 3 comments
Today is Love DOC Day, where lots of people are organising to visit a DOC office and give them cakes and messages of support etc. Organised by by Forest & Bird, and supported by the PSA, The Greens and Labour’s Environment Sector, today is your chance to show your disgust for National’s cuts to our Environmental protectors in a positive way. Get involved!
Written By: - Date published: 9:42 am, April 5th, 2013 - 74 comments
Why else would he say “that he is particularly concerned by the trend for the complex nature of science to be ignored or misunderstood in societal debates, leading to the argument that you can find a scientist to support any given position. This, he says, totally misinterprets the way that scientific consensus is achieved and can engender serious mistrust in the scientific enterprise.”
Written By: - Date published: 11:57 am, April 4th, 2013 - 9 comments
Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, April 4th, 2013 - 8 comments
I/S at No Right Turn on the undermining of the Resource Management Act…
Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, April 2nd, 2013 - 43 comments
The Nats have sold favours to Hollywood, to Sky City, to Rio Tinto (work in progress), and now with the “Petrobras law” it looks very much like they’re selling us out on our right to protest too.
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, April 1st, 2013 - 79 comments
A raft of Tory policies have been dismantling the British welfare state: bedroom tax, privatising the NHS: NZ’s NAct government is following the same pattern of slyly changing small things, adding up to major changes that are ultimately socially & economically destructive.
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 pm, March 30th, 2013 - 59 comments
Today, Fran O’Sullivan argues that Key has lost his edge & his ministers are using dubious tactics in dealing with Rio Tinto over Tiwai Point. O’Sulllivan implies that sharp, savvy and successful deal-making & leadership are masculine qualities.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, March 28th, 2013 - 32 comments
Cuts to DOC, the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill [3rd reading today], permits allowing the exploration for minerals on Schedule 4 land: here is the stealthy NAct MO in action, to undermine the strong public protests against Schedule 4 mining. [Update: the Bill is #6 on today’s Final Order Paper]
Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 27th, 2013 - 9 comments
DOC’s new owners, Warner Bros, are reportedly concerned that too much emphasis has been placed on preserving uninteresting animals, like native parrots and snails. The restructure will see a renewed focus on wolf-breeding, resurrecting Haast’s Eagles and fire-breathing dragons.
Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, March 26th, 2013 - 14 comments
The Green Party held a public meeting in West Auckland, on their Home for Life, Affordable Housing policy – it prioritises children in poverty. It was informative, questions were raised. Mindsets need to change to achieve a good quality of life & strong communities for all.
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, March 25th, 2013 - 21 comments
There is a summit on renewable energy in the Pacific happening in Auckland. McCully acknowledges climate change, the PM focuses on investment opportunities, the EU hopes for clean energy to aid poverty reduction. What’s best for Pacific island communities?
Written By: - Date published: 9:12 am, March 18th, 2013 - 172 comments
Corin Dann interviewed Bill English very well on climate change and the drought yesterday on Q+A. It was clear that English has his head in the dust. Despite claiming that the government is leading on climate change, English would barely let the ‘cc’ words pass his lips and referred ‘dry cycles’, as if climate change is just temporary, so not really worth worrying about.
Written By: - Date published: 10:44 am, March 17th, 2013 - 39 comments
The Draft Auckland Unitary Plan has much to commend it. It focuses on resource management, responds to the reality of climate change & aims for a more dense but ‘liveable’ city. It has weaknesses, embraces destructive “growth” and raises questions: e.g. about affordable housing & environmental management.
Written By: - Date published: 9:07 am, March 15th, 2013 - 40 comments
King Brownlee can do pretty much what he likes in Christchurch. And what he wants to do is fuck all. When I was in Christchurch recently, I was deeply disturbed by the lack of rebuild, and the vibe. People feel it. People get angry. When people get angry, Brownlee looks for someone else to blame. Now, he’s doubling down by interfering in the coming local elections.
Written By: - Date published: 12:57 pm, March 14th, 2013 - 49 comments
Phil Twyford is the Labour MP for Te Atatu, and Labour’s spokesperson on Housing and Auckland Issues. He is also asking the same questions that many Aucklanders keep asking as they watch a succession of government ministers trying to valiantly advance backwards into Auckland’s past with no obvious purpose.
Written By: - Date published: 5:05 pm, March 13th, 2013 - 124 comments
David Shearer won’t rule-out asset buy back (at cost), and a great blog post on “Climate Change: The New Normal”
Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, March 13th, 2013 - 77 comments
We’re now experiencing the worst drought in the North Island in recorded history. It comes just five years after the previous severe drought and there was a lesser one in between. Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s climate change. Bill English came very close on Monday to admitting that climate change induced-droughts will make bailouts unsustainable.
Written By: - Date published: 8:18 am, March 13th, 2013 - 24 comments
John Armstrong thinks poor Bill English has got it tough with the current drought and its impact on the budget. You’re thinking too small John. Way too small.
Written By: - Date published: 1:33 pm, March 10th, 2013 - 118 comments
100 prominent New Zealanders warning about the most serious threat we have ever faced – meh. It’s only newsworthy when someone associated with the All Blacks does it…
Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, March 8th, 2013 - 81 comments
“Wise Response” is an Otago based group set up to advocate for a serious and considered response to climate change, to the “symptoms too serious to ignore”. They are holding their launch today.
Written By: - Date published: 10:54 am, March 7th, 2013 - 53 comments
Nick Smith, of the forked tongue, is challenging Auckland council’s plan for affordable compact housing. It will do nothing for housing affordability, transport, the environment. It is undemocratic, over-rides the council, and will enrich developers.
Written By: - Date published: 7:38 pm, March 6th, 2013 - 168 comments
The drought shows how important social protection systems are. When the unexpected happens – your farm dries up, you get sick, you lose your job, you find yourself alone raising your kids – the community steps in by way of tax funded Social Protection.
Written By: - Date published: 12:14 pm, March 6th, 2013 - 27 comments
To a first approximation the protection of the environment in this country is managed by two distinct entities; inside the Conservation estate it falls to DoC and outside of that it falls onto the Regional Councils. Under this government both are being slowly dismantled. Over the last month I’ve had the opportunity to talk extensively with DoC […]
Written By: - Date published: 8:20 am, March 6th, 2013 - 40 comments
Amidst the froth of predatory “excitement” about the sale of our power generation assets, it was refreshing to read in The Herald yesterday a single lone voice who was thinking long term.
Written By: - Date published: 9:23 am, March 5th, 2013 - 63 comments
Record breaking droughts in Australia and America, drought in NZ. Food prices rising. Worse to come. How bad does it have to get before we take action?
Written By: - Date published: 12:01 pm, March 1st, 2013 - 33 comments
So far, the government has spent $33 million on Transmission Gully. They’re planning on spending another $30m just to sign the contract on the Public-Private Partnership. That’s over $60m down the drain on a project with only $360-$500m of benefits before a single metre of road is built. All up, the cost will be $3.4 billion – trebled by using the PPP model.
Written By: - Date published: 11:00 am, February 26th, 2013 - 41 comments
A wheelchair got caught in the rail tracks, resulting in critical injuries. Pedestrians are low priority, and people with disabilities even lower, making them/us vulnerable: poor pavements, hazardous road crossings, some inaccessible public transport… and more.
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