Buying Awaroa beach
“There is a pristine piece of beach and bush in the heart of the Abel Tasman up for private sale. Together we can buy it and gift it to NZ.”
Politics
activism
Fight to save Christchurch’s trees
Christchurch has already lost so much. Now its “notable trees” are threatened. A small group is fighting to save them. Please help spread the word, or make a donation.
TPPA snippets and media coverage
Snippets from recent pieces on the TPP, including The Spinoff’s José Barbosa an his take on the media coverage of the Auckland protest.
20,000 protesters – 0 arrests
Despite the travesty inside SkyCity, what was happening outside was in many respects a democratic nation at its finest.
Your Favourite Conspiracy Sucks
The return of the X Files has got me thinking. Just how hard is it to keep a big conspiracy secret? Happily, a British scientist has the answer; it’s bloody hard. More or less impossible, actually, according to his new formula. It seems the truth really is out there.
National – trying to provoke TPP violence?
The police are “visiting” TPP activists – Key is cynically trying to blow the “law and order” dog whistle. But would he really go so far as to try and provoke open violence for political gain?
The great big list of John Key’s big fat lies (UPDATED)
How many more lies will John Key tell today in his so-called State of the Nation address? Virtual chocolate fish to whomever guesses the closest number.
A letter of thanks from Nicky Hager
“On 2 October last year the police raided our home and I had the hugely encouraging experience of watching hundreds of you coming to my aid on Givealittle: giving money and, just as important, sending kind messages and giving moral support. The financial support made it easy for us to decide to launch legal action…”
Christmas and Freedom
Part two of Ad’s series where he asks if Christianity is actually a liberation theology and maybe Jesus was a leftie after all.
On Shooting the Messenger
Over the past decade we have seen sophisticated attacks against academics and NGOs who challenge government or industry. These attacks often appear organic in nature, but many times are in fact concerted efforts by the powerful.
CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB
A public private organisation with the acronym CERT was announced this week along with the new cyber security strategy. CERT’s role is to provide information to government so it can protect against cyber threats. Which is one of the roles of the GCSB.
CORTEX Trojan horse?
The government plans to roll out a new “cyber security action plan”. Given their record of secrecy, lies, and misuse of surveillance, I think we the people would be naive to believe this will be anything less than another escalation of the surveillance of New Zealanders.
Morgan on Key’s climate change cheat
Gareth Morgan calls Key out as a climate change cheat, and concludes that “We are dangerously close to being laughed out of Paris”.
Dunedin leads the way
On carbon emissions I don’t have any hope for NZ under National, which is still stuck in a stupid fossil fuel mentality. I do have hope for the people, organisations, and regions within NZ who are collectively taking action. And I’m proud that my home of Dunedin is leading the way.
House arrest for Paris activists
Why are the so called leaders meeting at COP21 so afraid of public demonstrations? Let the people have their say…
The People’s Climate March – Saturday or Sunday
With just days to go before the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) it is time for we the people to make our voices heard. See the list of People’s Climate March events around the country this weekend – most are on Saturday, some are on Sunday.
Standing in the Shadow of the Red Flag
“Why would Goff stand for the Auckland mayoralty as an independent candidate considering his life-long commitment to the Labour Party?”
Why indeed?
Is it time for Labour to stand candidates in local elections under the party banner? And can the party lift its profile and its general election prospects by being bolder in the provinces?
Greenpeace – Climb It Change – protest
This morning Greenpeace activists occupied a NIWA oil and gas exploration vessel. #ClimbItChange
Hikoi for Homes.
Saturday in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The third Industrial Revolution
The Paris climate change talks will force leaders to confront climate change and the threat of terrorism at the same time. Can they show the same determination to deal with the gradual but inevitable threat of climate change as they purport to show to deal with the immediate threat of terrorism.
Paris as an excuse for more useless surveillance
The Paris attacks are being used as an excuse for another ill informed debate about surveillance and encryption – which doesn’t address the communication channels that terrorists are actually using. The tools that our governments want can be used very effectively to spy on you and me though (as Key effectively acknowledges in passing).
Making the Opposition the Enemy –
It takes fortitude to admit you are wrong. That’s right, not weakness but, strength, courage, resilience, grit, determination, endurance, guts, and staying power. When you won’t admit you are wrong you end up having to justify wrong decisions. That takes time and energy (and money) away from what actually needs to be done for the greater good. John Key won’t admit he is wrong. Because of this he has to keep going down several paths of “wrongness”, and because he is Prime MInister, he is taking us all with him. Some people think he does admit he made mistakes. But when you examine the few instances closer (if you can find them), it looks like something else.
The threats facing NZ
Some buzz this morning about an official list of six “threats” facing NZ. For some reason most of the actual threats aren’t on the official list.
NRT: The SIS is unfit for purpose
I/S at No Right Turn writes on today’s IGIS report: “The overall picture is that SIS is a mess and highly resistant to change…”
“A creeping authoritarianism from the current government”
The reaction to Westpac handing over Nicky Hager’s data to police is still playing out. Rob Hosking observes “a creeping authoritarianism from the current government”.
Keeping going
Advantage has some suggestions on how to maintain and reignite your political activist self.
Anat Shenker-Osorio on the creation of left metaphors
Communications Anat Shenker-Osorio has some simple messages for Labour in its quest for Government. The left’s strongest advantage is its care for people rather than the economy and the message that will resonate is a positive one emphasising the care of people and the environment.
Go well Helen Kelly
Helen is standing down from her role as President of the CTU due to health reasons, but will remain active supporting union causes.
The (gradual?) decline of American empire
Col. Lawrence Wilkerson was Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Colin Powell. And he says that the American empire is in decline.
Embarrassment turns to spite
Parliamentary Services have marred what might otherwise have been a showcase example of how public protest is treated in New Zealand.
Government by Twitter
We have passed an interesting milestone in the evolution of NZ politics. Key’s poll-driven pandering has just been taken to the next level. Political / media dinosaurs will never be able to dismiss “The Twitterati” again.
Refugees Welcome celebration Aotea Square this Saturday
For all progressives in Auckland Tamaki Makaurau this Saturday the left is running a fundraiser for the Auckland Refugee Council.
Anti TPP ad (Australian)
An Australian TV ad on the downsides of the TPP – “We just received word that Channel 9 banned our new TV ad from airing during the evening news”
In Our Back Yard – Manus Island and Nauru
As the photo claims, refugees are human beings. We can tell this from general expressions of resignation, desperation and misery.
But what about our own expressions of humanity?
Border Force fiasco – how would NZ respond?
Yesterday Melbourne stood up for human rights. Would we in NZ have done the same?
Rob Salmond’s argument – too simplistic and wrong in its assumptions
As Mike Smith’s post last night relates, Rob Salmond makes the case that a properly left wing Labour Party is always going to lose. Screw that. More like a Tory Labour doesn’t deserve to win.