Will farmers attend tonight’s meeting in Mangatangi?
Will trade unionists?
Will the Green Party?
Climate Change has the power to beggar us all.
As Helen Kelly writes: “We’re all beneficiaries now”
We all need to address this crisis collectively, Naomi Klein writes:
…..it’s time to come together, for real, and fight to preserve and extend what you care most about — which means engaging in the climate fight, really engaging, as if your life and your life’s work, even life itself, depended on it. Because they do.
Each has a tough-love message for their own constituency — McKibben for an insular environmental movement that’s been woefully ineffective on climate; Klein for a left, including many in the Occupy movement, that has failed to grapple with the seriousness and urgency of the climate crisis. Look, they’re saying, this is it: science tells us that time is running out, and everything you’ve ever fought for is on the line. Climate change has the ability to undo your historic victories and crush your present struggles. So it’s time to come together, for real, and fight to preserve and extend what you care most about — which means engaging in the climate fight, really engaging, as if your life and your life’s work, even life itself, depended on it. Because they do.
There are so many threads to this fight:
“The climate crisis,” Klein told me, “is the ultimate indictment of capitalism, certainly the model of capitalism that we have, and the solutions to the climate crisis are the same as the solutions to the economic crisis.” That means restoring democracy and reinvigorating the public sphere, reining in and re-regulating corporations, re-localizing our economies, taxing polluters and the wealthy to put a stiff price on carbon and bring basic fairness into the system, and building alternatives to limitless profit and unsustainable growth. The book’s argument, she said, is “an attempt to weave together disparate movements under the banner of rising to meet the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced.”
Absolutely there is one point we must face up to. The right instinctively understood absolutely from the outset that climate change was an existential issue for unrestrained capitalism; that any meaningful response from the left had to be quashed regardless of the science or the ultimate cost to humanity. The capitalists have absolutely, consciously chosen to eat the future.
Jenny … however irritating many people find her … is still absolutely correct. Yesterday I wrote a post about how this government is politically footling about quietly dismantling and neutering the mechanisms of environmental protection in this country. It’s a real and present issue. Yet the politics of this will all be rendered utterly moot and pointless if catastrophic climate change burns up our beloved and precious land anyhow.
“That means restoring democracy and reinvigorating the public sphere, reining in and re-regulating corporations, re-localizing our economies, taxing polluters and the wealthy to put a stiff price on carbon and bring basic fairness into the system, and building alternatives to limitless profit and unsustainable growth.
The only way to do that is revolution and even that is probably too late – they and us just will not change our habits or attitudes without personal contact with the effects of climate change and many of us are interwoven with capitalism overtly and covertly.
Sad in some ways but we are fucked because we are the capitalists and we have eaten the future – there is no them and us on this issue.
The question for me is what are we doing personally to adjust to the realities that are on the doorstep and creeping over the windowsills. Have we even begun to adjust our reality yet or do we need another superstorm to blow our house or community away and to make us realise that money is actually… nothing.
The capitalists have absolutely, consciously chosen to eat the future.
QFT
And that’s the message that the left needs to be talking about when it comes to climate change, the re-regulation of capitalism and protecting the environment.
I disagree. Capitalism is a gun, you can shoot yourself in the foot, or use it to see off danger.
The problem is the left does not hold capitalism up to the light, that National, Key, ACT, are
actually not capitalists any more than any union member is. Its how government distorts
capitalism that has created massive disparity, inequality, environmental instability, resource wastage. The left failed to hold the right to account, the right turned into a zombie plague, and now we have nobody on the right who actually reveres democracy or the rights of the individual, even property rights are pretty much destroyed if your beach home is flooded by rising sea levels, etc, etc.
Isn’t it obvious that the tired communist ranter was actively re-enforcing the status quo?
Why is Labour so inept, because it knows it doesn’t want to go hard left (correctly) but
is still incapable of holding up capitalism to the light. Capitalism isn’t the problem,
capitalism is part of the solution, the economic facet that allows citizens to consent,
question, control, society. The money supply, the printing press, is the sole responsibility
of the government, yet when National deride the Greens for wanting to use it, where are
the Greens and Labour deriding National anti democracy, neo-liberal mantra, that only
banks can print money. Silence in face of the corrupt practices endemic, the zombie plague
continues.
The last thirty years of western governments has been to
place the power into a private politburo (media-corporate without government oversight).
Its as if fascism and communism have been merged and destroyed both our very
livelihoods and our communities at the same time.
You also have a point. Crony corporate capitalism is the main poison. A normal sphere of capitalist creative destruction where the Government was naturally a major force in the markets on behalf of the people, would be a significant improvement.
You are very confused AB
The CC is not an aberration of capitalism, it is clear evidence that capitalism itself must destroy the planet as it goes into self-destruct.
Do you really think that capitalism can be reformed in the window of a decade or so before we hit the point of no return, if we havnt already?
We need revolutionary change, now.
That means a popular revolution by the vast majority who are workers, farmers, or unemployed as the result of capitalisms declining trajectory.
We are seeing instances of this in various struggles going on internationally from SA to Syria to right now Bulgaria and soon, bet on it, China.
We should turning our talents to mobilise this huge global majority as a democratic force to make this revolutionary change.
Let’s no fester over whether this will be called clean capitalism, 21st century socialism, occupy, or fuckemism.
The capitalists will not give up without a fight, already they jail, rend, murder, drive people to suicide, and otherwise try to wipe out serious opposition.
So an an organised armed majority of revolutionaries bent on survival is our starting point. You have to take your chances that you are on the right side and make the right decisions.
As Lenin said in as many words ‘suck it and see’.
And RR is not kidding about the suicides (being suicided?) either. The senior communications manager at a failing Italian Bank recently killed himself by jumping out of an office window.
I have taken the liberty of copying from a Forest & Bird Alert and Govt details of public meetings to be held next week, and following week, throughout NZ re proposals to change the RMA.
This follows on from Red Logix’ concerns yesterday about the govt “dismantling and neautering the mechanisms of environmental protection ….. It’s a real and present issue” ……
Forest & Bird E-Alert
Save the RMA!
Your right to have a say in what happens where you live is at risk with planned changes to the Resource Management Act.
This might seem a boring issue for lawyers and planners and Wellington bureaucrats. It’s not. It’s a real threat that will affect you.
As of this coming Monday, it’s time to stand up for the RMA law that has done so much to keep New Zealand the way New Zealanders like it.
You will probably know last week Environment Minister Amy Adams put out a discussion paper, in which she outlined her plans to change important parts of the Resource Management Act.
Overall, what she suggests would shift the balance away from the environment, towards economic efficiency and development.
It would also shift it very strongly towards Ministers and central government, away from communities.
Mrs Adams is rewriting the RMA as an economic development tool – not the framework for sustainable environmental management that it’s been for a quarter century.
Next week, the Government will begin a series of ‘consultation’ meetings on the changes – starting this coming Monday. It’s a rushed process, of which we’ve been given almost no notice, and we say that these meetings are a sham. It adds another to the long list of examples, such as with Christchurch, where this government has ignored our constitutional conventions, democratic processes, and people’s right to have their say.
But we can change that. A strong turnout from our branch members, all echoing the same message – that the RMA is fundamentally good law, and these changes are completely unacceptable – will show the decision-makers that New Zealanders, who love their environment, do have something to say that can’t be ignored. We’ve done it before, when we said ‘no’ to mining our national parks, and the RMA matters just as much.
(See below for) a list of meeting times.
……………
Next week, we’ll be updating our website with suggested questions and ‘the good, the bad and the really very ugly’ about the discussion paper, so keep checking back at this page.
And please forward this message to anyone else who might want to come along.
We hope to have a Forest & Bird Field Officer at each meeting, to answer media questions.
Public meetings and hui (extract from Govt website)
Public meetings and hui are being held throughout the country during March 2013. The details for the meetings are in the table below. If you would like to attend a meeting or hui you do not need to RSVP.
A number of venues are yet to be confirmed. This table will be updated as new information is available.
Mon 11 MARCH Public meeting Dunedin Kingsgate Hotel 10 Smith Street 12 – 2pm
Tues 12 Public meeting Greymouth Kingsgate Hotel 32 Mawhera Quay 12 – 2 pm
Public meeting Wellington Kingsgate Hotel 24 Hawkestone St, Thorndon 1 – 3 pm
Wed 13 Hui Gisborne Emerald Hotel 13 Gladstone Road 1 – 4 pm
Thurs 14 Public meeting Rotorua Copthorne Hotel 111 Fenton St 11 – 1 pm
Hui Distinction 39 Fenton St 6 – 8 pm
Fri 15 Public Meeting Invercargill Ascot Park Cnr Tay St and Racecourse Rd 12 – 2 pm
Public meeting Whangarei Kingsgate Hotel 9 Riverside Dr 12 – 2 pm Hui 3 – 5 pm
Mon 18 Public meeting Tauranga Classic Flyers NZ 9 Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui 11 – 1 pm
Hui Maungatapu Marae 2 – 4 pm
Tues 19 Public meeting Hawke’s Bay Hawke’s Bay Opera House 101 Hastings Street South 2 – 4 pm
Hui 5- 8 pm
Wed 20 Public meeting Queenstown Copthorne Hotel & Resort Corner Frankton Rd & Adelaide St 1 – 2.30pm
Hui Taupo Great Lakes Centre 5 Story Pl 5.30 – 8.30
Thurs 21 Public meeting Palmerston North Kingsgate Hotel 110 Fitzherbert Ave 12 – 2 pm
Hui Whanganui Kingsgate Hotel 379 Victoria Ave 6 – 8 pm
Public meeting Hamilton Kingsgate Hotel 100 Garnett Ave, Te Rapa 11 – 1 pm
Hui 3 – 5 pm
Fri 22 Public meeting Christchurch The Atrium 455 Hagley Avenue 1 – 3 pm
Hui 4 – 6 pm
Mon 25 Hui New Plymouth Quality Plymouth Int’l Cnr. Courtenay & Leach St 2 – 4 pm
Public meeting 11 – 1 pm
Public meeting Auckland Copthorne Hotel, 196 Quay St 12 – 2 pm Hui TBC 3 – 5 pm
Tues 26 Public meeting Nelson Tahuna Function Centre 70 Beach Rd Tahunanui 3 – 5 pm
Hui 6 – 8 pm
Wed 27 Final Hui Wellington Kingsgate 24 Hawkestone St, Thorndon 12 – 2 pm
r0b: I have taken the liberty of removing the bold markup from this comment.
Good business for the Kingsgate chain. Now how did they get that. Mot of those are small venues.
Notice how many of the meeting times are when people can’t go or not for long as they are at work. Consultation – rubbish.
Yesterday Xtasy commented: “Out of mischief, I think that all beneficiaries in this country should simply have their interests registered, and in the final minute withdraw or cancel it, turning the whole exercise into a gigantic shambles!
Now what about that strategy???
Yes more than the 340 thousand beneficiaries could do so, it could be half the population, who opposed all this, thus upset the whole registration and sales process, creating immense costs and inconveniencing the government in their plans.”
What if beneficiaries registered their interest en mass meaning the share parcels were then limited to $2000 for each applicant? I noticed on the website when I registered that you have to agree not to assign your shares to an overseas party (or words to that effect).
Q. Could beneficiaries like me assign or presell their share parcel in the above situation slightly above par value without actually paying money??
“It’s not just a matter of walking in and saying I want to sell up today.”
New share investors have to get a Common Shareholder Number (CSN) and a valid Faster Identification Number (FIN) before they can sell any shares as well as providing documentation such as their bank account, tax number and proof of residency.
Such good thinking ! And this is deliciously provocative from Mai Chen in Herald today on the reality of not a green light for asset sales, but an amber light only .. oh, if only she might be a Prime Ministger or Attorney General one day .. such rare and lovely clarity of mind ..
Listening to RNZ this morning I heard that IRD are disappointed in the low number of tax cheats who are high income earners ( top tax bracket) coming forward to fess up they are cheating the system. IRD have allowed a grace period for these evaders/dodgers to come forward which ends on the 31st of March. Sounds like they are stepping up their efforts to catch these thieves.
How about sending them to a mandatory jail sentence to stop this rort?
I’ve alwasy thought that the tax payer should be accountable for the tx they avoided, and that all epanlty payments should be split 50/50 between the tax payer and their accountant.
Are accountants held accountable at all for the schemes they invent? There is an implicit assumption that an accountants job is to minimise tax for their client, when it should be to get it right.
“Are accountants held accountable at all for the schemes they invent?”
Nope, it’s all care and no responsibility. If they make a mistake in your tax return it’s you that has to pay & who gets hit with the penalties. There is the tort of negligence but that’s often a hard one to win and very costly to pursue unless the sums are small.
Now is the time to dob in all those ex brothers in law who don’t pay child support.
QOT if you are out there, as I feel you may have good contacts in this area, put the word out to all who have gone for an admin review to raise the point with the IRD tipline – that should net the first 10,000 dodgers.
And all the well off in your area whose kids are getting student allowances – show social responsibility towards these people.
The rail system is pretty much a fail for the disabled, watched a person in a wheelchair getting left at a station beacuse the conductor never came down with the ramp, so the driver just left.
Then there’s all those level crossings without pedestrian gates that should operate with the barrier arms, 2 in Mt eden spring to mind. Kingdon St in newmarket should be the template for them all.
It’s a poor system, and definitely a fail for those with disabilities. The ticketing machines are not self explanatory to first time users with good vision. First time I attempted to load money on my Hop card, I gave up as the train was due, and ended up buying a ticket on the train.
The last time I took a train from my local station, 2 or 3 others were struggling trying to work out how to pay for a ticket.
I’ll have to point out that I haven’t used them yet myself as i hardly ever use trains and I’ve still got the Snapper/Hop card and not the proper AT Hop card.
And so Nick Smith wants to “smash” Auckland’s metropolitan urban limit even though it is shortly to be replaced by the “rural urban boundary” which he seems ok with.
And the difference between the two?
The MUL is slightly stronger and permits less development outside it’s boundary whereas the RUB will be slightly more permissive.
But they are both designed to change Auckland into a compact urban form.
The repercussions of not having a MUL are clear through experience throughout the world, more sprawl, more need to rely on a car for transport, a less economically viable city and destruction of fertile land as the city expands. Development becomes more expensive and environmental damage increases.
Smith is using violent language to try and deflect criticism of the Government for not doing anything about housing affordability. Now they can blame Auckland Council.
It was good for Len Brown to stand up to Smith this morning. But stand by as National gets ready to undermine environmental protection and Auckland’s right to design a unitary plan so that Auckland grows the way that locals want it to.
Smith was brought back specifically to bully and shout his way through the hollowman script, Heatley was way too soft.
On a related matter I see Granny reporting a likely $28m windfall for the developers on housing corp land being flogged in sandringham so more affoprdable stock can be built.
Affordable and auckland in the same sentence…..mmmmm.
Actually, it’s more the $28m windfall and affordable in the same sentence that’s the problem. It’s another proof of the dead weight loss of profit and most won’t see it.
“On a related matter I see Granny reporting a likely $28m windfall for the developers on housing corp land being flogged in sandringham so more affoprdable stock can be built.”
I was just reading that article. Terrible reporting, writer doesn’t know the difference between nett & gross. The $28m is what they’d expect to sell all the houses for, not how much profit they’d make on them.
I’d have thought a site like that would be a good start on medium/high density housing, building town houses looks to be a waste of good land really.
Article here;
“Developers picked to net $28m from Crown land selloff”
Yes and all those 100,s of HousingNZ ‘new affordable houses’ will be built in ummm aaah ummm,
Just another CON by the Slippery lead National Government, it’s flog it off to the developers as far as the land goes with a promise of ‘more affordable houses’ that has yet to materialize and undoubtedly wont…
I wonder how far Smith would get if he stood up in Wellington and demanded housing development in their Green belt? Hopefully he would be run out out of town on a rail, tarred and feathered or both. I suspect a few of the NACT mates want to build in the Waitakeres, and so why not, the Kauri are dying and they are not going to spend any more money on that, once they have all died out, then they can build up there. They will run right over Len.
Would a Maori woman without the blue eyed and blond “cute” factor get this much cover for any of the extreme life crisis situations she goes through, arguably more than being the wife of someone suspected of murder but not found guilty.
Further to my comments on deficiencies in the census enquiries. The interview this morning with the head of NZ ambulance service at St Johns made the point that they rely heavily on volunteers in the smaller towns, rural etc. The fire fighter volunteers were referred to as essential but he voiced the worry that this didn’t get so taken for granted that they were further loaded with being pseudo-ambulance workers replacing some of the ambulance services now provided.
Where in the census did it ask about this type of volunteering? The wording seemed to be slanted towards those looking after elderly or disabled others. A true picture of the volunteer work put into the nation would amaze I believe. Those providing national service like firefighters should have a special place with their own numbered question.
But for all volunteers needed is more information over an average week’s activity, not four weeks (need to zoom in). Then with daily hours indicated, and particulars about the work involved and how often during the year this occurs would organise the data into usable information.
Hello ER hope you’re over you’re stomach bug. Oh wait, that’s the other one. You’re the one who never gets boring. I don’t think we’ll have time for boredom this year.
Rio Tinto – aussies biggest employer of indigenous people – no wonder walsh is smiling
The spin
“We are not doing it to point-score and I am not doing it because of the competition. I am doing it because it makes good business sense and it is the right and proper thing to do,
The truth
Walsh says there is nothing contradictory about the need to slash costs inflated by the rising price of materials while expanding indigenous involvement; great synergies exist between both objectives.
“The truth is we are changing the nature of jobs, they are becoming more sophisticated, but we still need people to carry out maintenance and repairs.”
Smile why you destroy the earth, make money for yourself and your mates and oh, while you create a supply of people to carry out maintenance and repairs.
There does not appear to have been any further reporting on the very secret two day High Court hearing which started on Tuesday relating to the search and seizure of evidence.
A secret hearing regarding evidence in the Kim Dotcom extradition case is underway at the High Court in Auckland, with lawyers likely to be locked inside for two days.
The material under discussion is so confidential that even Dotcom’s lawyers are not allowed in the courtroom, with an amicus, or “friend of the court”, instead acting as an intermediary.
Justice Helen Winkelmann will oversee the discussion, which is believed to centre on evidence regarding police actions on the day of the helicopter raid on Dotcom’s Coatesville mansion last January.
A person would not want to be the Attorney General as the out come was unfavourable. I bet the phone has been running red hot from the beehive to Mexico.
The copyright industry is corrupt to the core. Affiliates of media corporations like Warner Brothers distributed file sharing software which in turn drove the copyright infringement allegations used by the corporations to argue for legislation like SOPA.
On te radio this morning there was a farmer describing the ‘drought’ conditions and indicators. One of the indicators he said was that one of the river catchments was at its lowest in five years! Five whole years!
Bennett recently came out with the shocking news that a man had been on a benefit for 25 years, her entirely inappropriate apology for the failure of MSD to help this citizen to find gainful employment, seem to leave me with the impression that he should have been thrown off the benefit and starved to death by now as it was not her problem, her ministry’s problem. I would suggest that government should be fined when people have not been helped by WINZ, and where WINZ cannot help, government step in and help create jobs when the unemployed languish in perpetual dependency.
Oh, wait, that what Labour did do, and got many (not all obviously) people into work.
To simply concentrate on this one individuals length of time on ‘the dole’ is ludicrous, until such time as unemployment in the Gisborne region becomes a factor of 1 person then the individual is simply fulfilling a useful social function,
He is surviving upon the least amount possible over a long period thus allowing others to gain employment and a higher standard of living,(perhaps),
The real question here is: if this particular individual in Gisborne found employment in the economy would this lower the amount of unemployed in Gisborne or for that matter the New Zealand economy???,
The answer to that is a big NO,under the auspices of the Neo-liberal economic paradigm THERE WILL BE BETWEEN 2-6% OF THE WORKFORCE ABLE TO WORK UNEMPLOYED, full stop,
There are NO ifs or buts to that little equation and given such economics it is pointless to be chasing people around over the length of time that they are unemployed…
Yes and No. The state failed to address the employment problem, maybe there is a job for this individual. You are correct though, its pointless expecting government to say sorry, and then do the right thing, instead government gets out and dictates that the outlier is somehow a representative sample, and means they can roll out a program of onerous costly coercive intervention on all which will just move the problem on that insecurity for some is a necessary part of our culture (as long as its hidden and tax payers pay to hide it!).
Mai Chen’s article in the Herald online this morning on the Supreme Court decision on Maori water rights vis a vis the partial sale of Mighty River is well worth reading – “Amber light flashing over sales”
Mai discusses the possible implications of the Court decision further down the track
…The court has also left it open over what may happen should the Crown fail to honour the commitment it made during the hearing that the sale process would not be relied upon to argue against Maori rights in water, or if the current reforms are seen to be an empty exercise. It may be that in enabling the part sale of the company to proceed, the court has also created a leverage point for claimants further down the track. …
On a related note, FYI Penny Bright – yesterday I had a call from Genesis Energy with a good one year deal which meant that all things going to plan, I am about to become an ex-customer of Mercury Energy. Once the Supreme Court decision was out, I had decided to move from Mercury anyway, but being somewhat of a procrastinator had not yet done anything about it. I was one of the many thousands who left Contact a few years ago when they or rather their directors became too greedy.
Yes, I know, Genesis is also on the starting blocks to go to partial sale; but if this happens during the one year deal or is about to, I will just move to someone else at the end of the one year contract.
“Prime minister John Key has made a lasting impression on Colombia – donning a sombrero at a joint press conference with President Juan Manuel Santos.”
jesus wept andrea vance, ive seen some pathetic reporting in my time, but “prat puts on hat” is a new low
The Herald is no better. In an otherwise serious article, Claire Trevett chimes in with a question about how hot John Key thinks the Mexican President’s wife is:
However, Mr Key feigned ignorance when asked about the beauty of Mr Pena Nieto’s wife – a stunning actress.
“I didn’t notice,” he said, when asked before adding “Bronagh told me to say that.”
It’s about the directors of MRP getting some extra money to do the job that they signed up for, but this bit:
It came as a Treasury document revealed directors at the company expected their daily fees to increase and wanted the Government to do it so they didn’t have to at the first shareholders’ meeting.
That’s talking about their ‘expectation’ of fees increasing post float.
They want the government to do it now so they won’t have to get the approval of shareholders. That kind of implies that asking the shareholders would be awkward, or undignified, or something.
But hang on a second, the govt is retaining 51%.
So asking the government now, or asking the shareholders after listing is of no material difference. Except for the look of the thing, for all concerned.
I suspect Key just insulted the entire population of Colombia and showed them what a moron he is.
Claire Trevett would have insulted Mexico if anyone there knew who she was.
Bloody schoolkids, the lot of them. Emotionally stunted retards who know nothing except hero worship and allegiance to a bullshit neoliberal bankruptcy.
The privatisation of power is proving to be the catalyst for a popular uprising in Bulgaria.
Escalating power prices by privatised power corps have become the last straw.
The right wing regime has been forced to resign.
The question is: will the people be fooled into handing over there newly won power to a bunch of political crooks or not.
They are demanding that the people directly vote for MPs without party intermediaries.
This is halfway to forming their own socialist government based on local, regional and national democratic councils, as this revolutionary left article points out.
another stream here http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/
regardless of your views of the man, what he is speaking on is essential, your right to live as a free person, that is what is at stake, that is what the future is about, not your bank balance
Look out for this tomorrow – copied from Hot Topic
Symptoms too serious to ignore: a call to face up to NZ’s critical risks
Gareth Renowden
This post is syndicated from Hot Topic » Gareth – Original Post
A loose affiliation of New Zealand’s great and good will launch an appeal to parliament next week, asking for a dispassionate and non-partisan risk assessment of the “unprecedented threats to our collective security” facing the country as a result of climate change, fossil fuel extraction and economic uncertainty. The Wise Response group features poets, writers, All Blacks, academics, surgeons and scientists amongst its first 100 supporters1, and will launch its appeal at a public meeting in Dunedin on March 8th.
In its appeal the group identifies critical risks in five areas:
1. Economic security: the risk of a sudden, deepening, or prolonged financial crisis. Such a crisis could adversely impact upon our society’s ability to provide for the essentials, including local access to resources, reliable supply chains, and a resilient infrastructure.
2. Energy and climate security: the risk of continuing our heavy dependence on fossil fuels. Progressively restricting their extraction, importation and use could promote a switch to genuine renewables and encourage smarter use of existing energy and energy systems while creating better public transportation. Such responses would simultaneously lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
3. Business continuity: the risk exposure of all New Zealand business, including farming, to a lower carbon economy. To mitigate this risk, all businesses could explore both market and job opportunities in reducing the human ecological footprint, finding substitutes for petroleum-based goods and services, increasing efficiencies and reducing waste in food and resources. This would position New Zealand as a market leader in low-carbon technologies and living arrangements.
4. Ecological security: the risks associated with failing to genuinely protect both land-based and marine ecosystems and their natural processes. We believe that such protection is essential for both the maintenance of indigenous biodiversity and ultimately, all human welfare.
5. Genuine well-being: the risk of persisting with a subsidised, debt-based economy, preoccupied with maximising consumption and GDP. An alternative is to measure progress by means of indicators of community sustainability, human well-being, more equitable wealth-sharing and environmental resilience, and to incorporate full-cost pricing of harmful environmental impacts.
The group is looking to build support both inside and outside parliament for a detailed risk assessment of how these issues might impact New Zealand, and is hoping this will lead to:
…robust cross-party strategies and policies to avert these risks and give future generations the very best chance of security, peace, social justice and opportunity for all.
There’s much to like in the group’s appeal statement, but what I find most encouraging is that a diverse group of prominent New Zealanders is looking to make our politicians face up to the harsh realities of the modern world. I don’t imagine that John Key and his government will pay much attention — they’re too wedded to the all growth, all the time dogma for that — but with luck and persistence, the group may be able to start building a consensus around the things that we really need to do as a nation. That’s something I’m only too happy to support.
The Otago Daily Times lists Brian Turner, Wayne Smith, Fiona Kidman, Glenn Turner, David Thom, Philip Temple, Anne Salmond, Julian Dean, Owen Marshall, Morgan Williams, Chris Trotter, Bruce Burns, Richard Langston and Anton Oliver amongst others.
Stephen Franks loses it when he hears the dread word: “democracy”
“The Panel”, Radio New Zealand National, Thursday 7 March 2013
Jim Mora, Stephen Franks, Ali Jones
A group of prominent southerners has called for a risk assessment for the whole of New Zealand. They are concerned about the environment, and the government’s attacks against local democracy. Of course, Stephen Franks, ACT lawyer, lawyer for the S.S. Trust and general far right whacko, is not impressed by all this outrageous talk about democracy….
JIM MORA: A group of prominent southerners has called for a risk assessment for the whole of New Zealand. They are concerned about the environment,
JIM MORA: Professor Sir Alan Mark joins us. Professor Mark, good afternoon.
PROFESSOR SIR ALAN MARK: Good afternoon.
MORA: Stephen Franks has compared this campaign to the ill-fated Citizens for Rowling in 1975.
PROF. ALAN MARK: It’s actually far more like the Save Manapouri campaign, and the anti-nuclear ships campaigns.
STEPHEN FRANKS:[spluttering] They were all ABSOLUTELY USELESS! Utterly useless! You couldn’t PAY me to go to this. I see it as Morning Report crystallized!
ALI JONES: I see it a real lack of democracy in Christchurch. It is a real problem. And I complained about the last government too, so it’s not narrowly political.
PROF. ALAN MARK: The Resource Management Act is being gutted.
STEPHEN FRANKS: That was a DEMOCRATIC DECISION! The government is responding to what the people want! I’m just concerned that there are these SLOGANS! Where are the new ideas?
ALI JONES: I think it’s really spurious for Stephen to suggest that democracy is an excuse.
FRANKS: Oh, it’s just a big MOAN. Whining without producing solutions!
[Franks continues to drool, spit, snarl, slobber and yelp for several minutes while his interlocutors maintain a horrified silence….]
I think Steve may have his knife into the RMA. Thre was a electoral meeting in Wellington a while back when he was standing as a candidate for something or other and most of his spiel consisted of telling the audience how the RMA consent from the Council for his driveway/garage? had cost $35000. Real man of the people stuff, a lot of people don’t even earn that much in a year.
Frankly, (sorry), Stephen Franks is one of your “came-to-it-later-in life-after-shades-of-parading-as-a-lefty”, right-wing nutbars. Douglas, Moore, Caygill et al. I was at VUW 33-37 years ago. Focused on the same “discipline” as said Stephen.
Kia Ora re the train trip through the Soviet Union Stevo. Authorities stopped the train for hours at western border ??? A mate of mine travelled with you.
a website for which I take full personal responsibility for content.
Also on this above-mentioned website are copies of my key legal submissions, as an Appellant in my own name, so people can read them for themselves.
The main reason I organised the setting up of this website, was to counter the defamatory lies about myself being spread by Suzette Maree Dawson, which she has published on her own private websitehttp://occupysavvy.com
Suzette Maree Dawson published on her above-mentioned private website a statement by Ben Cooney (‘Redstar’) during his livestream video coverage of the protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) protest on 8 December 2012:
“There’s Penny Bright – SIS informant”.
The FACTS are, that I was one of 12 people responsible for organising Auckland anti-Springbok Tour protests in 1981, I was named in Muldoon’s SIS list as a ‘subversive’, and have never been able to get a copy of my SIS file.
If people think I’m going to put up with these sorts of filthy defamatory lies, when I have had a proven track record going back over 40 years as an activist – think again.
I strongly recommend that those involved in the ‘protest’ / ‘activist’ movement, exercise commonsense and due diligence?
If people come from nowhere, with no proven track record in the ‘protest’ / ‘activist’ movement, and make a beeline for controlling the message, or means of getting the message out – act in ways which cause dissension or conflict within the group, spread misinformation / disinformation about people, without facts and evidence to back it up – BEWARE!!!
Being involved in ‘media’ gives such people the ability to mix and mingle and take photos from inside the ranks of the ‘protest’ movement.
Where exactly are those photos going?
BEWARE of those who act like the 1%, without openness, transparency or democratic accountability.
Why is it that as a (successful) Appellant in the Occupy Auckland Appeal, I cannot post this information up on the Occupy Auckland facebook page?
WHO are ‘Admin’ currently responsible for the Occupy Auckland facebook page, and why am I being blocked?
I note a Press Release up on Scoop – in the name of Occupy Auckland.
Who put out this Press Release?
On whose authority?
As a NAMED APPELLENT in this Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal – I for one was never contacted by this now mysterious, anonymous and apparently secretive ‘Occupy Auckland’ – who do NOT have permission or any authority to speak on my behalf.
WHO now are ‘Occupy Auckland’?
Without transparency – there is no accountability.
When / where was the Occupy Auckland General Assembly that discussed the Appeal, and authorised this Press Release?
I note that Suzette Maree Dawson and her private website ‘occupy savvy’ did NOT attend the hearing of the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal, and did not publish any of my legal documents, which arguably played a role in helping achieve this significant victory for Occupy Auckland, both locally, nationally and internationally?
Remember Rob Gilchrist – the Police informant who infiltrated the animal rights movement?
I for one, am not interested in working with ‘idiots, sheep, amateurs, saboteurs or provocateurs’.
Decent people, with good hearts, brains, guts and a basic understanding of the principles of natural justice, are those with whom I will work, on an issue by issue basis, where we have common cause.
In New Zealand, we have the basic human right to ‘freedom of association’.
Those who choose to associate with Suzette Maree Dawson and/or Ben Cooney – that is your right and your choice.
But – please be advised that if you choose to associate with Suzette Maree Dawson and/or Ben Cooney, I will choose not to associate with you.
(The same applies to Linda Anne Wright – but that’s another story – update coming soon….)
FYI – here are ‘Minutes’ of Occupy Auckland General Assemblies – 1 February 2012 and 15 February 2012, which record agreed decisions on a number of matters:
MINUTES OF OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY
1 FEBRUARY 2012
RESOLVED BY CONSENSUS:
“That Occupy Auckland endorse/support the PRINCIPLE of a draft Action Plan to prevent ‘White Collar crime, corruption and corporate welfare.”
OCCUPY AUCKLAND (General Assembly 1/2/2012) SUPPORTS THE PRINCIPLE OF A DRAFT ACTION PLAN TO PREVENT CORRUPTION – ‘WHITE COLLAR’ CRIME & ‘CORPORATE WELFARE’ IN NEW ZEALAND [DRAFT DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ONLY]
1. Get our anti-corruption domestic legislative framework in place so NZ can ratify the UN Convention Against Corruption.
2. Set up an NZ independent anti-corruption body tasked with educating the public and PREVENTING corruption.
3. Change NZ laws to ensure genuine transparency in the funding of candidates for elected public office and political parties at central government level
4. Legislate for an enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for NZ Members of Parliament (who make the rules for everyone else).
5. Make it an offence under the Local Government Act 2002 for NZ Local Government elected representatives to breach their ‘Code of Conduct’.
6. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Government elected representatives.
7. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Central Government staff responsible for property and procurement, (including the Ministry of Health), in order to help prevent ‘conflicts of interest’.
8. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Government staff, and Directors and staff employed by ‘Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs) responsible for property and procurement.
9. Make it a lawful requirement for details of ‘contracts issued’ – including the name of the contractor; scope, term and value of the contract to be published in NZ Central Government Public Sector, and Local Government (Council), and ‘Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) Annual Reports so that they are available for public scrutiny.
10. Make it a lawful requirement that a ‘cost-benefit analysis’ of NZ Central Government, and Local Government public finances be undertaken to prove that private procurement of public services previously provided ‘in-house’ is cost-effective for the public majority. If not – then return public service provision to staff directly employed ‘in-house’ and cut out these private contractors who are effectively dependent on ‘corporate welfare’.
11. Legislate for a legally-enforcable ‘Code of Conduct’ for members of the NZ Judiciary, to ensure they are not ‘above the law’.
12. Ensure that ALL NZ Court proceedings are recorded, and audio records made available to parties who request them.
13. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ Judicial ‘Register of Interests’, to help prevent ‘conflicts of interest’.
14. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ ‘Register of Lobbyists’ at Central Government Ministerial level.
15. Make it a lawful requirement at NZ Central and Local Government level for a ‘post-separation employment quarantine’ period from the time officials leave the public service to take up a similar role in the private sector. (Help stop the ‘revolving door’).
16. Make it a lawful requirement that it is only a binding vote of the public majority that can determine whether public assets held at NZ Central or Local Government level are sold; or long-term leased via Public-Private –Partnerships (PPPs).
17. Make it unlawful for politicians to knowingly misrepresent their policies prior to election at central or local government level.
18. Make laws to protect individuals, NGOs and community-based organisations who are ‘whistleblowing’ against ‘conflicts of interest’ and corrupt practices at central and local government level and within the judiciary.
19. Legislate to help stop ‘State Capture’, a form of ‘grand corruption’ arguably endemic in NZ – where vested interests get their way at the ‘policy level’ before legislation is passed which serves their interests.
[Feedback to Occupy Auckland can be sent c/- Penny Bright waterpressure@gmail.com to assist further debate/discussion/workshopping ]
____________________________________________________________________________
MINUTES OF OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2012
Minute-taker: Penny Bright
MINUTES OF THE OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HELD ON SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2012 WERE AGREED BY CONSENSUS OF THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AT THAT MEETING TO BE A TRUE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT:
……
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 15 FEBRUARY 2012 NEW EVENTS:
1) ‘AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE’ PUBLIC MEETING:
DATE: Friday, 17 February 2012TIME: 7pm VENUE: Trades Hall, 147 Great Nth Rd, Grey Lynn
GA (General Assembly) agreed that Penny, on behalf of Occupy Auckland to take the following proposal (passed by unanimous consensus at the Occupy Auckland GA, Sunday 12 February 2012), to the above-mentioned ‘AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE’ PUBLIC MEETING:
1) That Occupy Auckland support the new group that was formed on Thursday 9 February 2012, at the Unite Office 6A Western Springs Rd, Kingsland – ‘Aotearoa is not for sale’, particularly focusing on opposing the proposed ‘partial privatisation’ of State-owned assets.
2) That Occupy Auckland help organize opposition to proposed State-Owned asset sales, by making available to the public, hard copy ‘submission’ forms which can be sent to Treasury, who are organizing the ‘consultation’, (‘submissions must be in by 5pm 22 February, 2012).
3) That Occupy Auckland concentrate on public ‘outreach’ activities, co-ordinating with as many other interested parties / groups as possible, preferably on a daily basis, including, but not limited to publicizing:
a. Opposition to State-Owned asset sales.
b. Opposition to the NZ Food Bill.
c. Support for the Ports of Auckland workers.
d. Support for the Tamaki Housing Group.
e. Collecting signatures for the petition for an inquiry into the Huljich Kiwisaver prosecutions.
f. Collecting submission forms opposing the sale of State-Owned assets.
That the suggested public ‘outreach’ point be opposite the Auckland Town Hall on Queen Street, but if there are other events on at that time we go there.
That the form of this public ‘outreach’ be, banners on fence, fold-up table and chairs, clip boards, and ‘protest ponchos’. Penny is prepared to help organise this activity. …..”
Just looking at the Chavez RIP column got me thinking: for the Left Chavez was a real hero, flaws and all. On the news tonight people in Caracas were crying, wailing for their “Hero”. Like our own Michael Joseph.
I see Keith Locke saying that Key should go to Chavez’ funeral. And that he’s screwed up not doing so (or at least that’s how it’s reported on Stuff where it’s highlighted as a snub).
Yeah, I see that. Possibility of impressing Latin America etc, and that’s Locke’s reported line.
Well actually, to be fair, if he did contrive to go, I’d lash him as a showboat prick.
John Key whose heart beats for Wall Street is not fit to attend the funeral of a man whose heart beat for his people.
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A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
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The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Fonterra cooks the climate, Auckland Coal Action calls on everybody including farmers to protest.
http://aucklandcoalaction.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/mangatawhiri-mine-leaflet.pdf
Will farmers attend tonight’s meeting in Mangatangi?
Will trade unionists?
Will the Green Party?
Climate Change has the power to beggar us all.
As Helen Kelly writes: “We’re all beneficiaries now”
We all need to address this crisis collectively, Naomi Klein writes:
Read more: http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/148879-id-rather-fight-like-hell-naomi-kleins-fierce/#ixzz2MraubGko
http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/148879-id-rather-fight-like-hell-naomi-kleins-fierce/
Worth quoting from that Naomi Klein interview:
There are so many threads to this fight:
Absolutely there is one point we must face up to. The right instinctively understood absolutely from the outset that climate change was an existential issue for unrestrained capitalism; that any meaningful response from the left had to be quashed regardless of the science or the ultimate cost to humanity. The capitalists have absolutely, consciously chosen to eat the future.
Jenny … however irritating many people find her … is still absolutely correct. Yesterday I wrote a post about how this government is politically footling about quietly dismantling and neutering the mechanisms of environmental protection in this country. It’s a real and present issue. Yet the politics of this will all be rendered utterly moot and pointless if catastrophic climate change burns up our beloved and precious land anyhow.
Good interview
The only way to do that is revolution and even that is probably too late – they and us just will not change our habits or attitudes without personal contact with the effects of climate change and many of us are interwoven with capitalism overtly and covertly.
Sad in some ways but we are fucked because we are the capitalists and we have eaten the future – there is no them and us on this issue.
The question for me is what are we doing personally to adjust to the realities that are on the doorstep and creeping over the windowsills. Have we even begun to adjust our reality yet or do we need another superstorm to blow our house or community away and to make us realise that money is actually… nothing.
QFT
And that’s the message that the left needs to be talking about when it comes to climate change, the re-regulation of capitalism and protecting the environment.
I disagree. Capitalism is a gun, you can shoot yourself in the foot, or use it to see off danger.
The problem is the left does not hold capitalism up to the light, that National, Key, ACT, are
actually not capitalists any more than any union member is. Its how government distorts
capitalism that has created massive disparity, inequality, environmental instability, resource wastage. The left failed to hold the right to account, the right turned into a zombie plague, and now we have nobody on the right who actually reveres democracy or the rights of the individual, even property rights are pretty much destroyed if your beach home is flooded by rising sea levels, etc, etc.
Isn’t it obvious that the tired communist ranter was actively re-enforcing the status quo?
Why is Labour so inept, because it knows it doesn’t want to go hard left (correctly) but
is still incapable of holding up capitalism to the light. Capitalism isn’t the problem,
capitalism is part of the solution, the economic facet that allows citizens to consent,
question, control, society. The money supply, the printing press, is the sole responsibility
of the government, yet when National deride the Greens for wanting to use it, where are
the Greens and Labour deriding National anti democracy, neo-liberal mantra, that only
banks can print money. Silence in face of the corrupt practices endemic, the zombie plague
continues.
The last thirty years of western governments has been to
place the power into a private politburo (media-corporate without government oversight).
Its as if fascism and communism have been merged and destroyed both our very
livelihoods and our communities at the same time.
You also have a point. Crony corporate capitalism is the main poison. A normal sphere of capitalist creative destruction where the Government was naturally a major force in the markets on behalf of the people, would be a significant improvement.
You are very confused AB
The CC is not an aberration of capitalism, it is clear evidence that capitalism itself must destroy the planet as it goes into self-destruct.
Do you really think that capitalism can be reformed in the window of a decade or so before we hit the point of no return, if we havnt already?
We need revolutionary change, now.
That means a popular revolution by the vast majority who are workers, farmers, or unemployed as the result of capitalisms declining trajectory.
We are seeing instances of this in various struggles going on internationally from SA to Syria to right now Bulgaria and soon, bet on it, China.
We should turning our talents to mobilise this huge global majority as a democratic force to make this revolutionary change.
Let’s no fester over whether this will be called clean capitalism, 21st century socialism, occupy, or fuckemism.
The capitalists will not give up without a fight, already they jail, rend, murder, drive people to suicide, and otherwise try to wipe out serious opposition.
So an an organised armed majority of revolutionaries bent on survival is our starting point. You have to take your chances that you are on the right side and make the right decisions.
As Lenin said in as many words ‘suck it and see’.
And RR is not kidding about the suicides (being suicided?) either. The senior communications manager at a failing Italian Bank recently killed himself by jumping out of an office window.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-03-06/head-communications-italys-scandal-ridden-banca-monte-paschi-has-committed-suicide
I have taken the liberty of copying from a Forest & Bird Alert and Govt details of public meetings to be held next week, and following week, throughout NZ re proposals to change the RMA.
This follows on from Red Logix’ concerns yesterday about the govt “dismantling and neautering the mechanisms of environmental protection ….. It’s a real and present issue” ……
Forest & Bird E-Alert
Save the RMA!
Your right to have a say in what happens where you live is at risk with planned changes to the Resource Management Act.
This might seem a boring issue for lawyers and planners and Wellington bureaucrats. It’s not. It’s a real threat that will affect you.
As of this coming Monday, it’s time to stand up for the RMA law that has done so much to keep New Zealand the way New Zealanders like it.
You will probably know last week Environment Minister Amy Adams put out a discussion paper, in which she outlined her plans to change important parts of the Resource Management Act.
Overall, what she suggests would shift the balance away from the environment, towards economic efficiency and development.
It would also shift it very strongly towards Ministers and central government, away from communities.
Mrs Adams is rewriting the RMA as an economic development tool – not the framework for sustainable environmental management that it’s been for a quarter century.
Next week, the Government will begin a series of ‘consultation’ meetings on the changes – starting this coming Monday. It’s a rushed process, of which we’ve been given almost no notice, and we say that these meetings are a sham. It adds another to the long list of examples, such as with Christchurch, where this government has ignored our constitutional conventions, democratic processes, and people’s right to have their say.
But we can change that. A strong turnout from our branch members, all echoing the same message – that the RMA is fundamentally good law, and these changes are completely unacceptable – will show the decision-makers that New Zealanders, who love their environment, do have something to say that can’t be ignored. We’ve done it before, when we said ‘no’ to mining our national parks, and the RMA matters just as much.
(See below for) a list of meeting times.
……………
Next week, we’ll be updating our website with suggested questions and ‘the good, the bad and the really very ugly’ about the discussion paper, so keep checking back at this page.
And please forward this message to anyone else who might want to come along.
We hope to have a Forest & Bird Field Officer at each meeting, to answer media questions.
Public meetings and hui (extract from Govt website)
Public meetings and hui are being held throughout the country during March 2013. The details for the meetings are in the table below. If you would like to attend a meeting or hui you do not need to RSVP.
A number of venues are yet to be confirmed. This table will be updated as new information is available.
Mon 11 MARCH Public meeting Dunedin Kingsgate Hotel 10 Smith Street 12 – 2pm
Tues 12 Public meeting Greymouth Kingsgate Hotel 32 Mawhera Quay 12 – 2 pm
Public meeting Wellington Kingsgate Hotel 24 Hawkestone St, Thorndon 1 – 3 pm
Wed 13 Hui Gisborne Emerald Hotel 13 Gladstone Road 1 – 4 pm
Thurs 14 Public meeting Rotorua Copthorne Hotel 111 Fenton St 11 – 1 pm
Hui Distinction 39 Fenton St 6 – 8 pm
Fri 15 Public Meeting Invercargill Ascot Park Cnr Tay St and Racecourse Rd 12 – 2 pm
Public meeting Whangarei Kingsgate Hotel 9 Riverside Dr 12 – 2 pm Hui 3 – 5 pm
Mon 18 Public meeting Tauranga Classic Flyers NZ 9 Jean Batten Drive, Mount Maunganui 11 – 1 pm
Hui Maungatapu Marae 2 – 4 pm
Tues 19 Public meeting Hawke’s Bay Hawke’s Bay Opera House 101 Hastings Street South 2 – 4 pm
Hui 5- 8 pm
Wed 20 Public meeting Queenstown Copthorne Hotel & Resort Corner Frankton Rd & Adelaide St 1 – 2.30pm
Hui Taupo Great Lakes Centre 5 Story Pl 5.30 – 8.30
Thurs 21 Public meeting Palmerston North Kingsgate Hotel 110 Fitzherbert Ave 12 – 2 pm
Hui Whanganui Kingsgate Hotel 379 Victoria Ave 6 – 8 pm
Public meeting Hamilton Kingsgate Hotel 100 Garnett Ave, Te Rapa 11 – 1 pm
Hui 3 – 5 pm
Fri 22 Public meeting Christchurch The Atrium 455 Hagley Avenue 1 – 3 pm
Hui 4 – 6 pm
Mon 25 Hui New Plymouth Quality Plymouth Int’l Cnr. Courtenay & Leach St 2 – 4 pm
Public meeting 11 – 1 pm
Public meeting Auckland Copthorne Hotel, 196 Quay St 12 – 2 pm Hui TBC 3 – 5 pm
Tues 26 Public meeting Nelson Tahuna Function Centre 70 Beach Rd Tahunanui 3 – 5 pm
Hui 6 – 8 pm
Wed 27 Final Hui Wellington Kingsgate 24 Hawkestone St, Thorndon 12 – 2 pm
r0b: I have taken the liberty of removing the bold markup from this comment.
rOb – that’s okay – I really only wanted the bold on the bit introducing it …. but somehow can’t make bold work on only one part of the message.
Hi Jenny – see if this helps….
http://thestandard.org.nz/faq/comment-formatting/
Death by committee.
Sounds like a great big fat diversion.
Way to go to kill a campaign. Suck the oxygen right out of the room.
And suck the life force out of committed activists. Meanwhile back in the real world…..
Coal miners gear up to expand their mining operations and local communities and their supporters gear up to stop them.
Good business for the Kingsgate chain. Now how did they get that. Mot of those are small venues.
Notice how many of the meeting times are when people can’t go or not for long as they are at work. Consultation – rubbish.
Yesterday Xtasy commented: “Out of mischief, I think that all beneficiaries in this country should simply have their interests registered, and in the final minute withdraw or cancel it, turning the whole exercise into a gigantic shambles!
Now what about that strategy???
Yes more than the 340 thousand beneficiaries could do so, it could be half the population, who opposed all this, thus upset the whole registration and sales process, creating immense costs and inconveniencing the government in their plans.”
What if beneficiaries registered their interest en mass meaning the share parcels were then limited to $2000 for each applicant? I noticed on the website when I registered that you have to agree not to assign your shares to an overseas party (or words to that effect).
Q. Could beneficiaries like me assign or presell their share parcel in the above situation slightly above par value without actually paying money??
“It’s not just a matter of walking in and saying I want to sell up today.”
New share investors have to get a Common Shareholder Number (CSN) and a valid Faster Identification Number (FIN) before they can sell any shares as well as providing documentation such as their bank account, tax number and proof of residency.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10869666
Such good thinking ! And this is deliciously provocative from Mai Chen in Herald today on the reality of not a green light for asset sales, but an amber light only .. oh, if only she might be a Prime Ministger or Attorney General one day .. such rare and lovely clarity of mind ..
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10869635
Listening to RNZ this morning I heard that IRD are disappointed in the low number of tax cheats who are high income earners ( top tax bracket) coming forward to fess up they are cheating the system. IRD have allowed a grace period for these evaders/dodgers to come forward which ends on the 31st of March. Sounds like they are stepping up their efforts to catch these thieves.
How about sending them to a mandatory jail sentence to stop this rort?
I’ve alwasy thought that the tax payer should be accountable for the tx they avoided, and that all epanlty payments should be split 50/50 between the tax payer and their accountant.
Are accountants held accountable at all for the schemes they invent? There is an implicit assumption that an accountants job is to minimise tax for their client, when it should be to get it right.
“Are accountants held accountable at all for the schemes they invent?”
Nope, it’s all care and no responsibility. If they make a mistake in your tax return it’s you that has to pay & who gets hit with the penalties. There is the tort of negligence but that’s often a hard one to win and very costly to pursue unless the sums are small.
[citation needed]
Just check all those extra ‘front line’ service resources the NACT gave them at it.
Now is the time to dob in all those ex brothers in law who don’t pay child support.
QOT if you are out there, as I feel you may have good contacts in this area, put the word out to all who have gone for an admin review to raise the point with the IRD tipline – that should net the first 10,000 dodgers.
And all the well off in your area whose kids are getting student allowances – show social responsibility towards these people.
Good video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_r97c_Oc6c&feature=share
Yes repost (it was buried)
Another disability fail: Blind unable to use rail ticketing machines
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869641
The rail system is pretty much a fail for the disabled, watched a person in a wheelchair getting left at a station beacuse the conductor never came down with the ramp, so the driver just left.
Then there’s all those level crossings without pedestrian gates that should operate with the barrier arms, 2 in Mt eden spring to mind. Kingdon St in newmarket should be the template for them all.
It’s a poor system, and definitely a fail for those with disabilities. The ticketing machines are not self explanatory to first time users with good vision. First time I attempted to load money on my Hop card, I gave up as the train was due, and ended up buying a ticket on the train.
The last time I took a train from my local station, 2 or 3 others were struggling trying to work out how to pay for a ticket.
Not the same response as other people.
I’ll have to point out that I haven’t used them yet myself as i hardly ever use trains and I’ve still got the Snapper/Hop card and not the proper AT Hop card.
The Artist Taxi Driver comments on the death of Hugo Chavez.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mJCkHM7L9A&list=UUGThM-ZZBba1Zl9rU-XeR-A&index=2
The U$ and U$K will be eyeing Venezuela’s oil wealth probably by supporting elites to take over the country.
And so Nick Smith wants to “smash” Auckland’s metropolitan urban limit even though it is shortly to be replaced by the “rural urban boundary” which he seems ok with.
And the difference between the two?
The MUL is slightly stronger and permits less development outside it’s boundary whereas the RUB will be slightly more permissive.
But they are both designed to change Auckland into a compact urban form.
The repercussions of not having a MUL are clear through experience throughout the world, more sprawl, more need to rely on a car for transport, a less economically viable city and destruction of fertile land as the city expands. Development becomes more expensive and environmental damage increases.
Smith is using violent language to try and deflect criticism of the Government for not doing anything about housing affordability. Now they can blame Auckland Council.
It was good for Len Brown to stand up to Smith this morning. But stand by as National gets ready to undermine environmental protection and Auckland’s right to design a unitary plan so that Auckland grows the way that locals want it to.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2548392/housing-minister's-focus-is-to-open-up-land-supply.asx
Smith was brought back specifically to bully and shout his way through the hollowman script, Heatley was way too soft.
On a related matter I see Granny reporting a likely $28m windfall for the developers on housing corp land being flogged in sandringham so more affoprdable stock can be built.
Affordable and auckland in the same sentence…..mmmmm.
Actually, it’s more the $28m windfall and affordable in the same sentence that’s the problem. It’s another proof of the dead weight loss of profit and most won’t see it.
“On a related matter I see Granny reporting a likely $28m windfall for the developers on housing corp land being flogged in sandringham so more affoprdable stock can be built.”
I was just reading that article. Terrible reporting, writer doesn’t know the difference between nett & gross. The $28m is what they’d expect to sell all the houses for, not how much profit they’d make on them.
I’d have thought a site like that would be a good start on medium/high density housing, building town houses looks to be a waste of good land really.
Article here;
“Developers picked to net $28m from Crown land selloff”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869717
Yes and all those 100,s of HousingNZ ‘new affordable houses’ will be built in ummm aaah ummm,
Just another CON by the Slippery lead National Government, it’s flog it off to the developers as far as the land goes with a promise of ‘more affordable houses’ that has yet to materialize and undoubtedly wont…
micky, I was thinking to post about this issue this morning. Do you mind if I copy and paste your comment in full?
With pleasure Karol.
Thanks
I wonder how far Smith would get if he stood up in Wellington and demanded housing development in their Green belt? Hopefully he would be run out out of town on a rail, tarred and feathered or both. I suspect a few of the NACT mates want to build in the Waitakeres, and so why not, the Kauri are dying and they are not going to spend any more money on that, once they have all died out, then they can build up there. They will run right over Len.
Re: Anna Guy.
Would a Maori woman without the blue eyed and blond “cute” factor get this much cover for any of the extreme life crisis situations she goes through, arguably more than being the wife of someone suspected of murder but not found guilty.
Like to see how she goes hosting a show like ” So you think you know your husband..’ or ‘ Guilty ? you be the judge.”
Her continued exposure in the mag’s etc I find just a bizzarre indicator of modern society.
Further to my comments on deficiencies in the census enquiries. The interview this morning with the head of NZ ambulance service at St Johns made the point that they rely heavily on volunteers in the smaller towns, rural etc. The fire fighter volunteers were referred to as essential but he voiced the worry that this didn’t get so taken for granted that they were further loaded with being pseudo-ambulance workers replacing some of the ambulance services now provided.
Where in the census did it ask about this type of volunteering? The wording seemed to be slanted towards those looking after elderly or disabled others. A true picture of the volunteer work put into the nation would amaze I believe. Those providing national service like firefighters should have a special place with their own numbered question.
But for all volunteers needed is more information over an average week’s activity, not four weeks (need to zoom in). Then with daily hours indicated, and particulars about the work involved and how often during the year this occurs would organise the data into usable information.
Hello Prism, nice to see you.
Hello ER hope you’re over you’re stomach bug. Oh wait, that’s the other one. You’re the one who never gets boring. I don’t think we’ll have time for boredom this year.
Rio Tinto – aussies biggest employer of indigenous people – no wonder walsh is smiling
The spin
The truth
Smile why you destroy the earth, make money for yourself and your mates and oh, while you create a supply of people to carry out maintenance and repairs.
woops http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/8394064/RIO-CEO-is-minings-smiling-face
Legal ruling: Dotcom can sue the government.
The Dotcom case just gets more and more interesting – the April court hearings certainly will be!
Here is the Herald article on today’s Court of Appeal hearing, although it is almost word for word the same as the Stuff one.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869764
There does not appear to have been any further reporting on the very secret two day High Court hearing which started on Tuesday relating to the search and seizure of evidence.
http://t.co/ZPyMlK4vVO
A secret hearing regarding evidence in the Kim Dotcom extradition case is underway at the High Court in Auckland, with lawyers likely to be locked inside for two days.
The material under discussion is so confidential that even Dotcom’s lawyers are not allowed in the courtroom, with an amicus, or “friend of the court”, instead acting as an intermediary.
Justice Helen Winkelmann will oversee the discussion, which is believed to centre on evidence regarding police actions on the day of the helicopter raid on Dotcom’s Coatesville mansion last January.
A person would not want to be the Attorney General as the out come was unfavourable. I bet the phone has been running red hot from the beehive to Mexico.
GCSB and Police can both be sued.
Wonder what Dotcom has tweeted on twitter!
The copyright industry is corrupt to the core. Affiliates of media corporations like Warner Brothers distributed file sharing software which in turn drove the copyright infringement allegations used by the corporations to argue for legislation like SOPA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJIuYgIvKsc
What is wrong with this situation……..
On te radio this morning there was a farmer describing the ‘drought’ conditions and indicators. One of the indicators he said was that one of the river catchments was at its lowest in five years! Five whole years!
He’s probably doubled his watertake since 2008 so yes its a real crisis…
indeed, it’s such a shame that he can’t run twice as many cows as he used to…
Bennett recently came out with the shocking news that a man had been on a benefit for 25 years, her entirely inappropriate apology for the failure of MSD to help this citizen to find gainful employment, seem to leave me with the impression that he should have been thrown off the benefit and starved to death by now as it was not her problem, her ministry’s problem. I would suggest that government should be fined when people have not been helped by WINZ, and where WINZ cannot help, government step in and help create jobs when the unemployed languish in perpetual dependency.
Oh, wait, that what Labour did do, and got many (not all obviously) people into work.
Someone who’s been on the UB for 25 years has other issues. Getting a job may help but probably not.
To simply concentrate on this one individuals length of time on ‘the dole’ is ludicrous, until such time as unemployment in the Gisborne region becomes a factor of 1 person then the individual is simply fulfilling a useful social function,
He is surviving upon the least amount possible over a long period thus allowing others to gain employment and a higher standard of living,(perhaps),
The real question here is: if this particular individual in Gisborne found employment in the economy would this lower the amount of unemployed in Gisborne or for that matter the New Zealand economy???,
The answer to that is a big NO,under the auspices of the Neo-liberal economic paradigm THERE WILL BE BETWEEN 2-6% OF THE WORKFORCE ABLE TO WORK UNEMPLOYED, full stop,
There are NO ifs or buts to that little equation and given such economics it is pointless to be chasing people around over the length of time that they are unemployed…
Yes and No. The state failed to address the employment problem, maybe there is a job for this individual. You are correct though, its pointless expecting government to say sorry, and then do the right thing, instead government gets out and dictates that the outlier is somehow a representative sample, and means they can roll out a program of onerous costly coercive intervention on all which will just move the problem on that insecurity for some is a necessary part of our culture (as long as its hidden and tax payers pay to hide it!).
Mai Chen’s article in the Herald online this morning on the Supreme Court decision on Maori water rights vis a vis the partial sale of Mighty River is well worth reading – “Amber light flashing over sales”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10869635
Mai discusses the possible implications of the Court decision further down the track
…The court has also left it open over what may happen should the Crown fail to honour the commitment it made during the hearing that the sale process would not be relied upon to argue against Maori rights in water, or if the current reforms are seen to be an empty exercise. It may be that in enabling the part sale of the company to proceed, the court has also created a leverage point for claimants further down the track. …
On a related note, FYI Penny Bright – yesterday I had a call from Genesis Energy with a good one year deal which meant that all things going to plan, I am about to become an ex-customer of Mercury Energy. Once the Supreme Court decision was out, I had decided to move from Mercury anyway, but being somewhat of a procrastinator had not yet done anything about it. I was one of the many thousands who left Contact a few years ago when they or rather their directors became too greedy.
Yes, I know, Genesis is also on the starting blocks to go to partial sale; but if this happens during the one year deal or is about to, I will just move to someone else at the end of the one year contract.
“Prime minister John Key has made a lasting impression on Colombia – donning a sombrero at a joint press conference with President Juan Manuel Santos.”
jesus wept andrea vance, ive seen some pathetic reporting in my time, but “prat puts on hat” is a new low
The Herald is no better. In an otherwise serious article, Claire Trevett chimes in with a question about how hot John Key thinks the Mexican President’s wife is:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869703
Serious question here – does this sort of crap serve any legitimate purpose in political reporting?
At best it’s ‘entertainment’ for idiots, at worst it is promoting Key’s ‘great Kiwi bloke’ image for free.
Check out this cozy little deal:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10815746
It’s about the directors of MRP getting some extra money to do the job that they signed up for, but this bit:
That’s talking about their ‘expectation’ of fees increasing post float.
They want the government to do it now so they won’t have to get the approval of shareholders. That kind of implies that asking the shareholders would be awkward, or undignified, or something.
But hang on a second, the govt is retaining 51%.
So asking the government now, or asking the shareholders after listing is of no material difference. Except for the look of the thing, for all concerned.
snakes, the lot of them.
soz, didn’t mean to put that in a reply.
“The New Zealand media will love this. Can’t wait to watch this back home.”
that is not rain on your neck
I suspect Key just insulted the entire population of Colombia and showed them what a moron he is.
Claire Trevett would have insulted Mexico if anyone there knew who she was.
Bloody schoolkids, the lot of them. Emotionally stunted retards who know nothing except hero worship and allegiance to a bullshit neoliberal bankruptcy.
My goodness I didn’t think tuna could get that big – I wonder how old it was.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869767
We know very little about the oceans and seas – I wonder if we’ll ever learn…
The privatisation of power is proving to be the catalyst for a popular uprising in Bulgaria.
Escalating power prices by privatised power corps have become the last straw.
The right wing regime has been forced to resign.
The question is: will the people be fooled into handing over there newly won power to a bunch of political crooks or not.
They are demanding that the people directly vote for MPs without party intermediaries.
This is halfway to forming their own socialist government based on local, regional and national democratic councils, as this revolutionary left article points out.
http://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/europe/councils-in-bulgaria/
Rand Paul talking for 9 hours. Impressive, considering he’s never said anything that’s worth listening to. http://israndpaulstilltalking.com/
another stream here http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN2/
regardless of your views of the man, what he is speaking on is essential, your right to live as a free person, that is what is at stake, that is what the future is about, not your bank balance
He’s gone Godwin too.
Rand Paul Invokes Hitler in Opposing Obama’s Nomination http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=a8a_1362593448 … #tcot #tgdn #p2 #filibuster #RandPaul
http://t.co/Dm0Gw1l4wK
Look out for this tomorrow – copied from Hot Topic
Symptoms too serious to ignore: a call to face up to NZ’s critical risks
Gareth Renowden
This post is syndicated from Hot Topic » Gareth – Original Post
A loose affiliation of New Zealand’s great and good will launch an appeal to parliament next week, asking for a dispassionate and non-partisan risk assessment of the “unprecedented threats to our collective security” facing the country as a result of climate change, fossil fuel extraction and economic uncertainty. The Wise Response group features poets, writers, All Blacks, academics, surgeons and scientists amongst its first 100 supporters1, and will launch its appeal at a public meeting in Dunedin on March 8th.
In its appeal the group identifies critical risks in five areas:
1. Economic security: the risk of a sudden, deepening, or prolonged financial crisis. Such a crisis could adversely impact upon our society’s ability to provide for the essentials, including local access to resources, reliable supply chains, and a resilient infrastructure.
2. Energy and climate security: the risk of continuing our heavy dependence on fossil fuels. Progressively restricting their extraction, importation and use could promote a switch to genuine renewables and encourage smarter use of existing energy and energy systems while creating better public transportation. Such responses would simultaneously lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
3. Business continuity: the risk exposure of all New Zealand business, including farming, to a lower carbon economy. To mitigate this risk, all businesses could explore both market and job opportunities in reducing the human ecological footprint, finding substitutes for petroleum-based goods and services, increasing efficiencies and reducing waste in food and resources. This would position New Zealand as a market leader in low-carbon technologies and living arrangements.
4. Ecological security: the risks associated with failing to genuinely protect both land-based and marine ecosystems and their natural processes. We believe that such protection is essential for both the maintenance of indigenous biodiversity and ultimately, all human welfare.
5. Genuine well-being: the risk of persisting with a subsidised, debt-based economy, preoccupied with maximising consumption and GDP. An alternative is to measure progress by means of indicators of community sustainability, human well-being, more equitable wealth-sharing and environmental resilience, and to incorporate full-cost pricing of harmful environmental impacts.
The group is looking to build support both inside and outside parliament for a detailed risk assessment of how these issues might impact New Zealand, and is hoping this will lead to:
…robust cross-party strategies and policies to avert these risks and give future generations the very best chance of security, peace, social justice and opportunity for all.
There’s much to like in the group’s appeal statement, but what I find most encouraging is that a diverse group of prominent New Zealanders is looking to make our politicians face up to the harsh realities of the modern world. I don’t imagine that John Key and his government will pay much attention — they’re too wedded to the all growth, all the time dogma for that — but with luck and persistence, the group may be able to start building a consensus around the things that we really need to do as a nation. That’s something I’m only too happy to support.
The Otago Daily Times lists Brian Turner, Wayne Smith, Fiona Kidman, Glenn Turner, David Thom, Philip Temple, Anne Salmond, Julian Dean, Owen Marshall, Morgan Williams, Chris Trotter, Bruce Burns, Richard Langston and Anton Oliver amongst others.
Stephen Franks loses it when he hears the dread word: “democracy”
“The Panel”, Radio New Zealand National, Thursday 7 March 2013
Jim Mora, Stephen Franks, Ali Jones
A group of prominent southerners has called for a risk assessment for the whole of New Zealand. They are concerned about the environment, and the government’s attacks against local democracy. Of course, Stephen Franks, ACT lawyer, lawyer for the S.S. Trust and general far right whacko, is not impressed by all this outrageous talk about democracy….
JIM MORA: A group of prominent southerners has called for a risk assessment for the whole of New Zealand. They are concerned about the environment,
JIM MORA: Professor Sir Alan Mark joins us. Professor Mark, good afternoon.
PROFESSOR SIR ALAN MARK: Good afternoon.
MORA: Stephen Franks has compared this campaign to the ill-fated Citizens for Rowling in 1975.
PROF. ALAN MARK: It’s actually far more like the Save Manapouri campaign, and the anti-nuclear ships campaigns.
STEPHEN FRANKS: [spluttering] They were all ABSOLUTELY USELESS! Utterly useless! You couldn’t PAY me to go to this. I see it as Morning Report crystallized!
ALI JONES: I see it a real lack of democracy in Christchurch. It is a real problem. And I complained about the last government too, so it’s not narrowly political.
PROF. ALAN MARK: The Resource Management Act is being gutted.
STEPHEN FRANKS: That was a DEMOCRATIC DECISION! The government is responding to what the people want! I’m just concerned that there are these SLOGANS! Where are the new ideas?
ALI JONES: I think it’s really spurious for Stephen to suggest that democracy is an excuse.
FRANKS: Oh, it’s just a big MOAN. Whining without producing solutions!
[Franks continues to drool, spit, snarl, slobber and yelp for several minutes while his interlocutors maintain a horrified silence….]
Those who want to move past Franks’s ranting denunciations and see what Professor Mark’s group are on about might like to look at this….
http://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/magazine/247834/what-are-risks
I think Steve may have his knife into the RMA. Thre was a electoral meeting in Wellington a while back when he was standing as a candidate for something or other and most of his spiel consisted of telling the audience how the RMA consent from the Council for his driveway/garage? had cost $35000. Real man of the people stuff, a lot of people don’t even earn that much in a year.
Frankly, (sorry), Stephen Franks is one of your “came-to-it-later-in life-after-shades-of-parading-as-a-lefty”, right-wing nutbars. Douglas, Moore, Caygill et al. I was at VUW 33-37 years ago. Focused on the same “discipline” as said Stephen.
Kia Ora re the train trip through the Soviet Union Stevo. Authorities stopped the train for hours at western border ??? A mate of mine travelled with you.
I know.
I love this small, tight knit country.
I’m enjoying these reviews, Morrissey, keep em coming. It’s actually much better than listening to the show. Sorry if that sounds like faint praise.
John Key’s Bad Will Tour.
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2013/03/07/go-to-hugo-chavezs-funeral-john/
I thought the main reason John Key was going to Latin America was to drum up support for our bid for the revolving seat on the UN security council.
Way to shoot yourself in the foot, John.
FYI folks!
This is a significant legal victory, locally, nationally and internationally>
Statement by one of the successful Appellants, Penny Bright.
OCCUPY AUCKLAND WINS HIGH COURT APPEAL!
Mainstream media coverage:
Occupy Auckland barrister Ron Mansfield explains the ruling of Judge Ellis:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2548345/court-ruling-paves-way-for-more-action-by-occupy-movement.asx
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10869644
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/occupy-auckland-protesters-win-appeal-against-eviction-ruling-5361876
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/occupy-auckland-protesters-win-appeal-against-eviction-ruling-5361876/video
http://www.3news.co.nz/Occupy-eviction-went-too-far—ruling/tabid/423/articleID/289259/Default.aspx
http://www.3news.co.nz/Legal-victory-for-Occupy-Auckland/tabid/423/articleID/289280/Default.aspx
http://www.bizbilak.com/news/occupy-auckland-protesters-win-appeal-against-eviction-ruling-tvnz
Please be advised, that as an Appellant in my own name, at no time did I express an opinion as a ‘Spokesperson’ for Occupy Auckland.
A copy of the Appeal decision of High Court Justice Ellis is available on
http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz
a website for which I take full personal responsibility for content.
Also on this above-mentioned website are copies of my key legal submissions, as an Appellant in my own name, so people can read them for themselves.
The main reason I organised the setting up of this website, was to counter the defamatory lies about myself being spread by Suzette Maree Dawson, which she has published on her own private websitehttp://occupysavvy.com
Suzette Maree Dawson published on her above-mentioned private website a statement by Ben Cooney (‘Redstar’) during his livestream video coverage of the protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) protest on 8 December 2012:
“There’s Penny Bright – SIS informant”.
The FACTS are, that I was one of 12 people responsible for organising Auckland anti-Springbok Tour protests in 1981, I was named in Muldoon’s SIS list as a ‘subversive’, and have never been able to get a copy of my SIS file.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0711/S00086.htm
If people think I’m going to put up with these sorts of filthy defamatory lies, when I have had a proven track record going back over 40 years as an activist – think again.
I strongly recommend that those involved in the ‘protest’ / ‘activist’ movement, exercise commonsense and due diligence?
If people come from nowhere, with no proven track record in the ‘protest’ / ‘activist’ movement, and make a beeline for controlling the message, or means of getting the message out – act in ways which cause dissension or conflict within the group, spread misinformation / disinformation about people, without facts and evidence to back it up – BEWARE!!!
Being involved in ‘media’ gives such people the ability to mix and mingle and take photos from inside the ranks of the ‘protest’ movement.
Where exactly are those photos going?
BEWARE of those who act like the 1%, without openness, transparency or democratic accountability.
Why is it that as a (successful) Appellant in the Occupy Auckland Appeal, I cannot post this information up on the Occupy Auckland facebook page?
WHO are ‘Admin’ currently responsible for the Occupy Auckland facebook page, and why am I being blocked?
I note a Press Release up on Scoop – in the name of Occupy Auckland.
Who put out this Press Release?
On whose authority?
As a NAMED APPELLENT in this Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal – I for one was never contacted by this now mysterious, anonymous and apparently secretive ‘Occupy Auckland’ – who do NOT have permission or any authority to speak on my behalf.
http://auckland.scoop.co.nz/2013/03/vindication-for-occupy-auckland/
WHO now are ‘Occupy Auckland’?
Without transparency – there is no accountability.
When / where was the Occupy Auckland General Assembly that discussed the Appeal, and authorised this Press Release?
I note that Suzette Maree Dawson and her private website ‘occupy savvy’ did NOT attend the hearing of the Occupy Auckland vs Auckland Council Appeal, and did not publish any of my legal documents, which arguably played a role in helping achieve this significant victory for Occupy Auckland, both locally, nationally and internationally?
Remember Rob Gilchrist – the Police informant who infiltrated the animal rights movement?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/760466/The-activist-who-turned-police-informer
Learn the lessons folks!
I for one, am not interested in working with ‘idiots, sheep, amateurs, saboteurs or provocateurs’.
Decent people, with good hearts, brains, guts and a basic understanding of the principles of natural justice, are those with whom I will work, on an issue by issue basis, where we have common cause.
In New Zealand, we have the basic human right to ‘freedom of association’.
Those who choose to associate with Suzette Maree Dawson and/or Ben Cooney – that is your right and your choice.
But – please be advised that if you choose to associate with Suzette Maree Dawson and/or Ben Cooney, I will choose not to associate with you.
(The same applies to Linda Anne Wright – but that’s another story – update coming soon….)
FYI – here are ‘Minutes’ of Occupy Auckland General Assemblies – 1 February 2012 and 15 February 2012, which record agreed decisions on a number of matters:
MINUTES OF OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY
1 FEBRUARY 2012
RESOLVED BY CONSENSUS:
“That Occupy Auckland endorse/support the PRINCIPLE of a draft Action Plan to prevent ‘White Collar crime, corruption and corporate welfare.”
OCCUPY AUCKLAND (General Assembly 1/2/2012) SUPPORTS THE PRINCIPLE OF A DRAFT ACTION PLAN TO PREVENT CORRUPTION – ‘WHITE COLLAR’ CRIME & ‘CORPORATE WELFARE’ IN NEW ZEALAND [DRAFT DISCUSSION DOCUMENT ONLY]
1. Get our anti-corruption domestic legislative framework in place so NZ can ratify the UN Convention Against Corruption.
2. Set up an NZ independent anti-corruption body tasked with educating the public and PREVENTING corruption.
3. Change NZ laws to ensure genuine transparency in the funding of candidates for elected public office and political parties at central government level
4. Legislate for an enforceable ‘Code of Conduct’ for NZ Members of Parliament (who make the rules for everyone else).
5. Make it an offence under the Local Government Act 2002 for NZ Local Government elected representatives to breach their ‘Code of Conduct’.
6. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Government elected representatives.
7. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Central Government staff responsible for property and procurement, (including the Ministry of Health), in order to help prevent ‘conflicts of interest’.
8. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available ‘Register of Interests’ for NZ Local Government staff, and Directors and staff employed by ‘Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs) responsible for property and procurement.
9. Make it a lawful requirement for details of ‘contracts issued’ – including the name of the contractor; scope, term and value of the contract to be published in NZ Central Government Public Sector, and Local Government (Council), and ‘Council-Controlled Organisation (CCO) Annual Reports so that they are available for public scrutiny.
10. Make it a lawful requirement that a ‘cost-benefit analysis’ of NZ Central Government, and Local Government public finances be undertaken to prove that private procurement of public services previously provided ‘in-house’ is cost-effective for the public majority. If not – then return public service provision to staff directly employed ‘in-house’ and cut out these private contractors who are effectively dependent on ‘corporate welfare’.
11. Legislate for a legally-enforcable ‘Code of Conduct’ for members of the NZ Judiciary, to ensure they are not ‘above the law’.
12. Ensure that ALL NZ Court proceedings are recorded, and audio records made available to parties who request them.
13. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ Judicial ‘Register of Interests’, to help prevent ‘conflicts of interest’.
14. Make it a lawful requirement for a publicly-available NZ ‘Register of Lobbyists’ at Central Government Ministerial level.
15. Make it a lawful requirement at NZ Central and Local Government level for a ‘post-separation employment quarantine’ period from the time officials leave the public service to take up a similar role in the private sector. (Help stop the ‘revolving door’).
16. Make it a lawful requirement that it is only a binding vote of the public majority that can determine whether public assets held at NZ Central or Local Government level are sold; or long-term leased via Public-Private –Partnerships (PPPs).
17. Make it unlawful for politicians to knowingly misrepresent their policies prior to election at central or local government level.
18. Make laws to protect individuals, NGOs and community-based organisations who are ‘whistleblowing’ against ‘conflicts of interest’ and corrupt practices at central and local government level and within the judiciary.
19. Legislate to help stop ‘State Capture’, a form of ‘grand corruption’ arguably endemic in NZ – where vested interests get their way at the ‘policy level’ before legislation is passed which serves their interests.
[Feedback to Occupy Auckland can be sent c/- Penny Bright waterpressure@gmail.com to assist further debate/discussion/workshopping ]
____________________________________________________________________________
MINUTES OF OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2012
Minute-taker: Penny Bright
MINUTES OF THE OCCUPY AUCKLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY HELD ON SUNDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2012 WERE AGREED BY CONSENSUS OF THOSE WHO WERE PRESENT AT THAT MEETING TO BE A TRUE AND ACCURATE ACCOUNT:
……
ANNOUNCEMENTS: 15 FEBRUARY 2012 NEW EVENTS:
1) ‘AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE’ PUBLIC MEETING:
DATE: Friday, 17 February 2012TIME: 7pm VENUE: Trades Hall, 147 Great Nth Rd, Grey Lynn
GA (General Assembly) agreed that Penny, on behalf of Occupy Auckland to take the following proposal (passed by unanimous consensus at the Occupy Auckland GA, Sunday 12 February 2012), to the above-mentioned ‘AOTEAROA IS NOT FOR SALE’ PUBLIC MEETING:
1) That Occupy Auckland support the new group that was formed on Thursday 9 February 2012, at the Unite Office 6A Western Springs Rd, Kingsland – ‘Aotearoa is not for sale’, particularly focusing on opposing the proposed ‘partial privatisation’ of State-owned assets.
2) That Occupy Auckland help organize opposition to proposed State-Owned asset sales, by making available to the public, hard copy ‘submission’ forms which can be sent to Treasury, who are organizing the ‘consultation’, (‘submissions must be in by 5pm 22 February, 2012).
3) That Occupy Auckland concentrate on public ‘outreach’ activities, co-ordinating with as many other interested parties / groups as possible, preferably on a daily basis, including, but not limited to publicizing:
a. Opposition to State-Owned asset sales.
b. Opposition to the NZ Food Bill.
c. Support for the Ports of Auckland workers.
d. Support for the Tamaki Housing Group.
e. Collecting signatures for the petition for an inquiry into the Huljich Kiwisaver prosecutions.
f. Collecting submission forms opposing the sale of State-Owned assets.
That the suggested public ‘outreach’ point be opposite the Auckland Town Hall on Queen Street, but if there are other events on at that time we go there.
That the form of this public ‘outreach’ be, banners on fence, fold-up table and chairs, clip boards, and ‘protest ponchos’. Penny is prepared to help organise this activity. …..”
______________________________________________________
Penny Bright
Occupy Auckland Appellant (in my own name).
‘Anti-corruption campaigner’
2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate
[lprent: Good win. Too long.. ]
Just looking at the Chavez RIP column got me thinking: for the Left Chavez was a real hero, flaws and all. On the news tonight people in Caracas were crying, wailing for their “Hero”. Like our own Michael Joseph.
Shearer??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Not much chance that Shearer is going to be PM for 2 terms let alone 4.
Something to watch.
http://billmoyers.com/content/watch-the-lord-is-not-on-trial-here-today-for-a-limited-time/
I see Keith Locke saying that Key should go to Chavez’ funeral. And that he’s screwed up not doing so (or at least that’s how it’s reported on Stuff where it’s highlighted as a snub).
Yeah, I see that. Possibility of impressing Latin America etc, and that’s Locke’s reported line.
Well actually, to be fair, if he did contrive to go, I’d lash him as a showboat prick.
John Key whose heart beats for Wall Street is not fit to attend the funeral of a man whose heart beat for his people.