23 dinosaur councils refuse to sign Climate Change commitment
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- Date published:
9:29 am, February 20th, 2019 - 78 comments
Categories: accountability, climate change, global warming, local government, Politics, sustainability -
Tags: denis tegg, sandra goudie
There is this radical subversive group engaged in the undermining of the Kiwi way of life and advocating that we forgo our way of life and eat less red meat, drive more efficient cars and catch public transport more regularly.
Who is this group?
Is it Greenpeace? The People’s republic of China?
No it is Local Government New Zealand, a collective representing all local authorities in New Zealand.
It has drafted up the Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration. The declaration contains this passage:
We ask that the New Zealand Government make it a priority to develop and implement an ambitious transition plan for a low carbon and resilient New Zealand. We stress the benefits of early action to moderate the costs of adaptation to our communities. We are all too aware of challenges we face shoring up infrastructure and managing insurance costs. These are serious financial considerations for councils and their communities.
To underpin this plan, we ask that a holistic economic assessment is undertaken of New Zealand’s vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and of the opportunities and benefits for responding. We believe that New Zealand has much at stake and much to gain by adopting strong leadership on climate change emission reduction targets.
It talks about the precautionary approach, kaitiakitanga, equity and justice, thinking and acting long-term, understanding, cooperation and resilience, all subversive stuff.
It is signed by comrades Dave Cull, Lianne Dalziel, Grant Smith, Ray Wallace, Phil Goff, Justin Lester and forty eight other mayors.
Strangely it does not have universal support.
Thames Coromandel Mayor and former National Party MP Sandra Goudie has expressed reservations and called the desire to save the world’s environment “politically charged”.
From Kate Gudsell at Radio New Zealand:
… mayor Sandra Goudie said she did not support it and most other councillors were cautious.
It would be irresponsible for the declaration to be signed because the council did not know what it would be committing ratepayers to, she said.
“It’s got statements which bind you to outcomes that you’ve got no idea of, so I wouldn’t sign a contract without knowing specifications.”
But she said the council was being proactive in terms of ensuring the community was protected and resilient in its vulnerable coastal areas.
Mrs Goudie refused to confirm whether she believed climate change was happening, saying she did not have an obligation to tell ratepayers what her opinion was.
Mrs Goudie said she was not obliged to reveal her stance on climate change because “I think it’s incredibly highly politically charged and driven and I don’t think that makes for a good basis for sound judgment”.
Get that? It would be irresponsible to commit to doing something about climate change.
My interest peaked at her statement that the Council was being proactive in terms of protection and resilience. This is the Council that granted consent to a retirement village and then put a coastal hazard inundation notation on the title warning that the village was in a potential coastal flood zone.
Denis Tegg, who has documented Thames Coromandel’s problems handling the implications of climate change, said this about the decision:
This is the appropriate response from TCDC because it helps inform prospective purchasers of units within the retirement village – including the new apartment building – that the land is subject to coastal flooding. Unfortunately, it comes too late for those retirees who have already committed their savings to buy a dwelling or unit in the last 14 years.
But from now on at least it helps the buyer beware – (provided they or their solicitor checks the title and become aware of the natural hazard notation.) Also, the registration of the notation goes some way to protect TCDC from civil legal claims for granting a building consent for the new apartment complex on land known to be subject to a natural hazard. (Section 392 of the Building Act 2004)
But this belated action of TCDC in registering a hazard notation on the title is of no benefit to existing holders of licenses to occupy in the Richmond Villas complex. Since the original consent was granted in 2003 scores of retirees have made their decision to purchase a dwelling or unit without the advantage of knowing about a notation of a sea flood hazard. Those current residents have been left high and dry – or more accurately low and potentially wet.
There are apparently 23 authorities who have not signed up to the declaration. I presume this dinosaur authority is one of them.
We have local government elections later this year. I hope that as candidate’s views on what to do about climate change is the first thing that voters consider.
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- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew 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. ...1 week ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...1 week ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’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. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister 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. ...2 weeks ago
- Methane target review is dangerous duplicationThe Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government must commit to school building project for disabled studentsThe Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National must take mental health seriouslyMental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...2 weeks ago
- Referendums for Māori wards a racist step backwardsThe Government's imposed referendum on Māori wards is a racist step backwards for Māori representation, and disregards Te Tiriti o Waitangi. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Job losses at Health not worth it for tax cutsNew Zealand will feel the harm of the National Government’s reckless cuts to jobs at the health ministry for generations, says Ayesha Verrall. ...2 weeks ago
- Press release: No Māori initiatives in Government’s nothing planMāori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Thirty six point PR spinThe Government’s ‘36 point’ plan for the next three months is as pointless as it is hollow. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Social housing off Government’s to-do listThe Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Less money in most people’s pockets this AprilChanges to minimum wage and benefit indexation means many New Zealanders will get less this year, as the Government gives a big tax break to landlords instead. ...3 weeks ago
- $41m to support clean energy in South East Asia
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 ...5 hours ago - Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe 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 ...7 hours ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-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 ...7 hours ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation 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 ...8 hours ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA 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 ...8 hours ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign 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 ...9 hours ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, 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 ...11 hours ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime 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 ...22 hours ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe 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 ...1 day ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe 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 ...1 day ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal 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 ...1 day ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe 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 - ...1 day ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit 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 ...1 day ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe 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 ...1 day ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe 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 ...2 days ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime 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 ...2 days ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA 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 ...2 days ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’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 ...2 days ago
- School attendance restored as a priority in health adviceRefreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...2 days ago
- Unnecessary bureaucracy cut in oceans sectorOceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...2 days ago
- Patterson promoting NZ’s wool sector at International CongressAssociate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...3 days ago
- Removing red tape to help early learners thriveThe Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...3 days ago
- RMA changes to cut coal mining consent red tapeChanges to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...4 days ago
- McClay reaffirms strong NZ-China trade relationshipTrade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...4 days ago
- Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister LeePrime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...4 days ago
- PMs Luxon and Lee deepen Singapore-NZ tiesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...4 days ago
- Antarctica New Zealand Board appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...4 days ago
- Finance Minister travels to Washington DCFinance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...4 days ago
- Pet bonds a win/win for renters and landlordsThe coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...4 days ago
- Long Tunnel for SH1 Wellington being consideredState Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...5 days ago
- New Zealand condemns Iranian strikesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...5 days ago
- Huge interest in Government’s infrastructure plansHundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...1 week ago
- Health Minister thanks outgoing Health New Zealand ChairHealth Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...1 week ago
- Roads of National Significance planning underwayThe NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...1 week ago
- Navigating an unstable global environmentNew Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...1 week ago
- NZ welcomes Australian Governor-GeneralPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...1 week ago
- Pseudoephedrine back on shelves for WinterAssociate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...1 week ago
- NZ and the US: an ever closer partnershipNew Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...1 week ago
- Joint US and NZ declarationApril 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...1 week ago
- NZ and US to undertake further practical Pacific cooperationForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced further New Zealand cooperation with the United States in the Pacific Islands region through $16.4 million in funding for initiatives in digital connectivity and oceans and fisheries research. “New Zealand can achieve more in the Pacific if we work together more urgently and ...1 week ago
- Eugene Doyle: Helen Clark on why AUKUS isn’t in New Zealand’s national interest
COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...27 mins ago - Government releases list of organisations shoulder-tapped for fast-track consents
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...2 hours ago - The Week in Politics: Job cuts surge and Waitangi Tribunal troubleAnalysis - It's been a grim week for public servants, while trouble is also brewing between the government and Waitangi Tribunal. ...3 hours ago
- It never rains but it pours: intense rain and flash floods have increased inland in eastern Australi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...3 hours ago
- Watch: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaThe PM has defended how he's talked up NZ trade on his trip to Southeast Asia, after criticism from his own delegation. ...3 hours ago
- ‘It could be the death of the museum’: why research cuts at a South Australian institution have ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...3 hours ago
- Government signs off $41m clean energy deal with Asian Development BankThe government has committed $41 million to clean energy transition at the Asian Development Bank's Energy Transition Mechanism. ...4 hours ago
- Are 2 mid-career AFL retirements a sign Australian athletes are taking brain health more seriously?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...6 hours ago
- Luxon: Waitangi Tribunal comments from coalition parties 'ill considered'Comments from ACT and NZ First ministers about the Tribunal were "ill considered" and "that message will be underscored" to them, the PM says. ...6 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation Facing Staff Cuts From Govt Funding Squeeze
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...6 hours ago - I wholeheartedly recommend The President: a brilliant revival of a play of decay, terror and revulsi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...6 hours ago
- How the coolest little capital is shrinkingIt's not the first time a government has targeted public servants for job cuts, but this time Wellington is really feeling it. ...7 hours ago
- Ministers accused of Cabinet Manual breach with threats to Waitangi Tribunal
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...7 hours ago - Many prisoners go years without touching a smartphone. It means they struggle to navigate life on th...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...7 hours ago
- Good news: midlife health is about more than a waist measurement. Here’s whySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...7 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Mitochondrial Problem’ by Evangeline Riddiford Graham
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...7 hours ago - The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 18The 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. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) Hot off the press, this debut ...7 hours ago
- Department of Conservation closing Dunedin centre, but no jobs lostVisitor habits are changing and DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way, its operations director says. ...7 hours ago
- Unions Collaborate With Thousands Of Job CutsWith New Zealand officially in recession, a swathe of mass sackings is currently sending shockwaves through the entire working class. ...7 hours ago
- Watch live: Christopher Luxon speaks to media in ManilaPrime Minister Christopher Luxon is speaking to reporters in Manila after pledging greater defence cooperation with the Philippines. Watch live. ...7 hours ago
- Government sent please explain letter to Wellington City Council over transport disagreementThe contents were revealed in correspondence from Simeon Brown and Chris Bishop to Wellington's Mayor. ...8 hours ago
- Some families push back against journalists who mine social media for photos – they have every rig...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...8 hours ago
- Mental Health Foundation staff cuts loom, with funding falling behind rising costsChief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...8 hours ago
- The ‘devil comet’ 12P/Pons-Brooks has finally become visible from Australia. What can we expect?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024. James Peirce/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND If you’re a fan of all things space, you’ve doubtless heard about the “devil comet”, which has been captivating keen-eyed observers in the ...8 hours ago
- Rugby stadiums are sold as an economic asset – but NZ needs to ask if they’re really worth itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hamlin, Senior Lecturer in Marketing , University of Otago A multi-billion dollar stadium precinct has been proposed for Auckland, one of three proposals in front of Auckland Council for a new stadium in the city. The council is also considering revamping ...8 hours ago
- Auckland dog attacks: Callouts for attacks on other animals going upRoaming dogs are responsible for more than a thousand attacks on animals each year, and the number is growing. ...9 hours ago
- What access to puberty blockers means for trans young people and their whānauThe Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...9 hours ago
- NZ and Philippines pledge defence cooperation amid rising tensionsThe commitment came after a sit-down meeting between Christopher Luxon and President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr overnight. ...10 hours ago
- How superblocks can help reimagine city lifeBarcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...10 hours ago
- Fire engineering expertise may take a big hit with job cuts at MBIEThe public sector cuts are poised to take out a big chunk of expertise at the country's building regulator. ...11 hours ago
- “Fast-track Law To Kill Kiwi”: Students Say Fight Against Anti-democracy Legislation Is Only Jus...Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...11 hours ago
- ‘We have thousands of Modis’: the secret behind the BJP’s enduring success in IndiaSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...12 hours ago
- Online schooling is not just for lockdowns. Could it work for your child?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...12 hours ago
- Hear me out: You can shove your reusable period productsYes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...12 hours ago
- Rip It Up And Start Over – Fast-Track Approvals Bill Needs To Be Scrapped“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...12 hours ago
- Maori Authority Warns Government On Fast Track LegislationThe Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...12 hours ago
- Why the government’s haste in changing the health system could come back to haunt itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...12 hours ago
- Many suicides are related to gambling. How can we tackle this problem?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...12 hours ago
- Things that go buzz in the night – our global study found there really are more insects out after ...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...12 hours ago
- Why don’t Australians talk about their salaries? Pay transparency and fairness go hand-in-handSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...12 hours ago
- ‘Character’ And Its Impact On Immigration StatusThe Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...12 hours ago
- 20,000 more on jobseeker benefits than this time last yearThe government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, 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 up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...14 hours ago
- All of the Raglan Roast cafes in Wellington, ranked from worst to bestRaglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...16 hours ago
- Auckland uni students threaten rent strike over rising accommodation feesResidents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously. The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...16 hours ago
- Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolvedShane Jones says people voted for change, but opponents say small cuts such as ending a special oceans secretariat are starting to add up The post Warning of death from a million cuts as Oceans Secretariat dissolved appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
- Defence deal to counter Beijing’s aggression in South China SeaNew Zealand and the Philippines have signed a new maritime security agreement and stated their concerns over activity in the South China Sea, as Chinese vessels continue to flout international law. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos committed to signing a Mutual Logistics Supporting Arrangement by ...16 hours ago
- Wellington’s ebb and flow of public servantsThe thousands of government “back-office” job cuts are causing widespread pain in the capital city. In today’s episode of The Detail, we speak to three journalists and a think tank researcher, looking at the larger picture around the cuts and what effect it will have on Wellington, a city that’s ...16 hours ago
- New Zealand transport planning has gone off the railsOpinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...16 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Friday 19 AprilThe post Daily crossword, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...16 hours ago
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Great post Mickey. Which other councils do not want to do something about climate change? Their citizens have a right to know. As you say…. Elections are nigh. Coramandel, West Coast regional, and???
Agree, voters should be made aware.
would that notice be of interest to potential insurers?
you have been warned, and thus the council despite handing out a permit will wash their hands in innocence and refute any claims levied against them, and insurers will simply refuse to issue flood insurance?
Again, its up to the People of the Coromandels to vote for a representative body that might be more interested in foresight rather then hindsight. But if rates is all you care about, then of course you will be voting for the lowest bidder.
+1 @ Sabine
For me, it seems a really far cry from the Coromandel of the 1970’s and 80s, although maybe not after all that ‘Class of 87’ shit. I still have some problems understanding how some of my contemporaries (peace love and goodwill to all mankind ‘types’) so readily hitched their wagon to the neo-liberal. All I can put it down to was that they were actually full of shit in the first place, and now I think about it, many, if not most came from upper-muddle class or ‘old-money backgrounds.
I’m thinking it’s probably best to leave them all to it, and if they want to continue to shit in their own nest, then maybe it’s better to let them be buried in it
well i guess we shall hear from them again when their properties flood, and the insurance says NO NO NO, and the council says TOUGH SHIT and the government says please move and be evacuated.
In saying that there is a lot of heart break coming up in our future due to costal flooding and property destruction. Some will be rich enough to rebuild elsewhere, others will not be so lucky.
But for a council to issue a building permit in a flood zone, to issue a notice after the fact that should be criminal. And people who bought into the scheme before the notice about floods was issued should be able to get out of the contract.
“I still have some problems understanding how some of my contemporaries (peace love and goodwill to all mankind ‘types’) so readily hitched their wagon to the neo-liberal.”
two words…. Mike Williams
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD_cL0
Well exactly @ Pat. But still – (as I said already) they really had to be full of shit in the first place if their principles can so easily have been captured. And especially for many of them, who if they had to cash up tomorrow, they’d probably realise just how indebted and impoverished they actually are and the legacy they’re leaving their chillun.
These council members have shown themselves to be unfit at best and dangerous at worse. Sack them all and barr ex members from running again.
100% Marty Mars, with you all the way.
Government must now hold an urgent high powered legal overreaching meeting on this ‘shabby lot of errant Councils’ now.
As National government (Nick Smith) did in their term; – they sacked the the Canterbury regional council when they also went rogue.
“The Environment Minister, Nick Smith, says Canterbury leaders called on the Government to intervene, saying he is offended by allegations the Government has an agenda.”
Government need to take them over and appoint an administrative Commissioner to run them all.
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/53378/protest-in-christchurch-after-govt-sacks-regional-council
Protest in Christchurch after Govt sacks regional council
6:52 pm on 31 March 2010
More than 100 people protested in Christchurch on Wednesday over the Government’s decision to sack the Canterbury regional councillors and replace them with its own commissioners.
The protestors say it is anti-democratic and the Government is making way for large amounts of water to be taken from rivers, to irrigate the land for what they say are unsuitable uses in the Canterbury plains, such as dairy farming.
Christine Dann organised the four protests outside the offices of National Party MPs.
Ms Dann says the Government has thrown away democracy and is rushing the change through Parliament.
The Environment Minister, Nick Smith, says Canterbury leaders called on the Government to intervene, saying he is offended by allegations the Government has an agenda.
Yep that’s democracy in action Marto and surly will not garner a negative response
Great opportunity to flush out the owned mayor’s and councilors.
This is about future generations that these comfy owned incumbents will be long gone from.
TRPs post on Zero Carbon Bill is required reading I think. (Perhaps Chris T and others who are coated with information-resistance teflon-spray could use this to see if the barrier could be broached).
https://thestandard.org.nz/does-the-west-coast-regional-council-exist/
I like TRPs caption for open-cast coal mining which is very ironic.
I listened to Ms. Goudie on RNZ this morning.
I thought FARK! – is she for real? …..but YES she was!
Wasn’t she just the ticket!. We really do get the politicians we deserve I suppose, except I’m still not sure why she didn’t opt for a fading career on some Joolie Krusty produced reality TV show
And we actually PAY some of these people for their ignorance!
Yep! The thing is, she is hugely good at door knocking, is personable, and gets out and about. Plus the problem with our district is that although there are a good number of green and labour minded folk (there are two retired green MPs in the Thames district) we now have one of the highest proportions of retired folk in the country and an equally high percentage of farmers. It’s pretty much a blue seat and they can parachute almost anyone in here and they would be elected.
Just yesterday TCDC Climate Change related workshop in Thames to which the very vocal Alistair Brickell gave another rant denying climate change and sea level rise. 🙄 Fortunately there were a couple of other submitters who were more than capable of countering the ignorance. Just how much attention was given, is another matter.
I look out my window as I type this to see a large crane constructing the 72 Apartments right next to the river mouth and the encroaching sea. A king tide even now floods almost to the main road into the town, and just behind where the Apartments are being built. How any one in their right mind would approve such a building I fail to understand.
During the 5 jan 18 storm the waves were right over the current stop bank and flooding within centimetres of the existing villas. Only the mangroves that grow along the foreshore saved the village from worse inundation. TCDC were also responsible for a stupid Bill to Parliament that would have granted carte blanche removal of mangroves. Fortunately that Bill was heavily amended by the current Govt to allow only limited removal of mangroves – mainly in Whangamata – Sandra Goudie’s local area.
Yes @ Macro. I’m sure. She’d make a good shady Real Estate agent
(Not just selling houses, but HOMES /sarc)
😸😸
From the Local Government NZ website:
“The local government sector consists of:
— 11 regional councils;
— 61 territorial authorities – 11 are city councils and 50 are district councils; and
— Six unitary councils – which are territorial authorities with regional council responsibilities.
The 78 councils have about 1600 elected members…”
http://www.lgnz.co.nz/nzs-local-government/
I have compared the 54 councils which have signed the Declaration to date with the lists of the above 78 Councils on the website, The following is a list of the 24 Councils *that have not signed (or rather, not yet signed) the Declaration to date:
Zone One = 5 Councils in total
1. Far North District Council
2. Kaipara District Council
3. Whangarei District Council
Zone Two = 19 Councils
1. Hamilton City Council
2. Opotiki District Council
3. Otorohanga District Council
4. Taupo District Council
5. Thames-Coromandel District Council
Zone Three = 17 Councils
1. Horowhenua District Council
2. Manawatu District Council
3. South Taranaki District Council
4. Stratford District Council
5. Tararua District Council
6. Wairoa District Council
Zone Four = 9 councils
All signed
Zone Five = 18 Councils
1. Ashburton District Council
2. Buller District Council
3. Hurunui District Council
4. Mackenzie District Council
5. Timaru District Council
6. Waimate District Council
7. West Coast Regional Council
8. Westland District Council
Zone Six = 10 Councils
1. Queenstown-Lakes District Council
2. Waitaki District Council
Note that all the councils that have not signed as yet are District Councils. All Regional Councils, City Councils and Unitary Councils seem to have signed.
If anyone wants to follow up with one or more of these unsigned councils as to why they haven’t done so, here is a link to the Local Councils NZ website page with links to all council websites:
http://www.lgnz.co.nz/nzs-local-government/new-zealands-councils/
Being a pesky pedant, I meant to mention that the total number of outstanding councils who have not signed the Declaration appears to be 24 not 23 as per the title of the post – which aligns with the total of 78 councils and the total of 54 signatures on the Declaration linked to in the post.
Here is a list of the 54 signatories from the Declaration:
1. Mayor Dave Cull Dunedin City Council
2. Mayor Grant Smith Palmerston North City Council
3. Mayor Rachel Reese Nelson City Council
4. Mayor Wayne Guppy Upper Hutt City Council
5. Chris Laidlaw, Chair Greater Wellington Regional Council
6. Mayor Winston Gray Kaikoura District Council
7. Mayor Lianne Dalziel Christchurch City Council
8. Mayor Ray Wallace Hutt City Council
9. Mayor Steve Chadwick Rotorua Lakes Council
10. Mayor Don Cameron Ruapehu District Council
11. Mayor David Ayers Waimakariri District Council
12. Mayor Bill Dalton Napier City Council
13. Mayor Gary Tong, JP Southland District Council
14. Mayor Andy Watson Rangitikei District Council
15. Mayor Allan Sanson Waikato District Council
16. Mayor Justin Lester Wellington City Council
17. Mayor Phil Goff Auckland Council
18. Mayor Sam Broughton Selwyn District Council
19. Rex Graham, Chair Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
20. Mayor Lyn Patterson Masterton District Council
21. Stephen Woodhead, Chair Otago Regional Council
22. Mayor Tony Bonne Whakatane District Council
23. Mayor K (Guru) Gurunathan Kāpiti Coast District Council
24. Mayor Bryan Cadogan Clutha District Council
25. Mayor John Tregidga Hauraki District Council
26. Mayor Neil Holdom New Plymouth District Council
27. Mayor John Booth Carterton District Council
28. Mayor Alex Walker Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
29. Bill Shepherd, Chair Northland Regional Council
30. Mayor Tracy Hicks Gore District Council
31. Mayor Jenny Shattock South Waikato District Council
32. Mayor Tim Shadbolt Invercargill City Council
33. Mayor Brian Hanna Waitomo District Council
34. Mayor Viv Napier South Wairarapa District Council
35. David MacLeod, Chair Taranaki Regional Council
36. Mayor Tim Cadogan Central Otago District Council
37. Mayor John Leggett Marlborough District Council
38. Mayor Hamish McDouall Whanganui District Council
39. Acting Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst Hastings District Council
40. Steve Lowndes, Acting Chair Environment Canterbury
41. Doug Leeder, Chair Bay of Plenty Regional Council
42. Alan Livingston, Chair Waikato Regional Council
43. Mayor Greg Brownless Tauranga City Council
44. Mayor Meng Foon Gisborne District Council
45. Mayor Mike Tana Porirua City Council
46. Mayor Alfred Preece Chatham Islands Council
47. Mayor Jim Mylchreest Waipa District Council
48. Mayor Jan Barnes Matamata-Piako District Council
49. Mayor Garry Webber Western Bay of Plenty District Council
50. Bruce Gordon, Chair Horizons Regional Council
51. Nicol Horrell, Chair Environment Southland
52. Mayor Richard Kempthorne Tasman District Council
53. Mayor Malcolm Campbell Kawerau District Council
54. Mayor Tony Kokshoorn Grey District Council
And here is a list of the 78 Councils:
Zone One
1. Auckland Council
2. Far North District Council
3. Kaipara District Council
4. Northland Regional Council
5. Whangarei District Council
Zone Two
6. Bay of Plenty Regional Council
7. Gisborne District Council
8. Hamilton City Council
9. Hauraki District Council
10. Kawerau District Council
11. Matamata-Piako District Council
12. Opotiki District Council
13. Otorohanga District Council
14. South Waitomo DC
15. Rotorua Lakes Council
16. Taupo District Council
17. Tauranga City Council
18. Thames-Coromandel District Council
19. Waikato District Council
20. Waikato Regional Council
21. Waipa District Council
22. Waitomo District Council
23. Western Bay of Plenty District Council
24. Whakatane District Council
Zone Three
25. Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
26. Hastings District Council
27. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
28. Horizons Regional Council
29. Horowhenua District Council
30. Manawatu District Council
31. Napier City Council
32. New Plymouth District Council
33. Palmerston North City Council
34. Rangitikei District Council
35. Ruapehu District Council
36. South Taranaki District Council
37. Stratford District Council
38. Taranaki Regional Council
39. Tararua District Council
40. Wairoa District Council
41. Whanganui District Council
Zone Four
42. Carterton District Council
43. Greater Wellington Regional Council
44. Hutt City Council
45. Kapiti Coast District Council
46. Masterton District Council
47. Porirua City Council
48. South Wairarapa District Council
49. Upper Hutt City Council
50. Wellington City Council
Zone Five
51. Ashburton District Council
52. Buller District Council
53. Chatham Islands Council
54. Christchurch City Council
55. Environment Canterbury
56. Grey District Council
57. Hurunui District Council
58. Kaikoura District Council
59. Mackenzie District Council
60. Marlborough District Council
61. Nelson City Council
62. Selwyn District Council
63. Tasman District Council
64. Timaru District Council
65. Waimakariri District Council
66. Waimate District Council
67. West Coast Regional Council
68. Westland District Council
Zone Six
69. Central Otago District Council
70. Clutha District Council
71. Dunedin City Council
72. Environment Southland
73. Gore District Council
74. Invercargill City Council
75. Otago Regional Council
76. Queenstown-Lakes District Council
77. Southland District Council
78. Waitaki District Council
NOTE: There are 50 North Island Councils (Zones 1 – 4) and 27 South Island Councils (Zones 5 and 6) – PLUS the Chathams Islands Council which is included in Zone 5.
Thanks VV very helpful.
Sorry, I did not mean to swamp your great post, but I wondered which councils had not signed and my question went from there and developed a life of its own! LOL. But from my old work experience, I have a number of tricks to make such searches etc relatively easy and quick, so I thought I might as well share the full results.
veutoviper, hello, did you see my reply to your query as to my health? xx
Thrilled to see our Rotorua Mayor and Council have signed.
Had missed it patricia but have now replied to it so as to not be off topic here. Cheers.
I will hassle QLDC
Good on you. Go well.
Actually Zone 6 have done well at 8/10 – second behind Zone 4 (Wellington Region)
“I think it’s incredibly highly politically charged and driven and I don’t think that makes for a good basis for sound judgment”.
And there is the problem the left created when it implicitly linked dealing to climate change with ‘the end of capitalism’. Given that more than 95% of the population were never going to buy into that agenda we simply created a road block to action.
Hey BlueLogics, do the maths: 54 / 78 = 69%.
Hardly living up to your moniker.
That’s a gormless answer if ever. Are you saying that 69% of Local Govt Councils are now calling for the abolition of capitalism? Or would that be a strawman?
If it is indeed gormless, then no less gormless than your 95% made up figure to suggest a populist alliance who believe we should take a reductionist approach to tackling climate change.
What we are reading here is that 69% of Councils in NZ are ready to tackle climate change and are ready to accept the consequences in relation to what it will cost and how it will transform our traditional economic approaches, particularly the way we exploit our natural resources for the sole purpose of growth and profit at the expense of the environment and public good.
Tackling climate change will require us to take an integrated approach to redesigning our human attitude to our natural world, and consider the environmental impact of all of our social and economic systems.
you mean like earthquake risk in kaikoura say?
https://www.geonet.org.nz/images/sm/v2v8s6pw37oj/4WUN97TEF2mUEAimOOOM8O/8c2d98c7fb05d4d78a62846e15568428/MM6_1yr_AftershockForecastMap_2018_11_14.jpg
You could equally argue that the right are creating the problem by insisting that any solution to climate change must be consistent with a predominantly capitalist economy and preservation of their existing wealth – or else it’s over their dead body.
In fact it’s likely that the right will try to use any impending climate crisis to further entrench capitalism and make it operate even more brutally to their advantage. They do love a crisis after all.
So don’t go blaming the left – this is going to be a vicious business and I have children to be afraid for.
The entire problem would have been solved decades ago … just as we did with ozone depletion … if radical elements on the left had not conflated the agenda with ‘the end of capitalism’. That immediately created a suspicion in the minds of a very substantial fraction of people that has been exploited by the fossil fuel doubt creation industry ever since.
We shot ourselves in the foot.
Spot on and still stands today, hence the need for blue greens
That is plainly ludicrous given that the economic vested interests in fossil fuels dwarfs anything similar with cfc propellants.
The left is really weak at owning it’s mistakes.
No question vested interests would have caused trouble, but politically polarising an essentially scientific issue was their single biggest win. And we fucking handed it to them.
so for 28 years (plus) those warning about CC have been calling for the end of capitalism…..hmmmm….thats a long bow you have there
Look at this thread alone … the link is clearly implicit in many people’s minds.
You may (a very debatable ‘may’ id add) have a case if you had said the very recent alignment of CC mitigation and system change had an impact on perception, unfortunately you said…
“The entire problem would have been solved decades ago … just as we did with ozone depletion … if radical elements on the left had not conflated the agenda with ‘the end of capitalism’”
CC was barely recognised by the general public “decades ago”…indeed the system change that bought down a ‘radical left’ (not) government was light bulbs and showerheads
This is the kind of change that will make a real difference:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-20/glencore-to-limit-future-coal-production-over-climate-change/10831154
By itself this is not enough and easily mocked, but it’s in the right direction. Just a few years ago this announcement would have been unthinkable. In another few years industry will move even more. Momentum.
We can faff on about ‘systems change’ and ‘integrated approaches’ all we like (and there is nothing especially wrong with that), but unless the big money end of town moves, little useful change will happen.
how many years do you think we have to cease net emissions Red?
If your idea is to wait for corporatism to do the right thing, you are going to be imitating King Canute, first.
At the moment it’s too slow; but in just the past few years we’ve been seeing this sort of change of direction. It’s likely to accelerate.
We have to hope very much that it does.
assuming you are not on your deathbed Red I suspect theres a very high probability you will see the system change you rail against….one way or the other
This is bullshit.
Simple reality is, an economic system which hinges on infinitely expanding use of resources, was going to crash against the resource limits, at some stage.
You can blether on about “shooting in the foot” all you like. Late stage corporate capitalism, is simply incompatible with a future for human civilisation.
You want to be, Easter Islanders?
it is simply one of the delay/confusion lines that is promoted to avoid action….whatever we do we musnt alter the status quo irrespective of the outcome
And without ‘late stage corporate capitalism’ our economies collapse catastrophically with immediately devastating outcomes. I understand exactly what you’re saying, I would have said the same myself for years.
But what this misses is just how immensely complex and interlocking our modern industrial economies are, how deeply linked the myriad technical components are to make it all work. And how very dependent on this infrastructure are the lives of billions. We can’t just turn it off any more, nor can it continue in the carbon burning mode that got it this far.
This is a massive challenge, and the problem is not solved with mungbeans and chanting OM. It’s a hard science and engineering problem, it’s rapid economic transition off carbon onto renewables and a whole new industrial paradigm. We should have started on the task 20 years ago; hell even earlier Margaret Thatcher understood the problem, but the left/right political polarisation has been an utter disaster, plunging us into decades of paralysis that are only now showing signs of easing.
And interestingly what I’m seeing is that none of this has much to do with any Green Parties around the world; it’s big business working out for itself what the reality is and looking for the next big opportunity.
Or. We can carry on as we are, and the environment collapses, followed by the economy?
The choices are, find an alternative to exploitative capitalism, and develop an economically and environmentally sustainable society, or die!
My point is this; capitalism is the most powerful economic tool we have ever developed in terms of producing wealth. It’s weak at distributing that wealth effectively, and weaker still at correctly attributing costs but those flaws are best attributed to how neoliberalism led us to misuse this tool.
Because I agree right now in order to survive we need a radical economic and engineering transition on a massive scale, unprecedented in human history. I’m arguing we need this tool to start working better than ever before; we need to start using it smart.
Was it “”capitalism” or “socialist” mass education and co operation that really kick started the modern world, as we know it?
You may try asking an African farmer, who was adequately and happily, sufficiently fed and housed working a few hours a day. How capitalism destroyed his world, by manufacturing scarcity, so he was forced to beg for work in city slums.
The “tool” is simply incapable of doing what is required, without State investment, regulation and co operation.
“Because I agree right now in order to survive we need a radical economic and engineering transition on a massive scale, unprecedented in human history.”
But you want a transition that is not radical….all you have posted demands incrementalism ….and sadly you have no concept of time…even sadder is you are in large company in that.
Nah red you’re on the wrong side. The attitude you expouse is the reason we are up shit creek now.
+1 yep just silly blaming the left. Capitalism and its greedy sick adherents have doomed humanity end of story.
And you are typing this on a computer that is a quantum mechanical miracle that is entirely the product of the ‘greedy sick capitalism’ you denounce.
If you look around the room you are in, consider how every aspect of your daily life is intimately linked to this capitalism you want to destroy.
Maybe my profession means that I see it more clearly than most; but truly pick one single object, a glass on your table, a piece of clothing, every component of your house, and on and on expanding outward … every single item is the result of an astoundingly intricate system of production. At each step there are layers and layers of technology and systems most people have only a dim awareness of.
All brought to you by a capitalist system that we depend on as much as the air we breath.
“All brought to you by a capitalist system that we depend on as much as the air we breath.”
And therein lies the misconception….humans can survive without those systems (capitalist or not) but we cannot survive with them….as an engineer you should see the simplicity of the problem
Of course we can survive without industrialisation … it just won’t look anything like life as you and I know it.
Who is suggesting “removing industrialization” ?
No one here.
And yes, market capitalism works, better than the known alternatives, for distribution. Though it is still flawed. When there are a lot of small suppliers and knowledgeable buyers, it works extremely well, and the rate of profit approaches zero. As it does in New Zealand, with small building firms.
When we get to large monopolies, corporates the shareholders/funders manipulate the market to get out much more than they invested. For this to continue, infinite growth is required.
“Infinite growth is not possible, in a finite world”.
the life you and i know currently know is very different from the life of the majority in the world, is very different from the life of our parents/grandparents and even very different than the life i knew as a child….things change and what we know now is a small point in time, it is not set in stone.
Yes I’m vividly aware of that. Human life has changed dramatically in 200 years. Mostly for the better.
Just 200 years ago most people lived in absolute poverty, subject to disease, crippling accidents, no dentistry, little warmth in winter, poor food, no running water, sanitation, grinding hard labour and drudgery, or dangerous work at sea or at war. Slavery was still commonplace, violence was a daily threat and reality. Policing was rudimentary and the courts unreliable, laws were capriciously enforced. The lives of women were constrained by their vulnerability, pregnancy, domestic work, and care for the young and elderly.
Most people remained illiterate and largely ignorant of the greater possibilities of life. Education was limited and constrained to basics.
Industrialisation changed everything. At first slowly but now rapidly extending to all the human race. And we have no Plan B, without all this intricate technology we go backwards dramatically. Only with 7 billion mouths to feed instead of less than 1 billion.
https://tinyurl.com/y5aq54fx
You always go down this line. You may be bought and sold by the system but a lot of us aren’t. You love it and some of us hate it. You are privileged and some of us aren’t. Pull your head out your bum and see that people are not all like you in your ivory tower.
“All brought to you by a capitalist system that we depend on as much as the air we breath.” and that sentence shows why you are well off base. It is absolutely NOT TRUE not even close lol
“Confusing the market with capitalism, is a common misconception by both the left and the right.”
Good. Councils finally work on behalf of their ratepayers.
It’s simple. Explain the detail, or stfu.
Just wait when the insurance companies and banks start to refuse them service, when costs/ repairs going up and profits/returns go south IRT CC. Then these muppets will start screaming blue murder and expect the state to bail them as usual for their cock up.
We have already had the insurance companies here last year advising that any homes along the Thames coastline will be uninsurable in the near future.
Much of the Thames township is also flood prone and has been since its inception in 1867 when it sprang into being with the declaration of the Thames Goldfield. Descriptions of the town in the 1870’s was that it was almost always knee deep in mud! There were at that time around 40,000 inhabitants and the town had a bigger population than Auckland.
My late NZ Grandfather was born just down the rd at Te Aoha and he said Thames was always a mess after a good rain and a with King tide thrown in just to keep it interesting.
From the sounds of it, a number of these councils who don’t want to sign for whatever their reason IRT CC are going to find themselves in the hurt locker and I hope the state ie Government and Treasury give them a bit of tough love. It may sound mean and I a heartless bastard, but these Councils and the ratepayers need to understand that the State needs to draw a line when it’s to CC weather events.
BrisVegas and the Gold Coast (SEQ) could cop a hit this weekend with Cyclone Oma and when I living in SEQ out by RAAF Amberley, the weather boffins were saying back 04-05 that SEQ will get hit by one and it would slowly increase over the years IRT CC.
It looks like it will land more in the Fraser Is, Bundaberg area at this point, but yes still unpleasant. 60 knot winds in Moreton Bay should prove interesting.
Here’s the latest track from BOM, I’m thinking it might further Sth ie Sunny Coast down? But it would be interesting to see the next update at 5- half 5 this afternoon AEST.
It could be an interesting Flt out of GC Airport tomorrow morning for the wife.
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ65002.shtml
I remember sandbagging down by the river, when I was at Thames high school. The whole lower town has a history of flooding.
Never mind, the “socialists” will bail them out, when the new developments are underwater.
Or the “No Mates Party” helping their mates out while at the expense of everyone else.
The Waikato Regional council are currently installing a massive stop bank along the town side bank of the Karangahaki river. and the council have just finished installing massive storm water drains so there is some abatement to flooding. however the town basin down by the wharf – next to where the 72 retirement apartments are currently being built – is subsiding quite rapidly.
The seawall beside Danby Field has in the past slumped over 1.5m. Right next to the Richmond Villas. The link is an image of an Extract from Ministry of Works letter in 1980’s
So the TCDC should have known that even discounting sea level rise from AGW, that area of Thames is going to become inundated sooner rather than later!
I thought this comment was particularly rich.
And yet there she and the council have permitted the building of 72 Apartments in perhaps the most vulnerable location in NZ, and knowingly committed residents and future rate payers to the cost of picking up the tab of their incompetence.
There are things like tectonic plates that can have very dramatic effects, (ask Kaikoura)on the NZ land/seascape. Napier, Edgecumbe also has knowledge.
This can also (seriously ) affect coastline property values on the eastern coast of NZ
Insurance , banking and other extortionists notice this.
As far as climate change is concerned any committment has to do with human activity and its effects. The climate on this planet has been very variable for many millions of years for unexplained reasons, 99.9% preindustrial.
I think the speed of climate change has been seriouly accelerated by industrialision via petrochemicals. What we can do to slow it down is problematic. Local councils are elected to care for their local communities, not the planet.
Having said that ratepayers, councils all live on the planet.
Maybe the oil, coal, gas, and plastic companies should step up instead of councils and ratepayers.
Let us tax plastic and petrochemical users.
I drive a diesel truck and am happy to pay tax.
I am totally pissed off with the completely unnecessary use of plastic
If Nick Smith sacked Canterbury Regional Council and installed his Commissioner then in his time; – why doesn’t he scream here to sack those 23 Councils and install commissioners there as well?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/53378/protest-in-christchurch-after-govt-sacks-regional-council
Because CG they are his “mates”, and the “no mates” party needs to preserve all they have right now. Anyway the agenda for Smith with ECANs was to remove a Council who were standing in the way of his farmer mates sucking the living daylights out of the aquafers.
The Mad
It is amazing that so many Kiwis of Public standing do not know what damage Water can do.
We can understand the simpleton Trolls who empty the Shit Bins for Simon Whatisname and Mrs Bennett.
After all, it is the right of Sods from the Wealthy End of Town to defecate wherever they want – and on whom they want.
Mrs Bennett is a privilged nasty girl and an expert in revealing private and unsavoury information. It is the only thing she knows how to do. The Leopard Skin Sod.
Rural NZ is basically a dump for the Mad. With Simon as the seriously confused Director. He’s got shags and stuffed penguins all over the place. Not to mention Night mare Dutch Cows.
Direction for local government, and legislative authority for implementation for all councils could be done by the current government issuing a National Policy Statement in regard to climate change and transition implementation.
Local governments are then required to include consideration of National Policy Statements when creating planning documents and processing of resource consents.
No one can opt out, and our Labour led coalition can, by this statement, indicate the priority level they are giving to transition the country.
What does it actually do?
It just looks like some document asking the govt to do what Ardern has already said they are doing.
Fair comment. But with the backlash currently in progress, it gives the Government some much needed encouragement.
Fair point, I suppose
Begs the question;
Who is funnier the Thames Coromandel District Council, or Monty Python?
Goudie’s comments are so close to satire, that is hard to know which is funnier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJh6EQ5gv7g