sustainability

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This is not business as usual. This is not some hippy over-reaction. This is serious shit!

Written By: mhager - Date published: 4:18 pm, December 11th, 2014 - 55 comments

New author Mandy Hager joins us with some reflections on having become a grandmother: “So that’s why I’m speaking out now, every opportunity I get. Not because I like the exposure (shudder), but because I love this tiny little person and I will fight for his future, come what may. It’s the right thing to do. …”

Local Bodies: “Government Given the Bums Up”

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:55 am, December 10th, 2014 - 5 comments

From the Local Bodies blog, 2 posts on the government’s “head in the sand” approach to climate change and the environment. A critique of the government’s approach to business, mining and the environment & a report on the protest against the government’s head in the sand approach.

Dodging the big decisions

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 9:03 am, December 10th, 2014 - 18 comments

Colin James has an excellent piece on the housing market. Simon Collins has a piece on the implications on young renters. Meanwhile, a number of other big problems are being ignored by National as well.

Clarke and Dawe: G20 Growth

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:41 pm, November 21st, 2014 - 4 comments

The excellent Clarke and Dawe on the G20 and growth.

The power & the pressure

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:00 am, October 14th, 2014 - 115 comments

We need a new green left direction, now and for the future. A future Labour-Green-Mana coalition government could provide such a direction. The original NZ Values Party Manifesto provides an important Blueprint.

For all our futures

Written By: karol - Date published: 7:13 pm, September 23rd, 2014 - 16 comments

With massive demonstrations across the world urging the UN & governments to do very much more to counter climate change, Al Jazeera’s Inside Story covers the demos and examines the issues.

My morning thoughts on the night before

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:20 am, September 21st, 2014 - 34 comments

It will take a flax roots, bottom-up, community-based movement to rebuild democracy and a fair, caring and sustainable society.

The tweets are alive….

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:48 am, September 19th, 2014 - 5 comments

… with pre-election day fervour. It’s an election that’s going down to the wire. The energy is there for the left to keep talking to people, and to encourage as many as possible to get out and vote. It’s Suffrage Day – reporting via the telegraph in 1893 to the internet today. On-going updates

Greens buoyant

Written By: karol - Date published: 5:53 pm, September 18th, 2014 - 14 comments

John Key & National’s empty facade – its lack of vision for NZ – has been exposed. Opposition parties have continued to campaign positively, focusing on people, fairness, & the environment. [Update] NZ Herald video

Debate tonight: Climate Voter

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:36 pm, September 3rd, 2014 - 41 comments

Climate Voter is streaming a debate between the major parties tonight at 7pm.

NRT: The Greens on transport

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 4:24 pm, August 7th, 2014 - 41 comments

There’s a strong element of planning for the future here: peak oil and climate change mean the days of cheap cars (and therefore of massive motorways) are numbered. But it also reflects the changes we’re seeing now. Road usage is already dropping, while Aucklanders are crying out for a better rail system so they can escape gridlock.

Clean rivers

Written By: mickysavage - Date published: 11:31 am, August 7th, 2014 - 84 comments

Labour has announced its water policy and proposed that a fair price for irrigation takes be imposed and that the country’s waterways be improved over this generation. But Amy Adams thinks that providing clean rivers is somehow an attack on rural New Zealand. It is strange that she thinks that clean rivers should be such a terrible thing.

Thriving children, liveable communities & sustainable resources

Written By: karol - Date published: 11:00 am, July 25th, 2014 - 14 comments

The Green Party’s election focus is on reducing poverty & inequalities (highlighting its impact on children), and developing sustainable communities. 2 recently announced policies are under-pinned by 2 crises: poverty/inequality; and the destruction of our environment (climate change, resource depletion).

Tales from the left ground

Written By: karol - Date published: 6:34 pm, July 17th, 2014 - 26 comments

I was uplifted by seeing Team Carmel Sepuloni out campaigning in Henderson today. Marama Davidson has been out on the ground in Otara. The Internet-Mana Party have gone on a Road Trip. There’s been an on-going left campaign in Ohariu…. what are the tales from the left, campaigning on the ground?!

Russel Norman: ‘smart, green’, innovation economy

Written By: karol - Date published: 1:47 pm, July 16th, 2014 - 34 comments

Russel Norman has announced a business-friendly policy for a “smart, green” focus on innovation. A move towards a “Green New Deal”, working with the current system, and away from neoliberalism. It won’t dismantle capitalism, but exists within a framework for a fairer NZ.

NRT: Election 2014: A clear choice on clean rivers

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 11:37 am, July 15th, 2014 - 6 comments

The National government’s policy for economic growth has been simple: pump up dairy production, export more low-value milk powder, and keep low-value farmers as the “backbone of the economy”. To achieve this, they have dismantled the protections for and then defiled our fresh water on an industrial scale. The Greens want to reverse that and thereby ensure a long-term future for both our farming and peoples. Updated.

Green Party election priorities launch

Written By: karol - Date published: 1:56 pm, July 12th, 2014 - 107 comments

Today the Green Party launched the first of it’s election priorities in Hamilton at 11. 00 am. The focus is on building a cleaner, fairer, smarter New Zealand. The Internet Party is onboard with a new environment policy. There are differences between these 2 parties and Labour on oil and gas exploration. Equality continues to be a key priority for the Green Party. [Updated]

Digital speed cameras & mass surveillance

Written By: karol - Date published: 12:49 pm, June 6th, 2014 - 30 comments

The main NZ news outlets are reporting on the new digital speed cameras about to be progressively installed around the country. They fail to report on the potential of the cameras to be used for mass surveillance.

Green Party conference – focus on policies

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:00 am, May 31st, 2014 - 74 comments

It’s the Green Party Conference this weekend. Metiria Turei was on RNZ yesterday morning, talking about how the main focus for the conference will be on policies. Speeches will be streamed live online from the conference today & tomorrow. Update: summary of today’s speeches. Healthy Teens policy.

NRT: MBIE doesn’t care about conservation

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 2:37 pm, May 18th, 2014 - 4 comments

No Right Turn turns his attention back to the hapless ministerial fool , Simon Bridges. It turns out that when he approved oil exploration in our biggest forest park without realising that he had, it was also what his advice had been. MoBIE simply didn’t consider if the oil exploration and presumably the eventual exploitation would conflict with something as economically vital as tourism. In fact, they appear to have ignored all other claims and uses of the land.

Marama Davidson: candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:11 am, May 17th, 2014 - 40 comments

Marama Davidson, is on the Green Party list & is a candidate for the Tāmaki Makaurau seat. Davidson is a really promising up-coming politician. She is committed to working for people, communities, the environment, democratic process, & strongly supports wahine, Māori & young people.

Green Party pre-budget policy launch

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:14 am, May 13th, 2014 - 10 comments

The Green Party will do a pre-budget economic policy launch: livestream here ~~11am~~ 11.30am -12.30pm.They are pretty adept at interacting with Kiwis via social media, and on TV. They are grounded in grassroots activities, that link to their policies aimed at making life better for low-to-middle income Kiwis. [Updated#1: got start time wrong: #2 policy here – Green Investment Bank; news reports]

The politics of private dinners

Written By: karol - Date published: 12:10 pm, May 9th, 2014 - 225 comments

Whether it’s Judith Collins, Michael Woodhouse or the Cabinet Club/s, National Party fundraisers, target the wealthy base they represent. In the process, boundaries are blurred between mainstream politics, exclusive private spaces & personal relationships.

The local in the bigger picture: new Green conservation policy

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:47 am, April 30th, 2014 - 12 comments

Largely overlooked yesterday, the Green Party launched their “Conservation in Our Backyards” policy. Focusing on protecting New Zealand’s socially and environmentally rich biodiversity, it provides a means to act locally in countering the current track towards global social, environmental and economic destruction.

The strength of the left: working together…

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:31 am, April 27th, 2014 - 41 comments

The strength of the left: working together…. from the flaxroots. I agree with the parts of David Cunliffe’s speech to Young Labour where he talks of the importance of working together and mobilising the grass roots left in order to win the election. He is speaking about the Labour Party, but his words are equally true for the wider left

An Easter message: greed is not good

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:15 am, April 21st, 2014 - 14 comments

Greed used to be regarded as a major sin. Now it is often seen as either trivial, or, in Gordon Gekko’s words, “Greed is good”. Greed has become a religion, focused on the sacred “economy” and its “market” of (allegedly) “invisible hands”. Greed fuels inequality and undermines democracy. Democracy needs a more critical public sphere and media.

Environment on the edge

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:01 am, April 20th, 2014 - 41 comments

On Al Jazeera NewsHour this morning, there were two reports on environmental issues in different parts of the planet: stories of the tension between pursuit of economic “growth” and the destruction of the environment. In both countries, there are attempts to develop renewables, without changing the whole system.

NRT: Is the Minister of Energy a muppet?

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 3:55 pm, April 9th, 2014 - 11 comments

When looking at Simon Bridges – a purported government minister. You have to remember that he is damn sloppy even for a politician. But oh so typical of his usual muppet behaviour is that he wasn’t aware that he was opening up our biggest forest park for oil and gas exploration. Of course it could just be National’s bulldoze anything for a little immediate profit….

Bugger the polls!

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:56 am, April 6th, 2014 - 83 comments

Auckland Against Poverty protest the Young Nats Ball and Paula Bennett’s war on the poor. Steven Joyce is cynical about the polls. A Stuff poll shows everything that is wrong with the media’s poll beat ups.

Go Annette!

Written By: karol - Date published: 9:35 am, April 4th, 2014 - 53 comments

Mana Party candidate Annette Sykes has been developing an effective organisation in her electorate. Her speech at the TPPA rally laid out its threats to livelihoods in the Bay of Plenty. Her views on the Internet Party will be listened to when discussed by the Mana Party.

Rogernomics, income inequality & gender politics

Written By: karol - Date published: 12:22 pm, April 3rd, 2014 - 22 comments

All of us, in our diversity, can make a big impact this election year. Time to end the “neoliberal” tyranny! Crime stats are celebrated masking the continuing impact of income & social inequalities. Rogernomics fractured gender politics & rape crisis intiatives.