I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander

Written By: - Date published: 8:53 am, November 28th, 2012 - 111 comments
Categories: climate change, disaster, john key, leadership, national - Tags: , ,

Earlier this month yet another report on the looming catastrophe of climate change was published. What was particularly notable about this one was that is was from the World Bank (not exactly a hotbed of lefties or environmentalists). The report is called “Turn Down The Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must be Avoided” (home page, full pdf, press release). From the press release:

Turn Down the Heat, a snapshot of the latest climate science prepared for the World Bank by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Climate Analytics, says that the world is on a path to a 4 degree Celsius (4°C) warmer world by end of this century and current greenhouse gas emissions pledges will not reduce this by much.

“A 4 degree warmer world can, and must be, avoided – we need to hold warming below 2 degrees,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.  “Lack of action on climate change threatens to make the world our children inherit a completely different world than we are living in today. Climate change is one of the single biggest challenges facing development, and we need to assume the moral responsibility to take action on behalf of future generations, especially the poorest.”

The report says that the 4°C scenarios are potentially devastating: the inundation of coastal cities; increasing risks for food production potentially leading to higher under and malnutrition rates; many dry regions becoming dryer, wet regions wetter; unprecedented heat waves in many regions, especially in the tropics; substantially exacerbated water scarcity in many regions; increased intensity of tropical cyclones; and irreversible loss of biodiversity, including coral reef systems.

“The Earth system’s responses to climate change appear to be non-linear,” points out PIK Director, John Schellnhuber. “If we venture far beyond the 2 degrees guardrail, towards the 4 degrees line, the risk of crossing tipping points rises sharply. The only way to avoid this is to break the business-as-usual pattern of production and consumption.”

The report notes, however, that a 4°C world is not inevitable and that with sustained policy action warming can still be held below 2°C, which is the goal adopted by the international community and one that already brings some serious damages and risks to the environment and human populations.

“The world must tackle the problem of climate change more aggressively,” Kim said.“Greater adaptation and mitigation efforts are essential and solutions exist. We need a global response equal to the scale of the climate problem, a response that puts us on a new path of climate smart development and shared prosperity.  But time is very short.”

Further quotes, and one of the critical graphs, are discussed at Hot Topic, and as ever see The Guardian here.

It is in this context that that the latest range of climate talks, at Doha, are taking place. Yet another vital opportunity where the “leaders” of the world will promise to do too little, too late, and then not live up to their promises. But even in this depressing company, New Zealand stands out as a worst example, as NRT reports:

Climate change talks are starting in Doha, and New Zelaand has already won a “Fossil of the Day” award on the first day:

The First Place Fossil is awarded to USA, Canada, Russia, Japan and New Zealand for running away from a legally binding, multilateral rules based regime…

The Second Place Fossil is awarded to New Zealand. Unlike its neighbor to the west, New Zealand decided not to put its target into the second commitment period, citing spurious grounds when the reality is that it is just a massive display of irresponsibility. It’s island partners in the Pacific should think again before ever trusting NZ again.

First-equal and second. Heckuva job you’re doing there, National. Way to go with upholding our international reputation and our “100% pure” branding.

With its head deep in the rapidly warming sands, John Key and the National government have been rolling back climate change measures. We are not even “fast followers”, we are stand-out obstacles to progress, and subject to international ridicule. On climate change they have made me ashamed to be a New Zealander. They shame us all as a nation.

111 comments on “I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander ”

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  1. RedLogix 1
    28 November 2012 at 9:12 am

    At what point can we begin to hold accountable those corporates and their pet deniers who’ve spent the last decade obfuscating and delaying action?

    A decade ago the challenge was probably solvable; now it’s all going to come a terrible price. Any way of sending the bill to the people who have caused this?

    • Jimmy Page's Sunburst Les Paul 1.1
      28 November 2012 at 10:08 am

      Any way of sending the bill to the people who have caused this?

      Alas, no.

      • One Tāne Huna 1.1.1
        28 November 2012 at 10:20 am

        “Alas, no.”

        That depends. It took a while for the tobacco companies to be held accountable too.

        One of the forecast outcomes of the Greenhouse Effect is social and political instability. In a potentially volatile future, who knows what sanctions may eventuate.

        • Matthew Whitehead 1.1.1.1
          28 November 2012 at 5:52 pm

          Indeed. At the very least all they’re doing is putting off the bill until their companies go bankrupt trying to pay it once the reality of climate change is clear. One way or another, the people who are actually causing climate change will foot the bill- I see no reason not to pay it now and avoid the “interest”, ie. damage to the climate we all share.

          • One Tāne Huna 1.1.1.1.1
            28 November 2012 at 6:07 pm

            Hmm. If the survival of the species is threatened, and given that worst-case scenarios are increasingly validated by events, I think it is more likely that the sanctions will be random and punitive, rather than just or useful.

            The more time marches on the more I hold to my belief that climate extremes will render the problem (of increased emissions) moot.

  2. King Kong 2
    28 November 2012 at 9:15 am

    I’m ashamed you are a New Zealander too.

    The second commitment period is a joke, with the ammount of countries who are not signing up or the ones that are claiming 3rd world status and planning to polute like bastards. This multi lateral beast is never going to work and NZ has intelligently decidied that the best way it can fight climate change is by working with sensible like minded countries to reduce emmisions.

    Trying to make out that NZ has all of a sudden decided that it will not be reducung its emmissions because it has pulled the pin on this shambles is totally disingenous.

    • Colonial Viper 2.1
      28 November 2012 at 9:18 am

      Key government = eco-cowards, subservient to the wishes of the USA and Canada who wanted company for their amoral stance.

      • Matt 2.1.1
        28 November 2012 at 3:01 pm

        Yes, even with fellows in obstruction like Japan and Russia (in a rare moment of agreement, wee) they really needed tinynowhereland for cover? There seems to be a recurring theme that when it’s your fault it’s always really someone else’s. How delightfully National-y.

        • One Tāne Huna 2.1.1.1
          28 November 2012 at 3:07 pm

          Personal responsibility means it’s always someone else’s fault. I blame the parents.

          • Matt 2.1.1.1.1
            29 November 2012 at 4:15 pm

            To be clear, what I mean is that Key & Co. aren’t doing this to cozy up to the USA or whatever other country one might care to mention. That’s blame-shifting nonsense.

            NZ govt. is catering to domestic interests who are against it, period – just like every other obstructor country.

    • muzza 2.2
      28 November 2012 at 9:52 am

      Have to concur with KK’s sentiments here – Quoting a WB Group President hardly lends credibility to this piece.

      The question really becomes – How is the global cartels (yes they are all the same people), grip on the planet going to be broken, so that the continued destruction/pollution does not continue unabated?

      Answer: Only when people accept the forces which are in control, and respomd accordingly, even then given the technology/system in hand, could that make much differnce.

      Hey but don’t worry The Greens will save NZ, The Greens will save NZ, The Greens will save NZ..

      PS – R0b, never let others relieve you of your pride, and be carful about what else pride can represent!

      • RJLC 2.2.1
        28 November 2012 at 10:13 am

        @Muzza Have to concur with KK’s sentiments here – Quoting a WB Group President hardly lends credibility to this piece.

        That is because you have a comprehension failure. The WB president hasn’t pulled the conclusions out of a hat, they’re not his personal discoveries.. the WB commissioned a report….and wait for it….it was written by scientific experts on climate, working in fields completely disengaged from the routine financial sector that you seem to believe have no credibility.

        • muzza 2.2.1.1
          28 November 2012 at 10:39 am

          No, The World Bank as zero to little credibility, hence it matters not what level the information JKY delivers has in terms of factual, “agreed” scientific correctness, lies or otherwise!

          Thats where your comprehension/understandings fall apart!

          • One Tāne Huna 2.2.1.1.1
            28 November 2012 at 10:45 am

            Earth to Muzza: the World Bank’s credibility is irrelevant, since the study rests on the credibility of it’s authors: The Potsdam Insitute for Climate Impact Research.

            No doubt you will now explain that the PICIR is an Illuminatii front.

            • muzza 2.2.1.1.1.1
              28 November 2012 at 11:26 am

              Yeah, nah…

              The World Banks lack of credibility is relevant, given they represent the catel who can’t wait to get those nice (broadened/fattened) global environmantal taxes / ETS rolling into the coffers…

              Oh wait on, thats already happening..

              Does the WB give a toss about the envrionment, I would suggest not, its part of the cartel, like the UN, IMF, WTO, WHO, UNESCO (pick an acronym), they care only about control!

              So its relevant, you’re just flapping around as usual missing the connection thinking how they care about you or anyone else, they don’t…SNAFU

              • One Tāne Huna …
                28 November 2012 at 11:30 am

                “…thinking about how they care about you…”

                Your strawmen are lumpy and misshapen: not up to the usual wingnut standard. Fail.

                • Polish Pride …
                  28 November 2012 at 11:41 am

                  So Ummm just exactly where is all the trillions of dollars going then One Tane Huna?
                  and just how is all that money being used?

                  • One Tāne Huna …
                    28 November 2012 at 11:48 am

                    This relates to the PICIR’s credibility how? Your red herring is floating belly up. Looks serious.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 11:55 am

                      OTH… if you don’t know, just say you don’t know. Its ok… really it is (Group hug??).
                      I don’t know either, given the sums involved and the size of the problem don’t you think we should know… Don’t you think that we should be able to see transparancy, the money should be being used to subsidise green tech etc. But is it!?!

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 12:02 pm

                      PP, you are the one making the allegations – not me – how about you cite the information your “opinion” is based on, and then show me how it relates to the PICIR’s credibility.

                      Hint: it doesn’t. I have made precisely zero claims about the ETS et al on this thread, but if you are so avid to hear my opinion I have expressed it on others. Perhaps you should try searching, or no, screw it, I’ll do it for you:

                      ETS: I share your suspicions, but I note that “cap and trade” policies helped improve US air quality.

                      So you see, you haven’t got a clue what I think, so why not try expressing your own thoughts instead of failing to articulate mine, eh?

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 12:14 pm

                      OTH – are you for real. My first post was asking you a genuine question – you failed to answer it and still have so here it is again because you obviously missed it.

                      Where does all the money go?

                      again if you don’t know, its ok, I don’t either……..

                      But again don’t you think we should?

                      Lastly just for clarification it doesn’t relate to PCIRs credibility. It relates to the credibility of the entire Kyoto agreement!

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 12:19 pm

                      All the money for what? I repeat: you are the one making allegations. Cite some sources.

                      I’m sorry you have mistaken me for a defender of whatever the pain in your mind is, but that’s not really my problem, is it?

                      Oh, and you think I’m going to “answer” your “questions”? I repeat:

                      “ETS: I share your suspicions, but I note that “cap and trade” policies helped improve US air quality.”

                      Can you get a grip on that or will you simply put some more words in my mouth?

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 12:44 pm

                      http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-14/developmental-issues/30515484_1_second-commitment-period-kyoto-protocol-emission-reduction-target

                      as but one example….. had Canada stayed with Kyoto and had to pay this sum where would the money have gone.

                      The fact that you share my concern with ETS is good. I don’t know whether I’d support any future govt resigning up to the scheme unless the question of ‘where the money goes’ can be answered and then through transparancy we can see that it is in fact going where it is supposed to be and that the destination is a project that will help absorb or reduce CO2 emissions significantly.

                      I realise that this site can be adversarial in threads at times, but that was not my intention with this question. I see many people on here supporting Kyoto but not being able to answer this simple question.

                      Another question to think about is was it Cap and Trade that resulted in air quality in air quality improvements in the US or was it skyrocketing gas prices causing people to drive less and move to smaller more efficient vehicles? or was it some other factor or combination of factors and Cap and Trade was just a coincidence. If it was – great bring it on …..but with transparency.

                  • ainslie …
                    29 November 2012 at 12:52 pm

                    Hi ,
                    I thought your question deserved an answer. H eres where some of’ ” the trillions go ” (how I wish it was trillions-but no, ,just a few thousand dollars). here in new zealand we have 750 hectares of regenerating indigenous forest. We have locked it up to store carbon in the forest. This means we can no longer farm it and instead we are awarded carbon credits to sell.We have to look after the forest, spray the weeds, insure the carbon and replace it (if we lose any of the carbon already sold , by fire , snowstorm, wind etc)
                    So there you go, we are farmers and we also farm “carbon’ and get paid to do so.
                    Come and see it if you like!

                • muzza …
                  28 November 2012 at 11:54 am

                  Your strawmen are lumpy and misshapen: not up to the usual wingnut standard. Fail.

                  From someone who thinks the insurance industry will direct progress (guess who owns the insurance industry), I would say that there is a bad case of head in sand for you as usual Bloke!

                  Projecting again!

                  • One Tāne Huna …
                    28 November 2012 at 11:57 am

                    “Direct progress”? Get a clue, you lying tosser; here’s what I actually said: “…the actions of the insurance companies are the least amateurish and ineffectual to date.”

                  • Polish Pride …
                    28 November 2012 at 12:07 pm

                    There are a lot of people that still need to ‘awaken’. many many people still believe in/can’t let go of the old patterns and system and will even fight for it. Good to see that you have and more and more people are :).
                    Remember this will be one of the hardest places for people to wake up as many are politically minded, have University degrees and still believe (like a christian fundamentalist believes in god) in the system and that the current system will be able to provide the solution. Luckily there are many on here who are very intelligent and know that significant change is required and that the system is in fact a massive part of the problem!
                    If it doesn’t change I’m pretty sure an increase of 4degrees will sort the problem out over time and balance will be restored ….overtime.

          • RJLC 2.2.1.1.2
            28 November 2012 at 2:42 pm

            Muzza, You still don’t understand.

            Here are the experts that you, in your ignorance, dismiss :

            (HT – http://openparachute.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/climate-change-deniers-dont-understand-expertise/ )

            The world bank commissioned the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and climate Analytics to prepare the report. The team of authors included:*

            Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber: has been Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) since he founded the institute in 1992. He is Professor for Theoretical Physics at the University of Potsdam and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, USA. Furthermore, he is Chair of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU).

            Olivia Serdeczny: was born in 1982, has earned her MA Philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin and currently works as a research analyst for Professors Schellnhuber and Rahmstorf at the German Advisory Council on Global Change to the Federal Government (WBGU). In summer 2011 Olivia spent two months with the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research on board the research vessel Polarstern. She documented the cruise in several blog articles (all German)

            Dr Dim Coumou: is a geophysicist by training, worked for a while as marine geophysicist in the offshore industry, before starting PhD research at ETH in Zurich. In Zurich, he worked on the development of efficient multiphase fluid flow transport schemes to study hydrothermal systems. More on hisPhD work can be found here and here.

            In 2008, he joined PIK and is currently working on development of the atmospheric component of the next-generation Earth System model CLIMBER-3 (as part of PIK´s flagship project NEXT). This novel atmosphere model, Aeolus 1.0, treats the dynamical equations in a statistical way, which makes the model computationally very efficient compared to the more common general circulation type models. We can therefore study the sensitivity of atmospheric circulation to global mean temperature and other key parameters. Next, this newly developed model (a so-called Earth System Model of Intermediate Complexity – EMIC) should pave the way to efficiently study tipping elements in the Earth climate system, of which some could potentially cross a tipping point in the coming century due to anthopogenic forcings.

            His recent work focused on the link between extreme weather events and global warming, which got some popular-media attention in e.g. WIRED and FOCUS (in german). And his scientific interests include climate dynamics, extreme events, global warming, complex earth system, hydrothermal and geothermal systems. Technical interests include parallel programming, C++, object-oriented design, etc, etc, etc…

            Dr Katja Frieler: Her current research focus includesdevelopment of impact functions that allow for probabilistic projections of regional climate changes and changes in the occurrence of extreme events in terms of global mean temperature change (see PRIMAP).

            Dr Maria Martin: Maria Martin’s research focuses on the Antarctic sheet-shelf system.With others she developed the Potsdam Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM-PIK), a derived class of PISM (UAF, Alaska). She took part in a scientific expedition to Antarctica Nov. 2010 – Feb. 2011. Maria Martin also is Research Analyst in the Director’s Office at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research from April to December 2012.

            Dr Ilona M. Otto: specializes in institutional and political economy. She investigates coordination mechanisms for provision of public and common goods such as biodiversity and water. Currently she is working in the Project on Sustainable Water and Agricultural Land Use in the Guanting Watershed under Limited Water Resources (www.Guanting.de). Her research in the Project focuses on governance of water resources, socio-economic impacts of water scarcity, and evaluation of possible adaptation options that could lead to a more sustainable water use in the Guanting Watershed.

            Mahé Perrette: Is a PhD student working on probabilistic sea-level projections, both a the global (with Stefan Rahmstorf) and regional (with Malte Meinshausen) scales. His current project consists in developing a model for the outlet glaciers / fjord system of the Greenland ice-sheet, for a better representation of ice/ocean interactions (with Reinhard Calov and Andrey Ganopolski). He is also generally interested in combining climate models with past and present-day observations to reduce uncertainty in future sea-level projections and works in the PRIMAP group, with Stefan Rahmstorf as main supervisor.

            Dr Alexander Robinson: His main interest lies with studying the interactions between the Greenland Ice Sheet and the climate. He is now employed as a post-doctoral researcher in the Paleo Modeling and Analysis (PalMA) group at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in the Department of Astrophysics and Atmospheric Science. Alexander is a guest scientist at PIK, collaborating with Andrey Ganopolski, Reinhard Calov, Stefan Rahmstorf, Dim Coumou and Anders Levermann, among others. In his Ph. D. work he, working with Andrey Ganopolski and Reinhard Calov, developed a simple regional energy-moisture balance model (REMBO) to produce realistic climate forcing and feedbacks over Greenland, given that warming in the future could drastically change the regional distribution of temperature and precipitation. The work was funded by the Marie Curie 6th Framework Programme and was a part of the Network for Ice sheet and Climate Interactions (NICE).

            Jacob Schewe: researches in the areas of stability of monsoon circulations, global oceanic overturning (with Prof. Dr. Anders Levermann), and climate impacts (within the ISI-MIP project).

            Dr Lila Warszawski: works on climate impacts and vulnerabilities.

            *Want to find out more about these scientists – click on the links to get CVs, publication lists, etc.

            [lprent: Shorter quotes please. The links to other sites should be sufficient. Your ‘job’ is provide enough information and your views to get people to click the link. It isn’t to demonstrate that you can cut’n’paste what is presumably copyrighted material on to our site. Don’t do it again.

            In this case OP probably won’t mind so I will leave it up. And it reminds me to add OP to the live links. ]

            • RJLC 2.2.1.1.2.1
              28 November 2012 at 3:36 pm

              lprent, sorry, I was unaware of the restriction so I won’t do it again, but please don’t condescend to know the reason I supplied the quote, it wasn’t to demonstrate C&P skills. Thanks.

              [lprent: I always like being at least slightly nasty (and being condescending is a mere bagatelle to what I’m often like) if I have to write a note. It relieves my irritation at having to write it and serves a secondary purpose of encouraging people not to use up my time again in having to do it. Consider it to be a mild stick applied to someone who hasn’t read the site’s policy. ]

            • Polish Pride 2.2.1.1.2.2
              28 November 2012 at 3:49 pm

              As have you
              this post was titled ‘Ashamed to be a New Zealander’ reading between a few lines….
              based on the current governments backing away from Kyoto commitments and statements made at yet ANOTHER talk on climate change
              backed up by a report commissioned by the World Bank by a group of climate scientists

              The fundamental question that needs to be asked is how does what ever we sign up to if we sign up affect climate change and the country?
              If it goes to Green tech projects that reduce CO2 emissions or subsidise companies making green tech so industry can switch to green tech much faster or if it buys coal mines and decommissions them and so on and so on then all good sign us up.
              If on the other hand there is no transparancy and no one knows where the money goes then no way, stop right there. find another solution and fast.

              Put in place a straight out environmental or emissions tax that goes to giovernment coffers that can then be used to get the country out of debt and fund green tech research. This way businesses/individuals can avoid the tax by reducing their emissions and spending their money with businesses that enable them to do that. (alternatively get rid of capitalism and money and then money is no longer a barrier to shifting to low or zero emission technology whereever it is required but that is a step to far for many to get their head around).

              Otherwise the money could be going anywhere. It could be going to the World Bank, It could be going into the pockets of shareholders with shares in Lockheed Martin or Halliburton, It could be going to Monsanto. It could be going to Big Oil, Big Pharma it could be going to some of the worst polluting companies on the planet and none of that in my book is acceptable.

              Apart from the world bank where has this outfit got their funding from in the past?
              What was their brief?
              What was the methodology they used? was it impartial?
              Thanks to people on this very site I now again believe climate change is real but that does not mean one should forge ahead with blind faith – Blind faith will not fix the problem. Action will and money going into a big black hole is NOT action.

              • One Tāne Huna …
                28 November 2012 at 4:03 pm

                “…where has this outfit got their funding from in the past?”

                For fuck’s sake. Would it hurt you to do a simple Google search just once?

                Don’t mention it.

                • Polish Pride …
                  28 November 2012 at 4:23 pm

                  It was more the point that people should ask more questions not just tke everything at face value.
                  Are you aware that one of the leading Eco Certifications in this country ( the one used by many of the hotels) is/was very reluctant to hand out the criteria for their certifications. Why? surely you would want customers to know what an outfit with your certification has achieved.
                  One hotel I know of wanted to get gold certification (they had silver) but the certification outfit couldn’t tell them what they needed to do additional to get gold.
                  Another hotel supposedly met bronze (still a good achievement from where they were) but complained so were given silver.
                  Some pockets of this industry is nothing more than marketing and green wash.
                  Wellington Combined Taxis achieved CarbonZero certification on the back of a policy to reduce fleet emissions and only allow certain low emission vehicles into the fleet – last year they quietly canned the policy and allowed any vehicles in.
                  and these are just a few NZ examples …… you know an honest country with very low levels of corruption. 😉

                  • One Tāne Huna …
                    28 November 2012 at 4:26 pm

                    Riiight, so since something is dodgy, everything is.

                    I have a very very low tolerance for conspiracy theories.

                    PS: if you have specific allegations against the Potsdam Institute or any of its staff let’s hear them. Otherwise take your cynical innuendo and shove it.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:38 pm

                      No not everything is. but if you don’t question then you won’t know if something is or not – perhaps you prefer to run on blind faith for everything. Given what I have seen/experienced I now start to question a bit more.
                      Those examples I gave you were not ‘I hear about this from someone’ They are my direct experiences – This is an industry I m involved in. As someone in the industry I am saying people should question more – it is up to you and only you whether you choose to do so or not.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:41 pm

                      Perhaps you should remember to keep an open mind. But not so open your brain falls out.

              • lprent …
                28 November 2012 at 4:40 pm

                Thanks to people on this very site I now again believe climate change is real…..

                My god. A first time for everything 🙂

                • One Tāne Huna …
                  28 November 2012 at 4:43 pm

                  Jesus wept.

                  • Polish Pride …
                    28 November 2012 at 10:23 pm

                    Hope you two feel good about yourselves. You really show yourselves to be stellar human beings time and time again. let me guess late 20s early thirties University degrees and have convinced yourselves that yep you know everything! Thats ok you have the rest of your lives to start figuring out how little you really know. And boy your in for a shocker. I can only hope you get some lessons on how to play nicely with others. Iprent heres something for you to try – when you do you ‘moderator comments’ read them and put yourself in the shoes of the intended recipient, try to imagine how they will feel then remember how much hate and negativity is in the world already. Then accept that you are about to add in a little more hate – then hit submit
                    OTH you should do the same.
                    Lastl have a think about whether your approach to others gets us closer to the world we all want to live in or whether fuelling the hate keeps us right where we are now.
                    perhaps you guys are so invested in your belief in the current system that you prefer things to remain just the way they are….

                    [lprent: I always do read them before sending. But you really haven’t engaged your brain have you?

                    There are between 300 and 600 comments left here every day. Each note that I have to leave in a comment costs me precious minutes to write, check, and if required – to make deliberately nasty. Most of the time they would not be required if people had read the policy and had considered what they wrote in the light of probable moderator reactions *before* they wrote it.

                    The intent of deliberate nastiness in moderator notes is to encourage people to not do the things that require us to leave them. I take particular effort to make them memorable to the particular recipient so I don’t have to repeat the same thing too often. So just to encourage that statement to sink in….

                    Could you please make an effort to reduce your inate lack of self-awareness and think about why particular actions are taken. It’d make a pleasant change from seeing you as simply being a prancing pontificating dork with a limited ability to either use your intelligence or listen. Have a one week ban for both wasting my time and for trying to tell us how to run our site. ]

                    • Polish Pride …
                      29 November 2012 at 7:48 am

                      See Iprent it comes from living in the real world, working a full time job and running a company with a multi million dollar turnover. I have plenty of self awareness and especially on how my comments can make others feel. The point is you have a choice you can do a little to make the world a better place for everyone in it or you can choose to continue to feed your Massive Ego and continue to add negativity – clearly you choose the latter.

                      Look at my posts – I have made them without insulting anyone, without snide comments to try and belittle another poster and with an open mind ie, if I receive new information I can process it, put it in with the rest of what I know to be true and see if that changes things for me.
                      I am not some idiot who thinks he A has all the answers and B thinks he is gods gift to intelligent discussion because he has a university degree or a masters or a doctorate.
                      that said perhaps I was a little harsh toward you and it was more a response seeing yours in with OTHs 5Oth comment with a anide remark or insult at the end. Unfair probably so for that I apologise. I will take the one week ban
                      it would be good if you could let OTH know insults and snide comments are not a sign of intelligence and wit. They are in fact the complete opposite,
                      Good day to you sir.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      29 November 2012 at 4:25 pm

                      PP, I bet you remember what I said too, but just in case…

                      Energy density.

                      Potsdam Institute credibility.

                      Concerns about ETS (especially in its current state of National Party mindless vandalism) despite apparent success of similar schemes.

            • muzza 2.2.1.1.2.3
              28 November 2012 at 4:31 pm

              Muzza, You still don’t understand

              Nah, I understand it pretty well actually thanks, its your comprehension, or perhaps missinterpretation of my earlier post which your’re not understanding – See below for explanation

              Here are the experts that you, in your ignorance, dismiss

              I have dismissed the WB only!

              Don’t come back with some other interpretation of what I said, I did not question the content or who had produced it, only the mechanism by which the article referenced, was delivered.

              That would be the World Bank, which is a corrupted, broken cesspool, which supports the agenda of broken, corrupted, cesspools!

    • Tracey 2.3
      28 November 2012 at 1:34 pm

      “This multi lateral beast is never going to work and NZ has intelligently decidied that the best way it can fight climate change is by working with sensible like minded countries to reduce emmisions.”

      you stopped before the end of your sentnece

      This multi lateral beast is never going to work and NZ has intelligently decidied that the best way it can fight climate change is by working with sensible like minded countries to reduce emmisions by waiting for the bigger polluters to stop first.

      What measures are our Government planning KK?.

  3. Johnm 3
    28 November 2012 at 10:28 am

    Just some thoughts:
    Australia has signed up to Kyoto2. The main drivers of emissions now are China and India using coal. If Australia was serious about CC they would not dig up their huge reserves of coal and sell to China, so their stance is hypocritical.

    CC is hitting the developed world now: The biblical drought in the US this year and the freakish heavy rainfall the UK has got through much of this year causing massive flooding, parts of the UK are looking like Waterworld!

    Whatever NZ does, in my opinion won’t make any difference to CC it’s all set to go and tipping points are happening right now:

    Probably Ice free Summer Arctic in a few years, Methane venting increasing in Siberia and methane clathrates also melting in the Ocean.

    Some reputable persons believe CC could even lead to Human extinction, we have aroused a slumbering monster which was constrained by a delicate balance managed by Gaia, as Lovelock would say we have usurped Gaia’s climate regulation role and innocently freed this unstable monster. Lovelock believes we are heading for a new stability point of Hot Earth.

    All that carbon we’ve dug up and burned was sequestered by Gaia to balance the Climate Monster into a benign hibernation.

    Best policy I believe is retreat, Lovelock’s opinion too. First off we have to humanely reduce our population numbers, one child policy for everyone? Whatever NZ so far seems to be doing ok: we’ve had some flooding and droughts and freakishly warm winters but so far nothing large scale, I hope that continues. 🙂 http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/11/27-6

    • Jenny 3.1
      29 November 2012 at 5:07 am

      You should never be ashamed to be a New Zealander Anthony. This is the country that took a stand against nuclear weapons that captured the world’s attention and which still stands today.

      Whatever NZ does, in my opinion won’t make any difference to CC…..

      Johnm

      This is dead wrong. New Zealand though only responsible for only 0.01% of the world’s CO2 emissions, can play a major role, maybe even the leading role, as a global template for what could be achieved.

      This is the view of Sir Peter Gluckman the official government scientific adviser to the Prime Minister.

      The Prime Minister chooses to ignore his scientific adviser in the interests of big coal and big oil, big auto and the roading lobby. I don’t expect this situation to change even with a change of government.

      Politics is all about pressure.

      What is needed is a countervailing pressure to the fossil fuel lobby. At present this lobby does not exist. But it could. And people like us need to be building it now.

      Coal has been identified globally as the number 1 cause of global warming. New Zealand can and should make a global statement against the use of coal. Particularly its export.

      The Green Party if they were serious about stopping climate change, (which they are not), should be putting up a private members bill calling for the banning of all coal exports.

      I know what you are thinking.

      This won’t achieve anything.

      But you are wrong. It is a stake in the ground. It is a message. This is what needs to be done. Those voting against such a bill, even though in opposition will identify themselves to their supporters and the public generally, as intending when in office, to carry on the present government’s toadying to big coal and the rest of the fossil fuel lobby.

  4. ropata 4
    28 November 2012 at 11:06 am

    Frightening results already seen.
    – arctic summer ice melt
    – no more glaciers on greenland
    – 1 metre rise in global sea level
    – human CO2 output still increasing, only 50% being absorbed naturally
    – vast areas of the globe to become uninhabitable and unproductive

    New Scientist: Climate change: It’s even worse than we thought

    • Polish Pride 4.1
      28 November 2012 at 11:44 am

      So start reforesting to at least help with the other 50% longterm forests are also home to massive carbon sinks

    • higherstandard 4.2
      28 November 2012 at 12:16 pm

      I’m pretty sure the glaciers in Greenland are still there and that the sea level hasn’t risen by 1 metre.

      • Gosman 4.2.1
        28 November 2012 at 12:23 pm

        Interesting that of those frightening results already seen two have in fact not happened and one is actually a future prediction. How can you already see vast areas of the globe to become uninhabitable and unproductive?

        I have no general beef with the concepts and even some of the solutions offered for AGW but this alarmist nonsense is just ridiculous.

      • lprent 4.2.2
        28 November 2012 at 1:29 pm

        I had a brief look at the link. They’re looking at the changes in the forward projections. The next IPCC report is going to be a doozey with their previous Arctic estimates being somewhat conservative (by about what – 50 years or so?), the runoff from the Greenland glaciers, the interesting extreme weather, and what looks like some inroads on the fridge down south.

        A lot more data feeding into the models

  5. BM 5
    28 November 2012 at 11:10 am

    Will Labour sign us back up to Kyoto?
    Looks like voter poison to me, so I’d stay the chances of that happening are null.

    • RedLogix 5.1
      28 November 2012 at 11:11 am

      Maybe you have something else in mind BM?

      A carbon tax for instance?

    • One Tāne Huna 5.2
      28 November 2012 at 11:13 am

      “looks like voter poison to me”

      Insincerity much? You have the first clue what motivates progressive opinion, and then you woke up.

  6. Rose 6
    28 November 2012 at 11:16 am

    I wonder if there is a list available of those companies doing the polluting. I’ve seen in China that residents have protested outside factories that are polluting their area. Which companies or farms in NZ are doing the polluting? Perhaps some peaceful protesting outside their gates?

    • Polish Pride 6.1
      28 November 2012 at 11:49 am

      Companies yes definitely, Farms you will look like a bunch of idiots in the minds of any New Zealander with anymore than an ounce of common sense

      • One Tāne Huna 6.1.1
        28 November 2012 at 11:52 am

        How about we just cut off their water supplies? Shouldn’t be a problem for any farm with a stream running through it.

        • Polish Pride 6.1.1.1
          28 November 2012 at 12:26 pm

          So a solution that has millions of animals suffering and dying of thirst.
          hmmmm interesting……

          • One Tāne Huna 6.1.1.1.1
            28 November 2012 at 12:29 pm

            Why would they die of thirst when they can drink from the stream?

            • Polish Pride 6.1.1.1.1.1
              28 November 2012 at 12:48 pm

              Then I don’t understand your solution as most farmers in my area are on rainwater or bore for their drinking water

              • One Tāne Huna …
                28 November 2012 at 12:54 pm

                Perhaps you should look behind the hyperbole.

                • Polish Pride …
                  28 November 2012 at 1:46 pm

                  Oh I did … anyone wanting to push the animal emissions side of things then IMHO
                  1. It needs to frame it and present at as ‘modern intensive farming methods’ that is if you want to even get Joe public to at least listen to the problem and the opposition you face on this particular topic will try to frame you as being against ALL farming – If they are successful at that point joe will stop listening to you not only on that but on many other things you have to say on climate change.
                  2. Realistic viable alternatives to ‘modern intensive farming methods’ need to be presented (and they do exist)
                  3. good luck it will be needed

                  • One Tāne Huna …
                    28 November 2012 at 1:51 pm

                    Meanwhile. as you lay down rules that no-one will pay any attention to, the world turns.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 3:21 pm

                      OTH I am really begining to wonder if you understand english and common abbreviations

                      “Meanwhile. as you lay down rules that no-one will pay any attention to”

                      IMHO – In my humble opinion.

                      it was just that my humble opinion take it or leave it – do with it what you will, the comment was made as food for thought for anyone thinking about this. I left my ego at door. You should try it, it’s very liberating.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 3:36 pm

                      Yeah, but a reality check never hurts. The last time I recall debating this subject you were quite adamant that reforestation was the solution to greenhouse warming. You were quite insistent about it.

                      Inventing unsupported personal opinions is the very epitome of egoism.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:03 pm

                      And I am now in the position because of that discussion where I believe that the solution lies with a combination of reforestation (creating massive carbon sinks within them), advancement of green tech and reduction of CO2 emissions.
                      In fact I do believe that Big Oil and govts have suppressed energy patents for technology that could fix the problem very quickly if released built and implemented.
                      Their problem is that it would likely collapse their oil driven economies so they sit on these things while the climate change increases.
                      See many people think that a tree dying results in CO2 release and this is not necessarily the case in a fully functioning biodiverse forest http://server-t86.e2enetworks.net.in/files/Old.pdf
                      but I what I did was accept information presented that showed reforestation alone would not be enough to absorb CO2 at the current rate of production and growth.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:06 pm

                      suppressed energy patents

                      Yes, I used to harbour similar suspicions until (about 1996) I had a brief conversation with a professional acquaintance, an engineer who introduced me to the concept of energy density. Google it. Go on.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:14 pm

                      swap you
                      google Clorine and Peroxide
                      then Sulphur trioxide and H2O

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:20 pm

                      Hydrogen peroxide? Is that the same hydrogen peroxide that is used as a rocket propellent? I thought you said the technology is being suppressed.

                      Who are the brain police?

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:31 pm

                      was giving examples of things that can combust – those two examples not supressed and could possibly run an automobile… thats not to say there re not other solutions that are not surpressed. It is not all about Zero point and current science has been proven wrong many times in the past when new information becomes available.
                      http://www.theorionproject.org/en/suppressed.html
                      could all be BS but given the oil industry profits and influence they have in Govts I’m on the side that it is likely to be true.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:37 pm

                      Ah, using US patents as a measure of something…you know there’s a patent for the razor-blade sharpening pyramid, right?

                      Perhaps I can introduce you to a friend of mine: The Baloney Detection Kit:.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 9:46 pm

                      I’m gonna guess that it’s not suppressed

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      29 November 2012 at 6:48 am

                      I’m going to guess that you have no evidence whatsoever that anything has been suppressed outside of your fever’d imagination.

                  • Tracey …
                    28 November 2012 at 1:51 pm

                    Do you agree that part of your proposal needs to include not encouraging (with loans and diverted water) farmers to put dairy cows in drought affected areas? If North Canterbury farmers want to run dairy they need to move to Southland not seek diversion of streams and waterways.

                    • weka …
                      28 November 2012 at 2:39 pm

                      I completely agree with no farming in dry areas but Southland is at saturation point for dairy farms, literally and figuratively. We shouldn’t be doing any more dairy conversions at all. No point in artificially holding up the growth economy if you are going to do long term damage to the land.
                       
                      example

                       
                      The Waituna Lagoon sits at the bottom of a small, intensively farmed catchment. Because of many years of land development in the catchment, including drainage of wetland areas and clearance of indigenous vegetation, the lagoon is now experiencing a number of problems. These are exacerbated by the lagoon’s extreme susceptibility to water quality problems because it does not have a permanent opening to the sea, and hence is poorly flushed. Therefore, nutrient inputs tend to stay within the Lagoon. In an agricultural catchment like Waituna, the primary concerns are excessive nutrients and sediment leading to eutrophication.

                      Environmental monitoring shows that the water quality in the lagoon and the creeks that flow into it has deteriorated meaning the lagoon has high levels of nutrients. Nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, are needed by plants and animals for growth. Nutrients are essential, but high levels are harmful. The rate of deterioration of the lagoon has increased markedly since 2009 and the results confirm the lagoon is sick. Ruppia, a critical species that the lagoon ecosystem depends on is being stressed, and the lagoon is at imminent risk of flipping.

                      Flipping would mean we would see the lagoon change from having clear water and an aquatic environment dominated by seagrass (Ruppia) to turbid, murky water dominated by algal slime – this would be devastating for the lagoon, the plants and animals that live in it – and for hunting and fishing!

                      The catchment at a glance:

                      Waituna Lagoon is located 40 km south east from Invercargill
                      The lagoon is 1350 hectares (ha), the catchment is approx 20,000 hectares (ha)
                      More than 80 different species of bird have been recorded in the wetland complex
                      Hunting and fishing camps have been in the area for over 100 years
                      Waituna receives over 2000 ‘angler days’ per year
                      From small dwellings to large farms there are approximately 130 properties in the catchment
                      There are at least 5 types of farming in the catchment (arable, forestry, sheep, beef and dairy)
                      Consented dairy cow numbers have more than doubled since 2000
                      There are 40 dairy effluent discharge consents, up from 28 in 2000
                      Environment Southland has monitored water quality at 4 sites in the lagoon since 2003
                       

                      http://www.es.govt.nz/environment/land/wetlands/waituna/

                    • weka …
                      28 November 2012 at 2:52 pm

                      The report on Waituna from Forest and Bird
                       

                      Concerns about water quality and land intensification led to the establishment of the Waituna Landcare Group in 2001. Along with the Department of Conservation’s Arawai Käkäriki project initiated in 2007, they have been encouraging and supporting increased riparian fencing and planting.

                      Even so, not all the waterways are fenced. Further warnings about the need to improve catchment management in 2003 and more urgently in 2007 seem to have mostly gone unheeded.

                      Dairy conversion in the area has been rapid, going from five farms with 800 cows in 1990, to 28 farms in 2000 and now 41 farms, with more than 20,000 cows. More conversions are being considered.

                      There remain about 14 sheep and beef farms, some of which are also wintering dairy cows. Nearly 400ha of wetlands have been drained in the Waituna catchment since the late 1990s, and about 30ha of bush cleared. The lower catchment is made up of infertile and poorly drained soils requiring extensive drainage and fertiliser for farming.

                      Despite these constraints, dairy farms have been established. Some farms do not have enough storage for dairy shed effluent and so are often forced to spread effluent on watersodden soils.

                      But dairy shed effluent only accounts for about 10 per cent of nutrients lost from a dairy farm. Urine patches can contain up to 1000kg of nitrogen a hectare. In the meantime, some of the best farmers, such as Tony and Raewyn van Gool, are showing the way and have permanently fenced and planted waterways, constructed wetlands to filter the drain discharges and covenanted 4.6ha of remaining forest and red tussocks.

                      Others have also permanently fenced and planted waterways and created wider temporary fenced buffers, electric fenced swales, or wet hollows, and refrained from winter grazing
                      of crops planted in swales and gullies. According to James Ryan from DairyNZ, a few farms could do a lot to reduce nutrient and sediment run-off.

                      The trouble is that recent modelling shows that even the very best farm practices, including herd homes, are unlikely to be enough or brought in fast enough to save the lagoon. As well as requiring every farmer to implement best practice, rules are needed to bring about immediate changes in land management, such as reducing cow numbers to match soil capabilities, stopping wintering on fodder crops, no further wetland drainage or native
                      vegetation clearance and the use of rigorous nutrient management systems.

                      http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/forest-bird-magazine-article/loss-lagoon

                  • Polish Pride …
                    28 November 2012 at 4:49 pm

                    I’m sorry I did not have time to post all of the sources over the past 8 years that have brought me to the conclusions I now have. I somehow doubt that unless I found out where you lived and turned up with a working prototype running a vehicle you would still remain cynical and unconvinced. I was actually exactly like you once with your comments then I grew up and realised that taking this approach did nothing to make the world a better place and put people off looking at many of the things that I had to say because I treated anyone with a different opinion as an adversary that I could use my superior wit to get one over and try to make them look stupid………It didn’t help me achieve what I wanted to in any way shape or form. It was amusing for me for sure, but that was about it. Then I took away the ego (which is what I was feeding by doing it) and the world changed. Again do what you will with this message – it matters not to me – peace.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      28 November 2012 at 4:56 pm

                      “Running a vehicle…”

                      Please just stop, you patronising pillock. There are plenty of alternative fuels for the internal combustion engine, the problem, as I have already failed to get you to understand, is energy density: they have to be commercially viable in a fossil-fuel based economy.

                      I have no doubt that as fossil fuels increase in price, the commercial viability of alternatives will also increase.

                      Capice?

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 9:37 pm

                      not trying to be patronising – perhaps you should re read your responses…. I am thick skinned and can make up my own mind, many others will simply read your ‘comments’ and will automatically be put off side if your comments are directed at them. It depends if you want to be an awesome poster on a blog or…if you’d actually like to change the world. If it is the latter… consider changing your approach. But hey it’s your world and your experience.

                    • Polish Pride …
                      28 November 2012 at 10:46 pm

                      Read up on the theory of the energy density of empty space. Science has some new theories since you changed your mind on the topic after speaking to your friend.

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      29 November 2012 at 6:44 am

                      Sometimes kooky people get really excited about the idea that if we could only use this energy somehow, all our problems would be solved…

                      We can measure the energy density of the vacuum through astronomical observations that determine the curvature of spacetime. All the measurements that have been done agree that the energy density is VERY CLOSE TO ZERO. In terms of mass density, its absolute value is less than 10-26 kilograms per cubic meter. In terms of energy density, this is about 10-9 joules per cubic meter.

                      John Baez.

                      Sorry, what was your point again? Zero point?

                    • Polish Pride …
                      29 November 2012 at 7:32 am

                      The point is it exists in great quantities (given the amount of space. We are perhaps not technologically advanced enough to know how to harness it.

                      just curious… do you even have the ability to post a comment without attcking the other person or making a snide comment at the end of your post ..put another way are you able to engage in civilized conversation ..?

                    • One Tāne Huna …
                      29 November 2012 at 7:51 am

                      Do you have the ability to post a comment that actually addresses the point, instead of a Gish gallop of wild irrelevances?

                      First you explain that you want to bring a working engine to my house, then when I point out some basic Physics, you counter with non-existent technology and dark mutterings about suppressed discoveries.

                      The point isn’t that “it exists in great quantities” – the point is energy density.

                      While you were getting excited about the energy density of empty space, why didn’t you bring up antimatter?

                      Or hydrogen?

            • Jimmie 6.1.1.1.1.2
              28 November 2012 at 12:53 pm

              Yes and then the farmer would get prosecuted under the RMA for allowing the stock to pollute the stream – great idea.

              • One Tāne Huna …
                28 November 2012 at 12:59 pm

                Yes, prosecuting polluters is a great idea. I think anyone who cares about lawnorder would agree, don’t you?

                • Jimmie …
                  28 November 2012 at 1:02 pm

                  Well then that shoots down your little plan of turning off water supplies to farmers and then forcing them to make their stock drink from a farm stream – end result = pollution.

                  Never mind that most farms don’t have a convenient stream handy and never mind that most farms don’t receive town water but any way apart from those little side issues its a great idea.

                  • One Tāne Huna …
                    28 November 2012 at 1:05 pm

                    Perhaps you need to look behind the hyperbole too. You’ll find Polish Pride there and the two of you can have a little party.

      • weka 6.1.2
        28 November 2012 at 12:36 pm

        Some farms are companies.

  7. lefty 7
    28 November 2012 at 11:53 am

    We shame ourselves.

    It is only the servility of the masses that allows the few to misrule.

  8. Stan 8
    28 November 2012 at 12:18 pm

    I am so ashamed that I may top myself

    • r0b 8.1
      28 November 2012 at 12:37 pm

      I’m assuming that’s a “joke” Stan, but if it isn’t, please seek professional help.

    • infused 8.2
      28 November 2012 at 7:32 pm

      Same. Going to fill up my V8 and drive it off the bridge while eating a big mac and smoking a cigar.

      • RedLogix 8.2.1
        28 November 2012 at 7:35 pm

        Just make sure that the drive, first of all to Macca’s and then to a bridge with a suitably flimsy side-rail … isn’t all that very far please. Got to consider the carbon footprint eh!

      • lprent 8.2.2
        28 November 2012 at 8:52 pm

        Sorry. Did I just hear you say that you were going to damage a bridge?

        Hooligan.

        [lprent: that is odd – the ident icon is wrong. Umm fixed. Must have been a glitch at gravatar]

    • ropata 8.3
      29 November 2012 at 5:12 pm

      yo stan / ragged glory

      did you occasionally comment at ian wishart’s blog?

      i remember you at church … come back for a visit to the bunker

  9. Tracey 9
    28 November 2012 at 1:36 pm

    Basically we and our leader, the USA are going to wait, allow companies to profit while polluting and then tax payers will clean up the mess they made later. It’s how it was int he past and this government is anything but novel and forward thinking in their approach.

  10. joe90 10
    28 November 2012 at 7:25 pm

    Wondering how the wing nuts will spin this.

    http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/7/4/044035/article

    Abstract

    We analyse global temperature and sea-level data for the past few decades and compare them to projections published in the third and fourth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The results show that global temperature continues to increase in good agreement with the best estimates of the IPCC, especially if we account for the effects of short-term variability due to the El Niño/Southern Oscillation, volcanic activity and solar variability. The rate of sea-level rise of the past few decades, on the other hand, is greater than projected by the IPCC models. This suggests that IPCC sea-level projections for the future may also be biased low.

    • RedLogix 10.1
      28 November 2012 at 7:44 pm

      Or how they propose to hose this one down:

      Our analysis of 42 years of U.S. Forest Service records for 11 Western states shows that:

      The number of large and very large fires on Forest Service land is increasingly dramatically. Compared to the average year in the 1970’s, in the past decade there were:

      • 7 times more fires greater than 10,000 acres each year
      • Nearly 5 times more fires larger than 25,000 acres each year
      • Twice as many fires over 1,000 acres each year, with an average of more than 100 per year from 2002 through 2011, compared with less than 50 during the 1970’s.

      In some states the increase in wildfires is even more dramatic. Since the 1970’s the average number of fires over 1,000 acres each year has nearly quadrupled in Arizona and Idaho, and has doubled in California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

      On average, wildfires burn twice as much land area each year as they did 40 years ago. In the past decade, the average annual burn area on Forest Service land in the West has exceeded 2 million acres – more than all of Yellowstone National Park.

      The burn season is two and a half months longer than in the 1970s. Across the West, the first wildfires of the year are starting earlier and the last fires of the year are starting later, making typical fire years 75 days longer now than they were 40 years ago.

      http://culter.colorado.edu/~tims/Wildfires2012.pdf

  11. BLiP 11
    28 November 2012 at 9:14 pm

    .

    New Zealanders elected National Ltd™ to forward their best interests. So far as the environment is concerned, since coming to power in 2008 National Ltd™ has:

    has been caught out repeatedly lying in the run up to and during the election campaign about its real intentions in relation to the environment

    celebrated the opening of the foreign-owned Pike River Coal Ltd mine on DOC land adjacent to the Paparoa National Park from which 1 megatonne of coal will be extracted per year for the next 20 years – Pike River Coal Ltd has announced that it has found additional coal in the national park

    removed a proposed efficiency standard (MEPS) on incandescent lightbulbs

    reversed a moratorium on building new gas/oil/coal power stations

    removed the bio fuel subsidy

    scrapped the scheme that would have penalised imported vehicles producing high emissions

    removed regulations for water efficient new housing

    renewed leases on sensitive high country farms which were meant to return to DOC

    reversed restrictions on the freeholding of vast swathes of land on the edge of the Southern Lakes

    arbitrarily excised 400 hectares from the brand new Oteake Conservation Park, including the most important and, ecologically, the rarest part of the new Park, the tussock and shrubland that went right down to the banks of the Manuherikia River, to enable future access to lignite

    said nothing to say in regard to the World Commission on Protected areas of IUCN’s severe criticism of its intention to investigate mineral resources and mining opportunities in protected conservation areas including our three UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Te Wahi Pounamu-South West New Zealand, Tongariro National Park and the Sub Antarctic Islands

    approved two prospecting permit applications lodged by Australian iron-ore giant Fortescue Metals Group subsidiary FMG Pacific lodged in June – areas covered by the two-year permits include an 8204-square-kilometre area of seabed adjoining the west coast from Cape Reinga to the Manukau Harbour and a 3798-square-kilometre prospecting area of land from Cape Reinga to the Kaipara Harbour including Ninety Mile Beach, the west side of the Aupouri Peninsula, Kaitaia and the Hokianga.

    approved an additional prospecting permit for Fortesque Metals in relation to 3568sq km right next door to the Kahurangi National Park where the Heaphy Track is

    was forced to release its Ministry of Economic Development (MED) report under the Official Information Act that proclaims “significant mineral potential” in the Fiordland, Kahurangi and Paparoa national parks – the report said the Waitutu area of the Fiordland National Park had sufficient petroleum reserves to be “worthy” of inclusion in a review of conservation land protected from mining

    secretly granted the minerals industry the right to veto proposed National Park boundaries and permission for any such vetoes to be kept confidential – in spite of recommendations from its own officials against any such a veto

    Minster of Conservation Tim Grosser, on 29 August 2009, called for caring New Zealanders to halt their “emotional hysteria” and recognise that conservation land should be mined for minerals and went on to say “Mining in a modern, technological way can have a negligible effect”

    Associate Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson, in an interview in “Canterbury Farming” rubished her own department, DOC, suggesting it was incapable of looking after the high country reserves and parks under its control

    gutted the home insulation scheme

    pulled $300 million out of public transport, walking and cycling schemes and added it to a pot of $2 billion to ‘upgrade’ state highways

    changed the law to provide billions of dollar in subsidies for polluters via the ETS casino which is now a target for scamming by international criminals

    begun a process of gutting the Resource Management Act to make it difficult/impossible for the public to lodge appeals against developers

    removed the ability of Auckland to introduce a fuel levy to fund planned public transport upgrades

    left electrification of the national rail network up in the air without promised funding commitments

    removed the Ministry for the Environment’s programme to make Government Departments ‘carbon neutral’

    removed funding for public tv advertising on sustainability and energy efficiency

    pulled funding for small-town public litter bin recycling schemes

    cabinet ministers expressing public support the bulldozing of Fiordland

    reduced Department of Conservation funding by about $50 million over three years

    canceled funding for the internationally acclaimed ‘Enviroschools’ programme

    usurped the democratic role of local Councils of determining policies for their citizens by requiring the abandonment of the efficient and well-established tree protection rules for urban areas

    set about revamping Auckland governance in a way that is likely to greatly reduce the ‘Environmental Watchdog’ role of the the current Regional Council

    removed Auckland’s metropolitan limits and opened the gateway for unfettered urban sprawl

    defended internationally the importation of rain-forest-wrecking palm kernel and stood silent while Federated Farmers called Greenpeace “terrorists”

    stood silent while Godfrey Bloom, a Member of the European Parliament and infamous Climate Change Denialist, publicly rejoiced in the 1985 bombing of the Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior – who was doing so while standing on a dock next to the replacement vessel

    took a 0% emissions reduction target to Copenhagen. Yes, seriously, that isn’t a misprint – that was the lower bound of their negotiation platform – then missed the 01/02/10 deadline for commitment to action it had agreed to – meanwhile 55 of the 80 countries which attended did make the deadline

    secretly cancelled the internationally recognised scheme for the mandatory labelling of exotic woods to ensure the timber has not been taken from rain forests in direct contradiction of its own statements made at the 13th World Forestry Congress in Argentina

    supported the Department of Conservation’s decision to open up the pristine Cathedral Cove to an ice-cream franchise

    given the Department of Conservsation $1.7 million to further develop commercial activities on DOC land and started an “off set” plan allowing company’s to damage the conservation estate if they agree to improve land elsewhere – no monitoring regime has been suggested on put in place

    left DOC director-general Al Morrison to announce that DOC is to charge for services that had been free and, to soften the public up to the idea that there will be more “energy generation schemes” operating on DOC land

    taken no action to reduce existing pollution pouring into the Manawatu River and is “leaving it up to industry” to come up with solutions to heal the river which was described by the Cawthorn Institute as “one of the worst polluted in the Western world”

    announced a $1.1 million industry subsidy to kick start marine farming without identifying no-go areas nor putting in place a consultation process for individiuals, communities, and other general coastal users

    blamed New Zealanders after a Japanese whaling ship deliberately smashed into a smaller, more vulnerable craft in the open sea

    was forced to release documents under the Official Information Act which confirm that DOC has “giving up” on ecologically valuable high-country land in the Mackenzie Basin because of funding cuts. The released documents cite “statements made by ministers”, “diminishing funding” and the Government’s new high-country policies as reasons for the changed stance – the comments from DOC were made after Land Information New Zealand (Linz), which manages the tenure review process, ignored DOC’s previous conservation recommendations for the farms

    used former National Party minister and current director of Open Country Cheese – a company convicted of filthy farming practices – Wyatt Creech to head up an enquiry into Environment Canterbury which had been standing up the dairy farmers’ demands for more and more water resources and less and less regulation. The Creech report recommended the Environmental Canterbury be sacked and replaced with government appointments and the voters of Canterbury do without democracy until the water situation had been resolved. The Canterbury area holds 50 percent of New Zealand’s fresh water reserves and 50 percent of the water required for hyrdo energy. The Creech report said Environmental Centerbury put too much focus on the environment.

    Despite international condemnation for knowing next to nothing about the parlous state of the New Zealand fisheries, National Ltd™ bucks international trends, pours more acid on the 100% Pure brand and increases the bluefin tuna quota.

    New Zealand is subject to international criticism for its backing of commericial whaling which National Ltd supports

    Government-owned company Solid Energy runs an essay competition entitled “The role of coal in sustainable energy solutions for New Zealand” for school children. First prize is a trip to New Zealand’s largest coal customer, China.

    Supported access fees for entrance onto DOC walkways – fee introduced following cuts to DOC’s budget.

    New Zealand’s environment would profit from mining national parks, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says.

    Department of Conservation director-general Al Morrison said the conservation estate created “opportunities to do a whole lot for a lot of different people”.
    “We’ve got to get away from this idea that somehow we have to protect one-third of New Zealand for a certain constituency and put it in a jar of formaldehyde and leave it.”

    State coal miner Solid Energy could get an extra slice of the action if highly sensitive conservation land is opened to gold, silver and other prospecting.
    Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee said Solid Energy’s work could be widened to include other minerals and resources, or it could form part of a new state-owned enterprise to maximise government returns from any mining.
    He did not rule out the company, which produces 80 per cent of New Zealand’s coal, having a role in mining gold and other minerals on Great Barrier Island and other conservation areas being eyed by the Government http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/3519703/Golden-possibility-for-state-coal-miner

    http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/press/2010/180310-dairy-clean-streams.htm

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3556402/Letter-pointed-to-Carter-conflict

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10647161

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10648408

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10654369

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/06/28/12480acb875c

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3972851/Government-may-reduce-local-authorities-powers

    http://forum.forestandbird.org.nz/topic/government-attacks-on-nature-conservation

    source for most of stuff in relation to national parks

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/opinion/2947054/Nats-new-green-leaf-withering-on-the-branch/

    National Lied during the election about its intentions in regard to the environment

    “National will have policies that reflect the fact that living on a diet of carbon will be increasingly bad – bad for the world and bad for our economy. We will have policy that encourages ‘climate friendly’ choices like windmills, hydro power and tree planting, and reduces the desire for ‘climate unfriendly’ behaviours, like burning coal,” Mr Key promised in May 2007.

    “National will provide Kiwis with good signals about the cars that are the best for the environment. We will do this by ensuring our emission and noise standards for new vehicles keep up with international standards and practices and by introducing more sophisticated emissions and noise testing for existing vehicles. If Kiwis have a highly polluting or excessively noisy car, we think they should know about it and have an incentive to do something about it.”

    “National proudly shares many of your values: like you, we want to protect our unique native species. We want our children and grandchildren to be able to swim in our rivers and lakes. We believe in sound environmental science. We are committed to high environmental standards.”

    http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-42.172703,171.89378&z=13&t=h&hl=en

    If you want to check out the latest “keyhole surgery” zero in on the ridge south & slightly east of Reefton on Google Earth and you’ll see Oceana Golds brand new high tech gold mine.

    http://www.youtube.com/user/MandyH111#p/a/u/0/wokmHp2nx6M

    video talking about dairy farming in the McKenzie

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/4173795/Dairy-boss-in-calving-strife

    Up to 200 calves were induced on Fonterra chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden’s Putaruru farms this calving season in a controversial practice to lift milk production.
    The practice, which Sir Henry has not denied, has prompted claims of hypocrisy, as Fonterra says it doesn’t support inductions, and even a call for Sir Henry to stand down while the matter is investigated.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4376344/Mining-disaster-delays-lignite-report

    Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright’s report, “Lignite and climate change: The high cost of low grade coal” was meant to be released at midday today.
    The report tackles the climate change ramifications of plans by two companies, state-owned miner Solid Energy and L&M Group, to mine lignite in Otago and Southland and convert it to diesel.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4399914/Environmental-fund-irks-Greens

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ministry-for-the-environment/news/article.cfm?o_id=116&objectid=10686869

    a third of new zealand lakes have poor water quality

    Dr Norman was sceptical of the reasons why the release of the report was delayed. It was to be released last week.
    “It is interesting timing that the report’s release was delayed during the World Dairy Summit in Auckland, when the report concludes that pastoral land use is associated with the ecological deterio

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ministry-for-the-environment/news/article.cfm?o_id=116&objectid=10670507

    New Zealand’s main centres have the worst air in Australasia and Auckland is the most polluted with twice the concentration of damaging airborne particles as Sydney, the World Health Organisation says.
    But Environment Minister Nick Smith yesterday challenged the accuracy of the WHO figures
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pollution/news/article.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10754865

    plastic packaging

    37689 (2010). Brendon Burns to the Minister of Health (09 Dec 2010): Has he received any advice on the current quality of drinking water in Reidston; if so, what, if any, actions will he be taking concerning that advice?
    Hon Tony Ryall (Minister of Health) replied: Reply due: 17 Dec 2010

    http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/2/5/6/QWA_37689_2010-37689-2010-Brendon-Burns-to-the-Minister-of-Health.htm

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10694471

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10694625

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10697056

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4512779/Hundreds-of-snapper-wash-up-on-beaches

    http://www.aucklandtrains.co.nz/2011/01/19/report-slams-official-waterview-claims/

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/67317/govt-to-formalise-reduction-in-greenhouse-gases

    http://www.straterra.co.nz/Media%20Releases/2009/Oct#Air%20quality

    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/01/18/rubbing-salt-water-in-the-wounds/

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10720250

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10737766

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10737633

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/5268508/Climate-change-blamed-for-jellyfish-explosion

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/5631048/Slow-down-ETS-implementation-report

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Key-keeps-meeting-with-Anadarko-boss-quiet/tabid/370/articleID/233099/Default.aspx

    secret meeting with boss of company responsible for massive oil spill and which wants to drill offshore New Zealand
    http://www.boprc.govt.nz/news-centre/media-releases/november-2011/dairy-compliance-falling-on-deaf-ears/
    Bay of Plenty Regional Council is concerned the importance of environmental compliance is falling on deaf ears for a portion of the farming community. This follows three cases heard in the Tauranga District Court yesterday relating to pollution reaching waterways.

    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/11/10/dams-will-damn-our-rivers/

    Fed Farmers have welcomed National’s $400 million water storage and irrigation investment announced yesterday.
    Of course Fed Farmers would. Damming rivers to store water for irrigation means farmers can convert more land to dairying, which is highly profitable at the moment.
    But Fed Farmers pretend that damming rivers to store water for irrigation won’t hurt the environment.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/4580805/Dam-blamed-for-river-ruin

    Fisherman Ray Brokenshire fears it will be too late in five years to save the Opihi River from the effects of degradation.
    The Temuka man is involved in plans to create an Opihi River group and wants concerned people to contact him to discuss river issues, including problems caused by the toxic algae phormidium.
    “A lot of us at our age remember what it was like. What we are trying to say is it’s in an awful state.”
    An Environment Canterbury (ECan) warning remains in place cautioning people to avoid the river at State Highway 1 because of the risk of exposure to toxins from phormidium, and some anglers will no longer fish in the river because they say the fish are smelly and inedible.
    As of yesterday an ECan warning was also in place at Waipopo. A warning at the Saleyards Bridge has been removed.
    Some South Canterbury anglers have blamed the growth in phormidium on a design feature of the Opuha Dam.
    Barry Stone told the Timaru Herald last week the algae increase was a result of how the dam company took its water, which was by a single-take and not a multiple-take system.
    http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/rma_consent_process_perspective_from_waikato_regional_council_0.pdf

    Government statements re: RMA delays are flat out bullshit

    http://blog.greens.org.nz/2011/10/30/uranium-yellowcake-in-nuclear-free-new-zealand-ports/

    National Plays down risks of yellow cake shopments passing through New Zealand waters

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6100372/Warning-over-DOC-cuts

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10771535

    http://thestandard.org.nz/they-made-this-guy-the-minister-of-tourism/

    The New Zealand Government is jeopardising its good name in international negotiations at this fortnight’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban. It has been identified as one of a small number of States stalling progress in forming an international climate agreement. Other parties have privately condemned its conduct and predict it could risk the possibility of a credible outcome.“Negotiators and observers have been telling us that New Zealand is taking an exceptionally irresponsible position in the talks”, says Rachel Dobric of the New Zealand Youth Delegation.

    http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/govt-risks-nz-reputation-climate-summit/5/109660

    The 2nd place Fossil goes to New Zealand for proposing the most Flexible Mechanism imaginable with no oversight or review. Bring on the wild west. They want to be able to use any market mechanisms they wish with absolutely no oversight or international review! There would be no way to ensure that the units from one mechanism have not been sold two or three times to another such mechanism. This would likely unleash a wild west carbon market with double or triple counting of offsets and a likely increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

    http://www.climatenetwork.org/fossil-of-the-day/brazil-takes-1st-new-zealand-earns-2nd-canada-comes-3rd

    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2011/12/farmers-lie-about-dirty-dairying.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

    Dirty dairying is one of our country’s biggest environmental problems, resulting in polluted waterways and undrinkable (and unswimmable) water. But the government fobs off concern about it, pointing to the “Clean Streams Accord”, an agreement between Fonterra, central government and regional councils, under which Fonterra promises to get its farmers to clean up their act voluntarily. Every year, MAF produces an annual snapshot of progress (collected here), and every year it shows that farmers are slowly but surely fencing their waterways, complying with the RMA, and setting nutrient budgets. So we don’t have a problem, right?
    Wrong. That report is based on what farmers tell Fonterra assessors every year. And it turns out that they lie, overstating their compliance on excluding stock from waterways by 100%:

    New Zealand’s fresh water can never be as clean and pure as it once was, but action must be taken to improve the quality of rivers, lakes and wetlands, the parliamentary commissioner for the environment says.
    In a new report for MPs on water quality, released today, commissioner Jan Wright says “clear clean cool streams, full of life” still flowed through forests in remote parts of the country.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6601622/Freshwater-report-We-need-to-come-clean

    Professional surfer and environmentalist Dave Rastovich worries that the world class waves at Raglan are being threatened by proposed iron ore seabed mining in New Zealand’s coastal waters.
    Kiwi-born Rastovich attended a recent protest in Raglan that coincided with the arrival of Andy Sommerville of Australian mining company Trans Tasman Resources (TTR).
    Sommerville was there to meet local iwi at Poihakena Marae to discuss TTR’s plans to extract  one billion tonnes of iron ore along the west coast of the North Island, a process that involves moving five billion tones of sand.
    It’s not just the waves that are threatened, there are also fears for the critically endangered Maui’s Dolphin.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6598727/Top-surfer-worries-Raglan-under-threat

    Economic issues top the list of worries for most New Zealanders, while environmental worries have dropped in people’s priorities, according to the latest state of the nation report by pollsters Roy Morgan

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6580017/Economy-trumps-environment-on-worry-list

    It brings into question the scientific models created by New Zealand and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to allow fishing.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6595293/McMurdo-Sounds-toothfish-population-at-risk

    Global greenhouse gas emissions could rise 50 per cent by 2050 without more ambitious climate policies, as fossil fuels continue to dominate the energy mix, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6584939/OECD-warns-of-huge-greenhouse-gas-rise

    Imagine, if you will, taking your children down to the park to find an overseas’ owned company had set up a dairy farm in one corner. Over time the shit builds up and flows onto the play ground. You complain, but are told the farm is under no obligation to treat or retain their waste and the council has no powers to do anything about the mess. You wonder why this was allowed to happen.
    Well the government changed the rules and this company had only to apply to National’s new Environmental Protection Agency or (EPA) for the use of the land, pay a small application fee, and next thing, the company has the use of the land for eternity.
    This is not fiction, it’s what’s going on right now in the Marlborough Sounds. Anyone can apply to the EPA to set up a salmon farm, and pollute the surrounding water for free, paying no rent or rates. Unbelievable but true!
    http://thestandard.org.nz/king-salmon-stealing-our-future/

    Expansion of fish-farming in the Marlborough Sounds could cause unacceptable changes in the coastal environment, says Nelson-based research company Cawthron.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/news/6427926/More-fish-farms-seen-as-environment-risk

    Auckland has New Zealand’s worst air pollution which is at levels nearly double that of Sydney, World Health Organisation data out today reveals.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5690388/Auckland-air-worse-than-Sydneys

    Has anyone noticed the word “environment” steadily and strategically being removed from the lexicon of local and central government?

    Staff within the Department of Conservation, already reeling from nationwide cuts and greatly reduced budgets, are now required to put “Conservation for prosperity” at the bottom of their emails. Prosperity for whom? The Ministry for the Environment also has the relatively new mantra of “Environmental stewardship for a prosperous New Zealand”. At least the “E” word makes an appearance, but then it is the Ministry for the Environment after all.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/opinion/5960344/Environment-issues-dumped-in-favour-of-promoting-prosperity

    Synopsis: Every year, New Zealand drops huge quantities of poison-laced food into its forest ecosystems; enough poison to kill its human population 4 times over, every year. No country has ever done anything remotely similar, on such a scale… The targets are possums and rats, but the poisonous bait kills everything that eats it – including native birds, deer, farm stock, pets, and even insects. The US manufacturer advises that all uneaten baits, and carcasses, must be recovered, and burned or buried deeply. But the rules have changed in New Zealand. Baits and carcasses are left to decompose, where they fall. Poisoning Paradise investigates the scientific theory and rationalisation that drives this extraordinary practice, and provides a close-up look at one of the worlds most deadly poisons…
    http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/7123

    Parliamentary commissioner for the environment Jan Wright was in Southland last week speaking about 1080 and lignite. SCOT MacKAY caught up with her.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/life-style/5736046/Leading-the-charge-for-a-healthy-environment

    Prime Minister John Key has dismissed claims he is placing pressure on the Conservation Department (DoC) by appearing at the opening of Bathurst Resources’ new office.
    Environment groups and the Green Party said Key’s appearance would be a sign to DoC – which is to decide on access agreements for Bathurst’s flagship West Coast project – of what the Prime Minister wanted it to do.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/6615499/PM-accused-of-taking-sides-on-mining

    More than a third of Auckland’s beaches fail water quality checks and are closed for swimming
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pollution/news/article.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10777375

    Auckland beaches are closed as high levels of pollution have forced people out of the water for safety reasons. Warning signs have popped up on Judges Bay Beach, in Parnell, after water quality tests this week found an extremely high concentration of the bacteria enterococci.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pollution/news/article.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10779897

    22 March 2012 at 4:24 pm

    This is from Penny Bright in ‘Smith to go’ post.
    Is this not a major ‘conflict of interest’ if Prime Minister John Key stands to personally profit from opencast coal mining on conservation land, because of his personal shareholding in the Bank of America, which, in turn is a significant shareholder in Bathurst Resources Ltd?
    Whose interests are being served by NZ Prime Minister John Key?
    His own?
    As of 24 February 2012, the Bank of America was a substantial holder of shares in Bathurst Resources Ltd:
    “Class of Securities (4) – Ordinary
    Present Notice “Person’s Votes 72,302,308 Voting Power (5) 10.44%
    http://www.bathurstresources.com/files/files/1079_20120229_Change_in_substantial_holding.pdf
    NZ Prime Minister John Key is a shareholder in the Bank Of America.
    http://thestandard.org.nz/john-key-aussie-miners-stooge/comment-page-1/#comment-449977

    Access to some of New Zealand’s most endangered species and isolated islands is up for sale to help fund a pest programme in the Southern Ocean.
    The Department of Conservation is opening up berths on some of its most exclusive trips – including to the Snares Islands and Dusky Sound – to be auctioned off on TradeMe today.
    Money raised will go towards the “Million Dollar Mouse” project, which aims to find $1 million to eradicate mice off the Antipodes Islands.
    The Antipodes are an ecological treasures that lie 800km southeast of Bluff, home to rare species like the Antipodes Island snipe and the Antipodes Island parakeet.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7075119/DOC-auctioning-access-to-rare-species

    The Government wants to make more money from its conservation estate and is eying opportunities for increased revenue gathering.
    A Statement of Intent setting out the direction for the Department of Conservation (DOC) over the next five years says New Zealand is facing ongoing biodiversity losses at the same time as overall public spending is coming under growing pressure, so new ways of funding conservation must be found.
    ”The Department must fundamentally change its approach to continue the momentum for conservation. This means not just finding new sources of revenue . . .but changing the mindset and behaviours of the organisation as a whole,” the statement said.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7035181/Government-wants-to-cash-in-on-conservation

    Twenty years of broken promises and failures to meet environmental obligations have left New Zealand with little to be proud of, according to a new “wake-up call” report issued on the eve of a global summit.
    The World Wildlife Fund report, Beyond Rio, has slated successive governments for failing the environment since promises made at the original Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and says the country now risks some of the highest rates of biodiversity loss on Earth unless urgent action is taken.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6998244/NZ-fails-to-act-on-environmental-vows

    A Fonterra director whose company has been fined for fouling a Bay of Plenty waterway with cow effluent declared to the dairy co-op there had been a “one-off breach” on one of his farms. But the judge who yesterday ordered Colin Armer’s firm to pay $72,000 disagreed – instead citing a “systemic” failure that could have been prevented by better monitoring . . .

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/pollution/news/article.cfm?c_id=281&objectid=10815436

    Frankly it’s wrong to claim New Zealand has the environmental laws and regulations to control oil and gas development on the continental shelf.  There is no equivalent of the Resource Management Act to control oil and gas activity outside of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles offshore).

    http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/oceans.html

    In a sneaky move the Government is to over-ride agreed coastal plans and allow marine farming consent holders in the Waikato and Marlborough to move from mussel farming to finfish farming without considering the additional environmental effects imposed.  While fin fish farms involve the discharge of thousands of tonnes of fish food, no such impact occurs with mussel or oyster farming.  This change in activity should be assessed like any other major change in activity through a resource consent process – it is like the Government removing discharge consent requirements from factory farms on land.

    http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/aquaculture.html

    The government has bowed to pressure from economic interests in allowing offsets.  This permits damage in one place on condition that it is “offset” elsewhere.  It is a potentially dangerous provision because in reality it can often mean that one area or part of biodiversity can be wrecked in return for “protecting” an area that was never under threat anyway.  The drafters of the Proposed NPS have provided Schedule 2 to the NPS that is designed to provide some tests and principles to limit the scope of such offsetting.  That is welcome, and some of the principles are good.

    http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/biodiversity.html

    The proposals noted by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment ( 2010, p14) include a plant producing about 2 billion litres of diesel per year, using at least 12 million tonnes of lignite per year and another producing 3 billion litres using 12-17 million tonnes of lignite annually. A further project would produce by 2016 1.2 tonnes of the nitrogenous fertiliser, urea, using 2 million tonnes of lignite annually.

    http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/climate.html

    Documents obtained under the Official Information Act have revealed that DOC was intending to turn down Meridian (application to buils a damn on the Mohikinui River) and believed “the public conservation land within the Mokihinui River has such high value that it is most unlikely to be suitable for exchange at all.”
    Forest & Bird ran a successful campaign to give New Zealanders the chance to urge Meridian Energy to withdraw its proposal.
    One irony was that Meridian was a recent sponsor of Project Crimson but the Mokihinui project would have drowned the very rata forests it pledged to protect.

    http://www.eco.org.nz/key-issues/energy.html

    Maui’s dolphins still not safe from the threat of extinction.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1206/S00386/protection-measures-for-mauis-dolphins-fall-short.htm

    A significant cost cutting exercise within the Environment portfolio helps explain why Budget 2012 has come and gone without a sighting of Minister Amy Adams, says Labour’s Environment spokesperson Grant Robertson.
    “Environment has always been seen as the poor cousin by National, but in this budget it appears to have been kicked out of the family altogether. The Minister has not even bothered to issue a media statement to outline the details.
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1205/S00478/cuts-to-environment-budget-explain-the-missing-minister.htm

    The Local Government and Environment Committee’s report back on the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill is extremely disappointing and a lost opportunity to put in place a robust consenting regime for the EEZ and continental shelf, according to the Environmental Defence Society. . . . “The Bill also fails to comply with New Zealand’s international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which includes an obligation on nations to ‘protect and preserve” the marine environment. This risks damage to New Zealand’s international reputation.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1205/S00267/eez-bill-fails-to-protect-the-environment-and-nz-reputation.htm

    Greater Wellington Regional Council today released its state of the environment report. It highlights the poor quality of many urban, lowland and Wairarapa waterways, and some rivers and aquifers being at their allocation limit.
    “The state of the region’s waterways especially in the Wairarapa shows that national environmental standards are urgently needed to set limits on intensive agriculture to protect our rivers, lakes and aquifers,” said Ms Sage.
    “The Government has yet to commit to setting national standards for water quality despite these being recommended by the Land and Water Forum.
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1206/S00207/strong-national-standards-needed-to-clean-up-rivers.htm

    “The Government has weakened protection for wild rivers in Canterbury with the ECan Act and indications are that they are seeking to weaken river protection further.”

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1205/S00550/green-party-welcomes-pce-call-for-improved-river-protection.htm

    Today’s Environmental Protection Authority’s (EPA) decision to rubber stamp the Transmission Gully motorway project is a poor decision that will see over a billion dollars of tax payers’ money wasted,

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1206/S00336/epa-rubber-stamps-dead-duck-motorway.htm

    In its response to Questions for Written Answer by Ms Delahunty, the Government admitted it is undertaking a $1.67 million survey of minerals on the West Coast of New Zealand, including within the Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand world heritage area. Te Wahipounamu is one of 183 natural heritage properties which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value.
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1206/S00355/world-heritage-areas-should-not-be-open-to-mining.htm

    National Ltd™ secretly ordered that world heritage sites on the West Coast be surveyed as part of a $3 million mineral study spanning more than 16,000 square kilometres.
    The Government’s aeromagnetic survey started in February last year and covered about 70 per cent of the West Coast, excluding national parks and high-value schedule 4 conservation land.
    The aerial survey was publicly revealed yesterday as a result of parliamentary questions by Green party MP Catherine Delahunty.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7168686/Mineral-study-marked-Coast-sites\

    The former interests of members appointed to the Establishment Board for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) make them unsuitable candidates for the job
    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1103/S00071/epa-board-members-unlikely-to-protect-the-environment.htm

    Inexperienced managers, poor policy decisions and falling staff numbers are threatening New Zealand’s biosecurity, a group of quarantine inspectors claim.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7175215/Biosecurity-fears-voiced-in-staff-letter

    The independent report into the outbreak of the PSA virus was commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) following the devastation caused by the virus in the Bay of Plenty orchards with an estimated cost of $400 million.
    The report, released yesterday, found “shortcomings” in New Zealand’s biosecurity system although it could not say how the incursion had occurred
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/7224595/Govt-ignored-biosecurity-warning-Labour

    Prime Ministert John Key confirmed taxpayers would have to pick up the $80 million tab as a result of the cancelling of Emissions Trading Scheme provisions for business and farmers announced yesterday,
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7208247/Nats-soften-emissions-blow-for-businesses

    New Zealand Minister for the Environment Kate Wilkinson fobs off Save Fiordland protesters. Spokeswoman Daphne Taylor presented Ms Wilkinson with the Fiordland National Park Management Plan and the Conservation Management Strategy. “Just in case you haven’t read these,” Ms Taylor told her.
    The process to grant consent for the Milford Dart tunnel and Fiordland Link Experience should never have started if the documents had been followed, Ms Taylor said.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7222907/Stop-the-Fiordland-tunnel-Wilkinson-told

    A National Ltd™ appointed advisory group has recommended a significant rewrite of the Resource Management Act, removing references to the protection of coastal areas, wetlands, lakes and rivers and indigenous flora and fauna.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10817613

    National Ltd™ Environment Minister Nick Smith gave $180,000 of taxpayer cash to fund meetings to resolve disputes between farmers and environmentalists clashing over projects in the Mackenzie Basin and Waitaki Valley.

    The Mackenzie Sustainable Futures Trust was set up to help resolve the disputes.

    Documents issued under the Official Information Act reveal senior environment ministry officials had serious concerns about the project, and declined an application for a $200,000 grant earlier this year. However, Dr Smith overuled the decision and the group got another $80,000.

    More than half the cash went to environmental consultants – including about $88,000 to Ecologic, a firm run by Dr Smith’s friend Guy Salmon. Mr Salmon is also linked to the National Party ginger group the BlueGreens.

    WHERE THE CASH WENT
    Ecologic consultant Guy Salmon: $88,010 (includes $682 in restaurant and bar charges)
    Whanganui-based consultant Richard Thompson: $13,130 (includes $149 in restaurant and bar bills)
    Environment Defence Society: $2256
    Restaurant and bar charges for meeting participants (at May, June and August meetings): $5495
    Production of report and interim report: $30,800

    John Key remains “relaxed”
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7327570/Money-for-mates-claims-to-be-probed-says-PM

    A further weakening of the already gutted resource consent process is being considered for foreign-owned mining companies, according to Energy and Resources Minister. Phil; Heatley.
    http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/resource-consents-mining-might-be-speed-heatley-ck-124676

    The public is being locked out of the consultation process on the alloting of areas being made available by the government for resource exploration.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/7366483/Oil-firms-first-to-seek-information
    National Ltd™ scraps government grants for solar water heating and Parliamentary Commissioner comes out against them:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10822323

    National Ltd™ use the Navy along with police and Crown Law to bully environmental protesters in a legal case they knew could not be won:

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10822405

    National Ltd™ puts out an international call for foreign companies to drill for oil and gas in 23 blocks of deep and wild waters east of Wellington and Dunedin.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10811689

    National Ltd™ consultants do a u-turn on the economic benefits of additional roading and then get handed a $200 million contract for further consultation work.
    http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/doubts-worth-holiday-highway-4992534

    The Department of Conservation grants foreign-owned multinational mining company OceanaGold permission to destroy 55 hectares of beech forest so as to extend its Reefton mine to a total 81 hectares without public notification:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/minerals/news/article.cfm?c_id=259&objectid=10818463

    As National Ltd™ prepares to ease the resource consent process for mining companies, the Minerals Industry Association starts putting pressure on local authorities to step aside:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10823321

    Economic commentator Gareth Morgan details National Ltd™’s ramshackle collection of underfunded agencies with no direction or policy for dealing with the vast marine resources of New Zealand:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10823294

    A further erosion of New Zealand’s bio-security is highted when Christchurch Airport is found to have failed a survey:
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10823549
    Open letter to Minister for the Environment

    http://www.eds.org.nz/content/documents/pressreleases/ENGOs%20letter%20re%20TAG%20report.pdf

    Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright says planned changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme will be a costly and environmentally damaging mistake.
    The changes are part of the ETS amendment Bill currently before select committee. Dr Wright has submitted on the Bill this afternoon.
    Dr Wright says she is particularly concerned with subsidies to polluters being locked in.
    “Right now we’re subsidising ninety-five percent of big polluters’ emissions. That was due to be phased out, albeit too slowly, but the Bill will leave those subsidies in place indefinitely.

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1209/S00143/ets-changes-a-farce-environment-commissioner.htm

    Proposed marine reserves off the West Coast have been drastically reduced in size so much so that one advocate says they are “an insult” to those who spent years trying to establish them.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10835374

    New Zealand was one of only two countries to oppose further protection measures for Maui’s and Hector’s dolphins at the world’s largest conservation conference, it has been revealed.
    The secret vote took place last week at the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s conference in Korea, where government officials and environmental groups met to outline environmental policy goals for the next four years.
    Some 117 countries and 460 organisations voted for New Zealand to ban gill and trawl nets in waters up to 100 metres deep.

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/116332/nz-votes-against-protecting-dolphins

    Emergy Minister Phil Heatley is caught out lying about the environmental impact of fraking.

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Taranaki-gas-field-contaminates-soil/tabid/1160/articleID/269871/Default.aspx

    Regional council are caught out not enforcing regulations, Government says no action is required

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Fracking-in-Southland-exposed/tabid/423/articleID/259325/Default.aspx

    National Ltd™ ignores concerns about fracking which has seen the practise banned around the world

    http://www.tv3.co.nz/Mar-18—Meet-The-Frackers/tabid/2059/articleID/76270/Default.aspx

    Forest & Bird says statements by Mr Joyce that opponents to the proposed Bathurst mine are “getting in the way of” potential jobs for the sacked Solid Energy workers are unfounded and mischievous.

    http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/forest-bird-rejects-inappropriate-request-withdraw-appeal

    A High Court decision says the effects on climate change cannot be considered under the Resource Management Act (RMA) as updated by National Ltd™. The Court decision came after an appeal was made against an earlier decision to allow Australian-owned mining company Bathurst Resources (also known as Buller Coal) to build a 200-hectare open-cast coal mine on the plateau and mine 80 million tonnes of coal that, when burnt, will release about 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

    http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/forest-bird-disappointed-climate-change-ruling

    Fishing restrictions announced by the government will not halt the predicted slide of our nationally critical New Zealand sea lions to extinction within the next two decades

    http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/squid-fishery-decision-won%E2%80%99t-save-sea-lions

    The Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Bill, as reported back from select committee fails to protect New Zealand’s marine environment and ignores our international legal obligations.

    http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-release/eez-bill-bad-news-both-industry-and-the-environment

    More than half of monitored recreational sites on our rivers are unsafe for swimming, a report has revealed.
    The Ministry for the Environment’s latest report card – issued weeks before summer weather sends Kiwis flocking to the water – has left opposition parties questioning New Zealand’s 100 per cent pure brand.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10841013

    The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, has accused a select committee reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme of ignoring her and other evidence against its proposals. . . . “This is about having an Emissions Trading Scheme in place that is effective,” she says, “and we now have one in place that will have very, very limited effectiveness and has locked in subsidies to to the worst emitters indefinitely,” she says.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/118536/commissioner-dismayed-by-emissions-report

    Environment Minister pulls out of participation in legal action to prevent more pollution being poured into New Zealand’s fresh water supplies.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7824674/Fish-Game-gets-hooks-into-minister

    National Ltd™ seeks changes to the law which will make it more dificult to get consent to build a deck onto a house than it is to drill for oil.

    http://www.3news.co.nz/Consent-for-oil-drilling-exploration-could-get-easier/tabid/1160/articleID/273254/Default.aspx

    New Zealand continues to avoid its international obligations “to ensure the conservation and management of sharks and their long-term sustainable use” while its fishers carry on with the barbaric practise of shark finning.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/in-our-nature/7848342/Shark-finning-a-national-disgrace

    Recent survey results show that two thirds of New Zealanders believer spending on environmental conservation is a good use of tax payers’ money. National Ltd™ responds with further cuts to the Department of Conservation budget.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/blogs/in-our-nature/7807524/Endangered-rangers

    Signatures from 30,000 people in a global email petition urging Prime Minister John Key to save the endangered Maui’s dolphin have been ignored, the World Wildlife Fund says.
    The Government’s “lack of response” showed “a worrying disregard” for the species’ survival, WWF New Zealand chief executive Chris Howe said. Last month New Zealand was the only country to vote against more protection for the species at the world’s largest conservation summit.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7793952/Indifference-to-dolphins-seen-as-blot-on-NZ-image

    Finance Minister Bill English begins the process of further gutting urban environmental protection legislation to speed up the building consent process for developers.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7874263/RMA-changes-mooted-to-speed-up-building

    The Government is stopping the five-yearly State of the Environment report.
    Put together by the Ministry of the Environment, the report is the largest stock-take of trends relating to land, water, air, plants and animals.
    The next report was expected in December, but the Government has decided instead to look at the basic data for each area.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/119350/state-of-the-environment-report-stopped

    New Zealand abandons the Kyoto agreement
    http://tvnz.co.nz/politics-news/john-key-defends-kyoto-decision-5209727

    A prominent government lobbyist is standing by his leaked comments which slam leading scientists for speaking out about New Zealand’s poor environmental record.
    Mark Unsworth, of government relations consultancy Saunders Unsworth, e-mailed Massey University environmental scientist Dr Mike Joy on Wednesday in reaction to Joy’s comments to the New york Times on New Zealand’s ‘fantastical’ 100% pure image.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10849308

    New Zealand’s clean green image, represented by snow-capped mountains, clean rivers and pristine countryside, is being slammed internationally as false and misleading.
    Tourism New Zealand’s long-running “100 per cent Pure New Zealand” marketing campaign launched in 1999 has been questioned in a New York Times article.
    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10848410

    As the Wellington premiere of “The Hobbit” approaches, New Zealand’s picturesque landscapes are set to take center stage once again. Ten years ago, the breathtaking vistas featured in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy were at the heart of a tourism campaign that helped jump-start a multibillion-dollar international travel industry and a worldwide image of the country’s clean, green living. It was what Tourism New Zealand, the country’s tourism agency, called “100% pure” New Zealand.
    But while the spectacular and seemingly untarnished natural backdrops, stunning waterscapes and snow-tipped mountains might look world-class on film, critics say the realm New Zealand’s marketers have presented is as fantastical as dragons and wizards.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/business/global/new-zealands-green-tourism-push-clashes-with-realities.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

    The clean and green image has long been promoted by the isolated country in its striving to compete in world markets. But an international study in the journal PLoS One measuring countries’ loss of native vegetation, native habitat, number of endangered species and water quality showed that per capita, New Zealand was 18th worst out of 189 nations when it came to preserving its natural surroundings.
    http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010440

    Meanwhile, John Key says New Zealand is 100% Pure. Wattaguy.

  12. Jimmie 12
    28 November 2012 at 9:51 pm

    Oh come on lprent what about a link warning for Blip? My finger got sore holding down the page down button for so long

    [lprent: The rule in the policy is about cut’n’paste off the net on to this site and in particular with copyrighted material.

    The test is to check phrases with google. The intent is that as far as is reasonably feasible we try to keep this site’s comments mostly with material that originates from the commentators mind.

    BLip writes his own material for those lists and seems to post it only here with periodic updates.

    Same with Penny Bright who seems to post it here first (I see some of it showing up on Facebook later).

    So we tolerate long comments if they are on topic in a post or is in OpenMike and material originating from the commentator.

    There is a method to the apparent madness. Umm maybe the policy needs to make this clearer. ]

  13. Merkin 13
    28 November 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Nice work BliP. I’ve never read such a thorough collection of damnation of these pricks. To them any critique of our 5 planet lifestyle is some commie conspiracy. On planet Key our consumerist utopia is just around the corner. Believe my children (and I do mean manchilds one and all) and you shall consume and be happy.

  14. Rogue Trooper 14
    28 November 2012 at 10:28 pm

    That sure is an amazing Blip mine if anyone was in any doubts about “truths”

  15. Rose 15
    29 November 2012 at 3:23 pm

    I had a look into what is being done about polluting companies. Councils visit companies and do compliance inspections under the RMA. They can prosecute. The public can phone the 24-hour Pollution Hotline phone 0800 765588 to make a complaint. The hotline gets about 70 calls per week from the public.

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    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
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