Two birds with one stone

Written By: - Date published: 10:50 am, June 30th, 2009 - 11 comments
Categories: education, Environment, john key - Tags:

In 2007, in election mode, John Key was talking up National’s commitment to the environment and the Enviroschools programme:

Without a trace of irony, the video ends with ‘join the conversation’. It’s clear now that you can converse all you want with Key. He won’t listen. They’ve cancelled Enviroschools.


Undermining education and the environment with one swoop. Vintage National.
-Marty G

11 comments on “Two birds with one stone ”

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  1. roger nome 1
    30 June 2009 at 11:46 am

    Yet another instance in which National is flagrantly parading its distain for New Zealanders and our democracy. Shame on you Jonkey.

    • Kera O'Regan 1.1
      30 June 2009 at 8:08 pm

      If you support enviroschools I would really appreciate it if you checked out our website:

      http://www.sosenviroschools.webs.com
      or joined our facebook group.
      http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=119539606205

      SOS Enviroschools is basically a new (mainly youth directed) campaign that’s aiming to secure New Zealand’s Enviroschools programme and other sustainability education initiatives such as the MAD (Make a Difference) Forum (Run by ARC) and MAD Marine (run by ARC and DOC) which are really valuable for youth and ensuring that neglecting sustainability does not cost the country more further down the track.
      I disagree with you ‘The Baron’. I am not necessarily against John Key or National, but I think that sustainability is even more of a concern for our country during the recession- if we do not sustainably manage resources NOW we will be paying a lot more further down the track. Especially if Global Warming predictions are correct, New Zealand will be flooded with environmental refugees and you can bet your bottom dollar that the economy will be in an even worse state when countries are fighting for resources.

  2. bobo 2
    30 June 2009 at 12:58 pm

    Key is only interested in the “Clean & Green” image about as much as Madonna cares about her saving Africa image.. Hes doing his bit though by wearing a green tie one day a week or was that a pink tie…

  3. The Baron 3
    30 June 2009 at 1:37 pm

    In the first minute, Delahunty lists the “achievements” of the programme. They sound like lovely “nice to haves”, and certainly not priorities during a recession.

    Roger, your response is hysterical. how on earth is this a disdain for “New Zealanders” and “democracy”?

    I’ll leave you all to keep going with your juvenile “I think JK/Nats are evil” lines then. God, the “standard” of analysis and debate on this site is pathetic. Marty, the proven idiot, leads a whole pile of other idiots in a little bitter hate-fest directed at a party that is prepared to chop wasteful bloat during a time of tighter belts. What a load of crap.

    • doc Whose Asking 3.1
      30 June 2009 at 2:17 pm

      I’d suppose the particular ‘bloat’ to be at issue, here..

      So what would YOU do, The Baron..?

      Or are you leaving it to others.. and coming in after the horse has bolted (as it were)

      • The Baron 3.1.1
        30 June 2009 at 3:32 pm

        I think I missed the question. What I think it was was “what would i do if I was the nats/labour or anyone else in government during a recession”.

        Answer – Cut programmes that are nice to have and not essential items of spend, like:
        – Enviroschools
        – A do nothing pay-equity unit
        – A do nothing climate change unit
        – A bloody tunnel under a rather drab neighbourhood

        While I’m sure all Helen’s boyfriends will find something wrong with the above, I am actually trying not to be partisan. Responsible government means you find something to chop in times like this. Far rather enviroschools than more from the health budget, right?

        But not according to “Money Tree” Marty, the numbers retard, to whom the answer is evidently “keep on spendin”. That doesn’t even qualify as sensible commentary to me; rather just simple crowd pleasing demogoguery.

        • Pascal's bookie 3.1.1.1
          30 June 2009 at 3:43 pm

          I thought you were going to leave us.

          Any way, they didn’t cut it instead of health, they cut it instead of not giving another 35 mill to private schools.

        • Sparo 3.1.1.2
          30 June 2009 at 3:44 pm

          Hi, I’m in for DWA… chop/responsibility curve looks okay.. as he say there’s bloat and bloat.. fors and agin..

          Don’t get the money thing – looks kinda personal critique as well – but I’d hope you’re not about to admit stimpacks are inflationary.. when what events will really make them become is a much-needed deflationary period..

  4. roger nome 4
    1 July 2009 at 2:37 pm

    Baron von Amnesia –

    You can’t trust the nats – there are dozens of instances in which they’ve gone back on what they have explicitly promised prior to an election. They’re a bunch of compulsive liars.

    They should be re-named “the sociopath party”. What do you think?

    reading your comments makes me think of the following song – don’t ask me why ..

  5. Swampy 5
    2 July 2009 at 11:09 pm

    Who cares about enviroschools, it is not core education, it is new age wishy washy touchy feely dogooderism.

    Back to basics in education, that is clearly what the intention of the government is and all power to them. I work in the education sector and I’ve never heard of this enviroschools before. N one in my circle of education rates them.

    The Labour party spent an awful lot of money on making schools do all sorts of non-educational things in the curriculum meaning there was less time for all the things that really matter. good idea getting rid of this nonsense.