• Sue Kedgley

    2025 Taskforce a tragi-comic farce



    Hard to believe and tragic that Don Brash and his cohorts would seriously recommend REDUCING minimum wage rates back to 1999 ratios, and reinstating the youth minimum wage. read more
    December 1, 2009 4:55 pm - 33 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Tax Working Group conference



    I spent a few hours at the Tax Working Group conference at Victoria Uni today. It’s good that we are having a reasonably open debate about tax policy. I particularly enjoyed the discussions about capital gains taxes and land taxes and pros and cons of those. They will inform Green Party policy debates.  The really disappointing [...] read more
    December 1, 2009 4:42 pm - 1 Comment
  • Keith Locke

    Time for debate in NZ on discriminatory royal succession rules



    Britain’s current dilemma over the discriminatory nature of royal succession will hopefully stimulate a similar debate in New Zealand. The timing is good, now that my Head of State Referenda Bill – to see whether Kiwis want to stay with the monarchy – has been picked from the Private Member’s Bill Ballot. read more
    December 1, 2009 2:27 pm - 9 Comments
  • Metiria Turei

    Goff delivers wedge to split the left



    For all the indignation at the response to his speech , what did Goff expect whanau and hapu would hear in it? He starts with a criticism of Hone, he attacks the Maori Party, he promotes unjust treaty settlements and he defends the discriminatory foreshore legislation. And all delivered to a predominately Pakeha audience. How could [...] read more
    December 1, 2009 10:14 am - 33 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Green MP praises McDonalds – just the once!



    McDonalds is the first fast food retailer – in fact the first large commercial business in New Zealand – to commit to using free range eggs in 19 of its restaurants in New Zealand. read more
    December 1, 2009 10:07 am - 6 Comments
  • frog

    Racing Greens



    This Saturday just past, four Green MPs made their way up to Taupo to compete in New Zealand’s largest bicycle race. Each MP rode 40km of the 160km around Lake Taupo as part of a relay team: the Racing Greens…but were they riding to win? Here’s a lighthearted look at how our MPs trained and [...] read more
    December 1, 2009 8:03 am - 3 Comments
  • Kevin Hague

    World AIDS Day



    December 1st is World AIDS Day, and should be a reminder for us all that we stand still in the midst of a global pandemic that will continue to have profound impacts on the global community. For me it’s always a day of multiple emotions and jumbled thoughts. I think principally of all those friends [...] read more
    December 1, 2009 7:44 am - 4 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    China trade questions



    So we’ve been hearing from the free trade zealots that the trade deal with China has been a great success. But has it? The gross numbers look pretty good. The trade deal came into effect from Oct 1 last year and there’s been a $1290 million increase in exports and a $316 million increase in [...] read more
    November 30, 2009 6:47 pm - 32 Comments
  • Sue Kedgley

    Cell towers keep appearing without consultation



    Every week someone contacts me about an unwanted cell tower, mast or antennae, that are being erected near to where they live. Last week I got a call from a woman in Herne Bay, Auckland – who had discovered that a cell phone mast was about to be erected on a telephone pole outside her home. She [...] read more
    November 30, 2009 3:50 pm - 10 Comments
  • frog

    Mt Aspiring on the mining hit list



    The latest idea from renowned friend-of-the-earth Gerry Brownlee is to scour 20% Mt Aspiring National Park for nickel, chromium and gold. “The rumble of Brownlee’s bulldozers just got louder,” said Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei “.…this flies in the face of previous claims by Ministers that mining National Parks is not their intention, and that any [...] read more
    November 30, 2009 3:37 pm - 3 Comments
  • David Clendon

    Should we be worried? Damn right we should…



    The NZIER has put out another of their ‘Insights’ papers, this time highlighting just how vulnerable our exports are to consumer perceptions that our goods are not sustainably produced. An urgent risk identified is that we are perceived as a country not making serious attempts to reduce our carbon emission, which will give our competitors an opportunity to turn market preferences away from our export products and services. read more
    November 30, 2009 11:20 am - 5 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    A ride down the Hurunui River



    Taking a kayak down a powerful river feels like being on the side of history. You start out on a river that progressively gets bigger and more powerful as other rivers  join. As we travelled down the Hurunui River on a kayak today as part of the Wild Rivers campaign we were joined by more and [...] read more
    November 29, 2009 10:10 pm - 3 Comments
  • frog

    Protesters at Copenhagen can now be arrested *before* they protest



    Yep, really. It’s a new law, just passed the other day. Legislation giving police the right to pre-emptive arrests in connection with the COP15 climate conference was passed by a decisively split parliament yesterday. The new legislation allows police to detain those arrested for up to 12 hours under the premise that they ‘might’ take part in [...] read more
    November 29, 2009 11:37 am - 10 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, 29 November, 2009



    read more
    November 29, 2009 6:59 am - 38 Comments
  • frog

    Interview of Sarah Palin supporters



    Sarah Palin has written a book. Here are some people who enjoyed reading it and who are waiting to have her sign their copies Interesting, on many levels Hat tip: undulating ungulate read more
    November 28, 2009 9:47 am - 34 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Worker’s demand end to wage freeze



    The sun shone on rallies for low paid workers held in cities and town across New Zealand. In Auckland they were led by Service Workers Union members in their bright red T-shirts – coming from hospitals and rest homes across the region. Other unions like the Public Service Association and NZ Educational Institute also brought their low paid members along. read more
    November 27, 2009 6:06 pm - 29 Comments
  • Keith Locke

    Rudman’s Dalai Lama piece a tad lame



    I was a little disappointed to read Brian Rudman’s column this week in the New Zealand Herald about the upcoming visit of the Dalai Lama. In Mr Rudman’s opinion our Prime Minister shouldn’t meet with the Dalai Lama when it could upset the Chinese Government. read more
    November 26, 2009 5:42 pm - 7 Comments
  • Kennedy Graham

    Green MP off to ICC meeting (International Criminal Court – no Cricket)



    Next week I shall be in Kathmandu for a meeting on the International Criminal Court.  I am hoping that it will go some way to strengthening the rule of law over international crimes. I have been active this year in the House in seeking to strengthen the ICC.  My first member’s bill, introduced in August, sought [...] read more
    November 26, 2009 5:23 pm - 11 Comments
  • frog

    Come to Copenhagen, John!



    US President Barack Obama is going to Copenhagen next month. The more time goes by, the more John Key is sticking out like a sore thumb with his refusal to attend. Jeanette and Kennedy will be there for the NZ Greens – and as Russel cheekily suggested, they’re happy to help John Key find accommodation if he’s stuck at such late notice! read more
    November 26, 2009 4:54 pm - 26 Comments
  • frog

    Can you trust Nick Smith?



    In February this year the Green Party heard a rumour that the review of ACC was being conducted solely by Treasury and Business New Zealand, so on 5 March we decided to put this to Nick Smith in the House. read more
    November 26, 2009 3:34 pm - 19 Comments
  • frog

    Good Farm Stories and the polluted Manawatu



    As Jeanette previewed yesterday, the Greens’ Good Farm Stories website has been launched today. You can find it here: www.goodfarmstories.org.nz. There’s a wealth of material, so grab a cup of tea and enjoy! read more
    November 26, 2009 12:43 pm - 7 Comments
  • Catherine Delahunty

    Aorangi School children – where can they go?



    On Tuesday night the news came through that Aorangi Primary School will definitely be closed, against the wishes of the school and its local community. Yesterday at the Education and Science Select Committee, I asked what would happen to the children in the school’s total immersion Te Reo unit. read more
    November 26, 2009 11:13 am - 8 Comments
  • frog

    Auckland gets electrified (in a good way)!



    The good news this week is that after an 8 month delay the government has finally approved a $500 million loan to Kiwirail to purchase electric railcars for Auckland. According to a Q & A on the Ministry of Transport’s website that should be enough for the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to purchase up to 114 [...] read more
    November 26, 2009 8:00 am - 22 Comments
  • frog

    General debate, 26 November, 2009



    Food for thought: We’re killing the oceans. 25 reasons to give a damn about climate change. And some great photos. read more
    November 26, 2009 6:20 am - 139 Comments
  • Russel Norman

    Water Forum – are Nats acting in good faith?



    The government has embarked on a collaborative goverance process in regard to freshwater. The form of this collaborative governance process, the Land and Water Forum, is basically a three sided process between irrigators, environmentalists, and iwi.  It may be critical to the future of water management in our country. I have supported a collaborative governance process. It [...] read more
    November 25, 2009 9:36 pm - 24 Comments