The Green Party co-leader says that despite recent setbacks in the local effort to be more mature about the our place in the world, we should still persist in trying to make New Zealand a better place to live. Actually I may have said that, but the sentiment is still there.
We talk about plastic bags and New World’s backward decision in removing the charge for them in the lower North Island. Also Gerry Brownlee is going prospecting on Department of Conservation land and the National Government has abandoned an effort to get more fuel efficient cars into New Zealand.
The Green Party co-leader joins us from the Hutt River today where he is taking pictures of a pesky weir that is preventing native fish from swimming upstream. We ponder the wisdom of raising GST or introducing a capital gains tax, before leaving Russel to take a dip in the river.
Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson has come out on the attack against the Greens co-leader Russel Norman for the “most bizarre notion” that climate variation was new “that it is unique, unparalleled and frightening”. Russel casts this attack aside and gets his teeth into policy and the tough task of making sense of Carbon.
The Green Party co-leader has recently returned from the States where he has been taking part in an international leadership programme focusing on climate change. By chance The Press today is reporting that New Zealand’s coal emissions have almost doubled since 1990.
The opposition leader is having a tough time getting noticed and recognised as the new leader of the Labour Party and as a viable option for Prime Minister.
In a TV3 poll Phil Goff rated below Helen Clark as preferred PM. So what is he going to do to lift his ratings? The Labour campaign for the Mt Albert seat has begun in earnest but there is currently no candidate. And did the Labour Government do enough to protect New Zealand against the Swine?
It’s Earth Day today, who knew? What with Earth Hour, Earth Watch and World Environment Day. The Green Party co-leader says today we need to ponder or at least be kind to the reality we live in. That includes refraining from burning plastic bags or Bic Pens. The Government is also planning on selling off some of our military hardware, so what army gadgets should we have?
The Green Party have announced a memorandum of understanding with the National Party Government that says they will work together on a number of initiatives. Who benefits from this new relationship? The Green Party co-leader also explains why they are standing a candidate in the forthcoming Mt Albert by-election.
The Green party co-leader says tax cuts now and in 2010 and 2011 look to be irresponsible in the current economic climate and don’t actually benefit those who need them most.
Russel says National’s broadband plan is a step in the right direction but proof will be in the detail. Russel also discussed live sheep exports, New Zealand native plants on the verge of extinction and a plan to get John Key digging in the garden.
The Green Party Co-leader says the Government should not expect a dividend from TVNZ at a time when they are making 90 employees redundant.
Russel is also concerned that Bill English is looking into reviewing and relaxing the criteria for overseas investment into New Zealand, will it mean more competition for housing stock and land ownership? And the Warehouse has announced it is introducing a 10 cent charge for its plastic bags.
