tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37858870605714639142024-03-05T20:13:15.002+13:00Ken Graham MP - Green Party Aotearoa New ZealandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-89424493418051266422011-11-01T16:10:00.000+13:002011-11-01T16:11:41.962+13:00Christchurch's population decreases after earthquakesChristchurch city's resident population decreased by 8,900 people (2.4 percent) in the June 2011 year,<br />Statistics New Zealand said today. This was due to a net migration loss (more departures than arrivals) of<br />10,600 people, partly offset by a natural increase (more births than deaths) of 1,700 people.<br />"This is the first official estimate of population change in Christchurch city, and across New Zealand's<br />subnational areas, since the Canterbury earthquakes," acting Population Statistics manager Deb Potter<br />said.<br />The 2010/11 Canterbury earthquakes, along with a 22 percent rise in international migrant departures<br />(people leaving New Zealand permanently or long-term), had a major impact on local population change<br />in the June 2011 year.<br />For some parts of the country, population growth accelerated as people relocated from the earthquakeaffected<br />areas. The five territorial authority areas with the fastest rate of population growth in the June<br />2011 year were the districts of Selwyn, Queenstown-Lakes, Ashburton, Waimakariri, and Hurunui. All of<br />these districts are located in the South Island, with most close to Christchurch city.<br />However, for many parts of the country, population growth slowed as an increase in international migrant<br />departures was only partly offset by an inflow of people from the earthquake-affected areas. Of New<br />Zealand's 67 territorial authority areas, 43 had a lower level of net migration in the June 2011 year than in<br />the previous June year. Of these 43 areas, 39 are located in the North Island.Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-5476424035515103292011-11-01T16:01:00.000+13:002011-11-01T16:03:08.140+13:00Colin James's column for the Otago Daily Times for 25 October 2011<span style="">After the cup, back to the election grind</span> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">The was the cup that is, just. The childlike headlines can be pasted in the kids' scrapbooks -- oops, cached on their iPads. Now we come back down to earth. We may find the earth is moving.</span></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br />The last seven weeks have had an end-of-empire feel -- end of the Roman empire, that is: lavish spending by imperious officials on public spectacles and games to divert and entertain the plebs and narcotise anxiety and discontent.<br /><br />And as at the end of the Roman empire, barbarians hover just beyond the horizon. They come these days in the form of northern hemisphere banks and debt rating agencies. The banks require German and other well-run European countries' taxpayers' money to rescue them from what were supposed to be safe bets on risky or feckless Greeks, Portuguese, Irish, Spaniards and Italians.<br /><br />But the taxpayers are less and less fond of banks: the Occupy Wall Street movement may not have a detailed programme but it -- and the Tea Party -- reflect deeper, and international, currents of discontent and anger. Peter Dunne dropped in on the Wellington branch and bothered about "wealth and opportunity disparity", as he might have in his long-gone Labour days.<br /><br />And if in the end governments and banks aren't rescued, financial pain will spread round the world and this time governments and central banks do not have the wherewithal to rescue economies on the post-2008 scale. That goes for China as well as for the old rich countries whose brilliant financiers got us into this.<br /><br />If the 2008 crash finally really crashes, it will cut the capacity of the old middle classes in the old rich countries and the new middle classes in the rising countries to buy our food and to buy products made from Australia's exports.<br /><br />If that happens and it then takes a while to come right, the next parliamentary term here could be downbeat or even bleak.<br /><br />Now note that the world's population gets to 7 billion next Monday, give or take a few days.<br /><br />That is twice the 1960s population and people are using resources about 20 per cent faster than the sun and earth produces or replenishes them. (Some say faster.) This cannot go on indefinitely: outbreaks of water and food shortages round the world tell us that. That is food for conflict.<br /><br />So far there is little sign of strategic Beehive or official thinking about what this means for us. No party wants to seriously debate population.<br /><br />Population puts the spotlight on India, set to be the most populous country on current trends and a growing economic power. Tim Groser is seeking a free trade agreement. A "NZ Inc" strategy for India issued last Thursday after months on the desk of the dynamic Murray McCully, reshaper of our global destiny, aims to align the actions of departmental and agency officials and the private sector in the hope we do more business there.<br /><br />Six other NZ Inc country and regional strategies, some completed months ago, are to be issued next year.<br /><br />Trade is the NZ Inc preoccupation. McCully's speech to a foreign issues conference on Thursday focused tightly on trade. The India strategy gives one paragraph to "people-to-people exchanges" plus some tips on differences. Just as with China, there is no plan to build an educated public knowledge of the history, heritage, culture or languages of these two emerging giants.<br /><br />The strategy is tactical rather than strategic.<br /><br />But neither, so far, has the government been strategic about the looming 2020s fiscal crunch in pensions and health services. John Key sticks to his 2008 commitment to a pension qualifying age of 65 and Tony Ryall's vigorous (and effective) focus has been on more efficient delivery of selected services.<br /><br />This is the backdrop for the election campaign which can get serious now the cup's run is over: short-term uncertainties that could turn nasty and, in the background, longer-term global structural change.</span></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""><br />The Labour party hopes to link the external financial turmoil and its effects here such as the country debt downgrade to cabinet action or inaction. It will use today's pre-election fiscal and economic update and forecasts, which is likely to display more red than the budget did back in May, to say the tax cuts were irresponsible and fiscal management skewed.<br /><br />The National party's interest is in getting through the next five weeks looking calm and in-charge. It's poster set is accordingly more-of-the-same.<br /><br />The risk for National is that voters buy its soothing line but that things go bad after the election and there is a whiplash. This is obviously not a 2011 election risk but it is a 2014 risk.<br /><br />Of course, there is another scenario: that there is not a new and worse global financial crisis and slowdown because Europe fixes its immediate mess and China stays on its growth trajectory, that gradually over the next 10 years rich countries fix their badly red-inked balance sheets and that smart organisation and new technology solve the global resources challenges -- and that here we stay on cruise.</span></p> </div> <div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="">Place your bets.</span></p> </div>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-83852638695709031732011-11-01T15:56:00.001+13:002011-11-01T15:59:45.655+13:00Meltdown; 2008 or 1931? ©The Governor of the Bank of England believes we are in the midst of the greatest financial crisis in history. George Soros says the situation reminds him of the USSR collapse. “Collapse’ has also been used at the ECB and the IMF. Robert Shapiro (IMF) seems credible when he warns that unless a solution to the EU’s credit crisis emerges soon, the world economy will face a collapse larger than the one in 2008.<br />Shapiro may be under-stating the gravity of the situation. If we are talking collapse, why not look at the big one: 1931?<br />There were many straws in the wind in 1931; the Wall Street collapse of 1929, plunging world trade, ongoing wrangles over war debts and reparations but the one that broke to camel’s back was the collapse of the largest Austrian bank, Creditanstalt. Creditanstalt was insolvent because its assets had depreciated. Investors bailed out and other banks cut its credit lines.<br />Creditanstalt was founded by the Rothschild’s and its failure came as a shock as it was regarded as impregnable. It had been the most important bank of the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire and also had support from central banks. Its collapse in May 1931 soon took many other banks with it, especially in Germany.<br />Banks fell like dominoes because the collapse of one make all banks suspect. Inter-bank lending begins to dry up. This is serious as many banks depend on short-term funding. But there is also counter-party risk. A failed bank cannot meet its contractual obligations and this causes almost endless repercussions as happened when Lehman Bros fell in 2008.<br />The storm in Europe 2010-2011 has expanded beyond the periphery, and is beginning to make inroads into the core. First it was Greece, then the Mediterranean’s and Irish. Last week the crisis struck through the Dexia Bank (NBR 14/10) to the Benelux area, core of the EU. Last week Max Bank of Denmark failed and swag of British banks was downgraded. This week the Erste Bank of Austria admitted to huge losses.<br />I have good contacts in the Erste Bank and its difficulties brought to mind the Creditanstalt collapse of 1931. The eastern periphery of Europe is presently wracked with huge difficulties of which we hear little. I might cover these in another column as they have all the usual sovereign debt problems plus Hungary’s horrors of having to repay outstanding loans in appreciating Swiss Francs.<br />1931<br />The 1931 crisis differed from 2008 because 2008 was largely a banking crisis. In 1931 a banking crisis brought down the credit of nations. When Austrian banking assets froze in 1931, the pressure moved to Germany where foreign investors tried to realise assets. A run began and massive loans were removed from Germany. The Banks of England, France and International Settlements, plus the Federal Reserve extended credit to Germany but not the long term loans which were necessary.<br />Meanwhile a general shortage of funds led to many realising their most liquid assets, often deposits in London. London funds drained, exacerbating fears about sterling and increased the drain. Reserves melted despite French and American loans. The British Government resigned on August 23. Although the UK’s difficulties were largely temporary, the drain of<br />funds led it abandon the gold standard on September 21. It also devalued. Others followed in order to remain competitive. This destroyed a pillar of the international system. .<br />While fiscal and monetary conditions have been very relaxed since 2008, the opposite occurred in 1931. In the UK, for example, the state cut wages, provoking a mutiny in the Royal Navy. Moreover, while the economy has almost recovered to 2008 levels, in 1931 the world economy nose-dived. There is much international cooperation now, but it virtually ceased in 1931: by 1932 Britain passed the Import Duties Act which ended 75 years of free-trade. Most countries hurriedly constructed protective economic devices like tariffs, quota, and currency controls etc. Blocs formed, like the British Empire’s preferential tariffs.<br />To sum up: The 2008 crisis was a severe shock to the financial system, which was contained by states supporting collapsing institutions (and adding to sovereign debt). While the economy received a severe shock in 2008, the following economic recession was moderate and most states have almost recovered to 2007 levels of GDP. There has been little deleveraging so far. Monetary and fiscal policies have been very liberal.<br />1931 was a severe crisis which not only damaged financial institutions but wrecked the credit of nations, destroyed the gold standard and international cooperation. Nations began to wage economic warfare. World trade withered with calamitous falls in prices, especially of commodities. The world slid into a grim depression with widespread poverty and massive unemployment.<br />Can a slide be halted?<br />A 2008 or 1931 episode is not inevitable. Policy makers are well aware of the horrors of the 1930’s and are determined to prevent a slide into systemic collapse. There is still a huge degree of international cooperation and goodwill. Both the EU and G20 will employ their best efforts in the coming weeks.<br />Nevertheless, there is some concern that markets may deteriorate before remedies can be put into place. The rating agencies and bond traders are concerned about the quality of many assets and the ability of sovereign states to service their debt or banks (and their counterparties) to maintain solvency.<br />The current secret EU plan, a very “planny” plan (NBR 14 Oct) will be hard to deliver if it involves, as anticipated, increasing bank capitalisation, the bailout fund, and haircuts on Greek debt. It may not be enough. The market wants Germany to underwrite all EU debt but the Germans are understandably averse to assuming an impossible burdenLee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-53488089908662931242011-11-01T15:47:00.001+13:002011-11-01T15:50:14.154+13:00Global Challenges, the UN & NZ: A Green Perspective - Dr Kennedy Graham - NZIIA Major Economic & Foreign Policy Issues Seminar<p>Today's discussion is about the major economic and foreign policy issues facing New Zealand over the next five years, from 2012 to 2017. The theme throughout today has been mainly on the global dimension of that - the global commons and the global economy, with specific focus on trade and security. This final session is on the multilateral setting. </p><p>I mention this because clarity in recognizing the conceptual framework for any discussion is a precondition of any consensus in policy analysis and prescription. So let me offer some thought first on the relationship among these dimensions.</p><p>The idea of global unity is millennia old in a philosophical sense - from earliest days of human thought through to modern times. The ancient civilizations carried the innocent belief that their value system was divinely ordained, intrinsically valid and universally applicable. </p>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-81519748297452786552011-10-28T10:13:00.001+13:002011-10-28T10:14:17.031+13:00Greens polling at record high - is Nat coalition likely?<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tblForm" style="background-color: #c3daf9;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-83573643069624788192011-10-28T10:11:00.003+13:002011-10-28T15:33:51.559+13:00Green foreign Policy<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Calibri;">“The Green Party’s foreign policy differs from traditional foreign policies in one overarching way. The Greens’ worldview is qualitatively different, reflecting the 21<sup>st</sup> century rather than the 20<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Calibri;">We do not see the world as being composed primarily of an international community of 193 sovereign nation-states. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Calibri;">Rather we see one planet, whose beauty and bounty is shared by humanity with other species. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: Calibri;">We see the human race, informed by centuries of philosophical enquiry and political development, moving carefully and purposefully towards a unified global society, of which all nations are a component part with the natural rights of their peoples fully respected.</span><br>
</div><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-foreign-policy.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-31772474707072207292011-10-28T10:10:00.002+13:002011-10-28T10:10:32.634+13:00Green support a bitter saviour for Nats in powerUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-27068764216229550372011-10-28T10:08:00.002+13:002011-10-28T10:08:47.168+13:00Adjournment Debate - Reform of ParliamentUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-48073049138336413512011-10-28T10:07:00.002+13:002011-10-28T10:07:47.307+13:00Standing Orders Review 2011 - Debate - Dr Kennedy GrahamUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-43697303061744726192011-10-28T10:06:00.002+13:002011-10-28T10:06:25.297+13:00At least one Green Party MP to be a Minister in next governmentUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-32224737893900984612011-10-28T10:05:00.000+13:002011-10-28T10:05:05.427+13:00TV3's Patrick Gower sings the American national athem to Green Party MPsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-35190634499394355622011-10-28T10:03:00.002+13:002011-10-28T10:03:44.872+13:00Climate change and TuvaluUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-18331804578176212072011-10-28T10:01:00.005+13:002011-10-28T10:01:42.812+13:00Criminal Procedure (Reform & Modernisation) Bill - Dr Kennedy Graham - 3rd Rdg<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: blue; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; line-height: 16px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.greens.org.nz/speeches/criminal-procedure-reform-modernisation-bill-dr-kennedy-graham-3rd-rdg</span></h1>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-57585639760255379072011-09-28T14:00:00.000+13:002011-09-28T14:00:34.960+13:00Criminal Procedure (Reform & Modernisation) Bill - 2nd Rdg<object height="350" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WxAV0xsiivk&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3">
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Let me begin by commending the Minister of Justice, Mr Power, for his commitment to concluding the 10-year project that this is for reforming the framework governing criminal procedure in this country. It is nothing short of herculean and I salute him for his ability and his determination. His Government will be the poorer for his departure.
I pay tribute, in particular, to the substantive changes he has made to the Criminal Procedure (Reform and Modernisation) Bill within the past week. <br>
<a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/criminal-procedure-reform-modernisation.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-39472082038596535792011-09-27T17:38:00.000+13:002011-09-27T17:57:05.974+13:00The politics of trading through to a new normal<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tblForm" style="background-color: #c3daf9; font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><tbody>
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Relax. If it is going to hit, it won't hit till after the election. Or, at least, it won't hit hard before then.<br><br>The "it" is damage to our economy from the north Atlantic turmoil. There will be some damage. What no one knows is how much damage and in what form.<br><br>What isn't happening in the so-called rich countries is a "normal" "recovery". That is because what used to be normal is not normal now and the world hasn't yet settled into a new normal. We have been in transition for a decade or more and we are not through.<br>Politicians, commentators, economists and even philosophers argue over what poultices to apply. What should have worked under the old rules hasn't.</div>
</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/politics-of-trading-through-to-new.html#more">Read more »</a>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-72890783646733021522011-09-22T16:49:00.001+12:002011-09-27T17:57:21.343+13:00Red Zone becomes much redderLibertarianz leader Richard McGrath condemns Phil Goff's ill-thought-out and hastily concocted bribe to sway Christchurch voters to vote for his party in November. In a move that Robert Mugabe would applaud, Labour seems intent on confiscating land for a price it would fix, so it can then ration and allocate this land to people hand-picked by the Labour Party. Presumably being a friend of Labour will put you at the top of the list.<br>
<a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/red-zone-becomes-much-redder.html#more">Read more »</a>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-36288735377792857482011-09-22T16:47:00.000+12:002011-09-22T16:48:08.529+12:00<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Today the Chch group of BizPro (at least a small number of us) had an informal meeting with Raf Manji.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Raf runs the online Sustento Institute and is a former market trader turned sustainable economics thinker – and a very good one (thinker, not trader).</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Last night he held a public film evening (‘The Economics of Happiness’) which was attended by 115, and at the end of which I spoke and a discussion followed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It was a good evening. He is prepared to do something similar in Wellington and I recommend that James discuss this with Raf. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span>We’re now planning to invite Raf to a lunch for the broader Chch BizPro group on Monday, October 3.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">He will address the question: ‘How to survive the global financial and ecological crises (crisis): Tips for political parties’.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I’m inclined to think we should have this at the Green Office (finger food lunch), rather than at a café or restaurant – less expensive and noisy. That will be confirmed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I encourage all Chch members of BizPro to come to this – he’s a thoughtful and articulate analyst, and it is an important topic. </span></p>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-77017663903743930432011-09-22T16:43:00.001+12:002011-09-22T16:45:50.413+12:00Ian IConIC<span >After six months of trying we finally achieved a meeting with Minister Brownlee this afternoon. The meeting ran from about 2.35 until nearly 4.00pm, although it was originally anticipated that it would end at 3.15pm. In terms of time we received a good hearing, although the Minister remains committed to a minimal intervention approach and is totally unwilling to encroach on individual property rights. There seems to be almost no interest in the public good dimension around heritage that justifies, on the one hand, public assistance for those who seek to retain heritage, and a measure of control on the demolition of heritage on the other, even in a post disaster situation.<br /><br />He did state, at one point, that it was his personal view that the Provincial Buildings should be restored, but he is clearly unwilling to make a public statement to that effect, even though he is prepared to make strong statements about building owners and insurers whose wrangles are delaying progress on demolitions.<br /><br />Although we were undable to cover the full range of issues we would have liked to discuss, we have left a list of those issues with the Minister and we hope that his officials will address at least some of these items in the coming days and weeks. I think it is fair to say that the meeting was as productive as we could have reasonable hoped for, and more useful than some of us anticipated.<br /><br />The fact that we had the meeting at all was due to the persistence of our co-chair, Brendon Burns, and we certainly appreciate his efforts to achieve this milestone for IConIC. Brendon, however, took the occassion of this afternoon's meeting to indicate that the time has arrived for him to step down from his chairing role. I think everyone involved with IConIC will want me to thank Brendon for his efforts both on behalf of heritage in Chirstchurch but also to recognise his efforts to save as much of our built environment as possible over the last seven months. Irrespective of our individual political alliegences, I'm sure we all wish Brendon well as he seeks a further term as Christchurch Central MP. We hope he will continue to attend IConIC meetings as time allows.</span><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span ><span >There will be an opportunity to discuss today's meeeting next Monday, when we should also be thinking about our response to the CERA recovery strategy. Please consider this message as being your reminder for that meeting. I'm off to Oamaru for a couple of days to look at heritage buildings with my Honours students. I think this is what is known as a bus-man's holiday.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />Ian<br />--<br />IConIC<br />Interests in Conserving the Identity of Christchurch</span><br /><br />Thank you also to all those who attended the meeting today for their contributions towards putting our case to the minister.</span></div>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-40899609037074944732011-09-20T18:04:00.000+12:002011-09-27T18:04:52.934+13:00Auckland's success is no laughing matter<br>
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<span>A sense of humour has a place in politics. (http://www.ColinJames.co.nz)<br><br>So savour the government's sense of humour: it said a provincial coastal town up north could run a nation-promoting event beamed round the world.<br><br>And savour Auckland mayor Len Brown's sense of humour: he said Murray McCully might have been collegial, collaborative and thoughtful of others in his takeover of that event after some opening night miscues.<br><br>Both McCully and John Key kept up the humour by saying they were not pointing the finger, while shunting Mayor Brown. They said the bit the government ran worked fine (cancelled ferry sailings from their wharf were not their business).</span></div>
</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/aucklands-success-is-no-laughing-matter.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Dunedin, New Zealand-45.8787605 170.5027976-46.586245999999996 169.2393701 -45.171275 171.7662251tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-87437656327570179092011-09-15T14:40:00.003+12:002011-09-15T14:52:52.871+12:00General Debate - The Future of Christchurch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"><object height="350" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rHEK6fcDH_I&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rHEK6fcDH_I&rel=0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="500" height="350"></object></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">In May I addressed the crisis we are facing in Christchurch following the February earthquake. I said then that knowing the challenges ahead of us in what was the new normal, we needed to engender a sense of hope in the community. Since then I have convened a series of public forums in Christchurch, marrying local expertise and civic engagement to develop a vision of a future 21st century eco-city.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">In August I released my report, The Future of Christchurch, with copies going to Minister Brownlee and the parliamentary forum, Environment Canterbury, the city council, and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. I thanked the Government for its commendation of the report when I tabled it in Parliament recently.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">My report contains 26 recommendations identifying four overarching goals. They are resilience, sustainability, harmony, and beauty. This parallels the council's own plan, which conveys a green message from the people of Christchurch about the kind of city they want. But my report goes further and wider, because a necessary condition of a sustainable, harmonious, and beautiful city is its resilience, and resilience requires us to think ahead.</span></div><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/general-debate-future-of-christchurch.html#more">Read more »</a>Lee AsherSimpsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03043990996944326693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-18777012265235965102011-09-12T14:17:00.001+12:002011-09-15T14:53:51.145+12:00Riverside Community Group as part of its rally<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tblForm" style="background-color: #c3daf9;"><tbody>
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<tr><td bgcolor="white" height="300" valign="top" width="100%"><div class="WordSection1"><div class="MsoNormal">My thoughts are as follows:</div><div class="MsoNormal">“We will not accept the offers from CERA or insurance companies until:</div><div class="MsoListParagraph">1. “Insurance companies honour Full Replacement policies for homes that are due for demolition in the Red Zone”. Comment: That is a contractual issue between homeowners and insurers. The political issue, to the extent there is one, is to ensure that insurance companies are not fraudulently interpreting their contractual obligations (e.g. ‘full replacement’ v. ‘building to code’; replacement but only on existing (red-zoned) site….). Those are probably better for the legal profession than the politicians, though if there appeared to be a pattern of behaviour emerging, them the Green Party ought to intervene.</div><div class="MsoListParagraph">2. “RVs are reviewed where there is significant and demonstrable undervaluation”. <br>
</div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/09/riverside-community-group-as-part-of.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-45110405396488777762011-08-19T15:43:00.000+12:002011-08-19T15:43:18.781+12:00Welfare, Climate Change, Food Prices<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #1d2634; color: #98a4b1; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 16px;"><h3 style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 16px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #98a4b1; display: inline; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Series 2011, Episode 26</span></h3><div id="date-duration" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1.2em; margin-top: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">17 Aug 2011 | 0:44:06 | Classification: PGR</div><div id="show-abstract" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(52, 60, 73); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em; height: 6em; line-height: 1.2em; margin-top: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 1.2em; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wallace Chapman, Damian Christie, the Back Benches Panel and special guests discuss the week's hottest topics!</div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f4f7f7; color: #454545; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">GENERAL</strong></div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://tvnz.co.nz/video/faq" shape="rect" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; color: #2cb7ca; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Find A Show</strong> </a></div><div id="3-1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To find a show from the TVNZ Ondemand homepage you can use the area on the left hand side of the screen to either search "By Shows A-Z" or by searching for the title of the show. <br clear="none" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><br clear="none" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" /><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To find a show using the Shows A-Z search function, simply click the first letter of the show you're looking for, then click on the episode you wish to watch.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">To find a show using the title search function, click "Search For A Show", then type in the title of the show, and click 'Search'. Next, just click on the episode you want to watch.</div><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 8px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, you can click on any 'Watch Episode' links on the site.</div></div></span><a href="http://tvnz.co.nz/back-benches/video"></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-74818651679384540862011-08-18T15:44:00.002+12:002011-08-19T15:46:35.841+12:00Tribute to Sir Paul Reeves - Dr Kennedy Graham - Notice of Motion<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #e6e7e2; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, 'DejaVu Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;"></span><br>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This nation mourns the death of Sir Paul Reeves. Put simply, a tōtara has fallen in the forest. But the occasion of his passing, although deeply sad to us all, is not tragic; rather, it is a cause for national celebration of a long life uniquely well lived. Sir Paul led as large a life as was possible—full of fun, laughter, love, and achievement. His personal fulfilment, and thus his contribution, was both spiritual and secular.</div><a href="http://kengraham.blogspot.com/2011/08/tribute-to-sir-paul-reeves-dr-kennedy.html#more">Read more »</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-73528602232457014502011-08-11T21:11:00.002+12:002011-08-11T21:11:34.874+12:00Summary of Christchurch rebuild reportUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3785887060571463914.post-27201163432423740362011-08-11T21:08:00.001+12:002011-08-11T21:10:19.606+12:00The future of ChristchurchReport for a 21st century CityUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0