Today at lunchtime Sue Kedgley and I worked on the Kapai salad bar in the BNZ Centre. This is the second session I have done with the Kapai crew. This is a great example of a locally owned business that has gone from strength to strength in recent years. The food is fresh, healthy and delicious. The conversations I have had with the workers at both sites indicate it is a happy place to work as well.
It was good to catch up with Sue as well. She is clear that she is focusing on the Party vote in Wellington Central. The Greens have a policy of not endorsing other candidates that I can understand. In terms of Green Party voters in Wellington Central, they might like to check out this Facebook group set up by one supporter. I look forward to working with Sue to see Wellington develop in a sustainable manner.
Posted in Sustainability and Wellington. |
One of the most entertaining aspects of the Meet the Candidates evenings in Wellington Central is the appearance of Michael Appleby, from the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party. Michael has been a feature of Wellington Central campaigns for at least five elections. He is a hilarious speaker, who manages to turn every single question, no matter what the topic to the need to liberalise drug laws. His stump speech this election has involved accusing Labour of betraying its principles by agreeing as part of its coalition agreement with United Future not to change the legal status of cannabis. Not sure I buy this as it is an issue that would be a conscience vote in any event, but Michael has used this to suggest that National would be a better partner. Questions have been asked at the meetings about what National’s position actually is on the legal status of cannabis, but the National candidate had no idea. Well, I am not sure what Michael is going to do after yesterday’s announcement that United has ruled out working with Labour, and will back National, in part because of the role the Greens will play in a Labour-led government. Mr Dunne even specifically mentioned the Green position around cannabis as a reason for why he was choosing National. I look forward to Michael’s new speech at our final candidates meeting next weekend. It should be fun, whatever it says!
Posted in Wellington. |
A great story on the wires today about how NZ Steel was able to find a local solution when their water cooling system shut down. They were unable to immediately source parts from their supplier in Norway, and faced a very expensive six week delay in production.
Up to the mark stepped 30 New Zealand companies, to design, manufacture and install the parts required. Skellerup got the big job of manufacturing the rubber components. They were able to do this, and the plant was back in action within nine days.
This is a real tribute to the expertise in New Zealand, and yet another example of why we must continue to invest in our research and development capability. Pete Hodgson outlined Labour’s science and innovation policy yesterday. The highlights are
- the NZ Fast Forward Fund of $700 million to leverage support from industry for innovation in the pastoral sector
- the continuation of the 15% R and D Tax Credit to drive innovation
- increasing funding for Marsden Fund, Health Research Council and transformational R and D in next three Budgets
- increasing the Performance Based Research Fund for universities to $250 million by 2010.
- Increasing the amount of stable funding relative to contestable funding in the science system.
This stands in contrast to the remarkable short-term thinking of the National Party who have not committed to NZ Fast Forward, despite all the major industry players being behind it, and who have said they will scrap the R and D Tax Credit, for the sake of a few extra dollars in tax cuts.
On R and D and investing in New Zealand’s future innovation, the choice on November 8th is clear.
Posted in Education and Sustainability. |
Tonight we had the meet the candidates evening in my home suburb of Northland. As with all the meetings we have had this campaign it was full to overflowing. Democracy is alive and well in Wellington Central. It was a lively debate, undertaken in a generally friendly spirit.
I say generally because at the end of the evening an offensive question was put to the Kiwi Party candidate Rebekah Clement. Whatever political differences candidates might have that kind of question is simply out of order. I want to acknowledge for the record that while the person who asked the question is a member of the Labour Party, I in no way condone it, had no prior knowledge of it and I apologise unreservedly to Rebekah.
Of the substantive issues covered tonight it was public services that got the audience going the most. What came through for me again is that there is a real choice at the election this year both in Wellington Central and a national level between Labour’s investing in the future of our public services, and National’s plan that will see services cut back and job losses among the very backroom people the National candidate claims to support.
Posted in Wellington. |
Great news for Wellington Girls College. They are to receive an additional $1.3 million for building development. Chris Carter has announced that a number of schools around New Zealand are getting funding to make up for space deficiencies in their current property arrangements.
Wellington Girls currently has 12 prefabs on site, and I understand the funding will be used to go towards a new development that will replace them with permanent classrooms and other facilities.
Investment in schools has been a priority for Labour. We have invested $3billion in school property since 1999, including building new schools and upgrading classrooms in existing schools.
Posted in Education and Wellington. |
