Archive for November, 2009

Key Government: All Map, No Compass

November 30th, 2009

If I was a betting man (which in fairness I am at the races from time to time) I would put my money on John Key going to Copenhagen.  As Audrey Young points out

Attendance of leaders has become a matter of symbolism, a symbol of commitment to a positive outcome. Key looks like that is not important to him.

But that will be the only reason he goes. Not because he believes that the world desperately needs to come together to address a major environmental issue, or that for the future of New Zealand and our region we desperately need to be part of a positive solution. Goodness, earlier in the week Murray McCully was complaining about climate change taking too much time at CHOGM. Earth to Murray, its kinda the biggest show in town right now.

My prediction is that Steven Joyce will tell Key the optics look bad, and he had better get over there. I am sorry to sound so cynical but this is a bit of a pattern.

Today John Key has dismissed the 2025 taskforce report, in part on the basis that National needs to keep its promises to the electorate on keeping Labour programmes such as Working for Families and Interest Free Student Loans. Great, but we all know what Key and National actually think of those programmes- “communism by stealth” anyone? Its not that Key actually believes this is socially responsible policy, he’s just stuck with it.

Returning to Copenhagen the risk for New Zealand is that all this naked pragmitism is going to be seen as just that. Again to quote Audrey Young

No one will give Key credit for parachuting in for a photo-op once others have done the hard work

Therein lies the problem for New Zealand. Beyond any straight environmental motives, from an economic point of view being dragged kicking and screaming to Copenhagen is a terrible look for an isolated trading nation that has prided (and marketed) itself on its clean green image. Its probably already too late on that score.

I accept that John Key’s pragmatism is playing well with New Zealanders at the moment. Its all very well having good political anntennae, but the long term future of New Zealand suffers if you don’t have a plan as to where you are going. All map, no compass is a very bad recipe for New Zealand.

Posted in Economics, Productivity, Climate Change and Education.  |   0 Comments

Saturday Sport: Against the Odds

November 28th, 2009

Well done to the Black Caps, coming through with the win this evening in sunny Dunedin. While the second innings collapse from the Kiwis was predictable, I have to admit I didn’t think they could roll Pakistan for 250.  For me, having a genuine strike bowler like Shane Bond  is the difference.   Despite their heroic efforts Chris Martin and Iain O’Brien are not going to regularly win test matches.  Great stuff in any case, and good to see a test in Dunedin make it to the final day, and in sunshine what is more!

and no doubt the other heroic effort of the weekend was our own Trevor Mallard.  Sub 5 hours in Taupo.  Brilliant effort from the old boy!

Posted in Black Caps and Sport, Music and other time wasting activities.  |   0 Comments

Another good reason to live in Wellington

November 28th, 2009

The Wellington City Council is beginning work on how to encourage the uptake of electric cars.  Wellingtonians are already among the most sustainable transport users in NZ, with more people walking or taking public transport to work than any other city in New Zealand.  There is a long way to go here, but this is a positive step to a more sustainable future.

Posted in Electric Cars, Environment, Climate Change and Wellington.  |   0 Comments

Rushed Law is Bad Law

November 28th, 2009

Colin James has written  an interesting piece on two examples of the impact of a rushed law making process- the Emissions Trading Scheme and National Standards. The ETS has been discussed at length this week, but the concerns raised by our leading, and indeed world leading, educational assessment experts should be sounding the loudest of alarm bells. The fact that one of those experts was John Hattie, the person who John Key pointed to as his mentor on these issues makes it all the worse. To quote from Colin James

if teachers teach to rigid standards the risk is that standards and the testing that goes with them become counterproductive. Kids get trapped into failure. The focus is on what teachers teach instead of what kids learn. “The international record,” the four academics said, “is damning.” Other education experts say this is particularly so of the United States’ “no child left behind” project which actually condemned disadvantaged children to being left behind.

The thing here is there was nothing to justify rushing the national standards law through Parliament last year under urgency. If there had been a proper select committee consideration the views of Messers Hattie, Crooks, Flockton and Thrupp could have had the consideration they deserved. Instead we have another version of this government’s view as expressed by Bill English last week ”  bad advice is advice we disagree with, good advice is advice we agree with”. Parents and children deserve better than a rushed process and a government that only hears what it wants to hear.

Posted in Urgency, Environment and Education.  |   0 Comments

No good hairdressers in Dipton?

November 28th, 2009

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The Dom Post has made quite a bit of a story today about Bill English’s crown car and security car illegally parking in Wellington while the Finance Minister has a haircut. I would actually cut English a bit of slack on being driven the couple of blocks to have his locks chopped in this case as he was suffering from a painful back injury this week. But there is no need for his cars to stay parked illegally and using space reserved for people with disabilities.  Its not that hard for the cars to find somewhere else to go. And is it really necessary for the Diplomatic Protection Squad to even be there anyway?

But two questions arise. With due respect to Bill he mostly looks, as my mother would say, as if he has been dragged through a hedge backwards. Is he really getting value for money here? And are there really no good hairdressers in Dipton, I mean that is where Bill lives isn’t it?

Posted in Bill English and Humour.  |   0 Comments
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