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August 2008

The Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill

Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 29/08/2008 - 12:34pm

It's been quite a time in Parliament this week, with Foreign affairs Minister Winston Peters continuing to dominate headlines and refusing to answer perfectly reasonable questions around the donations that he and/or his Party received from different sources.

Mr Peters' troubles have been magnified by the conflicting reports of various donors - particularly Owen Glenn, who gave Mr Peters $100,000 to assist with the legal costs of defamation cases the NZ First Leader was (and still is) pursuing.

Yesterday was particularly action-packed: the Serious Fraud Office officially announced it would be investigate Mr Peters, and the House passed the second reading of the Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill with last minute support from NZ First.

MMP And Party Lists

Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 22/08/2008 - 8:25pm

MMP And Party Lists

On Wednesday this week, ACT New Zealand released its Party List for the upcoming General Election 2008, with a special press conference at Parliament attended by ACT’s top candidates.

Under the MMP electoral system, Party Lists are a very important component of how people are elected to Parliament. Lists must be lodged with the Electoral Commission between three and four weeks before Election Day.

Once lodged, a Party’s List remains in place until a new List is submitted for the following election approximately three years later. This is to ensure that, should an MP leave Parliament, the next person on their Party’s List has the first choice of whether or not to fill the now vacant seat in Parliament.

I'll Take An 'A' 4 Accountability, Please

Submitted by Heather Roy on Fri, 15/08/2008 - 8:25pm

I'll Take An 'A' 4 Accountability, Please
This week I called on Defence Minister Phil Goff to launch an independent inquiry into the series of lost sale opportunities and questionable decisions by his Government around the maintenance of the Skyhawks at Woodbourne Air Base.

My call came after I learned that water is seeping in and pooling under the white latex coating that protects these aircraft from the elements and preserve them in a saleable condition. When this occurs, someone must drain the water by piercing the bubble with a pin or other cutting-edge piece of bubble-bursting technology.

Many of you will have been following my analysis of the Air Combat Force (ACF) debacle over the past three years, and the real issue goes far beyond the latex coating and pricking of water bubbles - a practice which, according to the Labour-led Government, comes under the umbrella of 'ongoing maintenance'.

Herceptin

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 08/08/2008 - 2:56pm

Eight is an auspicious number to the Chinese, as it signifies wealth. Thus, the Beijing Games begin today at 8:08am (Beijing time), on the eighth day of the eighth month of the eighth year. We wish our Olympians well and know they will compete to the best of their abilities. Hopefully Sport & Recreation Minister Clayton Cosgrove doesn't have a rush of blood to the head on their return - as did his predecessor Trevor Mallard after the last Olympics - and lambast them for not winning enough medals.

Herceptin
A drug used to combat the aggressive HER2 positive form of breast cancer, Herceptin is extremely expensive and many sufferers are unable to pay the cost of the drug themselves.

Throughout the world, 33 countries now fund the full 12-month course but in New Zealand debate has raged for several years over whether Government drug-buying agency PHARMAC should fund a nine-week Herceptin course, a 12-month course - or even at all.

Where Have All the Donations Gone?

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 01/08/2008 - 12:00pm

Where Have All the Donations Gone?

New Zealand First Leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters continued to lead the country on a merry dance this week, and has studiously avoided providing credible answers to any questions about donations made to his Party.

Mr Peters' attack on the media - which, apparently, is to blame for the furore - also continued on unabated, bringing to mind the words of British politician and writer Enoch Powell:

"For a politician to complain about the press is like a ship's captain complaining about the sea."

Mr Peters' attacks this week turned on ACT Leader Rodney Hide who, he claimed, apparently once introduced a woman as his girlfriend when she actually wasn't. If that's Rodney's greatest sin, then he's probably destined for Heaven - he's certainly doing God's work upholding honesty, transparency and accountability in our Parliament.