Dedicated to democracy, enjoying and restoring the Mahurangi, meaningful climate action, and curiosity—
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Ultimately successful Māori roll model
Humans are hard-wired for fairness. Which is why so many traditional supporters of the Australian Labor Party abandoned it following the treachery visited on its fleetingly victorious leader Kevin Rudd. The political system of Aotearoa, until joined recently by...
Other than motorway, what $2.3 billion buys
China has 3529 kilometres in use and another 6696 under construction. High-speed rail in Japan, however, with its similarly challenging terrain is probably a better guide for Aotearoa. But even at the relatively high Japanese rates, the cost…
Marcus Shipton says give nuclear a chance
I am not here to convince you Aotearoa needs nuclear power. I honestly don’t know the answer to that question, however I am convinced that the world needs it. The real reason I’m here is to urge you to challenge our dogma, in these challenging…
Ramp renewables but energy efficiency first
It doesn’t seem cheap. Filling the tank seems to cost a prince’s ransom, particularly for older folk who can remember doing it prior to the first oil shock. For a decade before 1973, four dollars would fill the tank of a Mini. But the oil shocks to date are nothing to...
Tuned-up mmp could be ninety-nine not out
First, it was a fateful decision. Then it became a cynical decision, when New Zealand’s parliament ignored the 81.5% of voters who asked for the house to be reduced to 99 seats—the cosy two-party duopoly had no desire to see mixed-member proportional…
Out of all proportional Aussies eat their Greens
Updated 9 September 2010 Grand coalition is the only honourable option. In yesterday’s election, neither major party obtained a mandate to lead Australia. The undisputed winner, out of the shameful defrauding of Kevin Rudd and the Australian people, is the Green...
It’s official, the action plan is half-official
A dozen years would have been an insufferable delay. Three dozen, for some, a lifetime. But as of Tuesday, Mahurangi Action founding chairman John Male’s vision for a Mahurangi plan is formally endorsed by the Auckland Regional Council, in…
Goodbye old motorway, hello new rail
It was an entirely reasonable expectation. That the best features of the constituent local bodies would be melded into the new region‑wide council. Len Brown’s announcement that he would “take onboard the Waitakere eco‑city concept” may…