Category: Politics

A plea for free speech in our universities might seem about as unnecessary as a demand that all people be treated equally under the law. After all, the Education Act asserts clearly the right of academics to speak as critics and consciences of society – supposedly securing universities as bastions of independent thought and open expression.

I have sent a letter to the Prime Minister appealing to him to stop the Resource Legislation Amendment Bill. We feel so strongly about this, that we are publishing the letter in the Sunday Newspapers - so the public can better understand what’s going on and add their voice to our appeal to the PM to stop the Bill.

The approach by successive governments to Maori economic development is a triumph of hope over understanding and experience. More darkly, it’s the triumph of politics over what is good and just.

Last week I received an anonymous copy of a Memo the Environment Minister Nick Smith had written to his caucus colleagues on 26 January this year, defending his Resource Management Act reforms. It advised National Party MPs on how to respond to concerns raised by the New Zealand Centre for Political Research.

NZCPR readers must urgently contact their members of Parliament to protest over the racist ambush sprung on New Zealand by the National government in cahoots with the Maori Party under the guidance of Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith.

I’ve been sent an astonishing memo to caucus from the unfortunate Minister now carrying this Bill. In my opinion it treats caucus with contempt. My corrections to it are set out below...

I read with great irony recently that scientists are “frantically copying U.S. Climate data, fearing it might vanish under Trump”. As a climate scientist formerly responsible for NOAA’s climate archive, the most critical issue in archival of climate data is actually scientists who are unwilling to formally archive and document their data.

Apocryphally, in 1770, the French writer and provocateur François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) wrote to a French priest, “Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write."

With an election just seven months away it’s useful to reflect on the changing nature of politics - on both the left and right of the political spectrum - and what influence it might have on New Zealand.

Over recent years Google and Facebook have become targets in a campaign questioning whether such successful international companies are paying their “fair share” of tax in the countries in which they operate.