Mole News

Trauma from colonialism mapped
The Ngai Tahu Research Centre will share results of a five year research programme on the impact of colonisation on Maori through a series of lectures next week at the University of Canterbury.

He Kokonga Whare is an attempt to document the high rates of trauma Maori people experience and correlated it with a range of health and social problems, from heart disease to imprisonment.

NZCPR Newsletter - Electoral Apartheid by Decree

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

This week we examine the controversy over “electoral apartheid” clauses in Treaty settlement bills, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Mike Butler explains why legislating for race-based local government appointments will drive voters away from National, and our poll asks whether you believe the Government should be over-riding the wishes of local communities by creating race-based positions on local councils through Treaty settlements.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

Lindsay Mitchell: UBI for kids

Here's a group advocating a universal basic income for all children of $40 a week.

Lowell Manning, President of Basic Income New Zealand (BINZ) is calling for a Universal Basic Income for Children. “I like to call it a Kids’ Basic Income” he says. Mr Manning said that a Universal Basic Income for Children would work much better than tax cuts, substantially reducing child poverty in New Zealand and boosting the economy where it is needed.

GWPF Newsletter: Blackouts Down Under

In this newsletter:

1) Blackouts Down Under: South Australia Pays The Price For Heavy Reliance On Renewable Energy

2) Australian Prime Minister Blasts ‘Unrealistic’ Renewable Targets

Matt Ridley: Invasion of the alien species

In July, the New Zealand government announced its intention to eradicate all rats, stoats and possums from the entire country by 2050 to save native birds such as the kiwi. It’s an ambitious plan, perhaps impossible to pull off with the methods available today, but it’s a stark reminder that invasive alien species today constitute perhaps the greatest extinction threat to animal populations world-wide.

Birdlife International, a charity that works to save endangered birds, reckons that of the 140 bird species confirmed to have gone extinct since 1500, invasive alien species were a factor in the demise of at least 71—an impact greater than hunting, logging, agriculture, fire or climate change.

Stephen Franks: Sir Geoffrey’s draft constitution

I have yet to read Andrew Butler’s and Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s book.

From what I have seen of their draft constitution there are admirable elements, some badly needed, such as the proposed protection of property rights. Section 104 is well drafted, as one might expect from the intelligence and experience of those authors.

I expect the book to make a strong case for the benefits of a good constitution. I could even prefer for New Zealand to have such safeguards, despite the risks that it would increase the power and arrogance of our lawyer class.

GWPF Newsletter: Paris Climate Deal Signed, China Starts Raising Coal Production

India Plans Coal Mining Project In Africa

In this newsletter:

1) Paris Climate Deal Signed, China Starts Raising Coal Production
Reuters, 23 September 2016
 
2) India Plans Coal Mining Project In Africa
InfraCircle, 22 September 2016

Karl du Fresne: Being sincerely motivated doesn't make it right

The International Film Festival has done the rounds of the provinces for another year. Normally I would seize the chance to binge on movies of the type that don’t usually make it to the town where I live, but this year I managed to see only one: a New Zealand documentary called The 5th Eye.

You’ll be familiar with the subject matter. The three central characters sabotaged a satellite dish at the Waihopai electronic spy facility in 2008.

Mike Butler: Race appointees ammo for Winston

The Taranaki Iwi Claims Settlement Bill, that legislates for six race-based appointees on the Taranaki Regional Council, provided new ammunition for New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters this week.

This is the second time Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson has written into law the requirement for tribal appointees on a local body, with the first being the regional planning committee on the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council set up in 2012.

GWPF Newsletter: China Funds And Builds Europe’s New Coal Plants

EU's Green Obsession Opens The Door For Chinese Investment

In this newsletter:

1) China Funds And Builds Europe’s New Coal Plants
Reuters, 20 September 2016
 
2) Bosnia Green-Lights China Deal For New Coal Power Plant
SeeNews. 20 September 2016

Bryan Leyland: Things you know that ain't so - trams, trains and buses

"Things you know that ain't so - trams, trains and buses are the only solution to Auckland’s congestion problem”.

All the mayoral candidates, the Council and its planners are wedded to the idea that Auckland’s congestion can only be solved by crowding people within the existing city boundaries and increasing congestion to force people to travel by trains, trams, and buses. The cost will be enormous and increased congestion is certain.

GWPF Newsletter: EU Fails To Agree On Ratification Of Paris Climate Deal

Will Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Plant Make Enough Money?

In this newsletter:

1) EU Fails To Agree On Ratification Of Paris Climate Deal
Global Warming Policy Forum, 17 September 2016
 
2) Will Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Plant Make Enough Money?
Global Warming Policy Forum, 19 September 2016

GWPF Newsletter: Arctic Sea Ice Rebounding Rapidly

BBC Polar Bear Tragedy Porn Dressed Up As Science

In this newsletter:

1) Arctic Sea Ice Rebounding Rapidly
Not A Lot Of People Know That, 15 September 2016
 
2) Arctic Sea Ice Turns The Corner For The Year
Vencore Weather, 16 September 2016

Mike Butler: Palmer's Aotearoa constitution

For years former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer has been deploring the “unbridled power” that New Zealand’s constitutional setup affords, but he was perhaps among the worst offenders during his time as Justice Minister in the way he pushed his personal Treaty of Waitangi solutions while circumventing public opinion.

Along with fellow lawyer Andrew Butler (no relation to this writer), Palmer is about to release A Constitution for Aotearoa New Zealand, a book that argues why New Zealand needs a written constitution and what a first draft of that constitution entails.

Mike Butler: Kermadecs, tribes, fishing rights

A dispute between those in charge of tribal fishing interests and the government over the proposed marine sanctuary around the Kermadecs is déjà vu all over again for those who remember the overblown claims of 30 years ago for Maori to share in the growing commercial fishing industry.

A year ago, Prime Minister John Key announced on a trip to New York that 620,000 square kilometres of sea around the Kermadec Islands, which is 1000 kilometres from New Zealand, would be closed forever to fishing and ocean-floor mining.

GWPF Newsletter: Nicolas Sarkozy Turns Climate Sceptic In Battle For Élysée

La Nina Is Dividing World Weather Forecasters

In this newsletter:

1) Nicolas Sarkozy Turns Climate Sceptic In Battle For Élysée
The Local, 15 September 2016

2) Andrew Bolt: Floods Sink Climate Change Hysteria
Herald Sun, 14 September 2016

Daniel Mitchell from Cato: Employment Protection Legislation Is Bad News for Workers

Frederic Bastiat, the great French economist (yes, such creatures used to exist) from the 1800s, famously observed that a good economist always considers both the “seen” and “unseen” consequences of any action.

A sloppy economist looks at the recipients of government programs and declares that the economy will be stimulated by this additional money that is easily seen, whereas a good economist recognizes that the government can’t redistribute money without doing unseen damage by first taxing or borrowing it from the private sector.

Brian Gaynor: KiwiSaver investment issues blown out of scale

Recent media reports could give the impression that KiwiSaver has major problems, particularly fee gouging and illegal investment strategies.

KiwiSaver should be subject to media scrutiny but most of the recent commentary has been sensationalist and misguided.

Guy Benson from the US: GOP Confidence Rises on Holding House, Tight Battle for Senate

Let's begin on the southern end of Capitol Hill, where Republicans say they're increasingly upbeat about their prospects for retaining a majority in the House of Representatives this fall. Retaking the House was always going to be a heavy lift for Nancy Pelosi's crew, as consecutive midterm election waves swept the GOP to its largest majority in decades. 

Democrats would need to net 30 seats in November to wrest the gavel away from Paul Ryan, an outcome some speculated might be attainable if Donald Trump suffers a blowout loss at the top of the ticket.

GWPF Newsletter: Paris Deal? What Paris Deal?

Germany Scraps Coal Exit, Removes Concrete Targets In Weakened Climate Plan

In this newsletter:

1) Germany Scraps Coal Exit, Removes Concrete Targets In Weakened Climate Plan
Climate Energy Wire, 8 September 2016
 
2) EU Divisions Deepen Over Delay Of Paris Ratification
Euractive, 7 September 2016