Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Kiwi anti-boy racing (hoons) legislation - long overdue...

New Zealand anti-boy-racer laws passed into law last night, banning cruising along some roads; car crushing legislation voted on today. Dealing to the hoons.

A major crackdown on boy racers comes into force in December, which will prohibit them from 'cruising' along some roads.

The anti-boy-racer legislation passed last night .

The Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Act is one of six major law and order bills being pushed through Parliament under urgency over the next two weeks.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the new legislation will give greater powers for police to impound vehicles involved in street racing.

"It's been a long wait. There have been number of attempts in Parliament to deal with it. This is a major step forward I believe, in terms of tackling this issue, by dealing with the things that the illegal street racers hold dear - their vehicles and their licences."

Mr Joyce says cities which have constant problems with boy racers such as Christchurch, will also be able to put in place bylaws prohibiting them from driving along certain roads.

The act also features a ban on driving while affected by benzodiazepine, a prescription sedative and anti-anxiety medication that is often used as a sleeping pill.

The car crushing legislation will be voted on later today.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Was six years for corruption enough for Phillip Field...

Disgraced former Labour MP and cabinet minister Phillip Field is probably more of a natural National Party member. they are all potentially corrupt! Word is he gave himself that Samoan chiefly title of "Taito". Doesn't warrant it any more the decrepit vagabond. He has been given six years for corruption and deserves every year he serves. He is the first New Zealand member of parliament to be imprisoned for corruption. Well the first to get caught - there could have been more in the late 80's and 90's.

This "helpful" individual did what is culturally common in Samoan society? Don't think so folks! Give our Samoan neighbours and cousins a little more credit than that!

He helped Thai nationals gain help with immigration matters they were not entitled to - in return for tiling work on his "houses" free of charge. Yeah right! A most helpful little rogue.

He brought New Zealand's credibility into disrepute. He was corrupt and deserves imprisonment - was six years enough?

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Farewell to NZ's clean and green image - very likely "green activists" claim...

Farewell to New Zealand's clean and green image - very likely "green activists" claim...


A cash starved National Government considers allowing mining in Department of Conservation Estates in both North and South Island national parks. Will it be farewell to New Zealand's clean and green image? Opponents claim it could; the Green Party has actually produced a list of likely sites for potential exploitation. Mining and conservation are not great bedmates. Read further:

Green campaigners are not buying the Government line that there is nothing to fear in mining Department of Conservation (DOC) land.

The Green Party has produced a list of sites at threat of possible exploitation, while Greenpeace says the countryside is under attack, and it too is preparing for battle.

The Waituna Lagoon in Southland, the Aspiring National Park and Paparoa National Park on the West Coast, Kahurangi National Park at the top of the South Island and the whole of the Coromandel are all under threat.

Geoff Keey from Greenpeace is not buying the claim high value conservation land is not at risk - saying the country is under attack.

Greenpeace is concerned the DOC estate will be stripped.

"The very things we use to promote our clean green image - our national parks, our wildlife refuges, all the really important things, are under attack,” Mr Keey says.

But Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee has scotched such suggestions.

“No one would want to see those ripped up in anyway whatsoever,” he says.

Industry experts like Eddie Davis from Minerals West Coast say there is a middle ground for both mining and conservation.

“I think everybody in our industry is for that type of thing but we just need trade-offs. Don't stop one for the sake of the other,” Mr Davis says.

“What I really want to do is get DOC and Crown Minerals talking to each other rather than over top of each other,” says Mr Brownlee.

Pike River mine in Greymouth is being held up as a shining example of sustainability in action.

When the coal is exhausted in a few decades time, the entire operation will be dismantled and the site returned to the forest.

Mr Brownlee says the recently created Oteaki Park in Southland is another indication of what is possible.

"We kept out of that park 200h because there might at some point some mineral value that could be readily accessed on that little bit of it,” he says.

However, Greens co-leader Russel Norman is not convinced.

“National parks are national treasures, and any government that threatens to destroy those national treasures by mining is betraying future generations,” he says.

"Mining is not compatible with conservation...it doesn't work together,” adds Mr Keey.

Greenpeace are demanding answers from the mining industry about the proposed mining in national parks.

Raping the environment, Key and National! Stand down and resign now! Get out of politics!