Does Cameron Slater have his own agenda? http://huttriver.blog.co.uk/
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Kiwi blogger to appeal his conviction for breaching suppressiion orders
Kiwi blogger to appeal his conviction for breaching suppression orders: http://kiwiriverman.blogspot.com/
Does Cameron Slater have his own agenda? http://huttriver.blog.co.uk/
Read at either site and draw your own conclusion?
Does Cameron Slater have his own agenda? http://huttriver.blog.co.uk/
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Developers built on unsafe land - Christchurch mayor claims
Developers built on unsafe land - Christchurch mayor claims...
Have you been affected by the earthquake?
Cleaning up after the Christchurch earthquake. Photo / Greg BowkerDevelopers went ahead and built on areas of land that could turn into murky soup after an earthquake, despite legal opposition from the local council, the mayor of Christchurch says.
Christchurch City Council mayor Bob Parker said for the past 30 years his council has insisted Land Information reports record if homes are built on sandy soil deposits and subject to liquefaction.
Whole streets in Christchurch have been built on sandy soil deposits. Shortly before Saturday's magnitude 7.1 quake, rains had caused the soil to take on large amounts of water. The soil was then turned to mush when the ground began to shake - this process is known as liquefaction.
"With the benefit of hindsight, you would probably have to say that the nature of the foundations were not designed to cope in the end with the type of earthquake that we had," said Mr Parker.
"In a number of cases, there are areas where council has indicated that it did not want residential development to go ahead. In a number of cases this has resulted in court cases and on some occasions the council has lost those court cases," Mr Parker said.
He said there have also been some older areas of Christchurch which have suffered liquefaction damage but were developed long before the phenomenon was known.
"But it is interesting to note that the new Deans Stand built in AMI Stadium was built on a liquefaction zone. There is not an iota of damage, settling, or shifting that has occurred in that massive structure. And the reason is that the foundations have been designed to cope with the ground situation," Mr Parker said.
He said building is possible in liquefaction areas but, like the Deans stand, the appropriate type of foundation is needed.
Mr Parker said a lot will be learned about liquefaction from the earthquake in Christchurch.
Building requirements have been changed by the council as a result of the quake.
An urgent change has been pushed through by the council requiring earthquake-damaged buildings undergoing repairs to meet a higher standard of structural safety.
In an extraordinary meeting this morning, the council resolved to adopt a new policy whereby earthquake-prone buildings will have to aim for a goal of 67 per cent of building code levels rather than the existing 33 per cent.
The new standard would bring older buildings up from about 10 per cent of the strength of a brand new building, to about 50 per cent.
The policy comes six days after Canterbury was hit by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that caused extensive disruption and damage across the region.
"What we are trying to do is make sure buildings don't fall on people," said Christchurch City Councillor Sue Wells.
"What we have learnt through the last little while is that buildings which are strengthened to 33 per cent of (building) code will not provide the security that we are needing."
Cr Wells said the increased costs of meeting the higher building standard would depend on a case-by-case basis.
"The cost to building owners of doing repairs will be vastly less than the cost to them of losing their livelihood, of losing their building, of losing their trading. That is what is happening out there."
Mr Parker said: "It is true to say this will cost more money in some cases."
Asked if the higher standards expected could encourage building owners to demolish rather than rebuild, Cr Wells said the previous standard was not adequate.
"And no-one is going to thank us for letting building owners repair their buildings to an inadequate level of code. Nobody wants to see buildings strengthened just to fall down again."
The council could not delay this change but building owners were already seeking to lodge applications for consent to rebuild.
Mr Parker said the city had a "duty of care" to the people of the city, and the council had to react to the quake.
"It will cause some issues for some property owners. And in the months to come, some people will have to make hard decisions.
"What we will not compromise on in is the safety of our citizens. We are making a decision that will save lives in the future."
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Investigations into the dancing taggers...
Image via Wikipedia Investigations into the dancing taggers...
Police investigations have been launched after a Whangarei couple forced two teenage males - who they suspected of tagging their fence - to dance.
Investigations have been launched after an incident in Whangarei where a couple forced two teenage males - who they suspected of tagging their fence - to dance.
The couple tracked down the young people and told them to dance while they waited for police, posting a 10 minute video on YouTube.
Police first on the scene laughed, took photos and called more officers to watch the performance.
Whangarei police say investigations have been launched into the conduct of the couple and the police who attended.
One of the alleged taggers is charged with willful damage
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Green and Green - NZ Greens congratulate Australians Greens on their success
Image via WikipediaNZ Green Party Congratulates Australian Greens on their success...
Russel NormanNZ Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman today congratulated his Australian Green counterparts on their involvement in Australia's next government.
"This is a great opportunity for Australia to begin moving ahead on climate change," said Dr Norman.
"11% of Australian's voted for the Greens in the recent election. Due to Australia's parliamentary system this did not result in proportional representation for those voters who supported the Green Party.
"However there is now a real opportunity to move ahead on tackling climate change due to the deal the Australian Greens signed with Ms Gillard."
Under the Australian Green Party's agreement with Prime Minister Gillard a well resourced climate change committee will be set up. The Committee will be resourced like a Cabinet Committee. Reducing carbon pollution by 2020 will likely require a carbon price according to this agreement.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Foreshore and seabed bill around the corner...
Image via WikipediaForeshore and seabed bill around the corner?
The Government have made good progress on a bill designed to repel the existing law and guarantee access to the foreshore and seabed for all New Zealanders.
Prime Minister John Key says New Zealanders will find out what rights they have to the foreshore and seabed next week.
The Government has been seeking feedback on a proposal to repeal the existing law and replace it with a public domain regime where no one would own the foreshore and seabed.
Mr Key says the bill will likely be introduced into Parliament next week.
He says good progress has been made with the bill, and when it's released it will guarantee access to the foreshore and seabed for all New Zealanders.
Key can say what he likes. Will Maori support him? The Maori Party was formed because greedy radical Maori want it for themselves. They don't seem to understand they are not the owners of this land, just the caretakers of their few hectares. Maori are not indigenous to NZ anyway; their ancestors came from East Polynesia. Nobody can own the land below the high-tide mark anyway!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
New clue in 1984 Wellington Trades Hall bombing that killed Ernie Abbott...
Who killed Ernie Abbott in the 1984 Wellington Trades hall bombing? Poor Ernie was the elderly caretaker who was in the wrong place at the wrong time? There is a new clue that could lead to the bomber and killer!
Go to 'Down by the HuttRiver' and read now: http://peter-petterson.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
National Puts Kiwi Supergold Free Travel Scheme At Risk Again...
Image via WikipediaNational Puts Kiwi Supergold Card Free Travel Scheme At Risk Again...
The possibility that pensioners in Dunedin may have to pay for what have been free bus trips under the SuperGold Card free travel scheme shows National can't be trusted to keep the scheme going anywhere, says Labour transport spokesperson Darren Hughes.
"Grey Power has every reason to be fearful of a report in the Otago Daily Times today that says the Transport Ministry has told the Otago Regional Council it wants to cut the SuperGold Card bus subsidy from 75 percent of the adult fare to 65 percent," Darren Hughes.
"Grey Power knows how important it is to keep the pressure on John Key's National Government over this issue.
"Since March this year, when Transport Minister Steven Joyce seemed to suggest consultation was starting on a review of the scheme, Grey Power has been left in no doubt how slippery National is on this issue," Darren Hughes said.
"As soon as National realised at that time how angry pensioners were, it quickly backtracked, of course.
"Steven Joyce lamely and unconvincingly tried to explain that his media release might have been confusing --- and that he was never really talking about eligibility, but just about getting a better deal from transport operators," Darren Hughes said.
"Now, six months after John Key asked people to watch his lips, and promised that the scheme would not be cut back, the Transport Ministry, no doubt acting on Mr Joyce's instructions, is trying to back the Otago Regional Council into a corner where it is forced to try to screw more funding from bus companies.
"Steven Joyce's office says nothing has yet been approved by the cabinet, but who can trust National given what was first said in March, and given what Steven Joyce tried to fudge a few days later," Darren Hughes said.
"Otago Regional Council is not making this up. Nor is the newspaper making it up. Nor is the Transport Ministry making it up.
"Grey Power knows that, and that's why it smells treachery.
"The problem that National is finding is that when you start being slippery on an issue, people stop trusting you," Darren Hughes said
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