Category: imported_weekly
After nine months of campaigning to raise public awareness about the dangers of the Marine and Coastal Area Bill, the National Party is on the brink of passing it into law - while the country is still in mourning over the shocking Canterbury earthquake. According to Parliament’s Order Paper, National intends pushing ahead with what has been called the most controversial bill in modern times, on Tuesday.
The Christchurch earthquake has shocked the nation. The unbelievable pain and suffering of families who have lost their loved ones is heartbreaking. Amid the devastation is the extraordinary bravery of people risking their lives to help others.
“The face he showed to the country this week was that of a man who didn't give a stuff what people thought. It may be one that his colleagues and National supporters hope he will not be revealing too often.” Herald Editorial, Sunday 20 February, 2011
It appears that unless there is intense public pressure NOW, John Key will pass the Marine and Coastal Area Bill into law under urgency this week. Why else would the Bill have been rushed back from the Select Committee two weeks early, before members of the committee had even read the officials’ 500-page report, obtained crucial legal advice, or made amendments to the bill? Why else would National have refused to rule out urgency when asked in the House on Thursday whether they intended using urgency to pass the bill into law this week?
Michael has been in the hospitality industry for 30 years. He’s a good operator. The awards displayed on his wall prove it.
Last week the National and Labour Party leaders gave their State of the Nation addresses. Squaring off in the first bout of the contest that will end on election night, it was disturbing to see that neither dwelt on the urgent need to dramatically reduce government spending. In spite of the government now having to borrow $300 million a week to cover its spending commitments both leaders focused mainly on their plans to raise extra cash. For Labour it was tax increases for the rich. For National it was asset sales.
A modern day extension of biculturalism is multiculturalism, the notion that many cultures can exist side by side within a society. This is in contrast to the more traditional belief that a nation can only function cohesively if the different groups within adapt to the cultural values of the society at large.
As we step into election year, it is surely time to take stock of what the National Party said it would do, and what it has actually done.
With the general election now less than 12 months away it is time to reflect on whether the National Government has lived up to expectations in the first two years of its term.
The National Party has a problem, thanks to their list MP Christopher Finlayson. He no doubt promised his Caucus colleagues that he could deliver on a bill to replace Labour’s Foreshore and Seabed Act that would satisfy the Maori Party’s desire to address perceived injustices in the Act and in a manner acceptable to National’s voting constituency. He would have persuaded them that with the help of John Key’s assurances that non-Maori have nothing to fear from the changes, a public backlash could be avoided.
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