Guest and sponsored opinion pieces published on The Daily Blog, offering diverse perspectives within clear editorial guidelines.
On this grand occasion of a visit by a Trump agitator to New Zealand next week – I speak of the former Fossil Fuel Industry ogre who is tasked with the oh so challenging job of finding a use for and promoting the sale of American weapons around the world – it seems timely to serve up a reminder to let go of America. The European Union is doing it and New Zealand as a country has opportunities to follow suite.
June 8 should be remembered in America as a ‘day of infamy’.
Let me ask you a very simple question: If you had a lot of money, would you invest in an industry that is growing substantially, has public acceptance and is sustainable? Or one that is finite, destructive and regularly incites protest?
Cloud Ocean Water Ltd is a China-based company specialising in investment in New Zealand. This month they gained the water rights to the Belfast aquifer in Waimakariri.
The amount of water they will be allowed to take for free each day is obscene.
Unelected Tory PM Theresa May called an early general election on April 18th, saying that she needed a mandate for Brexit. At the time, it was hailed as a masterstroke and it was assumed the Conservatives would romp to victory. But now … not so much.
The prisoner voting ban law was simply another law passed by the majority to take away the rights of a minority one that they no doubt saw was powerless and vulnerable just as Maori were seen, at least until more recent and enlightened times when they were able to begin enforcing their rights through the courts.
Mayor Phil Goff’s intentions regarding the Ports of Auckland always struck me as quite ambiguous. While he has been free with comments about wanting to physically move the port… to the Firth of Thames, to the Manukau Harbour, to anywhere…I have noticed he has always fallen silent when the question of his commitment to public ownership of the port comes up – ‘coy’ as NZ Herald’s Bernard Orsman puts it.
Pubs are great places for a chat. Last night, in between games of darts, I talked with a mate about the coming election. He told me he was going to party vote Labour but electorate vote the Greens because he liked their local candidate.
I want people to stop blaming mental health alone and start realising that the hand to hold closest to us is theirs. Some things can’t be fixed but all things can be fought and every enemy subdued – not by an offices intellect but by the collective might of enough civilian foot soldiers.
Speech by New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters
Public Meeting,
Forbury Racecourse, Bart Winters Room,
45 McAndrews Rd,
South Dunedin.
10.30am, Wednesday, May 24, 2017