Envirologue by Dave Hansford

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Envirologue: Swamp Monsters – the Looting of Northland’s Sunken Assets

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  • Moz, in reply to Ken Sparks,

    Collins is doing her best here to make sure politicians rank as low as they possibly can on the 'most respected' list.

    I thought it was mutual respect? They treat us like sheep, in response we regard them as scum...and vote for them anyway. Baaa.

    As Mal Webb says "respect can't be demanded, it has to be inspired"

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    the ungulate great planet earth!

    I thought it was mutual respect? They treat us like sheep, in response we regard them as scum…and vote for them anyway.

    Reports are coming in of the next extinction period:
    http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/earth-is-entering-sixth-extinction-phase-with-many-species--including-our-own--labelled-the-walking-dead-10333608.html

    The report, authored by scientists at Stanford, Princeton and Berkeley universities, found that vertebrates were vanishing at a rate 114 times faster than normal.

    in other words anything with a backbone is likely to disappear faster than the current crop of National politicians!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    slumber-jacking & loggerheads…
    I see The Press has even weighed in on the matter –

    Has the Press's curtain-twitcher-in-chief seen the light and abandoned his recent streak of attempting to outdo Paul Henry at his own game? Whatever, there's still the trademark racist twist in the piece's final sentence.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    the real 'deal' ?

    Whatever, there’s still the trademark racist twist in the piece’s final sentence.

    I believe they call this the 'snigger in the woodpile'...
    :- (

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • william blake,

    I can't quite frame the question, but a minister of the crown, on camera, with a microphone in her face can say; "is it illegal? No? Then mind your own business"

    And she wants to be prime minister?

    Since Mar 2010 • 380 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to william blake,

    And she wants to be prime minister?

    Definitely.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    How is the brave man who was attacked?

    Campbell Live tackled this awhile ago. Perhaps someone in television will pick it up again?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    This seems to me to be the perfect coming together of two distinct attitudes that have characterised this government from day one. First, an aggressively, retroactive, 19th century view of the environment, where a clean environment is seen as a luxury we cannot afford, and the value “locked up” in namby-pamby conservation measures is to released, exploited and squeezed dry for economic gain, even where that gain might come at the cost of fiflthy rivers, drained and destroyed wetlands and be of the crudest kind to the fewest people and at the greatest environmental cost. Thank Christ we never struck oil under this lot. The second is class-based cronyism, hidden behind a cavalier disregard for the law and US Republican style attack on over-sight agencies. The Key government, like the Bolger/Shipley one, is leaving behind a massive social and democratic deficit of under-funded and under-resourced public sector agencies. This government is increasingly emboldened by having a supine and superficial media that largely parrots the government line. I shudder to think what damage Shipley could have done with a corporate media as captured by pro-government plutocrats as it is now; while actual, third world style corruption, the corruption that festers in countries like Malaysia and Indonesia where the media is cowed and pro-government, is probably now already upon us.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Tom Semmens,

    Is that a convoluted way of saying they're a pack of self-serving,self-centred, self-righteous, self-mythologizing, twatcocks?

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    A brief mention of this on TV3 news tonight. No mention of the links to the Minister and her husband though.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Whoops,

    Attachment

    Rolling down Custom St this morning…


    (embed fail...just tilt your head a little)

    here • Since Apr 2007 • 105 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Whoops,

    Rolling down Custom St this morning…

    That is so obviously a table, exquisitely carved, for export to our new overlords.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • izogi, in reply to Whoops,

    (embed fail…just tilt your head a little)

    Or click through to the large version. (At least, Firefox auto-rotates it for me.)

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 1142 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Whoops,

    That is an impressive taonga about to be lost to us.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    From yesterday’s Northern Advocate, a cleverly worded apology

    On Thursday June 18 a story was published in the Northern Advocate, entitled “Call for Halt on Swamp Kauri Exports”.

    This story mentioned that Kauri Ruakaka Limited, formerly known as Oravida, has a stockpile of swamp kauri at Ruakaka.

    The story referred to Kauri Ruakaka Limited by its former name and described it as a Chinese company, when in fact Kauri Ruakaka Limited is and always has been a New Zealand registered company.

    We wish to clarify that the article was not intended to give the impression that Kauri Ruakaka Limited (Oravida), Judith Collins MP and her husband have engaged in any illegal or improper conduct in respect of the collection or export of swamp kauri.

    The Northern Advocate apologises if any of our readers formed an inaccurate view of the activities of Kauri Ruakaka Limited as a result of this story.

    - Northern Advocate

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Are we allowed to know who complained about the story?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Don't know but can imagine.

    I hear there were also questions in parliament today. Slowly knowledge and then outrage is spreading.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    Don’t know but can imagine.

    I hear there were also questions in parliament today. Slowly knowledge and then outrage is spreading.

    Doesn't it have the whiff of a company town atmosphere?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    Attachment

    Tremain

    After this subject received a good public airing, the Government has decided to tighten export rules for swamp kauri.

    Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said milling operators will now have to notify the Ministry of all finished products for export and have them inspected.

    Operators will also have to notify the Northland Regional Council of any and all extraction activities.

    Mr Guy said the Ministry would increase its oversight of swamp kauri exports and put more resources in Whangarei to increase sawmill and export inspections.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Katharine Moody, in reply to Alfie,

    Perhaps another example of opposition + media driving Government policy – as if I recall correctly, it was Winston Peters as MP for the region who raised this in Parliament – which kicked off the media attention.

    Found it;

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/277836/mps-say-smith-got-swamp-kauri-rules-wrong

    Wellington • Since Sep 2014 • 798 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    That is an impressive taonga

    Hah! That is _kindling_ compared to the 'table tops' I've seen rolling south from the Far North.

    A few years ago they'd be rolling along, bold as brass, in broad daylight. With the controversy raging over the past year, daylight runs have diminished. Insomniacs, (parked up in their Bus on side of road), can hear the trucks groaning along _way_ before the headlights appear. Funny looking pine logs.

    We love the FN, and understand that a buck can be hard to make(legally). Unfortunately, the evidence is plainly obvious when the diggers have been busy, with streams running orange. Some of these streams feed the wetlands adjoining one of the finest (from a flora, fauna and fishing perspective) harbours in the country.

    Increased oversight and enforcement will hopefully help protect these environmental taonga....but methinks will go down like a cup of cold sick in some quarters.

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Hand-wringing from Nathan Guy.

    "We can't legislate for value add ..."

    Feeble little boy.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    OIA14-144-10-November-2014.pdf

    but methinks will go down like a cup of cold sick in some quarters.

    ....like it did when this guy got his comeuppance....(page 12)

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie, in reply to Sacha,

    Hand-wringing from Nathan Guy.

    Hmmm. Methinks there will be some new jobs created in the Far North... for Maori carvers who work fast and don't chisel more than 20mm into the outside of logs.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    Attachment

    Another kauri comment from Garrick Tremain.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

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