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Green Party MP Golriz Gharaman is pushing a Members Bill that would give prisoners the right to vote and ban overseas donations to political parties.
Oh, and change the 5% party vote MMP threshold to 4% without a public referendum — just a simple majority in Parliament will do (we nearly forgot about that bit buried in the fine print).
With the Greens clinging to 5% in recent polls and being the third leg of the coalition, and NZ First at about 3%, it’s no surprise the Greens want to move the goalposts before the next election.
Gharaman has been called out on this undemocratic move by political commentators such as PR man Matthew Hooton, and others, but her response has been flippant, to say the least. She says her real target is overseas donations, and anyway the Electoral Commission said dropping the MMP threshold to 4% was worth doing. As Hooton rightly says, “parliamentarians with integrity should only change how Parliament is elected by a 75% super-majority or referendum”.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related protests – and that is to be expected, but the diplomatic efforts and wisdom of Winston Peters in this area should not be overlooked or ignored.
OPINION: The Greens aren’t serious people when it comes to the economy, so let’s not spend too much on their fiscal fantasies.
OPINION: The Greens aren't serious people when it comes to the economy, so let's not spend too much on their fiscal fantasies.
OPINION: Before we all let The Green Party have at it with their 'bold' emissions reduction plan, the Hound thought it wise to run the numbers through the old Casio.
OPINION: According to Statistics NZ, the country's greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.7% in the March quarter, the largest quarterly decrease since March 2010 "excluding the pandemic years".
A large slice of the $3.2 billion proposed capital return for Fonterra farmer shareholders could end up with the banks.
Opening a new $3 million methane research barn in Waikato this month, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay called on the dairy sector to “go as fast as you can and prove the concepts”.
According to ASB, Fonterra's plan to sell it's Anchor and Mainlands brands could inject $4.5 billion in additional spending into the economy.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.
Dignitaries from all walks of life – the governor general, politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.
