Dedicated to democracy, enjoying and restoring the Mahurangi, meaningful climate action, and curiosity—
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Make Aotearoa egalitarian and great again
His timing is impeccable, and his mission merciful. Immediately mocked by the mainstream media, Gareth Morgan’s launch of a party dedicated to eliminating poverty and closing the inequality gap is a cause worthy of wholehearted support, even by…
Mahurangi Action 2015–2016 annual report
Since it was formed 42 years ago, Mahurangi Action has had some big wins. But not only has the 2015–2016 term of office seen the greatest number of wins in a single year, one of those wins was 42 years in the making: The decision by Watercare Services to cease the...
Scott Homestead annual general afternoon tea Saturday
Last year’s was the culmination of a Te Muri walk and a cross-harbour ferry ride. This year’s annual general meeting will be somewhat more perfunctory, on account of it coinciding with the Mahurangi West Hall working bee and Pūhoi Fire Station Givealittle-athon....
Remember, remember Pūhoi Fire Station 5 November
Anyone planning to, should do it Guy Fawkes weekend. And not just because investing this year’s fireworks budget in Pūhoi’s new fire station is the sane thing to do. The Pūhoi Fire Station Givealittle campaign, technically, is an ‘open cause’ that runs until 31 May...
Criteria for non-footbridge crossing
There were good and obvious reasons for considering a footbridge. But there were also a good many reasons why a footbridge across the Pūhoi Estuary, as part of the long-proposed Mahurangi Coastal Trail, was a less-than-optimal solution. Firstly it would have had…
Kids Voting curtain-raiser could electrify elections
Voting in schools works, or would, if more students were involved. With participation rates so low, the only intervention proven to address the worldwide decline in voter turnout is being relegated to little more than tokenism. Of the nearly 500…
Hear no evidence see no evidence speak no…
It is difficult to say which is more egregious. The three mayors yearning for the good old days of single-day polling. Or the mainstream media for being equally ill-informed and not pillorying them for their collective abject lack of evidence-based policy…
Heart-shaped ballot boxes and Kombi combo fails to fire
Tessa Berger is quoted, but not by name. In his New Zealand Herald column Political Roundup, Dr Bryce Edwards names neither Tessa, nor the national Kids Voting programme she champions. Dr Edwards suggests local government is headed towards an…