Posts by David Clendon

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  Taking a Hiding

  
  
  
  You know your plans are not being well received when one of the major players in the sector speaks out against them. Mr Hide has already faced widespread public opposition to his plans for the Auckland Super City, as well as from other politicians, the current Auckland councils and now the President of Local Government [...] read more
  March 15, 2010 3:34 pm - 23 Comments
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  Protect Our Pacific from climate change

  
  
  
  On Wednesday night I had the pleasure of attending a meeting to hear from Pelenise Pilitati a well known community leader and climate activist from Kiribati. As you can see from this Youtube clip, hearing Pelenise talk brings home the stark reality of the ways that climate change is already affecting Kiribati. She described how in the [...] read more
  March 12, 2010 11:22 am - 33 Comments
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  Govt understanding of the Tertiary sector: FAIL

  
  
  
  Oh dear. Anyone who felt a wee bit nervous when Steven Joyce became Tertiary Education Minister has a right to feel justified in their fears after his last couple of annoucements. First, we hear there are plans to link funding for tertiary institutions to the pass rates of their students from 2012. This is a terrible [...] read more
  March 10, 2010 3:19 pm - 26 Comments
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  CRI Taskforce is refreshing

  
  
  
  The report of the CRI Taskforce released yesterday contains some refreshingly clear thinking about the best way to support science and research in New Zealand. read more
  March 5, 2010 9:01 am - 8 Comments
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  Wake up call for NZ exporters

  
  
  
  If Kiwi businesses are to stay in the international retail game they need to get serious about adopting environmental and sustainable business practices. This is the message coming loud and clear from research revealed by major British retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S). M&S says environmental and social issues remain important to UK consumers. A survey commissioned [...] read more
  March 4, 2010 1:28 pm - 2 Comments
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  Will the Govt deny kiwis a second chance at higher education?

  
  
  
  I’ve been very alarmed to hear murmurings that John Key’s government may remove the long-standing “second chance” policy of open access to tertiary education for anyone over 20. I’m someone who has benefited directly from this policy. read more
  March 2, 2010 1:37 pm - 24 Comments
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  Police to Pass Sentence?

  
  
  
  The already murky plot around the NACT government’s ill-conceived Three Strikes sentencing bill continues to thicken. There was a very interesting but also disturbing exchange in question time on Thursday between Clayton Cosgrove and the Justice Minister Simon Power. The Sentencing and Parole Reform Bill (aka the 3 strikes bill) is before the Law and [...] read more
  February 20, 2010 10:00 am - 10 Comments
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  What will stopping prisoners voting achieve?

  
  
  
  On Wednesday, Paul Quinn’s Electoral (Disqualification of Convicted Prisoners) Amendment Bill was pulled from the member’s bill ballot. read more
  February 12, 2010 11:43 am - 18 Comments
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  John Key takes a swipe at the Tertiary sector

  
  
  
  The Prime Minister took a swipe at the “increasingly urgent problems in our tertiary education sector” in his statement this week. According to John Key, “there are a large number of tertiary programmes, particularly below degree-level, that have drop-out rates as high as 50 percent, and … some of these programmes fail to properly equip students [...] read more
  February 11, 2010 1:30 pm - 4 Comments
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  Stop National stealing the Waitakeres

  
  
  
  I put out a press release yesterday highlighting a well-hidden clause in the third Auckland Council Bill which aims to nationalize Waitakere Regional Park. On Page 163 of the Bill is a clause which would repeal Section 77(1) of the Local Government Act. This means that the Waitakeres would no longer belong to Auckland Regional Council [...] read more
  February 11, 2010 12:24 pm - 6 Comments