2014 New Zealand Election thread

[ohnoitsyou]

Why are you not eligible if you don't mind the question. You don't post like a teenager.

18 in december so

 

[Hurricane]

18 in december so

Well you make very linear posts. And I enjoy what you have to say.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Well you make very linear posts. And I enjoy what you have to say.

Cheers mate

 

[Flem274*]

The agriculture can be remodelled, regulated and changed to the point it is eventually no longer environmentally detrimental, which is what the Green Party wants (and something I want). To say that there are members who want to do away with it altogether holds as much weight as there being members of National who would want all slant eyes and ragheads booted out of New Zealand.

That is something I want as well and something my own research will hopefully help with, but at present this dream is impossible considering the stance of several political parties including the Green Party on some aspects of agri-science, namely GMOs and animal testing (regulated and ethical animal testing, before anyone gets going). The sooner political parties zip it with the pseudo-scientific scare mongering the faster we can move away from hordes of cows and crude fertilizers being the weapons of choice for the industry.

This next bit isn't directed at the Green Party per se but it is worth adding to the sustainable agriculture chat: It doesn't help that at the local level it is very "us vs them". I've worked with a regional council and their surveyors hate farmers, and farmers hate them, and that sort of relationship is not going to see any improvement in agricultural practice any time soon. The council are far more interested in having 8am meetings every day than actually doing any work. Their new agricultural plan is clunky (though it was much needed - rezoning needs to happen and hopefully future attempts are much better) and farmers in general around the country are unfairly targeted over the lovely discharge from towns and cities that goes into our rivers daily.

The "they do it too" spiel above doesn't excuse farming for what it does at all, but sustainable agriculture is a pipe dream unless AgReasearch, Landcare Research and the like are allowed to go full speed ahead. New Zealand cannot have an agriculture industry and minor environmental impact today with all the regulation in the world, but we can have it in time with new advances in farming practice. The Greens are standing in the way of many of these advancements.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

That is something I want as well and something my own research will hopefully help with, but at present this dream is impossible considering the stance of several political parties including the Green Party on some aspects of agri-science, namely GMOs and animal testing (regulated and ethical animal testing, before anyone gets going). The sooner political parties zip it with the pseudo-scientific scare mongering the faster we can move away from hordes of cows and crude fertilizers being the weapons of choice for the industry.

This next bit isn't directed at the Green Party per se but it is worth adding to the sustainable agriculture chat: It doesn't help that at the local level it is very "us vs them". I've worked with a regional council and their surveyors hate farmers, and farmers hate them, and that sort of relationship is not going to see any improvement in agricultural practice any time soon. The council are far more interested in having 8am meetings every day than actually doing any work. Their new agricultural plan is clunky (though it was much needed - rezoning needs to happen and hopefully future attempts are much better) and farmers in general around the country are unfairly targeted over the lovely discharge from towns and cities that goes into our rivers daily.

The "they do it too" spiel above doesn't excuse farming for what it does at all, but sustainable agriculture is a pipe dream unless AgReasearch, Landcare Research and the like are allowed to go full speed ahead. New Zealand cannot have an agriculture industry and minor environmental impact today with all the regulation in the world, but we can have it in time with new advances in farming practice. The Greens are standing in the way of many of these advancements.

Interestingly enough i participated in a model united nations thingy about water issues last year. Our mayor opened the event, and went on for about 20 minutes about everything the council was doing to protect the environment. We then had a local who had worked as an eel farmer for 30 odd years come up and talk about how the council had done absolutely nothing to protect the environment and had given in to the farmers demands each and every time. It was hilarious to see the reaction on Julie's face, she took it all personally of course.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

So latest poll not looking good.

 

[Bahnz]

It'll come back, though not by enough to save Greabour. Reckon if the poll had been taken a few days later, the Judith Collins debacle would've hit National's numbers a bit.

 

[Hurricane]

It'll come back, though not by enough to save Greabour. Reckon if the poll had been taken a few days later, the Judith Collins debacle would've hit National's numbers a bit.

I am keeping a list of good words to change my user name to if I get bored one day - and I will add debacle to the list.

 

[Bahnz]

It seems to me that Shane Jones' departure is very close to the final nail in the coffin for Labour. It shows the significant internal divisions within the party, will probably drive away voters in the centre, and will likely alienate NZ First from the Labour party.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Very unethical behaviour from National to poach a sitting opposition MP. The election was lost already, but I just hope this doesn't push things far enough to guarantee National ruling alone.

 

[BeeGee]

legalise pot dudes

Pot is legal where I live (Colorado). The state is making a fortune in weed tax revenue and tourism numbers have gone up.

Man, I've got the munchies real bad.

 

[Hurricane]

Pot is legal where I live (Colorado). The state is making a fortune in weed tax revenue and tourism numbers have gone up.

Man, I've got the munchies real bad.

Probably worth having a thread about it. Apart from the mental health consequences - one joint has the same impact on your lungs that 30 cigarettes does. I am not debating with you here BeeGee as I don't even know what your position is - I am just pointing this out. In a world where they are discussing banning cigarettes altogether why suddenly allow something that is potentially worse from a cancer POV and cost to the health care system.

 

[ohnoitsyou]

At the current point in time the legalise movement has everything going for it. You only have to walk around the centre of Hamilton to see the damage that synthetics have done. Natural marijuana is so preferable to the artificial stuff that its not funny and unless the politicians get their **** into gear, the only way that we are going to get rid of legals is to make the natural stuff legal.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Probably worth having a thread about it. Apart from the mental health consequences - one joint has the same impact on your lungs that 30 cigarettes does. I am not debating with you here BeeGee as I don't even know what your position is - I am just pointing this out. In a world where they are discussing banning cigarettes altogether why suddenly allow something that is potentially worse from a cancer POV and cost to the health care system.

drinking coke gives you diabetes and alcohol kills people every day through a multitude of effects. Playing rugby results in hundreds of head injuries. Something having adverse health effects isn't valid reason to completely prohibit it.

Also, who on earth smokes an entire joint by themselves?

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Pot is legal where I live (Colorado). The state is making a fortune in weed tax revenue and tourism numbers have gone up.

Man, I've got the munchies real bad.

Just as of yesterday I was starting to think about where I'd like to take a gap year - the answer has been found for me I see

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Albi hitting the nail on the head there.

 

[Flem274*]

At the current point in time the legalise movement has everything going for it. You only have to walk around the centre of Hamilton to see the damage that synthetics have done. Natural marijuana is so preferable to the artificial stuff that its not funny and unless the politicians get their **** into gear, the only way that we are going to get rid of legals is to make the natural stuff legal.

is this just the appeal to nature or is it true? genuinely asking, i have no idea. i do live with someone who hits the legals pretty hard (i'm not sure i've ever talked to him not high) and well...sometimes he's very good at day dreaming lets put it that way.

i hate the rubbish and have no idea why anyone would want to touch it let alone implicitly encourage it by legalising it but legalise it imo. people are allowed to wreck themselves with booze and ciggies. weed is no different.

 

[Hurricane]

Alcohol is a far superior drug to Marijuana.. In moderation there are even some health benefits to drinking.

And I don't like ONIY's logic that it is the lesser of two evils.

Peter Dunne was on Campbell live today and he said "You only have to take a trip to your local psch ward / hospital to see the damage pot can do. We won't be legalising it soon".

The only argument in favour of bud is that it is basically non addictive unless you go stupid on it and have it every day.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Nah, I don't agree with you, Hurricane.

Alcohol leads to drunken violence, drink driving, alcoholism etc etc
New Zealand's "drinking culture"

Marijuana leads to cottonmouth, munchies, sunshine, and lollipops.

Regarding the Dunne quote, you don't even need to visit a hospital to see what damage alcohol can do.

 

[BeeGee]

Probably worth having a thread about it. Apart from the mental health consequences - one joint has the same impact on your lungs that 30 cigarettes does. I am not debating with you here BeeGee as I don't even know what your position is - I am just pointing this out. In a world where they are discussing banning cigarettes altogether why suddenly allow something that is potentially worse from a cancer POV and cost to the health care system.

Honestly, I don't use it, but I'm basically a libertarian and believe that people should be free to make their own decisions (as long as it doesn't harm others).

As far as cancer is concerned, I actually believe the most popular form of the drug sold in Colorado is in edible goods. This is because it's still illegal to smoke it in public places.

An interesting legal twist is that even though marijuana is legal under Colorado state law, it's still illegal under US federal law, so technically the federal authorities could still arrest someone in Colorado for marijuana possession, manufacture or sale, but the US Justice Department has said it won't challenge Colorado or other states with laws legalizing recreational marijuana.