Blair Anderson, on the hustings 'canvassing for opinion'

Blair Anderson, on the hustings 'canvassing for opinion'
affiliation: Blair4Mayor.com

Friday, November 12, 2010

Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water

A letter [12th of October] to The Hon Greg Combet MP Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water in Australia from Alan Marshall of Climate Change Answers in Tasmania: -

www.climatechangeanswers.org is at: -
www.climatechangeanswers.org/campaign/LessonsFromCopenhagen.pdf

makes a good case for Contraction and Convergence [C&C].

"Contraction and Convergence"

Built on the ideal of per-capita emissions rights, the model is practical in its implementation. Because the emissions cuts required by developed nations are so deep, convergence to a per-capita solution is only possible over time.

In contraction, the total annual emission of greenhouse gases reaches a ceiling, and then gradually contracts. The convergence mechanism facilitates the distribution of emission entitlements across the world to converge on equality. At the end of the convergence period countries receive entitlements in proportion to the size of their population.

Developed countries are the first to make large cuts in their emissions levels, whereas developing countries are permitted to keep increasing their emissions levels for a period before also beginning to cut their emissions.

The model has widespread support from scientists, businessmen, politicians, and faith groups. (see http://gci.org.uk)  It has received endorsement from a long list of luminaries, including: -

Raul Estrada, Chairman Kyoto Protocol Negotiations
Nick Clegg, UK Deputy Prime Minister
Ed Milliband, Leader of the UK Labour Party
Sir David Attenborough, Naturalist
Dr Tim Flannery, Australian of the Year

(and we are left to wonder why the media pretended if you werent Jim or Bob, your contribution to the civics of Christchurch could only be limited to the merest by-line. /Blair)
 

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Results are in... 850+ to Anderson

View of Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Ze...Image via WikipediaAnother 850 votes from Christchurch City.

Not too bad given the media blackout on issues, no debate and the earthquake. Oh and a budget of less than 20 dollars. 

It should be noted that despite an increased turnout, the incumbent Mayor, Bob Parker was returned but his popularity is still tempered by >74% of Christchurch Citizens over 18yrs not voting for him.  Barely a mandate.

Retiring MP, Jim Anderton proved to be 'yesterdays man' with about 1 in 5 support.

(*still some specials etc to come in)

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Government Responsibility for the Drug Culture

Haught Street Obama "Yes We Cannabis"...Image by Tony the Misfit via Flickr
(and we wonder why James Webster suffered from 'double standard impediments to credible anti-alcohol/drug education. /Blair)  

Exposing the Fraudulent Criminalization of Marijuana.

The harm caused by the war on pot extends beyond its 15 million prisoners; its cost has exceeded a trillion dollars.

For almost 40 years, the United States has waged a war on its own citizens who have used marijuana as a part of a drug culture originally encouraged by the government. The war was commenced despite the government's own findings that marijuana posed less of a risk to American society than alcohol, and that the greatest harm that would result from criminalization would be the injury caused to those arrested for possession and use. The harm caused by the war extends beyond its 15 million prisoners; its cost has exceeded a trillion dollars, and it has benefited only those who profit from the illegal cultivation and sale of marijuana.     see  Government Responsibility for the Drug Culture

Friday, October 8, 2010

Community Safety led "harm minimisation"

Leading International Scientific Body Supports Call for Legalization and Regulation to Reduce Cannabis-Related Harms

http://stopthedrugwar.org/trenches/2010/oct/07/new_report_us_government_data_de

Lest we forget, NZ's 'tax and regulate' legislation was passed into law the day John Key became right and honourable.



--
 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com
http://blair4mayor.com
http://efsdp.org

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Sunday, October 3, 2010

1% goes to Anderson, not bad for $20

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has stormed to a decisive lead in the mayoral race a week out from election day, a Press poll shows.
The survey of 400 voters, conducted between September 24 and 29, showed that of those who had voted or planned to vote, Parker had 36 per cent support to Jim Anderton's 20 per cent.  Another 28 per cent had not decided, 16 per cent would not disclose and 1 per cent opted for Blair Anderson.
(of course Jim will be saying I have been out stealing his votes)

--
 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Nailing Jelly to Trees.

Space view of Christchurch and surrounding areas.Image via Wikipedia
Elevated Police chase statistics and poor outcomes began when we introduced the poorly thought out Boy Racer Bill. This legislation had its roots in Christchurch and Mayor Parker. This is deserving of further thought (before all you red-neck bigots start trashing my letterbox).


An old time British cop, former head of London Metro/Scotland Yard Det Chief Super Eddie Ellison whom I hosted here back in 2004 said "never give an offender nothing left to lose". So what if all they have is their car? Look at what this young man (whose life is pretty much screwed now too) said. The clue is right there. Yes he was speeding. Yes he broke the law. Other people speed and break the law too including, notably several Prime Ministers but we don't take their cars off them. Do we. Get the picture folks...

It just might be the laws specifically targeting this 'age/sex' demographic is at fault and creating the outcomes we wish to avoid.

We have urban dog policy that is counter productive. We have urban drug policy that is counter productive... could it be we have yet again fallen in the same trap? 


Perhaps the most radical idea in today's report on police and anti-social behaviour is the call for a "refocusing on what causes harm in communities, rather than what is or is not a 'crime'".

Instead of police resources being driven by what the criminal justice system regards as serious, we should put the effort into what does most damage to society and our quality of life. So where would that lead us?

The Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Denis O'Connor believes that, too often, "we sanctify anything that happens to be badged by some legislation as a crime" and dismiss incidents and activities which are "a blight on the lives of millions" but are not defined as criminal offences.

Harm comes in different forms: direct harm to the victim; harm to the community; harm to the perpetrator from the criminal justice response; harm to the economy - and on and on.

[Snip ends]

Frankly, we need an open and unprejudiced re-assessment from the ground up, lets look at the chase stats, lets look at the social factors and lets stop bullying young people. A couple driving home from the gym paid a very dear price for us to maintain an intolerance closely resembling stupidity. Now society is going to pay a very dear price to keep this young man in jail. And the outcome will be? 

Mayor Parker (and regrettably his only possible alternative, Anderton) cannot rationally talk about harm minimisation as they are both of a mind they can nail jelly to trees 'if we only try harder'.

--
 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
http://blair4mayor.com/
http://efsdp.org/

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Christchurch Mayoralty, Sex Education and STV

View of Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Ze...Image via Wikipedia
Jim Mora, 
Radio New Zealand Afternoons.

What the polls tell us is Bob Parker will be about as popular as 2007 when four out of five voters didn't vote for him.  
The polls are telling us the same of Jim this time around.

Bring on STV, it will cure the media of the pretence to two horse racing. 

Neither Bob nor Jim have been tested in the public arena. 

Has the former Drug Czar ever been tested if he would ever deliver on core issues that were under his brief for so long. Safer Christchurch? on Climate Changing Christchurch, or even on Healthy Christchurch. 

Bob's an Alcohol Champion whose 2007 electoral campaign included touring with Police on cannabis busts.  (Press debates)

Now we learn Parker's SAFER Christchurch Crime-fighting and Emergency skills descended to dissing the "Emergency" Police out of a chopper ride to view the damage presumably to show his wife 'this is my life in fluoro'  (Canterbury Issues). 

If one thought Bob has done a wonderful job, one would either have amnesia, is star-struck or its a full moon. His term has been a travesty of civic governance.

As for Anderton, he's responsible for a drug policy mess that requires Dunne to lie about it to the Criminal Justice sector. 

Not that drug policy hasnt messed up teens in general. Eight hundred of the thousand young people who went through the University of Otago longitudinal study [CHDS]  would be in Anderton's Jails, suspended, expelled or taken from their parents, that is if we hadn't buggered their life with a lifelong Criminal/Justice record going by his rules.

Could former Health Minister Anderton (and likely chair of Healthy Christchurch) explain to us sceptics how Dutch teen pregnancy, STD's, trouble with the law and youth suicide is one fifth ours and convince us it has nothing to do with removing the double standards. 

And we want to make this man Mayor of Bob's BoyRacerville where we sit in wait and chase the young buggers down the busiest streets in town as fast as we can and not expect harm maximisation?  Turn out your pockets kids!

What Republic of Christchurch Mayoral candidate has expertise across the inter-sectoral policy base again?  The one kicked out of Healthy Christchurch or the one arrested and charged for talking about it? Or the one banned from Anderton's Wigram office because his own Ministry suggested he talk to me and he felt asking for the meeting was threatening behaviour? It's on parliamentary letterhead.

In August and September  we had two of the worlds experts here talking about youth and drugs (Prof Nutt and Sir Ian Gilmore) and no one noticed? They talked in the Rolleston lecture theatre at the med school. Drugs are about health. When a few days later 
Joe Boden PhD,  reported on cannabis and youth to the entire Canterbury health/alcohol/youth/drug sector telling us how bad we doing [its our data, not the Netherlands'] and NO hard questions are asked of these Mayoral public health pretenders...

Alcohol and other Drugs health promotion is deluding us all and media pretends it doesn't get it?
(I feel another Tui billboard coming on).

If Healthy Christchurch followed its signatory obligation to the Ottawa Charter much could be learned. (including attracting multimillion dollar research budgets)

But with either of these two canvassing clowns at the head of the table the next three years we will assuredly be asking why we still still be asking the same questions in 2013? 

Why should media care.. without dysfunction their wouldn't be news huh!
Both Parker and Anderton come with guarantees as good as gold. They are both blessed by this earthquake, teh focus on re-building saves them from confronting themselves.

To improve sex education and youth 'best practice' policy, spread STV.

 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
http://blair4mayor.com/
http://efsdp.org/

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Monday, September 27, 2010

As seen on Pundit

Kasia at the Vienna declaration session 2Image by strollerdos via Flickr
I'm wondering whether the punitive politics in New Zealand have become so ingrained in the way our politicians think, so powerful, that many in parliament have simply stopped looking at law and order through any other lens. - Tim Watkin

The single largest factor driving the prison industry is our drug policy....
It is creating the very problem it set out to solve.
It is undoubtedly a class war, racially applied by those imbued with white privilege, and largely at the behest of the USA for whom imprisonment is the gold standard of therapy....
Civic leaders and those sceptical of the level of expenditure and thus displacement of resources that could be better spent, I would direct them to consider (even if only to read) the Prague Declaration (or similarly, the Vienna Declaration on which it is primarily based)

Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Petrol heads? Alienated from rule of law, Hello!!

An extreme example of "Ricer;" a Toy...Image via Wikipedia Rachael Ford (Candor Trust) on targeted youth interventions creating worst case scenarios.
Road safety and police chases... turning over youth - going over cars, confiscating everything you've got.


If your chasing someone for minor non-criminal infringements, esp alcohol and other drugs think again, what could be worse? a possibly stoned or drunk driver or one with his pedal to the metal experiencing a testosterone fuelled adrenaline inspired brain fart. 

Dead dogs and Cops....(yep its our issue too) 

Boy Racer legislation / Police complaints authority / Royal Commission / Road Safety quota's

Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
http://blair4mayor.com/
http://efsdp.org/

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Friday, September 3, 2010

Political Intelligence Lead to Deaths

Media Release:  no embargo
Blair Anderson, Christchurch Mayoral Candidate.
Friday, 3rd Sept, 2010
Inadequate Intelligence leads to Deaths.
The Police incident that resulted in the Coronial Inquiry into Napier Police Officer Len Snee's death and injury to others parallels the incident a year later in Christchurch that resulted in the death of Police Dog Gage and the wounding of two other police officers. 
The common but unresolved issue in both events is the failure by successive Governments to ensure SAFER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER by legally regulating the popular and seemingly  socially acceptable recreational psychoactive soft drug, Cannabis.
Lets all be "Intelligent" says the MildGreen Social Ecology activist and Christchurch Mayoral Candidate Blair Anderson, "and fix this anomaly."
Yesterdays (sept2) presentation in Christchurch to Community Health leaders regarding what is to be learned from NZ's world  renowned Multidisciplinary and Longitudinal health studies has informed us that cannabis is not just popular amongst youth (80% <25yrs) but its use remains prevalent into adulthood. It also shows that few come to any problem but identifies that it is also enforced disproportionally profiling males, young and those who have previously come into contact with the law clearly identifying that enforcement is problematic, ineffective and inefficient.  
For those that do experience the full force of the law, the science shows it doesn't do anything to deter use.
A scientific review by emminent Canadian epidemiologists completed in March 2010 following similar incidences involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police asking "Does drug law enforcment affect levels of drug market violence? (Werb, Rowell, Kerr, Montaner, and Wood, Urban Health Research Initiative, Vancouver)  shows such violence is a NATURAL CONSEQUENCE of drug prohibition.
So why do we do "prohibition" so badly, as demonstrated by the terrible cost borne by Police and their Dogs?
Time to Get Smart and apply some decent Drug Intelligence. No stab proof vests or extra supervision required.
"Perhaps my compatriot Mayoral Candidate and former Associate Minister of Health, Hon Jim Anderton can tell us why he ignored the science for change in the legal status from as far back as 2006 round table and answer this question, would Len Snee, Gage and Jan Molenaar be alive or dead today if he had made Cannabis a SAFERCHOICE alternative to to Alcohol under the provisions he passed by Order In Council gazetted in October 2008 - legally regulating recreational psychoactive soft drug sales, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health?"
If the answer is as the science suggests, Anderton does not deserve to be rewarded for failure with the golden chains to New Zealand's SAFEST CITY.  
Nor too should Mayor Bob Parker escape scrutiny, on the day Parker was accepting the UN accredited SAFER CITIES award, the very mechanism of 'drug market violence' was being perpetrated with Samuri Swords, Axes and Knives on a family 'for their stash' in Cashel Street. [They didn't even have any.]
Mayor Parker's corporate media machine touts his reelection stand for SAFER Christchurch, but he admonished Anderson for being disrespectful to Police before full council for positing community safety and SAFERCHOICE.ORG on the day that Len Snee was being buried.
"Parker deserves to be stripped of those chains for promoting inner city VintageTrams to and from Wine factories and (fmr Mayor) Garry Moore's Bar, past David Henderson's developments and 'the Strip' all the while being a pretender to public safety" says candidate Anderson whose last run in with the law, saw him arrested 'for daring to say so in public' resulting in Police Bail "forbidden from entering the Four Ave's for a month."  John A Lee would be spinning in his grave.
"Parker is a Champion for Alcohol all right;  must the underground advice he's getting from his almost academic wife, though for what they have in common he and Anderton would make a great couple."

Blair (for Mayor) Anderson  affiliation: http://blairformayor.blogspot.com ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219
note to all media: the affiliation is officially approved as evidenced on voter forms and election literature published by the Chief Returning Officer. It is democratically remis to fail to advise the electorate of ALL candidates affiliation. The writer's use of a 'webaddress' was pioneered in 2002, and upheld by the Justice and Electoral Committee after a formal complaint by Hon Jim Anderton. See Hansard. The writer is the only person contesting the Christchurch Mayoralty to have won the right (again) to use new media as an effective democratic tool. Anderson's campaigns are notable for the absence of visible street signage.

Open Letter to Welsh Local Body Voter

Dear "A Voter".
 
It is the experience of this third time Mayoral candidate that it is media the governs the issues here in the local body hustings.
 
Ranging from ignoring, the prerogative to the down right dishonest reporting of this core issue. Pretenders to Community Safety and SAFER STREETS pander to the 40 year dogma of prohibition propaganda get the mind-share yet the local bodies are the ones left to not only pick up the burden of insecurity created by this misplaced policy, they also licence premises to sell alcohol and govern through other planning where tobacco can and cant be sold. It IS a local election issue.
 
Only yesterday one of our social scientists gave a analysis of the TWO longest running longitudinal and multidisciplinary studies that examine cannabis and outcomes. These are the same studies that feed into the reclassification of cannabis to Class B in the UK after the Royal College of Psychiatry and others failed to observe the clear evidence that the psychosis young people are experiencing is BECAUSE of the law. The alienation, mistrust and rejection of social mores indeed an entire matrix of dysfunction last longest on those at greatest risk. The clear targeting of young, male, ethnic minority and those who may have already transgressed (as there go by the grace go many of us) are caught with minor cannabis possession and enter the criminal gateway/spiral.

Yet, Alcohol gets a free reign.

I urge readers to consider a legislative framework recently passed into law  in NZ (thus UN compliant) but remaining for the moment an empty vessel, that Professor Nutt referred to in his presentation here in Christchurch as "beautiful" and where cannabis should be placed. Similar to the UK bill in 2001 Class D initiative, we have added a classification to the Misuse of Drugs Act for recreational psychoactive 'soft' drug use, that equitably manages sale, packaging, labeling, place of sale, advertising and age of consent (R18).
 
 
Show this to your local constituency and ask... why not? If nothing else it will inform and encourage civic debate.
 
I wish Wales well in its deliberations on this vexing issue and encourage all and sundry to consider... if we want to protect youth we must give licence to adult use. We must remove the double standards and impediments to credible health promotion (Ottawa Charter stuff) and strike this anomalous prohibitive law  that serves us all poorly from the books.
 

--
 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com
http://blair4mayor.com
http://efsdp.org

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Monday, August 23, 2010

If Hypocrisy Was Capital

Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcoh...Image via WikipediaIf the hypocrisy that underpins our ‘all drugs’ policy was capital we would be in surplus.


No adjustment to alcohol ‘regulation’ can be made effective while the double standards that apply to cannabis (NZ most popular other drug) exist. Ramping up youth targeted partial prohibition of alcohol will serve ony to drive that demograph to illicit alternatives with contingent downsides, just as prohibition of the SAFER cannabis drives people to drink.


Third Wheel or Third Rail Issues?

Wanted: Better Stories about a Policemen and their Dogs.
If ANY of the candidates running for mayor were given 1/10th of the exposure the Jim/Bob show has been given they might have had half a chance. Passing muster at the Media 'approval' gateway seems to be the greatest hurdle to getting ANY traction on issues largely defined by Media.  (SEE Press Online :  Do we need a third wheel? )
This fellow has contested elections against BOTH Jim and Bob, whereas no one else has.

This fellow has been acknowledged as one of the most well known activists around the hustings for social ecology and out classes ANY of the remaining mayoral others in contributing to debate around best practice administration. 

And, laughably even when reporting the "Grey Power" meeting the Press still couldn't get it right in suggesting I was somehow anti-drug, when I pointed out it was Hon. Jim Anderton who "legally regulated psychoactive recreational soft drug use, sale, storage, manufacture, advertising, premises, labelling and age of consent R18" and ASKING BEFORE THE AUDIENCE if cannabis had been put into those regulations would Gage the Police Dog be Alive or Dead today?.... or for that matter Napier Officer Len Snee (Bob Parker declared it a central gvmt issue at the Long Term District Plan hearings when I was submitting that such rules would make the street SAFER - it was the day Len Snee was buried. I said it would happen here and a year later it did!)
Now if Councils are to determine the process and approval for liquor licencing purportedly to protect the public health, and the rules above were passed by the Associate Minister of Health and administered under the Ministry of Health, one could reasonably expect that MIGHT BE a reasoned debate since it IMPLICATES both candidates. 

The PRESS dumbed down and thus endangered the next Policeman and his Dog.

The rules are there. They were made by the contesting candidate to manage BZP (A Christchurch problem and focus of previous Mayoral issues) and as CANNABIS is clearly and indisputably a soft drug, if these rules cannot be applied in Christchurch under the stewardship of their very author (and LABOUR party ) then where....?

Think about it, any other policy on the council agenda that "kills Policemen and their Dogs" ?

Why would media want to shut that debate down?

Or is such collateral damage OK to send messages to children, in a PEACE CITY.

 Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›
Social Ecologist 'at large'
ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Sunday, August 22, 2010

"Smart City, Clever People"

 As seen on PRESS.CO.NZ   "A Day With Bob"

The election, as portrayed by the fourth estate has become a farce, efforts to establish a rapport with the community by earnest candidates where all voices are at the table and fresh thinking 'tested' is regarded quite cynically by notably, younger voters in particular. If increasing participation in the election is considered fundamental, then the media driven "Jim/Bob" show as it stands has little to offer.

Public, especially those whom under current standards may feel they are being feed a 'Hobson's choice' decision are urged to express this shortcoming to regional media AND make the public meetings as few as there are, dynamic.
 
Ask tough questions of your ALSO RUNNING. And for gawd's sake, lets gets some earnest heckling back into the audience. Live politics is better than reality TV. It's your city. Be the media. You ask the questions... create a new ecology of mind. Network, tweet and talk up, adopt even, your favourite 'also ran' and get the contest of ideas you deserve.

Blair Anderson  -  "Smart City, Clever People"

Social Ecologist 'at large'
http://mildgreens.blogspot.com
http://blairformayor.blogspot.com
http://blair4mayor.com
http://efsdp.org

ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

Friday, August 20, 2010

As seen on Yardly's Blog

A question for your two candidates tomorrow on the yardstick

Just a simple question for the two of you from a former Christchurch Mayoralty Candidate. Personalities have become the essence for elections over the past decade, so Bob, Why shoul...d I not vote for Jim, and Jim, Why should I not vote for Bob.

Mark Ross
See More
15 hours ago ·



  • Blair Anderson
    Bob will make the Jim mistake and vote for Anderson instead

    Given the bile (see Hansard) Anderton spat over my name vs his name post 2002 (Having, according to Anderton purportedly deliberately confused his voters and thus stolen 500 of his votes) I cannot be sure Jim didn't vote for me then! He banned me from his office, hit over the head with a wet parliamentary letterhead. Crikey, he might even Vote for me in error again.








  • Mark Ross Don't want to get i trouble but i heard a few years ago that he is the dumbest MP in parliament.
    13 hours ago ·







  • Meg Henry Mmmm the truth WILL out..and you only said "he"..









  • Hardheaded yes....Logroller, yes. Strategist, yes. But does being a logroller make for good mayoral stock? The notion that Anderton was cajoled into standing to be rid of Bob is frankly laughable.





  • The previous mayoral aspirant from that ...side of the fence was part of the strategy. If I was a logroller, this is just what I would do.





  • Christchurch could be governed by leader of 'the PROGRESSIVE COALITION PARTY' [PCP] and here we are complaining about the Government eating ECAN (IMHO).  The JIM/BOB show suits who the most?
    Lots of Candidates running. But only one who has stood against Garry, Bob, and Jim. [One didn't even know he was going to do it until two hours before.] How many more fresh faces like him?





  • Sunday, August 15, 2010

    Search & Surveillance Bill 'fundamentally flawed'

    No Under Surveillance DrugsImage by Infrogmation via Flickr
    Revised Search and Surveillance Bill still fundamentally flawed [link]

    "There will be an urgent public meeting on Monday 30 August at 7pm at St Joseph's Church (Basin Reserve) in Wellington to address the just returned Search and Surveillance Bill. An interim report on the Search and Surveillance Bill was issued by the Justice and Electoral Select Committee last week. The report is an admission that the bill will confer enormous new powers onto approximately 70 government agencies," said Campaign Spokesperson Batch Hales.

    "The report confirms that police will get a load of new powers: video surveillance where police trespass onto private property will be made legal; the circumstances in which audio bugging will be legal will be dramatically increased from what it is at present. The threshold for warrantless searches is being lowered, as are the circumstances for setting up roadblocks."

    "Speakers at the public meeting will be Michael Bott from the Council for Civil Liberties speaking against the bill next to Select Committee chairman Chester Burrows, government MP for Whanganui, who will be there to try and justify the vast expansion of state power. At the meeting, the Campaign group will be urging people to make submissions and get involved in political action on the streets to stop the bill."

    "Despite the modifications to the bill, the fundamental issues remain. It makes on-going 24-hour-a- day surveillance equivalent to a one-off search. Secondly, the bill makes video and audio surveillance the first and primary means of law enforcement and crime solving. The current law says that audio surveillance can be utilized effectively as a last resort when other methods have not worked or are not available. The privacy implications for ordinary people from video and audio surveillance are profound.

    Thirdly, the bill makes no differentiation between video and audio surveillance. Again, most people would not agree with that conclusion. The old adage, 'A picture speaks a thousand words' illustrates well why video surveillance is indeed a far greater invasion of privacy than audio surveillance. It is without hyperbole to say that legalising police trespass to install video surveillance would be ushering 'Big Brother' into people's living rooms."

    ENDS

    For more information, check out our website http://www.stopthebillnow.blogspot.com/ or email us at stopthebillnow@gmail.com

    Wednesday, August 11, 2010

    St Mary's Mayoral Debate

    The media, despite advice to the contrary`, has by omission of fact been playing the "Blair Anderson" is not standing for Mayor

    Complicity of media and those with a vested stake hold in who gets mindshare is assured by perpetuation of the Jim/Bob show - one could be forgiven for believing Socialism versus Elitism is the only debate in town.

    In keeping with the tenor of óffsettingbehaviour there was only one candidate at today's (08/08/10) debate at St Mary's (N. Brighton) prepared to call in resolved drug policy (ie: Class D) as key to improved public safety, STV to improved governance and contraction and convergence for better frameworks to manage climate mitigation and protection.

    That said, Anderton did agree that water fluoridation had not improved Australian Rugby, whereas Blair Anderson said evidence showed it had not improved dental caries in Hong Kong, rather it had markedly degraded.
    --
     Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

    Social Ecologist 'at large'
    http://mildgreens.blogspot.com/
    http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
    http://blair4mayor.com/
    http://efsdp.org/

    ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

    Put Jim Anderton in Jail for his Crimes Against Humanity.

    Jim Anderton, former Deputy Prime Minister of ...Image via Wikipedia On Sunday last I was speaking at St Mary's Catholic Church Hall in New Brighton launching informally my third Christchurch City Mayoral campaign... just as the UK's Guardian/Observer was publishing an opinion piece that cited LEAP colleagues of mine.  [retired judge Maria Lucia Karam]

    Amongst other things of high import to the October postal election I argued that Hon Jim Anderton has no place being rewarded with the Mayoralty of my home town for the legacy of failure that he had both responsibility for (assoc Min of Health)  and under his watch saw the ramping up of drug prohibition. (like banning BZP despite 'best practice' recommendations to put it in Class D)

    I was applauded for having the courage to postulate, were cannabis put under Anderton's "restricted substances regulations" [cf: Class D], would the Police dog "Gage" be alive or dead today?  If the answer is ALIVE, then you cannot vote for and thus reward failure.

    An excerpt: 

    Wednesday, August 4, 2010

    Class D for Christchurch 'Brilliant'

    A categorization of hard (red), soft (yellow) ...
    NZ Regulated "Soft" Drugs?
    Image via Wikipedia
    This civic minded fellow didn't notice any of the 'other' mayoral candidates at Professor Nutt's lecture held at the Otago School of Medicine this evening... although some curious fellow asked David Nutt if he supported SAFER communities using Anderton's Class D for the regulation of cannabis?

    Nutt thought regulating psychoactive recreational drugs "Brilliant" and an idea so clever that he wished he had thought of "Class D" himself. [After acknowledging that he talks about it often and was surprised to learn media (or other commentators) haven't discussed its potential.]

    Despite its homegrown origins, its a 'world class' idea more recognised outside of New Zealand than within, it seems.
    Well that Anderton guy has something to live up to 'these elections' - lets see if he has electoral integrity or is just Mere talk.
    And since Bob Parker's boy-racer "youth justice" intersects with drug policy, (and as both he and Jim probably get a briefing on whats going down on "Canterbury Public Issues Forum") they might note the quote below from a Social Justice paper another Professor I like, another peer of mine.. Prof David Goldson.

    If there is a lesson from Professor Nutt it must be that no amount of campaign investment in media and merchandising of image can overcome sheer bloodyminded and populist stupidity.

    "At the root of such activity lies a core tension between measured reason and punitive emotion; between an expressed commitment to ‘evidence-based policy’ and a populist rhetoric of ‘tough’ correctionalism."  -  see http://crj.sagepub.com/content/10/2/155.abstract

    "...this article advances an argument that the trajectory of policy has ultimately moved in a diametrically opposed direction to the route signalled by research-based knowledge and practice-based evidence. Moreover, such knowledge—policy rupture has produced a youth justice system that ultimately comprises a conduit of social harm. All of this raises serious questions of
    knowledge/evidence—policy relations and, more fundamentally, of democracy, power and accountability. "

    - Professor Barry Goldson, University of Liverpool, UK

    You should have listened when you had the opportunity JimBob!

    Monday, July 12, 2010

    Fatal crash in Christchurch

    There has been a fatal crash following what appears to have been a police chase in Christchurch. [10/07/2010 ]
    It happened early this morning at the intersection of Moorhouse Avenue and Manchester Street. Police say a Mitsubishi Lancer with six people in it was pulled over, but the driver drove off at speed as an officer approached it. It went through a set of red lights before crashing into a concrete power pole. One person was killed in the impact, two others are critical and one is in a serious condition in Christchurch Hospital.
    Could someone please explain 'deviancy amplification' to the proponents and espousers of 'boyracer' legislation.
    Minor deviancy, in this context, can be amplified by the mechanisms designed to control it. Deviance amplification was proposed by Leslie Wilkins and ...social.jrank.org/pages/1826/deviance-amplification.html
    /Blair

    Thursday, July 1, 2010

    Municiple Waste to Energy in Blairstown!

    Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions for mun...Image via Wikipedia
    In Iowa, Fiberight announced that it commenced production at the first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant to enzymatic conversion technology and industrial / municipal solid waste (MSW) as feedstock. 

    Fiberight recently completed its initial stage development by converting a former first generation corn ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa to cellulosic biofuel production which incorporates specialized waste treatment and biochemical technologies to efficiently turn MSW into biofuel.

    Fiberight has retained Source Capital Group, Inc of Westport, CT to complete a financing led by Venture Cross Partners of Great Falls, VA to provide expansion capital for the Blairstown biorefinery. 

    Following a total $24 million investment, the facility will be scaled to final commercial production capacity of approximately 6 million gallons of biofuel per year in 2011.
    (A curious development notably that NZ's Ministry of Commerce and Ministry For the Environment and Christchurch City Council said, couldnt be done... and look where is is "Blairstown",  sheese, ya couldnt make it up if ya tried! and all on the day ETS is being held to account! ) 
    --
    Blair Anderson  ‹(•¿•)›

    Social Ecologist 'at large'
    http://blairformayor.blogspot.com/
    ph nz  (643) 389 4065   nz cell 027 265 7219

    Thursday, June 24, 2010

    Smart City, Clever People

    Post subject: Mayor Blair on "A Smart City" - Christchurch

    Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:07 pm

    I had been asked, "Should you be elected to council how will you improve Christchurch ?"

    My name is Blair Anderson. I am 53. I am a technology consultant focused on the energy and transport sector and a well known social policy commentator across a wide interest range.

    I ran for mayor 3 years ago. I was described by the PRESS's human resources consultant as having a "bewildering array of science and environmental knowledge". However, as a 'none the less earnest' candidate this time round journalists seem to be left reeling and dumbfounded by the clear and erudite vision statements I have released.

    As a Mayoral Candidate with a clear and deliverable vision including but not limited too climate change beyond Kyoto and vision of evidence based reductions in crime, expenditure and enhanced public safety I challenge any other Mayoral candidate to do better than the deliverable benefits that I bring to the table.

    I bring a science and evidence based policy analytic approach to addressing emerging concerns on Air and Water quality, on transport integration and in urban living environments strategy. What art is there in design if safety and security is compromised.

    For example, I question visions of light rail absent a progressive guided bus terminus integrated to existing rail capability.

    This means stopping the proposed new bus terminus, it entrenches and locks in road network failure.

    I propose a transitional move to restrict city ommuter buses to the four avenues and to the one way networks and have the inner city serviced with expanded 'yellow' free low emission's buses pending a demand lead transition to 'light rail' tha links heavy rail and intercity and satellite communities 'work and ride' coach networks.

    I would do this by recovering the Adding ton Sale Yards and building the integrated 'civic facilities into an iconic carbon neutral transport hub for the city the binds the airport to the seaport seamlessly. Using guide rail buses we can build the civic corridors of the future while capitalising the infrastructure that will eventually scope a multi modal light rail when passenger levels and carbon/climate make it viable or necessary.

    I would enhance participatory democracy ensuring Christchurch elects a mayor and council with no less than 50% of voter support to enable consensus and expeditious board decisions in changing times.

    I would engage Christchurch citizens and institutions into the international community surrounding climate change as an antipodean center of expertise and to advocating the southern hemisphere's special cultural and climatological needs. ("contraction and convergence" is the key. go on 'google it' and be empowered! informed and a master of OUR destiny.)

    I would engage our sister city relationship with Seattle where 'drug policy' has matured into a crime reducing health delivering, safety enhancing cost saving initiative.

    I would question the efficacy inner city development that needs more and more 'bars' to fund developer returns. (its an environmental issue too!)

    I would protect Christchurch water by ensuring the territorial authorities re-examine from first principles the first come first served RMA/Environment Court imperatives.

    I would move to ensure the Urban Development Strategy of our city, continues to protect its special character and history while ensuring the highest design standards in brown field recovery, in green building and green space provision aimed at community's of interest (again consistent with best practice and consultation)

    I would move to capitalize on our Garden, Peace and anti-nuclear international reputation by committing resources to investigating high altitude wind, plasma waste to energy and the incredible utility of Banks Peninsular as a carbon sink to meet at a minimum the 90% required carbon equivalent reductions before 2050.

    I would ensure the inner city and arterial networks reduce particulate emissions to levels that make Christchurch a SAFE city to bicycle and walk in all year round. I would do this by making our city clean fueled and license vehicle operators privileged access to the city networks and parking with positive reinforcement for EURO standard emissions.

    It is by ensuring that ratepayers get value for their continuing investment in their city that I would make ALL expenditures accountable on a clear cost benefit return basis. Non-core activities such as events management (such as the $30,000 budgeted for Akaroa French festival or the $19,000 for outgoing councilor nosh up) are self sustaining or quite simply, they don't happen on my watch. Clear directives, standards and accountability....

    I am here to internalise the benefits of a 'smart city and the rich tapestry of people who live in it'.

    And that's just a beginning... enable the outcome! Vote Blair here.

    Finally... elected or not, your call for STV in Christchurch will make a difference. Bit don't expect councilors selected under FTP to ask for STV, [turkeys voting for Christmas comes to mind.] It's up to you. You call the shots.

    If you want to know more, just ask via this forum. I welcome hard questions!

    PS: If elected I would continue to be accessible in Cathedral Square on Fridays, to follow in Garry's tradition would give me great pleasure. Come and kick my metaphorical shins anytime!

    "Mayor Blair"

    Last edited by blair4mayor.com on Sat Oct 06, 2007 10:39 am; edited 1 time in total


    Support New Zealand's Call for Cool.

    Sign On - The World Needs Us