Podcast appearances and mentions of Jeanette Fitzsimons

As exercised as some have been this week about social media, the Greens and their behaviour, the bigger issue is not the Greens, but Labour and all who might support them into Government. As much as we may froth and hyperventilate about any given issue of the day or small firestorm, who runs the country and how is what we all ultimately should be focused on. We will not be going back to a single large party ever again, for two reasons. One is because Covid is not repeating and, even if it did, I doubt we would panic again electorally the way we did. Two is given when Labour was left to their own devices, they literally destroyed the place, most of us, for good or bad, have come to the conclusion that a mix of parties under this MMP system we seem to have voted for an accepted is here to stay. So National need at least one player, probably two, and the same applies to Labour. For now, National seem to have got lucky and/or well organised. Whether you support it or not, broadly speaking National, Act, and NZ First get along fine. The media try to stir bits of trouble around minor matters periodically and we are yet to see a full-blown campaign post a first term, where the gloves are off a bit and a few punches might get thrown. But overall, things are cordial and well managed. Labour on the other hand need certainly the Greens and possibly the Māori Party. Both are increasingly ropey. Both are increasingly belligerent, both are increasingly fringe and both are an electoral nightmare for a so-called mainstream, left-wing party. The Greens of James Shaw, Rod Donald, and Jeanette Fitzsimons are long gone. The Māori Party of Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia are long gone Both the current Greens and the Māori Party are anti-establishment disruptors who revel in a type of anarchy, almost as though they are outside the system. All of that is fine if you like that and want to vote for it. But it is completely incompatible to running a country, even for a Labour Party that has become increasingly left-leaning and socialist. If you don't need, or want, to be in power, and I don't think half the Greens or the Māori Party actually do, you can say what you want. But Labour do want power, and their problem is they are going to end up having to answer for an increasingly unhinged rabble or at least try to dress it up as something they can handle. That's their problem. I don't think they have the wherewithal to even come close to pulling that trick off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gareth Thomas Llewelyn Hughes is a New Zealand activist, Political Commentator, and a former politician of the Green Party. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for eleven years, from 2010 to 2020.He is also the author of the book, A Gentle Radical, The Life of Jeanette Fitzsimons. Join me as I speak to Gareth about Jeanette's early life, what drove her to vaticalism, the limits to growth and other pholosphical ideas that drove her, and her election to Parliment and her running in and interaction with Jim Anderton, Helen Clark and John Key.For more information, or to get in touch, visit the Different Matters Website. 

Gareth is the country lead for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aotearoa and in this conversation we talk about that movement, system change and politics.  He also shares his life story and childhood, his work as an activist with Greenpeace before a career in politics for 10 years as an MP, writing a book about Jeanette Fitzsimons and a whole lot more.  I enjoyed this conversation and if you do as well check out the 350 others on seeds podcast, a project about life stories and what shapes us. Wellbeing Economy Alliance page: Aotearoa New Zealand : Wellbeing Economy Alliance (weall.org) Seeds Impact Conference: Seeds Impact Conference 2023 (seedsconference.nz) Book on A Gentle Radical by Gareth Hughes | Paper Plus Seeds www.theseeds.nz  

Join Alison and Ineka in the Literary Lounge and celebrate the gutsy, the determined, the courageous and brave. Books mentioned in the show can be borrowed or requested for Click and Collect by Auckland Libraries members using these links: Joan by Katherine J. Chen / 2022 / Adult Fiction – Historical: bit.ly/3yjOWVg A gentle radical: the life of Jeanette Fitzsimons by Gareth Hughes / 2022 / Adult Non-Fiction – Biography: bit.ly/3CASW6l Also in OverDrive eBook and Large Print To the sea by Nikki Crutchley / 2021 / Adult Fiction – Crime: bit.ly/3M9Qk2u Also in OverDrive eBook and BorrowBox eAudio Iona Iverson's rules for commuting by Clare Pooley / 2022 / Adult Fiction: bit.ly/3SFCUhl Small things like these by Claire Keegan / 2021 / Available in Adult Fiction: bit.ly/3rxOor5 Also in OverDrive eBook and eAudiobook

I feel very sorry for Green Party MP James Shaw. I almost called him Green Party "co-leader" but, of course, as of the weekend he's not after the party voted to kick him out and put it to the vote to find out whether members want him to continue or want someone else. He has already confirmed today that he is going to put his hat back in the ring and try and get re-elected back into the job. Which is a bit like someone being made redundant and having to reapply for the same role, isn't it? So I'm feeling sorry for him but I'm not in the least bit surprised. Sorry for him because, as Climate Change Minister, he was always going to be on a hiding to nothing when it came to keeping the Green Party faithful happy and not looking like he'd sold his soul for politics. But, not surprised, given there will always be an element within the Greens who aren't prepared to compromise. If you think back to May 17 - the day after the Government's Emissions Reduction Plan came out - I could see what happened at the weekend was coming. As I said at the time, I thought the emissions plan was a dog's breakfast and that James Shaw was toast. It was the first plan of its kind here in New Zealand, with the goal of us getting to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But it was a mish-mash of nothing. I remember the day it came out talking with someone who'd had a minor involvement in putting it together, and they said part of the problem was that there'd been too many cooks in the kitchen. The main issue being Treasury's over-the-top involvement which, inevitably meant, that economics won out over the environment. And, because that happened, I was convinced that James Shaw was on shaky ground as far as co-leadership of the Green Party was concerned. I thought the rabid greenies within the party would be very dark on Shaw - especially because the emissions plan doesn't really crack down on the agriculture sector and is probably seen by some as a "get out of jail" card" for farmers. And, as it turns out, they were very dark on Shaw and we saw it come to some form of fruition at the weekend with them voting to toss him out of his co-leadership role and see if someone else wants to take it on. That "someone else" hasn't shown their hand yet, although there's a bit of talk about Chloe Swarbrick being a contender. But we will see what happens on that front over the next wee while. The party has up to five weeks to hold a vote on the co-leadership role - but I imagine it won't want to muck around. Whatever happens, the Prime Minister has already told Shaw that his job as Climate Change Minister is safe - which makes sense, doesn't it? Why would she want to bring someone else from the Greens into the tent when she seems to have Shaw under control? But it does raise the question as to whether we still need a Green Party in New Zealand. Because, when you think about it, awareness of climate change and its impact on the environment is not a niche market anymore. Back in the day when Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons were co-leaders, I think New Zealand was a very different place and the Green Party was probably seen broadly as not much more than an off-shoot of the Values Party. And green politics were certainly on the fringe. Fast-forward to today, and the green movement's fingerprints are everywhere. A lot of it has to do with the increased global awareness of the challenges facing our natural environments - some of it probably has to do also with the way we are so much more interconnected with each other through the internet and social media. In Donald's day, there were no Green Party websites or Facebook pages. Also these days, we now have the likes of the Climate Change Minister role in Cabinet. So the politics of the environment are now well and truly in the mainstream. So does it really matter if the Greens self-implode over the next few weeks? Brought down by the likes within the party who're probably quite happy to be agitators on the fringe, and not sell-outs like they think Shaw has become? And more, generally, do we still actually need a green party here in New Zealand? I would say that when there's a centre-left government in power - the role for the Greens is much less. But as soon as you get the likes of National and/or ACT in government, the Greens come into their own. Because when was the last time you heard Christopher Luxon or David Seymour speak passionately about the environment? I've never heard them. Maybe a bit of lip service here and there but not in a way that tells me that the likes of the Green Party wouldn't be needed - at least on the sidelines - making sure a centre-right government didn't let the economy win over the environment every day. So, even though we are all much more environmentally aware these days, I think there is definitely still a need and still a role for the Green Party to play in New Zealand politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus episode, Toby Manhire talks to former Green MP Gareth Hughes about his new book on Jeanette Fitzsimons, a giant of green politics in New Zealand. They talk about her role in the Values, as co-leader of the Greens and within the Alliance in the formative years of MMP. Plus: what does he make of the Green Party in 2022? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gareth Hughes is a former MP and member of the Green Party. He took a seat in Parliament as the next person on the Green party list following the retirement of Jeanette Fitzsimons in February 2010.Hughes did not stand for re-election in the 2020 New Zealand general election and has moved with his wife Meghan and two children, Arlo and Zoe, to be the keepers on Quarantine Island. An eco-sanctuary in the middle of Otago Harbour.www.theDOC.nzwww.patreon.com/theDOCNZwww.twitter.com/patbrittenden

The Greens have exceeded their own expectations - not only getting eight percent of the vote but also winning the electorate of Auckland Central. The party has not held an electorate seat since the late Jeanette Fitzsimons won Coromandel more than 20 years ago. On the current results, the party will have 10 MPs in Parliament. Katie Doyle reports.

Global Vaccine Alliance; Elephants; Jeanette Fitzsimons climate Action Grant; Climate Action Tracker on NZ.

Kerry Marshall and Jeanette Fitzsimons

A new, time and name the relaunched Trad Tasman Talk is here. Tim and Dieuwe catch up on what has been rough Tasman times with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Deputy blasting Australia's deportation of kiwi born criminals. Plus both nations are preparing for a possible coronavirus pandemic with Australian residents overreacting just a bit.  This episode was the first to broadcast on the new timeslot of Friday 8pm (and 6pm Melbourne time). You may have noticed that the name has officially been changed to “Trad Tasman Talk” to reflect its traditionalist slant and remove a word many right-wingers find extremely triggering. The final Tuesday show was cancelled last week as Dieuwe was at the Church & State Summit hosted by Dave Pellowe, which led into a brief discussion about its Zionist keynote speaker and Dave’s Mossad t-shirt. Dieuwe had also organised a New Conservative party meeting in South Auckland which went well. The coronavirus and the Great Toilet Paper Panic of 2020 took centre stage, leading into a discussion on how the legacy media facilitates panic and uses it to make money. In some good news, the Australian Associated Press shut down recently and the NZ Herald also posted an advertising revenue loss. The NZME and Fairfax merger remains stalled. NZ’s most embarrassing journalist (and famous comedian) Patrick Gower went to the USA to fawn over Bernie Sanders, resulting in a humiliating exchange which was captured on camera. Australia has cut its interest rates in response to COVID-19 and New Zealand is expected to follow suit this month. Economic activity is expected to be reduced, but with all the panic buying that’s not guaranteed. Of course, tax cuts would be more effective than encouraging debt and printing money, but there’s little chance of anything that sane being adopted. Jacinda Ardern met with Scott Morrison in a trans-Tasman talk about criminal deportations. She has no leverage in the discussion, but was praised for being assertive by some right-wing commentators back home, although lambasted almost universally in Australia. Peter Dutton called her remarks grandstanding in lead up to NZ election. Winston Peters doubled down and invoked Brenton Tarrant, although neither side of the NZ political coin is willing to threaten his deportation as a bargaining chip. There was more “Serious Fraud” news in NZ, the least corrupt party on earth, as JLR (one of the men charged for electoral fraud) claimed that Beijing was involved in a third illicit donation to the National Party. Two Labour mayors, from Auckland and Christchurch, also had SFO investigations opened into their financing. NZ First MP Shane Jones was in hot water again, this time for allegedly racist remarks against Indians after saying that too many people from New Delhi were ruining NZ institutions. It was revealed that Australian Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wrote a character reference for wife slapper, which was condemned as hypocritical by feminists, including Clementine Ford. Leyonhjelm’s appeal of his defamation verdict for calling SHY a misandrist and hypocrite might have some new life in it. New Zealand former Green co-leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons died unexpectedly this week. She was remembered universally as a “true green” who was principled, unlike many of the narcissists and power-hungry opportunists that sit in the Green benches on both sides of the Tasman today. Dieuwe closed with a report on the first every Auckland March For Life that was attended by over 3,500 people. On the day that the bill that will fully legalise all abortions received its second reading, a dozen protesters at the parliament held up photos of babies killed by abortion. This got much more media attention than the March for Life, and even Jacinda Ardern and Andrew Little commented on the protest, as both were upset that people dared to show the reality of the abortion holocaust. The bill passed on to the next committee stage with 81 votes in favour and 39 against. After the success of this show it will be back next Friday evening. The Unshackled Links:  Website: https://www.theunshackled.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUnshackled Twitter: https://twitter.com/Un_shackled Gab: https://gab.ai/theunshackled Minds: https://www.minds.com/The_Unshackled Telegram Channel: https://t.me/theunshackled Rational Rise TV: https://rationalrise.tv/ Right Minds NZ Links: Website: https://www.rightminds.nz/ Donate: https://www.rightminds.nz/donate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rightmindsnz/ Twitter https://twitter.com/rightmindsnz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFcFU3Qv9lKc9rHEIqWd6Dw Unshackled Productions: Debt Nation: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKKEHuAGzwVtIEIFW3cZOPg The Uncuckables: http://theuncuckables.com/ The Report from Tiger Mountain: https://www.facebook.com/reportfromtigermountain/

When I was 12 years old, my school arranged for our local MPs to each visit our class.I remember David Carter coming and speaking to us. I remember Ruth Dyson doing the same thing. And last but not least, Rod Donald came and spoke to Room 22 at St Martins School. I can’t tell you what any of them said. I don’t know if I could have distinguished at that time what each of them stood for, but I remember looking out the window at the end of the class and seeing Rod Donald push off down the street on his bike, and thinking wow! A bike? That man must really care about conservation.A couple of years later, I was doing my paper round, and I bumped into Jeanette Fitzsimons. I recognised her from the news. I knew she was a Green MP. But she was lost and she asked me how to get to the closest bus stop. Wow! I thought. The bus? She must really care about conservation. In the US, they reckon politicians become Senators for one of two reasons. Number one: principle. They genuinely want to affect change. They want to better the lives of their constituents. Number Two, the second reason: Power. They want to be President. That might be a little crude and I’m sure there’s some grey between that black and white, but I’ve always admired politicians who are clearly in politics for the right reasons. People who are drawn to politics on the strength of their convictions. They don’t realistically expect to be President or Prime Minister. They’re not drawn to the baubles of office. The fancy-schmancy dinners, the office full of staff, the chauffeur-driven ministerial limosines. None of that. They’re in it because they genuinely believe in the cause. Now I should point out, no political party or philosophy has a monopoly on conviction. People on the left, the right, and the centre - if those definitions exist anymore - have all dedicated themselves to political work and service on the basis of authetically-held conviction. And you would have to say, regardless of your opinion on the Green Party, that all of all us, at least to some extent, consider conservation and environmentalism a worthy and important cause. Sure we might disagree on specific policies and just how far we should go, but I would hope no reasonable person wants to destroy the Earth. And so, when I think of Jeanette Fitzsimons, that’s it. I think of someone who clearly was in politics for the right reasons. Someone who didn’t seek fame or power but genuinely thought they could make the world a better place. Whether or not you agreed with her or not, she lived what she preached. In an individualistic age, she believed in the greater good. And in politics, a world that exposes hypocrites, there’s a lot to be said for integrity.

Is the zero Carbon Bill strong enough? - A discussion with Jeanette Fitzsimons Founder and ex-coleader of the Green party,on the zero carbon bill is it strong enough? And must the climate mitigation campaigned include climate justice and economic equity and we get the population on board for the needed drastic changes in long-term? Broadcast on OAR 105.4FM Dunedin www.oar.org.nz

Welcome to Green Conversations with Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Welcome to Green Conversations with Jeanette Fitzsimons.

Insight hosts a public debate on MMP, moderated by Philippa Tolley and Julian Robins. Guests include the former National Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, the former Labour Deputy Prime Minister, Michael Cullen, the former National Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson, and the former Green Party Co-leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons and others who will discuss the MMP referendum. This programme was produced with the help of Victoria University and Te Papa, and recorded before a live audience. 

Nobody in NZ is as eloquent and as clear in explaining ecological concerns as Jeanette Fitzsimons. I challenge any person in this country to explain off the cuff what is happening environmentally here in NZ … anyone!  And to do it in such a way that you can feel her humanity in the timbre of her voice.New Zealand's natural environment and resources are under assault from all quarters!Jeanette gives an overview of what is happening, as more coal mines are planned with the long term view of every car to be diesel driven - from the extraction of coal.Covering the increasing new methods of coal extraction to hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking' in Taranaki, we realize we are dealing with in Jeanettes words, a 'hydra' that continues to come up somewhere else. Instead of phasing out coal mining the National lead Govt here is driving the hectic onslaught to extract more coal, see Denniston in the South Island, when we need to extricate ourselves out of the dinosaur age. The conversation and planning needs us to invest in smart technologies and innovation (even retrofitting new 21st century synergistic turbines at the bottom of all the nearly 50 dams we have up and down our country) and keep the subject of 'energy' at the forefront of public awareness.As for the ETS, the Emissions Trading Scheme, that it is basically a scam and that it has to be thought through. Who are the ones who benefit from all this money going offshore?What about giant public forestry plantations that are superannuation funds for New Zealanders? There is one here at Kaingaroa, it's owned by Harvard University's endowment fund. So what about the NZ public, why are 'we' out of the loop?So many issues … To not to be seen as too radical, Jeanette goes on to offer a strategic plan that allows us to continue mining the coal mines we have already open BUT over 20 years phase them out as they end their productive life, at the same time people in the industry keep their jobs but you don't employ any more new workers as you retire them off through natural attrition. Strategic thinking at its best as it puts the dinosaur fossil fuel industry to bed in an appropriate manner.This is a superb clarification of the state of all the fossil fuel challenges in NZ that needs to be anchored and debated in the public consciousness.http://coalactionnetworkaotearoa.wordpress.com

Dr. James Hansen is the director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University?s Earth Institute. He is best known for bringing the urgency of the climate change issue to the world?s attention when he gave evidence to the US congress in 1988. Jeanette Fitzsimons, prominent NZ environmentalist, says: “Dr. Hansen is one of the best-known climate scientists in the world. He offers a recipe for how to achieve a stable climate that will be particularly relevant to New Zealand.” Held May 18, 2011.

The Centre for Theology and Public Issues presents “In Conversation with Jeanette Fitzsimons”. Jeanette is a former lecturer in Environmental Studies at the University of Auckland, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1995 – 2010, including a period as Green Party co-leader from 1995 - 2009. 9 October 2009.

The Centre for Theology and Public Issues presents “In Conversation with Jeanette Fitzsimons”. Jeanette is a former lecturer in Environmental Studies at the University of Auckland, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1995 – 2010, including a period as Green Party co-leader from 1995 - 2009. 9 October 2009.

The Centre for Theology and Public Issues presents “In Conversation with Jeanette Fitzsimons”. Jeanette is a former lecturer in Environmental Studies at the University of Auckland, and served as a Member of Parliament from 1995 – 2010, including a period as Green Party co-leader from 1995 - 2009. 9 October 2009.

From the archives: Jeanette Fitzsimons is one of New Zealand's most high-profile environmentalists and has been Co-leader of the Green Party since 1995. For the last 12 years Jeanette has seen the Greens raise issues and points of view never before heard in parliamentary debate in this country. In many ways they have changed the law, and are starting to change hearts and minds. Eventually the paradigm will change. "Being Green is certainly not about forcing your lifestyle onto others," says Jeanette. "It's showing how it is possible to live a rich, fulfilling lifestyle with less impact on nature." www.greens.org.nz