Podcast appearances and mentions of Russel Norman

Tonight Wallace is joined by Guyon Espiner, Maria Slade and Russel Norman as they discuss the main politcal stories of the day. This time: submitters are feeding back on the Regulatory Standards Bill; is the political pendulum a wrecking ball? as according to Stuff's national affairs editor Andrea Vance; and the Covid inquiry is in phase 2 - what are we learning?

It is a fact that what makes Aotearoa New Zealand an amazing place to live is nature. Our export industries are built off the idea of a ‘clean, green New Zealand', attracting tourists and food exports. Greenpeace's Executive Director Russel Norman claims that “Luxon's relentless War on Nature burns the natural capital of Aotearoa for short term GDP growth.” He has called it a ‘war on nature', and says that the clean-up costs of a coal mine are greater than a full year of royalties that coal companies pay to the government. Sasha spoke in depth about Christoper Luxon's continued ‘war on nature' with Russel, further speaking on international implications.

Former member of NZ Parliament, Executive Director of Greenpeace Aotearoa Greenpeace in Brazil tackling massive fires..here in NZ, Greenpeace opposes the Fast Track Approvals Bill that promotes financial interests over environment concerns

The crown mineral amendment bill was introduced to parliament last Tuesday. Public submissions on the bill close tomorrow (Tuesday 1st October). This gives the public only four business days to make their submission on the bill, significantly shorter than the average submission time.  The bill is aiming to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration, something the coalition government campaigned on.  The government has also cut down the normal six month select committee process, wanting the bill to be passed before the end of the year.  Greenpeace says the short public submission time on the bill shows the government has a complete disregard for people in New Zealand who care about climate change.  Producer Evie spoke to Greenpeace Executive Director Russell Norman about his concerns surrounding the four day submission time on the bill, and what impacts the ban reversal will actually have on the environment. 

This Government makes it clear this morning more mining is on the table and it wants to attract mining companies into NZ, with its fast track laws.  We talk to Minister for Infrastructure, Chris Bishop and Greenpeace's Russel Norman to get the lowdown.  And you didn't wake up $43 million richer, so the big one jackpots on Saturday and must go close to $50 million, Lotto's biggest prize ever. I talk to Lotto's Lucy Fullerton Don't forget we go live every weekday morning at 7:30  YouTube, Twitch, and Tik Tok.  All the other social, listen and watch links are here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greenpeace says a new survey indicates the Government is out of step with some of its own voters over the Fast-track Approvals Bill. Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Budget 2024 includes cuts to funding for the environmental sector such as the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for the Environment, Environmental Legal Aid, and the Climate Change Commission.  Greenpeace Aotearoa has said these cuts provide more reason to join the March for Nature on this Saturday the 8th of June.  Producer Sofia Roger Williams spoke to Greenpeace Aotearoa Executive Director, Dr Russel Norman, about the march and Greenpeace's response to Budget 2024.  She began their kōrero asking him what parts of the Budget concerned Greenpeace the most. 

For Dear Science this week, Doctor Cushla McGoverin about microbes in the baths of Bath, genetically isolated trout, and the James Webb Space Telescope.  Wire host Castor spoke to the National Party's Tom Rutherford about the first home buyers bonus and last week's budget announcements.  Producer Sofia spoke to Executive Director of Greenpeace Aotearoa, Russel Norman, about funding cuts to environmental sectors in Budget 2024 and the March for Nature in Tāmaki Makaurau this Saturday She also spoke to Tatau Urutahi shared leader at Te Kāhui Tika Tangata, the Human Rights Commission, Julia Whaipooti, about the Budget in terms of whether it upholds te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Resource Minister Shane Jones has come under pressure from Labour and the Greens, over the Government's new plans for mining.  Jones wants to bolster gold and coal mining across the country, and to have a renewed focus on value-add refining.  Greenpeace NZ executive director Russell Norman told Heather du Plessis Allan “He's getting rid of all environmental constraints expect one - mining in national parks – because that got him in trouble last time.”  Norman says “There'll be no environmental balance to his desire to put a commercial incinerator next to your house.”  LISTEN ABOVE.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What an honour it is to be joined by the Pasta Queen herself Rosie Mackean to celebrate the launch of her new cookbook ''Good Time Cooking' and to hear her fascinating stories from her time as a chef in professional kitchens. From learning how to make pasta from Angela Hartnett at Murano to cooking alongside Russel Norman in Italy to ending up in AnE with a severed arm, you're in store for some wonderful stories. We also hear about her incredible Dinner Party weekly newsletter where she curates the perfect 4 course meal and also the dishes which will be making up her wonderful new cookbook. On top of this as always we delve deep into her 'go-to's, which take us from Bologna to Hackney to Cornwall via a morning drinking capri suns to cure her hangover - it's all there!  -------- Please leave us a 5 star written review and rating and share the podcast with those who you believe will enjoy it as much as you have.  You can pre-order Rosie's new cookbook here - https://harpercollins.co.uk/pages/good-time-cooking

Greenpeace has released a letter from the RMA reform Minister, Chris Bishop outlining plans to repeal environmental protection standards. Last week Caeden spoke to Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman about this letter, and the Government's environmental policies more broadly.

Activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has won the right to sue the likes of Fonterra for their role in causing climate change, in a Supreme Court ruling delivered this morning. He wants them to either stop polluting, or start bringing emissions down quickly. Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman says it means Fonterra may have to pay for some of the harm they're causing. "Climate pollution means more cyclones and more extreme weather events, that harms a lot of people. Currently they don't pay for that, but if this court case was successful- when it goes to court, then they'd have to pay." LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greenpeace have labelled the Government 'climate extremists' over their plan to repeal the oil and gas exploration ban. The organisation erected a billboard near Parliament in Wellington featuring Chris Luxon, Winston Peters and David Seymour. Executive director Russel Norman says New Zealand is transitioning away from fossil fuels- and the Government should help that transition along. "You can see the electrification of transport starting, and that's where we need to go. Turning the clock back to the 1950s- as if we're going to do that- is ridiculous."  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As climate talks at the COP28 summit in Dubai wrap up, a billboard near parliament is calling our country's leaders "climate extremists." Greenpeace has put the sign up in response to the government's plan to reintroduce offshore oil and gas exploration. The plans won New Zealand the title of 'Fossil of the Day' last week at COP28. Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

An interactive map which enables people to monitor nitrate levels in their drinking water is being launched on Monday. Greenpeace Aotearoa's Know Your Nitrate map allows users to search for information on local levels. According to Otago University scientists, 800,000 New Zealanders are at risk of drinking hazardous levels of nitrates. Greenpeace Aotearoa's executive director Russel Norman spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

On 'The Week That Was' this week I'm joined by former Green Party leader and current Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman, and broadcaster, author, entrepreneur and kindness warrior Cassie Roma. Today we discuss:  Matariki. How the Green Party has been performing. The women's football world cup is in town. And we have a new Grocery Commissioner. Will anything change? And of course being the end of the week, I give out my rewards and awards...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Party's proposal to delay emissions pricing by five years has been criticised by the Government, with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins saying the Opposition seems to be treating the climate with contempt. National's new policy proposes an on-farm pricing plan for farmers by 2030. The plan has won plaudits from Federated Farmers, but Greenpeace says delays like this show agribusinesses are more interested in putting their profits ahead of a stable climate. The Greenpeace chief executive and former Green Party co-leader, Russel Norman spoke with Ingrid Hipkiss.

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New Zealand’s greatest and bestest weekly Political Podcast that is NOT funded by NZ on Air! Greenpeace boss Russel Norman + Taxpayer’s Union Pope Jordan Williams + Stuff columnist Damien Grant. ISSUE 1: Why Emissions scheme is a climate crisis joke ISSUE 2: Pre-Budget criticisms ISSUE 3: Latest Poll & the horror of a National/ACT Government ISSUE 4: John Campbell’s excruciating hit job on Labour’s poverty hypocrisy TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com Unique political commentary unlike any other The podcast broadcasts live at 7.30pm from the Mediaworks studios on Facebook, YouTube & The Daily Blog and posted up afterwards on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Rova & Youtube.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The head of Greenpeace says it doesn't make sense to delay important climate change plans.The government has pushed back its Emissions Reduction Plan by six months.It's due to the inability to consult with key players relating to the plan during the Covid-19 outbreak.Executive Director of Greenpeace Russel Norman says the process could've been done online.Norman says most people would have used the internet to engage with the consultation anyway whether there was Covid in the community or not.LISTEN ABOVE

Russel Norman, Executive Director of Greenpeace Aotearoa Allocation of water resources: Private wealth vs Public Health One and a half million Aucklanders have to compete with ten wealthy owners of a dairy company to get their drinking water from the Waikato River. A discussion on conservation, the environment or peace with justice.

There are questions over whether the Acts which will replace the Resource Management Act will protect highly productive land.The Government's announced the RMA is being repealed - with a Natural and Built Environments Act, a Strategic Planning Act and a Climate Change Adaptation Act to take its place.Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is a really good step forward, but their worry is with protecting the land needed to grow healthy food."We've got to be able to feed New Zealand, so it's all very well having a house, but you've also got to have food, and healthy food is really important for our health."He says only five percent of our land grows food, and it should be easy to avoid this land."Land is a real scarce resource. If we don't take a whole of country strategic approach, we;re just going to be a complete cot-case." Yesterday, it was reported urban sprawl looks set to eat up to 31,270ha of Auckland's most productive land over the next 35 years.A group of farmers and landowners had sought to overturn an Auckland Council decision rejecting their proposal to expand the Rural Urban Boundary and the Future Urban Zone across more than 83ha of land near Auckland Airport. But last month the Environment Court rejected the landowners' plans to rezone the land.Meanwhile, Greenpeace says the legislation that replaces the RMA must have hard and fast environmental bottom lines.Executive director Russel Norman says the history of the RMA was that it said you could trade off a bit of environmental destruction for a bit of economic development."It didn't have environmental bottom lines, and the result of that is the water contamination and all the other environmental problems we have right across New Zealand."

With a mandate to rule and all the tools in place, this Labour government has everything it needs reduce New Zealand’s emissions. So, what’s the hold up? Patience child warns Russel executive director of Greenpeace Aotearoa, a former Green party co-leader and two term MP. The seasoned campaigner says we need to give Team Ardern six months to demonstrate how it will turn NZ’s emissions around -- that is, six months before the gloves come off. Russel spoke to Vincent about what to expect, how to protest and what keeps him engaged in the task. 

The preliminary referendum results are in - it's a yes to euthanasia and a no to cannabis. David Seymour and Chloe Swarbrick join us with their reactions. We cross live to Patrick Gower in Washington DC - ahead of what could be the most consequential US election in a generation. Plus, it's the end of an era - Simon Shepherd joined veteran New Zealand First MPs in Parliament for that bittersweet moment when they packed up their offices and political careers. In Backstory - we go home, and to the mosque, with New Zealand's first African MP, Ibrahim Omer. And commentary from our political panel: former Green Co-leader Russel Norman and former National and NZ First MP Tau Henare. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After battling for 12 years, and heading all the way to the Supreme Court, Greenpeace is celebrating that the High Court has ruled now the organisation is entitled to register as a charity. The court has ruled that the Charities Registration Board was wrong to decline an application from the environmental group. Russel Norman is Greenpeace New Zealand's executive director.

The planned closure of Tiwai Point Aluminium smelter presents a huge opportunity - according to Russel Norman from Greenpeace. But maximising that could cost the government a billion dollars - and initially thousands of jobs. The Manapouri hydro power station feeds the smelter that gobbles up about 13% of the country's power supply and the company's already given notice it's quitting that power contract. Greenpeace Executive Director Russel Norman says the news isn't all bad.

More than 1 billion dollars of Budget 2020 has been flagged for 11,000 nature based jobs, but already there are questions about whether the investment is transformative enough. Many environmentalists say it's a missed opportunity when it comes to decarbonisation and low emission housing, with very little detail on specific climate investment. Russel Norman the executive director of Greenpeace NZ and a former co-leader of the NZ Green Party and The Environmental Defence Society's chief executive Gary Taylor discuss with Kathryn Ryan.

Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics."It is not transformational on the scale of some of the big turning points in our country's history from the 1930s to the 1980s."There have been pockets of transformation but for me it has been a frustration that the pace of change hasn't been as fast as I'd like to see or in fact the Green Party would like to see."He said he was retiring next election because 10 years was long enough and he and his wife wanted to travel the world with their two kids – aged 12 and nine - for a year."Talking to my wife, we feel it is the right time our life to spend some real solid quality time together and actually going travelling as a family would be a great way to do that and home-school the kids for a year."He said he would possibly be making the same decision to leave had he been made a minister."I've been reflecting that my eldest is going to be 16 by the end of the next term and I have found it more difficult the older my kids have got because they are more aware of what's going on and dad's absence."My kids have grown up knowing nothing but a parliamentary life so I'm quite excited about spending more quality time with them."I always said that 10 years was about right and it feels right."Hughes is one of only two men in the Green caucus of eight MPs and unsuccessfully contested the male co-leadership role in 2015 to fill Russel Norman's vacancy.He rejected speculation that he may not have secured a winnable list position for next year's election."To be frank, it's going to be a guy's election for the Green Party, given the gender imbalance. I was confident that I would have been returned."Green caucus from left: Jan Logie, Chloe Swarbrick, Gareth Hughes, James Shaw, Marama Davidson, Julie Anne Genter, Eugenie Sage and Golriz Gharahman.Any prospect of promotion to a minister would have meant more time away from his children "and that would have broken my heart."He has 10 areas of responsibility including energy and resources but has struggled for profile since the Greens entered Government for the first time in 2017.In terms of lack of progress, he cited the capital gains tax – which did not have the numbers to pass in Parliament - and the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits – but he also cited the ban as a high point."To push that in the confidence and supply negotiation [with Labour] but be unsuccessful but then to be able to achieve that afterwards was a real highlight."The announcement of the ban in April 2018 was a shock because it had not been promised by Labour before the 2017 election, nor had it been in the confidence and supply agreement with the Greens - and officials had argued it would increase greenhouse gas emissions because of reliance on less efficiently produced imported fuel.Hughes believed it was agreed in the end because of a confluence of factors – "good timing, groups such as Greenpeace were pushing incredibly hard at the same time and we made a very strong pitch to the Government that here was an opportunity to draw a line in the sand on what was our country's nuclear-free moment."Hughes said a low point was losing colleagues along the way such as Russel Norman, whom he had been close to, and Catherine Delahunty.He believed the party has done as well as it could have in Government."We've tried our best. We've got a tiny team that has worked their arses off for our policies and values."We've had some incredible wins; we've also had to compromise. We haven't always got our way. That was always going to be the nature of being in Government. I think we've as good a go as we possible could have."Some of the wins were achieved behind the scenes in changes to Cabinet papers or proposals that cold not always be communicated.If he had any advice for the Greens in a new term of Government it would be "that the G...

Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics."It is not transformational on the scale of some of the big turning points in our country's history from the 1930s to the 1980s."There have been pockets of transformation but for me it has been a frustration that the pace of change hasn't been as fast as I'd like to see or in fact the Green Party would like to see."He said he was retiring next election because 10 years was long enough and he and his wife wanted to travel the world with their two kids – aged 12 and nine - for a year."Talking to my wife, we feel it is the right time our life to spend some real solid quality time together and actually going travelling as a family would be a great way to do that and home-school the kids for a year."He said he would possibly be making the same decision to leave had he been made a minister."I've been reflecting that my eldest is going to be 16 by the end of the next term and I have found it more difficult the older my kids have got because they are more aware of what's going on and dad's absence."My kids have grown up knowing nothing but a parliamentary life so I'm quite excited about spending more quality time with them."I always said that 10 years was about right and it feels right."Hughes is one of only two men in the Green caucus of eight MPs and unsuccessfully contested the male co-leadership role in 2015 to fill Russel Norman's vacancy.He rejected speculation that he may not have secured a winnable list position for next year's election."To be frank, it's going to be a guy's election for the Green Party, given the gender imbalance. I was confident that I would have been returned."Green caucus from left: Jan Logie, Chloe Swarbrick, Gareth Hughes, James Shaw, Marama Davidson, Julie Anne Genter, Eugenie Sage and Golriz Gharahman.Any prospect of promotion to a minister would have meant more time away from his children "and that would have broken my heart."He has 10 areas of responsibility including energy and resources but has struggled for profile since the Greens entered Government for the first time in 2017.In terms of lack of progress, he cited the capital gains tax – which did not have the numbers to pass in Parliament - and the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits – but he also cited the ban as a high point."To push that in the confidence and supply negotiation [with Labour] but be unsuccessful but then to be able to achieve that afterwards was a real highlight."The announcement of the ban in April 2018 was a shock because it had not been promised by Labour before the 2017 election, nor had it been in the confidence and supply agreement with the Greens - and officials had argued it would increase greenhouse gas emissions because of reliance on less efficiently produced imported fuel.Hughes believed it was agreed in the end because of a confluence of factors – "good timing, groups such as Greenpeace were pushing incredibly hard at the same time and we made a very strong pitch to the Government that here was an opportunity to draw a line in the sand on what was our country's nuclear-free moment."Hughes said a low point was losing colleagues along the way such as Russel Norman, whom he had been close to, and Catherine Delahunty.He believed the party has done as well as it could have in Government."We've tried our best. We've got a tiny team that has worked their arses off for our policies and values."We've had some incredible wins; we've also had to compromise. We haven't always got our way. That was always going to be the nature of being in Government. I think we've as good a go as we possible could have."Some of the wins were achieved behind the scenes in changes to Cabinet papers or proposals that cold not always be communicated.If he had any advice for the Greens in a new term of Government it would be "that the G...

Retiring Green MP Gareth Hughes says the pace of change in the current Government is not fast enough for his liking but that is not the reason he is quitting politics."It is not transformational on the scale of some of the big turning points in our country's history from the 1930s to the 1980s."There have been pockets of transformation but for me it has been a frustration that the pace of change hasn't been as fast as I'd like to see or in fact the Green Party would like to see."He said he was retiring next election because 10 years was long enough and he and his wife wanted to travel the world with their two kids – aged 12 and nine - for a year."Talking to my wife, we feel it is the right time our life to spend some real solid quality time together and actually going travelling as a family would be a great way to do that and home-school the kids for a year."He said he would possibly be making the same decision to leave had he been made a minister."I've been reflecting that my eldest is going to be 16 by the end of the next term and I have found it more difficult the older my kids have got because they are more aware of what's going on and dad's absence."My kids have grown up knowing nothing but a parliamentary life so I'm quite excited about spending more quality time with them."I always said that 10 years was about right and it feels right."Hughes is one of only two men in the Green caucus of eight MPs and unsuccessfully contested the male co-leadership role in 2015 to fill Russel Norman's vacancy.He rejected speculation that he may not have secured a winnable list position for next year's election."To be frank, it's going to be a guy's election for the Green Party, given the gender imbalance. I was confident that I would have been returned."Green caucus from left: Jan Logie, Chloe Swarbrick, Gareth Hughes, James Shaw, Marama Davidson, Julie Anne Genter, Eugenie Sage and Golriz Gharahman.Any prospect of promotion to a minister would have meant more time away from his children "and that would have broken my heart."He has 10 areas of responsibility including energy and resources but has struggled for profile since the Greens entered Government for the first time in 2017.In terms of lack of progress, he cited the capital gains tax – which did not have the numbers to pass in Parliament - and the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits – but he also cited the ban as a high point."To push that in the confidence and supply negotiation [with Labour] but be unsuccessful but then to be able to achieve that afterwards was a real highlight."The announcement of the ban in April 2018 was a shock because it had not been promised by Labour before the 2017 election, nor had it been in the confidence and supply agreement with the Greens - and officials had argued it would increase greenhouse gas emissions because of reliance on less efficiently produced imported fuel.Hughes believed it was agreed in the end because of a confluence of factors – "good timing, groups such as Greenpeace were pushing incredibly hard at the same time and we made a very strong pitch to the Government that here was an opportunity to draw a line in the sand on what was our country's nuclear-free moment."Hughes said a low point was losing colleagues along the way such as Russel Norman, whom he had been close to, and Catherine Delahunty.He believed the party has done as well as it could have in Government."We've tried our best. We've got a tiny team that has worked their arses off for our policies and values."We've had some incredible wins; we've also had to compromise. We haven't always got our way. That was always going to be the nature of being in Government. I think we've as good a go as we possible could have."Some of the wins were achieved behind the scenes in changes to Cabinet papers or proposals that cold not always be communicated.If he had any advice for the Greens in a new term of Government it would be "that the G...

Greenpeace says New Zealand's transport policies are heading in the wrong direction.The latest figures from Stats NZ show household emissions have risen nearly 20-percent partly because of inefficient, older model cars.Executive director Russel Norman says told Tim Dower the Government has missed an opportunity to make significant cuts to emissions.Emissions from tourism increased at the same rate, as foreign visitors spent more time on the road.Norman says there's been a big focus on roads over public transport, walking and cycling, with no standards for energy-efficient cars.LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW ABOVE 

A mirror neuron is a brain cell that fires both when someone acts and when he or she observes the same action performed by another. So, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were acting. That may be why we get a dream like feeling looking at a Monet painting. Perhaps, we can actually experience in our brains, to some extent, the inspiration of the artist during the creation of the work. There is also a response in the brain when we look at a beautiful painting similar to that of looking at somebody you love. Mindfully perceiving art can elevate consciousness and improve our emotional health.Visit http://www.michaeltoddfink.com(Music "Stillstream" by Russel Norman, courtesy of Crooked Creek Records)

Auckland Writers Festival 2016 The lofty Australian Peter Garrett has strode many a stage, whether as frontsman for the band Midnight Oil, Labour Party minister, or environmental and social justice campaigner. In the past he has argued that Australia would be transformed if music were at its centre. His memoir Big Blue Sky provides the starting point for a conversation with Greenpeace executive director Russel Norman about more personal transformations, staying staunch and, if the audience is lucky, the alleged megalomania of Kevin Rudd.

Also on the show this morning we had a catch up with Green Party co-leader Dr. Russel Norman. First up was his thoughts on mining in New Zealand of course after the Pike River tragedy, during this very sensitive time, is he tempted to push for an emotive anti-mining message? Also covered was Nick Smith’s announcement of the $2.1 billion ‘community environment fund’ - is it all it’s cracked up to be? Russ thinks not…