Audio

A new Green waste levy came into force this week that will begin to revolutionise the way we deal with our rubbish. I talk to the architect himself—Nandor Tanczos—about the law, pigouvian taxes, and how to find riches in our rubbish.

National has just cut $19 million of funding for the Greens' Enviroschools programme. Does this mark the end of one of our most successful initiatives? I talk to Green Education Spokesperson Catherine Delahunty on the fate of teaching for a sustainable future.

This week we go behind the scenes to the high stakes lottery of lawmaking here at Parliament, otherwise known as the Member's Ballot. The Greens have been historically lucky at the ballot. How will we fare again today?

The Greens have a new female Co-Leader. This week's podcast features highlights from the conference that elected her.

Celebrity Mike King's televised exposé of an intensive pig farming operation has left most of us feeling sick. Will the ensuing public outrage be enough to lead to meaningful reform of our factory farms? I talked to veteran animal welfare campaigner, Sue Kedgley, about the future happiness of pigs and their place down on the New Zealand farm.

As the Green Party AGM approaches, Jeanette Fitzsimons enjoys her last few days as the Co-leader of the Greens. I wondered what must be going through her mind as she readies herself to hand over the reins of power? What have been some of her highlights? Who are some of the people she most admires? And what is the life of Parliament’s most conscientious MP going to look like without the responsibility of our future resting so heavily on her?

Ever found yourself standing at a protest holding a sign saying “Just Say No to Structural Adjustment”? My friend Anna did and her experience inspired this show: moments in politics when Greens turn red. I asked all of the Green MPs to describe their most embarrassing moment in politics.

Helen Clark and Michael Cullen have given their valedictory speeches and—after nine long years of running the show—have left the Parliamentary stage of power. Cullen’s parting words on sustainability all seemed to this podcaster a lesson learned too late to be of any consequence. I asked our Green MPs for their thoughts on the passing of the Cullen Clark dynasty.

The planet's last great forests — our tropical rainforests — are threatened by illegal and unsustainable logging. Much of the wood coming into New Zealand comes from these same forests making us complicit in this crime. But there are alternatives. You can buy good wood. Green MP Catherine Delahunty discusses her first Member's Bill, the Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Amendment Bill — a bill that will require all wood coming into New Zealand to be certified sustainable. Her Bill is all about the good wood.

It's the beginning of the end for the unique red tussock lands of Happy Valley. Solid Energy commenced coal-mining preparations in the area on Earth Day by constructing fences, installing security equipment, and taking apart the Save Happy Valley camp. Metiria discusses the devastating implications of this, the first move to turn Happy Valley into a giant open cast coal mine.