Quarry linked to $55,000 donation to NZ First and Shane Jones, approached over fast-track

[andrewcrossland]

Thanks for the clarification Jan. I’ve amended my post to remove that criticism of the Green Party.

[Michael Szabo]

I'm not convinced by the argument that the flawed Fast-Track Approvals Bill could have been avoided by a theoretical past reform of the Wildlife Act that never happened. The previous government did not have a crystal ball to foresee the outcome of the last election and pre-empt the details of new laws put forward by a different coalition government.

If the fast-track bill is passed in its current form it will suspend the operation of NZ's main environment and conservation legislation in relation to large developments approved under it - some of which could pose a threat to some of NZ's birds and their habitats. That is more of a 'real and present danger' than an as-yet unannounced potential reform of the Wildlife Act.

It's encouraging that ten biodiversity-focused scientific societies - including Birds New Zealand - plus all the main conservation and environment groups such as Forest & Bird, Greenpeace, WWF and EDS, plus the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and the Auditor General, have made submissions pointing out the flaws in the bill.

It's also encouraging that they have been supported by tens of thousands of public submissions, some of which were made by members of the BirdingNZ.net forum. Here's hoping the new government is listening to them.

[Jan]

PLEASE!!!!, could one person who isn't even a moderator or administrator on this site STOP the constant carping about this topic? It's supposed to be a forum about birds. We all know the current situation is not good, but it should not be rammed down our throats time and time again. If New Zealand Birders fb group also carries it, why is it needed on BirdingNZ.net? I do wonder why anyone bothers to read some of it and I've been on this site from the begining. i might give up now.

[Michael Szabo]

Firstly, my last comment was a reply to Andrew.
Secondly, posts on the Fast-Track Approvals Bill in this forum have had thousands of views.
Thirdly, I agree with Jim that people don't have to read posts they are not interested in.

[Michael Szabo]

As the admin of the Birds New Zealand and New Zealand Birders Facebook groups I often see posts of new sightings first, or get calls or messages from birders about a new sighting, so I often cross-post those to this forum. I also do some contract work for Birds New Zealand which involves cross posting to social media and online forums. Of course everyone is free to post here, its just that I often have the information ahead of most others and I'm always keen to share it so local birders get a chance to go and see something for themselves before it moves on.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

I'm thinking about how best to manage these threads relating to acts, policies, govt departments etc. Unfortunately, I'm a slow thinking. For now I have deleted posts from this thread. Please keep discussions civil. Personal attacks are not permitted.

[Michael Szabo]

Thanks Neil, that's much appreciated.

[andrewcrossland]

Michael, With regards those "heads up" postings of bird sightings that you've been first to see elsewhere, you posting those on BirdingNZ are certainly very much appreciated by everyone I'm sure. Not only do they give people a chance to see some of those birds but they also help some of those records get properly verified by subsequent observers, and then also fed into the conveyor belt of records sent to the RAC for vetting.
I wonder though if the little summary style and a url link is the best way of doing that? I don’t know if verbatim copy and pasting posts from eisewhere or copying photos wouid need permission from the original poster?
Thanks

[Michael Szabo]

Thanks Andrew, yes the more UBRs submitted and Atlas checklists uploaded to eBird, the better.

The information available initially can sometimes be limited, hence the brevity of some posts, but it gets the sighting out there and in the case of the Whangapoua/Mercury Islands Lesser Frigatebird, it led to the photographer offering more of his shots for publication in the Birds New Zealand magazine and a master-class in identifying Lesser Frigatebirds from Australian expert David James:
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12555

[paradoxdinokipi]

PLEASE!!!!, could one person who isn't even a moderator or administrator on this site STOP the constant carping about this topic? It's supposed to be a forum about birds. We all know the current situation is not good, but it should not be rammed down our throats time and time again. If New Zealand Birders fb group also carries it, why is it needed on BirdingNZ.net? I do wonder why anyone bothers to read some of it and I've been on this site from the begining. i might give up now.

I see no reason to assume everyone is using a site such as fb rather than the much easier to access forum, it aIso aIIows for a Iot more discussion and such.