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Saturday, January 14, 2012

How to make sense of the Food Bill (Part One)

12 comments:

Armchair Critic said...

Penny Bright has been tossing her toys over the Food Bill over at The Standard, as you may have seen. That's an indicator to me that it is not something I need to worry about, or at least something I need to oppose using completely different methods.

robertguyton said...

For similar reasons, I am unspooked.
I'm keeping a watch though.

Armchair Critic said...

I've said before, if it impinges on what I do (grow a garden, share food with friends and family) or makes it illegal, I will ignore it. If provoked, I will deliberately subvert, obstruct and flout this particular law.
It seems likely that even if it is as draconian as the doomsayers predict when taken literally, the flexibility will be in the enforcement. And while it is dumb to make an unenforceable law (imagine the resourcing needed to police every garden!), it's not unprecedented.

robertguyton said...

That's right.
"Arrest those home gardeners, officer. Yes, all of them I say!"

Anonymous said...

I tend to agree, but I do think it would be easy for us to lose quite alot inadvertenly. At the moment I buy food from the Farmers Market that is grown in people's backyards. If the Food Bill prohibits this, it will be much easier for authorities to prevent sales in public places than targeting home gardeners at home. Woofing hosts will also be an easy target. If we want local economies then our legislations have to support this. It is easier to make sure the bill gets written right now, than to try and change it later.

robertguyton said...

I think those at the 'higher' political level are well aware of the possibilities and are onto the details you describe, wildcrafty. If any aspects like those you describe do get through, there'll be an uproar! The 'underground' is truly fired-up over this.

Ralph said...

Based on her past sucesses, Penny Bright could probably sort out the convoluted Environment Southland and still give the Food Bill a good skake.
NZ needs more people with her ability,perception and dedication.

Armchair Critic said...

Ralph - In reflection my comment regarding Penny doesn't read so well. I've never thought her successes were that great; she is certainly perceptive and passionate. With another hundred like her, New Zealand would be a different (and probably better place).
For some reason the campaign against water meters seemed tainted by anti-semitism, which revolted me, however I don't know that the anti-semitism had anything to do with Penny.
With the Food Bill, I think her approach to opposing it is poorly chosen, because I don't think it will deliver the result she wants.

Colin McIntyre said...

Re Penny Bright,I tend to agree with Ralph.It is refreshing to see someone, who has been taken to court so many times,for her various protests and the number of times she has sucessfully defended herself.
Her efforts to alert people to the amount of corruption in NZ deserve support.
A perusal of the blog site www.kiwisfirst.com should alert folk to what goes on our Judicary from the top down.

robertguyton said...

Penny receives disgraceful treatment from Farrar's supporters, so she must be on the side of good :-)

Colin McIntyre said...

Robert-Experiences over the years have given me some reasons to doubt that those at the (supposed) "higher" political level, will always make common sense decisions.
Too entrenched with the IMF and the United Nations IMHOP.
For further information on the proposed NZ Food Bill, which hasn't seen a great amount of publicity read this contribution by a member at---

http://www.climaterealists.org.nz/node/853

robertguyton said...

Thanks Colin. Some very interesting emails have been coming my way of late (aside from the generic warning ones on the Food Bill).