Brilliant Nick. Perfect summary but Luxon will cling on like a paua. He hasn't the intelligence, and is too lazily incompetent, to manoeuvre through this situation. The upside is the implosion will be spectacularly messy and public, convincing 'middle' New Zealand of what many of us said all along
love the paua image. Luxon believes he's clever focusing on economics but that only shows he does not have leadership qualifies (such as listening and acting).
This is a turbulent time in NZ with a broken health system, homelessness, racial divisiveness and an incompetent government who can’t read the room. There is more thirst for power amongst the coalition leaders than working for everyone’s health and well-being. I can’t see how they will complete their term of government. National has no rising leader so Luxon lacking leadership skills will be at the helm of the ship when it sinks!
If Luxon had any nous, he'd dissolve the coalition and go to Parliament with a minority National party government - that would force Seymour and Peters to make their minds up, in the inevitable no confidence motion that would follow.
Is it just me being uninformed.....or are we going through a very quiet Winston Peters period. Never thought I would find this worrying but surely he is absolutely against new moves to sell NZ; doesn't seem to be saying so.
I agree! Been noticing the same and wondering if he's plotting some disruption. Maybe letting Seymour well and truly hang himself first? Caught napping over the Cooks but won't care about that cause his 'power base' is here. Guarantee he's not sitting idle
Thought exactly the same. He hasn't been leaping to his feet in defense of Luxon ( who needs all the help he can get) over the last couple of days. He's up to something sure as eggs are eggs.
It will be emblematic of the alternate universe we're now living in to have a person like Seymour in the role of deputy PM. Unfit to be an MP, unfit to be a Minister, unfit to be deputy PM.
I suspect Ayn Rand is spinning in her grave watching these two heroes of neoliberalism; Numb and Number might be the documentary covering these tragic times
Meant to say what a great version of a great song. The sheriff might be regularly shooting himself in the foot, but there is a lot of gunshot residue on the deputy too
I will put my hand up and say I wish David Seymour ill. Really serious and painful illness of the terminal kind would make me happy. Fuck him and everything he stands for - he is the most poisonous person in this country. He needs to be eliminated as he won't go away and is a festering cancer that keeps on growing. He needs to be cut out/ off.
I have spent the best part of a year now looking after my wife. She has been in and out of hospital so many times and her illnesses continue. She is a really really good and kind person - one of the best. Fuck David Seymour - he can fuck off and more preferably die.
I feel for your wife and you Brian, it's so hard to make sense of this life when you have to watch a good human suffer whilst watching the likes of Seymour seemingly cruising through unscathed - there'll be a reckoning in time for him and I hope it's soon, karma is well overdue for the toxic little shite. I hope things turn around for the better soon for your wife, be strong and remember to take care of yourself too through it all.
A vent does help. You be strong for your wife, we will donate support the left and fight this rat to our last breath. I believe in Karma and boy has Seymour got it coming for him, and his buddy Luxon. They are not dead yet, and lots of life events to catch them out at some stage.
I hope you and your wife get the help you need, and we feel your grief and anger. You feel that as you know how to love.
Really good summary Nick. If only Luxton had the leadership guts to change his planning and leave Peters as Deputy then we would have a huge collapse, a snap election and we would be rid of this dangerous lot before they do even more damage. Such dreams and hopes.
I suspect David will keep being David, as he is comfortably siphoning off votes from the rural Groundswell folk who are openly critical of Luxon’s performance to date.
Talk about a rock & a hard place!
Maybe Luxon’s inability to read the room enables him to sleep at night.
Q time yesterday was hilarious. Luxon scored an own goal, Seymour sat there gawping like a fish, Judith Collins was wheeled in to make points of order, Winston looked even more grumpy than usual, Chippy tied Mr Speaker up in knots, Chloe had a great one liner, and TPM's Debs was magnificent. I see Seymour has taken to X to try to justify his stupidity. I haven't watched the snap debate on health initiated by Peeni Henare, but I did hear there was a lot of "it's all Labour's fault" from govt speakers. There's more to come today at 2pm ! G News on FB always does a video updates of the highlights.
Well done. Wonderfully written article. I believe ATLAS have decided the deodorant salesman won’t achieve their agenda so have given their support to the arrogant one, the up and coming “number 2”
Right on, Nick. Dingo nuts, Shakespeare one-liners and a superb Bob Marley cover. It would be a comedy if not for the carnage raining on our country. Impossible to predict the climax or the denouement. One can only hope it comes soon, before any more Atlas-inspired idiocy can be inflicted on us.
I have a theory about Seymour’s ridiculous behaviour getting under Luxo’s skin. With only two months to go before he becomes DPM, he knows he has Luxo over a barrel, (not a pretty picture) knowing that the Coalition needs all the current actors to maintain a majority in Parliament. I think that Seymour has hardly even started on his plan to get rid of Luxo while he has the opportunity. I see Seymour badgering Luxo with all manner of inappropriate comments, actions and deception until Luxo either quits through frustration, or Seymour calls for a vote of no confidence in Luxo as leader. We all know this is true, so I reckon Seymour will possibly be PM before Christmas. Never a more vile present could be handed to a country. It’s actually Luxo’s fault that this will happen, as he had to grovel, beg and lose any semblance of dignity to form this trio of selfishness, arrogance and incompetence. “oh, what a wicked web he weaved, for only himself to be deceived”
Love the Ren cover, brilliant!👍😀
PS. Another coincidental letter to the Herald follows. You will probably be the only ones to see it.
Watching today’s Parliamentary question time, during which Chloe Swarbrick was questioning the PM about the nutritional value of school lunches being delivered at $3 a head rather than $8 or so, the PM declared he would like to see the money saved by doing this spent on education and health for our children. Surely a decent meal during the day will cover both these requirements adequately? A full belly is a happy, healthy belly. The number of these vile looking, unappealing and unappetising creations which end up on rubbish tips should suggest that this isn’t working. At all. Seymour was proud that very nearly all the meals were delivered on time today which met with joy from Luxon. Does delivery on time make them any more palatable? Something the politicians of this generation need to consider is that the children of today will be their doctors, nurses and caregivers when they themselves grow too old to cope on their own. It will be too late to say “I wasn’t aware of that”. You have been warned. Good luck.
Good grief Jeremy that's a dark and dystopian picture you paint of that twerking twerp being PM! ... admittedly he has the arrogance but surely someone, anyone, in National would prevent this horrible scenario from happening. It IS bizarre watching the little shite strutting around thinking he is impervious to criticism or restraint, it's as though he lives in his own alternative universe and is convinced he's untouchable .... I wish the Nats would unleash Collins onto Luxon and instruct him on how to be a ball breaker, once he finds his of course ....
It’s already a dystopian world we live in, Vicky, with what Trump, Musk and Atlas are cooking up. Has anyone noticed that Atlas haven’t done anything to deny who or what they are and do? Their silence is deafening. Not quite Orwellian dystopian but heading that way fast.
I imagine that if the PM leaves office, the DPM automatically takes over. I could be wrong and with the prospect of Seymour at the helm I sincerely hope I am! By the was, even Crusher Collins couldn’t crush what Luxon hasn’t got.🙂
Sadly true Jeremy and with Australia heading to the polls within 6 months if Peter Dutton (shudder!) should get in the dreadful set of RW heartlessness would be complete. I can't see the Nats letting Seymour take the reins, as Cindy says they are the majority party, Bishop would shove him aside quick smart. Yes indeed Atlas are quiet, must be quite satisfied with their handiwork so far :/
🤔 You make some good points, but I think it's fairly set in stone that the PM will come from the majority party of Nats - plenty putting their hands up IMHO but who will want the poisoned chalice going into the next election ⁉️ (whenever it is 🤷)
💜 Love love love the end of your letter 👏 "... The children of today will be their doctors, nurses and caregivers, when they themselves grow too old to cope on their own..." 😂
Thanks Cindy. I used to work in a healthcare related distribution company and had to remind some of my colleagues occasionally that one day we would become the people we were helping now.
I don’t think anyone new from the Nat side of the house would be any better than the ones we have now, but it is cyclone season so maybe Collins would fit the bill? Heaven help us.
Yes, I have this theory, too!! I honestly hope that Seymour gets booted out before May! Although, that’s a lot of wishful thinking…
What’s happening here has been long prepared, and it’s been done after the Buchanan playbook. And guess what, that’s been used in America right now. Read more about this here:
Kia ora Nick.....great post, thank you! My response to this week (and it's only Wednesday FFS!), has been to write a detailed email to Luxon. I have drawn his attention (:)), to the litany of dastardly actions of Seymour, and expressed my profound dismay that this maggot (sorry maggots, I know you do a good, and thankless job), is due to become DPM in May. I then sent it to my MP, Rachel Boyack after having received a response from Chris Bishop's office to a previous, different email, letting me know that if the email was addressed to more than one respondent, I would not receive a reply (the logic confounds me so I stopped thinking about it before my head started to hurt). After watching the clip where it becomes clear that Seymour knew he wasn't permitted to drive the jeep up the steps, I wrote another email to Luxon this morning demanding that he take action against Seymour, to sack him, remove his portfolios and obviously prevent him from becoming DPM. I'll be so glad when the election, snap or not, arrives and I can think about other things...like how did my pumpkins get so big, and what to do with all the beans???? I also really enjoy reading everyone's comments, so smart, savvy and often hilarious...cheers me up no end!
Although I love this song, as an alternate suggestion, I had in mind, 'These boots were made for walking' ... take it away from any perspective ... "I'm gonna walk all over you"
It's not a crime to have dreams but it is a crime to carry some of them out.
My current dream is to grab Seymour round the ankles with the arm-end of my crutch (necessitated by osteo-arthritis), bring him to the ground (preferably concrete) and proceed to stomp on him. It wouldn't last long due to said disability but it sure would be satisfying. (wink)
Brilliant Nick. Perfect summary but Luxon will cling on like a paua. He hasn't the intelligence, and is too lazily incompetent, to manoeuvre through this situation. The upside is the implosion will be spectacularly messy and public, convincing 'middle' New Zealand of what many of us said all along
love the paua image. Luxon believes he's clever focusing on economics but that only shows he does not have leadership qualifies (such as listening and acting).
This is a turbulent time in NZ with a broken health system, homelessness, racial divisiveness and an incompetent government who can’t read the room. There is more thirst for power amongst the coalition leaders than working for everyone’s health and well-being. I can’t see how they will complete their term of government. National has no rising leader so Luxon lacking leadership skills will be at the helm of the ship when it sinks!
Luxon is standing aside on purpose. Seymour is actually PM.
If Luxon had any nous, he'd dissolve the coalition and go to Parliament with a minority National party government - that would force Seymour and Peters to make their minds up, in the inevitable no confidence motion that would follow.
We'd have a snap election announced before morning smoko.
It depends on how secure the minor coalition parties feel - the polls aren't looking too good.
Is it just me being uninformed.....or are we going through a very quiet Winston Peters period. Never thought I would find this worrying but surely he is absolutely against new moves to sell NZ; doesn't seem to be saying so.
I agree! Been noticing the same and wondering if he's plotting some disruption. Maybe letting Seymour well and truly hang himself first? Caught napping over the Cooks but won't care about that cause his 'power base' is here. Guarantee he's not sitting idle
Not just you, Winston is definitely going through a quiet period which is a trifle unnerving. Perhaps he’s plotting.
Thought exactly the same. He hasn't been leaping to his feet in defense of Luxon ( who needs all the help he can get) over the last couple of days. He's up to something sure as eggs are eggs.
It will be emblematic of the alternate universe we're now living in to have a person like Seymour in the role of deputy PM. Unfit to be an MP, unfit to be a Minister, unfit to be deputy PM.
So Gavin that's a matching set to our supposed PM then :/
Yep. :)
I suspect Ayn Rand is spinning in her grave watching these two heroes of neoliberalism; Numb and Number might be the documentary covering these tragic times
Meant to say what a great version of a great song. The sheriff might be regularly shooting himself in the foot, but there is a lot of gunshot residue on the deputy too
I will put my hand up and say I wish David Seymour ill. Really serious and painful illness of the terminal kind would make me happy. Fuck him and everything he stands for - he is the most poisonous person in this country. He needs to be eliminated as he won't go away and is a festering cancer that keeps on growing. He needs to be cut out/ off.
I have spent the best part of a year now looking after my wife. She has been in and out of hospital so many times and her illnesses continue. She is a really really good and kind person - one of the best. Fuck David Seymour - he can fuck off and more preferably die.
I feel for your wife and you Brian, it's so hard to make sense of this life when you have to watch a good human suffer whilst watching the likes of Seymour seemingly cruising through unscathed - there'll be a reckoning in time for him and I hope it's soon, karma is well overdue for the toxic little shite. I hope things turn around for the better soon for your wife, be strong and remember to take care of yourself too through it all.
A vent does help. You be strong for your wife, we will donate support the left and fight this rat to our last breath. I believe in Karma and boy has Seymour got it coming for him, and his buddy Luxon. They are not dead yet, and lots of life events to catch them out at some stage.
I hope you and your wife get the help you need, and we feel your grief and anger. You feel that as you know how to love.
Really good summary Nick. If only Luxton had the leadership guts to change his planning and leave Peters as Deputy then we would have a huge collapse, a snap election and we would be rid of this dangerous lot before they do even more damage. Such dreams and hopes.
Something's gotta give, sooner rather than later. I can see a snap election long before the end of the year - and it can't come soon enough.
I suspect David will keep being David, as he is comfortably siphoning off votes from the rural Groundswell folk who are openly critical of Luxon’s performance to date.
Talk about a rock & a hard place!
Maybe Luxon’s inability to read the room enables him to sleep at night.
Q time yesterday was hilarious. Luxon scored an own goal, Seymour sat there gawping like a fish, Judith Collins was wheeled in to make points of order, Winston looked even more grumpy than usual, Chippy tied Mr Speaker up in knots, Chloe had a great one liner, and TPM's Debs was magnificent. I see Seymour has taken to X to try to justify his stupidity. I haven't watched the snap debate on health initiated by Peeni Henare, but I did hear there was a lot of "it's all Labour's fault" from govt speakers. There's more to come today at 2pm ! G News on FB always does a video updates of the highlights.
Wow love this! What is G News?
Gerard Otto on Facebook.
Fantastic, thanks.
He's good. I rely on Nick, Gerald,and Moutain Tui for my news. RNZ has its moments.
Well done. Wonderfully written article. I believe ATLAS have decided the deodorant salesman won’t achieve their agenda so have given their support to the arrogant one, the up and coming “number 2”
Right on, Nick. Dingo nuts, Shakespeare one-liners and a superb Bob Marley cover. It would be a comedy if not for the carnage raining on our country. Impossible to predict the climax or the denouement. One can only hope it comes soon, before any more Atlas-inspired idiocy can be inflicted on us.
I have a theory about Seymour’s ridiculous behaviour getting under Luxo’s skin. With only two months to go before he becomes DPM, he knows he has Luxo over a barrel, (not a pretty picture) knowing that the Coalition needs all the current actors to maintain a majority in Parliament. I think that Seymour has hardly even started on his plan to get rid of Luxo while he has the opportunity. I see Seymour badgering Luxo with all manner of inappropriate comments, actions and deception until Luxo either quits through frustration, or Seymour calls for a vote of no confidence in Luxo as leader. We all know this is true, so I reckon Seymour will possibly be PM before Christmas. Never a more vile present could be handed to a country. It’s actually Luxo’s fault that this will happen, as he had to grovel, beg and lose any semblance of dignity to form this trio of selfishness, arrogance and incompetence. “oh, what a wicked web he weaved, for only himself to be deceived”
Love the Ren cover, brilliant!👍😀
PS. Another coincidental letter to the Herald follows. You will probably be the only ones to see it.
Watching today’s Parliamentary question time, during which Chloe Swarbrick was questioning the PM about the nutritional value of school lunches being delivered at $3 a head rather than $8 or so, the PM declared he would like to see the money saved by doing this spent on education and health for our children. Surely a decent meal during the day will cover both these requirements adequately? A full belly is a happy, healthy belly. The number of these vile looking, unappealing and unappetising creations which end up on rubbish tips should suggest that this isn’t working. At all. Seymour was proud that very nearly all the meals were delivered on time today which met with joy from Luxon. Does delivery on time make them any more palatable? Something the politicians of this generation need to consider is that the children of today will be their doctors, nurses and caregivers when they themselves grow too old to cope on their own. It will be too late to say “I wasn’t aware of that”. You have been warned. Good luck.
Good grief Jeremy that's a dark and dystopian picture you paint of that twerking twerp being PM! ... admittedly he has the arrogance but surely someone, anyone, in National would prevent this horrible scenario from happening. It IS bizarre watching the little shite strutting around thinking he is impervious to criticism or restraint, it's as though he lives in his own alternative universe and is convinced he's untouchable .... I wish the Nats would unleash Collins onto Luxon and instruct him on how to be a ball breaker, once he finds his of course ....
It’s already a dystopian world we live in, Vicky, with what Trump, Musk and Atlas are cooking up. Has anyone noticed that Atlas haven’t done anything to deny who or what they are and do? Their silence is deafening. Not quite Orwellian dystopian but heading that way fast.
I imagine that if the PM leaves office, the DPM automatically takes over. I could be wrong and with the prospect of Seymour at the helm I sincerely hope I am! By the was, even Crusher Collins couldn’t crush what Luxon hasn’t got.🙂
Sadly true Jeremy and with Australia heading to the polls within 6 months if Peter Dutton (shudder!) should get in the dreadful set of RW heartlessness would be complete. I can't see the Nats letting Seymour take the reins, as Cindy says they are the majority party, Bishop would shove him aside quick smart. Yes indeed Atlas are quiet, must be quite satisfied with their handiwork so far :/
🤔 You make some good points, but I think it's fairly set in stone that the PM will come from the majority party of Nats - plenty putting their hands up IMHO but who will want the poisoned chalice going into the next election ⁉️ (whenever it is 🤷)
💜 Love love love the end of your letter 👏 "... The children of today will be their doctors, nurses and caregivers, when they themselves grow too old to cope on their own..." 😂
Thanks Cindy. I used to work in a healthcare related distribution company and had to remind some of my colleagues occasionally that one day we would become the people we were helping now.
I don’t think anyone new from the Nat side of the house would be any better than the ones we have now, but it is cyclone season so maybe Collins would fit the bill? Heaven help us.
Yes, I have this theory, too!! I honestly hope that Seymour gets booted out before May! Although, that’s a lot of wishful thinking…
What’s happening here has been long prepared, and it’s been done after the Buchanan playbook. And guess what, that’s been used in America right now. Read more about this here:
https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-percents-stealth-takeover-of-america
Kia ora Nick.....great post, thank you! My response to this week (and it's only Wednesday FFS!), has been to write a detailed email to Luxon. I have drawn his attention (:)), to the litany of dastardly actions of Seymour, and expressed my profound dismay that this maggot (sorry maggots, I know you do a good, and thankless job), is due to become DPM in May. I then sent it to my MP, Rachel Boyack after having received a response from Chris Bishop's office to a previous, different email, letting me know that if the email was addressed to more than one respondent, I would not receive a reply (the logic confounds me so I stopped thinking about it before my head started to hurt). After watching the clip where it becomes clear that Seymour knew he wasn't permitted to drive the jeep up the steps, I wrote another email to Luxon this morning demanding that he take action against Seymour, to sack him, remove his portfolios and obviously prevent him from becoming DPM. I'll be so glad when the election, snap or not, arrives and I can think about other things...like how did my pumpkins get so big, and what to do with all the beans???? I also really enjoy reading everyone's comments, so smart, savvy and often hilarious...cheers me up no end!
Although I love this song, as an alternate suggestion, I had in mind, 'These boots were made for walking' ... take it away from any perspective ... "I'm gonna walk all over you"
"I'm gonna walk all over you".
It's not a crime to have dreams but it is a crime to carry some of them out.
My current dream is to grab Seymour round the ankles with the arm-end of my crutch (necessitated by osteo-arthritis), bring him to the ground (preferably concrete) and proceed to stomp on him. It wouldn't last long due to said disability but it sure would be satisfying. (wink)
😂🤣😂🤣love it
Would make a great rally song!!!