Thanks Irene. I appreciate the support I receive from you already, both as a paid subscriber and as someone who shares my newsletters - thank you.
I guess being patient if I make content available to others either because I want it to be read or to get in front of a new audience. That might seem obvious but I've had some people cancel this week saying they're not going to pay for things others are getting free. Which is quite disheartening.
He will be missed. It seems bizarre to me that NZ voters prefer not to have intelligent, thoughtful, measured people running the country but rabid, racist, shallow reactionaries instead
He wasintelligent, thoughtful, and measured as you have said. But he was also able to speak passionately, and he took the opposition to task more than once for their lack of support on Climate Change measures.
Could not have said anything better Nick. I totally agree an absolute gentleman and a great person in politics. We need more like him in that mix to drown out the others. If only our Parliament was made up of people of his calibre we then would be world leaders!
Chloe will be a force to be reckoned with. But, I fear for her safety as the haters will target her big time. It is important that good people have her back!
You are right about the haters. Especially with two women leaders. t is important that we all have her back. I am Labour rather than the Greens, although I have often split my vote between the two. But it concerns me that two women leaders for the Greens will be a target, whether that is Chloe or Julianne Genter. Julianne would probably be more of a target - she seems to annoy a lot of people.
On the money as always Nick. Chlöe most definitely has the attributes in spades. I just hope she doesn't become another female MP to fall victim to the vitriole that so many face. That narrative as we all know (and maybe you will write more about one day) is driven by off-shore Interests (Atlas group?) with BIG $$$ influencing both regular and social media, and ultimately us.
This is also the time for us as a Green Party to show we have matured sufficiently to stand as a major party contender in the next election, with not only Green environmental credentials but also a huge regard for the rights and wellbeing of all people
I agree. James has been an excellent leader and the partnership with Marama has made a huge difference. Of course it's going to be Chloe should she choose to take the role up. What James did was keep the issue of climate and environmental change at the forefront of our politics and Green successes in parliament in the tradition of Janette Fitzsimmons and Rod Donald. I hope that continues. I admire MPs when they have the courage to step down and make way for the next generation. I sympathise with James because he had a rocky road, not least from GP members. He is an admirable man.
James will be sorely missed. He is a person of great integrity, honesty, intelligence and with the ability to engage calmly with people across all political parties. Luckily the Greens are growing in strength and this provides an opportunity for Chloe or Julie-Ann to take a greater leadership role.
Naked was a pleasure reading your korero this morning! I couldn’t agree more with your opinion of James Shaw, and I wish him happiness in his new life ahead! Also wish for Chloe to succeed him..
Agree Nick a sad loss. It seems the good ones feel the need to leave early and thus make Parliament an even worse place as evidenced by the collection on show now. Am fervently hoping Labour and the Greens work very closely together to ensure 3 years is the limit for this motley lot of a coalition.
I am very saddened by James departure from parliament. He was certainly a stable influence for the Green party, and an "acceptable face for those who are more conservative. And as you point out Nick he is a white, heterosexual male which would also earn him Brownie points in some places. Raised by two lesbians of course but people can overlook that. Ironically he is also one of the few parliamentarians who is an actual economist. That was his profession before entering parliament. I think he had a private business, and had been approached by the National Party to join their ranks at some stage. ( I could be wrong about the National Party bit ). So the Greens had the only qualified economist - the National Party seem to go for people with English lit. degrees-both Nicola Willis, and Bill English had that honour. Nothing wrong with having an English lit. degree except when you try to say you are qualified to be the Finance Minister of a country, and have the propensity to accuse the previous Finance Minister of "gaslighting", as if it was a new word to add to your English lit/journalism lexicon. Another irony of governance in Aotearoa is pre Neoliberalism Muldoon was in many ways the "bastard"he has been accused of being. My mother would disagree with that - he helped her out in a very real way when one of my brothers went to prison for a short period, and was in danger of losing property that he would need when released. In many ways Muldoon was a socialist. He had been brought up by a single mother, and he had a strong belief that all families had the right of a roof over their head , and enough food to eat. Roger Douglas has no such underlying belief. He has shown that time, and time again, and now through Seymour et al. Lange had that belief, but he was faced with an existential crisis when he became PM. I quite often was party to his conversations with my husband if I met him (my husband)for lunch. He worked quite close to where Lange's Law office was, ( pre Lange's parliamentary career )and we would have lunch at a cafe in the same area. If Lange saw my husband he would invite himself to lunch. They knew each other from Law school, and working on the wharves in the holidays. Lange's clients were often people other lawyers would not defend, and he would make wry comments about not being paid. He especially helped pasifika people that others chose not to.
My current thinking is to keep the newsletter free until after Waitangi day, and then return to usual. Thanks very much for your support 🙂
I am a paid subscriber. How else can I support your work Nick?
Thanks Irene. I appreciate the support I receive from you already, both as a paid subscriber and as someone who shares my newsletters - thank you.
I guess being patient if I make content available to others either because I want it to be read or to get in front of a new audience. That might seem obvious but I've had some people cancel this week saying they're not going to pay for things others are getting free. Which is quite disheartening.
Just keep on reading and sharing 🙂
He will be missed. It seems bizarre to me that NZ voters prefer not to have intelligent, thoughtful, measured people running the country but rabid, racist, shallow reactionaries instead
He wasintelligent, thoughtful, and measured as you have said. But he was also able to speak passionately, and he took the opposition to task more than once for their lack of support on Climate Change measures.
Could not have said anything better Nick. I totally agree an absolute gentleman and a great person in politics. We need more like him in that mix to drown out the others. If only our Parliament was made up of people of his calibre we then would be world leaders!
A great man, a true honest politician who will be missed. Yes Chloe all the way to step up into the vacant leadership role and in the future PM !
Chloe will be a force to be reckoned with. But, I fear for her safety as the haters will target her big time. It is important that good people have her back!
You are right about the haters. Especially with two women leaders. t is important that we all have her back. I am Labour rather than the Greens, although I have often split my vote between the two. But it concerns me that two women leaders for the Greens will be a target, whether that is Chloe or Julianne Genter. Julianne would probably be more of a target - she seems to annoy a lot of people.
On the money as always Nick. Chlöe most definitely has the attributes in spades. I just hope she doesn't become another female MP to fall victim to the vitriole that so many face. That narrative as we all know (and maybe you will write more about one day) is driven by off-shore Interests (Atlas group?) with BIG $$$ influencing both regular and social media, and ultimately us.
This is also the time for us as a Green Party to show we have matured sufficiently to stand as a major party contender in the next election, with not only Green environmental credentials but also a huge regard for the rights and wellbeing of all people
in Aotearoa.
Spot on
I agree. James has been an excellent leader and the partnership with Marama has made a huge difference. Of course it's going to be Chloe should she choose to take the role up. What James did was keep the issue of climate and environmental change at the forefront of our politics and Green successes in parliament in the tradition of Janette Fitzsimmons and Rod Donald. I hope that continues. I admire MPs when they have the courage to step down and make way for the next generation. I sympathise with James because he had a rocky road, not least from GP members. He is an admirable man.
James will be sorely missed. He is a person of great integrity, honesty, intelligence and with the ability to engage calmly with people across all political parties. Luckily the Greens are growing in strength and this provides an opportunity for Chloe or Julie-Ann to take a greater leadership role.
I agree! Loved James and BRING IT ON CHLOE!
Well said Nick. A rare person in the field of politics. Wish there were more like him.
A forward thinker and definitely not a backTRACKER.
Isn’t James staying on as an MP? So may still be good in opposition.
One underrated feature of James is his dry but hilarious sense of humour. Given the general absurdity of our political system, that’s a great asset.
A thoroughly decent bloke, and a huge loss to the country. I endorse everything you've said here.
Nick! Not Naked!!
He He. I've made some good typos - and that was a goodie 🙂
I was surprised, but not judgemental.
I closed my eyes
I just want to know more.lol
Heh hehehe, funny little conversation!
I did wonder.lol I thought "What have I missed?" Was that a Freudian slip???
Naked was a pleasure reading your korero this morning! I couldn’t agree more with your opinion of James Shaw, and I wish him happiness in his new life ahead! Also wish for Chloe to succeed him..
Don't read it naked lol :D
Agree Nick a sad loss. It seems the good ones feel the need to leave early and thus make Parliament an even worse place as evidenced by the collection on show now. Am fervently hoping Labour and the Greens work very closely together to ensure 3 years is the limit for this motley lot of a coalition.
I am very saddened by James departure from parliament. He was certainly a stable influence for the Green party, and an "acceptable face for those who are more conservative. And as you point out Nick he is a white, heterosexual male which would also earn him Brownie points in some places. Raised by two lesbians of course but people can overlook that. Ironically he is also one of the few parliamentarians who is an actual economist. That was his profession before entering parliament. I think he had a private business, and had been approached by the National Party to join their ranks at some stage. ( I could be wrong about the National Party bit ). So the Greens had the only qualified economist - the National Party seem to go for people with English lit. degrees-both Nicola Willis, and Bill English had that honour. Nothing wrong with having an English lit. degree except when you try to say you are qualified to be the Finance Minister of a country, and have the propensity to accuse the previous Finance Minister of "gaslighting", as if it was a new word to add to your English lit/journalism lexicon. Another irony of governance in Aotearoa is pre Neoliberalism Muldoon was in many ways the "bastard"he has been accused of being. My mother would disagree with that - he helped her out in a very real way when one of my brothers went to prison for a short period, and was in danger of losing property that he would need when released. In many ways Muldoon was a socialist. He had been brought up by a single mother, and he had a strong belief that all families had the right of a roof over their head , and enough food to eat. Roger Douglas has no such underlying belief. He has shown that time, and time again, and now through Seymour et al. Lange had that belief, but he was faced with an existential crisis when he became PM. I quite often was party to his conversations with my husband if I met him (my husband)for lunch. He worked quite close to where Lange's Law office was, ( pre Lange's parliamentary career )and we would have lunch at a cafe in the same area. If Lange saw my husband he would invite himself to lunch. They knew each other from Law school, and working on the wharves in the holidays. Lange's clients were often people other lawyers would not defend, and he would make wry comments about not being paid. He especially helped pasifika people that others chose not to.