44 Comments
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

This is so sad. And sick. I am thinking we are now in an age of anti-kindness. It happened with Covid. Take yourself back to those daily updates with Jacinda and Ashley. The media always tried to pick stupid holes and were often quite vicious in their attacks. There was never good news and they hunted down individuals who had some beef or other whilst the team of 5 million were never considered or their opinion sought.The National party were no better probably worse as they proclaimed to be the real holders of all knowledge on Covid and how much we needed to get over it and get on with life. People seem to conveniently forget just how successful NZ is ( still ) as a country when it came to Covid Deaths. I come back to the growing misogynistic treatment ( hatred ) of Jacinda - to the point where she really had no option but to leave politics as probably our best ever PM although even her legacy is undermined as soon as her name comes up. Getting back to the sacking of all these 1000's of people I reckon nowadays people ( some/many ) love this stuff. It is part of the growing politics of hatred. Kick someone when they're down. I dread to think that this exists but you would have to suspect it the way the polls are showing Nationals popularity combined with the dislike of Labour. It is all very Trumpian and National with it's very large war chest is stoking the fires of division - all for votes. Today Simeon Brown was quietly hating on Pacific Islanders as he has done so many times with anyone with a brown skin. He has got stuck into accusations against Kiri Allen, Poto Williams, Nanaia Mahuta mostly on heresay and no proof. After admitting that many government agencies might have spending issues he bought it all back to the Pacific Island department. Unless there is a massive turnaround in voting intention we are about to experience societal division on a scale we have not seen in our lifetimes.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Thank you Nick for this Kōrero. No one ever talks about the financial cost of all those people losing their jobs. Public sector saves $600 million in salaries, but what’s the increased spend at the other end as a result of people not having jobs? I’m not talking about the significant impact on people’s well-being, mana, sense of belonging, positioning in society, and their ability to participate, contribute and relate in their worlds - that’s a whole other discussion. I’m talking about the cold hard cost of additional benefits, health services, etc etc for those that are not able to secure other employment. Speaking only about saving this money is such a blunt, limited, obscure and untrue account of the reality. Makes my blood boil.

Expand full comment
Sep 14·edited Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Thanks Nick for putting a vital human face on what can all too easily become a hypothetical discussion. I have it on good authority Nicola reassures us that if the dismissed public servants can't afford bread for Christmas, they should consider eating cake.

Having been to three public candidate meetings over the last week (I got a lifetime dose of hearing from ACT, now need to detox), I'm not sure the motivation of people supporting this nonsense is only the imagined direct benefit of tax cuts. Willis has apparently identified the Ministry of Pacific Peoples, DOC and the Ministry of Social Development as targets for cuts. There definitely is some embedded cruelty and moral outrage about "spending our money" that is driving this and picking up applause among the superannuitant battlers. They may not actually benefit from the tax cut but above all they want the satisfaction that nobody else "undeserving" is benefiting from Government spending. This apparently includes our most vulnerable citizens and our environment.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

There must be a special sort of person that could warm to Willis , when she speaks it's like a mass screeching from a thousand fingernails on an enourmous blackboard.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

In my working life I endured several redundancies, mostly given notice in mid November to finish up mid December. Even when the job hunt started immediately and another position was found, starting a new job meant mid January and first pay a month later in February or even March. It was gut wrenching anxiety and stress over mortgage, insurance and food bills, plus school costs for the teens.

I used to go back working on the floor at rest homes for minimum wage just to get some cash coming in. It was physically demanding and the Granny Stacker corporations are in it for maximum profit not compassion for their staff.

The thought of this Blue shower attaining power is a grinding stressful feeling that doesn’t go away.

Brilliant piece Nick.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Thanks Nick. This makes me very sad. Voters be very careful with your choice. Cos this National/Act lot will do this!

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

So many of their policies seem to be designed to appeal to the “man on the street” with his ill-formed opinions.

Headline policies with no depth, and all seem to be destined to fail later, or push the costs into the future, or cause more harm whilst benefiting the few.

Fucking horrible is right.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

It's a horrible thought alright. National and ACT seek the power of being in charge but do not want the responsibility of governing. They cut jobs from the public service, which they are also a part of, in order to appease their big business mates and get their short term tax cuts paid for. Nick you are correct when you say there will be no time for consultation for redundancies but when do National ever consult? They do not care a fig about civil society or their citizens. Our public services the one's Nick has mentioned plus many others are part of society and are here for us. This wholesale sacking of people will ultimately cost much more than keeping them. Seymour has already stated what he wants to get rid of - The Ministry of Women's Affairs, Pacific Affairs (we know what he wanted to do here), Ethnic Affairs, the NZ Human Rights Commission, and the RMA. There is probably more but that's just the start. It's a frightening scenario.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

You're right Willis's plan is 'f*cking horrible' as are her delusions.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

I just watched her on tele - awful management speak - saying nothing!!!!

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Remember Pike River, National had cut back on mines inspectors

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Perfectly sums it up. National did the same in 2012. I was lucky. Got another job and a small redundancy payout. Fortunately I was on an old contract but now many government departments no longer have a redundancy clause in their contracts. I hope the public servants realise what National has in store for them.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

Nicola Willis seems to have been watching re runs of 'Gliding On' and thinking it is serious drama.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

FFS!!!!!

Expand full comment
Sep 15Liked by Nick Rockel

The repercussions for so many people are horrendous. The glibness around their announcements on "cost cutting" in the public service is disgusting. They're talking about people as though they are inanimate objects. The assumption, (that we are all supposed to swallow), that none of them are doing essential work is bloody insulting.

Expand full comment
Sep 14Liked by Nick Rockel

It's quite horrible to think that Willis must be already making a LIST.

Expand full comment