Some of these ministries were still not up to necessary levels of funding since the last round of "austerity". My daughter has struggled for the last year with a life threatening mental health issue. Rock bottom is hard to decide on, but was probably her spending 5 nights in a mental health ward, although the self harm and other calls to police and trips to hospital weren't fun either. Our interactions with the adolescent mental health services were actually pretty good and the therapy option that they were able to provide due to the funding the last government put into front-line youth mental health has been a game changer. Those are the words of her case worker "game changing". We are seeing not just the light at the end of the tunnel, but I think we are coming out into the light again - thanks from the bottom of our hearts, Labour. How many lives did they save do you think? This government will be responsible for deaths. Suicide, smoking, kids killed in front of school by speeding cars, dementia and early death from particulate inhalation, other road accidents and who knows what else. Isn't knowingly causing death murder?
Oh so right Roger. My wife works in health on the front line so understands the problems. No health, no life. The older I get, the more I believe that right-wing libertarians as this government are, that their ethos is I, me first. The rest do not count. So, no they do not care about other less well off people. In their view, you are either a productive member of society or you are nothing but a burden on them. I often wonder if the Luxons of this world had a severely disabled child, how would they deal with the situation? I suppose they would ship their offspring to an exclusive and expensive clinic or private facility and carry on with their busy lives. Yet for the rest of us in a similar situation, we would be left to get on with it and fight the system they are so keen to underfund.
Kia Kaha Nick for continuing to write about and highlight another week of truly awful decisions from a government that can count but is simply unable to value anything. Oh except enriching the top 3% of course. Suicide, mental health, family violence, support for disabilities and so many other things like equity, Te Tiriti a fairer society have not ever received enough attention but it's getting bleaker by the day now. I attended a climate change protest today in my small city - the local Nat MP was not home but it still felt good getting out there and making a noise! This needs to be the year of protest!
Likewise I was at our region's march today. A whole range of ages from littlies to youth to plenty of grey hairs like me. One of the chant responses was "Stand up, fight back!"
I'm still reaching out to others to work out what that might look like.
Right on David.. bleaker by the day really sums it up. From the days of truely progressive, cleaver and kind hearted governance that swelled my ex-pat heart with pride, to days of increasing dread and despair.. a disbelief akin to Trump’s election as the US president. As Nick has said, it’s just too much. March we must, and how! I feel sick to the stomach every time l see that arrogant smirking gizzard lipped fkg little weasel on the back of yet another heartless and horrendous announcement. He is clearly salivating over each day he slithers closer to being deputy PM. God help us.
It is definitely too much..... and the wealth of those like the CoC and the Ho'sKing will protect them from the worse effects of these cuts. Until we choke our last gasps due to climate change. Whereupon no doubt these arseholes probably think they will flit off with Musk to live on Mars and destroy that planet all over again. I vote for sending the whole lot of them there now.
Weeping Nick. It just goes from bad to worse. Today I see Mr Seymour is proposing cutting out the so-called "population" Ministries from consultation on proposed legislation/regulation. That dreadful Ministry of Women's Affairs who get in the way by requiring a gender analysis so we can at least try to meet our international obligations under for the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) - you know half the population, who are still paid less than men, who are still our primary care workers for young and older, who are still the majority victims of domestic abuse?
Yes each day is a struggle - a struggle to comprehend a Government so hell bent on ruining the lives of so many people. There is nothing positive about them. Yet we had a Government only three years ago taking drastic steps to close the country to the world to save us from harm - unbelievable that we have completely gone in the other direction!
Well said Nick. This Government just has to go---- Might be that the Willis Budget could be the final breaking point for voters. Would be good to see if any NACTNZfirst develop a conscious & 'cross the floor' during debates in Parliament . Vote of no confidence anyone?
The heartlessness of this current govt coalition will go down in our history as the worst political situation ever. Issues such as not cutting smoking, and cutting people's jobs while allowing exorbitant salaries for senior leaders, being promoted. Not tackling consultancies but wasting money that way and by senior salaries are better suggestions than cutting a Suicide line. Luxon WILL be regarded as the most useless pm and most heartless pm in our history.
Everyday it just gets worse. My heart breaks a little bit more everyday. And I’m getting angry. The worst part is that I have friends who I know voted for the coalition of monsters.
Agreed Kerry. I too have relatives who applaud this lot. I think protest will become bigger as time passes. I look forward to seeing what the Greens & Labour’s response is.
The cheek to say," It is Labour's fault, they hired too many." Yes, L& G kept people employed, cared for wellbeing, not money. Money was a tool to help all not just the favoured few. "Too many costly Consultants" says NatAct NZ First, then they hire S Joyce at exorbitant rates. Liars just Liars. Greedy, cropping of Public Service workers for tax cuts. People don't pay attention until it hits them personally. They also believe they "will be okay". A friend who voted National now says, 'For the first time in 6 years I worry for my children's jobs and for my grandchildren's futures." She is shocked at many moves... having not voted for Act or NZ First, she is amazed to see their worst policies. "He is a weak vain man" she now says of Luxon.
So agree that this Govt is a truly dreadful one and has in such a short time done untold harm to so many. We must though not let the narrative develop that the bad outcomes were ACT policy or NZ First policy because this was Govt policy and Luxton and his National lot carry all the blame. They agreed to this in their coalition negotiations so every one sitting on their side of the House get to share the consequences. Also find it interesting that the stuff ups by Ministers are basically ignored while the Labour led Govt members were slagged constantly for every trivial thing.
Such a good piece Nick. I despair. I have worked in the youth support sector for the last 8 years. Almost on a daily basis I wrote about the challenges faced by our rangatahi - many relating to mental health issues. We've never done enough for those in need of support. Now under this dreadful government we will do even less. Shameful.
Some of these ministries were still not up to necessary levels of funding since the last round of "austerity". My daughter has struggled for the last year with a life threatening mental health issue. Rock bottom is hard to decide on, but was probably her spending 5 nights in a mental health ward, although the self harm and other calls to police and trips to hospital weren't fun either. Our interactions with the adolescent mental health services were actually pretty good and the therapy option that they were able to provide due to the funding the last government put into front-line youth mental health has been a game changer. Those are the words of her case worker "game changing". We are seeing not just the light at the end of the tunnel, but I think we are coming out into the light again - thanks from the bottom of our hearts, Labour. How many lives did they save do you think? This government will be responsible for deaths. Suicide, smoking, kids killed in front of school by speeding cars, dementia and early death from particulate inhalation, other road accidents and who knows what else. Isn't knowingly causing death murder?
Oh so right Roger. My wife works in health on the front line so understands the problems. No health, no life. The older I get, the more I believe that right-wing libertarians as this government are, that their ethos is I, me first. The rest do not count. So, no they do not care about other less well off people. In their view, you are either a productive member of society or you are nothing but a burden on them. I often wonder if the Luxons of this world had a severely disabled child, how would they deal with the situation? I suppose they would ship their offspring to an exclusive and expensive clinic or private facility and carry on with their busy lives. Yet for the rest of us in a similar situation, we would be left to get on with it and fight the system they are so keen to underfund.
It is also pretty obvious that Seymore is not a family man.
He totally lacks empathy. He has identified as Aspergers but I also think he is a Sociopath. His gaslighting is next level.
They are psychopaths. From the speed limits, to covid and everything inbetween.
Kia Kaha Nick for continuing to write about and highlight another week of truly awful decisions from a government that can count but is simply unable to value anything. Oh except enriching the top 3% of course. Suicide, mental health, family violence, support for disabilities and so many other things like equity, Te Tiriti a fairer society have not ever received enough attention but it's getting bleaker by the day now. I attended a climate change protest today in my small city - the local Nat MP was not home but it still felt good getting out there and making a noise! This needs to be the year of protest!
Good on you getting out there on the protest today. It should be just kicking off here in Auckland. A year of protest to be sure.
Likewise I was at our region's march today. A whole range of ages from littlies to youth to plenty of grey hairs like me. One of the chant responses was "Stand up, fight back!"
I'm still reaching out to others to work out what that might look like.
Right on David.. bleaker by the day really sums it up. From the days of truely progressive, cleaver and kind hearted governance that swelled my ex-pat heart with pride, to days of increasing dread and despair.. a disbelief akin to Trump’s election as the US president. As Nick has said, it’s just too much. March we must, and how! I feel sick to the stomach every time l see that arrogant smirking gizzard lipped fkg little weasel on the back of yet another heartless and horrendous announcement. He is clearly salivating over each day he slithers closer to being deputy PM. God help us.
It is definitely too much..... and the wealth of those like the CoC and the Ho'sKing will protect them from the worse effects of these cuts. Until we choke our last gasps due to climate change. Whereupon no doubt these arseholes probably think they will flit off with Musk to live on Mars and destroy that planet all over again. I vote for sending the whole lot of them there now.
make the bastards walk there.
I find it difficult to express just how disgusted I am with this lot of ghastly ghouls ...
Weeping Nick. It just goes from bad to worse. Today I see Mr Seymour is proposing cutting out the so-called "population" Ministries from consultation on proposed legislation/regulation. That dreadful Ministry of Women's Affairs who get in the way by requiring a gender analysis so we can at least try to meet our international obligations under for the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) - you know half the population, who are still paid less than men, who are still our primary care workers for young and older, who are still the majority victims of domestic abuse?
Yes each day is a struggle - a struggle to comprehend a Government so hell bent on ruining the lives of so many people. There is nothing positive about them. Yet we had a Government only three years ago taking drastic steps to close the country to the world to save us from harm - unbelievable that we have completely gone in the other direction!
Oh yes and they now want kids to go to school sick as if Covid has gone away!
Well said Nick. This Government just has to go---- Might be that the Willis Budget could be the final breaking point for voters. Would be good to see if any NACTNZfirst develop a conscious & 'cross the floor' during debates in Parliament . Vote of no confidence anyone?
Great opportunity for Matt Doocey I thought
I still dare to hope.....
The heartlessness of this current govt coalition will go down in our history as the worst political situation ever. Issues such as not cutting smoking, and cutting people's jobs while allowing exorbitant salaries for senior leaders, being promoted. Not tackling consultancies but wasting money that way and by senior salaries are better suggestions than cutting a Suicide line. Luxon WILL be regarded as the most useless pm and most heartless pm in our history.
Everyday it just gets worse. My heart breaks a little bit more everyday. And I’m getting angry. The worst part is that I have friends who I know voted for the coalition of monsters.
Agreed Kerry. I too have relatives who applaud this lot. I think protest will become bigger as time passes. I look forward to seeing what the Greens & Labour’s response is.
I don't...just a few that did not bother to vote. So what are your friends saying now, I wonder...
Can we please say "died by suicide". The word "comitted" came from the days when suicide was a sin.
The cheek to say," It is Labour's fault, they hired too many." Yes, L& G kept people employed, cared for wellbeing, not money. Money was a tool to help all not just the favoured few. "Too many costly Consultants" says NatAct NZ First, then they hire S Joyce at exorbitant rates. Liars just Liars. Greedy, cropping of Public Service workers for tax cuts. People don't pay attention until it hits them personally. They also believe they "will be okay". A friend who voted National now says, 'For the first time in 6 years I worry for my children's jobs and for my grandchildren's futures." She is shocked at many moves... having not voted for Act or NZ First, she is amazed to see their worst policies. "He is a weak vain man" she now says of Luxon.
Good on you for sharing this stuff Patricia, this is what we need to know: what these National voters are now saying...
At least your friend has admitted her mistake Patricia and her eyes have been opened. I like to think of you both marching and holding hands
It’s a truly awful ‘government’ that’s for sure! They are the most horrible heartless bunch of pricks in our history!
So agree that this Govt is a truly dreadful one and has in such a short time done untold harm to so many. We must though not let the narrative develop that the bad outcomes were ACT policy or NZ First policy because this was Govt policy and Luxton and his National lot carry all the blame. They agreed to this in their coalition negotiations so every one sitting on their side of the House get to share the consequences. Also find it interesting that the stuff ups by Ministers are basically ignored while the Labour led Govt members were slagged constantly for every trivial thing.
Matt Soucy didn't know! Surely it'd his job to know. Bunch of frigging bunglers.
Nothing more to be said, Nick. All we can hope for now is implosion.
Or in Seymour’s case, perhaps one of those speeding cars
And the sooner the better.
Indeed. Not a Christian but I can still pray.
Such a good piece Nick. I despair. I have worked in the youth support sector for the last 8 years. Almost on a daily basis I wrote about the challenges faced by our rangatahi - many relating to mental health issues. We've never done enough for those in need of support. Now under this dreadful government we will do even less. Shameful.