Let's Drive.

New adventures and a survey.

Babe, you've been feeling poorly
I've been dealing with stress
Why don't we go out tonight
Put on your favourite dress
And let's drive
Into the night, into the light
Let's ride

Songwriter: Joe Bonamassa, James House

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Today I took a look at the topics on offer:

• The polls are bouncing around, but mostly telling the same story: too close to call.

• Winston’s revolting populism, stating the race of a Green MP and inferring that MPs who spent time living elsewhere are lesser and their voices don’t count.

• The number of States of Emergency declared so far this year exceeds the total for 2025.

Just as the National Party talks about inheriting the country after Covid, future governments will speak of this government's inaction in acknowledging the coming storm and battening down the hatches.

“She’ll be right”, might be a great kiwi attitude, but it would’ve been a disaster as a Covid response, and it’s a disaster in terms of climate inaction. It won’t be right, and we need to plan for a future greatly affected by climate change.

It felt like I’d written about all of them recently, the polls, the grumpy old man and his last throw of the dice to become PM, the climate, and it was all a bit deja vu, so I decided I’d send a survey looking back over the last decade.

Just to let you know, I’m heading out of town for a few days first thing tomorrow, so I’ll have limited internet access until Monday. Just over a year ago, when Fi and I went to Waitangi, I fell in love with the North and decided I wanted to see more.

It’s not like the rolling green hills or the flat plains I knew in the BOP and the Waikato, nor the surf beaches in the BOP or West Auckland. It is its own distinct place, full of history and telling a tale of present-day Aotearoa beyond the cities.

We’re staying in a little place called Ōmāpere. I’ve not been up the western side of Northland, and am very much looking forward to getting out of Auckland.

Ōmāpere. Image: tripideas.nz

Right on with the survey, beginning a decade ago…

10 years ago - 2016.

The country was in the throes of selecting a new flag to boost John Key's re-election chances and leave a legacy. I posted:

In case you missed the narrative from the Mainstream Media, it is: National Party = Sporting Success = New Flag = All Blacks = John Key. A vote for John is a vote for Ritchie; a vote for the new flag is a vote for Dan. You do want to vote for the All Blacks, don't you?

Steve Braunias wrote a funny Secret Diary of the Flag, which you can find here.

9 years ago - 2017.

It was an election year, and I posted:

Some of you might know that I'm a passionate member and supporter of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand. I've been blown away by the calibre of candidates coming through this year for the party. But I was so pleased to see this evening that my daughter's friend, whom we have known since they were teenagers, has been selected to represent the Greens in the Tauranga electorate this year.

I feel similarly inspired by the calibre of candidates coming through for the left this year. With the government looking tired and out of ideas, there are candidates on the left who are fully energised and bring real expertise in areas such as economics and health, which are sadly lacking within the coalition.

8 years ago - 2018.

It was hot, and I wrote:

So many people are complaining about the heat, the humidity, and frizzy hair, whereas I'm concerned about whether the kids are going to catch colds with the air conditioning this strong. Is this what it feels like to be Mike Hosking?

7 years ago - 2019.

I posted this video writing, I bloody love this government!

6 years ago - 2020.

There was an article about the difference the government’s new free school lunches were making in low-decile schools in Rotorua, and I wrote:

I read about this happening in Rotorua, where I grew up, and thought about the kids I went to school with. The ones that never had lunch, the ones that would come up to you at the interval and ask if they could have your apple core when you were done, the ones that acted up - probably as a result of not having any food and got the strap - and it made me tear up.

What a wonderful, overdue initiative - long may this government remain in power.

5 years ago - 2021.

I posted:

So awesome to see vaccinations start, having border workers immunised should really reduce the risk of COVID getting into Aotearoa prior to the rest of us being vaccinated.

4 years ago - 2022.

The protest occupying parliament’s grounds was drawing to an end, and I wrote the following newsletter:

Monday's forecast - mandates and manure.

3 years ago - 2023.

I wrote a parody of the Rocky Horror Picture Show that didn’t get quite the response I was hoping for, so I never wrote episode 2. I thought it was funny, though, maybe take a look if you’re familiar with the film.

2 years ago - 2024.

The guard was shifting with James Shaw and Grant Robertson moving on, I wrote the following about the latter:

Last year, 2025.

Gerry Brownlee ruled out using the word "Aotearoa" in parliament, saying it must be "NZ" or "Aotearoa NZ".

Our speaker is outraged by anything Te Pāti Māori does, goes deaf whenever Winston speaks, and gives Luxon a free ride by not requiring him to answer any questions.

That’s all for today, I’ll be back next week with tales of the North.

Ngā mihi,
Nick.

To end today, here’s bluesman Joe Bonamassa with Drive.