I can feel the lowlights coming over me
I can feel the lowlights, from the state I’m in
I can see the light now even thought it’s dim
A little glow on the horizon
Another week of lowlights from our government, with the odd bright spot and a glow on the horizon. The light at the end of a tunnel can be most reassuring, though there be much darkness yet to pass.
Years ago we did a canal trip in the UK, the Stourport Ring, which includes the 2,768 metre long Netherton tunnel.
Deep inside it’s pitch black, an other worldly experience. The isolation from the outside is quite disconcerting, almost silent but for drips from the ceiling and ventilation shafts.
Given the speed at which you navigate a narrowboat through such a tunnel it takes a long while, drifting slowly in solitude, until a distant glow becomes brighter and continues to do so until you finally re-emerge, with some relief, into sunlight again.
I appreciate that as a metaphor for this government that’s about as subtle as Bob Jones being confronted by an uninvited journalist. Or a brick - if your memory is less lengthy of tooth. But on balance, you’d have to say, it’s been another shocker of a week from our government.
You can see the tunnel in this video. Rest assured the black country accent doesn’t last long and it’s not in anyway horror related, so don’t be concerned by the cover image.
Meanwhile, back in Aotearoa, a different darkness continues to emit from our government. And speaking of emissions have they got an agricultural solution for you.
That pesky Climate Change, threatening to constrain our farmers, the backbone of the country some would have us believe, from doing whatever they want without consideration for the planet or the future. The plan is to do nothing, except wait for the literal vapourware that is…
Magic cow fart science
Yay, who doesn’t like relying on the invention of future tech to solve a problem rather than having to actually take action? Hmm maybe that’s why the government is doing less to discourage people from smoking? Could it be that they’re expecting a cure, rather than simply not caring whether people live or die? Seems unlikely.
Back to those agricultural emissions. True to their word National lived up to their word, that the votes of farmers were worth more than the future of mankind and actually delivered an election promise that wasn’t just for landlords. This from Al Jazeera.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said, “From pouring oil, coal and gas on the climate crisis fire, the Government has now put half of our emissions which come from agriculture into the industry-led too-hard basket.”
Of course the timing was perfect for National with Fieldays taking place this week. An opportunity to reassure farmers that when it comes to Climate Change they would fund bogus, industry friendly, “Research Centres” to tell them what they want to hear and critically - there is no need for them to move their votes to ACT.
Nicola Willis was there yesterday, showing off that ever fashionable farming combo of a striped business shirt, with a brand new Swandri. So authentic.
It’s not often that I get the most liked comment on a National MP’s post. Jacqui replied to my comment sneering, “I take it you and your family are all vegan?”
As it happens we’re not. We do eat a lot less red meat than we used to but what Dr Jacqui fails to recognise is that most of the problem is being caused by an expansion in dairying. We were fine when it was just tasty little lamb chops wandering around the hills.
I detest that moronic attitude. If you ever use a plane you can't be concerned about climate change. If you use a mobile phone you can't care about mining the conservation estate.
I wasn’t the only one calling Nicola’s BS out on her post. Carolyn said, “National destroying our export markets by putting us back 20 years. Consumers are getting more discerning. They will choose to buy from countries which care about our planet.”
She’s not wrong. Far from assisting farmers allowing them to just ignore Climate Change may actually hinder them as other countries, or supermarket chains, refuse to buy products from irresponsible producers. Like us.
Still it wasn’t all long term catastrophe from the coalition this week. Some of their initiatives will impact us in much shorter time frames than waiting for the next cyclone and wondering if National have any more of that magic science stuff.
Ministry of Health cuts
PSA Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said specialist teams supporting clinical, community, and mental health have been downsized.
Cuts include clinical leadership and in the team responsible for protection and rights of those receiving compulsory mental health treatment, she said.
Stop for a moment and consider the reality that we have a government who is prioritising tax cuts for landlords over protecting the rights of those receiving compulsory mental health treatment.
That’s obscene - how the fuck can you cut that? Apologies for the language, but I don’t know what else to say at this point.
“Emmie” from Tauranga replied to my tweet, “Of course not. But then to do that you'd assume they were half way honest about a lot of other things that would have kept them out of office - they just weren't. Thanks to Luxon many National MPs had no idea what he was going to cede for the baubles...”
Being Twitter there were many hobgoblins grotesquely celebrating the cuts, Gillian pointed out, “All you people clapping about the health cuts, just wait until the next pandemic, the retired nurses came out in force, I don’t think they will be so ready next time. Many of the back room staff are actually nurses so clap away.”
Important as it is it would be remiss to only look at this week’s Health cuts. Turns out as far as the coalition is concerned…
Education - we don’t need none
This time Fleur from the PSA said, “This is irresponsible and unnecessary because of the extensive use of contractors in digital teams. If the ministry slightly reduced its reliance on contractors, all of these jobs could be saved.”
“It’s very likely that if they go ahead and dismiss these workers that they will need to contract back people to do this work. The work doesn’t disappear.”
Funny that, the work is still there - it just costs more to have it done by contractors. I thought these guys were supposed to be good at business?
I’ll spare you the thoughts of the X community on education, rest assured they were most ironic.
So, what about these Bright Spots then?
It made a refreshing change this week to see a politician championing and celebrating progress, feels like it's been a while. Good stuff Westies.
You’d think that a man that keen on ‘W’s would be a Wahs fan, alas that’s not the case. But should you ever find yourself in a voting booth and Shane’s name is on the ballot I reckon you should consider giving it a tick.
Now there’s a thumbs up you can respect even if it is for the opposition. A Kieran McAnulty level thumbs up, never a Christopher “Mr Thumb” Luxon one.
I’m aware that a lot of recent news letters, including the above, have been a parade of vile things from our government. While we don’t want to shy away from those there has to be good stuff too. I posted the following last night, thanks to those who replied:
There were precious personal items celebrating family time or events and also messages from quite a few who were grateful to still have a job or who had secured new work. It was lovely to see people celebrating that they were learning te reo too.
Today I can bring you the first, and probably last, piece of gardening advice from Nick’s Kōrero. Courtesy of Levana who said it was a great time to plant garlic, with nary a mention of a clove a day keeping Brooke von Vampire away.
According to Levana, and Gabrielle, the coming Solstice, the shortest day, is the ideal time to plant with a harvest in the new year. Considering the price of garlic, and the enthusiasm of young chefs in my household, it’s not a bad investment.
Patrida was pleased with Mihingarangi Forbes being appointed to Kim Hills’ vacant role at RNZ. Based on the replies I received a lot of people were feeling the same:
I was especially moved and pleased with the health related news from readers Irene and Gavin, which really put things into perspective.
If you’ve got some good news you’d like to share please feel free to add it in the comments. There’s lots of bad stuff to comment on too of course.
She’s a grey old day here in Tamaki but I hope all of you lovely people have a good Friday regardless. Focus on the good stuff - just two and a half years until we vote these buggers out and get Back on Track for a better future for all of us.
Today’s track is Lowlights, a beautiful song from Aotearoa’s own Jess Chambers.
I so love your work Nick. It's not just that it resonates with my world views on this 'mob' in government, and not 'mob' in the beautiful indigenous meaning of aboriginal peoples of Ozzy, but 'mob' in all the worst senses I can think of that ride over, bully and use people for their own ends.
Thank you.
The tunnel really says it all about where we are with this government. I had a colleague when I was working who used to have a snappy reply whenever anyone said there was light at the end of the tunnel; it’s an oncoming train. I can’t help feeling he might be right with each day bringing another announcement that is detrimental to our most vulnerable people.