Labour and Greens were great yesterday with their scrutiny week mahi, but you would not know if you were relying on media reports - again I ask: incompetence or following orders? Ms Willis was a (shrill) role model for getting her Nicola’s in a twist.
A really clever piece of writing Nick. The song even more relevant under this mean, disaster of a government. The distribution of wealth is a national and world issue that needs to be debated not resorting to name calling which seems to be the only strategy left for the coalition of chaos.
Ironic timing this for me as yesterday I was a guest of a good friend and member of the Hokitika Women's Institute at a lunch in Blackball, being surrounded by mostly deeper than deep blue rich retired farmer's wives I stayed well away from politics but oh how I was talking to my loved ones in my head! - my great uncle was the Mine Manager there in the 1920s, his sister, my gran, came out from Edinburgh with her family as Pop and their older sons were promised jobs in the Blackball mine ..... on the drive into Blackball through the misty bush clad hills in the rain I also had sombre thoughts about the 29 Pike River Mine victims and the horrific fact that no one yet has been held accountable for their tragic deaths!
So having just read and sadly agreed with your bleak summation of our nation's current state Nick I'm off outside to self soothe and commune with my growing bonsai collection, hopefully whilst there I'll manage to achieve some of Kieran McAnulty's Zen-like calm! (still find it so strange that I've taken up this lovely art form in my 73rd year! - my eldest son Johnny recently lovingly said "you'll be right Mum just buy fast growing plants" - gee thanks son, I think!) ..... I'm counting on my wee trees to help preserve my sanity until we get to that essential election next year to rout this appalling government.
Indeed Ange, I think that we are the lucky ones in that we find such solace in the natural world - I observe the likes of trump, Luxon and their ilk and wonder that for all their riches they cannot seem to fill the yawning abyss in their empty souls.
I have a turtle who gives me time out from work and our cats think they are now turtles as they like to sit right next to her pond. Its these little things that make it all so much better.
Agree Chris H appears to have a good heart (the eyes tell the story). What I admire too is how unflappable he is where I would be grinding my teeth. Shame Labour style parties appear to be Tory-lite all over the world now though when it comes down to it.
Well stated Nick and as usual right on point. So much that needs to be changed and so many that need to be changed. What a great country Aotearoa could be with the right leadership and a great dose of aroha for / from all.
Thanks Nick. I have been popping in and out on-line to scrutiny week this week as much as I can bear. I'm still angry about the reporting from the media and especially one Tova O'Brien. Opposition members get two chances a year to have the minister in front of them for questions. One after the budget and one at the end of each year. Scrutiny means asking hard questions of Ministers and their Ministry and holding them accountable. I know how much preparation goes into this before hand from opposition MPs. The government game is this ; Select Committees are chaired by back bench National MPs as compensation for not being ministers and have other CoC MPs on it. Chairs like Sam Uffindell or Cameron Brewer. Government members aim to waste as much time in the allocated time asking patsy questions of the ministers. Opposition members do not get equal time. Chairs do not require Ministers to answer. Snarky comments like those of Nicola go unchecked. No one in the media looks at what's being asked because it's too much work to understand properly. The only way I can see it changing is the balance of Select Committees being weighted in favour of the opposition. The only Select Committee that is chaired by an opposition member is the Regs Review committee, which Seymour has just made irrelevant with the RSB.
🫂 Lovely photo of Dame Jacinda with her backwoods husband 🤗 And the reviews are spot on with both the movie & Jacinda as a person. I also like Chippy - he is very smart, very grounded, cares about people & improving their lives, and has the nous to surround himself with good & competent (at the moment) spokespeople - hopefully Ministers in a year from now 🤞🤞🤞 I am sick of people sniping at Labour because a) negativity turns people off voting and b) right now their success is the only way we will get the outside-the-box thinking of the Greens into govt as coalition partners PLUS c) their policies are 1000% more beneficial to people & the planet than the alternate we are suffering through right now, as ably pointed out in this newsletter.
If we contest this next election on Right vs Left structure we - meaning all our population - will loose! Because politics is all about the power struggle between right and Left! We need a new government structure - Cooperative-government - make it a movement - join the movement!
👍Thanks for explaining the current Select Committee fiasco in this time - makes sense that it would be as anti-democratic as the rest of the coalition-of-crybabies 😱 As for Tova - I have a vague memory of once thinking she was OK, but for a long time came to disregard anything she says as being coloured by opinion & not facts, with an overlay of snark unbecoming a so-called "journalist" 🤷 As for the media, we have to share through sites like this & then outwards informally to our circles in the coming months, for those who don't have the time or the inclination to notice what is being said & done by so-called "leaders" who are supposed to be acting in the interests of all of Aotearoa 🥺
Re Youth: the money 'saved' will be 'invested' in bullshit boot camps and prison cells...
I have seen the movie, and that review captures it well. As a follow up I recommend Jacinda's audiobook, I think a better insight (you feel the expression) than just reading it.
A great read as ever Nick, and I love that song! What a great review from the Guardian. I loved the movie too and felt so sad at the end when she said there is no place like home! Plus I cried too. But I do agree with you, there is a place for politicians of this caliber and we must champion them. Chris Hipkins, like you said, has a good heart and wants the best for NZ and its people.
I’m interested in biased adjectives. A friend’s husband, who is a financial supporter of Act and likes to try to bait me on my views at social functions, refers to me as ‘opinionated’. I think it’s called ‘principled’ but, you know… I mentioned his comment to his mother-in-law and she laughed heartily and said, He thinks YOU are? Hahaha’
Labour and Greens were great yesterday with their scrutiny week mahi, but you would not know if you were relying on media reports - again I ask: incompetence or following orders? Ms Willis was a (shrill) role model for getting her Nicola’s in a twist.
Just ridiculous, calling people "conspiracy theorists" for having the temerity to ask questions and expect honest answers.
Could have even settled for relevant answers… Nicola answered questions that weren’t asked.
A really clever piece of writing Nick. The song even more relevant under this mean, disaster of a government. The distribution of wealth is a national and world issue that needs to be debated not resorting to name calling which seems to be the only strategy left for the coalition of chaos.
Thanks, Cheryl. 🙂
Ironic timing this for me as yesterday I was a guest of a good friend and member of the Hokitika Women's Institute at a lunch in Blackball, being surrounded by mostly deeper than deep blue rich retired farmer's wives I stayed well away from politics but oh how I was talking to my loved ones in my head! - my great uncle was the Mine Manager there in the 1920s, his sister, my gran, came out from Edinburgh with her family as Pop and their older sons were promised jobs in the Blackball mine ..... on the drive into Blackball through the misty bush clad hills in the rain I also had sombre thoughts about the 29 Pike River Mine victims and the horrific fact that no one yet has been held accountable for their tragic deaths!
So having just read and sadly agreed with your bleak summation of our nation's current state Nick I'm off outside to self soothe and commune with my growing bonsai collection, hopefully whilst there I'll manage to achieve some of Kieran McAnulty's Zen-like calm! (still find it so strange that I've taken up this lovely art form in my 73rd year! - my eldest son Johnny recently lovingly said "you'll be right Mum just buy fast growing plants" - gee thanks son, I think!) ..... I'm counting on my wee trees to help preserve my sanity until we get to that essential election next year to rout this appalling government.
I’m with you there Vicky! My garden gives me solace from this mad world.
I can zone out and put my energy into growing and nurturing things, something that’s lacking in most of the powerful people around the world.
Indeed Ange, I think that we are the lucky ones in that we find such solace in the natural world - I observe the likes of trump, Luxon and their ilk and wonder that for all their riches they cannot seem to fill the yawning abyss in their empty souls.
I have a turtle who gives me time out from work and our cats think they are now turtles as they like to sit right next to her pond. Its these little things that make it all so much better.
Agree Chris H appears to have a good heart (the eyes tell the story). What I admire too is how unflappable he is where I would be grinding my teeth. Shame Labour style parties appear to be Tory-lite all over the world now though when it comes down to it.
Well stated Nick and as usual right on point. So much that needs to be changed and so many that need to be changed. What a great country Aotearoa could be with the right leadership and a great dose of aroha for / from all.
Thanks Nick. I have been popping in and out on-line to scrutiny week this week as much as I can bear. I'm still angry about the reporting from the media and especially one Tova O'Brien. Opposition members get two chances a year to have the minister in front of them for questions. One after the budget and one at the end of each year. Scrutiny means asking hard questions of Ministers and their Ministry and holding them accountable. I know how much preparation goes into this before hand from opposition MPs. The government game is this ; Select Committees are chaired by back bench National MPs as compensation for not being ministers and have other CoC MPs on it. Chairs like Sam Uffindell or Cameron Brewer. Government members aim to waste as much time in the allocated time asking patsy questions of the ministers. Opposition members do not get equal time. Chairs do not require Ministers to answer. Snarky comments like those of Nicola go unchecked. No one in the media looks at what's being asked because it's too much work to understand properly. The only way I can see it changing is the balance of Select Committees being weighted in favour of the opposition. The only Select Committee that is chaired by an opposition member is the Regs Review committee, which Seymour has just made irrelevant with the RSB.
🫂 Lovely photo of Dame Jacinda with her backwoods husband 🤗 And the reviews are spot on with both the movie & Jacinda as a person. I also like Chippy - he is very smart, very grounded, cares about people & improving their lives, and has the nous to surround himself with good & competent (at the moment) spokespeople - hopefully Ministers in a year from now 🤞🤞🤞 I am sick of people sniping at Labour because a) negativity turns people off voting and b) right now their success is the only way we will get the outside-the-box thinking of the Greens into govt as coalition partners PLUS c) their policies are 1000% more beneficial to people & the planet than the alternate we are suffering through right now, as ably pointed out in this newsletter.
If we contest this next election on Right vs Left structure we - meaning all our population - will loose! Because politics is all about the power struggle between right and Left! We need a new government structure - Cooperative-government - make it a movement - join the movement!
How about an earthoritarian regime?
If it happened would you join?
A very good idea Keith. I’m sure there would be millions around the world who could dig it!👍😀
👍Thanks for explaining the current Select Committee fiasco in this time - makes sense that it would be as anti-democratic as the rest of the coalition-of-crybabies 😱 As for Tova - I have a vague memory of once thinking she was OK, but for a long time came to disregard anything she says as being coloured by opinion & not facts, with an overlay of snark unbecoming a so-called "journalist" 🤷 As for the media, we have to share through sites like this & then outwards informally to our circles in the coming months, for those who don't have the time or the inclination to notice what is being said & done by so-called "leaders" who are supposed to be acting in the interests of all of Aotearoa 🥺
Oops! That was intended for Darien 🤗
Well its good to know there are actually some people who share my thoughts and values ..
I am gutted about the funding halt to Youth Inspire!!
Re Youth: the money 'saved' will be 'invested' in bullshit boot camps and prison cells...
I have seen the movie, and that review captures it well. As a follow up I recommend Jacinda's audiobook, I think a better insight (you feel the expression) than just reading it.
A great read as ever Nick, and I love that song! What a great review from the Guardian. I loved the movie too and felt so sad at the end when she said there is no place like home! Plus I cried too. But I do agree with you, there is a place for politicians of this caliber and we must champion them. Chris Hipkins, like you said, has a good heart and wants the best for NZ and its people.
Sparked by the ‘obsessive’ comment….
I’m interested in biased adjectives. A friend’s husband, who is a financial supporter of Act and likes to try to bait me on my views at social functions, refers to me as ‘opinionated’. I think it’s called ‘principled’ but, you know… I mentioned his comment to his mother-in-law and she laughed heartily and said, He thinks YOU are? Hahaha’
Another good one Nick. Agree wholeheartedly with opinion of Chippy.