Yes, Helen! Like other humans, she was fallible, think foreshore and seabed, but she is a towering intellect and a decent person with an excellent bullshit meter. She weathered a massive amount of feral personal abuse, probably more than we’ll ever know, given it was pre-social media.
And let’s not forget she led Aotearoa for three full terms, the only Labour PM to do so. Economic successes included Kiwibank, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and KiwiSaver. The books were in such good shape at the end of her tenure that we weathered the GFC better than most. And she kept us out of the Iraq war.
She could be intimidating, but she was also real. My parents were long time Labour supporters, spent their last thirty years in her Mt Albert electorate, knew her well, and admired her greatly. She never forgot important anniversaries and, when they died, she sent her personal condolences.
Whenever she pops up on the news or I see one of her pithy posts, it reminds me that we’ve been lucky enough to be led by two wonderful, compassionate and courageous female leaders, and a few good men too, and that the abominations who currently clutch the baubles of office to their puny chests are but a blip.
Great writing Nick. I agree about trying to see the good in people. It pays back in spades ; I get joy from many things ; this week the mighty Meat Workers Union collecting $100,000 from workers for the people of Wairoa (the heart of a big lockout by Talleys), Lyndy McIntyre’s book on the Living Wage movement which started with a small number of hospitality outlets signing up, that grew into government and (in many cases Council), policy under Labour, and ten years of work with unions, communities and faith based organisations. Helen Clark : what a thinker and contributor. She was a great PM. Whatever faith we came from, or still, or don’t believe in, there is a theme about humanity that somehow binds the best in us. For me, it’s called tolerance and compassion. I don’t always do as well as I should. We are all imperfect human beings.
Lies seem to be the way that free marketeers roll. Who knew that truth was destined to be collateral damage as humans morphed from citizens to consumers?
Cameron is the candidate who came in 4th in Northland in 2020 and got in on the Act list, then in response to his performance, came in 6th in 2023.... and still made it on the list. Yep. You couldn't make it up.
Another yes for Helen! I had the pleasure of seeing her speak at a panel in Dunedin in October 2020. It was during that magical time period when Aotearoa had beaten Covid and we could be sitting side-by-side with our neighbours while the rest of the world oscillated in and out of lockdowns. Helen Clark was participating with several of the faith leaders on campus and I remember being mesmerized by her. I also remember telling a friend that sat next to me if a job with the Helen Clark Foundation ever popped up I would move mountains to get it.
As for everyday Americans, my parents are still in the US and remind me from time to time that they aren't at war with their neighbours. They still go to church and meet their friends for coffee and walk the dog down at the river. The media is a wee bit prone to hyperbole.
Finally, a little push back on asking Biden to step down. A gentle reminder about the primary season in the US, and good gracious it seems like politicians are always in election mode, but the primaries run from January (ish) to June (ish) before the election in November. Over 14 million Americans have already cast their votes for Biden to be the candidate. Asking him to stand down is asking for all of those votes to be nullified. The time to find a different candidate was last year. The time to defeat fascism is now.
Thanks Di, I used to listen to that one 20 years ago but many songs I include are recent finds. There is so much good music being made it's hard to keep up, no shortage to discover.
I see our acting PM, Slimemore, reacting to the Trump issue this morning tells us that America and New Zealand were founded on "free debate,peaceful assembly and non-violence." What bloody planet does this idiot live on!??
As for Trump's next move, he'll no doubt tell anyone who will listen that he's proud to take one for the MAGA team cause, because, as he said a while back, "I am the chosen one". Looks like he didn't consider what he might have been chosen for by someone who didn't agree with him.
Absolutely Helen Clark I follow her on all the platforms & have started following some of the people she talks to Carl Worker comes to mind he seems very astute. I wasn't brought up with religion at all but it was left up to us to make our own minds up at my Grandpa's funeral some one said he wasn't a religious man but a very Christian man & I think that's how we were brought up with the same values & morals I just get a bit sick of the bigotry & double standards that you see every day.I definitely would rather see Biden win we can do without that other monster it sounds like he's done at lot for working people over there I just dislike their foreign policys particularly the Israel Gaza war it's just so corrupt it beggars belief humans are supposed to put their bigger brain to good use not that kind of war mongering.
As a Christian who has some strong reservations about my fellow believers (some days, anyway), I really enjoyed your intro. Especially the crack at the free markets religion, that is a cancerous covert religion that deserves all the mockery we can give it.
I hardly ever disagree with you Nick, but I disagree with your judgement of Biden. Yet several Kiwi friends of mine that I otherwise think of as wise agree with you. I think my view arises because I was brought up in West Coast Canada, where most Yankees traipsed in and out, especially the hunters in the fall, acting like they owned Canada. In the main they have grown up believing in their own cowboy and Indian Hollywood movie trained view of America, all MAGA minded to some degree....and part of that mindset is that America MUST HAVE a strong leader, because it rules the world. If Biden pulled out now, Trump would DEFINITELY get in, because the average American could not bring themselves to vote for a woman. Look what happened with Hilary Clinton...why Trump got in in the first place!
Agree with you Kim. I too cannot support Biden in light of his genocidal support of Israel. Having just read the latest news it would seem that Trump is almost guaranteed to win now after the assassination?? attempt on him. I would imagine this changes everything including the future of all countries. What a shame a person of Helen's calibre isn't in the race.
Uhmmm, my first reaction was 'too bad he missed'. My second reaction was 'how come the same "close call" happened with the original Evangelistic religious nutjob, Reagan'? My third was 'how come somebody managed to get JFC, even though he was in a moving car'...I remain highly suspicious, because all MAGA-minded Evangelistic Yankees are now going to vote, just to get Trump back in...believing he was 'truly chosen by God'....which is exactly how they reacted to Reagan's 'close call'....
I think Helen was absolutely fabulous on Bernard Hickey's The Hoon on Thursday and has a huge amount of wisdom especially on matters on international note. An interesting interview I have just listened to is this one from Jesse Mulligan in his I ate Auckland substack. It's on the Myth of Resilience and I think it pretty well explains a lot in terms of ACT policy (or lack thereof). It seems to make complete and utter sense in terms of what's happening here in Aotearoa and elsewhere too. Give it a listen if you have a chance. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018945278/redefining-resilience-soraya-chemaly-s-new-book
Yes, Helen! Like other humans, she was fallible, think foreshore and seabed, but she is a towering intellect and a decent person with an excellent bullshit meter. She weathered a massive amount of feral personal abuse, probably more than we’ll ever know, given it was pre-social media.
And let’s not forget she led Aotearoa for three full terms, the only Labour PM to do so. Economic successes included Kiwibank, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme and KiwiSaver. The books were in such good shape at the end of her tenure that we weathered the GFC better than most. And she kept us out of the Iraq war.
She could be intimidating, but she was also real. My parents were long time Labour supporters, spent their last thirty years in her Mt Albert electorate, knew her well, and admired her greatly. She never forgot important anniversaries and, when they died, she sent her personal condolences.
Whenever she pops up on the news or I see one of her pithy posts, it reminds me that we’ve been lucky enough to be led by two wonderful, compassionate and courageous female leaders, and a few good men too, and that the abominations who currently clutch the baubles of office to their puny chests are but a blip.
Great writing Nick. I agree about trying to see the good in people. It pays back in spades ; I get joy from many things ; this week the mighty Meat Workers Union collecting $100,000 from workers for the people of Wairoa (the heart of a big lockout by Talleys), Lyndy McIntyre’s book on the Living Wage movement which started with a small number of hospitality outlets signing up, that grew into government and (in many cases Council), policy under Labour, and ten years of work with unions, communities and faith based organisations. Helen Clark : what a thinker and contributor. She was a great PM. Whatever faith we came from, or still, or don’t believe in, there is a theme about humanity that somehow binds the best in us. For me, it’s called tolerance and compassion. I don’t always do as well as I should. We are all imperfect human beings.
Lies seem to be the way that free marketeers roll. Who knew that truth was destined to be collateral damage as humans morphed from citizens to consumers?
This
Cameron is the candidate who came in 4th in Northland in 2020 and got in on the Act list, then in response to his performance, came in 6th in 2023.... and still made it on the list. Yep. You couldn't make it up.
Another yes for Helen! I had the pleasure of seeing her speak at a panel in Dunedin in October 2020. It was during that magical time period when Aotearoa had beaten Covid and we could be sitting side-by-side with our neighbours while the rest of the world oscillated in and out of lockdowns. Helen Clark was participating with several of the faith leaders on campus and I remember being mesmerized by her. I also remember telling a friend that sat next to me if a job with the Helen Clark Foundation ever popped up I would move mountains to get it.
As for everyday Americans, my parents are still in the US and remind me from time to time that they aren't at war with their neighbours. They still go to church and meet their friends for coffee and walk the dog down at the river. The media is a wee bit prone to hyperbole.
Finally, a little push back on asking Biden to step down. A gentle reminder about the primary season in the US, and good gracious it seems like politicians are always in election mode, but the primaries run from January (ish) to June (ish) before the election in November. Over 14 million Americans have already cast their votes for Biden to be the candidate. Asking him to stand down is asking for all of those votes to be nullified. The time to find a different candidate was last year. The time to defeat fascism is now.
As a lapsed Anglican myself I empathise, Nick.
Also as a believer in the Big Bang theory about the beginning of the universe, I believe something/one/god, lit the fuse and moved on.
When we do finally become a republic, I hope Helen Clark is still around to become our first president.
A great Sunday morning read, thank you Nick!
And by the way, I love how you find appropriate music videos for every Kōrero - your music knowledge is amazing!
Thanks Di, I used to listen to that one 20 years ago but many songs I include are recent finds. There is so much good music being made it's hard to keep up, no shortage to discover.
Well done anyway, it’s quite a talent you have along with your writing.
I see our acting PM, Slimemore, reacting to the Trump issue this morning tells us that America and New Zealand were founded on "free debate,peaceful assembly and non-violence." What bloody planet does this idiot live on!??
As for Trump's next move, he'll no doubt tell anyone who will listen that he's proud to take one for the MAGA team cause, because, as he said a while back, "I am the chosen one". Looks like he didn't consider what he might have been chosen for by someone who didn't agree with him.
Absolutely Helen Clark I follow her on all the platforms & have started following some of the people she talks to Carl Worker comes to mind he seems very astute. I wasn't brought up with religion at all but it was left up to us to make our own minds up at my Grandpa's funeral some one said he wasn't a religious man but a very Christian man & I think that's how we were brought up with the same values & morals I just get a bit sick of the bigotry & double standards that you see every day.I definitely would rather see Biden win we can do without that other monster it sounds like he's done at lot for working people over there I just dislike their foreign policys particularly the Israel Gaza war it's just so corrupt it beggars belief humans are supposed to put their bigger brain to good use not that kind of war mongering.
As a Christian who has some strong reservations about my fellow believers (some days, anyway), I really enjoyed your intro. Especially the crack at the free markets religion, that is a cancerous covert religion that deserves all the mockery we can give it.
I hardly ever disagree with you Nick, but I disagree with your judgement of Biden. Yet several Kiwi friends of mine that I otherwise think of as wise agree with you. I think my view arises because I was brought up in West Coast Canada, where most Yankees traipsed in and out, especially the hunters in the fall, acting like they owned Canada. In the main they have grown up believing in their own cowboy and Indian Hollywood movie trained view of America, all MAGA minded to some degree....and part of that mindset is that America MUST HAVE a strong leader, because it rules the world. If Biden pulled out now, Trump would DEFINITELY get in, because the average American could not bring themselves to vote for a woman. Look what happened with Hilary Clinton...why Trump got in in the first place!
Agree with you Kim. I too cannot support Biden in light of his genocidal support of Israel. Having just read the latest news it would seem that Trump is almost guaranteed to win now after the assassination?? attempt on him. I would imagine this changes everything including the future of all countries. What a shame a person of Helen's calibre isn't in the race.
Uhmmm, my first reaction was 'too bad he missed'. My second reaction was 'how come the same "close call" happened with the original Evangelistic religious nutjob, Reagan'? My third was 'how come somebody managed to get JFC, even though he was in a moving car'...I remain highly suspicious, because all MAGA-minded Evangelistic Yankees are now going to vote, just to get Trump back in...believing he was 'truly chosen by God'....which is exactly how they reacted to Reagan's 'close call'....
I think Helen was absolutely fabulous on Bernard Hickey's The Hoon on Thursday and has a huge amount of wisdom especially on matters on international note. An interesting interview I have just listened to is this one from Jesse Mulligan in his I ate Auckland substack. It's on the Myth of Resilience and I think it pretty well explains a lot in terms of ACT policy (or lack thereof). It seems to make complete and utter sense in terms of what's happening here in Aotearoa and elsewhere too. Give it a listen if you have a chance. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018945278/redefining-resilience-soraya-chemaly-s-new-book
Yes Helen!
As for religion, we were sent to Sunday school and the olds used the time for ‘a cuddle’ according to my cousin.
As I was reading this someone took a pop at Trump at a rally. I despise him but don’t wish him harm.
Loved your offering this morning Nick! Kia kaha!
So….. if ACT are removing consent restraints and climate change is to ignored then WHY are putting flood and erosion warnings on coastal LIM titles?
The ongoing battle between good and greed.