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Jeremy Coleman's avatar

It’s fabulous to see Jacinda looking alive and healthy again. I wonder how many of those who were so scathing about her leadership here are now wishing we had someone with her honesty, integrity and intelligence at the helm of the good ship AotearoaNZ?

Coincidentally, I sent this to the Herald last night. It’s bloody disgusting and can’t go unchallenged. Whether or not the Herald agrees will be borne out in the next couple of days.🤞

Three articles on TVNZ1 news this evening caught my attention. First, the government is considering measures to “clean” the Auckland CBD of rough sleepers, having cut funding to the City Mission and other providers of shelter for those unfortunate enough to suffer the conditions they are living under.

Second, Lifeline Helpline Mental Health Services has to cut the number of hours they can work, trying their hardest to help people in great distress urgently needing to talk to someone about their needs. Again because the government has cut funding to another essential service.

Third, Christopher Luxon showed where his loyalties lie, by spending over $6 million taxpayer dollars to bring Michelin Guide to AotearoaNZ to rate restaurants around the country and hopefully get the glory of earning a star or three for their efforts. What hypocrisy from someone who, as an alleged follower of Christ, who cares for all New Zealanders. To be blunt, Luxon is an absolute disgrace to the thousands of Kiwis who can’t afford to buy food for their families, or find a home to feel safe in, at least for a night. He doesn’t deserve the position he holds or the seat from which he yells at the opposition, and should be removed as soon as possible.

Nick Rockel's avatar

Snap. Seems, we're thinking alike. 🙂

Diana Coleman's avatar

I couldn’t believe my ears last night whilst watching the news.

Kirsty's avatar

Perhaps Mike King could share some of the love from his totally undeserved $24million with Lifeline. I'll wait 🙄

McKinleyRd Creatives's avatar

I was wondering whether he got another funding drop in this. The LifeLine sidelined is shameful.

Keith Simes's avatar

Yes OneNews was more disgusting than usual. I would like to nominate Gerry Brownlee as our very own Michelin Man!

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

A very good choice Keith!

Vicky Fletcher's avatar

Excellent points there Jeremy hopefully some rare Herald right wing reader takes note!

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

Thanks Vicky. You never know, they might surprise me…..

Leonie's avatar

Well said Jeremy! I noticed that too. Heartless man and certainly no Christian.

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

No wonder Trump played the floosie with Chrome Dome....birds of a feather bullshitting together....

Pippa MacKay's avatar

Thank you again for nailing it. 6 million for a European centric star system for our restaurants- unbelievably culture cringe worthy and elitist. While under funding mental health groups shown to be working and potentially criminalising homeless people who can’t get houses because there aren’t enough and the rules have changed for those there are. And decimating climate policy And going against all expert opinion about Atlas David’s Regulation Act. It’s enough to make you really angry … and vote the f… s out.

Jeremy Coleman's avatar

Unbelievable, isn’t it? Seems we have two social classes in our country now. Bottom feeders and bottom kissers.

Alison Kroon's avatar

I don't believe for one moment that having expensive restaurants vying for Michelin stars, will make a blind bit of difference to the country's economy. The more time goes on, the more I'm certain that Luxon, who grew up in a tight Christian bubble and has no sense of what makes Aotearoa tick, is just doing the bidding of his cunning masters. (Sorry - two very long sentences!)

McKinleyRd Creatives's avatar

not everyone can do long sentences Alison...... :-) Well done. Excellent words.

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

Alison that's the truth: but I don't think uxon is being used....I think he's learned how to act like an amiable nitwit to serve his Atlas masters....

Alison Kroon's avatar

Hmmm... that's quite possible, Kim, although I'm more inclined to think he's of pretty average intelligence. Who knows?

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

Yeah, OK maybe you're right...possibly it's just me having a hard time believing such a total FW could be chosen by John Key to be PM....

Alison Kroon's avatar

Yes, that IS hard to believe. Or perhaps he wanted a less able person?

Kim Shaw-Williams's avatar

Yep, that makes sense....good thinking Alison...

Alison Kroon's avatar

I have an occasional good think! 🤣

Marilyn Wilson's avatar

Well said Nick - a

Great news from the Labour Party and as usual utter crap and nonsense from the others! Lovely to see Jacinda doing so well after the disgusting way some of us treated her in NZ

Kirsty's avatar

I also wonder how Michelin star tourists will feel when they cant drink our polluted water, see the coal mountain in Huntly, the appalling spectacle of homeless in our 'first world' country . . . ##OneTermGovernment!

Martin Garrood's avatar

But what happens if none of our restaurants receive a star? Would that mean we have fewer tourists as a result?

And how on Earth can it cost $6m to pay for a bunch of food critics to come and eat at such a small number of NZ restaurants?

Plus, Cuisine Magazine already rate all our restaurants with the "chef hat" scale - why do we need international people to tell us which restaurants are best? We have our own rating scale already

Rachel Merritt's avatar

So here we have the Government indulging in spending tax payers money on a luxury for a few wealthy, while criticizing councils for spending rate payers money on 'so called' luxuries for all in their communities.

Karen Griffin's avatar

Don't forget the roof for the tennis court. What did they say? Must haves as opposed to need to have. Or some bullshit like that. I'm certain that our rough sleepers are grateful for the roof (that's not over their heads) and a posh restaurant that few of us could afford to eat at anyway. 😤

Heather Thompson's avatar

IEveryday a other wtf or two. Michelin is a business. What an interesting business model they have. No personal investment it seems. We pay them to eat?

What a lot of food $6.500,000 would buy for those who need it.

Michelin stars tend to go to expensive restaurants.

NZ based Cuisine magazine does reviews of restaurants in NZ for those with cash to regularly eat out.

I was interested that Al Brown didn't think that this state sponsored eurocentric initiative was was useful. Luxon's ill informed snobbery is behind this.

Lets focus on feeding the people house the people, and ensuring the planet can grow the food.

lesley Parker's avatar

Think of how many home pods could have been distributed to homeless people for 5million !!

Mac Stevenson's avatar

It certainly was a treat to see Jacinda and realise how articulate she is and what this country is missing. It is heartbreaking when you compare her to our current pretend PM who can only speak word salad and corporate jargon. This is probably why he has never learned Te Reo as he sees himself as already bi-lingual speaking Garbled English and untruths.

Vicky Fletcher's avatar

Indeed and slogans Mac oh his endless slogans!

Darien Fenton's avatar

Great post Nick. I bet there will be no Michelin stars for our indigenous cooking including hangi - oh that's right they are more likely at the marae, or at community events, or at locals providing free Kai, so they don't count. It is unbelievable that we spent $6m on this when right along Queen street, you know the place where tourists head off the cruise ships, the homeless are being targeted, with nowhere to go, and not a tear in sight from the CoC. It was a good announcement from Ayesha and I look forward to many more. Someone said National had posted 31 times on FB yesterday - and then all their MPs who have sprung to life as they wake up and realise they might lose their sinecure next year. They have not ONE original thing to say. Thanks for the Jacinda pic ; she is also attending COP30 in Brazil now, where not ONE of our government will be present.

Vicky Fletcher's avatar

Like all of you I too was open mouthed at the contrast between the parties last night - it seems there's no depths this Coalition of Cruelty won't plumb in their pursuit of utterly meaningless baubles of the "wealthy and sorted" kind .... meanwhile I read this morning that California Governor Gavin Newsom is going to the COP30 Climate Summit to represent like minded Americans given their Orange Obscenity of a president refuses, no doubt because he's been handsomely paid off by oil magnates! Newson said to the San Francisco Chronicle “He’s doubling down on stupid,” “His head is in the sand, or it’s in the pockets of Big Oil and other carbon interests." Chippy for PM - Newsom for President .. wouldn't that be wonderful!

Kirk Lafferty's avatar

Nice piece as always. Nick. I regularly see the trolls out in force, misleading the public with the hate directed at Jacinda. I find it hard to believe that some of the shit is believed in much the same way. I can't see how any sane person would support Trump overseas. What a strange and often not very bloody nice world we now live in.

Rose's avatar

I love my icky kindness.

I'd rather be ick than an ignorant arrogant prick !

1st World Country hahaha

And we are no where grown up WTF is that despicable woman drinking.

Like the rest of the country too much shit !!

Our world famous Dame Jacinda is Believable & so amazing to watch & to listen too.

This unbelievable bunch of cocs & the imposter pm is . . . So out of touch & obviously being drinking from the same delusional bottle.

Yay to having No television.

We're off to say Good bye to our beautiful Turkish friend & to eat her absolutely delicious Falafel Kebabs.

You will be missed.

Thank you Nick

For the Good.

The terribly bad

And so ugly.

Nick Rockel's avatar

Icky kindness is awesome 🙂

Liz A's avatar

I love my icky kindness too Rose 🥰

willy de wit's avatar

Well said National and well done.

My wife(and influencer) Sarah Hyphen (not the line, Hyphen's actually her middle name) St Clair adores eating out in Paris, Rome., LA, and it's long overdue having a proper rating on cuisine, not gauche offerings you might find in Woman's Weekly.

Our current favorite dish is a simple 'faire de poulet avec poisson le pan sizzle ot ole cinq roquefort sur le Ponte trois legume' followed by 'a nage of ravioli, gently nestled in a pond of watercress jus, then loving tenderized on a faux of basted tenderloin of Duck'. And quite frankly , if you can't afford it, 'tough enhanced breasts'.