Nat/act/nzf 2023

[moka]

An Ode to .. Andrew Bayly
Bard Billot on serf-basher Baron Bayly

An Ode to .. Andrew Bayly - Newsroom

The Winners
The complainants file in to the Great Hall
With their petitions and grievances.
King Luxon slumps in his golden throne
As they drone on into the afternoon.
“My King, Baron Bayly called me a LOSER,”
Pleads one ragged peon.
“My King, Baron Bayly danced before me
And made a L shape on his forehead,”
Weeps a humiliated serf.
“My King, Baron Bayly told me to firk off
Home with a pigs bladder of flat ale,”
Whimpers a downcast plebeian.
“Alright, I’ve heard enough,”
Pronounces the King.
“Clear out this rabble
And bring Baron Bayly before me!”
The peons and serfs and plebeians
Are sent back to their hovels,
And the metal doors of the Great Hall
Groan shut.
Baron Bayly is brought before his King
For judgment.
“Great work, Bayly!” Says the King;
And the two Winners
Raise a horn of mead in toast
To Winners everywhere.

[moka]

The previous Labour Government were therefore not widely considered to be incompetent, as National and its partners perhaps hoped it would be.

2023 election study: What voters really wanted and why the coalition’s mandate could be fragile

After winning the 2023 election, the National-led coalition Government quickly embarked on a wide range of policy changes, often reversing the policies of its Labour predecessor.

The National-Act-NZ First coalition’s continued support suggests voters think it is delivering on its mandate – the promises and outcomes people had in mind when they voted for the coalition parties.
Which raises the question, what exactly did people want when they voted in 2023?

When asked to choose who they would prefer to lead the next Government, about 48% wanted a National-led coalition, compared with 38% who preferred Labour to lead. Nearly half of all voters wanted a new Government after the election, suggesting this was a “change” election.
The Election Study asked people what the most important issue was for them when voting.
Two responses stood out: the economy and the cost of living.

However, unlike 2020 – when Covid dominated – in 2023 there was a range of issues people cared about, including health, climate change and law and order: 73% wanted tougher sentencing laws. National’s strong stance on law and order was therefore also part of its mandate.

Moreover, there are clear differences between the two connected issues of the economy and cost of living.
Voters who said “the economy” was their most important issue tended to feel National was the party best equipped to address this problem. Voters who answered “cost of living” (and other related terms, such as poverty) were more likely to say Labour would be the best party to deal with those problems.
While economic issues were front of mind for many people and people wanted change, levels of satisfaction with the previous Government’s performance were still surprisingly high.
Some 54% said the Labour Government did a “very” or “fairly” good job – strong support for a Government dismissed at the election. And 64% of respondents also continued to approve of the previous Government’s Covid response, suggesting Labour was still getting credit for its management of the pandemic.

Only 30% of New Zealanders wanted the restoration of interest deductibility for landlords, whereas 46% wanted landlords to pay tax on this income. Half of the electorate wanted stronger measures to reduce carbon emissions, while just 23% did not want them. Voters also wanted more health and education expenditure.

Our results suggest the National-led coalition Government has a mandate from voters to reduce inflation and to manage the economy towards growth and improved living standards.
Voters also want to see a reduction in crime and better government services, especially healthcare.
If the coalition fails to deliver on this challenging set of expectations, National and its partners are likely to feel the wrath of voters at New Zealand’s next election – particularly considering people retained relatively favourable attitudes about the outgoing Labour Government.

[nztx]

Who is getting shafted with Dunedin Hospital? Taxpayers are expected to keep fronting up with ever more costs (in the billions of $) because the previous government was totally irresponsible with spending?

I laughed out loud when I see the pathetic protestors threatening that they represent lots of votes - they never voted National in the first place! Then there’s Sam Neil (big big fan and supporter of Clueless big spending Cindy) wanting to make his statement - who does he think he is kidding?

What were Camp Commandant Little's frantic screams about Health infrastructure again ?

Didn't last long - did they ? .. the plans mosly never made it off the drawing boards, so the
next best thing became operational - "How to Build an Empire" and hope no-one discovered
cracks as it was hastily being thrown together across the lands ..

No worries & no need to look, nor ask how the contrived pack of cards was managing post-covid

[nztx]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/arater...JM4Z5WBX6SOOI/

Aratere ferry live updates: Interim report released after Interislander ferry ran aground near Picton

An interim report into the grounding of Interislander’s Aratere ferry has found the bridge crew did not know how to turn off the autopilot function on a new steering control system.

The report by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) was published this afternoon, setting out the “facts and circumstances” established to this point in its inquiry into the incident – which remains ongoing.

It said the Aratere received a new steering control system in May 2024 – a month prior to the incident – to work with the ship’s autopilot and integrated bridge navigation system.

And they wanted new billion dollar boats ?

[Balance]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/arater...JM4Z5WBX6SOOI/

Aratere ferry live updates: Interim report released after Interislander ferry ran aground near Picton





And they wanted new billion dollar boats ?

And preferably self-piloting so these clowns can justify drawing huge dollar salaries (as befits billion dollar ferries) to do fxxk all.

And we have woke leftist posters here jumping up and down about the current ferries being not fit for purpose! Anything to take attention away from the billions of dollars wasted by the Labour government on wasteful spending.

[Aaron]

I thought there was a thread for the misdeeds of the coalition but couldn't find it.

Supporting Mike King might not be the best idea.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mental...PAJH2KWNMIB7Y/

"Mike King is defending his claims that “alcohol is the solution for people with mental health issues” "

"he says medical research proving it is linked with suicide is a matter of opinion."

I think Mike is confused between his "opinion" and research proving it is a "fact" that alcohol is associated with the increase in risk of suicide. Research is done to verify whether opinions are correct, Mike King is too dumb to know this.

I am no medical professional but recommending a depressant to someone who is depressed does not even sound right to an uneducated moron like me.

First time Mike King has been hilarious in a while and he probably does not even know why.

[xafalcon]

Who is getting shafted with Dunedin Hospital? Taxpayers are expected to keep fronting up with ever more costs (in the billions of $) because the previous government was totally irresponsible with spending?

I laughed out loud when I see the pathetic protestors threatening that they represent lots of votes - they never voted National in the first place! Then there’s Sam Neil (big big fan and supporter of Clueless big spending Cindy) wanting to make his statement - who does he think he is kidding?

I believe that the blue team needs to concede the whole healthcare area. It's one ideological battle that, if they win (through austerity), they will loose in 2026. The "room" expects healthcare to be fixed, regardless of cost

Just swallow the dead rat. It's common to do this in business, which luxon says he is very good at

I live near Hamilton, so the Dunedin hospital will never affect me. I have no skin in that game. But I do want a well functioning health system, where people don't die waiting in emergency departments due to excessive waiting times, and where kiwis have access to doctors and drugs they require

[moka]

Evidence based decisions? Yeah right!

No list of businesses to back Willis’ work-from-home stance
Public Service Minister Nicola Willis cannot name any businesses that support the Government’s work-from-home directive, despite saying data is critical to understanding the subject.

Last month, Willis and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon instructed public sector employers to re-evaluate their work-from-home arrangements.
The pair repeatedly cited similar suggestions from a mixed group of everyday workers, office heads and overseas examples – but never mentioned specifics.

The OIA request asked Willis for a list of “businesses who have been ‘lobbying’ the Government” for such changes. Willis’ office was unable to respond to the request, because the information did not exist.
The response showed the directive was inspired by anecdotal evidence rather than official meetings or data. A spokesperson for the minister confirmed the decision “was informed by conversations with members of the public”, of which no records were kept.

The Government’s coalition agreement includes a commitment to making decisions based on data and evidence. However, communities have pushed back against a range of policy decisions not supported by evidence, such as decisions to raise speed limits, loosen smokefree legislation and revamp freshwater policy.

[moka]

Ideologically based decisions rather than evidence based decisions may be made to reinforce group identity and align with the dominant beliefs within a community.

Seymour is relying on us not knowing our history - Newsroom
By Lianne Dalziel. Seymour is not interested in anyone learning about our past. He wants us to believe that the current interpretation of the Treaty principles essentially give preferential treatment to Māori. It is hard to reconcile this view with the statistics that show how unequal life is for Māori when it comes to life expectancy, ill-health, unemployment, poor educational outcomes, incarceration, the list goes on. How did it end up that way?

There has been much written about the shock announcement of former Act leader Richard Prebble being appointed to a position on the Waitangi Tribunal.
Unsurprisingly, this has been welcomed by the present Act leader and author of the Treaty Principles Bill, David Seymour, who said: “Act looks forward to his contributions in ensuring that the Treaty of Waitangi is interpreted and applied in a manner that reflects what it actually says, including the promise of the same rights and duties for all New Zealanders”.

Given his is not an accurate view of what the Treaty actually says, it cannot be helped that people think Prebble’s new role is nothing but a partisan appointment on what is meant to be an independent tribunal.

However, my purpose is not to discuss Prebble. It is to lament the loss of one of the Tribunal members, who has served only one term, and whom he essentially replaces.
I have known Dr Hana O’Regan for many years and have had the pleasure of attending several talks she has given over that time. Not only is she highly qualified in the fields of language revitalisation, identity and cultural development, te reo Māori, and education, she is an author and an engaging and inspiring speaker. I am sure her mana will be sorely missed by the Waitangi Tribunal, and that is something her successor cannot replace.

[moka]

What is being shattered in rugby and national beliefs is a myth, not the reality.

Are we becoming Aotearoa or just getting back on a colonial track? - Newsroom
Rob Campbell - I was struck by a recent article on the governance and management of rugby in this country. My more immediate interest was in the comment that rugby is “entwined in the social fabric of the country – a defining element to encapsulate how New Zealand’s modern history has been forged on hard work, unity and notions of egalitarianism”. This expresses one of the core colonial myths – one which is today being shaken much more widely than in rugby.

This fond myth of positive attributes is how the country and its history can look, from some perspectives and with the right shade of tint to the glasses. Like all lasting and powerful myths it has some basis in reality. But mainly among the pākehā men who ran things. Many of whom were themselves far from outstanding in relation to work ethic, harmonious social relationships or equity.

As the new book Becoming Aotearoa: A New History of New Zealand by Michael Belgrave shows as things change it is natural to expect our view of the past to be rearranged.
It may be a bit ironic that the work appears just as the coalition Government is making efforts to avoid us becoming Aotearoa and bringing back an old New Zealand which still lives in their heads.

One’s perspective does alter one’s view of what are facts and of which facts are important. We are going through a very big experiment in whether we are really “becoming Aotearoa” or just getting back on a colonial track.