Category: Democracy

Labour promised something special, but Budget 2019 delivered something quite ordinary. Those who believe governments should foster a vibrant economy will find nothing of real substance to applaud, while those who have been promised a transformational change in social policy will be left feeling they have been short-changed.

The ‘elites’ in Labour and the Greens have captured the agenda, attacking free speech, advancing race-based privilege, and prioritising identity politics, alienating middle of the road voters in the process.

More broadly, the modern progressive left has lost touch with the fact that what ordinary people want from their government is a spirit of respect, dignity and hope for the future.

The danger is that hate speech restrictions will be the thin end of the wedge, and will escalate from addressing extremism to criminalising speech that socialists like our Prime Minister and her parties think is objectionable.

In the bargaining of the Paris summit, the tech companies have agreed in effect to act as the agents of the governments in delivering their political objectives of countering “violent extremist narratives” and engaging in “the fight against inequality.”

It is deeply concerning that our PM has taken on the role of international cheerleader for the climate change movement. With the support of the UN, she is determined to see New Zealand leading the world in climate restrictions.

If enacted, the Bill will certainly crown Ms Ardern and Mr Shaw as the undisputed world leaders of the long-sought climate revolution. They will be feted and applauded at UN-sponsored conferences in every corner of the globe

The Labour Government’s $2 million Welfare Expert Advisory Group’s report was made public last Friday - in the same week that labour market figures showed the number of New Zealanders with jobs had fallen by 4,000 in the past three months. If enacted, their 42 recommendations would dramatically deepen the dependency trap.

The growth in race based representation in local and central government - through appointment rather than election – is increasing public concern. The on-going drive by iwi leaders to institutionalise 50:50 co-governance is a growing threat to our democracy.

Increasingly, local bodies and successive governments have been transferring responsibilities for control of resources that we all use and cherish to unelected, unaccountable representatives of tribal groups.