by Geoffrey Churchman
It was rather ironic that on the anniversary of the beginning of Freedom Village yesterday that NZ’s new PM Hipkins announced the cessation of this government’s planned assault on Free Speech, one of the most basic rights in a Democracy.
This planned assault on Freedom has been fiercely fought by libertarians concerned that we would see a repeat of the constant farces that have characterised Britain after they enacted such laws. Both National and ACT made clear that the staus quo is perfectly adequate and have opposed any further restriction that She wanted to ram through with the majority in Parliament that the voters foolishly gave Her in 2020.
It wasn’t totally the end of the dreadful saga, however: rather than straight-out admit that that had been a very bad idea, he would keep it on the back burner by giving it to the Law Commission for further consideration.
The Free Speech Union had a short response to that:
But it’s not a good look for Hipkins to admit that She had a head full of bad ideas and that this was one of the worst.
The Labour Maori caucus is too powerful for him to do anything about He Puapua and the plans for so-called ‘Co-governance’ by Iwi Elites, which again National and ACT have made clear won’t continue. My prediction is that this will accordingly be the main cause of Labour’s defeat in October. Some aspects of Mahuta’s councils assets grab known as 3 [5] waters may remain, but there isn’t enough time left for Hipkins to pursue all of it despite the law setting it all up having been passed.
The planned, very expensive merger of TVNZ and Radio NZ never made any sense, but the ideologues in this government were obsessed with it. It’s been revealed that the wealthy private sector consultants on this issue have so far benefited to the extent of $18 million, but that’s still not as big a waste as the announced $327 million that this notion was going to cost the Taxpayer.
The Government’s biofuels mandate is also being ditched. From the beginning of this April, it would have required fuel wholesalers to cut the total greenhouse gas emissions for transport fuels they sell by a set percentage each year by increasing biofuels in their supply. But Hipkins says this would have increased the price of fuel and “Given the pressure on households, that’s not something I’m prepared to do.” The Greenies will be unhappy, but they’ve had plenty of successes with their wacky notions in the last 5+ years.
There are still several other bad plans that this government has and the important thing now is to ensure that Labour don’t get back for a third term. Tamaki MP Simon O’Connor is correct in this comment:
Same strategists, same goals, different ruse.
Why do humans keep believing in professional liars? Every 3 years they line up like the little brainless sheep they are to vote for the next pack of wolves who will shit on them. Pathetic…
Chris, you are on the number; those believing in ‘the professional liars’, are “sheeples”.
Democracy does not work; “democracy”, which is “imposed” on the populace, in ‘our western world’. Israel (western world, are they ……….. not sure !!!), as just one example – how many elections in the past ‘um-teen’ months.
Forget the two party state of yanky-land as a democracy.
And, let us look at our NEW ZEALAND ……….. MMP – has MMP worked for NEW ZEALAND ?? MMP is not really democracy, in the true sense of one person, one vote; dead-wood imposed on the populace through the “list candidates”. How many maori (and the rest of the dead-wood) would be in our parliament if it was not for the maori seats, and the list candidates ??
Time for change, though we thought change was created way back then when MMP was voted in as our electoral system.
And, there is (possibly) the truth of voting, in our democratic society : did those voting for MMP truly understand, comprehend, and realise, for what they where voting ??
I think not ……….. as can be applied to every election held in our NEW ZEALAND, and elsewhere in the so called democratic world.
I challenge the so-called-democracy : – do those with the right to vote, understand the responsibility of their vote – being for the betterment of their country, their fellow citizens, our environment, and for our world ??
Democracy is mob rule as amply demonstrated by the current regime. Imagine if the country voted that the unvaxxed had better get pricked or else.
We need our unassailable rights entrenched and not a lame Bill of Rights Act.
The Swiss system of doing things by referenda may be a way forward, but I have not looked into this enough to lend unqualified support.
There are too many MPs for NZ, 60 would be more than sufficient, and this would be for an electorate based system only – no coat tailing MMP type hangers-on.
There also needs to be term limits for MPs, say three elections and no gold plated super, free air travel or any other perks after leaving parliament. Any benefits while in “service” would need to be decided by referenda so the pigs in muck can’t change the law and further enrich themselves. Most of them would not have have employment after parliament if it weren’t for the old boys and girls network.
wonder if this council will pause some of its worsed plans it has in store for kapiti ratepayers?