My sense of this election year is that a lot more will be involved and keen to participate.
The most dangerous thing about a democracy is when people can't be bothered. I think the results in some local body contests is teaching us that.
Christopher Luxon in Christchurch the other day got a full hall as well.
But what both also got were the nutters and the conspiracists.
Come question time they came out. Had the leaders read the research on the vaccine? What about the Government's dependence on the W.H.O? What about the United Nations and their hidden agenda?
In the ACT meeting they eventually left to applause. The applause was because they were leaving, not because of their questions.
But how much of this year's campaign is going to be hijacked by this sort of behaviour?
From the Government's point of view they already have expressed concerns over potential anger and violence.
It's part of the reason Jacinda Ardern walked. Yes, the polling was bad but the prospect of the sort of reaction she faced weighed heavily. There has already been much thought around public appearances, indoors, outdoors, security and so on.
It will have potentially dissipated with the arrival of Chris Hipkins, but he still represents a Government that has done a lot to upset a lot of people.
He was in charge of covid and MIQ and there remains a lot of residual anger.
And what about freedom of speech? If a hall is full and the questions around conspiracies and vaccines roll on, how much of it gets covered?
How much censoring goes on by a media who already have a shocking reputation for not covering and airing things they don’t agree with?
This has the potential to be one of the ugliest, loudest, angriest and, potentially, divisive campaign in years.
Luxon and Seymour have had an early taste and its only February.
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.
But what both also got were the nutters and the conspiracists.
Come question time they came out. Had the leaders read the research on the vaccine? What about the Government's dependence on the W.H.O? What about the United Nations and their hidden agenda?
In the ACT meeting they eventually left to applause. The applause was because they were leaving, not because of their questions.
But how much of this year's campaign is going to be hijacked by this sort of behaviour?
From the Government's point of view they already have expressed concerns over potential anger and violence.
It's part of the reason Jacinda Ardern walked. Yes, the polling was bad but the prospect of the sort of reaction she faced weighed heavily. There has already been much thought around public appearances, indoors, outdoors, security and so on.
It will have potentially dissipated with the arrival of Chris Hipkins, but he still represents a Government that has done a lot to upset a lot of people.
He was in charge of covid and MIQ and there remains a lot of residual anger.
And what about freedom of speech? If a hall is full and the questions around conspiracies and vaccines roll on, how much of it gets covered?
How much censoring goes on by a media who already have a shocking reputation for not covering and airing things they don’t agree with?
This has the potential to be one of the ugliest, loudest, angriest and, potentially, divisive campaign in years.
Luxon and Seymour have had an early taste and its only February.
Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings.
7 comments:
The strong linkage between anti vaccers and climate deniers and the right will unfortunately deter very many ordinary folk from voting to the right. The inevitability of maori control if co governance is enabled is the huge threat which needs to be strongly addressed.
And what about the people who question man-made climate change, Mike? You forgot about those didn't you?
Based on your last posting they fall into the nutters and conspiracy theory basket as well, surely.
You've always had a reputation for shooting from the lip, which is refreshing in today's groupthink media, but you do have a habit of blowing your own tongue off in the process.
Lol. “Anti vaccers”? (sic). What’s a “climate denier”? I question that humans have any significant effect on the climate.
As for anti-vaxxers, try “pro-choice”. Those of us who chose not to get “vaccinated” for a virus no worse than influenza, couldn’t care less whether you’ve potentially shortened your lifespan with poorly tested, experimental agents that only ever had an absolute risk reduction value of 0.84% at best. Good luck to you - you may need it.
As for the title of the piece referring to conspiracists - the rules ask that comments be respectful. Perhaps the author could show the same respect by not referring to people as conspiracists.
And by the way - not wanting to have morons at the WHO controlling any future pandemic response by our country is nothing to do with conspiracy m, and everything to do with nationalism and self-determination.
Similarly for the U.N. - bloodsucking parasites with a globalist agenda. The best thing we could do is leave it.
This “conspiracy theorist” won’t be voting for any party in parliament, because they’ve proven themselves unworthy to govern.
And I hope that Luxon snd Seymour continue to be heckled. It’s the least that they deserve.
How come that so many conspiracy theories are proving to be fact now Mike, and those responsible for the misinformation and lies have close connections to government? Why should politicians not be expected to answer question from the public? We have seen what happens when a government is elected without being asked the hard questions. Maybe the media should be doing their job instead of being boght by the labour cult.
I do not see those who cannot be bothered to vote as a threat to democracy as they likely will if later conditions prompt them (unless they have allowed something irreversible like maori control). What seems more dangerous is the ridiculous push to encourage all to vote, however dependent, dim, uninformed, uneducated, unread, lacking in experience, irrational or brainwashed.
Sadly nowadays the msm ensures the public is not informed, and especially so in local body affairs. councillors may as well be chosen by lottery.
Mike Hosking should stop reading Stuff and start looking inward at his own personal values. The nutters he refers to have a right to free speech, or has Mike has joined the likes of Chris Luxon and has the view that the narrative of the day should not be challenged. Mike should understand that all narratives should be challenged because there is no sole source of truth. Or woudl he rather convention not be challenged and we believe the sun revolves around the earth which is what the Church (who were the poliicians of the day) wanted us to believe because it suited their creationist narrative.
The irony is that Luxon is now starting to receive the "attention" that Ardern received. And that's because he is so out of touch with the electorate.
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