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Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Mike Hosking: We have never given more to people who can't be bothered


There was a headline, my despair and a crime committed all in one story.

So what was the headline?

"Want free tickets to the Warriors in Napier? Fill out your uncompleted census forms."

It's a nice ad for the Government's $150,000 giveaway to dead beats, the lazy, the unengaged and general freeloaders.

The first crime is it's yet another sign of how the Government panders to people who can't be bothered, and use our money to do it.

You know the story so far. The census is clearly a bust and Stats NZ are having to work overtime to get everyone ticked off.

Like with the Covid jab, free stuff is apparently the weapon of choice.

It is, of course, a legal requirement to fill in the census, but that appears to be irrelevant. Which does lead to the question - why have a law when freebies will do?

And then we get to the second crime. It's yet another example of the media not distancing themselves enough from Government policy and essentially providing a free press release.

The fact so much money is spent, essentially to cajole the recalcitrants, is an insult to each and every one of us that did our duty and have to pay to go see the Warriors.

Salt in the wound is the fact the tickets in Napier are to the biggest game of the season. A game that is almost sold out because it’s the Broncos. And a game that the Napier paper very helpfully points out will be the biggest crowd since the All Blacks played Argentina in 2014.

So, a hot ticket then, to a big game and a great night out at a critical stage of the season. And all you have to do, is do what the rest of us did because we wanted to do the right thing.

Except, because you didn’t, because you can't be bothered, we bribe you with tickets that are hard to come by because clearly the Government's gone and bought them.

Oh, and that’s not all. You can get your tickets by going to the open training of the Warriors, where there will be a signing session and a barbeque. So tickets, autographs and sausages.

Never has being a no-hoper and non-participant paid off so handsomely.

It’s the Labour way.

Mike Hosking is a New Zealand television and radio broadcaster. He currently hosts The Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB on weekday mornings

10 comments:

Gaynor said...

Well of course there there are the bone lazy but also 'the rest of us' can
probably read and write. I would estimate the reading age of the census to be at least that of a 12 years old. That cuts out a significant fraction of the population There were some fairly difficult words and instructions in there. Also do you live in a garage or cohabit a state house , illegally with a couple of other families ? Do you have two or three jobs in order to pay the mortgage and grocery bill and a solo parent with three screaming children and hence just don't have the time or energy.

None of these things would you necessarily want to admit too.

Try to remember we mow live in a country with a failed education system and social system , hopeless housing and cost of living. Wake up census officials.
Go back to the 19th century when census officials had to fill in the form and social and economic conditions were rough.

DeeM said...

And that's a good part of the reason NZ is going downhill in all aspects.

This government is anti law and order, whether it be enforcing the law for serious offences like ram raids and assaults, or minor misdemeanors like failing to complete the census.
Not only that, they reward offenders or sympathise with them.

And they're too stupid to realise that they're rubbing everybody's nose in it who obey the law and stick to the rules.

They are long past their sell-by date and Chippy and his socialist sad-cases need to be binned.

Robert Arthur said...

They cannot expect the public to take it seriously when to most many of the questions were stupid. ie genders, mould. And they over estimate on line access and abilities.

Anonymous said...

No one should comply with a corrupt government. Comply your way to tyranny at your peril.

Anonymous said...

I had to laugh when I read this because I had just finished reading how NZ is finally going up in something, the Misery index!
We are climbing, which is not a good thing, passed by real go ahead countries like Fiji,Vanuatu, Ecuador . And I wonder why are you miserable in NZ, sit on your arse do nothin and get free tickets to the warriors all paid for by the sucker taxpayer. Laugh it up NZ the jokes on us.

Anonymous said...

I have not completed it out of principle. It's a protest. When the govt respects my opinion I will respect its request for information from me.

Nothing to do with not being bothered or being too lazy.

Mike needs to think a little harder about the issue.

Anonymous said...

I thought governments did all their most stupid things during the first 2 years of a term and then conned the electorate with the more sensible stuff heading into an election but this one is not only carrying on like they did during those first 2 years but continues to set new stupidity heights. Surely for most of us we can see through their ineptitude and outright lies and deception so roll on October. Then again judging by the polls their stupidity is mirrored by the electorate. Please save us and boot these idiots for touch.

Anonymous said...


A case study on what happens when there is levelling down to achieve equity.

Far too many of the public seem happy to comply.

Unknown said...

Respectful commentary??
Not really possible to do this, as I have zero respect for the government. Or is that the correct term to use, in what is clearly autocratic rule that over-rules democratic processes.
I have exited NZ after spending 69 years of my life there, understanding that my work has employed many people, produced huge benefits to Maori, and have respect from Maori leaders such as Sir Tipene O'Regan. I cannot accept what the Marxists have been allowed to do to New Zealand.
The control that the Marxists have over media in New Zealand, is clear, if you actual have a working brain to listen, understand or compute.

Those that were part of the STV, MPM era, may now rethink their decision? I admit that I got it wrong. However, at that stage I was a member of the Tinakori Values party, and thought that MPM would prevent a one party state in the future- WRONG

There is a global battle going on between democracy and autocracy. Commentators need to start talking about how NZ is so similar to Russia. Hipkins is Putin in disguise, as was Ardern. Your word is the only truth, control the media, control the people.

Robert Arthur said...

Offering bribes and prizes sets an absurd precedent. We saw it with maori Covid vaccination.Those that could not be troubled had food boxes delivered then the vaccinators came to them. So now maori do not exert themselves unless immediate obvious advantage. In the Census many have made amistake, Unlike crime statistics, the Census statistics work to their advantage.