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You can have a reasonable disagreement on whether boot camps are effective. But someone who states that the Government hates children and is a death cult is a bad faith extremist. They’re the equivalent of someone on the right who thinks Jacinda did vaccine mandates because she is paid by Pfizer. Crazy conspiracy theorists.
But Professor Kidman is not some random person. She is the co-director of He Whenua Taurikura, a supposed charity that is funded mainly by the Government. Their parent body’s postal address is the Dept of PM and Cabinet.
And what is He Whenua Taurikura? It is “New Zealand’s National Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism”
Hmmm violent extremism. Wouldn’t calling the Government a death cult that hates children actually inspire violent extremism? I mean if you really thought that, then surely violence is warranted if the Government is akin to Pol Pot.
I think I’ve found another area where Nicola Willis can save some money.
Kiwiblog
And then David Seymour and the Act Party picked it up:
The head of a publicly funded anti-extremism centre says the Government might be a “death cult” that “hates children”, leading to calls from the Act Party for her resignation.
Professor Joanna Kidman, a director of the Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, lashed out at the Government on Tuesday night, responding to its announcement that the first military boot camp for young offenders would be running by mid-2024.
Kidman wrote in a post on X (Twitter) that she could “only assume that this government hates children, most of whom will be poor and brown”.
“There is so much evidence that military-style youth boot camps don’t work and are expensive,” she wrote.
Kidman also added that the Government “wants to snatch children’s lunches” in response to Associate Education Minister and Act leader David Seymour describing free school lunches as “wasteful” public spending and arguing that the Government should cut them.
“Is this a government or a death cult?” Kidman wrote.
Seymour replied on X: “Some interesting views from a Jacinda Ardern and Labour appointee”.
Kidman has since made her X account private.
NewstalkZB
She should have resigned immediately once the new Government was formed, but she didn’t, and she started spewing her hate all over X.
She should be sacked. She can spew her hate all she wants but taxpayers shouldn’t be paying her for it.
Kidman has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Herald. The centre’s board chair has also been approached for comment.
In a statement, Victoria University, which hosts the centre, said while it supports the rights of academics to have an independent voice, Kidman’s social media post “does not support an inclusive conversation” and they are “discussing this matter” with her.
“We endorse reasoned debate that brings evidence and scrutiny to issues, to increase public understanding. Some of the language used in Professor Kidman’s social media post does not support an inclusive conversation,” a spokesperson said.
NewstalkZB
Even her university doesn’t support her hate-filled posts.
Act has gone further:
When asked if Kidman should apologise for her comments, Seymour said she “doesn’t have a very good track record” and he finds it easier to ignore her.
“The Government is facing an uphill battle to save money and balance the budget and I think it would be challenging to keep funding an organisation that doesn’t appear to be adding value and may actually be working against the very ideas of unity, respect and dignity that I thought it was supposed to promote,” Seymour said.
In a statement from the Act Party last night, public service spokesman Todd Stephenson said: “The irony of an anti-extremism campaigner using such extreme rhetoric should be obvious”.
“While Act supports her right to spew deranged garbage as a private citizen, she shouldn’t be doing it on the taxpayer dollar, and certainly not with the borrowed credibility of the Prime Minister’s department.
“Kidman’s salary is paid by taxpayers via the Prime Minister’s department, which means Christopher Luxon has just been delivered some potential savings on a silver platter. The board of the centre must move immediately to sack the extremist in their midst,” Stephenson said.
NewstalkZB
An apology from Kidman wouldn’t be an honest one. She should be sacked, and quickly. God knows why Luxon is keeping these fifth columnists in place.
Let the axe fall.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the BFD - where this article was sourced.
6 comments:
Cam, great work. She is now firmly in the crosshairs of the govt. I doubt anyone would care if she jumped.
It take great people such as yourself to stand up to these really toxic lowlifes and hold them to account. But it has to be done and the effort and research you and the contributors here present to highlight the truth is nothing short of outstanding. Have a whiskey and Cohiba mate.
All the best
Did you consult Simon O’Connor prior to writing this article?
Would it have changed your view if she did not hold the position she does?
Is she not typical of the average NZer in how she speaks.
If NZ had not been corrupted so much by the brown clowns I wonder where Kidman would be.
We are told by Simon O'Connor to support her right to free speech but to condemn ACT's right to free speech for wanting her sacked.
Everybody but everybody has a right to free speech and thereby be judged on the content of their speech.
End of story.
'We endorse reasoned debate that brings evidence and scrutiny to issues, to increase public understanding.' - did the spokesperson for Victoria keep a straight face while saying this. There history would show they support one side of any argument and are happy to cancel the other side.
Any employee knows that, when his/her paymaster changes, one views must be carefully stated...... if one wishes to stay on the payroll
Common sense - including for any " brilliant academic".
Is Professor Kidman:
.naive?
. supremely arrogant?
.looking for a juicy golden handshake?
Poor Prof Kidman, such a struggle on what she earns.
It has long been acknowledged that in a free democracy it is poor practice to appoint fanatics and zealots of any political persuasion to top jobs. If she truly believes in what she is touting, and has the courage of her convictions, then she should stand for a political party.
The sooner she is expelled from her position as a govt advisor, the better. She can go to Afghanistan or Haiti to work with the oppressed women there.
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