Let there be no doubt. NZ has turned into a world laughing stock. A nation without a clue what it stands for - what is in, or out of, its constitution - if it even has one - whose MPs can't explain & debate issues - is a country that cannot long endure. The question for the PM is not why he didn't address the hīkoi - it is why he didn't join it. After all Luxon's key objective is the same as Te Pāti Māori: Kill the Bill.
Justice Minister Goldsmith, who's trying to have it both ways, told Parliament the Party didn't agree with ACTs Principles Bill, but at the same time said, "The interpretations given by the courts are not gospel". So he's telling judges, in a polite way, to go jump in the lake, as well as ACT. Meanwhile Labour MP Willie Jackson sided with those judges. He "denounces [ACTs] foul attempt to rewrite the constitutional framework of this nation". Jackson and our Kings Counsels say we've already signed up to a set of Principles, written by courts, and can't change them. One is equitable outcomes. No economist in the world has a clue how to enforce equitable outcomes, although Chairman Mao in China once tried - even the Chinese don't want to talk about how that ended up.
Meanwhile, a bunch of other MPs, mainly from Te Pāti Māori, don't believe their fellow MPs should have any power to decide anything - that Parliament lacks legitimacy and has no sovereignty over Māori. One said in Parliament, "ACT are seen to be pulling the strings and running the country, like the KKK with a swipe card to the Beehive". I presume he's likening Seymour to a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Deputy PM Peters is no better. He characterized the University of Auckland’s action of having designated areas for Māori & Pasifika students as comparable to racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Whether its Labour or National, you name them .. our MPs have turned this nation into a circus.
My subject is economics, not politics, but any nation whose MPs debate like this, act like this, explain issues like this, can forget about prosperity. Our MPs have made the world, but most importantly us locals, think differently about NZ this week, and not in a good way.
Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. He runs the blog Down to Earth Kiwi from where this article was sourced.
Meanwhile, a bunch of other MPs, mainly from Te Pāti Māori, don't believe their fellow MPs should have any power to decide anything - that Parliament lacks legitimacy and has no sovereignty over Māori. One said in Parliament, "ACT are seen to be pulling the strings and running the country, like the KKK with a swipe card to the Beehive". I presume he's likening Seymour to a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Deputy PM Peters is no better. He characterized the University of Auckland’s action of having designated areas for Māori & Pasifika students as comparable to racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan. Whether its Labour or National, you name them .. our MPs have turned this nation into a circus.
My subject is economics, not politics, but any nation whose MPs debate like this, act like this, explain issues like this, can forget about prosperity. Our MPs have made the world, but most importantly us locals, think differently about NZ this week, and not in a good way.
Professor Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at Auckland University. He has previously worked at the Reserve Bank, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. He runs the blog Down to Earth Kiwi from where this article was sourced.
2 comments:
The despair you feel Professor about the dreadful state of our nation is felt by an ever-increasing number. We are indeed a laughingstock amongst more serious nations. And the sad thing is we only have ourselves to blame.
Shit show indeed. And the main reason we need the treaty principles bill debated with serious intent on finding a solution, not dancing around parliament in a silly hat with your tongue out.
TPM look like clowns and the World is laughing 😂
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