It has been a few years since I started following the ‘dissident right’ and saw myself as part of their movement. Those dissidents worked their way into Trump’s circles, understanding that he rewards loyalty and hard work. Their politics is now the mainstream in the Trump administration: the powerless ‘dissident right’ has become the ‘ascendant right’ pulling the levers of power. Unlike the neocons who came before, they are unafraid to wield power for good – and forcefully, where necessary. Trump’s coalition is therefore a bit odd, with right-wing traditionalists and right-wing progressives working side-by-side, but it’s not that odd when you realise New Zealand’s coalition is similar. On paper. But that’s where the similarities end.
A nation is a people. I repeat it as often as I can. A State of the Nation address should be a message for the people and about the people.
Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech started with terrible aesthetics. A podium with various corporate logos on it, rather than our Coat of Arms. The PM bounced up to the podium like a middle-manager about to give a pep-talk to his overworked team. The diverse introduction came in nine(!) different languages. The message was simple: this is not a speech for New Zealand, or New Zealanders, but a speech for global corporations. New Zealand is open for business! That’s been his message for a while, but there was little in the speech to make businesses pick New Zealand over America today. We’re a struggling economy at the bottom of the world that is fast falling behind in productivity measures with declining per capita GDP, growing Crown debt and crippling regulations.
Half of it was a rehash of things the coalition did in 2024. Yes, it was mostly good work and little improvements that can stack up to big changes. But the world changed a few days ago when President Trump 2.0 took office.
More people are fleeing the country than ever. A large part is the legacy of the Labour Government, but, if people had true hope Luxon could turn things around, they’d stick it out. If the shock and awe that Trump is deploying had been deployed a year ago, where would we be?
The talk about deregulation was in the form of more rock concerts at Eden Park, port expansion at Tauranga and easier overseas investment. Good? Maybe, but I can’t force myself to care. These are all external facing and not the everyday woke nonsense New Zealanders have to deal with. Add the fact that they’ve been in charge for a year. By the time ACT’s regulatory reform goes through, the coalition will be over half way through their term. Contrast this with President Trump’s actions in the last few days or President Milei’s over the last year and you realise that we’re as stuffed as we’ve ever been.
ACT’s response was more sombre. David Seymour is right that “being better than Labour” is not good enough after a “century of decline”: most of which was under National’s watch. Unlike Luxon he was clear that the focus needs to be on making sure people want to stay here. The ‘Kiwi spirit’ is being chipped away and he went so far as saying that much needed to be done to keep New Zealand in the first world. Admitting these obvious truths made it a much better version of Luxon’s speech but still lacking. I look forward to Winston Peter’s at a future date.
New Zealand continues to be an airport lounge as an all-time record number of Kiwis flee the country. Yet mass migration continues and the population still grew by over 30,000. From the 12 months following the 2023 election, there was inward migration of nearly 160,000 (3.0 per cent) with around 130,000 (2.5 per cent) long-term departures. There was a net loss of around 48,000 citizens and a net gain of nearly 79,000 non-citizens. The majority of migrant arrivals are from India, China and the Philippines with the UK and SA far behind.
Both Luxon and Seymour view people as simply replaceable. One in, one out. What difference does it make? They add to the GDP and that’s about it. As Seymour said, we are “people with different languages, religions and cultures united by one thing…we are the most remote country on Earth”. It’s not rocket science to realise there’s a connection between that vision and New Zealand being turned into an airport lounge.
As soon as the going gets tough, people bugger off.
Why stay in the most remote economic zone on Earth when there’s a less remote and more prosperous economic zone next door?
That’s why New Zealand has become a nation left behind. That’s why Bukele, Milei and Trump are so successful and capable of far more radical change: they have a vision of their nations first and foremost as homes for their people.
Dieuwe is the editor of Right Minds NZ. In addition to conservative politics and reactionary thought, he likes books, gardening, biking, tech, reformed theology, beauty, and tradition. This article was first published HERE
A nation is a people. I repeat it as often as I can. A State of the Nation address should be a message for the people and about the people.
Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech started with terrible aesthetics. A podium with various corporate logos on it, rather than our Coat of Arms. The PM bounced up to the podium like a middle-manager about to give a pep-talk to his overworked team. The diverse introduction came in nine(!) different languages. The message was simple: this is not a speech for New Zealand, or New Zealanders, but a speech for global corporations. New Zealand is open for business! That’s been his message for a while, but there was little in the speech to make businesses pick New Zealand over America today. We’re a struggling economy at the bottom of the world that is fast falling behind in productivity measures with declining per capita GDP, growing Crown debt and crippling regulations.
Half of it was a rehash of things the coalition did in 2024. Yes, it was mostly good work and little improvements that can stack up to big changes. But the world changed a few days ago when President Trump 2.0 took office.
More people are fleeing the country than ever. A large part is the legacy of the Labour Government, but, if people had true hope Luxon could turn things around, they’d stick it out. If the shock and awe that Trump is deploying had been deployed a year ago, where would we be?
The talk about deregulation was in the form of more rock concerts at Eden Park, port expansion at Tauranga and easier overseas investment. Good? Maybe, but I can’t force myself to care. These are all external facing and not the everyday woke nonsense New Zealanders have to deal with. Add the fact that they’ve been in charge for a year. By the time ACT’s regulatory reform goes through, the coalition will be over half way through their term. Contrast this with President Trump’s actions in the last few days or President Milei’s over the last year and you realise that we’re as stuffed as we’ve ever been.
ACT’s response was more sombre. David Seymour is right that “being better than Labour” is not good enough after a “century of decline”: most of which was under National’s watch. Unlike Luxon he was clear that the focus needs to be on making sure people want to stay here. The ‘Kiwi spirit’ is being chipped away and he went so far as saying that much needed to be done to keep New Zealand in the first world. Admitting these obvious truths made it a much better version of Luxon’s speech but still lacking. I look forward to Winston Peter’s at a future date.
New Zealand continues to be an airport lounge as an all-time record number of Kiwis flee the country. Yet mass migration continues and the population still grew by over 30,000. From the 12 months following the 2023 election, there was inward migration of nearly 160,000 (3.0 per cent) with around 130,000 (2.5 per cent) long-term departures. There was a net loss of around 48,000 citizens and a net gain of nearly 79,000 non-citizens. The majority of migrant arrivals are from India, China and the Philippines with the UK and SA far behind.
Both Luxon and Seymour view people as simply replaceable. One in, one out. What difference does it make? They add to the GDP and that’s about it. As Seymour said, we are “people with different languages, religions and cultures united by one thing…we are the most remote country on Earth”. It’s not rocket science to realise there’s a connection between that vision and New Zealand being turned into an airport lounge.
As soon as the going gets tough, people bugger off.
Why stay in the most remote economic zone on Earth when there’s a less remote and more prosperous economic zone next door?
That’s why New Zealand has become a nation left behind. That’s why Bukele, Milei and Trump are so successful and capable of far more radical change: they have a vision of their nations first and foremost as homes for their people.
Dieuwe is the editor of Right Minds NZ. In addition to conservative politics and reactionary thought, he likes books, gardening, biking, tech, reformed theology, beauty, and tradition. This article was first published HERE
13 comments:
To quote from Evita “dice are rolling-the knives are out”
There is method in Luxon's madness - the demise of NZ and the ascent of Aotearoa with its tribal rule. He is the agent of this change despite his managerial word salads.
Absolutely right. The collective failure to address our worst problems, in favour of tinkering around the edges, can only lead to an increasing crowd waiting in the departure lounge. Sadly the crowd will consist of the nation’s most capable, not its least.
'people with different languages, religions and cultures united by one thing'. Except a nation is one culture. To have otherwise is to just have multiple nations on the same land. Which history has taught us never turns out well.
Well said.
but neither Luxon or Seymour put New Zealanders first.
They are happy to replace us but not support and get behind us as a Nation.
Sell the country to overseas interests while kiwis just become workers for the corporates.
Get rid of regulations now and provide a framework for small business and farmers to flourish in our own land.
Entirely correct, however, you made no mention of another major reason for our best who move offshore.
Race, and all the issues around it that will see changes here we never imagined could happen.
Future race issues will involve ALL people, irrespective of ethnic origins.
Love him or hate him Trump wastes no time in implementing the policies that led to his election as President.
Meanwhile our Prime Minister remains asleep at the wheel, unable to grasp the fact that he was elected by an electorate that wants CHANGE!
Yes, we need to rebuild the economy. Yes, we need to improve our standards of healthcare. Yes, we need to replace an education system that has been destroyed by ideologists.
And yes, we need to drive people from social dependency.
We need to change the current attitude pervading this country and to achieve that we need to put the Treaty of Waitangi into a locked vault and throw away the key.
While we spend our time anchored in the past there is no hope for the future.
Now into the second year of its term we have not seen any progress
from this government on the singular most important issue for the majority of New Zealanders.
The recognition that we are one people.
We want a government that will govern.
We want an end to the forced integration of tribalism.
We want to build for the future.
We do not want to live in a country that is ruled by activist judges and the Maori elite.
What we need is a good dose of Trumpism.
And that has to start at the top. It needs to start NOW!
If we remain as a country with its head in the sand we will continue to see our best and finest standing in line at our airports with their tickets in their hands.
AMEN, Roger!
And we want an end to bloody Aotearoa! Anyone that uses it in the public service should be reprimanded, and sacked if they don't make amends, and anyone that uses it in the legacy media, shouldn't receive any taxpayer funding or advertising. The last Govt put out an media edict, why doesn't this one? The country is, NEW ZEALAND, and that's what it needs to remain, if we want to build a cohesive nation.
If we translate elector expectations into K.P.I.'s, there'd be pay rise for him this year.
Agreed . Well said RogerF.
And for this reason, it is astounding that people, whose children and grandchildren will live through this very different era, are not more aware and concerned.
Agree that TOW should be put in a vault and key thrown away. It was born in a different time and served its purpose. It is now redundant. Just like the Maori seats. What possible need for them now, when they were conceived to solve a problem when only landowners could vote, but Maori land was communally owned? These seats were made redundant about a 130 years ago, when NZ gained universal suffrage Yet still they are retained, against the advice of various agencies including Electoral Commission. WHY?
Right on the BUTTON! SO agree with you. Everything you have said is BANG ON! Thank you.
Post a Comment