Sir Roger Douglas: New Zealand's Retirement Pension

Michael Littlewood’s ‘Guest Post’ for David Farrar on pensions, and his belief that our social welfare system is fit for purpose and doesn’t need change, reminded me of why New Zealand is currently well on the way to bankruptcy, and why our brightest young people are leaving the country in droves.

It all started in earnest when Sir Robert Muldoon and the National party in 1976, voted in one of the most generous retirement pension systems anywhere in the world, if not the most generous. They did so without voting in the taxes needed to pay for such a generous scheme.

Greg Clydesdale: Why is Tourism a Poison Challis?

We now have our fifth Tourism Minister in as many years. Of course, one of those was due to a change of government but, nevertheless, this office is increasingly looking like a poison challis. This is remarkable given that tourism is not a politically contentious area. It should not be a hot-potato, in which case, we need to dig deeper to find the source of the problem.

Dr Ursula Edgington: Bullying in New Zealand: an Educationalist’s Perspective

In a Breaking Views article Jan 21^st 2025, “Bullying at New Zealand Universities?” David Lillis raises legitimate concerns about academia’s toxic workplace environment. In this short article, I argue that bullying isn’t unique to New Zealand, nor to our Higher Education sector. Furthermore, bullying is only a symptom; it’s the root cause of bullying that needs our urgent attention. I end with a practical suggestion for how each of us can help enact positive change. 

Barrie Davis: The Maori Magna Carta

The claim of partnership in the Treaty of Waitangi as the basis of co-governance, sits at the centre of the debate on the Treaty Principles Bill. At face, a partnership for governing the country seems an unlikely possibility. The Treaty is an agreement between Queen Victoria and about five hundred Maori Chiefs regarding the sovereignty of New Zealand. Partnership is not specifically mentioned and given the far greater power and authority of Queen Victoria a hierarchical arrangement is far more plausible.

Caleb Anderson: Treaty Confusion - A Fourth Perspective

History is more an art than a science, and it frequently benefits from the wisdom of other disciplines.

In my view there are four primary perspectives on how the Treaty of Waitangi could be viewed with respect to issues of sovereignty.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 26.1.25

Saturday February 1, 2025 

News:
Waitangi Day 2025: The conversations, commemorations and celebrations taking centre stage
Each year, thousands flock to the Northland town of Paihia to commemorate, remember, and celebrate the signing of the country's founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

To kick off the busy week, the National Iwi Chairs Forum will convene in the Far North on 3 February, ahead of Waitangi Day on 6 February, to set its goals for the year.

Dan Brunskill: Not in my (Mr Luxon's) backyard

The Prime Minister wants to 'end the culture of saying no' but won't say whether he now supports or still opposes construction in his own backyard

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon won’t say whether he's now throwing his support behind an economic development opportunity he has previously opposed in his home electorate, after asking New Zealanders to say yes to growth.

Chris Morrison: Sea Levels Could Rise Six Feet by 2100 Claims Daily Mail in Latest Pseudoscientific Fearmongering

Interest in pursuing the Net Zero fantasy is falling faster around the world than Dale Vince’s divorce-challenged bank account. Soon we might see an end to all the pseudoscientific fearmongering in mainstream media designed to promote the society-destroying campaign. Thankfully there is still some entertainment to be had, with Mail Online recently publishing an old favourite claiming that six-foot high sea level rises caused by “global warming” will submerge major cities such as London, Hull and Cardiff within 75 years.

Brendan O'Neill: It’s time we all stood up for the right to ridicule Islam

A man was executed for blasphemy in Europe yesterday. In the heart of the EU, which boasts to the world about its culture of tolerance, a man was shot in cold blood seemingly for the ‘crime’ of deriding the Koran. Anyone who doubts that Europe is in a dark place right now will surely have a rude awakening following this grim slaying of a man who some judged to be insufficiently godly.

Kerre Woodham: Why aren't all schools back yet?

It is the end of the month. There's only 12 of them in a year. Into the first month of the year and still there are schools that are not back yet. Could someone please explain to me how it is reasonable in this day and age to have such disparate and wide-ranging start dates for the school year?

I don't know about your particular school, or your area, but of the ones I know about, Auckland Grammar borders have been back for two weeks. That seems perfectly reasonable.

David Farrar: And she scores … an own goal!

The Herald reports:

Labour’s Jan Tinetti’s attempt to criticise the Government’s free school lunch programme has backfired after she laid into a burger made when her party was in power.

An online video, shared to Labour and Tinetti’s Instagram accounts, featured several pictures of school lunches that Tinetti labelled as “disgraceful”. The post has since been removed.

 Friday January 31, 2025 

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