Insights From Social Media

The consequence of tribalism

Brian Mullane writes > This is the way New Zealand is heading while our government panders to a fake race of non-indigenous Maori who have rewritten their history, their culture, their language, to fit the cheque book the government orders the Reserve Bank to pay them whenever they complain about something.

Matua Kahurangi: Te Pāti Māori has abandoned truth for toxic, dirty politics

Te Pāti Māori has officially tossed aside any remaining credibility in favour of deceit, division and deliberate misinformation.

In what can only be described as a malicious and spineless act, the party posted a completely fabricated quote on social media, attributing to Finance Minister Nicola Willis the words:

Dave Witherow: Brave New World

The past five years have been quite a tonic. So much has changed. So much has vanished: our notions of citizenship, democratic freedom, the limits of authority, our identity as a nation.

This transformation began long ago and grew slowly – sufficiently slowly that most people, if they noticed it at all, were inclined to believe that it wasn’t all bad. What, if you thought about it, could be very wrong with a general loosening of restrictions inherited from earlier and less enlightened times? Why put up with custom and tradition, just because they were customary and traditional?

Zoran Raković: The Illusion of Ownership - Why Your Land May No Longer Be Yours

In New Zealand, land has always been sacred. It’s where we build our homes, raise our families, and pass down security through generations. But today, I offer a sobering warning: the meaning of land ownership in New Zealand is changing—quietly, bureaucratically, and with profound consequences.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 18.5.25

Sunday May 18, 2025 

News:
Supporting safer communities with Māori Wardens
The great work Māori Wardens do to support communities and safety gets a boost in this year’s Budget, Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, announced today.

Ani O'Brien: Greens' moral crusade masquerading as an economic plan

This week, the Greens hopped down off their soapboxes, put pen to paper, and authored their very own alternative budget for New Zealand. It must be said it is very similar to their 2024 alternative budget and is exactly what the politically engaged would expect from the Greens. But there are some new policies and its impacts are likely to come as a surprise to some of their passive supporters who just like their green vibes.

Okay. Let’s strip away the political gloss and assess the Green Party’s 2025 budget for what it is: a document heavy on ideology, neo-Marxist buzzwords, and te reo, but dangerously light on pragmatism, economic credibility, and operational realism.

Gary Judd KC: Update on Compulsory Tikanga for law Students

House to debate the issue next Wednesday

I explained in Move to disallow part of tikanga Regs that the effect of the MP Joseph Mooney’s notice of motion was to remove from the regulations the requirement for the teaching and assessment of the general principles and practices of tikanga Māori | Māori laws and philosophy to be included in The Legal System, The Law of Contracts, The Law of Torts, Criminal Law, Public Law, Property Law and Legal Ethics.

Yvonne Van Dongen: The Guilty Leftist

“I don’t believe in pay equity. There - I’ve said it.”

This admission in a text from a friend this week made me laugh. This is what passes for scandalous these days for those of us formerly of the left. Having been catapulted out from our tribe courtesy their gender ideological erasure of women, we don’t know what to think anymore. Gone is the set menu of acceptable views we once unthinkingly shared, gone is the certainty that our side were the kind folk and gone are the kind folk tbh. Not so kind when you don’t agree with them.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: The Green Budget fantasy

New Zealanders should be grateful to any party that clearly outlines its goals, so we welcome the Greens’ presentation of their Green Budget.

That said, what they have presented is more than just a Budget. It is their utopian vision for a different country.

Unfortunately, it is also based on ludicrous assumptions and bad economics.

Dr Benno Blaschke: The ministry of everything, except where it matters

You’ve got to admire MBIE. Really. Most organisations would struggle to be owner, funder, steward, architect, bricklayer and building inspector. But not our Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) – they’ve nailed it. Nailed themselves to the floor, mostly.

Bob Edlin: A fear that tikanga was missing from the internet....

A fear that tikanga was missing from the internet makes way for a fear that Maori are being left out of IT developments

Something called Kauwaka Te Ipurangi – the inaugural national Māori Internet hui – has been giving our indigenous people the opportunity to grapple with information technology.

One News reports:

David Farrar: David Parker’s valedictory

Quite a few interesting things said by David Parker in his valedictory speech:

Dame Anne Salmond describes the Treaty as an exchange of gifts—tuku—between the Queen for her subjects and a rangatira on behalf of hapū. I agree with Dame Anne that Te Tiriti is not a partnership between races. She criticises both the phrase and that legal construct from the decision of Lord Cooke in the 1987 land case. I don’t think those comments from Cooke are a necessary part of the ratio decidendi of that case, and it would be helpful for the senior courts to say so if they are of that view.

 Saturday May 17, 2025 

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DTNZ: Trump ends tariff talks for most nations

Washington will send out letters to some 150 countries instead of striking deals with each individually.

Washington will inform 150 countries of updated tariff rates with the US by post within the coming weeks, US President Donald Trump announced on Friday. It is no longer feasible to meet individually with every country seeking a trade agreement, he explained.

David Farrar: A good win for solidarity

The Herald reports:

Treasury has changed its tune at the last minute and given a handful of organisations the green light to attend next week’s Budget lock-up.

The move follows a legal threat and public pressure over why organisations that had previously been allowed to see embargoed Budget documents, were suddenly barred.

Matua Kahurangi: Hands off Anzac Day

Not long ago, I wrote about the Auckland War Memorial Museum selling rainbow poppies in the lead-up to Anzac Day. They called it a gesture of “inclusivity”. I wonder if they realize that homosexuality was illegal during both World Wars. Men caught engaging in same-sex relationships were dishonourably discharged, jailed, or worse. To now retroactively insert modern identity politics into the legacy of the Anzacs is not just misleading. It is a distortion of history.

Tui Vaeau: Crybabies with Greenstone - Why Te Pāti Māori Got Exactly What They Deserved

So the Maori Party have finally been suspended from Parliament. Good. About time someone had the stones to show these self-absorbed prima donnas the door.

This was not protest. It was petulance. These are elected MPs, not TikTok influencers doing a cultural flash mob. The chamber is for lawmaking, not half-naked theatrics and aggressive chanting masquerading as political speech. If a group of middle-aged accountants burst into a boardroom doing the Macarena over tax policy, they’d be sectioned. But slap the word 'haka' on it and suddenly we’re meant to stand in solemn awe? Bollocks.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 11.5.25

Saturday May 17, 2025 

News:
Walking together: Council, mana whenua and community deepen conservation relationships online
When you visit the newly updated Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau | Conservation Auckland website, you’re stepping into more than just a page of information; you’re entering a space where mana whenua provides guidance for community conservation within their rohe (tribal area).

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Will we ever get order back into Parliament?

It sounds like Gerry Brownlee thinks that the Māori Party punishment is too harsh.

He started Parliament today with the Speaker's ruling and he dropped some pretty strong hints that he thinks that 21 days without pay for Debbie and Rawiri over that haka is too much.

He called the punishment very 'severe' and unprecedented because up til now, the harshest punishment has been 3 days, not 21 days.

Kerre Woodham: Are the Greens bonkers?

Are the Greens bonkers? The Greens have come out and criticised Judith Collins for tinkering with the Public Service Commission census – that's a voluntary survey run over three weeks and it's a follow up to the initial 2021 survey of the same name. Now Judith Collins and her office had a look at the 2021 survey, and they suggested a few changes. They had thoughts about the census, and they said we don't really need the questions about disability, rainbow identities, religion, te reo Māori proficiency levels, on-the-job training, and agencies’ commitment to the Māori-Crown relationship.

Roger Partridge: All Misogyny Is Bad — Except Ours

We’re told that language matters. That sexist slurs degrade all women, not just their target. And that the use of certain words — the worst words — is never acceptable.

Until, apparently, it is.

JC: Red and Green Make Brown

I was musing over the three colours that go to make up the opposition parties on the left: the terrifying triumvirate that, should they get into power, would bankrupt this country overnight.

I googled the colour you get if you mix red, brown and green and it is brown that is dominant. Mix green and red and you again get brown. Mix green and brown you get a grey-brown colour. Mix red and brown you get a maroon or chestnut colour. So, brown is the dominant colour: red is nowhere to be seen.

Ele Ludemann: PSA takes women back decades

The Public Service Association is shooting itself in the foot with legal action opposing the government’s restrictions on public servants working from home.

One of its arguments is that the move disadvantages women who do the bulk of work caring for children and the elderly and domestic duties.

Mike's Minute: I miss the good old days

I asked Judith Collins yesterday, just what has become of us?

The “us” I was referring to is this country. But I amended that in my mind yesterday afternoon when I read the first review of Jake Tapper's book on Joe Biden.

What's become of all of us, is now the question.

 Friday May 16, 2025 

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John Raine: Closing the Stable Door?

Do we want our children educated or indoctrinated? There has been widespread capture of universities in the Western world, not least in New Zealand, by identity politics and undermining of academic excellence by authoritarian diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) agendas. There is now increasing public distrust in the culture of universities and the quality of the graduates that emerge from what were once highly respected institutions.

Peter Hemmingson: Pay Equity Racket

It is disappointing to see ACT’s Brooke van Velden going into bat for tweaking pay equity legislation rather than for blowing it out of the water altogether.

In the annals of modern political fiction, few narratives are more intellectually bankrupt—and more persistently weaponised—than the myth of the gender pay gap. 

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Capital Markets - The missing piece in New Zealand’s growth puzzle

Prime Minister Luxon has declared 2025 ‘the year of growth’, making economic expansion his government’s top priority.

This ambition is laudable, and the government has initiated many important reforms that will help. Changes to education, liberalising foreign investment rules and reforming resource management legislation all aim to enhance our economic performance. These reforms deserve support and, in time, should yield benefits.

Kerre Woodham: Slipping Parliamentary standards are a reflection of us

Well, what a to-do. The image of Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters slumped in the House, head in his hands, summed it up really. Brooke van Velden dropped the C-bomb in the house, quoting a Stuff article whose author used the word in criticising the government's decision to amend the pay equity legislation. The coalition's female MPs are angry that Labour MPs, particularly the female MPs, have not condemned the journalist’s use of the word, which was used as a derogatory in the article.

Bruce Cotterill: Why the so-called Super City hasn’t delivered for Aucklanders

Do you remember the Super City? That gigantic failure of local government policy that saw Auckland’s suburbs surrender their decision-making and their character to the bureaucrats downtown?

By the time our local body elections roll around later this year, it will be 15 years since our seven regional councils were restructured into the so-called Super City under the Auckland Council. There was no referendum on the topic. Just a royal commission on Auckland governance and an enthusiastic Local Government Minister who championed its creation.

Point of Order: The 14-Year Temp Worker - IRD’s $21 Million Long-Term Consultant Spend Exposed

• The Taxpayers’ Union reports –

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal, through an Official Information Act response 12 contractors have been continuously engaged by IRD for more than five years, costing taxpayers a total of $20.8 million over just the past five years.

As Nicola Willis prepares to unveil Budget 2025, the Taxpayers’ Union is calling out the millions still being frittered away on long-term consultants, highlighting one Inland Revenue contractor who has been on the books for a staggering 13 years and 11 months.Taxpayers’ Union Investigations Coordinator, Rhys Hurley, said:

JC: Why Do the Left Not Learn

The question is something of a conundrum. I am referring specifically to their behaviour and strategy. From their perspective politics is littered with examples of how these two things hurt them in all sorts of ways. They seem to have become obsessed with the nasty side of politics. They have a propensity to go after the person and not the policy. This fanaticism extends, unsurprisingly, to their comrades in the media who seem to think, irrationally, this is a good idea.

JD: We Want More

Guest post on The Good Oil by JD

Let’s start from this general premise: humanity is genetically programmed to want more.

To our ancient ancestors, the difference between no food in the cave and enough for one or several days’ supply was profound. Effectively a matter of life and death. More stuff to hand meant less need to venture out and less chance of succumbing to the many dangers lurking all around.

Ele Ludemann: What will Labour do?

Parliament’s Privileges Committee has recommended a 21-day suspensions for co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi and a seven-day suspension for MP Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke.

The suspension doesn’t just mean the MPs can’t go to parliament, it also suspends their pay.

That recommendation will go to the House and be voted on by all MPs.

David Farrar: Objectional material is very serious stuff

Radio NZ reports:

The Police Commissioner says he takes “very seriously” anything that undermines the public’s trust and confidence in police.

It comes after RNZ revealed pornography found on the work computer of former deputy commissioner Jevon McSkimming is being investigated as alleged objectionable material, RNZ understands.

David Farrar: MPs suspended

The Privileges Committee has recommended the following consequences for the MPs who disrupted the House, being

* Rawiri Waititi 21 days suspension

* Debbie Ngarewa-Packer 21 days suspension

* Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke 7 days suspension

* Peeni Henare apology (previously decided)

These are all sensible recommendations, fitting the circumstances for each MP.

Mike's Minute: My take on the c-word debate

First, a small update on what I said yesterday on pay equity.

My gut says it won't damage the Government.

Don’t get me wrong – if I was the opposition I would be prosecuting this as hard as I could, the way they are, because they have a genuine issue and ongoing issue, at least until the Budget, that they quite rightly believe is there for the taking in terms of points, headlines, and moral high ground.

Thursday May 15, 2025 

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Richard Prebble On Why The Waitangi Tribunal Should Be Scrapped

Sean Plunket talks to Richard Prebble on The Platform about why the Waitangi Tribunal should be scrapped.

Click to view

Clive Bibby: Running on empty

Highly paid research sociologists in this country are quick to lambast rightwing governments for low investment on issues that are often the result of poor individual decision making - housing, education and healthcare to name a few.

They seem to think that we should all be allowed to make bad decisions about our health and welfare while the State is left to pay with money that could be better spent helping folk who are in serious trouble through no fault of their own. 

Zoran Rakovic - A Bureaucratic Blueprint: Woke Architecture Meets Soft Totalitarianism

The NZRAB’s latest Schedule NZ Consultation Briefing Paper arrives not with the dignity of an architectural manifesto but with the hesitant shuffle of a government department having just discovered adjectives. Drenched in the warm bathwater of consultation rhetoric and spiritual deference, it proposes the introduction of new “performance criteria” that would see architecture in New Zealand surrender its compass to a cultural worldview—Te Ao Māori—not as a complementary influence, but as a central moral axis. The tone is more missionary than managerial. The intent? Ostensibly noble. The implications? Chilling, if we still take the Bill of Rights Act even half-seriously.

Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: What does Labour really think of the Greens' alternative Budget?

I'd love to know what Labour are saying behind closed doors about the Green Party's alternative Budget released today.

I mean, they're playing nice in public - but behind closed doors, they must be tearing their hair out because this is next level crazy.

Chris Lynch: ACT accuses Greens of economic ‘madness’ over $40 billion spending plan

ACT Party leader David Seymour has accused the Green Party of proposing an economically reckless budget that would burden future generations with unsustainable debt and aggressive tax hikes.

Slamming the Greens’ newly released “Green Budget,” Seymour said it was “fiscal fantasyland that made a strong case for teaching financial literacy in schools.”

Dane Giraud: John Minto - The man who knew too little…

Pat Brittenden’s BHN channel last night played like a cheap Southern-Hemisphere remake of the Tucker Carlson-Darryl Cooper interview in which the not-a-historian laid blame for World War 2 at the feet of Winston Churchill. Sans the professional lighting and radiant skin, of course. The historic illiteracy and thinly veiled defense of the most reactionary elements this time came from John Minto, public (and recently pepper-sprayed) face of the anti-Israel movement and concocter of Jew-Hunts, whose obsession for the conflict strangely never demanded of him a rigorous reading schedule.

Philip Crump: Six Golden Rules for Trustworthy Media

It’s ironic that in the week that I write about standards in the media, Andrea Vance, the national affairs editor for The Post and Sunday Star-Times, publishes a column about the government’s overhaul of pay equity legislation that directs the C-word towards the Finance Minister Nicola Willis and other female coalition ministers. The column has drawn sharp rebuke, with Willis describing it as “misogynistic and demeaning,” former Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley calling it “appalling,” and National MP Judith Collins labelling it “repulsive.”

Kerre Woodham: Chasing overseas student loan debt is long overdue

In this spirit of taking the good news where we find it, I was absolutely delighted to see the results of Inland Revenue going after student loan defaulters. At the end of April, there were 113,733 people with student loans believed to be based overseas. If you're based overseas, you don't get the student loan automatically taken out of your pay packet. Overseas, it's up to you to make repayments, and more than 70% of those are in default on their loans – so it’s up to them to make the repayments.

JC: Jim Grenon Hails Positive Changes at NZME

There have been some ructions in Canada of late – the Canadian election and Trump wanting to mastermind a takeover of the country. Some see these recent events as something of a bad omen. At the same time there’s been a Canadian causing some ructions here, but in a way that is a good omen. This gentleman chose New Zealand as a place to reside and we have every reason to be glad he did.

JD: The Lack of Trust in the MSM

Guest post on The Good Oil by JD

Philip Crump, soon to be appointed as a representative on NZME’s new editorial board, puts forward in ‘Cranmer’s Substack’ a number of reasons why trust in the mainstream media is declining:

Ele Ludemann: Dangers of DEI

Good news that DEI appointments in the public service are numbered:

The Taxpayers’ Union is today celebrating a significant policy victory following Public Service Minister Judith Collins’ announcement that she intends to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) requirements from the Public Service Act. Appointments would be made on the basis of merit, not identity, bringing the focus back to competence and capability.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:

David Farrar: Much ado about nothing

Radio NZ reports:

Booze industry lobbyists have been granted input into the development of alcohol policies, including how to deal with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

This is framed to seem like something bad, but all it means is that the very industry being regulated gets consulted on regulations that affect them. They don’t get any special access. They simply are one of many stakeholders.

Mike's Minute: The pay equity changes are in muddied water

Here is another example of the way the pay equity game is played by the media.

If you choose not to call a minister the c-word, you run a headline like this - "Ministers set to take big pay rises right after wiping 33 pay equity claims".

That’s the headline in Newsroom. It is dishonest in its inference.

Wednesday May 14, 2025 

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Tony Vaughn: The Token Ward Fallacy - Race-Based Politics Masquerading as Progress

The current charade playing out in our local councils under the guise of "Maori wards" can be summed up as electoral apartheid. Dressed up in the language of representation and justice, this separatist experiment offends the very principles upon which our democracy is built. One person, one vote – that’s the cornerstone. Anything else is a perversion I reckon.

Let us first deal with the myth peddled by the well-meaning or equally the wilfully blind: that Maori wards are about correcting historic underrepresentation. Nonsense. Maori are already represented in councils. In fact, like every other citizen, they have the vote and the right to stand for election. The problem is not structural bias. The problem, bluntly put, is turnout and merit.

NZCPR Newsletter: Transforming Education

Education has been described as a passport to the future - as endless generations of New Zealanders can testify. Its transformational powers have the ability to pivot students from lives of disadvantage to futures of opportunity and prosperity.

That’s no doubt what was in the mind of Nelson Mandela, when he said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

But that’s also why extremists attempt to turn education into an indoctrination machine to radicalise children with their brand of social justice poison.