A few short generations ago, this country was a different place.
Before the internet. Before the phones. Before the anxiety.
Before career politicians—those who go straight from school to university, into the student union, and then directly into politics.
Jim Bolger was in Parliament a long time. But he had a productive life before that. He left school at 15 and went straight into work. Hard work. Manual work. On the farm in Taranaki, and later in Te Kuiti.
Now it's straight from school, into a student union at university, and then into Parliament.
Have you watched Parliament TV lately? There are MPs who literally don't know how to ask a question.
It's like watching a video buffer.
No idea about standing orders. No idea about the rules that govern the place. And no apparent desire to learn, either.
Just walk in. Full of entitlement. Sit down. And start yelling.
One of the most important tools in the modern MP’s toolbox seems to be an unwavering ability to take offence.
At anything and everything.
Intolerance for another's point of view—the antithesis of Jim Bolger—is now commonplace.
Where once there was decency, there's mistrust.
Wisdom has been usurped by incompetence.
And decorum has been thrown out the window and replaced with petulance.
People aren't recognised for their standing in the community and voted into Parliament.
They're there because politics is now an industry—and more importantly—because nobody else would hire them or pay the going rate we do.
Ryan Bridge is a New Zealand broadcaster who has worked on many current affairs television and radio shows. He currently hosts Newstalk ZB's Early Edition - where this article was sourced.
21 comments:
Touché Ryan, and the same could be said about the current crop in the mainstream media. Salaries are lower than politicians, but still more than they are worth.
Ryan Bridge is NZs best reporter. He isn't afraid to call out NZ scams and scammers.
Luxon certainly earned his place at the head of government, which makes the promotion of vacuous Nicola Willis to second in command, mystifying.
Like the teleprompter reading Ardern, Willis has to read her speeches off an a4.
Like the Mike Hosking avoiding Ardern, Willis can't remember or recite numbers in her interviews, an incredible weakness for a minister of finance.
Like Ardern frequently using minders who stepped in to answer the many questions she couldnt, Chris bishop frequently steps in for Willis.
Like Ardern, Willis is fleecing Kiwis to line the pockets of a select few including, no doubt, herself.
Ardern, advised by h clark, used the climate and covid frauds to make her wealthy enough to suspicially afford a 3 year, 4 star, post politics, USA holiday,
Willis is supporting NZs big business, price colluding, extraordinary profit margin generating, kiwi battler robbing, cartels to earn her fortune.
Willis is even about to create a new cable internet monopoly to add to kiwis life ruining cost of living.
Was this the legacy you wanted to foist on struggling kiwi battlers when you entered politics Mr Luxon, Mr Bishop, Mr Brown, and Mrs Stanford?
We have the politicians we deserve
The current lot are shallow self serving flakes. So many obvious "photo op's" and lacking in any depth
Humour and wit are the now missing elements. Lange had it in spades, a most unlikely marxist party trait. Key did quite well with his blokesy, self deprecating image. Even Muldoon in his own, self indulgent way. Peters, Jones and Seymour get it, most of the rest of the current mob, zilch.
I doubt if Luxon could tell a joke. Hipkins is a joke, as are most of his psuedo marxist comrades.
We have fallen into the trap, led by faceless, powerful fishbowl dwellers in the capital, of taking the extremists in parliament far too seriously.
Humour is garlic to them.
Pre pc we used to have a very simple Kiwi way of handling such people - publicly tell them to f**k off.
It works.
Ameni
Simoly far too sweeping - and unworthy of decent journalistic rigour( I think better of you). We have some excellent knowledgeable and active politicians - better than we've ever had before - 20 or 30 off the top of my head. And then we have some rather pedestrian members, but worst of all the absolute stupid, bewildered plonkers, who not only take the money for doing nothing remotely 'governmental' , but are actively malign, racist, destructive and contemptible. We can't leave it all to the Speaker to enforce civilised behaviour on these idiots - let's all the rest of us pitch in.
Don't be too hard on them; we put them there. If you haven't noticed, this country is a democracy, imperfect, yes, but an old and proud one, and maintained at, for many, great sacrifice. If you don't think they are worthy of us, then stand yourself, and see how you get on.
Because we have "selections", not elections. The worst psychopaths are "chosen" for us to elect. The worst performers/puppets get the biggest "golden handshakes with benefits" after screwing us and the country over. Their system, masquerading as democracy, is stacked against we the people by design. We are just treated as tax slaves who have to pay for great game of deception.
I disagree i think Winston Peters and David Seymour, among others are excellent. I particularly like David Seymour for his treaty bill and his stance on wanting all nzers to be treated equally. But our marxist main stream media pulls them down, calls them racists and if they do anything good it gets completely ignored by the media, who favour the activists. Then the overseas media follows, thinking the nz press must know what they are talking about. . I noticed the aussie media talking about seymour's treaty bill as highly controversial and I thought, well they clearly haven't read it. Basically it said property rights for all and everyone to be treated equally. I think the media are hugely to blame for the way they portray our politicians.
I've given up talking to Members of Parliament about economics. It was a total waste of time. Most don't care about NZ - only their pension and personal career. Many are downright dim-witted. Half of them got into Parliament by schmoozing their way onto the list, put onto it by bum chums. No-one even voted directly for them. They can't give a public speech. They stand for nothing, other than themselves.
When they do from time-to-time ask to meet with me, I now refuse, because it has only ever been for box-ticking and reporting back to their leader / manager that they've done something purposes. It never has been about a sincere attempt to actually truly debate an issue or understand it better.
We have little control, let alone input, into list seat appointments.
Ewan. How many independent mps were elected to parliament?
If the answer is none, your challenge is null and void.
I hoped Luxon had the smarts and required to make nz the best little country, and I may still be proven right.
But looking at the Van Velden lead covid inquiry, and Willis' intelligence insulting cost of living "fixes" I'm left wondering why Luxon put two low iq, and in the case of willis, dumb and dishonest, people in charge of such important ministries and why he hasn't replaced the abysmal performers.
An honest pm who wants to "fix the joint" would have sent those two packing a year ago.
In lionising Bolger remember he seemed unrepentant for unleashing the maori revolution which is wrecking the country. He seemed not to see the flaw of proportional representation; the power held by minorities. And he failed to scrub the maori seats as recommended. We are now stuck with them, effectively providing trace maori with a path to a double vote. Maori seat candidates from whatever source are bound to be relentlessly pro maori. So most maori can revert to the General Roll and vote for additional resolutely pro maori candidates there.
I look forward to seeing the critics standing for a seat.. anywhere in NZ.
Anonymous would win every seat.
If National was delivering on what we were led to believe they stood for at the last election there would be way fewer critics. It's that simple.
A lot is made about how little control we have with introduction of the list mp. People that are only beholden to the party leader.
So let's change it so only those directly elected, thus representing an electorate, can be ministers. If you are any good and want to make your way, stand for election. If you are just there to help make up the numbers, go on the list.
What does Luxon want to be remembered for ?
What will he be remembered for ?
A unrepentant liar who led his government further down the road towards apartheid ?
To Anonymous 11.55: The reality is that in this country, as with most democracies, you need to enter parliament via a political party. (The last independent to be elected as such was Harry Atmore of Nelson who retired in 1946.)
Today an aspirant has more options of political parties, as well as via a list M P. That’s the way it is, rightly or wrongly. We voted for MMP, unfortunately. Notwithstanding that, election to parliament is available to all New Zealanders, providing they get enough votes, or their party does if you’re on the party list. So that’s our system, whether you like it or not, but it sure bets the systems in most of the world’s systems of government. Maybe we should moan less and appreciate our democratic traditions more. It’s almost heresy now days to express appreciation at our good fortune to live in this country
Ewan. A vital part of democracy is the freedom for participants to criticize mps who are doing a terrible job.
The reason criticism is so important is politicians can be incompetent and mistruthful; 2 qualities which are difficult to determine during an election campaign.
These 2 terrible mp qualities become abundantly apparent when politicians are given responsibilities.
The mysterious part is why our very competent prime minister continues to allow dishonest and or stupid mps to perpetuate unnecessary pain on kiwi battlers.
There are competent underemployed mps who could step into finance minister and minister of internal affairs, and do a good job.
Completely disagree about Van velden, who is a hard-working, thoughtful, effective politician. Think!
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