John Robertson: ACC and Maori healing

Let’s not kid ourselves. ACC is supposed to be a taxpayer-funded injury insurer. You pay your levies. You get hurt. They fix you with stuff that actually works — medicine, science, evidence. That’s the deal. That’s the social contract.

But somewhere along the line, metaphysical mumbo-jumbo has snuck in and taken over. ACC is now paying for Rongoā Māori, a so-called “healing program” built on Māori spiritual beliefs. And at the heart of it? Tikanga.

Greg Bouwer: A Libel Revived - The False Narrative of Jewish Hatred Toward Christians in Israel

A persistent and pernicious myth has resurfaced in global discourse: that Jews in Jerusalem (and by extension, Israelis as a whole) harbour contempt for Christians, regularly expressed through acts of public disdain such as spitting on clergy and pilgrims. In some corners of social media and anti-Israel activism, this claim is treated not as a fringe concern but as a reflection of Jewish identity and Israeli character.

This is not just a distortion. It is a revival of an old libel in modern form — a cynical inversion of reality, deliberately weaponised to undermine Israel’s moral standing and smear the Jewish people.

From BreakingViews archives: Fiona MacKenzie - The “Land Back” Pogrom — Most Kiwis Don’t See It Coming

(Note: To reduce word count and aid understanding, Māori words have been omitted where possible.)

New Zealanders who pay attention to the slow creep of our political and legal institutions have every reason to feel uneasy. Many believed the 2023 election would halt the advance of racial division and restore a government committed to equal citizenship. Instead, the Coalition—particularly the National Party —seems schizophrenically determined to avoid offending those who demand ever-expanding tribal privilege. Far from dismantling race-based policy, it is still normalising it in much legislation and policy.

Dr Will Jones: Protests Calling for “Death to the Dictator” Erupt Across Iran

Mass protests have erupted across Iran calling for “death to the dictator” over the regime’s economic crisis, as Donald Trump threatens military action if the country rebuilds its nuclear or missile programmes. The Telegraph has more.

Melanie Phillips: The British government's horrible hero

Citizenship is not a right but a privilege to be earned

This is an expanded version of my column in today’s Times (£).

At the weekend, the Prime Minster, Sir Keir Starmer, said he was “delighted” to welcome to Britain Alaa Abd el Fattah, an Egyptian activist who also has British nationality.

Long lauded in progressive circles as a pro-democracy and human rights activist, Fattah had previously been banned from leaving Egypt after spending much of the previous twelve years in jail for anti-government activities.

Matua Kahurangi: Hungry families wait while MUMA allegedly hoards supermarket vouchers

Another day, another ugly disclosure, and once again the Manukau Urban Māori Authority finds itself at the centre of it.

Fresh OIA material shared on X by Suit and Tie shows that one million dollars worth of supermarket vouchers were allocated to the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency for distribution during the last census drive. These vouchers were meant to encourage participation by families who are doing it tough. That is the entire point.

JC: 2026 and Causes for Optimism

Two articles in the business section of the Weekend Herald proved to be a good read. Both were basically unrelated in content but it was the cause for optimism that brings the two articles together. Before I delve into this though, I want to (as I do from time to time) comment on the doom and gloom pervading the political discussion on Backchat. A lot of it is in direct contradiction to the facts that are emerging in relation to the economy. As with climate change – the end is not nigh.

Wednesday December 31, 2025 

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