So, he's invited to the awards and he hasn't got his mate Chris Bishop with him this time. Bishop didn’t go after what happened with Don McGlashan last year.
Paul Goldsmith’s not invited to speak—apparently no one is—which means that when Lynda Topp gets up and starts speaking and tells him off, he’s got no right of reply.
Here's what she had to say: “Paul, if you listen up for a minute, I’d like you to take a message back to Wellington. I did a speed read on the Budget this afternoon—there doesn’t appear to be any money for music. But in big, big letters: $2.1 billion for defence. What the f***?”
Now, I think we have to cut Lynda a bit of slack. She’s only lost her twin in the past week and she’s entitled, of course, to say exactly what she likes. She didn’t say anything particularly rude and it’s a fair opinion that she holds. But it is becoming a bit of a pattern, isn’t it?
Ministers turning up to the Music Awards and having to sit through that night’s chosen form of protest about whatever the issue of the year is. Last year it was the Treaty Principles Bill; this year it’s the Budget.
In Paul Goldsmith’s defence—given that he wasn’t able to mount one—yes, there was no money in the Budget for the arts. There was also no money in the Budget for anything. Most of us looked at it and found nothing for ourselves. That’s how it should be in difficult times. The country is not flush.
And yes, there is money for defence—a lot of money for defence. That is also how it should be right now. If you were to listen to some, we may be only tens of months away from China potentially taking Taiwan. We have no real conception of what chain of events that could trigger in our region.
Even though the drones and the frigate upgrades in this Budget won’t protect the entire coastline of New Zealand—that’s a fair criticism—we are still expected by our allies and partners to at least try to do our bit. Just try.
So, hands up—which minister wants to go to the awards next year?
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and radio broadcaster who hosts Newstalk ZB's weekday Drive-Time Show – where this article was sourced.
8 comments:
It seems the entire music industry of New Zealand has been consumed by Woke.
It's surely not mandatory for any minister to attend or our government to fund this particular event.
I wish Goldsmith would get on a do his real job instead of supporting an event that does not need or value him being present except as an open target. Defence is like insurance, when the muck hits the fan you might be rather grateful for it but there is a cost! Art on the other hand should be self sustaining, not propped up by the taxpayer. As for Goldsmith, there are many things we need him to focus upon but he sadly appears to be gazing elsewhere and helping the grifters dip into our pockets.
“There was also no money in the Budget for anything.”
That’s quite wrong, of course, otherwise the country would grind to a halt
There’s money for healthcare, education, welfare, defense, corrections, police, transport and all the rest
Self-entitled Lynda Jools seems to have no realisation that if a person doesn't have a real job because of a commitment to their art, then starving in a freezing garret is a self-imposed fate.
It's no more the Government's job to throw money at itinerant guitar strummers (or ballet dancers or rugby clubs for that matter), than picking winners in other types of business. The Government has rather more important things to do with taxpayers' money.
That well known protester Bob Dylan seemed to do very well without Government money. Did the drug-glorifying Beatles ever get a hand-out? Like every successful performer or composer, their success came from hard work, good management, a lot of luck, but above all, an ability to keep the customer satisfied.
The only time a government hand-out will achieve that is when the government controls the market and tells the public what it is allowed to watch, read and listen to. And we all know how well that works.
That little extra for Defence will do very nicely to upgrade the quality of waiata and karakia that the troops will be spouting. And there must be a lot needed to tidy up the various Marae on the various bases, not to mention the language training for the new recruits and the older NCOs who might have been subtly fighting the maorification processes. Yep, more cash desperately needed to upgrade. Well done the Nats.
What would our "creative" community do if a Russian submarine pops up in the Waitemata Harbour and say " for you the war is over" ?
Ditto the radical Maori elite ?
Think what would have happened if the French had arrived in NZ before the Brits -it was a close run ?
Our democratic society was very hard won with thousands of Kiwi lives lost or destroyed in WW2.
You don't deter an enemy by singing songs, or showing them your best kapahapa group, or carved sticks.
Who says this annual fest of pop/rock/country music is actually Art? .... At best its entertainment for the masses. ART [of the Fine Art, educated Music, ballet kind, live theatre] rarely gets much gummint support these days - and its a miracle it continues. It makes its own money...Ticket prices are for the Elite. Note the $$$ put into "music" drum kits etc for edjicashin this year. Peasant stuff.
Hang on a minute "The Jones Boy" - you forgot or forget that Auntie Helen Clark 'threw' some money at the Royal NZ Ballet in early days as PM.
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