David Seymour: The State Of The Nation In 2025 – Dire States

Introduction

Thank you, Brooke, for your kind introduction. I’m biased, but I think you’re the Government’s most quietly effective Minister. Your labour law reforms are making it easier to employ workers and to be employed. Your minimum wage increases are announced early to give business certainty, and relief. You are taking on two of the hardest chestnuts in the workplace – holiday pay and health and safety – by listening to the people affected. You’ve put together an honest Royal Commission on COVID-19, and got wait times down for new passports and Citizenships. All the while you attract growing respect as a hard-working local MP here in Tamaki.

Derek Mackie: The Devastating Power of Kindness

Jacinda’s Book Launch 

….somewhere in the world, but definitely not New Zealand. 

Welcome everyone! It’s great to see so many familiar faces. I can’t wait to share my new book with all of you. 

 Writing A Different Kind of Power was a labour of love. No pun intended! 

It allowed me to fully appreciate myself and reflect on my achievements, of which I am immensely proud, as the youngest female (apologies to all my non-binary friends and associates) head of government, ever! 

Dr Will Jones: One in 12 in London is an Illegal Migrant

London is home to as many as 585,000 illegal migrants, equivalent to one in 12 of the city’s population, according to a previously confidential report. The Telegraph has the story.

There is mounting concern over the failure to control Britain’s borders and the pressure that places on public services such as schools and the NHS. The use of illegal migrants in the black economy, working in roles such as food delivery drivers, is also a concern.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Bold action the only course amid sure signs of economic 'hell ride'

We can only hope that New Zealand’s politicians had a good break over the summer because 2025 promises to be a hell of a ride.

If the government thought last year was tough, this year will be even more demanding. The economic storm clouds that gathered over New Zealand in 2024 are now directly overhead.

The final weeks of last year delivered some sobering numbers. Treasury forecasts showed that New Zealand’s debt burden will reach 45 per cent of GDP by 2029, nearly double the pre-Covid benchmark for prudent public debt.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Europe’s far-right dominoes knock down democracy

Democracy rarely dies suddenly. It often erodes slowly as previously unthinkable developments become normalised, one bit at a time. It is a domino effect.

Across Europe, this process is playing out exactly in this manner, and the latest instance is Austria.

Centrist: Is the Treaty debate bigger than statistics suggest?

Right facts, wrong conclusions

Matthew Hooton’s recent article for The NZ Herald, “Treaty Principles Bill submissions received, but there are issues leaving race debate in dust,” delivers accurate polling data but we disagree with his conclusion.

He suggests that the Treaty debate is only a distant concern for voters, but his interpretation may be ignoring the broader relevance of these issues to the political and social landscape.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 19.1.25

Friday January 24 2025 

News:
Maunga authority considers closing mountains on holidays following ‘sick behaviour’
Auckland’s maunga authority is considering closing mountains to the public on holidays due to ‘unlawful’ fires.

It comes after two weekend blazes on Māngere mountain, with one scorching three hectares.

Mark Angelides: The Fourth Estate and the Road Not Taken

Poet Robert Frost wrote of the choices we face and the paths that ultimately define us; it is a concept that must surely be occupying editorial meetings across the nation as each particular outlet of the Fourth Estate determines whether it will opt for the path less traveled or the comfortable, familiar path.

Since legacy media have so avidly aligned themselves against President Donald Trump from 2015 onward, his return to the White House poses a conundrum: continue to be part of the unofficial “resistance” or play a straight hand?

Splitting the Fourth Estate Deck

Michael Reddell: Inflation (but not that sort)

The CPI will be out later this morning and I’m sure all eyes will be on that.

But the Prime Minister’s reshuffle on Sunday prompted thoughts about inflation of another sort – the number of ministerial portfolios/titles in our executive government. When the reshuffle comes into effect on Friday there will (still) be 30 members of the executive (Cabinet ministers, ministers outside Cabinet, and parliamentary under-secretaries), 79 portfolios, and 6 distinct “other responsibilities” (and of course lots – 25 in fact – of “Associate Minister of” titles, but I’ll ignore those).

Lushington Brady: Pauline Kicks the Rat’s Nest Again

Calls for Australia to quit the WHO.

Good old Pauline – she never fails to put a rocket up the b*****rds.

This time, in a move sure to set the chattering classes shrieking and clutching for their pearls, she’s urging Australia to follow US President Donald Trump’s lead and ditch the venal WHO.

Suze: Can and Will Democracy Survive?

Democracy is all we’ve got to maintain a peaceful existence and avoid social conflict and outright civil war; but democracy is under threat with the public seemingly oblivious.

Manipulating the public on how to think and behave has never been easier than it is today using the wide reach of mainstream and social media.

JC: The Young Worms Are Turning

The swing to the right that I have written about in earlier posts is something that younger voters, the 18- to 34-year-olds, are contributing to. They are not yet in the majority but in recent elections around the world the vote share from this demographic has increased markedly. This is something of a surprise given that younger voters normally fit the ‘progressive’ label. What is driving this surge in younger support for right-wing parties?

The reasons are many and varied.

 Thursday January 23, 2025 

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Christopher Luxon: State of the Nation 2025

It’s so great to be here and I’m ready and pumped for 2025.

Can I start by acknowledging:

Bob Edlin: PM’s turbocharging plan...

Science sector is overhauled and overseas investment fostered as part of the PM’s turbocharging plan (but is hot air involved?)

Hot air – by the sounds of things – is, or will be, making a vital contribution to the country’s economic recovery.

The PoO team (we acknowledge) is not strong on the intricacies of turbocharging. But we determined to learn more after the PM proclaimed:

Peter Dunne: Parlimentary rituals

This week, the rituals that herald the start of each Parliamentary year begin.

Both the major parties are holding their traditional two-day start-of-year Caucus retreats. National is meeting in Hamilton and Labour is in Palmerston North. Caucus retreats rarely yield anything of value but are useful mechanisms for demonstrating Party bonhomie and outward unity, especially after tough times like a Cabinet reshuffle, or a demoralising return to Opposition after years in government. The overriding impression both parties will want to leave after their retreats is that they are fired up, confident and ready to face the challenges of the political year which begins in earnest when Parliament resumes next week.

David Farrar: The most important database

Radio NZ reports:

A mega database critical to the government’s social investment approach has required a $2 million upgrade because it is creaking at the seams.

Peter Williams: Another nail in the media coffin

The last bastion has cracked.

NZME, the only stock exchange listed news gathering operation in the country, has had to face reality and tell staff that jobs at the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB will have to go

Actually the company has been here before and the number of journalists and news gatherers has dropped significantly not only from its pre-internet heyday but in more recent times with, for instance, the closing down of a resource hungry Radio Sport just on five years ago.

Anglo Saxon: Debunking Tureiti Haromi Moxon's - ethno communist agenda

In a recent Herald article, Tureiti Moxon scolded the Regulatory Standards Bill. She argued that the bill was racist against Maori people... but is it; or is it more the case that Moxon is projecting her own racist views onto the Crown; carrying out its duty to govern New Zealand?

Click to view

Point of Order: $4 million to subsidise whale-oil is outrageous

* News from the Taxpayers’ Union –

The Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act request that Landcare Research gave $4,027,020 on the Oranga (Wellbeing) Project – including treating Kauri dieback with potions made from Whale-oil and music from whale song (yes, seriously) as part of the MBIE-administered National Science Challenges.