John McLean: Dame Patsy, forever on commission

Reddy, Set, Go. Please, please...just GO

In May 2024, Dame Patricia Lee Reddy turned 70 years of age. That’s the biblical threescore years and ten. Psalm 90/10 in the King James Version of the Bible goes like this:

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away

Cam Slater: Don’t Expect Cindy Kiro to Stand Up for Your Rights

David Farrar has a guest post from Jason Collie, a UK-based Kiwi journalist who has had an interesting, though fruitless, interaction with our Governor-General Cindy Kiro.

Grounded Kiwis did a magnificent job winning its court case that the Government breached New Zealanders’ rights by effectively preventing them from freely travelling into their own country with its MIQ set up but a troubling point remains: Are you confident Jacinda et al have learnt their lesson and someone will ultimately stand up for your rights when push comes to shove?

Mike Hosking: The Queen is a brilliant symbol of dedication and loyalty

I love the Queen. She might be the greatest representative of most of our lifetimes in terms of dedication, consistency, and loyalty.

She has, whether you are a republican or a monarchist, shown a set of moral and professional credentials that are sadly too scarce these days.

Her life has been dedicated to service. She had no choice; she was born into it.

The celebrations this week to mark the 70th are an indication of a couple of things.

Firstly, we will not see her like again. 70 years is a trick of fate. You need to get to the throne awfully young and live awfully long to mark 70 years. Charles won't, William won't, and Lord knows what happens to the monarchy after that.