Derek Mackie: Yesterday...New Zealand

The Beatles are one of my favourite bands and this version of their classic song perfectly sums up NZ for me at the moment.

Yesterday…. 

Those crazy Lefties seemed so far away. 

Now it looks as though they're here to stay. 

Oh, I believe in yesterday. 

Point of Order: Poll shows the National bounce-back has been checked

Will the Ardern Govt carry on with its blunders?

Ardern government ministers must have been pleasantly surprised by the latest Roy Morgan political poll showing Labour has 35% in support. Not so happy would be the 20 or so backbenchers who would lose their seats if that translated to the outcome at the election next year.

National MPs who may have thought their party has been consolidating its advance since Christopher Luxon took over would have been disappointed, too. Their party’s support at 35% means that – even in coalition with ACT – it would fall short of the number of seats needed to outgun the parties on the Left including the Maori Party.

Derek Mackie: Jacinda advises on the fragility of democracy

Jacinda Ardern has just given a virtual speech at Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy on, wait for it…… the fragility of democracy. No, I’m not joking! 

 Like me, you probably didn’t know anything about this summit, or care for that matter, and that’s OK because, like most summits, they achieve nothing and are held so leaders can preen and display in front of each other and deliver speeches full of rhetoric and hypocrisy. Right up Ardern’s street, then! 

 The apparent aims of the summit are to “galvanise commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights”. 

Derek Mackie: The Chase meets team NZ

Team: Jacinda (J), Nanaia (N), Andrew (A), Grant (G)

Chaser: The Governess (TG) 

Host: Bradley (B) 

 

B: Welcome to The Chase. 

 Can a team of 4 players, who “say” they’ve never met before, work together to win thousands of dollars? I certainly hope so. 

There’s only one thing standing in their way - The Chaser. The chase is on! 

 So, let’s meet my team. 

 J: I’m Jacinda and my friends tell me I’m a natural leader. That’s why I’m in seat 1. My vision is to “reset” the way we govern and, ultimately, influence every sphere of life in Aotearoa, transforming it into the kindest and most caring country on Earth.

 N: I’m Nanaia and I also like to be in charge, though I’m more of a steel hand than a velvet glove kinda girl. It was easy to intimidate the rest of my team, so that’s why I’m in seat 2. I specialise in asset stripping and redistribution. Is it possible to have some picture questions, please? 

 A: I’m Andrew and I used to be in charge...until I realised I wasn’t very good at it. I work in Health and spend huge sums of money for very “little” return. There’s a joke in there for those that know me at home...eh, Mum! Happy to be in any seat at all! 

 G: I’m Grant and I always wanted to be in seat 4 because I’m a natural gambler and want the big offer. I work in Finance and spend even huger sums than Andrew. 

Karl du Fresne: Diversity training isn't much help when you're staring down the barrel of an AK47

The military has always had a distinct culture of its own – one that depends on the acceptance of order, discipline and authority. Its rituals, traditions and rigid hierarchical structure may seem peculiar to outsiders and out of step with the rest of the world, but that’s how it functions.

Most people who have served in the military would argue there’s no other way. In combat, soldiers must be able to rely on others to do what they’re told, even if it means risking their lives. This ethos permeates the armed forces even in peacetime.

But how much longer this will remain the case must be in question as the New Zealand Defence Force shows signs of succumbing to the tide of Marxist-inspired ideological upheaval sweeping through the rest of society.

NZCPR Newsletter: Defending Our Democracy

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

In this week’s NZCPR newsletter, we examine the implications of the Government’s plan to implement the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by 2040 and we re-launch our Declaration of Equality to defend New Zealand democracy, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Tony Sayers outlines the importance of pushing back against separatist control, and our poll asks whether you believe all race-based preferment be abolished from New Zealand Statutes.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

NZCPR Weekly: The End of Democracy

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

In this week’s NZCPR newsletter, we outline what the full Government ‘roadmap’ to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by 2040 reveals, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Fiona Mackenzie shares concerns that Nania Mahuta’s Water Services Bill will result in freshwater being controlled by Maori tribal interests, and our poll asks whether you support the proposal to elevate the status of Maori to 50/50 co-governance.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.  

Henry Armstrong: How the Ardern Government and Its Allies are Dumping on Us Oldies

The Ardern government’s recently-announced housing and punitive tax policies will have a significant impact on New Zealand’s seniors and are clearly ageist in their outcomes. 

Anyone over the age of 70 years in New Zealand today (especially if you are male and of European descent), can be forgiven for feeling that somehow, after a lifetime of struggle, commitment to, and hard work in the interests of our country, New Zealand, we have suddenly become “the enemy”!

Green Party MPs, almost to a person, condemn “old white men” as somehow being responsible for all of the ills of modern-day New Zealand society. Julie-Ann Genter’s infamous statement to a class of school children in Christchurch (aged around 10 years) that “old white men” needed to move aside from their domination of boards (she did not specify which boards-charities, SOEs, closely- held family companies, Stock Exchange listings), as some kind of cleansing process after which organisations would be refreshed and renewed.

Geoff Parker: The Authoritarian Noose Tightens

We live in disquieting times when even some books of the marvellous children’s author and perceptive political cartoonist, the late Dr Seuss are being deplatformed. This is in keeping with a trend throughout the Western World to restrict or manipulate the flow of information, commentary and opinion. This movement now includes historical facts, perceptions and historical context.  

The intent seems to be to create a new world order by promoting a radical, anti-Western, anti-democracy ideology. This is being facilitated by the internet’s global reach and behaviours of international bureaucrats, the mass media, large corporates, law firms and those lacking critical thinking skills. Here in New Zealand, organisations enjoying government or council largesse are particularly prone to looking the other way – and their numbers are growing by the year.

NZCPR Weekly: The Abuse of Power

Dear NZCPR Reader,   

In this week’s NZCPR newsletter, we expose the Government’s sinister attempts to mislead the public over their planned abolition of a crucial democratic local government safeguard and we explain why their actions should be of such concern to every New Zealander, our NZCPR Guest Commentator Dr Don Brash explains why there is no need for racially-based electoral systems in New Zealand, and our poll asks whether you believe that the Local Electoral (Maori Wards and Maori Constituencies) Amendment Bill should be withdrawn.

*To read the newsletter click HERE.
*To register for the NZCPR Weekly mailing list, click HERE.