There’s been a lot of hand-wringing on both the left and the right of New Zealand politics, before, during and after the 2023 election regarding the supposedly recent rise of division in New Zealand society. Dame Anne Salmond has recently – and I must say belatedly – identified this as the rise of identity politics and divisive decision making. I say belatedly because we have been noting the rise of identity politics in New Zealand society for well over a decade (on the combined social-media and academic back of the rise of US identity politics) while divisive decision making is central to the Westminster political system. It would in fact be difficult to identify a time in New Zealand politics and society when there hasn’t been some type of divisive decision making and action by those in power. The issue being, some decisions that at the time seem and are experienced as incredibly divisive soon become the new norm and status quo; homosexual law reform and prostitution decriminalization are two that come easily to mind.
