Clive Bibby: Is Woke broke? Let’s hope so!

During these last  days of the Biden administration, there are clear signs that the countries and governments promoting the Woke agenda since it first appeared on the world stage over a decade ago, are facing a backlash from majorities that have endured the associated destructive policies for too long.

And it is great to see leaders who have overseen the corruption of the cornerstone institutions (universities, social welfare and justice departments) finally being told their services are no longer required. 

Barrie Davis: Science and Universities

The ironic decision to cancel a meeting to discuss free speech at Te Herenga Waka University was because some students were ‘freaked out’ that there were some rightist speakers. That was not an isolated case but rather an example of mass hysteria on the Left and mass decadence on the Right that has taken hold in the West.

In recent times various people have been stopped from speaking in New Zealand because they hold rightist views: In 2018 Don Brash was banned from talking about Treaty issues at Massey University by Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas after a complaint by some students. Also in 2018 commentators Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux were stopped from coming to New Zealand to speak by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff. In 2023 Kelly-Jay Keen-Minshull abandoned her tour of New Zealand without speaking after being booed, heckled and doused with tomato juice at Auckland.

Penn Raine: Listen Up, Radio New Zealand

I’ve a lot of time for Stickman, Pak’nSave’s poster chappie, but wonder how he has resisted being dressed in a frock and rainbow scarf. Perhaps his Foodstuffs’ mum and dad took to heart how the Australian Woollies’ brand was vilified for snubbing Australia Day, and the subsequent defenestration of its CEO, Banducci. His attempts to paint a friendly face on the company whose shady majority shareholders are Blackrock and Vanguard by insisting chummily that he be known as ‘Brad’ did him little good. Although Ozzies had been peevish over Woolworth’s perceived price-gouging, it took Brad’s refusal to let them buy tacky plastic merch to celebrate their national day to persuade them to boycott the retailer.

Cam Slater: Spit in the Face of Protests

Heather du Plessis-Allan has a column in yesterday’s paper about how nervous Government ministers are about protests and robust debate. It’s a whole lot of unnecessary hand wringing and tut-tutting if you ask me.