Frank Newman. Straight Talk: Crime wave continues.

This morning's press is again full of crime stories, two screaming out with messages of what's so wrong with our justice system and our government's pathetically soft approach to crime that borders on condoning the actions of criminals. The first is from the NZ Herald.

Lindsay Mitchell: The disconnect between unemployment and welfare dependency

The disconnect between the unemployment rate (3.4% or 99,000) and the number of people on a benefit (11.3% or 353,904) has many scratching their heads. I get asked about it a lot. There are some differences in concepts, parameters and other nuances but keeping it simple...

At December 2022 the Jobseeker Work Ready (JS-WR) total was 98,766. Pretty well on the mark.

But this leaves a quarter of a million working-age people over and above the officially unemployed count and receiving an income from the state.

Oliver Hartwich: The war on cone-tamination

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is worried, and rightly so. His city is battling an invasion of road cones, and something must be done about it.

It is not just Auckland that is affected. From our cities to our remote rural areas, cones have become a fixture of the New Zealand landscape, clogging up footpaths, roads and even beaches.

The cone-quest of our islands has become a national phenomenon. It would not be an exaggeration to say that New Zealand is starting to look like a giant VLC media player.

Michael Johnston: We need to talk about education

We urgently need a conversation about education.

Not the kind of ‘conversation’ the Ministry of Education typically convenes when it consults on new policy ideas. In that kind of conversation, the Ministry has usually predetermined the outcome.

We need a real conversation. One informed by reliable research. One in which people with strongly differing viewpoints listen to one another with respect. One in which no one has decided the outcome from the very start.

Point of Order: The big question for Labour.....

.....Hipkins have any more success than Ardern did with the top priority policy issues?

Chris Hipkins, after he became prime minister, committed to defeating the cost-of- living crisis. He proceeded to make a bonfire of policies that were at the heart of Jacinda Ardern’s administration.

But, as Richard Prebble pointed out this week, “the government has not just U-turned, it has repudiated the policies it claimed were essential”.

The number one priority for her government, Ardern proclaimed, was to eliminate child poverty. She identified so closely with the issue that she took responsibility herself for the task.

So what progress was made?

Kate Hawkesby: There is a long way to go between now and October, so the Nats panic merchants might just need to calm down

So we end the week with some policy from the Nats and that's a good place for Luxon to be focussing, especially after the start to the week he had.

But in defence of Chris Luxon - who by the way I don't know from a bar of soap,  I've met him in person once I think. I don't think people should be freaking out about his popularity - or lack of it.

I just don't think it's a big deal that he's not wildly popular - because we've seen where that can end up anyway. Jacinda anyone? The higher your popularity, the further you have to fall. 

Breaking Views Update: Week of 19.03.23

Saturday March 25, 2023 

News:
Govt raises Māori procurement contracts target
A Government procurement contract target for goods and services to be awarded to Māori businesses annually will increase to 8%, after the initial 5% target was exceeded, Māori Development Minister, Willie Jackson announced today.

The progressive procurement policy was introduced in 2020 to increase supplier diversity, starting with Māori businesses, for the estimated $51.5 billion spent on government procurement every year.

Karl du Fresne: In different circumstances, you could almost admire their chutzpah

Justice Gendall in the High Court has come to the right decision in the case of Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, aka Posie Parker. Whether it was for the right reasons remains to be seen.

Gendall ruled that the government’s decision to allow Parker into New Zealand to speak at rallies in Auckland and Wellington was lawful.

As Jonathan Ayling of the Free Speech Union says, it was the only right result for a country that values tolerance, free speech and the ability to debate.

Bob Jones: Well done Michael Wood

Congratulations to Immigration Minister Michael Wood for refusing to ban British anti-trans activist Posie Parker speaking in New Zealand. The utterly fraudulent argument proffered by diverse sexually confused groups for the ban was that Parker’s presence would cause riots. And the reason they would occur is these same groups say they plan to cause them.

Cam Slater: Wayne Brown Flips the Bird at LGNZ

Wayne Brown is a plain speaking man who says what he means and damn the consequences. Yesterday the Auckland Council voted to quit the most useless quango organisation in New Zealand, Local Government NZ, and in the process has saved Auckland City at least $640,000.

As a parting gift for good measure, he called them out as a bunch of self-interested pissheads.

Mike Hosking: Luxon's speech showed what the polls don't

If everyone in this country watched Christopher Luxon yesterday outline where our education system is at, he would not have the issues he currently does around whether he is getting traction in polls.

He talked about how the system got where it is, how it is measured and how the world sees us.

Ultimately, it is why it will all come right later this year when the campaign properly starts and some decent attention is put on his performance.

Point of Order: What becomes of the broken hearted?.....

.....Nanny State will step in to comfort them

The Nanny State has scored some wins (or claimed them) in the past day or two but it faltered when it came to protecting Kiwi citizens from being savaged by one woman armed with a sharp tongue.

The wins are recorded by triumphant ministers on the Beehive website.

The decision to leave us to protect ourselves from the words and ideas of someone who calls herself Posie Parker (this can best be done by staying out of hearing range) has not been recorded there because it was decided by an official rather than a minister.

Thomas Cranmer: Free Speech or Transphobia? Kellie-Jay Keen's Visit to New Zealand Sparks Tensions

Kellie-Jay Keen's visit to NZ leaves no room for doubt that the transgender debate is the frontline in the culture wars.

Kellie-Jay Keen is yet to land in the country but we have already seen days of alarmist press coverage and increasingly frenzied social media jousting. So heated is the debate, that those on either side of the argument cannot even agree on how to describe Keen. To the left, she is a ‘controversial anti-trans activist’, whereas Keen describes herself as a women’s rights advocate. From there the debate only becomes more polarized, with no room for compromise or nuanced discussion.

Garrick Tremain: Mr Chippie

 Here is Garrick Tremain's cartoon commentary on the great Kiwi swallow!

Karl du Fresne: That dull, clunking sound you just heard

The Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges memorably described the Falklands War as two bald men fighting over a comb.

The parallels may not be immediately obvious, but the same phrase could be applied to the confected outrage over the speaking tour of Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, aka Posie Parker.

Okay, we’re not talking about war here. Nonetheless, Borges’ description fits a situation where a rational person can only wonder what all the fuss is about.

Bryce Edwards: The Beehive’s revolving door and corporate mateship

New Zealanders are uncomfortable with the high level of influence corporate lobbyists have in New Zealand politics, and demands are growing for greater regulation.

A recent poll shows 62 per cent of the public support having a two-year cooling off period between ministers leaving public office and becoming lobbyists and 14 per cent oppose such a law. This is exactly what Kris Faafoi did recently, but because New Zealand lacks a cooling off period he was able to move straight from being a government minister and go to work lobbying his former colleagues while they are still in government.

Mike Hosking: Not liking what someone says isn't a reason to ban them

"Based on their previous expression of opinion or ideas."

That’s the key line from the immigration folks as they announced they are not stopping ol' Posie Parker from lobbing up and having a word about transgender issues.

Section 16 of the Immigration Act is a high bar. High enough that a few "controversial" views and a lot of hand ringing control freaks here can't scupper someone getting into the country.

Thank the good Lord.

Cam Slater: This Is the Issue That Costs Elections

Yesterday morning the National Party announced that they were proposing to re-write the education syllabus if they win the election. I’ve provided you with a link because it is now hard to find, such is the interest in the policy. Bold or stupid? I pick stupid because education is not a touchstone issue for anyone other than those with children. It isn’t even in the top five issues that voters are concerned about.

What is a top issue, is the economy and anything attached to it, like the rising cost of living. James Carville, Bill Clinton’s strategic advisor coined the phrase it’s “the economy, stupid” during Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign against incumbent George H. W. Bush. His phrase was directed at the campaign’s workers and intended as one of three messages for them to focus on.

Dr David Lillis: Allegations of Racism in New Zealand Universities

In complex areas like the study of racial inequality, a fundamentalism has taken hold that discourages sound methodology and the use of reliable evidence about the roots of social problems. We are not talking about mere differences in interpretation of results, which are common. We are talking about mistakes so clear that they should cause research to be seriously questioned or even disregarded (Jindra and Sakamoto, 2023).

 

Executive Summary

In recent years we have heard many allegations of systemic bias and racism in various sectors, including education, health and indeed in the New Zealand workplace. We have also heard allegations of racism within our universities. It is asserted that it is particularly difficult for Māori and Pacific academics to find employment in the universities and, once within the system, to achieve competitive salaries and promotion into the professoriate. Unfortunately, on occasion such claims are advanced in conjunction with personal, sometimes vitriolic, attacks on colleagues and attempts to damage their careers.

Lindsay Mitchell: Gloomy outlook for young people on benefits

Yesterday MSD issued some insights into how young people (16-24 years-old) are faring in the benefit system. Searching for some good news, their first key finding described how young people "have recovered much faster from the economic effects of the pandemic compared to the Global Financial Crisis."

The government response to covid drove a very steep increase in young people going on a benefit so naturally enough you would expect a fairly steep corresponding decrease. By contrast the GFC presented a gradual increase and decrease in numbers.