Politics

[BlackPeter]

Back to NZ politics - another backward step from our new government.
This government is so damned short sighted.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504884/minister-pulls-brakes-on-cycling-and-walking-initatives

Yes, but ...

While I agree its a shame to pull money from initiatives to improve the conditions for cyclists and pedestrians ... I must admit, that I don't really feel that the previous government spent this money very well. As an example: A lot of Christchurch streets feel after millions of dollars invested into shudderbars, road lbockages and so called cycleways (lines and plastic artifacts installed on the road making nobody safer) significantly less safe than they have been - for cyclists, for pedestrians and for cars.

I can see why they want to review this spending, but I hope they won't just turn back to spending every dollar just for cars.

[Untamed]

Yes, I do agree with you that the previous government did not manage this well, but this doesn't sound like a "review" to me. Sounds more like a very clear statement that funding to improve conditions/safety, for pedestrians and cyclists is not, and never will be, a priority.

I also have a problem with suddenly ceasing funding for projects that are already underway or under contract. That includes the Picton ferry situation. There are costs involved with halting projects, both financial and social.

Yes, but ...

While I agree its a shame to pull money from initiatives to improve the conditions for cyclists and pedestrians ... I must admit, that I don't really feel that the previous government spent this money very well. As an example: A lot of Christchurch streets feel after millions of dollars invested into shudderbars, road lbockages and so called cycleways (lines and plastic artifacts installed on the road making nobody safer) significantly less safe than they have been - for cyclists, for pedestrians and for cars.

I can see why they want to review this spending, but I hope they won't just turn back to spending every dollar just for cars.

[BlackPeter]

Yes, I do agree with you that the previous government did not manage this well, but this doesn't sound like a "review" to me. Sounds more like a very clear statement that funding to improve conditions/safety, for pedestrians and cyclists is not, and never will be, a priority.

I also have a problem with suddenly ceasing funding for projects that are already underway or under contract. That includes the Picton ferry situation. There are costs involved with halting projects, both financial and social.

I see where you are coming from. Labour made a lot of the right noices, but don't check, what they really did.

If you look at the Picton ferry project you mentioned - It sounds like the previous government did run this project (and many others - e.g. Lake Onslow) without checking or worrying what the real cost will be, and without considering the risks.

Buying a ferry without considering the cost to the harbour infrastructure is like buying a Russian locomotive and not worrying that you have to change the spur width on all of our railway tracks. Can't be that expensive, can it?

Buying a giant hybrid ferry without considering and funding the necessary changes in the infrastructure is economically stupid and highly irresponsible.

But even without the cost blowout don't I think that the two monster hybid ferries would have been a good solution for New Zealand. Remember - this is NZ's transport backbone, and all we would have had is 2 (TWO) vessels needing special infrastructure to dock. Allow for one of them to break down or sink (this is what ships do) - and we would have been screwed. Allow one earth quake in Wellington (or Picton) and damage to the harbour (these things happen, its the shaky islands after all) - and all the ferries could provide is sightseeing trips from and to the other harbour. Mindboggling stupid for an essential transport link.

What we need are lots of simple, cheap and reliable ferries which are able to dock in many of our harbours. In this case we even would have an alternative if the next cyclone takes again some of our roads out, as they do. Diversity is not just for investors a good idea - and much better than the ideological blindness our previous government demonstrated.

We need to make NZ more resistent, not less resistent by relying on only two ferries (with new, unproven technology) and very special port equipment. Sorry, but I just realise this was just another mindboggling stupid decision the last government has made. Was this ideology over common sense? While they did a lot of soft talking, the only thing they seem to have left are mounting debts, unworkable plans and budget blow outs.

Again - I do understand and share you concerns about this government just bringing us back into the past (and the pendulumswinging too far right, further destroying our environment, but so far I think many of their decisions are understandable and sensible. We can't just keep going the path of least resistence and piling up debts but adding little benefit to the country ... and yes, cutting projects does hurt.

However - if you cut them in a postion of economic strength its still better than waiting until the rest of the world looses their faith in us, stops funding our debts and than we would need to cut projects from a position of economic weakness.

[Untamed]

Agreed, but I would feel a lot happier if the government had come out and said something like:

"We are not willing to fund the project in its current form, as we don't believe this is the best way to do it. So for now, all funding is on hold while we re-look at the situation, and formulate a better option to achieve what we need to."

I would have no issue with this approach, but it seems that they have zero interest in considering the possibility of modifying current projects. They are purely focussed on pulling funding from wherever they can, whilst taking zero responsibility for being part of the solution (ferries, cycle ways and whatever else).

I get that they need to tighten the reins, but none of what I am seeing right now, gives me any confidence whatsoever that this government will address the major issues we are currently facing, especially in health. Anything requiring additional funding won't stand a chance. There is no way they will address the aged care crisis for example, but that is a discussion for another day.

Again - I do understand and share you concerns about this government just bringing us back into the past (and the pendulumswinging too far right, further destroying our environment, but so far I think many of their decisions are understandable and sensible. We can't just keep going the path of least resistence and piling up debts but adding little benefit to the country ... and yes, cutting projects does hurt.

[BlackPeter]

Agreed, but I would feel a lot happier if the government had come out and said something like:

"We are not willing to fund the project in its current form, as we don't believe this is the best way to do it. So for now, all funding is on hold while we re-look at the situation, and formulate a better option to achieve what we need to."

I would have no issue with this approach, but it seems that they have zero interest in considering the possibility of modifying current projects. They are purely focussed on pulling funding from wherever they can, whilst taking zero responsibility for being part of the solution (ferries, cycle ways and whatever else).

I get that they need to tighten the reins, but none of what I am seeing right now, gives me any confidence whatsoever that this government will address the major issues we are currently facing, especially in health. Anything requiring additional funding won't stand a chance. There is no way they will address the aged care crisis for example, but that is a discussion for another day.

Fair enough. I guess we used to have a government which promised much and delivered little ... and now we have a government which started with cutting costs.

And to be honest, I would trust neither Labour nor National in the current situation to improve our health system and aged care system - the only difference is that Labour throws lots of money at problems without solving them, while National throws less money around but solves the problems neither.

Maybe they can find a better way to spend the money Labour invested in creating a second race based health authority, but otherwise things might look dire.

I don't know, this is all not very uplifting, but I am sure the coming years we all will need to do some belt tightening. Our education system is broken with outcomes getting worse every time they check them, our infrastructure is crumbling (and its not just potholes and bursting pipes)- its unfortunately not just our health system which needs a lot of focus and funds.

Might be worthwhile to discuss this in a speparate thread ... apart from left and right ideologies, maybe somebody has an idea how we can improve the outcome of our health system and still spending less money on it? Prevention is often much cheaper than just throwing more and more money at the victims of the health crisis. Teach people about the benefits of community sport, support (and fund) it better. Teach people how to feed themselves healthier and at a reasonable price. Organise (and fund) self-help groups for elderlies and mental health cases, ...

Maybe we need a discussion whether it is really the best solution for our society if everybody just looking after their personal career and welfare and the state looking after everything else? Parents both going to work and nobody able to look after the children and / or (shudder) elderlies? Many things used to be done in family groups and the state needed to help only in exceptional circumstances. These days we expect the state to organise and pay for everything, but the Left likes to spend the money but does not know how to fix the problems, and the Right does not like to solve the problems ..

So much we could do to improve things and save money, but yes - I have not seen any of the big parties pushing for this.

[Waltzing]

The CAMPAIGN to hold government to account.... for good or bad.

https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/231221_christmas_newsletter

and they did get some runs on the board.

The minister for Infernal Affairs sure hate them after she got a legal challenge.

[Waltzing]

Is Mid Summer nights dream out of  fashion and Killing Cook is in vogue... This will get a 60 grand gift from creative NZ. Gosh what it takes to be noticed in a Tik Tok World...

Speaking of getting rid of people .. ect. In defenders of NZ there is an entire chapter on Clergy who after delivering sermons of NO Fishing on a sunday suddenly found themselves the FISH!!!  Page 450 or somewhere around there...

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/national/565544/Maori-cannibalism-widespread-but-ignored-academic-says

[Untamed]

Stop judging others on what their ancestors may or may not have done historically. If I delved far enough back into your family history, I'm betting I'd find plenty of "skeletons in the closet." Should I judge you on those findings?

Just give it a rest, or take it to the "other place."
 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/national/565544/Maori-cannibalism-widespread-but-ignored-academic-says

[Waltzing]

An ode to Parliament!

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/paula-bennetts-christmas-eve-poem-an-ode-to-parliament/CTOV7DCS5RGLVHPDJZAE5J6NJE/

[Waltzing]

" family history"

yes since we have a family history of military service in crown services for hundreds of years there are plenty of medals in many Military campaign including NZ in the mid 1800's from the Irish side right up to the Balkans in the last NATO outings on the English Polish side.

many here will have family members and histories over the last 500 years in military service...

And many books on the shelves here for early NZ history as well not just Europe.
 
Other service medals for modernising the English Civil service in the  late 1700's and its legal systems....

Lots of skeletons in the cupboards!!!!

Including dispatches from the land wars of NZ where members of the Irish side of the family fought up the east coast.





 

[Waltzing]

New Poll out for NZ....

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/national-soars-in-new-poll-as-voters-agree-country-is-on-track-chris-hipkins-crashes-record-low/TNS4GGJHIFDTZNGMKPQLNJOGJA/

[Waltzing]

Treaty Principles Bill: Open debate should be nothing to fear - Fran O'Sullivan

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/treaty-principles-open-debate-should-be-nothing-to-fear-fran-osullivan/ORZDMIGVK5GITG4NA5XSUBXRYE/

[BlackPeter]

Treaty Principles Bill: Open debate should be nothing to fear - Fran O'Sullivan

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/treaty-principles-open-debate-should-be-nothing-to-fear-fran-osullivan/ORZDMIGVK5GITG4NA5XSUBXRYE/

I am wondering whether the issue with ACT's proposed bill is just the name? The proposed principles I have seen (suggesting that the government has the right to govern all citizens and claiming equal rights for everybody, independent of race) clearly belong into the constitution of any decent country. Hard to see anything wrong with that and difficult to understand the outcry ....

However - it is not clear to me what this breath of common sense and decency have to do with the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was signed between an empire which only had grown on the blood and bones of its slaves (slavery was only abolished in the UK and the so called "Commonwealth" in 1834) and a bunch of warlords who only few years before used to settle their internal scores by killing and eating each other. The last cannibalistic feast in NZ was in Akaroa in 1839.

Clearly - both parties to the Treaty would belong according to todays standards in front of the international court and behind bars and had hardly anything decent in mind when they signed the contract. No point to try to retrospectively introduce modern ideas of democracy, freedom and decency into this document.

Maybe ACT should just suggest a modern human and democratic constitution for NZ without trying to piggyback their propsosal on a document which was never meant to be a constitution.

I am all for a democratic constitution guaranteeing human rights, freedom of speech, equality and protection of minority rights for New Zealand. Lets go for it ... and leave the Treaty of Waitangi where it belongs in history.

[Waltzing]

This might be the cause of some unease in IWI circles. Some sitting MP's in the labour party dont want to move away from the relationships with the monarchy as they see it as a treaty between Crown and Tribes..

The Monarch seen as a still vital party of the local government sticking to its agreements signed back when...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/elizabeth-rata-tribalism-democracy-incompatible/TBJE44I26HYNCV3O6VYFZ4UBC4/

The local Iwi dont like the idea that a republic would allow the locals to vote on stuff...

Local Iwi seen split on those that want to keep the status Q and those that dont...

Now dont forget that the empire was also built on some Maths, the best navigation systems and inventions like the stream train and the some very good math models....

Those maths models really helped do everything from doing good to doing evil as you outline above.

The greeks really made it all happen and of course this was a real break through in technology. If it wasnt lost at the bottom of the sea and Romans got there act together they might have taken over Australia ! well maybe not india maybe but the supply lines might have got a bit long .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism#:~:text=The%20Antikythera%20mechanism%20(%2F%CB%8C%C3%A6,and%20eclipses%20decades%20in%20advance.
 

[BlackPeter]

This might be the cause of some unease in IWI circles. Some sitting MP's in the labour party dont want to move away from the relationships with the monarchy as they see it as a treaty between Crown and Tribes..

The Monarch seen as a still vital party of the local government sticking to its agreements signed back when...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/elizabeth-rata-tribalism-democracy-incompatible/TBJE44I26HYNCV3O6VYFZ4UBC4/

The local Iwi dont like the idea that a republic would allow the locals to vote on stuff...

Local Iwi seen split on those that want to keep the status Q and those that dont...

Now dont forget that the empire was also built on some Maths, the best navigation systems and inventions like the stream train and the some very good math models....

Those maths models really helped do everything from doing good to doing evil as you outline above.

The greeks really made it all happen and of course this was a real break through in technology. If it wasnt lost at the bottom of the sea and Romans got there act together they might have taken over Australia ! well maybe not india maybe but the supply lines might have got a bit long .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism#:~:text=The%20Antikythera%20mechanism%20(%2F%CB%8C%C3%A6,and%20eclipses%20decades%20in%20advance.
 

Difficult subject ... and obviously everybody has a different context, making communication difficult.

What I wanted to say is - in my view ACT should leave the Treaty (of Waitangi) alone. The Treaty is a historic document, and nobody can change it but the people who signed it - and they are all dead by now. Obviously - the crown as well as the people (no matter what genetic origin) still need to follow the contract, but I don't see any point in implying principles of the treaty which are not defined in the document.

Does not mean that ACT's proposed principles are wrong, they are just not principles of the Treaty.

What New Zeland needs is a constitution, and this is not the Treaty. The Treaty might be at best one of the underlying documents for an still unwritten constitution. The Magna Carta and international humanitarian laws would be other underlying principles.

So - I think it would add a lot of value to propose a decent constitution for New Zealand enshrining a commitment to human rights, freedom and equality for all residents of this country, no matter which race, religion, gender they belong to. That's what ACT should do, they would get my vote on that.