Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is known to dislike the nickname Chippy, a hangover from his student days. Given the way he has chewed through Jacinda Ardern’s old policies, maybe we should instead call him the Wood Chipper: big, gnarly policy offcuts are fed in, and out comes a handy pile of pie-related photoshoots and small-target Read more
I had to go to Wellington last Tuesday afternoon. On the way home, rather than avoid the CBD and take the most direct route onto the Hutt motorway, I decided for no particular reason to go through town. I knew about the protest convoy that had rolled into town earlier that day but assumed it Read more
Church leaders are confused about how to implement the My Vaccine Pass – one sums it up saying “We are greeters – not bouncers”. From December 3, people wanting to attend church services, gatherings, hospitality events, gyms and those wanting to avail themselves of close contact businesses will need the My Vaccine Pass to prove Read more
An estimated 5,000 people, Tuesday, took to Wellington’s streets protesting their freedom, and distrust of the government and media. The vocally loud and unmasked protesters took over the Capital’s streets and pavements as they snaked their way from Wellington’s Civic Square, through Mercer and Willis Streets and down Lambton Quay to Parliament. At one point Read more
New hate speech law proposals from the government are a bit confusing, and some of the debate so far seems to have muddied the waters, reducing something that began as an effort to combat racism, terrorism and hatred to name calling and taunts by politicians. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Justice Minister Kris Faafoi contradicted Read more
On the campaign trail last year, Ardern raised eyebrows when she blithely told journalists she expected “wide support” for expanding existing hate-speech laws to include religion. When asked whether sexual orientation, age or disability could be included, she said, “Yeah.” The Prime Minister, who had just unveiled a memorial plaque at Christchurch’s Al Noor mosque, Read more
New child poverty statistics from Stats NZ paint an optimistic picture for the period before the 2020 Covid lockdowns, Monte Cecilia Housing Trust CEO Bernie Smith says, but the months since then have been brutal for low-income earners and government support is desperately needed. “We’re always happy to see those arrows going in the right Read more
Child advocates are slamming the Government for its “unjustifiably slow” action on welfare reform, with a new report finding just four of 126 recommendations have been fully implemented. And it found none the 42 key recommendations made by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group early last year have been achieved almost two years later. The Child Read more
Jacinda Ardern says she disagrees with the accusation of “unjustifiably slow” welfare reform made by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). CPAG’s criticism of the Government’s response comes after more than 60 charities urged them to increase welfare payments in the lead-up to Christmas, which Ardern ruled out. Progress on welfare reform is being made, Read more
Back in 2017, before Jacinda Ardern was sworn in as prime minister, she said she wanted the new government to be “empathetic and kind”. We’re all familiar with the “be kind” mantra, but I question its ability to achieve… well, anything. Ardern asked landlords to chill with raising their rent when the kind thing to Read more