Open mike 12/01/2025

3 comments on “Open mike 12/01/2025 ”

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1. SPC 1

   12 January 2025 at 7:22 am

   What is a libertarian? Is it liberation from shared community with others?

   Thus no regulation of the landlord, or the activities of the corporation, domestic or foreign as to the public commons.

   Is it making the ownership of wealth sovereign and ending any tax on wealth and capital gain?

   The no society with others would mean any government which acts in defence of the commons becomes a crime against private wealth (for which it must make compensation to its sovereign, the investing corporation). For organised capital is the libertarian God.

   And this religion rules over nations and provides those with no public commons a master to rule over them.

   To understand, what libertarian identity means, allows the cynicism in this column to be understood.

   https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360544306/new-zealand-where-we-live-not-who-we-are

   It says because the Maori defend their treaty claims, then there can be no public commons, no nation state and thus the libertarian must be allowed to rule – they have only their class and origin. And this is their land because there is no CG, no estate tax (the only one of its type in the OECD) and from it they extract wealth for them and theirs and no one else, only so many can be rich and sorted at a time.

   It also means those who serve the cult of mammon, form a temporary alliance with majoritarian settler privilege against the protection of the land and its indigenous peoples rights.

   Exploiting their voting power for profit to the few. And if the common settler realises that, they can go live in Oz for better pay for all the libertarian cares. And that applies to the migrant worker all the same.

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   • KJT 1.1

     12 January 2025 at 8:43 am

     A Libertarian is primarily a hypocrite.

     Examples. They are big on "Property rights". Once they have stolen something from the commons they get to keep it. "Small Government", so long as it supplies police, military and Union busters to protect them and their "property", and regulation to support the same.

     In other words the same as someone said about economists. "Constructing a (seemingly) moral justification for greed.

     Reply
2. Res Publica 2

   12 January 2025 at 8:57 am

   I fundamentally disagree with the notion that New Zealand is “just a place” or that our identity is becoming purely transactional. As a Pākehā, I don’t identify with my so-called "European ancestry"—I’ve never even been to Europe! This country is not only where I live; it’s who I am.

   New Zealand isn’t just a geographical location or an economy—it’s a promise.

   • To Māori, it’s the promise that their rights, culture, and sovereignty as guaranteed under Te Tiriti o Waitangi will be upheld and respected.
   • To more recent immigrants, it’s the promise that their place in our society isn’t determined by the colour of their skin, their religion, or their heritage, but by their willingness to contribute and belong.
   • To all New Zealanders, it’s the promise that our value as citizens isn’t determined by wealth or class, but by our commitment to looking after each other and building a stronger, fairer community.

   Yes, identity is evolving, and in some ways, it always has been. But far from “segregating” ourselves, I see this evolution as a recognition of the diverse threads that weave together to make us who we are. For Māori, introducing themselves with their iwi isn’t about separating themselves from the nation—it’s about grounding their identity in the history and whakapapa that is central to their connection to these islands. That doesn’t detract from being a Kiwi; it enriches it.

   This country’s identity is not diminished because we’ve moved beyond the narrow, bicultural frame of the past. It’s growing stronger because we’re learning to embrace the full spectrum of who we are—Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, and everyone who calls this place home.

   If anything has eroded our sense of collective identity, it’s not an expansion of our understanding of what it means to be a Kiwi, but a narrowing of our focus on what binds us together. Libertarianism, with its relentless focus on individual rights and its morally and intellectually bankrupt creed, has contributed to this erosion. It rationalizes selling out everything that makes New Zealand great to protect the interests of the very rich at the expense of everyone else. It reflects the darker impulses of capitalism, prioritizing self-interest and profit over community, equality, and collective well-being.

   New Zealand is at its best when we honour Te Tiriti, celebrate diversity, and put people and community above individual gain. The challenge is not to retreat into nostalgia for a supposedly simpler time but to step forward with purpose, honouring the promises that make this country more than just a place to live.

   New Zealand is not just where we are; it’s who we choose to be.

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