Overblown rhetoric and Laura Norder
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10:19 am, November 27th, 2022 - 69 comments
Categories: Christopher Luxon, crime, david seymour, jacinda ardern, labour, law, law and "order", poverty -
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Law and order has been a go to for right wing politicians for ever.
And there has been fertile ground for them to jump up and down and claim that the world is ending because of a couple of terrible incidents in Tamaki Makaurau during the past week.
In both cases the police have efficiently concluded their investigations and arrested the alleged perpetrators and put them before the court. Which is how things should function. Let the Justice System work out what to do from here. This is what civilised societies expect.
Neither of the people arrested were juveniles. Which is probably just as well. Watching Chris Luxon pivot from boot camp to National’s wrap around policy is better than Labour’s wrap around policy while at the same time yelling out for vengeance could have been too much for him.
I can claim some personal insight into what has happened with the first incident. I was approximately 200 metres away from the scene of the Glen Eden incident. Walking out and seeing police with guns was sobering. The matter is before the court so speculation is dangerous but the sense of testosterone fueled stupidity is strong.
And the initial impression from the second incident is that it was equally as stupid.
This has not stopped some from seeking political advantage. As an example Sunny Kaushal has been trenchant in his criticism of the Government for some time. He has been on a one man wrecking ball against the Government ever since he failed to get the New Lynn Labour nomination in 2017.
He then bought the Shakespeare Tavern. And then complained about the CRL’s effect on Albert Street and sought compensation even though by the time he had purchased the tavern it was clear what the effect of the CRL would be.
And more recently he has taken pot shots at Jacinda Ardern because of robberies and ram raids of dairies. He has claimed that because the Government had raised taxes on tobacco it would be responsible the next time a worker in a dairy was murdered. Yes that is what he said.
The murder of the Sandringham dairy worker has caused Kaushal to promise protest action.
“It will be a nationwide protest. Businesses will close their doors for certain period of time and send a strong message that enough is enough. We will also launch a petition to demand the protection of dairy owners,” Kaushal said.
“It will be after the funeral though. Our priority is to support the family and then we will take action.”
He said he was disappointed Jacinda Ardern had not shown up in her electorate since the incident.
“We need action not empathy,” he said.
“She should have mentioned the words she did on March 15 – ‘They are us,’ he said – referring to Ardern’s comments after the March 15 terrorist attacks in 2019.
“We are they,” Kaushal said.
“It shouldn’t matter the number of lives lost, this happened under her watch.”
Kaushal’s criticism of Ardern matches that of David Seymour who also insisted that Ardern should visit a grieving family immediately after the death of their loved one for political advantage.
On the day Seymour made this claim Ardern was visiting the Chatham Island as part of a formal ceremony with Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri to sign an Agreement in Principle towards the settlement of their historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.
Weirdly Television New Zealand described the event as the announcement of a grant. This is Murdochesque in its inaccuracy.
And Ardern has since been in contact with the family and has offered to meet with them at a time of their choosing.
Kerrie Woodham has also jumped on the let’s blame the Government bandwagon and recently said this:
This is entirely on the Government and its softly, softly approach with criminals and lawbreakers.
I am really, really angry this morning. It is utterly needless. It’s been like watching a car crash in slow motion. Of course this was going to happen. It was simply a matter of time.
And the naysayers say well, what are you going to do about? I’d do exactly what Mark Mitchell has suggested. Ban the gang patches. Don’t allow them to associate together. Get tough on the truants and the parents who allow their kids to truant. Start having consequences for actions.
Throw out the violent, aggressive tenants and the Kainga Ora establishments. Give those rooms to the people on the social housing list. Start having meaningful consequences for actions.
The attacks on Ardern and the Government by Woodham and others have all been undermined by news that the person charged with the Sandringham murder had recently been extradited from Australia. And he was aged 34. So boot camps and other assorted tough on crime measures would have basically achieved nothing.
And for Ms Woodham banning gang patches would have had no effect whatsoever. Truancy may have been a problem but it could be that it was the Australian authorities that should have done something about it. And there is no evidence that the person charged had ever lived in a Kainga Ora residence.
Murders of dairy workers has regrettably been an occasional event for a long time. And when you see the historical murder levels then it is clear that per head of population the peak was from 1986 to 1993 and has since been trending down, apart from the blip caused by the Christchurch Mosque massacre.
If you want to apportion blame then the toxic consequences of Roger Douglas’s and Ruth Richardson’s policies can be blamed. The solution will not work over night but essentially it is to repair the damage caused to ordinary families by poverty. But this will take years.
The Labour Government is moving in the right direction, too slow for some, but things are improving.
The last thing we need is more overblown rhetoric and simplistic solutions to resolve a problem that is decades in the making and will require compassion and generosity to fix.
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Tēnā koutou katoa Mr President, Excellencies, Delegates. An island nation at the bottom of the Pacific, New Zealand is unique. Our geography, our mountains, lakes, winds and rainfall helps set us up for the future, allowing for nearly 90 per cent of our electricity to come from renewable sources. I’m ...2 days ago - Ministers visit Hawke’s Bay to grasp recovery needsPrime Minister Christopher Luxon joined Cyclone Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell and Transport and Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, to meet leaders of cyclone and flood-affected regions in the Hawke’s Bay. The visit reinforced the coalition Government’s commitment to support the region and better understand its ongoing requirements, Mr Mitchell says. ...3 days ago
- New Zealand condemns malicious cyber activityNew Zealand has joined the UK and other partners in condemning malicious cyber activity conducted by the Russian Government, Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau Judith Collins says. The statement follows the UK’s attribution today of malicious cyber activity impacting its domestic democratic institutions and processes, as well ...3 days ago
- Disestablishment of Te Pūkenga beginsThe Government has begun the process of disestablishing Te Pūkenga as part of its 100-day plan, Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills Penny Simmonds says. “I have started putting that plan into action and have met with the chair and chief Executive of Te Pūkenga to advise them of my ...4 days ago
- Climate Change Minister to attend COP28 in DubaiClimate Change Minister Simon Watts will be leaving for Dubai today to attend COP28, the 28th annual UN climate summit, this week. Simon Watts says he will push for accelerated action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, deliver New Zealand’s national statement and connect with partner countries, private sector leaders ...4 days ago
- New Zealand to host 2024 Pacific defence meetingDefence Minister Judith Collins yesterday announced New Zealand will host next year’s South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM). “Having just returned from this year’s meeting in Nouméa, I witnessed first-hand the value of meeting with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security and defence matters. I welcome the opportunity to ...4 days ago
- Study shows need to remove distractions in classThe Government is committed to lifting school achievement in the basics and that starts with removing distractions so young people can focus on their learning, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. The 2022 PISA results released this week found that Kiwi kids ranked 5th in the world for being distracted ...4 days ago
- Minister sets expectations of CommissionerToday I met with Police Commissioner Andrew Coster to set out my expectations, which he has agreed to, says Police Minister Mark Mitchell. Under section 16(1) of the Policing Act 2008, the Minister can expect the Police Commissioner to deliver on the Government’s direction and priorities, as now outlined in ...5 days ago
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- PISA results show urgent need to teach the basicsWith 2022 PISA results showing a decline in achievement, Education Minister Erica Stanford is confident that the Coalition Government’s 100-day plan for education will improve outcomes for Kiwi kids. The 2022 PISA results show a significant decline in the performance of 15-year-old students in maths compared to 2018 and confirms ...6 days ago
- Collins leaves for Pacific defence meetingDefence Minister Judith Collins today departed for New Caledonia to attend the 8th annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ meeting (SPDMM). “This meeting is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face with my Pacific counterparts to discuss regional security matters and to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the Pacific,” Judith Collins says. ...7 days ago
- Working for Families gets cost of living boostPutting more money in the pockets of hard-working families is a priority of this Coalition Government, starting with an increase to Working for Families, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “We are starting our 100-day plan with a laser focus on bringing down the cost of living, because that is what ...7 days ago
- Post-Cabinet press conferenceMost weeks, following Cabinet, the Prime Minister holds a press conference for members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. This page contains the transcripts from those press conferences, which are supplied by Hansard to the Office of the Prime Minister. It is important to note that the transcripts have not been edited ...1 week ago
- Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme scrappedThe Government has axed the $16 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro scheme championed by the previous government, Energy Minister Simeon Brown says. “This hugely wasteful project was pouring money down the drain at a time when we need to be reining in spending and focussing on rebuilding the economy and ...1 week ago
- NZ welcomes further pause in fighting in GazaNew Zealand welcomes the further one-day extension of the pause in fighting, which will allow the delivery of more urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza and the release of more hostages, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. “The human cost of the conflict is horrific, and New Zealand wants to see the violence ...1 week ago
- Condolences on passing of Henry KissingerForeign Minister Winston Peters today expressed on behalf of the New Zealand Government his condolences to the family of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who has passed away at the age of 100 at his home in Connecticut. “While opinions on his legacy are varied, Secretary Kissinger was ...1 week ago
- Backing our kids to learn the basicsEvery child deserves a world-leading education, and the Coalition Government is making that a priority as part of its 100-day plan. Education Minister Erica Stanford says that will start with banning cellphone use at school and ensuring all primary students spend one hour on reading, writing, and maths each day. ...1 week ago
- US Business Summit Speech – Regional stability through tradeI would like to begin by echoing the Prime Minister’s thanks to the organisers of this Summit, Fran O’Sullivan and the Auckland Business Chamber. I want to also acknowledge the many leading exporters, sector representatives, diplomats, and other leaders we have joining us in the room. In particular, I would like ...2 weeks ago
- Keynote Address to the United States Business Summit, AucklandGood morning. Thank you, Rosemary, for your warm introduction, and to Fran and Simon for this opportunity to make some brief comments about New Zealand’s relationship with the United States. This is also a chance to acknowledge my colleague, Minister for Trade Todd McClay, Ambassador Tom Udall, Secretary of Foreign ...2 weeks ago
- India New Zealand Business Council Speech, India as a Strategic PriorityGood morning, tēnā koutou and namaskar. Many thanks, Michael, for your warm welcome. I would like to acknowledge the work of the India New Zealand Business Council in facilitating today’s event and for the Council’s broader work in supporting a coordinated approach for lifting New Zealand-India relations. I want to also ...2 weeks ago
- Coalition Government unveils 100-day planPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has laid out the Coalition Government’s plan for its first 100 days from today. “The last few years have been incredibly tough for so many New Zealanders. People have put their trust in National, ACT and NZ First to steer them towards a better, more prosperous ...2 weeks ago
- New Zealand welcomes European Parliament vote on the NZ-EU Free Trade AgreementA significant milestone in ratifying the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was reached last night, with 524 of the 705 member European Parliament voting in favour to approve the agreement. “I’m delighted to hear of the successful vote to approve the NZ-EU FTA in the European Parliament overnight. This is ...3 weeks ago
- Chainsaws, chokos and culverts: All the weird things New Zealand googled in 2023
Google New Zealand revealed its annual ‘Year in Search’. Sam Brooks runs down the expected, the unexpected and the downright strange. Each year, Google New Zealand releases what New Zealand has been searching for, from the most googled people of the year (Jacinda Ardern, often) to more obscure things like ...1 hour ago - Free Fares NZ Submit Petition Calling For New Government To Keep Public Transport Affordable
Today the Free Fares Campaign presented their 6,650+ strong petition to MPs Julie Anne Genter and Ayesha Verrall, demanding that the new Government retain the current public transport discounts and expand this to 100% free public transport for target ...1 hour ago - Male infertility is more common than you may think. Here are 5 ways to protect your sperm
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karin Hammarberg, Senior Research Fellow, Global and Women’s Health, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University Shutterstock Infertility is often thought of as a female problem but one in three IVF cycles in Australia involve male infertility. We ...2 hours ago - The government is bringing immigration back to ‘normal levels’ but cuts are not as dramatic as t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Stevens, Research fellow, Australian Catholic University metamorworks/Shutterstock On Monday, the federal government announced plans to fix Australia’s “broken migration system” and to “bring migration back to sustainable, normal levels”. Its long-awaited migration strategy aims “to build a migration system ...2 hours ago
- Report Shows Government Must Act With UrgencyThe Gas Supply and Demand Study released today from the Gas Industry Company shows that the new Government must act urgently to restore investment confidence in New Zealand’s upstream oil and gas sector or put our energy security at risk. Energy ...2 hours ago
- CAPHRA Supports Beaglehole's Commentary On Vaping In New ZealandThe Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) supports Emeritus Professor Robert Beaglehole's recent commentary on New Zealand's progress in addressing vaping among young people. Beaglehole, the chair of Action on Smoking ...2 hours ago
- How the poetically-charged art of Tacita Dean gives its audience a moment for stillness and timeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donna West Brett, Associate Professor in Art History, University of Sydney Tacita Dean, Paradise (film still), 2021, with music, Paradiso by Thomas Adès, 35mm colour anamorphic film, image courtesy the artist, Frith Street Gallery, London and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, Paris ...2 hours ago
- Doing science in Antarctica has harmed an environment under great pressure. Here’s how we can do b...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Brooks, Fieldwork Coordinator/Research Technician, CSIRO The Argentine research station, Base Primavera, on the Antarctic Peninsula. Shaun Brooks Scientific research in Antarctica has played a key role in many important discoveries of the past century. But it has also come at a ...3 hours ago
- Doing science in Antarctica has harmed an environment under great pressure. Here’s how we can do b...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shaun Brooks, Fieldwork Coordinator/Research Technician, CSIRO The Argentine research station, Base Primavera, on the Antarctic Peninsula. Shaun Brooks Scientific research in Antarctica has played a key role in many important discoveries of the past century. But it has also come at a ...3 hours ago
- International cricket is withering on the vine – why do we still play so much of it?Players are sending a clear and obvious message: there’s too much cricket and not enough of it matters. This is an excerpt from The Bounce, a Substack newsletter by Dylan Cleaver. We are less than a week from the start of the home international men’s cricket season and… what a wet ...3 hours ago
- Return of the ‘consultocracy’ – how cutting public service jobs to save costs usually backfire...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbara Allen, Senior Lecturer in Public Management, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It has been clear that change is coming to the New Zealand public service since the election campaign. Just what impact that change will have is less ...4 hours ago
- Return of the ‘consultocracy’ – how cutting public service jobs to save costs usually backfire...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Barbara Allen, Senior Lecturer in Public Management, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It has been clear that change is coming to the New Zealand public service since the election campaign. Just what impact that change will have is less ...4 hours ago
- Walking and talking: The Waitakere hīkoi teaching locals about the place they liveA West Auckland iwi is sharing its stories with other Waitakere community members through a unique programme of guided walks. At the meeting point of the Whau awa and Te Waitematā in Waitakere sits Harbourview Park, a taonga of te taiao near the heart of our nation’s biggest city. ...4 hours ago
- Digital ID will go mainstream across Australia in 2024. Here’s how it can work for everyoneSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Santow, Professor & Co-Director, Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney Simon Lee / Unsplash In a world promising self-driving cars and artificial general intelligence, the prospect of a new form of digital identity verification can feel … less ...5 hours ago
- If Ryanair’s social media jumped off a cliff, would yours jump too?The budget airline’s famously sassy tweets and TikToks have commanded millions of eyeballs, and spawned almost as many imitators. What does the brand’s former head of social make of them all? “When you try to be something you’re not, the users can smell bullshit a mile away.” Very calmly and ...6 hours ago
- Prime Minister Christopher Luxon: High net migration not sustainable for New Zealand
New Zealand's 118,000 net migration gain in a year is unsustainable, and infrastructure needs to be better managed to support growth, says Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. ...6 hours ago - Transporting New Zealand Outlines Road Freight PrioritiesRoad freight peak body Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand has released its industry briefing to the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown, including setting out eight actions that would provide practical support and reassurance to the freight ...6 hours ago
- Greenpeace billboard labels government 'climate extremists' over oil and gas exploration p...Anyone promoting more fossil fuel use in the midst of a climate crisis deserves to be called out as "extremist", Greenpeace says. ...6 hours ago
- What’s your money doing in Palestine?Your KiwiSaver could be helping to fuel the cycle of violence. Barry Coates, CEO of responsible investing charity Mindful Money, explains how to check. The images of dead and injured civilians pulled from the wreckage in Gaza is tragic. But what is even more tragic is that the atrocities committed ...7 hours ago
- Opinion: Will Our New Government Take The Chance To Fix Accessibility Bill?By Peter Reynolds, New Zealand Disability Support Network CEO I’m holding my breath - hoping for better Accessibility legislation that delivers world class support for all disabled New Zealanders. There’s work to do before we get there. Earlier this ...7 hours ago
- The Geminids: the year’s best meteor shower is upon us. And this one will be a true spectacleSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Shutterstock As an astronomer and meteor enthusiast, I’d say it’s the most wonderful time of the year. Each December sees the return of the Geminid meteor shower – the best natural fireworks ...8 hours ago
- Israel-Hamas war: What is Zionism? A history of the political movement that created Israel as we kno...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Thomas, Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Deakin University Shutterstock As the Israel-Hamas war continues, there’s been a lot of discussion around Zionism. Put simply, Zionism is a nationalist movement that advocates for a homeland for the Jewish people in ...8 hours ago
- I’m trying to lose weight and eat healthily. Why do I feel so hungry all the time? What can I do a...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of Sydney Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, famously said nothing is certain except death and taxes. But I think we can include “you’ll feel hungry when you’re ...8 hours ago
- Australia has one of the weakest tax systems for redistribution among industrial nations – the Sta...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jim Stanford, Economist and Director, Centre for Future Work, Australia Institute; Honorary Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney Shutterstock One of the chief purposes of government payments and taxes is to redistribute income, which is why tax rates are ...8 hours ago
- How an underwater sculpture trail plays a role in the health – and beauty – of the Great Barrier...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Smith, Adjunct Associate Professor, James Cook University The widespread demise of coral reefs due to climate change is now a certainty. But what role does art have in our future for coral reefs? Art is about feelings. One of the ...8 hours ago
- Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden 'less certain' of good relationship with un...The new Workplace Relations and Safety Minister has a busy two weeks ahead, with promises to axe Fair Pay Agreements and start work to reinstate 90-day trials before the summer break. ...8 hours ago
- 2024 will be make or break for New Zealand infrastructureRoads, pipes, houses, hospitals: our infrastructure challenges are overwhelming in their size and scale. Will the government’s new approach make any difference, asks Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A challenge of ...9 hours ago
- Sliding backwards on human rights
This week marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But is the agreement New Zealand signed up to at the UN so long ago still relevant? And are assumptions that we’re doing just fine in this area starting to look a little smug? Today on ...10 hours ago - Workplace Relations Minister 'less certain' of good relationship with unionsThe new Workplace Relations and Safety minister has a busy two weeks ahead, with promises to axe Fair Pay Agreements and start work to reinstate 90-day trials before the summer break. ...10 hours ago
- Xmas: the best nonfiction of 2023New Zealand nonfiction in 2023 went in pursuit of worthy subjects – Māori health, white privilege, law and order, the foaming mad of the alt-right – but lacked the personal touch. In contrast with the blazing artistry and honesty of Charlotte Grimshaw’s memoir The Mirror Book (2021) and Noelle ...10 hours ago
- Winston Peters’ rabbit hole problemClaims by a Whatu Ora staffer have attracted the attention of conspiracy groups in NZ and around the world. And they’re demanding attention from someone they thought was on their side. They didn’t all love him. This was the guy, after all, who stood in lockstep with their bete noire, ...11 hours ago
- Beyond Xero: Is Wellington ready to take on the fintech world?Seventeen years after Xero launched in a one-bedroom apartment on Willis St, the next generation of Wellington financial startups is ready to go big. Will the capital take advantage? In 2006, Rod Drury and Hamish Edwards started a little company in a one-bedroom apartment on Willis St with the janky ...11 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 11 DecemberLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Monday 11 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Mackenzie solar farm stoush heads to courtApplicants for an 88MW solar array in the Mackenzie Basin says the site's biodiversity values are 'vastly overstated' The post Mackenzie solar farm stoush heads to court appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Strong and stable pay for all – not just for politiciansIf a market is structured so a race to the bottom is encouraged, then businesses will start racing there The post Strong and stable pay for all – not just for politicians appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Daily crossword, Monday 11 DecemberThe post Daily crossword, Monday 11 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Surging migration expected to lift economic outputNet migration of 120,000 in 2023 has helped to grow population by 2.7% and supported higher output and demand The post Surging migration expected to lift economic output appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Leaders go round in a circle at climate summitSigns of weaker language on the phase-out of fossil fuels emerged yesterday as the United Nations’ COP28 climate summit delegates prepared for the final few days of talks. To that end, Sultan Al Jaber, the United Arab Emirates’ chair of the negotiations, convened a majlis – a gathering of elders ...11 hours ago
- Defence Force boosts sexual assault response after ‘serious’ staff auditFormer Navy engineer welcomes reinforcement of armed forces' Sexual Assault Response team, in the hope her daughters' generation won't suffer what she did. The post Defence Force boosts sexual assault response after ‘serious’ staff audit appeared first on Newsroom. ...11 hours ago
- Government to toughen scrutiny of international students as it slashes net migration over two yearsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Australia’s net-overseas migration levels will be cut dramatically over two years to bring the country’s exploding intake back to sustainable numbers. In estimates to be released on Monday, net-overseas migration will be 375,000 this ...15 hours ago
- Another march on the cards if new government lets Ngāpuhi down – Hinerangi Cooper-PuruDame Whina Cooper's daughter says her mum would have urged Ngāpuhi to never give up the struggle for justice. ...18 hours ago
- With Annastacia Palaszczuk gone, can Labor achieve the unachievable in Queensland?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Williams, Associate Professor, Griffith University, Griffith University Democracies are, by nature, systems of stability and change. But, north of the Tweed River, Queensland politics is very much about stability, and only a little about change. Where, for example, New South Wales ...20 hours ago
- Environmental Defence Society releases its Briefings for Incoming MinistersEDS has today released its Briefings for Incoming Ministers in the new Coalition Government. The BIMs cover the following portfolio areas and Ministers: Hon Penny Simmonds, Minister for the Environment Hon Chris Bishop, Minister for Resource Management ...1 day ago
- Tobacco researcher: New Zealand's reputation 'now pretty tarnished' amongst scientist...A public health academic says New Zealand's rowback on smokefree legislation is "very embarrassing" and has tarnished our reputation. ...1 day ago
- Why does some popcorn not pop?Popcorn has one job. So what happens when it fails? Charlotte Muru-Lanning reports from the stovetop. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. There’s nothing quite like the lively ceremony of making stovetop popcorn. First there’s the clattering of those amber-coloured kernels into the pot. Hopefully within minutes, there’s the first hollow pop. Then, ...1 day ago
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- We’re going on a bat huntIn rural South Auckland, a team of conservationists head out on a nocturnal mission to track down Aotearoa’s only native land mammal. Asia Martusia King tags along. The bat hunt begins as usual: with Vengaboys. A group of scientists sits somberly around a table in a rural South Auckland paddock, ...1 day ago
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- Food writing isn’t really about foodWith a topic so universal, it’s almost always about something bigger. Consider the contents of your fridge. What kinds of fruits and vegetables are in your crisper drawer? How much did that block of cheese set you back? Where did you source most of this kai from? Are there ingredients ...2 days ago
- Long Read: The grief birdYou can read the full story, plus see photographs from Craig McKenzie, in the November-December issue of New Zealand Geographic magazine, or on their website. The bittern’s eerie, booming call sounds like a lament, a tangi ringing across the marshes. Now, the birds themselves are in trouble. ...2 days ago
- Theatrical performance: does music work for surgery?Opinion: You may have been there, waiting your turn, wearing an ill-fitting hospital gown, surrounded by a flurry of staff, the smell of disinfectant in the air. If you’ve ever undergone surgery, you probably know the nervous, stress-laden pre-op feeling. What may come as a surprise is that ...2 days ago
- Short story: Beautiful Isolation, by Catherine Chidgey1. In the evening and in the night, I sit on the balcony and think of you. I can’t see the water but I know it’s there, soft and slow. We bathed in it that last day, you and I, when the dusk hung heavy as cloth of gold ...2 days ago
- Togs, togs, undies: The story behind NZ’s most iconic summer adAlex Casey unearths the origin story of an New Zealand icon – featuring a surprise cameo from an international comedy megastar. At first glance, the Facebook post from a Waipu cafe reads like any other heartfelt change in ownership announcement. “George and Amber have reflected on their involvement in our ...2 days ago
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- Israel’s AI can produce 100 bombing targets a day in Gaza. Is this the future of war?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bianca Baggiarini, Lecturer, Australian National University Last week, reports emerged that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are using an artificial intelligence (AI) system called Habsora (Hebrew for “The Gospel”) to select targets in the war on Hamas in Gaza. The system has ...3 days ago
- Frank and far-reaching: Senate report recommends shake-up of the way freedom of information is handl...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Johan Lidberg, Associate Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Monash University The most significant recommendation in the Senate inquiry report on the functionality of the Commonwealth FOI system is this: move the federal Freedom of Information (FOI) function from the Office ...3 days ago
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- This is the endWell, it’s 4.30pm on a Friday which feels as appropriate time as ever to say goodbye. The Spinoff’s live updates have come to an end, almost four years after they were first switched on. If you missed my explainer this morning of what’s going on, here it is. In short: ...3 days ago
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- Investigation into alleged vaccine data breach ongoingTe Whatu Ora is continuing to investigate after a data breach that saw vaccine-related information shared online last week. The agency is liaising with the Privacy Commissioner and said it will make “any appropriate notifications” if individuals were impacted by the breach. “Alongside the work to identify the material allegedly ...3 days ago
- Watch – Christopher Luxon visits Hawke's Bay to see cyclone recovery progressLive - Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been in Wairoa this morning to gauge progress of the town's recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. Watch a media conference with him here. ...3 days ago
- XYZZY is a buzzy good time at the StardomeSam Brooks reviews a new immersive film experience at Auckland’s planetarium. Journalists get invited to review things all the time. Books, films, shows, exhibitions, all of it. I say yes to a lot of them and “no, sorry” to a bit more. Very rarely do I go, “Absolutely I need ...3 days ago
- Waka Kotahi back to being NZTA, board members quitWaka Kotahi has begun the process of re-adopting its former name, the New Zealand Transport Agency (or NZTA). It follows a directive from the new government that public agencies should have their primary name in English and not te reo. This came as part of the coalition deal between National ...3 days ago
- Yes, landlords gain from the repeal of interest deductibility rules – but it was a flawed law from...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Pavlovich, Senior lecturer in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The new coalition government has announced a suite of tax reforms, including reintroducing the ability for property investors to deduct the interest ...3 days ago
Kerre should have to do a public retraction. That is so inaccurate and damaging.
The damage done by opposition members playing politics is cringeworthy.
How would boot camps and removal of patches affect the outcome of this tragic event?
It would not, as the things are not related except in some disinformed brains.
Superb post mickysavage. Your ability to get down to the nitty gritty is second to none. No wonder the right wingers in the media (and elsewhere) feel the need to 'put you down' at ever opportunity which they have been trying to do for years.
The most disgusting aspect is the way the Opposition leaders – David Seymour in particular – have politicised the case. His claim that Jacinda Ardern showed she doesn't care about her constituents because she didn't drop everything and come rushing home to her electorate. FFS, she was in the Chathams acknowledging a very important moment in their history. She's the prime minister for God's sake. She has important commitments she cannot just drop.
To my mind Seymour is nothing but a little puerile p***k who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the treasury benches.
And Luxon's visit to lay flowers outside the Pink Diary was nothing but a bit of political theatre. He was making the most of the sordid attempts to somehow blame the government and the prime minister in particular.
A very large pox on both of them!
Thanks Anne. This particular tactic is so awful and so damaging of people's perceptions of politics. When you strip away commentators commentary of the political implications of what has happened and then concentrate on the human aspect of it the media treatment is awful.
There is merit in doing and saying things in a more private low-key fashion when one person is murdered in such circumstances. If Jacinda HAD immediately raced to the scene and been shown on nationwide TV then her political foes would have accused of her of using the tragedy for political gain, noting that David Seymour had no scruples about doing the same.
I am sure that Jacinda would have planned her personal response carefully, as she did in the Christchurch mosque tragedy. That is her style, because as leader of our country the buck stops with her. The others can hop in and out when it suits them.
A response to Woodham's finger-pointing.
https://twitter.com/PublicationsPro/status/1595651447844384768
From now on, if he wants to be seen as sincere, Luxon will have to be shown on television laying flowers at the site of every murder in New Zealand. It was as cringeworthy as Judith Collins' praying in church.
The PM did it the right way – getting in touch and offering to meet the family later. She did not choose as Luxon did, to turn a tragedy into a photo opportunity.
Yip I'd love someone to ask simple seymour if prime ministers should visit all murders, or is just ones he hopes to politicize for vote gaining purposes
CEO-man as compassionate saviour. The bringer of true kindness wrapped in the rod of judgement. Dry-retching is in order.
Very well put Micky. Not much more needs to be said really apart from spread these sentiments among others, and…“Get tough on poverty!”
As a user of Bexley Reserve, I didn't expect the PM to drop everything and visit the scene of that horrific murder. The police investigated and charged people within 48 hours. We don't need to see the PM in situations like these.
Micky "Deported" not "extradited."
Images of Luxon looking respectful outside the dairy, looks so insincere/cynical.
So "lucky" that the media was there to record. Remember Judith Collins praying in the church? Authentic???
Luxon needs to go. End of.
Are Labour now going to fund gas cannons for dairies? They could have done this previously. Cost wise when you factor in police time, court time, medical treatment time and the impact on peoples lives time, it would probably be more than cost effective.
Labour have been late to the party on deterrant measures (business owners have talked about a difficult process that it often unsuccessful, to get bollards).
Homicide rate has come down over the decades (far lower in the 1960s and 70s from what I can see). This has happened at the same time time the % of young men between the ages of 18 – 29 has decreased. They are by far the most responsible for homicides.
@ 3.05
Heather "How many fog cannons have been installed under your government?"
Minister Hipkins "Over a thousand"
Heather "ok, that's quite impressive"
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/heather-du-plessis-allan-drive/audio/chris-hipkins-police-minister-on-the-aftermath-of-the-sandringham-stabbing/
Well yes and no Louis. 1000 out of 4000. That is a quarter of dairies protected.
I wonder who organised this? Was it Labour or the shop keepers themselves.
Over a thousand so far, the work is obviously ongoing and it's the police that make those kinds of decisions. You falsely assumed the Labour govt were doing nothing, which is not true.
Mickey this is a heartfelt almost tearful piece of writing and well done.
Sincerely hope that you, your staff and the Glen Eden community are getting through this.
Like you I deplore the ambulance-chasing cynicism of those piling on with the media in Sandringham.
Another case of Strine Laura Norder causing Enzed Lauren Forcement extra work.
Not that Sco Mo's dumber cousin realised it before being misled by radiotalkwind into adopting ambulance chaser mode.
Why is it that Libs and Nats never have enough teals in their caucus to get rid of stupid.
The social media savaging of Labour over this is intense.
[I don't expect most will want to read this – but providing the link to prove I'm not making this up]
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=677744240387471&set=a.479142006914363
There is a very strong "I told you so" element – following on from the feeling that the explosion in ram raids has not been effectively dealt with by the police and, especially, the justice system.
Also coming out in the editorial in the Herald.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/editorial-voices-are-rightfully-raised-in-anger-over-heinous-crime/VE4WWMHUENB6JFIMBNQ6A3SLEA/
Regardless of the rights and wrongs, Labour need to front-foot this very smartly. It's already a PR nightmare for them. It has the capacity to get worse.
"I told you so" sums it up: high on emotion, low on information.
As had been pointed out numerous times (including the OP and thread comments here), the various simplistic "solutions" (or slogans) have little or nothing to do with the known details of the crime.
At this point obviously we must exercise caution, now that charges have been laid, so we are limited in what we can say publicly. So I won't speculate.
But for what we do know, I'd recommend reading the police descriptions of what allegedly happened, where it took place, and what is known about the accused. Then compare with the rhetoric. "They" didn't tell us so, at all.
It sure as hell wasn't a ram raid by a 14 year old truant in a stolen car who would have been stopped by bollards.
Pointing out that this is a PR issue for Labour – regardless of the rights and wrongs of the situation.
If your answer to this is to 'read the details of the crime' – then you've already lost the debate with 98% of the public.
Soundbites matter. Impressions matter. Public 'opinion' (no matter how misguided you think it is) matters.
Of course it matters. It decides elections. Exhibit A: Trump.
The rest of us can choose if we're more interested in game commentary or facts.
History is full of "perceptions" in the moment, and subsequent admissions and adjustments. If we were only led by "perceptions", and never pushed back, we would still have the death penalty.
I mean it’s a PR nightmare if you let the PR play. There’s a clear attempt immediately by some to politicise this. And the Herald and others are happy to do that. It’s a second crime to use this to service ambition.
Should the government be investigating crime? Their job is to set policy and provide funds. Should the government be tracking every individual closely? Should they be making decisions on an individual by individual basis? That leads to a very unpleasant society. We should have regular police patrols and presence? Would that really have made any difference in this quiet mostly residential location? Would that really make people feel safer?
How did those politicians and papers react to this? How’s it different? It wasn’t front page.
Death of a security guard
I feel fortunate to have worked in an industry where no one I have heard of has been killed in relation to their work. No one should be. Employers, unions and government should keep workers as safe as possible.
There’s also a trend towards concern trolling and saying ‘Well, a lot of people are going to be saying this.’ All you can do us acknowledge failings and show the truth. Don’t accept the cynical and ambitious using another’s death.
There’s anger and a desire for vengeance. But this is natural . It’s not a place associated with danger and is a very friendly looking shop. Hopefully it gives way to restitution and closure and being productive. It’s really not fair.
It is really not fair.
And as it for it being bad PR it is part of being in government that you have to deal with the problems of the day. Do what you can. Can’t do anymore than that.
Yes people are responding with their feelings rather than rationalizing it by saying well the murder rate is trending down.
In the wake of this tragedy the government appear to bc like a rabbit helplessly caught in headlights of an approaching 18 wheeler Kenworth.
Make no mistake the government has been seriously wounded by the senseless killing of Janak Patel.
To regain the initiative the government must be seen to be doing something about it.
No longer can the Labour government coast along on the tremendous world beating success of the government's science based covid response.
The National Party's "This is a Do Nothing Government' slur can only be defeated with resolute action.
If Labour want to stay in government, an immediate roll out of legislation and policies and programs to address inequality and crime prevention.
The more the better.
As Roger Douglas famously said 'Give your opponents a lot of moving targets.'
Has national got nothing to offer other than banging on about the latest outrageous crime?
National and ACT are definitely going after the subcontinent vote which is why they've focussed so many of their media resources on this.
While your post Mickey is a good one I think you have missed an the key aspect of these ram raids – that it is mostly children who are committing them.
Most people understand that it is unprecedented for children to be behaving this way; for them to be so utterly out of control, so willfully beyond all reason or respect. That scares people. They know these children will likely be anti-social and dangerous all of their lives. Most will be functionally illiterate and innumerate. Most will never contribute positively to this country – cycling in and out of the Corrections System they will take far more than they ever give.
I will not say there is no hope for all of them, but the odds are stacked against them.
But more than this, these ram raiders seem to be brazenly embracing a degree of criminal recklessness that we have not seen before in this country, nor do the Police seem to be able to stop it. People are reacting viscerally to this.
Anecdotally from my SO – ram-raids and flash-mob smash and grabs are a social media phenomenon. Almost all are committed by young people with minimal to no previous contact with police/youth justice egged on by media peers, offending and then posting their exploits. Apparently their posting of their exploits is a factor, in our burg at least, in high clearance and referral rates to youth justice.
I can go with observation that joe. Kind of aligns with what I've long said about most social media – a mental illness factory.
A narcissism factory where there is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
I am afraid that I have far more knowledge of ram raiders than most because of my profession. They really are the grandchildren of Douglas's and Richardson's reforms. Their families have struggled to feed everyone, they have struggled at school, their health has been compromised and their sense of self worth has been trashed.
I am in the situation where far too often I have either acted for their parents or I know of their parents' involvement in the court system. And the reason their parents were tangled up in the criminal justice system are the same reasons that they have become entangled.
There is a modern tweak. These kids are really well networked. They have their own bubble, like most of us, but their bubble celebrates things that the rest of us understandably disapprove of.
To sort this out we need to get back to the essential causes. And unwind all the damage that Douglas and Richardson caused.
I appreciate the informed response there Mickey. I would certainly not quibble with first hand knowledge.
Sighs – we have been having variations on that conversation here for 15ys now. There have been any number of excellent, often wise things I have read here over the years. Yet when it comes to putting Humpty back together again no-one seems to have a magic wand.
The right demands individual responsibility, the left collective and the two political poles bicker endlessly and fruitlessly over which path is correct. For a very long time now I have have felt that each in isolation is insufficient – that a healthy society requires both. But that to have that conversation first demands we re-learn trust.
I'm on the left and would say both are needed – lowering the crime stats meaningfully will take societal shifts to improve economic standing of a lot of people, but a difficult life doesn't generally absolve an individual of responsibility either.
We also need to remember part of the cause of some crimes is the Australian policy of keeping the good kiwis but throwing the bad ones back, after they've had time to go bad in the Australian system.
You mentioned that before but didn't mention it as an essentially right whinge policy. Luxons cousins-in-ideology.
Hyperbole followed by nonsense. While I understand your concerns (someone's filled your head with fearmongering nonsense too) the fact is kids were capable of being right little shits last generation, and the generation before…
Hamilton 1980's they were pinching and burning out cars, burglaries, assaults.. One friend tortured and murdered by a gang, but you think this is some unprecedented shit?
Packs of boy racers, gangs, large public brawls, shocking and debilitating traffic accidents, all part of growing up in the 80's. Police arriving in a half dozen cars, taking batons to one and all, all part of it.
We have not got worse, we have not got soft. Times change, kids are still acting as ever. The only difference is now we record it and amplify it making for national outrage at the drop of a hat.
The media are pathetic and disgusting on all this. Opportunistic cunts to put it nicely.
Oh my what a big tough guy you are. You sound like the perfect person to go around reassuring business owners that none of this is new – just the same old same old. Nothing to worry about really,
Let us know how you get on sweetpea.
Is sweetpea the new snowflake? That's twice in two days from two TS people. Must be word of the week in right-speak.
Youth crime is not new, nor is stirring up the pot about crime. None of it is good nor acceptable but neither is using others misery to push this creaky old wagon out once again.
One would hope these complete wankers could at least let the grievers grieve before trotting out the Labour government is responsible for crime theories.
Your plea to my 'going round to business owners to reassure' is sad emotional wankery, like the rest of it. Let the grieving grieve, and get a grip.
Snowflake has a winter vibe, sweetpea is the impending summer.
.
Dear oh dear, the conspiratorial delusions of self-interested bourgeois Wokedom … the idea that anyone outside your regressive little cult – a cult that deploys Identity Politics to viciously scapegoat large swathes of working people of the 'wrong' ethnicity – the idea that all critics of your elitist authoritarian upper-middle cult must be "right-wing" highlights either (a) just how warped your thinking is or (b) just how dishonest & willing to use character assassination you are.
If we can gently encourage you back to something approaching reality for just a moment, I used “sweetpea” purely for my own amusement … no neo-nazi, heteronormative, transphobic, patriarchal, white supremacists bent on erasing your identity took part in choosing the word “sweetpea” for me.
Do I make myself clear, sweetness ?
.
The claustrophobic ideological echo-chamber that you people inhabit is really quite something to behold.
A couple of your more intellectually-limited Woke chums here have suggested my critique of your inherently anti–social democratic ideology suggests I've been either (a) deeply influenced by Russian Bots or (b) I'm mindlessly parroting American radio shock-jocks who I've barely heard of let alone ever listened to.
You're at least as nuttily conspiratorial as the Trumpists … but I'm increasingly thinking a damn sight more so … I guess it's how ideologically-captured dogmatists attempt to ward off cognitive dissonance.
Critical Theory is the new Scientology … and I think I’m going to refer to you from now on as Latter-Day L. Ron Hubbards.
Ooo, I see a conspiracy theorist. Oooh, I can do alliteration.
As the threat to all that is holy (you religious spanner) my intellectually woke chums and I have been digging holes and putting in posts for grapes – it's a mad fucking wokeFEST. While you, I gather, have been reading blogs and getting very angry about Maoris.
You're a piece of shit old man.
Chardonnay by any chance?
DNFTT, please.
“What embitters the world is not excess of criticism, but an absence of self-criticism.” G. K. Chesterton
"Youth Crime is not new" Quoted for Truth!
I began my social work career as a Boys Welfare Officer in the 60's, and also spent a period working as a Probation Officer. Most weeks I would be preparing 10 or more separate Court Reports for young boys appearing before the magistrate in the Children's Court. There were 6 male BWO's in our office at that time and we all had similar case loads. I had a caseload of over 100 boys who had been placed under supervision by the Court, as well as around 40 State Wards at that time in Porirua Hospital.
Youth crime rates have remained relatively steady over the years The way society has tried to react and to socialize young people who have erred, and carried out anti-social behaviour, has changed over the years. The Nat proposal of "boot camps" is not new and has been used in the past and abandoned. In the 1950's – 70's we had Boys' Homes , Kohitere, and Borstal. But as can be seen from the link above no more effective in reducing the crime rate than our current youth system of Police Youth Aid and Family Court Conferences for the 40 odd percent of youth offending.
I recall the group of boys from well to do homes in Wellington who went on a spree of car conversions in the late 60's. They had a bag of keys which could fit almost every car in Wellington when finally apprehended. The ram raids are just today's version. Attention seeking being a large factor in the offending.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300750207/third-arrest-made-by-police-investigating-the-death-of-auckland-dairy-worker-janak-patel
Looks like this case might be linked to a cartel of 'seasoned' criminals. All of them well into their 30s and at least one of them a deportee from Aussie.
Still the gummint’s fault cos Seymour and Luxon say so. (sarc)
Would someone with the expertise that I do not possess like to check these facts from Sunny Kaushal the organiser of the "Change Org." petition emailed to me today:
In November 2022, a young married dairy worker was tragically murdered in an Auckland suburb for doing their job and serving their community. In July, in another suburb, a policewoman was brutally assaulted in broad daylight. Those on the retail front line are bashed, burgled, ramraided and stolen from daily. We feel abandoned by government policies that are pro-criminal.
– In the first six months of 2022 ramraids are up 518%
– From January to November there were 430 ram raids alone
– Since 2020, crime affecting supermarkets is up 246%.
– Assaults against dairy and small business workers are up 31%
– 1.4 million Kiwis were victims of crime in 2021
– Even Police aren’t safe with six being assaulted every single day
– Yet, despite all of this, arrests are down with the prison population down 26%
Thanks in anticipation.
Government policies are pro-criminal? That seems a stretch, even for Gaurav Sharma's mentor, Sunny Kaushal.
Fact is, corner dairies, while convenient for milk and bread are purveyors of misery in the form of cigarettes, vapes, and lottery tickets.
There are far to many of them, and that most are run semi-amateur and underfunded, and sell dangerous, restricted goods leads to situations where they are targeted by Australian exported 501s and their protégées.
Is that for real or just a figure of speech Muttonbird
The post by Mickysavage described Kaushal as a previous failed Labour candidate for New Lynn now grandstanding against, and blindly critical of, the government.
Both look to have similar motivations so I linked the elder to the younger. I'm sure they've talked…
Indeed.
https://www.indianweekender.co.nz/Pages/ArticleDetails/7/7932/New-Zealand/Sunny-Kaushal-withdraws-name-from-Labour-Party-amidst-allegations-of-bullying-i
Similar expanded interpretation of the word "bullying".
It looks like he bailed out of the list thinking that his position was too low which is weird because the result meant that people I thought had no chance whatsoever became MPs in 2020.
Sunny Kaushal also had an issue with Labour in 2017. He missed out on selection and has avenged Labour since.
In my electorate Labour had a similar experience also in 2017. A candidate of Indian origin came forward but did not win selection. It had nothing to do with ethnicity but rather they did not seem to have the required skills. They all disappeared and took all bar one of our Indian members with them.
I fear they assumed the lack of selection was because of their ethnicity but they were entirely wrong.
And where they employ some newcomer to "mind the shop" – probably without doing any sort of health and safety briefing about how to deal with robberies – "shut the door and ring the cops" – rather than "chase the villain 100m down the road and get into a scrap with him".
I used to work with Bank Officers in one of my past incarnations and I know the sort of safety briefings they had about just handing over the $$$$$$ and doing exactly what they were told. Consequently, I don't think there has been a Bank Officer harmed in a robbery since an "Agency Escort" was killed in the late 1970's.
You'd almost imagine it might be part of the remit of Dairy and Business Owners Group chairperson Sunny Kaushal to educate dairy owners about the safety of themselves and their workers, or at least advocate for proper training.
Apparently it's all someone else's problem…
I'm sure someone will interpret the following incorrectly:
But there does seem to be an issue with some political aspirants of Indian or related backgrounds. We have Gaurav Sharma, Sunny Kaushal and the former unsuccessful candidate in my electorate.
There appears to be a perception among them that their aspirations for political office – or a perceived grievance – should have precedence over everyone else. When it doesn't happen they take umbrage and embark on a course of 'sabotage'. I cannot recall the details but I have a recollection the National Party had a similar problem not too long ago.
I worked various fast food franchises for nearly 10 years and they all had the same briefings – let the robber have the money, your life is always worth more.
I read in Stuff that the dairy worker chased the thief down the road, and was knifed 100 m from the dairy. Not that they deserved to be hurt and killed, but maybe they would still be alive if they hadn't gone after the money.
As to ram and dairy raids like this, I reckon it's gangs setting up the scene for protection rackets, as the police have been doing well at disrupting the lucrative drug trade.
Sums it up here …
https://twitter.com/K_T_Pi/status/1595692454686388224?cxt=HHwWgMDTxan1hKUsAAAA
I can understand, to a point, when conservatives show their punitive streak, but it always surprises me when so-called liberals show their penalising side that is bordering on vengeful. Their self-assumed superiority, especially morally, and self-righteousness causes the same distrust I have when I encounter imposters and conmen.
After reading this I’m less confused:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/130582139/punitive-instincts-hurt-us-all
Sadly NZ was again at the mercy of Australian exported misery, this time a 501 deported earlier this year stabbed to death a corner shop worker on an Auckland suburban street when the light was failing on Wednesday evening.
I still believe the best way to stop Australian society turning young Kiwis into criminals is to not allow them to go there in the first place. Stop the 444!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/kahu/kiwis-being-treated-like-second-class-citizens-says-australian-minister/MUCW7BTSHVCYFK64LZOVPRVBXM/
The hypocrisy of the Lawn Order fanatics not demanding we stand up to Australia over using this country as a dumping ground for their criminals. Instead using this terrible crime to launch an attack on the government, ignoring the fact that this criminal was a 501.
Conspiracy theories around Three Waters, and Law & Order look to be the attack lines this government will face from the opposition.
The government could spike the opposition's guns on Law & Order by taking a stand on the 501s.
How Can Labour Win in 2023? comment 22.1
“It is all a matter of leadership and political will.”
.https://thestandard.org.nz/how-can-labour-win-in-2023/#comment-1899098
How Can Labour Win in 2023? comment 22.1.1.1
"It's up to us"
.https://thestandard.org.nz/how-can-labour-win-in-2023/#comment-1899110
"If you want to apportion blame then the toxic consequences of Roger Douglas’s and Ruth Richardson’s policies can be blamed."
Except for most crime the crime rate fell for much of the time from the 1990's till just recently.
https://www.parliament.nz/media/5083/rp1802_from-offences-to-victimisations.pdf
The evidence suggests the introduction of a comprehensive welfare state in the 1930’s coincided with a sustained increase in the crime rate from the 1950’s onwards (just about the time children from the 1930’s were becoming adults).
Your elevator seems stuck …
Edit: I see you’re still editing your comment; I can’t wait for your pearls to drop here in TS.
Correlation does not equate to causation. The most coherent explanation I have seen for the decline is reducing levels of lead in petrol.
You haven't provided ANY evidence that the reforms of Roger Douglas and Ruth Richardson caused the increase in crime we are seeing today. I have provided evidence that Crime rates fell in the 20 plus years post this.
So you have you looking at the slowly aging demographic during the same period. I'd take a bet that I could find a correlation with the solar sunspot cycle.
The problem is that you haven't shown any reason to indicate that the crime fell. The reporting of crimes started rising as Labour and NZ First kept pushing for an increase in the real police budget and a sworn head count increase in the 00s.
For instance in the 1990s it was damn near impossible to actually get the police to register a many crimes in the crime stats. The only reason that most theft around where I lived was because the insurance companies required it. However most of those complaints were just an acknowledgement that it had been reported – not that it entered in the crime stats.
That was because the effective police numbers were drastically reduced as part of the cost-cutting. easy enough to look up. Look for the number of sworn officers verse the population. The number of police per head was drastically reduced as the police budget barely rose in nominal terms while inflation and population were growing.
So your claim that crime dropped is frankly just bullshit.
There are a lot of issues in the ram raids.
Returned economic refugees from the neoliberal reforms – smells like karma – invoice Roger & Ruth for damages.
End runs around migration rules – policy was never supposed to create a subclass of subcontinental dairy operators, much less slave fishermen or pruning & milking peons. Are they skilled? No? Wtf are they doing here?
Failure at a political level to grapple with the generators of inequality – one of which seems to be Orr et al.
Fog cannons? NZ grows both wasabi and chilies – improvised irritants should deter what concrete and steel do not.