Simon Bridges is rooting for the Greens*

Written By: - Date published: 4:12 pm, March 9th, 2019 - 28 comments
Categories: activism, climate change, Deep stuff, Environment, greens, leadership, national, Politics, Simon Bridges - Tags: , , , , ,

Simon Bridges seems to feel sorry for all those disillusioned voters who voted for the Greens and Labour expecting to get a greener government, i.e. greener than the previous government, the one before, and the one before that one. I too feel their pain.

Those previous governments were on a journey to perfection, I get that – they were on the cusp of something special. But we continuously have to do more and do better in the areas of Climate Change and the environment, Simon says. I get that too.

Fortunately, the National Party is now truly seriously serious about the environment. They’re working with the government very closely at the moment – Simon Bridges and one colleague (Dr Nick Smith or Dame Maggie?) – with both Jacinda Ardern and James Shaw. But let’s be clear, this is a PR exercise in futility because this government is not green enough.

Simon Bridges believes that we should have an independent Climate Commission that advises this government and Parliament on what needs to happen. And he’s committed to following that through. Wow! Much better than a Working Group! Problems solved. And all without necessarily heaping on more taxes in a radical fashion as is being proposed, apparently, by the TWG. Kiwis don’t like radical; they’re more like Hobbits who treasure their way of life and don’t take kindly to any attacks on it – don’t mess with Hobbits and take away their precious. It seems Kiwis want a greener government but not too green and most certainly not radically green (deep green?). We can tolerate a smallish disaster, obviously. Speaking for myself, I feel a huge relief that I can save the Planet without having to a pay a cent extra tax. And Simon didn’t even need a TWG for that! The man is a genius and we’re so lucky to have him as our Leader of the Opposition.

National cares deeply about the environment and they’ve put out a discussion document on it – much more effective than a Working Group and a lot cheaper too – you’ll get what you pay for unless you’re National. They want Kiwis to trust them with the environment as much as they do with the economy. No worries there, Simon.  When Simon Bridges became leader, he made it clear that the environment would get a refreshed, a renewed strong priority from him as much as those ten bridges in the North.

But Simon Bridges is not sure about the new Sustainable New Zealand Party. He said:

I don’t know. I think if I listen to Vernon [Tava], what he is saying is he’s not a blue-green; he’s a true green party. I genuinely have had nothing to do with that. Let’s kind of see where they get to.

“I think if I listen to” is confusing. Does he mean “when”? Has he listened to Vernon? Is he not sure but he thinks he has? Has he thought about it but is he colour-blind? What has he genuinely had nothing to do with? The listening, the thinking, the branding, or something else? Does he hear voices and is he channelling Vernon? He makes no sense.

Vernon Tava is not colour-blind and uses clearer messaging; they are a green-green party unlike the Greens who are not really green enough and actually eco-socialists. I’m glad that at least one of these two men who have the environment close at heart knows what he wants and is honest about it.

Luckily, Mr Bridges was more unequivocal about his support for students who want to demonstrate for their future:

Well nothing about climate change is unimportant. So I’m certainly not saying that, and don’t mistake what I say for that.

Wisdom in motion and so eloquently put it brings tears to my eyes.

He offers a few free words of advice, which is the sign of a generous man:

But I do think look there may be some students out there who passionately have followed this debate, who’ve read up on it, and for them it may be right.

…

The ends justify the means. Have a day off just because it’s a good cause.

Simon Bridges is a true inspiration to us all and he’s on the side of the real Greens and the environment. What could go wrong with him in charge?


*A short snappy title for readers who lack perseverance

28 comments on “Simon Bridges is rooting for the Greens* ”

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  1. Kat 1
    9 March 2019 at 4:28 pm

    Probably time to give up on Bridges, his dash is nearly over and I don’t believe he is any kind of long term ambassador for the National party. His appearances in the media, like his appearances in the house, are inconsequential. His opinions just don’t cut it and his voice, tone, manner is painful, my neighbours weed eater is easier to listen to……..and does a better job. Since you mentioned green.

    • Incognito 1.1
      10 March 2019 at 3:42 pm

      From a green perspective I cannot see anybody within National becoming leader and doing a better job than Simon Bridges. They have no friends or mates in Parliament and they have no clear successor. Even though they may still be sitting on the Opposition benches after 2020 they will still be acting as a handbrake on progress and will continue to stymie the political process by filibustering, for example.

      I made a comment @ 10 in OM today regarding McKinsey and in the link I provided was this very apt quote by Tolstoy that I think nicely applies to National (and the Sustainable New Zealand Party for that matter) and moves for a better NZ society and especially for dealing with Climate Change and treats to the environment:

      I sit on a man’s back choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am sorry for him and wish to lighten his load by all means possible… except by getting off his back.

  2. Anne 2
    9 March 2019 at 4:45 pm

    Thank-you, thank you so much Incognito for reporting that enthralling interview. It filled my heart with renewed hope.

    I am reminded of another great British politician whose enlightened rhetoric also filled me with joy. [Ahhh… I was still quite young and didn’t know what he was talking about but oh my… the delivery was perfection in itself.] We are blessed indeed. Here is the script of that speech and after reading it one should be able to recognise the splendid similarities between the two of them.

    https://speakola.com/movie/peter-sellers-party-political-speech-1958

    • Kat 2.1
      9 March 2019 at 5:06 pm

      Maggie Thatcher apparently played that speech, endlessly….as a sort of benchmark for honing her very own utterances. Would carrying a handbag improve Bridges performance, I wonder.

      • Chris T 2.1.1
        9 March 2019 at 6:15 pm

        And Ardern is just following by the numbers

        • Robert Guyton 2.1.1.1
          9 March 2019 at 6:36 pm

          Struggling to remember when I read a sentence more mangled, Christ T.
          Simon’s a rarity…or am I confusing words; hilarity?

          • Chris T 2.1.1.1.1
            9 March 2019 at 6:40 pm

            It was a reference to the painting sets you used to buy where the canvas had numbers all over an outline of a would be painting, someone else had done for you in the past (The maker of the set).

            The numbers referred to different colours of paint that you were to use to complete the painting.

            Same painting no matter who was doing it.

            Thought it was rather apt given govts of all colours just say the same thing while doing piss all in actuality

          • Rapunzel 2.1.1.1.2
            9 March 2019 at 7:38 pm

            When in doubt he will refer to the “unwell woman in Bali”, he does it on at least one other site, in the same low and usuary manner that National does so well, it is a position so vile that it is surprising that either are dumb enough to go there but with both anything is justified to try meet their ends.

      • cathy 2.1.2
        10 March 2019 at 8:36 am

        sure to, look what it did for Tana Umaga

      • Incognito 2.1.3
        10 March 2019 at 3:59 pm

        Hairspray, I reckon.

    • Incognito 2.2
      10 March 2019 at 3:55 pm

      Great speech, thank you! I can never understand Simon Bridges due to his poor delivery and pronunciation of the English language. Thank God for transcripts.

  3. SPC 3
    9 March 2019 at 7:18 pm

    We will get 10 green bridges when they come, we will get 10 green bridges when they come …

    • Sabine 3.1
      9 March 2019 at 7:21 pm

      and they will be two lane bridges too

      • NZJester 3.1.1
        9 March 2019 at 8:39 pm

        Except for areas with lots of National Party supporters, those areas will get 4 lane bridges even though they will only see a few cars every few hours.

  4. WILD KATIPO 4
    9 March 2019 at 10:29 pm

    Just beggars belief… from the party that didn’t give a shit about our rivers now saying they give tons of shit.

    The truth about cow poop. – YouTube

  5. peter petterson 5
    9 March 2019 at 11:07 pm

    Soiman is actually as green as grass.

    • Stuart Munro. 5.1
      9 March 2019 at 11:46 pm

      These are Soiman’s salad days, when he is Green in judgment.

    • patricia bremner 5.2
      10 March 2019 at 12:55 pm

      Soiman is blue trying to be green, because he needs partners. True beliefs are personal, and should not be rubbished, unless they harm others.

  6. sumsuch 6
    10 March 2019 at 2:02 am

    He’s a moderate, which I welcome, but he is ridiculous. For the Greens to come over to the Right is too funny to contemplate. Go brew up a new fundamentalist Christian nonsense, for which I thank God fullfully has never been able to get above 5 %. Since they’re all as mental as their American copyright-holders, who delivered plutocracy to their country, and Trump lately, as ‘the fruits’ of their craze.

    • WILD KATIPO 6.1
      10 March 2019 at 2:17 am

      Aint nothing wrong with God, and humanist nonsense is just as bad.

      Fine to have a go at the idiot politician bloke but this aint a place to attack peoples beliefs. You gonna have a go at Muhammad or Shinto or Buddha next?

      I’ll remember that next time you or yours needs assistance from the Salvation Army.

      There’s a reason why even the military didn’t force people who said killing others was against their faith in various wars. Not often but it did happen.

      As opposed to the many humanists who thought it was a necessary evil.

      • solkta 6.1.1
        10 March 2019 at 7:40 am

        If there is nothing wrong with god isn’t the humanist ‘nonsense’ just as “good”? Your first sentence makes no sense.

        And why do you think it is OK to criticise political ideas but not religeous ones? Fundamentalist religion causes a lot of harm.

        • WILD KATIPO 6.1.1.1
          11 March 2019 at 4:21 pm

          So does communist ‘humanism’ . So does Fascist ‘humanism’.

          I was using the thinking of ‘humanists’ as labeling all those of faith as a juxtaposition. In other words- there nothing wrong with people adhering to a faith and if they do- doesn’t automatically lump them all into the sword waving bloodthirsty witch hunters so many like to portray them as.

          Interestingly – those manipulators who did commit genocide were less motivated by their faith than their military / political motives and were or should be labeled as ‘ nominal believers’. They used their faith as a tool to commit atrocity’s while conveniently ignoring what their faith stipulated.

          Compare that with godless ‘humanists’ such as the Nazis, Pol Pot or all the other communist nations genocides. So I don’t think the ‘ humanists’ get off scot free on that count , either.

          Incidentally, political policy’s derive from a persons values and belief system, their world view. Whether they believe in a God or not. To say Fundamentalism is unique to those with a faith is erroneous. Neo liberalism is a form of extreme economic fundamentalism that indirectly has caused the deaths of millions in developed country’s and third world country’s.

          From cold damp moldy homes and minimum wages in NZ to medical embargoes and slave labor conditions in third world country’s.

          So much for humanism.

          Micky Joseph Savage had a faith. And he and his govt enacted policy’s on the principles of that faith. Roger Douglas did not have a faith, and enacted policy’s based upon his humanistic outlook which saw nothing wrong with exploitation.

  7. Blacklist 7
    10 March 2019 at 8:12 am

    Clutching at straws National. No attempt at garnering support is to low for our erstwhile Opposition. The Greens’ social policy is the antithesis of National’s rah rah business-at-the-expense-of-lower-income people so pull the other one Soimon.

  8. Cinny 8
    10 March 2019 at 9:54 am

    simon says he’s green yet is not supportive of students protesting re climate change…

    Students striking for climate change is global event on March 15, meaning our NZ students will be the first in the world to strike on that day.

    What kind of message does simons lack of support on that issue send to NZ and the rest of the world on March 15?

    No new votes for simon, his claim of caring about the environment is nothing more than a spin to help die hard national voters feel better about themselves.

    Carry on simon with the comedy…. The Nation re-screens on tv3 at 10am this morning if anyone needs either a laugh or a WTF moment. The commentary after his interview is well worth it too.

  9. Michelle 9
    11 March 2019 at 1:33 pm

    I listened to soimon on RNZ this am he was terrible a scratched record he is sounding more and more desperate as days go by you would have to be a complete idiot to vote for him or a owner of many houses I guess

  10. ken 10
    11 March 2019 at 8:50 pm

    From Wikipedia

    “Aquatic cyanobacteria are known for their extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in both freshwater and marine environments. The blooms can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. These blooms can be toxic, and frequently lead to the closure of recreational waters when spotted.”

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