PM denies 50% rise in Auckland homeless on streets linked to Govt's clearout of motels; Instead, he asks why media aren't celebrating National's achievements more; Libelle collapse exposes Seymour
Luxon is a waste of space, but Hipkins needs to take the opportunity seriously. If they want to pull off a minor miracle of casting National to a one term government they will need to show they can meet the moment and actually get stuff done. Hipkins 2.0 will need to be a nothing like 1.0.
I agree Mike, it's Labours opportunity to shrug their shoulders and shuffle away or do the mahi and deliver the foundations for the future of New Zealand.
They will. It's a difficult time in the cycle, so it's way too early to start campaigning, and do they want to give NACT1 more time to continue with their nothing short of constant slagging them off? Timing is just as important here as the what and the point of difference.
Edit: The media are just starting to pay more attention to them, listening to Chippy on Sunday - Q&A he sounded like a Prime Minister in waiting, it was like a breath of fresh air after listening to Luxon.
At different levels with Luxon and Trump, the formula is similar: Deny reality, deny reality. If you do it long enough, you start believing the parallel universe you created for yourself.
Soulless humans.
(and to add to my thoughts this morning, it may be worth reminding the government ministers that women's suffrage and equality were not so long ago seen as "woke" or DEI)
Form of gaslighting or delusion or both. Deny, misrepresent and contradict. Accountability and transparency is impossible in an environment that believes that behavior is ok.
Well, the header image of this morning’s Kaka speaks louder than any words I could ever muster. Nice selection Bernard. If there was ever a photograph that demonstrated Neo-Liberalism’s failure to trickle down this image is about as good as it will ever get. As for Luxon, his imminent (and completely predictable) failure will fracture his psychology and confidence as he desperately (and belatedly)looks in the mirror for answers. Unfortunately, due to his under-developed EQ-i traits - particularly those measuring empathy and self-reflection - he will be unable to reconcile his catastrophic failure. Ironic, because the answer is simple: Luxon is not, has never been, and will never be, a leader. He is simply a ‘B’ grader who worked hard in a global FMCG company and through his solid work ethic and over-pumped persona managed to be promoted way beyond his capability. The result: just look around.
He’s the mythological DEI hire he thinks is happening everywhere else. National and the media hacks decided we needed a white businessman after too many Māori and women, and there he was.
Interesting. Effusive enthusiasm, a seemingly blue chip background, a CV matched to a job description,a less than rigorous recruitment process (guessing here) and voila, Luxon’s career trajectory from FMCG salesman to airline executive to PM is now complete. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Ironically, it was the NZ tax payer’s largesse that made him ‘wealthy and sorted.’ Now, there is nowhere for Luxon to run and nowhere to hide.
And Trump is starting to sound more and more like a dementia patient. His ramblings remind me of my Dad's rapid decline into dementia, its harrowing on so many levels.
I always question my own observations of political figures, as a member of the public in this day and age (and maybe before), we only get a slice of who they are and what they do, how the react and what is really going on... so when you observe a Prime Minister pleading for the open media... ‘Why aren’t you saying nice things about us’ you have to start wondering what the fuck they are doing in the position to begin with.
If I could give him any advice right now... start asking yourself, "why the fuck am I doing this... really why?" Because being the Prime Minister is not about the media saying nice things, it's about running the country for all of the citizens.
This libelle issue stinks, it sounds like they jumped on the contract with compass as a desperate attempt to stay afloat. Single director and shareholder company is a huge red flag for this sort of contract. As such the details of who and what and how this contract was negotiated and signed appear not to be following normal government procedures? In my mind ministers shouldn’t be awarding contracts, as this is operational not governance.
In saying this the carrier of the ministerial warrant for education owns it. Stanford has been kept in the dark by Seymour, but it is her ultimate responsibility.
The matter of lowering the numbers of people in motels has been camouflaged by a number of factors. Many of the people have moved from motels into houses built under the Labour program. The Nats have ceased this construction program. So that solution is largely gone. If you talk to any of the community agencies working with the poor they will tell you that many of those displaced from motels (and that was an awful temporary solution to a long-term problem of insufficient houses being built by the state and the community sectors) many of these people are now couch surfing, living in cramped shared accommodation, living on the streets or in cars. So, no, Luxon sweeping the poor out of motels through an out-of-site, out-of-mind policy does not deserve a "thank you". It deserves you to be reminded of what your pastor preaches to you "whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren you do to me"
A bloody good question Steve. A lot of motels/hotels changed hands across the Covid, post-Covid timeline, with older tourist focused family operators selling up to new owners laser focused on the reliable Government paid revenue stream as accommodation for ex Australian 501 deportees, Covid/post-Covid housing, post Gabrielle housing etc. The new owners minimised spending on facilities and maintenance etc and tended to look the other way when behavior of 'guests' went sideways. I was travelling through that area a lot for work and learnt which placse to keep away from (same applied to other accomdation across Waikato and Bay of Plenty, but Rotorua got the lions share of the headlines. I also had a former boss who exited the industry, because he was unhappy about how it was changing from being measured as a good host to cutting costs and raising prices.
I met an electrician friend for coffee yesterday. He was rewiring a motel that had been in use as emergency accommodation but was now returning to life as a motel.
I've checked with some community housing providers and people are scared to make public statements as the government is often brutal with its critics behind the scenes. Bishop is all talk about support for the sector. There have been loud announcements about 1500 houses which will be built by the community housing sector. So far 100 have been approved! Here's a link to one article covering the issue https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2503/S00348/kick-back-urgent-review-of-msd-needed-to-prevent-more-rangatahi-sleeping-rough.htm
Oh Garry. Do you mean to say all these devout Christian mininisgter should follow the teachings of the stated religions (Yes, I know most of those evangelical crowds actually worship Mammon over everything else) But....
Meritocracy as a term was invented by Michael Young, who wrote "The Rise of the Meritocracy" in the late 50s. Its a book about a dystopia and not something to admire.
The fact that so many politicians are ignorant of the origins of the word is mindboggling.
Yes exactly it’s rampant in businesses. It’s fascinating seeing it play out in politics like this though, who would’ve guessed being in a public facing role demands actual results and the public see through BS more clearly than boards
Controversial but practical view on the DEI clauses in the Public Service Act. Representative bureaucracy means the public service workforce should reflect the society it serves. In a democratic context, the DEI clauses in the Public Service Act 2020 aimed to ensure the public service better understood and responded to the needs of all citizens, not just those who resembled or had access to Cabinet. However, these clauses were rushed through with minimal testing and scrutiny, and the practical impact on merit and outcomes was never fully explored. IMHO the clauses were a performative gesture: and in practice served to give voice to unelected officials, who were not accountable to the public, and who ended up dominating the policy discourse, all while the system remained closed off to the very communities those people claimed to represent. I would go far to suggest that instead of genuinely reflecting the diversity of the population, they allowed unelected officials to shape policies without meaningful input from the people they were supposed to serve, undermining both democratic accountability and the true spirit of diversity. The lesson: if you want DEI clauses you have to implement them properly.
Diversity and merit are not mutually exclusive, but to implement this across 3,200 agencies and 350,000 people, a clear, practical policy was essential. That is why the clauses were performative rather than transformative. Ends x
1. Gift Luxon a week living as a homeless person, wearing what homeless people wear, without money or toiletries (e.g. none of that moisturiser he showed off on TikTok), no watch, nothing. If he whines about being hungry, give him a marmite sandwich and a small spotty apple. No other food.
2. Feed Seymour on $3.00 school lunches for a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Include the melted plastic. No other food.
3. Brown can spend a week working double shifts in the busiest most stressful ED in the country.
4. And Winston? No words yet.
5. The missing word from that heading 'A Complete and Utter ... .) starts with 'cluster'.
What exactly have National achieved? Other than tax cuts for rich landlords all they appear to have done is cancel stuff. ACT & NZ First seem to be pushing their agendas but they are hardly a success, schools lunches being an example.
Luxon is a waste of space, but Hipkins needs to take the opportunity seriously. If they want to pull off a minor miracle of casting National to a one term government they will need to show they can meet the moment and actually get stuff done. Hipkins 2.0 will need to be a nothing like 1.0.
I agree Mike, it's Labours opportunity to shrug their shoulders and shuffle away or do the mahi and deliver the foundations for the future of New Zealand.
Gary: a new post every day, I do see Labour stepping up.
It's all too timid from the opposition, they need to present a clear difference.
I think what they have done is right for the firsr year, but now they need to start presenting themselves as a credible alternative government
Which, if you watched Q&A on Sunday, they are beginning to do.
They will. It's a difficult time in the cycle, so it's way too early to start campaigning, and do they want to give NACT1 more time to continue with their nothing short of constant slagging them off? Timing is just as important here as the what and the point of difference.
Edit: The media are just starting to pay more attention to them, listening to Chippy on Sunday - Q&A he sounded like a Prime Minister in waiting, it was like a breath of fresh air after listening to Luxon.
Labour need some bold policies. In a test of charisma Hipkins couldn't best even the monochromatic Luxon.
In his days at AirNZ I bet he used to throw a party when another regional route was removed
Traitor, as always.
At different levels with Luxon and Trump, the formula is similar: Deny reality, deny reality. If you do it long enough, you start believing the parallel universe you created for yourself.
Soulless humans.
(and to add to my thoughts this morning, it may be worth reminding the government ministers that women's suffrage and equality were not so long ago seen as "woke" or DEI)
Form of gaslighting or delusion or both. Deny, misrepresent and contradict. Accountability and transparency is impossible in an environment that believes that behavior is ok.
His whiny “why aren’t you thanking me” vibes are giving off JD Vance to me, the saddest of all.
Apparently his nickname in Air NZ was FIGJAM Luxon. Definitely seems to be pursuing that descriptor in his current job it would seem.
What I would say to you.... it's written all over him: "Fuck I'm great, just ask me".
Thanks Bernard, as I read hell and handbaskets kept coming to mind, but a dog and a beach puts all in perspective.
Well, the header image of this morning’s Kaka speaks louder than any words I could ever muster. Nice selection Bernard. If there was ever a photograph that demonstrated Neo-Liberalism’s failure to trickle down this image is about as good as it will ever get. As for Luxon, his imminent (and completely predictable) failure will fracture his psychology and confidence as he desperately (and belatedly)looks in the mirror for answers. Unfortunately, due to his under-developed EQ-i traits - particularly those measuring empathy and self-reflection - he will be unable to reconcile his catastrophic failure. Ironic, because the answer is simple: Luxon is not, has never been, and will never be, a leader. He is simply a ‘B’ grader who worked hard in a global FMCG company and through his solid work ethic and over-pumped persona managed to be promoted way beyond his capability. The result: just look around.
He’s the mythological DEI hire he thinks is happening everywhere else. National and the media hacks decided we needed a white businessman after too many Māori and women, and there he was.
Interesting. Effusive enthusiasm, a seemingly blue chip background, a CV matched to a job description,a less than rigorous recruitment process (guessing here) and voila, Luxon’s career trajectory from FMCG salesman to airline executive to PM is now complete. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Ironically, it was the NZ tax payer’s largesse that made him ‘wealthy and sorted.’ Now, there is nowhere for Luxon to run and nowhere to hide.
Luxon, the "C class" PM.
Gosh, you’re so generous Cristina, ok, I’ll go with ‘C’ too.
Far to GENEROUS Christina and James, a C is considered a pass and Luxon is closer to an F. For FAIL
Luxon, Peters et al are sounding more like Trump every day.
Heaven help us!
And Trump is starting to sound more and more like a dementia patient. His ramblings remind me of my Dad's rapid decline into dementia, its harrowing on so many levels.
So more like Peters then
I always question my own observations of political figures, as a member of the public in this day and age (and maybe before), we only get a slice of who they are and what they do, how the react and what is really going on... so when you observe a Prime Minister pleading for the open media... ‘Why aren’t you saying nice things about us’ you have to start wondering what the fuck they are doing in the position to begin with.
If I could give him any advice right now... start asking yourself, "why the fuck am I doing this... really why?" Because being the Prime Minister is not about the media saying nice things, it's about running the country for all of the citizens.
This libelle issue stinks, it sounds like they jumped on the contract with compass as a desperate attempt to stay afloat. Single director and shareholder company is a huge red flag for this sort of contract. As such the details of who and what and how this contract was negotiated and signed appear not to be following normal government procedures? In my mind ministers shouldn’t be awarding contracts, as this is operational not governance.
In saying this the carrier of the ministerial warrant for education owns it. Stanford has been kept in the dark by Seymour, but it is her ultimate responsibility.
Wouldn't have been one of Seymour's mates? Another exampke of the deep corruption coverwhelming everything this shitty outfit touches.
Is Mr Luxon implying that the coalition government is a meritocracy?
Do you not think Simeon Brown's experience as a bank teller qualify him to be Health Minister?
😝
How does Lyn nail it every time!
Such an observant eye. Fantastic!
The matter of lowering the numbers of people in motels has been camouflaged by a number of factors. Many of the people have moved from motels into houses built under the Labour program. The Nats have ceased this construction program. So that solution is largely gone. If you talk to any of the community agencies working with the poor they will tell you that many of those displaced from motels (and that was an awful temporary solution to a long-term problem of insufficient houses being built by the state and the community sectors) many of these people are now couch surfing, living in cramped shared accommodation, living on the streets or in cars. So, no, Luxon sweeping the poor out of motels through an out-of-site, out-of-mind policy does not deserve a "thank you". It deserves you to be reminded of what your pastor preaches to you "whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren you do to me"
Hi Garry
Do you know if anyone has done a follow up to see what has happened with the motels? Are they now somewhere between full of tourists, or empty?
If anyone is looking for a quick supply of accommodation, then why not charge Airbnb the short-term accommodation levy if it is not owner occupied.
A bloody good question Steve. A lot of motels/hotels changed hands across the Covid, post-Covid timeline, with older tourist focused family operators selling up to new owners laser focused on the reliable Government paid revenue stream as accommodation for ex Australian 501 deportees, Covid/post-Covid housing, post Gabrielle housing etc. The new owners minimised spending on facilities and maintenance etc and tended to look the other way when behavior of 'guests' went sideways. I was travelling through that area a lot for work and learnt which placse to keep away from (same applied to other accomdation across Waikato and Bay of Plenty, but Rotorua got the lions share of the headlines. I also had a former boss who exited the industry, because he was unhappy about how it was changing from being measured as a good host to cutting costs and raising prices.
I met an electrician friend for coffee yesterday. He was rewiring a motel that had been in use as emergency accommodation but was now returning to life as a motel.
I've checked with some community housing providers and people are scared to make public statements as the government is often brutal with its critics behind the scenes. Bishop is all talk about support for the sector. There have been loud announcements about 1500 houses which will be built by the community housing sector. So far 100 have been approved! Here's a link to one article covering the issue https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2503/S00348/kick-back-urgent-review-of-msd-needed-to-prevent-more-rangatahi-sleeping-rough.htm
Oh Garry. Do you mean to say all these devout Christian mininisgter should follow the teachings of the stated religions (Yes, I know most of those evangelical crowds actually worship Mammon over everything else) But....
Most of them study the Old Testament which is full of guilt and fire and brimstone and judging people who are "lesser "than them, who have made it.
What is a meritocracy? I don't know what the word means without googling it. And he wants my vote???
I reckon like woke it's a word that has multiple meanings and becomes more a vibe.
Ultimately it's all a distraction isn't it? Bit of a dead cat strategy to distract from just how poorly this coalition of chaos is performing.
I'm going to snap my optic nerves if I hear anything blather on about woke and meritocracies any more!
It’s a word anti woke people have come up with to make their hatred seem more palatable
Meritocracy as a term was invented by Michael Young, who wrote "The Rise of the Meritocracy" in the late 50s. Its a book about a dystopia and not something to admire.
The fact that so many politicians are ignorant of the origins of the word is mindboggling.
It's the system of people who know whose pockets to piss in to get ahead. We've all worked with them.
Yes exactly it’s rampant in businesses. It’s fascinating seeing it play out in politics like this though, who would’ve guessed being in a public facing role demands actual results and the public see through BS more clearly than boards
Controversial but practical view on the DEI clauses in the Public Service Act. Representative bureaucracy means the public service workforce should reflect the society it serves. In a democratic context, the DEI clauses in the Public Service Act 2020 aimed to ensure the public service better understood and responded to the needs of all citizens, not just those who resembled or had access to Cabinet. However, these clauses were rushed through with minimal testing and scrutiny, and the practical impact on merit and outcomes was never fully explored. IMHO the clauses were a performative gesture: and in practice served to give voice to unelected officials, who were not accountable to the public, and who ended up dominating the policy discourse, all while the system remained closed off to the very communities those people claimed to represent. I would go far to suggest that instead of genuinely reflecting the diversity of the population, they allowed unelected officials to shape policies without meaningful input from the people they were supposed to serve, undermining both democratic accountability and the true spirit of diversity. The lesson: if you want DEI clauses you have to implement them properly.
Diversity and merit are not mutually exclusive, but to implement this across 3,200 agencies and 350,000 people, a clear, practical policy was essential. That is why the clauses were performative rather than transformative. Ends x
1. Gift Luxon a week living as a homeless person, wearing what homeless people wear, without money or toiletries (e.g. none of that moisturiser he showed off on TikTok), no watch, nothing. If he whines about being hungry, give him a marmite sandwich and a small spotty apple. No other food.
2. Feed Seymour on $3.00 school lunches for a week, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Include the melted plastic. No other food.
3. Brown can spend a week working double shifts in the busiest most stressful ED in the country.
4. And Winston? No words yet.
5. The missing word from that heading 'A Complete and Utter ... .) starts with 'cluster'.
Great article Bernard. Thank you.
What exactly have National achieved? Other than tax cuts for rich landlords all they appear to have done is cancel stuff. ACT & NZ First seem to be pushing their agendas but they are hardly a success, schools lunches being an example.
So it’s FIGJAM Luxon from now on!