Jacinda Ardern, “the conscience of the world … not afraid to tackle big moral issues on the global stage”? The same Jacinda Ardern who locked her country up for months on end, stopped people travelling home, relentlessly bullied people in to useless face masks, and vindictively persecuted the “unvaccinated”, doubling down on the “safe and effective” narrative even as it collapsed all around her? The same Jacinda Ardern who refused to engage with any critical voices in the media, who shut down debate, and who claimed her captured, deluded government was the only source of truth on public health matters? That one?
Honestly it makes me nauseous that this sanctimonious, unthinking, self-parody of a plastic, rudderless, manipulated politician is still lauded by people who should know better as some sort heroic paragon of progressive virtue. No wonder then she wants to “show some respect” to the CCP – like them, the only thing she really seems to really value is power. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
She lit a match, burned our country down, and walked away with a smug smile on her face. I’m not sure I ever really, properly loathed a person until I had the misfortune of being a citizen under her governance.
She lit a match, burned our country down, and walked away with a smug smile on her face. I’m not sure I ever really, properly loathed a person until I had the misfortune of being a citizen under her governance.
Andrew Horsman
10 months ago
Jacinda Ardern, “the conscience of the world … not afraid to tackle big moral issues on the global stage”? The same Jacinda Ardern who locked her country up for months on end, stopped people travelling home, relentlessly bullied people in to useless face masks, and vindictively persecuted the “unvaccinated”, doubling down on the “safe and effective” narrative even as it collapsed all around her? The same Jacinda Ardern who refused to engage with any critical voices in the media, who shut down debate, and who claimed her captured, deluded government was the only source of truth on public health matters? That one?
Honestly it makes me nauseous that this sanctimonious, unthinking, self-parody of a plastic, rudderless, manipulated politician is still lauded by people who should know better as some sort heroic paragon of progressive virtue. No wonder then she wants to “show some respect” to the CCP – like them, the only thing she really seems to really value is power. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Julian Pellatt
10 months ago
Jacinda Ardern – dreadful woman, representative of a dreadful political elite including Nicola Sturgeon, Justin Trudeau, etc.
Julian Pellatt
10 months ago
Jacinda Ardern – dreadful woman, representative of a dreadful political elite including Nicola Sturgeon, Justin Trudeau, etc.
Billy Bob
10 months ago
Not entirely sure what this article is to do with Ardern to be honest, except to say the new leader has prioritised different areas of policy to those of his predecessor, something that happens with any change of leadership in any country.
It’s a strange article that seems to state that NZs housing is too expensive (it is) whilst simultaneously complaining about falling house prices. He’s correct about the lacklustre opposition however, the only policies they’ve released so far are ones that will push up house prices even further, whilst making it easier for investors to outbid first time buyers and avoid paying capital gains taxes
And many articles in many countries report on change in policy between predecessor and successor and success thereof.
Last edited 10 months ago by Lesley van Reenen
Billy Bob
10 months ago
Not entirely sure what this article is to do with Ardern to be honest, except to say the new leader has prioritised different areas of policy to those of his predecessor, something that happens with any change of leadership in any country.
It’s a strange article that seems to state that NZs housing is too expensive (it is) whilst simultaneously complaining about falling house prices. He’s correct about the lacklustre opposition however, the only policies they’ve released so far are ones that will push up house prices even further, whilst making it easier for investors to outbid first time buyers and avoid paying capital gains taxes
Nicky Samengo-Turner
10 months ago
Nicknamed by my Kiwi mates ” Bird brained Beaver” with a ” Don’t let her chew all the trees in your stream to make a lodge”…
Living in NZ I’ve never once heard that saying, and I’m not entirely sure what it means. Seeing as we don’t have beavers it would be a strange analogy so I’m not sure it’s entirely correct
I’ve not heard it either Billy, may be a thing among Kiwi expats. She was widely and deeply loathed towards the end so plenty of other choice descriptors, though probably best not repeated here.
We’re now more divided, poorer, sicker, less well educated and housed, infrastructure failing and crime through the roof . Her reign was a disaster on every level. The essay above doesn’t cover half the monumental c**k-ups and failings.
Are we really though? Housebuilding is at record levels, wages have increased by 25% in 6 years, we now have more doctors and nurses per capita than we did 6 years ago. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the Covid policies, the fact is we spent less time in lockdown than most other developed nations and inflation is much less than America, UK or Europe.
While socially she was bit too lefty for my tastes and far too timid to take on the vested interests in the property market, I certainly came out of he reign better off than I did John Keys
Are we really though? Housebuilding is at record levels, wages have increased by 25% in 6 years, we now have more doctors and nurses per capita than we did 6 years ago. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the Covid policies, the fact is we spent less time in lockdown than most other developed nations and inflation is much less than America, UK or Europe.
While socially she was bit too lefty for my tastes and far too timid to take on the vested interests in the property market, I certainly came out of he reign better off than I did John Keys
I’ve not heard it either Billy, may be a thing among Kiwi expats. She was widely and deeply loathed towards the end so plenty of other choice descriptors, though probably best not repeated here.
We’re now more divided, poorer, sicker, less well educated and housed, infrastructure failing and crime through the roof . Her reign was a disaster on every level. The essay above doesn’t cover half the monumental c**k-ups and failings.
Living in NZ I’ve never once heard that saying, and I’m not entirely sure what it means. Seeing as we don’t have beavers it would be a strange analogy so I’m not sure it’s entirely correct
Nicky Samengo-Turner
10 months ago
Nicknamed by my Kiwi mates ” Bird brained Beaver” with a ” Don’t let her chew all the trees in your stream to make a lodge”…
Philip Burrell
10 months ago
“Restrictive planning regulations, insufficient rates of housing construction and a tax and regulatory regime that favours property investors over owner-occupiers have all created this crisis. And on each of these factors, successive governments have failed to conjure remedy. As a result, young people are priced out of the market, and a record number of citizens — almost 1% of the population — are homeless. Meanwhile, the top 10% of the population control 50% of the wealth, while the bottom 20% hold 1%. No wonder some commentators are warning that New Zealand is becoming a country of “the landed gentry”.
New Zealand’s problems are not limited to housing. The country experiences shamefully high rates of child poverty, its health system struggles with perennial staffing shortages, its infrastructure faces a $210 billion funding deficit, and its waterways are among the most polluted in the developed world, with nearly 60% of rivers carrying pollution above acceptable levels. The persistent failure of the country’s leaders to address these problems led to Ardern’s election in 2017, as she promised to tackle these deep-seated sources of disadvantage; her failure to do so spurred her already declining popularity before she resigned earlier this year. Once Hipkins took over, many hoped his back-to-basics approach would finally see some progress, and he was initially rewarded with a boost to his, and his government’s, popularity.”
And here is me thinking that people emigrated from UK to NZ for a better life, not to endure the exact same problems! Have they had 13 years of Tory misrule as well?
No, but we did have almost 10 years of Osbourne style austerity which unfortunately was implemented competently, and in many ways was actually worse.
The previous government sold off the railways for not being cost effective, so all freight was then moved by road. This was done at the same time as a reduction in the highways budget so the roads fell into disrepair.
The state/council houses were sold on the cheap to investors and no new one built which led to people living in cars and motels. A lack of capital gains taxes meant capital flooded into property pushing prices out of reach of workers. Immigration was used to suppress wages and farmers were given the green light to let tonnes of nitrates leach into the rivers without having to contribute to the clean up costs. All the while the government borrowed money to give a tax cut to high earners by slashing the top rate, and hit the poor by increasing GST (VAT).
The biggest failure of Ardern was her cowardice in tackling these problems. Despite be given a large majority she squandered the goodwill by simply tinkering around the edge and sticking rigidly to a Blairite centrism. She had a few victories such as an increase in wages, more apprenticeships and record numbers of houses being built but it simply wasn’t enough
Sorry BB, you can’t just go making stuff up to suit your agenda.
The railways were sold in 1993 and re-nationalised in 2004 – nothing to do with the previous government and at no time was “all freight moved by road”
The Ardern government’s promised 100,000 new homes; just one of the many fails. NZ Herald June ’22: “Kāinga Ora, the government’s housing arm has demolished more houses in 2022, than it built, according to data from the department.
Information from the Government Housing Dashboard reveals 202 houses have been demolished since January, while just 193 have been built, a net loss of nine homes.” Genius!
Meanwhile folk are praying Kainga Ora don’t put their tenants next door and completely fail to deal with the consequent carnage. NZ Herald:
“Failed marriages, deteriorating mental health and terrifying threats of violence and death. These are the harrowing stories from innocent Kiwis whose lives are being destroyed by nightmare state house neighbours.
A Herald investigation has highlighted the plight of countless homeowners and renters around the nation whose once peaceful lives have been turned into living hells.
Gangs, drugs, obscenities, police callouts and savage beatings have become daily fodder for hardworking families or law-abiding state housing tenants unlucky enough to be living next to our most unsavoury and anti-social citizens.
Some have spoken of armed police callouts, murder investigations and chronic drug use. Others have detailed grievous threats, unbearable noise hygiene issues and hoarding”
There isn’t a single thing that isn’t much worse. Sorry.
Sorry BB, you can’t just go making stuff up to suit your agenda.
The railways were sold in 1993 and re-nationalised in 2004 – nothing to do with the previous government and at no time was “all freight moved by road”
The Ardern government’s promised 100,000 new homes; just one of the many fails. NZ Herald June ’22: “Kāinga Ora, the government’s housing arm has demolished more houses in 2022, than it built, according to data from the department.
Information from the Government Housing Dashboard reveals 202 houses have been demolished since January, while just 193 have been built, a net loss of nine homes.” Genius!
Meanwhile folk are praying Kainga Ora don’t put their tenants next door and completely fail to deal with the consequent carnage. NZ Herald:
“Failed marriages, deteriorating mental health and terrifying threats of violence and death. These are the harrowing stories from innocent Kiwis whose lives are being destroyed by nightmare state house neighbours.
A Herald investigation has highlighted the plight of countless homeowners and renters around the nation whose once peaceful lives have been turned into living hells.
Gangs, drugs, obscenities, police callouts and savage beatings have become daily fodder for hardworking families or law-abiding state housing tenants unlucky enough to be living next to our most unsavoury and anti-social citizens.
Some have spoken of armed police callouts, murder investigations and chronic drug use. Others have detailed grievous threats, unbearable noise hygiene issues and hoarding”
There isn’t a single thing that isn’t much worse. Sorry.
No, but we did have almost 10 years of Osbourne style austerity which unfortunately was implemented competently, and in many ways was actually worse.
The previous government sold off the railways for not being cost effective, so all freight was then moved by road. This was done at the same time as a reduction in the highways budget so the roads fell into disrepair.
The state/council houses were sold on the cheap to investors and no new one built which led to people living in cars and motels. A lack of capital gains taxes meant capital flooded into property pushing prices out of reach of workers. Immigration was used to suppress wages and farmers were given the green light to let tonnes of nitrates leach into the rivers without having to contribute to the clean up costs. All the while the government borrowed money to give a tax cut to high earners by slashing the top rate, and hit the poor by increasing GST (VAT).
The biggest failure of Ardern was her cowardice in tackling these problems. Despite be given a large majority she squandered the goodwill by simply tinkering around the edge and sticking rigidly to a Blairite centrism. She had a few victories such as an increase in wages, more apprenticeships and record numbers of houses being built but it simply wasn’t enough
Last edited 10 months ago by Billy Bob
Philip Burrell
10 months ago
“Restrictive planning regulations, insufficient rates of housing construction and a tax and regulatory regime that favours property investors over owner-occupiers have all created this crisis. And on each of these factors, successive governments have failed to conjure remedy. As a result, young people are priced out of the market, and a record number of citizens — almost 1% of the population — are homeless. Meanwhile, the top 10% of the population control 50% of the wealth, while the bottom 20% hold 1%. No wonder some commentators are warning that New Zealand is becoming a country of “the landed gentry”.
New Zealand’s problems are not limited to housing. The country experiences shamefully high rates of child poverty, its health system struggles with perennial staffing shortages, its infrastructure faces a $210 billion funding deficit, and its waterways are among the most polluted in the developed world, with nearly 60% of rivers carrying pollution above acceptable levels. The persistent failure of the country’s leaders to address these problems led to Ardern’s election in 2017, as she promised to tackle these deep-seated sources of disadvantage; her failure to do so spurred her already declining popularity before she resigned earlier this year. Once Hipkins took over, many hoped his back-to-basics approach would finally see some progress, and he was initially rewarded with a boost to his, and his government’s, popularity.”
And here is me thinking that people emigrated from UK to NZ for a better life, not to endure the exact same problems! Have they had 13 years of Tory misrule as well?
Horace Rumpole
10 months ago
Can I just say how delighted I am that I am not the only kiwi unherd reader!
Horace Rumpole
10 months ago
Can I just say how delighted I am that I am not the only kiwi unherd reader!
Nicky Samengo-Turner
10 months ago
Ahh.. Hipkins mi. Mr Carstairs has confiscated your conkers for playing with them in Maths class…
Nicky Samengo-Turner
10 months ago
Ahh.. Hipkins mi. Mr Carstairs has confiscated your conkers for playing with them in Maths class…
Jacinda Ardern, “the conscience of the world … not afraid to tackle big moral issues on the global stage”? The same Jacinda Ardern who locked her country up for months on end, stopped people travelling home, relentlessly bullied people in to useless face masks, and vindictively persecuted the “unvaccinated”, doubling down on the “safe and effective” narrative even as it collapsed all around her? The same Jacinda Ardern who refused to engage with any critical voices in the media, who shut down debate, and who claimed her captured, deluded government was the only source of truth on public health matters? That one?
Honestly it makes me nauseous that this sanctimonious, unthinking, self-parody of a plastic, rudderless, manipulated politician is still lauded by people who should know better as some sort heroic paragon of progressive virtue. No wonder then she wants to “show some respect” to the CCP – like them, the only thing she really seems to really value is power. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
She lit a match, burned our country down, and walked away with a smug smile on her face. I’m not sure I ever really, properly loathed a person until I had the misfortune of being a citizen under her governance.
She lit a match, burned our country down, and walked away with a smug smile on her face. I’m not sure I ever really, properly loathed a person until I had the misfortune of being a citizen under her governance.
Jacinda Ardern, “the conscience of the world … not afraid to tackle big moral issues on the global stage”? The same Jacinda Ardern who locked her country up for months on end, stopped people travelling home, relentlessly bullied people in to useless face masks, and vindictively persecuted the “unvaccinated”, doubling down on the “safe and effective” narrative even as it collapsed all around her? The same Jacinda Ardern who refused to engage with any critical voices in the media, who shut down debate, and who claimed her captured, deluded government was the only source of truth on public health matters? That one?
Honestly it makes me nauseous that this sanctimonious, unthinking, self-parody of a plastic, rudderless, manipulated politician is still lauded by people who should know better as some sort heroic paragon of progressive virtue. No wonder then she wants to “show some respect” to the CCP – like them, the only thing she really seems to really value is power. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Jacinda Ardern – dreadful woman, representative of a dreadful political elite including Nicola Sturgeon, Justin Trudeau, etc.
Jacinda Ardern – dreadful woman, representative of a dreadful political elite including Nicola Sturgeon, Justin Trudeau, etc.
Not entirely sure what this article is to do with Ardern to be honest, except to say the new leader has prioritised different areas of policy to those of his predecessor, something that happens with any change of leadership in any country.
It’s a strange article that seems to state that NZs housing is too expensive (it is) whilst simultaneously complaining about falling house prices. He’s correct about the lacklustre opposition however, the only policies they’ve released so far are ones that will push up house prices even further, whilst making it easier for investors to outbid first time buyers and avoid paying capital gains taxes
And many articles in many countries report on change in policy between predecessor and successor and success thereof.
And many articles in many countries report on change in policy between predecessor and successor and success thereof.
Not entirely sure what this article is to do with Ardern to be honest, except to say the new leader has prioritised different areas of policy to those of his predecessor, something that happens with any change of leadership in any country.
It’s a strange article that seems to state that NZs housing is too expensive (it is) whilst simultaneously complaining about falling house prices. He’s correct about the lacklustre opposition however, the only policies they’ve released so far are ones that will push up house prices even further, whilst making it easier for investors to outbid first time buyers and avoid paying capital gains taxes
Nicknamed by my Kiwi mates ” Bird brained Beaver” with a ” Don’t let her chew all the trees in your stream to make a lodge”…
Living in NZ I’ve never once heard that saying, and I’m not entirely sure what it means. Seeing as we don’t have beavers it would be a strange analogy so I’m not sure it’s entirely correct
I’ve not heard it either Billy, may be a thing among Kiwi expats. She was widely and deeply loathed towards the end so plenty of other choice descriptors, though probably best not repeated here.
We’re now more divided, poorer, sicker, less well educated and housed, infrastructure failing and crime through the roof . Her reign was a disaster on every level. The essay above doesn’t cover half the monumental c**k-ups and failings.
Are we really though? Housebuilding is at record levels, wages have increased by 25% in 6 years, we now have more doctors and nurses per capita than we did 6 years ago. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the Covid policies, the fact is we spent less time in lockdown than most other developed nations and inflation is much less than America, UK or Europe.
While socially she was bit too lefty for my tastes and far too timid to take on the vested interests in the property market, I certainly came out of he reign better off than I did John Keys
Are we really though? Housebuilding is at record levels, wages have increased by 25% in 6 years, we now have more doctors and nurses per capita than we did 6 years ago. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the Covid policies, the fact is we spent less time in lockdown than most other developed nations and inflation is much less than America, UK or Europe.
While socially she was bit too lefty for my tastes and far too timid to take on the vested interests in the property market, I certainly came out of he reign better off than I did John Keys
I’ve not heard it either Billy, may be a thing among Kiwi expats. She was widely and deeply loathed towards the end so plenty of other choice descriptors, though probably best not repeated here.
We’re now more divided, poorer, sicker, less well educated and housed, infrastructure failing and crime through the roof . Her reign was a disaster on every level. The essay above doesn’t cover half the monumental c**k-ups and failings.
Living in NZ I’ve never once heard that saying, and I’m not entirely sure what it means. Seeing as we don’t have beavers it would be a strange analogy so I’m not sure it’s entirely correct
Nicknamed by my Kiwi mates ” Bird brained Beaver” with a ” Don’t let her chew all the trees in your stream to make a lodge”…
“Restrictive planning regulations, insufficient rates of housing construction and a tax and regulatory regime that favours property investors over owner-occupiers have all created this crisis. And on each of these factors, successive governments have failed to conjure remedy. As a result, young people are priced out of the market, and a record number of citizens — almost 1% of the population — are homeless. Meanwhile, the top 10% of the population control 50% of the wealth, while the bottom 20% hold 1%. No wonder some commentators are warning that New Zealand is becoming a country of “the landed gentry”.
New Zealand’s problems are not limited to housing. The country experiences shamefully high rates of child poverty, its health system struggles with perennial staffing shortages, its infrastructure faces a $210 billion funding deficit, and its waterways are among the most polluted in the developed world, with nearly 60% of rivers carrying pollution above acceptable levels. The persistent failure of the country’s leaders to address these problems led to Ardern’s election in 2017, as she promised to tackle these deep-seated sources of disadvantage; her failure to do so spurred her already declining popularity before she resigned earlier this year. Once Hipkins took over, many hoped his back-to-basics approach would finally see some progress, and he was initially rewarded with a boost to his, and his government’s, popularity.”
And here is me thinking that people emigrated from UK to NZ for a better life, not to endure the exact same problems! Have they had 13 years of Tory misrule as well?
No, but we did have almost 10 years of Osbourne style austerity which unfortunately was implemented competently, and in many ways was actually worse.
The previous government sold off the railways for not being cost effective, so all freight was then moved by road. This was done at the same time as a reduction in the highways budget so the roads fell into disrepair.
The state/council houses were sold on the cheap to investors and no new one built which led to people living in cars and motels. A lack of capital gains taxes meant capital flooded into property pushing prices out of reach of workers. Immigration was used to suppress wages and farmers were given the green light to let tonnes of nitrates leach into the rivers without having to contribute to the clean up costs. All the while the government borrowed money to give a tax cut to high earners by slashing the top rate, and hit the poor by increasing GST (VAT).
The biggest failure of Ardern was her cowardice in tackling these problems. Despite be given a large majority she squandered the goodwill by simply tinkering around the edge and sticking rigidly to a Blairite centrism. She had a few victories such as an increase in wages, more apprenticeships and record numbers of houses being built but it simply wasn’t enough
Sorry BB, you can’t just go making stuff up to suit your agenda.
The railways were sold in 1993 and re-nationalised in 2004 – nothing to do with the previous government and at no time was “all freight moved by road”
The Ardern government’s promised 100,000 new homes; just one of the many fails. NZ Herald June ’22: “Kāinga Ora, the government’s housing arm has demolished more houses in 2022, than it built, according to data from the department.
Information from the Government Housing Dashboard reveals 202 houses have been demolished since January, while just 193 have been built, a net loss of nine homes.” Genius!
Meanwhile folk are praying Kainga Ora don’t put their tenants next door and completely fail to deal with the consequent carnage. NZ Herald:
“Failed marriages, deteriorating mental health and terrifying threats of violence and death. These are the harrowing stories from innocent Kiwis whose lives are being destroyed by nightmare state house neighbours.
A Herald investigation has highlighted the plight of countless homeowners and renters around the nation whose once peaceful lives have been turned into living hells.
Gangs, drugs, obscenities, police callouts and savage beatings have become daily fodder for hardworking families or law-abiding state housing tenants unlucky enough to be living next to our most unsavoury and anti-social citizens.
Some have spoken of armed police callouts, murder investigations and chronic drug use. Others have detailed grievous threats, unbearable noise hygiene issues and hoarding”
There isn’t a single thing that isn’t much worse. Sorry.
Sorry BB, you can’t just go making stuff up to suit your agenda.
The railways were sold in 1993 and re-nationalised in 2004 – nothing to do with the previous government and at no time was “all freight moved by road”
The Ardern government’s promised 100,000 new homes; just one of the many fails. NZ Herald June ’22: “Kāinga Ora, the government’s housing arm has demolished more houses in 2022, than it built, according to data from the department.
Information from the Government Housing Dashboard reveals 202 houses have been demolished since January, while just 193 have been built, a net loss of nine homes.” Genius!
Meanwhile folk are praying Kainga Ora don’t put their tenants next door and completely fail to deal with the consequent carnage. NZ Herald:
“Failed marriages, deteriorating mental health and terrifying threats of violence and death. These are the harrowing stories from innocent Kiwis whose lives are being destroyed by nightmare state house neighbours.
A Herald investigation has highlighted the plight of countless homeowners and renters around the nation whose once peaceful lives have been turned into living hells.
Gangs, drugs, obscenities, police callouts and savage beatings have become daily fodder for hardworking families or law-abiding state housing tenants unlucky enough to be living next to our most unsavoury and anti-social citizens.
Some have spoken of armed police callouts, murder investigations and chronic drug use. Others have detailed grievous threats, unbearable noise hygiene issues and hoarding”
There isn’t a single thing that isn’t much worse. Sorry.
No, but we did have almost 10 years of Osbourne style austerity which unfortunately was implemented competently, and in many ways was actually worse.
The previous government sold off the railways for not being cost effective, so all freight was then moved by road. This was done at the same time as a reduction in the highways budget so the roads fell into disrepair.
The state/council houses were sold on the cheap to investors and no new one built which led to people living in cars and motels. A lack of capital gains taxes meant capital flooded into property pushing prices out of reach of workers. Immigration was used to suppress wages and farmers were given the green light to let tonnes of nitrates leach into the rivers without having to contribute to the clean up costs. All the while the government borrowed money to give a tax cut to high earners by slashing the top rate, and hit the poor by increasing GST (VAT).
The biggest failure of Ardern was her cowardice in tackling these problems. Despite be given a large majority she squandered the goodwill by simply tinkering around the edge and sticking rigidly to a Blairite centrism. She had a few victories such as an increase in wages, more apprenticeships and record numbers of houses being built but it simply wasn’t enough
“Restrictive planning regulations, insufficient rates of housing construction and a tax and regulatory regime that favours property investors over owner-occupiers have all created this crisis. And on each of these factors, successive governments have failed to conjure remedy. As a result, young people are priced out of the market, and a record number of citizens — almost 1% of the population — are homeless. Meanwhile, the top 10% of the population control 50% of the wealth, while the bottom 20% hold 1%. No wonder some commentators are warning that New Zealand is becoming a country of “the landed gentry”.
New Zealand’s problems are not limited to housing. The country experiences shamefully high rates of child poverty, its health system struggles with perennial staffing shortages, its infrastructure faces a $210 billion funding deficit, and its waterways are among the most polluted in the developed world, with nearly 60% of rivers carrying pollution above acceptable levels. The persistent failure of the country’s leaders to address these problems led to Ardern’s election in 2017, as she promised to tackle these deep-seated sources of disadvantage; her failure to do so spurred her already declining popularity before she resigned earlier this year. Once Hipkins took over, many hoped his back-to-basics approach would finally see some progress, and he was initially rewarded with a boost to his, and his government’s, popularity.”
And here is me thinking that people emigrated from UK to NZ for a better life, not to endure the exact same problems! Have they had 13 years of Tory misrule as well?
Can I just say how delighted I am that I am not the only kiwi unherd reader!
Can I just say how delighted I am that I am not the only kiwi unherd reader!
Ahh.. Hipkins mi. Mr Carstairs has confiscated your conkers for playing with them in Maths class…
Ahh.. Hipkins mi. Mr Carstairs has confiscated your conkers for playing with them in Maths class…