A brief review of the week

This is a brief summary so it leaves some things out.

Audrey declared that Luxon was a "man of the world" in a puff piece that told us Luxon liked Ronald Reagan the most of the world leaders he had read about. Audrey was enamoured with how comfortable Luxon is on the world stage and reported that it was the "openness of nations" that Luxon fancied - as well as how Luxon and Winston were in "lockstep" over AUKUS 2.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly backed Palestine's bid to become a UN member - recognising it as qualified and recommending the UN Security council approve this.

Kiwis wondered why electricity Gentailers take generation off line in the coldest snaps of the year - and everyone marvelled at colourful night skies. There were no triffids the next day.

Louise Nicholas waved red flags about cuts making underfunding for sexual abuse support even worse across every district while Matt Doocey hid behind a slogan about "front line services" not being impacted by the cuts at ACC.

The ERA found TVNZ had breached a clause of their collective agreement with staff they were sacking.

Mark Mitchell ( Mr Plod ) was abysmal on Q&A and Jack Tame had to keep repeating "to my question" - do New Zealanders feel safer? OMG what sweet irony. Mr Plod could not answer why he was insulting police with such pathetic pay when he was prioritising $2.9 Billion for landlords and - worse - why if prisons are recruitment schools for gangs - why he was building a mega one?

The Environmental Defence Society said that the fast track consenting bill looked like a road back to pre-Muldoon times and that kiwis will not put up with what the three Beagle Boys - Brown, Jones and Bishop are thinking of doing to our shores and forests.

The last Sunday program on TVNZ was emotional after 22 years and loads of kiwis were gutted. Same over Fair Go.

Craig Renney wrote a compelling article about how the evidence does not line up with Luxon's rhetoric.

The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Waitangi Tribunal Summons - but within one hour the cynical bad faith Luxon led government tabled a bill in recess to prevent Karen pitching up.

Suddenly everyone knew what comity meant and threw that word around as if they were lawyers - including Luxon who had another diabolical round of media interviews on Tuesday morning. Luxon was unable to really explain why he sacked staff in Education only to rehire them on twice the pay as consultants. Luxon doubled down that his bad faith actions were not bad faith and that his 36 actions timetable explained why he tabled that bill.

Mr Plod announced a rebranded National Gang Unit - with no targets and no money behind it. The tough talk made everyone shake their head and set off chat about Gang Patch bans and how that would be policed ( The Wardrobe Police want your jacket ) at a Gang Tangi? Sure sounds like Police are in for some friction and questions remain about mental health call outs - who will do those?

A ridiculous Bill about policing toilet gender was put forward by NZ first...which was just a Populist attack on Transgender people.

Media reported that the Coalition Agreement Pledge to end vaccine mandates that had already ended 1.5 years ago - presented some difficulty ha ha. How will they end something that has already ended?

Dame Jacinda became patron of the Christchurch Call Foundation which was a more sustainable model outside of Government.

So new charter schools - eye roll - no evidence they work but $153 Million ( plus ) in costs for Seymour's ideological neoliberal vanity project. This kicked off chat about whether Labour would scrap these schools and Chippy said he had not seen those contracts yet...so wait and see.

NewsRoom broke the story that Shane Jones ( the self named God of wind - and Pumpkin Head ) had been found out having a secret meeting with West Coast Coal Mining executives about getting their dirty coal projects fast tracked. The meeting was not in Jones’ diary and including two other coal Execs ...oh the face of corruption ...as it found a junior staffer to blame for the diary oversight.

There was bleating from a KC called Judd on the Platform about lawyers having to learn tikanga and Prof Jane Kelsey tried to explain while Oliver Sean Plunket snapped and scowled.

Harry Tam explained the whakapapa of indigenous gangs on BHN and said this National Gang Unit looks like the mistakes of the past playing out again.

The Suicide Prevention Office was gutted of full time staff.

Simeon Brown was exposed for making false statements about the Huia Train service.

Chippy said the $6.5 school lunches kids get - will now be a snack.

NZTA announced it would cut 120 jobs and MPI 391 bring the total to over 4,550.

Luxon gave a tedious pre-budget speech full of talking points and BS.

200 kiwis are stranded as conflicts rage in New Caledonia.

Fonterra got rid of anchor and some other favourite brands.

The NZ Herald tried to make news about Green Party MPs but no other media cared much.

About 1200 housing developments have been paused while Bishop and Sir Bill shuffle paper.

Kieran dominated the flapping flounder on TVNZ Breakfast over the stupidity of tax cuts right now in the economic cycle...just crazy...and just about Willis keeping her job.

A push to legalise all drugs in New Zealand hasn’t come from stoners and the strung-out - it’s backed by 155 academics and experts who say the current regime doesn’t work.

Thomas Coughlan freaked out and tried to make excuses for poor Nicola that Treasury had only warned her of a "structural deficit" the day the Government were sworn in on 27 November. Coughlan suggested that Treasury may not be neutral - but had four fingers pointing back at himself.

OIA papers suggest the Government has been considering copying Singapore who have a huge holding company for State Owned Enterprises. This is the way to sell off state assets and here we go again.

 A Talbot Poll taken between 1-10 May 2024 puts Labour/Greens/TPM back into government by 1 seat - if an election were held now. That's three of the past four polls that say - bye bye Luxon, see ya later Winston and close that door on your way out Seymour.

A brief review of the week

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