I think it’s entirely possible that all this will continue following the next election.
The dismantling of policy and systems, the fear and division, the undermining of the voice of the press points to one goal: power. Power isn’t a three-year only endeavour.
I think it’s entirely possible some in opposition are planning to coast in six months out and swoop to victory.
I think it’s entirely possible that normalisation of corruption and erosion of our current values will be long underway by then.
I think it’s entirely possible we might not quite recognise ourselves, almost a year in.
What we’re seeing is the Trump 2016 playbook. It’s the NHS privatisation playbook.
It’s twenty things happening quietly in the background while one thing appears as a headline - or a dead cat.
It’s the ideology that can’t be combated with shame or moral authority, which don’t matter when the goal is power.
It’s the countless experts sounding the alarm.
It’s the normalcy bias that expects that surely there are mechanisms in place and people in charge who will be able to prevent the point of collapse.
It’s the fact that we are collapsing in a hundred small ways and large, every day.
I think it’s reasonable to be scared, to be furious, to be disheartened. It’s reasonable to assume those feelings are of benefit to people whose goal is power.
And, to assume the erosion currently occurring is nothing compared to the erosion that another term would bring.
Just this week, Health New Zealand has scrapped the highest Code Black alert used by some emergency departments to show when they are critically overcrowded or understaffed - a strong signal that hiding the problem is now the same thing as solving the problem.
Just this week, RNZ reported on “internal Te Whatu Ora documents detailing options to raise the "fragility level" for entry into aged care, and to remove some levels of in-home support, such as housework, meal preparation and shopping for people with mobility problems or recovering from illness” - a strong signal that the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff has been removed entirely.
And just this week, there was some pondering in the Herald about the remarkable extent of coverage focusing on David Seymour, which was an interesting read given the fact he has been featured in headlines for many years with enthusiastic participation from media, without reflection.
I think it’s entirely possible that the call might be coming from inside the house, especially on the occasions where there seems to be little difference between, say, coverage of the 2016 Trump campaign and verbatim coverage now without context, critique or concern.
There was also some writing about Luxon’s political naïveté playing a part in the current state of the nation:
“Hate and mistrust will grow. All because a deal he took to get into power took precedence over his values.”
If someone is pursuing hate and mistrust and you’re in a position to oppose that activity, and consistently do not, at the very least there is clear implicit acceptance through silence and at the other end of the spectrum, complete endorsement.
I think it’s entirely possible to challenge political narratives that only serve the politician.
I think it’s entirely possible to critique rapidly escalating harm.
When the Venn diagram of “values” between coalition partners is actually just a circle, silence is complicity.
Apologism: A defence or excuse; a speech or written answer made to justify someone.
Sometimes I wonder at what point we are going to challenge and prevent harmful policy and behaviour, rather than justify it.
Sometimes I wonder how cycles of abuse and harm continue for years, decades, lifetimes - and how often it’s because someone keeps looking the other way.
Writing that I’ve encountered lately that challenges harmful behaviour and policy:
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/08/31/anne-salmond-whats-the-matter-with-the-treaty-principles-bill/
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/08/23/geoffrey-palmer-lurching-towards-constitutional-impropriety/
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/09/08/officials-raise-alarm-after-mckee-makes-rapid-gun-law-change/
The thought just struck me, with what's happening in the world, the polarisation, the rule of law nationally or internationally meaning absolutely nothing........(think of all the places in the world bullies are active and killing willy nilly at the moment).....the thought was with our shite government (NZ) and some of the world's goverments...think complicit and compliant, think Israel, Russia and others,
this is the age of bullies................bullies. Words are hollow and cheap, and people are afraid to stand up for what is right...................one could be tempted have a low level shame about humanity, and these things way out of our control.............or are they?
A great read for thinking and caring kwiws.I feel this, our household feels this. Indeed such is the utter anger at this shite government, that last night a member of our household joined the Labour Party, as an expression of anger and utter disgust with this coalition governments actions in Aotearoa NZ. The cuts and abandoning of good people. This government has no heart or conscience..........it has a bank acc. and masters, who aren't like us normal mortal kiwis. The NZ government mirrors some or the shite GOp issues and solutions., Tis all about the rich, fear and looking after landlords...........we are angry, we are not silent!