Monday, September 7 and what a contrast in announcements. Judith Collins in Napier says methamphetamine harm will no longer be put in the “too hard basket” in a Government under her watch. She announced the party’s plan which will tackle supplies coming into prisons, target organised crime networks, increase drug dogs at airports and establish a $50 million contestable fund for reduction programmes.
Meanwhile in Rotorua Jacinda Ardern announced Matariki would now be a public holiday. Whoop de doo! According to the Herald, she kicked off her election campaign with this announcement. Kicked off her campaign, that’s a joke! She did that back in March with her daily COVID comedy routine.
Now, having trashed the economy with her little red book of mainly nonsensical COVID rules she decides to keep going down the road to ruination. Of course, having no understanding of the economic consequences of absolutely anything, in her little mind it will be one more day that doesn’t matter.
Contrast the two announcements. We have one addressing a serious matter which affects people’s lives, their jobs and as a result the productive side of the economy. The other announcement also affects the productive side of the economy by adding a twelfth pubic holiday in the year. Twelve working days is nearly two weeks of non-productivity. Ardern says as she’s travelled around New Zealand she’s heard calls for Matariki to become a public holiday. Oh really? From whom? Don’t tell me, I can guess.
Ardern said it will be a distinctly New Zealand holiday and a time for reflection, celebration and to look to the future as we take increasing pride in our unique national identity. She said Matariki has become a time of celebration, not just for Maori, but for many New Zealanders across Aotearoa. Excuse me, but I’m just about choking on the amount of BS that emanates from this woman’s mouth. It would, of course, be either on a Monday or a Friday. It’s important to make a long weekend out of it.
The National Party’s policy on tackling methamphetamine will increase funding for the Health, Police and Customs authorities to identify drugs coming into the country. Dr Shane Reti said National will reduce demand by improving the health response and introducing new treatment options. Simon Bridges said there must also be a strong response from law and order agencies to disrupt meth entering the country. Good intelligence and international co-operation will be a priority under National.
On the same day we had two very different announcements. One aiming to try and get to grips with a serious problem while the other simply gives everyone a day off. Essentially what we have here is substance over spin. I expect this will be the story of the election campaign.
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