The heckler wasn’t just some random punter exercising his rights. He’s a vociferous DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) spokesman for Tonkin + Taylor, a company that prides itself on ‘inclusivity’ and professionalism, especially when dealing with Government clients like KiwiRail.
Here we are, six months into this farce, with no end in sight. National’s dithering, Labour is hand-wringing and Te Pāti Māori’s still strutting around like they own the place. If this is what passes for leadership in 2025, God help us all.
In the end, van Velden’s word wasn’t the scandal. The real scandal is a left so intellectually bankrupt they’d rather debate diction than policy. They’ve lost the plot and, thanks to van Velden’s deft move, everyone can see it.
This is classic Edwards: cherry-picking facts to fit a narrative while ignoring the messy reality of policy-making and the equally potent influence of his preferred lobbyists.
The pay equity debate didn’t sink because of one word. It sank because the left have nothing else to offer. And you, Ian Taylor, are too busy polishing their shoes to see it.
The lesson here? If the legacy media wants to sling slurs and gendered insults, they’d better be ready for the blowback. And if they’re going to cry foul when someone like van Velden fights back, they might want to take a long, hard, look in the mirror.
In episode four of the Good Oil Podcast, Cam chats with Penny Marie, founder of Let Kids Be Kids NZ, on gender ideology, school transparency and why parents need to reclaim their voice. A bold, honest conversation about education and its direction.
RNZ’s hit piece is less about uncovering truth and more about pushing a narrative. They’re happy to amplify state-funded lobbyists like HCA while vilifying industry players, all under the guise of public interest.
The pay equity debacle is a wake-up call. Luxon can either heed it or keep bumbling along until the voters decide they’ve had enough.
