For a country that likes to call itself ‘practical’, New Zealand has drifted into a political culture where feelings routinely beat facts. Emotional narratives now outweigh evidence and the loudest outrage often decides policy. Politicians tiptoe around sensitivities while ignoring reality – and the consequences are piling up.
Emotional policy making has become the norm. Across almost every major issue – crime, welfare, education, immigration, free speech – the script is predictable: start with a touching anecdote, wrap it in a slogan about ‘kindness’, remove the inconvenient data and then label anyone who questions it as ‘extreme’ or ‘uncaring’. It looks like compassion but functions as theatre.
This feelings-first approach is eroding our ability to solve hard problems. Rising crime, falling literacy, welfare dependency and an economy weighed down by regulation are not accidents – they’re the predictable result of policy built on atmospheres rather than evidence.
Empathy has its place. But empathy without accountability creates dysfunction. Retail crime proved this. For years, shoplifting was dismissed as a ‘youth mistake’ while retailers were left to absorb the damage. Only relentless pressure from business owners, police and a handful of advocates finally forced the conversation back to reality. How many other parts of our system are still stuck in the same fantasy?
Fear of causing offence now outranks fear of failure. Politicians across the spectrum are terrified of saying anything that might upset someone online. Entire departments now operate as though their top priority is avoiding backlash. The result? Hard truths go unsaid, broken systems stay broken and problems fester because no one wants to look ‘mean’.
This culture rewards polished vagueness and punishes honesty. That’s how we end up with glossy strategy documents that tick boxes but fix nothing.
The public is already ahead of the politicians. Ordinary New Zealanders are tired of theatre. They see the real-world outcomes: kids leaving school unable to read and lacking numeracy, businesses closing after repeated crime, taxes rising while services decline, welfare dependency deepening and rules that make life harder without solving anything.
People want competence and accountability – not comforting slogans. They want leaders who can say, ‘This isn’t working – here’s how we fix it.’
We don’t need louder politics. We need braver politics. New Zealand doesn’t need another round of culture wars. It needs leaders willing to:
- Tell the truth, even when unpopular
- Make decisions based on evidence, not atmospheres
- Prioritise long-term results over short-term applause.
That’s not harsh – it’s responsible. Because when feelings replace facts, the country drifts. And for too long, New Zealand has been drifting in every direction except forward.
It’s time to demand better – a political culture grounded in reason, accountability and results. Only then will New Zealand start moving in the right direction again.
