Trade should benefit NZ first. Immigration policy should serve the long-term stability of the nation, not the short-term political vanity of ministers. If we keep pretending those two things are unrelated, we should not be surprised when the NZ we wake up to feels less and less like home.
Giving as an output of human labor is better than receiving, because receiving discourages work and work is how one is blessed with the ability to give – so we need to beware of thoughtless, unstructured giving that discourages work.
The very worst thing we can do is to continue down the current path of welfarism and creeping UBI. As a society we need to provide help for those whose jobs disappear to retrain and look for the new opportunities that will arise.
So here’s to the furtive half-pint in the car park, the emergency hip-flask at the Christmas do and the quiet rebellion of those who still believe work should occasionally feel like play. Bottoms up – while we’re still allowed.
Headline wages in Finland and Australia exempt millions of workers, and the loopholes tell us a lot about labor market realities.
At 411,012 in October 2025, New Zealand has the highest absolute number of beneficiaries ever.
The choice is clear: shrink government, or government will consume everything.
The welfare system has evolved from providing a safety net for those genuinely unable to provide for themselves to offering an alternative lifestyle to paid employment.
As policies go, it’s a plus, but barely positive and would rate a one out of 10 in the overall need for real welfare reform.
If you’re a middle manager, AI is coming for your job. Who is safe? Tradies and jobs involving some sort of human creativity or judgement beyond what AI can or will ever do. And we will always need people to work one step above AI. But overall, yes, AI is coming for your job.
If you call your boss stupid and your boss takes offense, he/she ‘the boss’ has every right to can you from working in the office. ‘Free speech’ does not apply to the employee-employer relationship.
Would you employ someone who danced and celebrated the assassination of someone, even if you didn’t like the person who was assassinated? These people have caused actual harm – to their employers, to public trust and to basic decency. The consequences are on them.
It’s difficult not to wonder just how much harm this Millennial parenting might be doing.
The numbers don’t necessarily support the narratives pushed by the likes of RNZ and Stuff who appear intent on winding up anger against the current government.
