RNZ Catches up on News Reported Here Over a Month Ago
Let’s hope if the coalition survives the 2026 election, ACT gets to exercise far more influence in this area. Two forgotten words desperately in need of rehabilitation – Personal Responsibility.
Employment
‘Feels Like a Kick in the Guts’
“This is part of an unfortunately familiar pattern of local manufacturing shutting down across Aotearoa. We’ve seen it with Carter Holt Harvey at Eves Valley, Sealord in Nelson, Kinleith Pulp and Paper, and now Heinz Wattie’s.”
The Good but Misplaced Intentions of Modern Slavery Laws
Proponents of such laws mean well. But, in my view, many policy makers in rich nations have little understanding of working conditions in poor countries or how humans respond to incentives. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
The Ideological Capture of Our Health Sector
The Nursing and Medical councils make political views compulsory.
Get Rid of the Sole Parent Benefit
Get rid of the sole parent benefit. Lift aspirations for those mothers and better outcomes for their children will follow.
The Great Gen X Layoff
The Forgotten Generation struggles to prepare as retirement approaches.
Babblers, Cops and Quacks
The sometimes dark – but often amusing – origins of nicknames for jobs.
We Are Importing Timber From Other Countries
Removing local supply for furniture, flooring, cladding, joinery, and structural applications does not eliminate demand – it displaces it offshore.
This Is Fueling Identity Theft
Employers not using E-Verify can be easily fooled, according to several experts, as fake documents have become increasingly sophisticated and artificial intelligence is helping criminals, too.
The India Deal We Never Voted For
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.
Work, Welfare and the Illusion of Eden
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.
Why Is the Right Promoting Idleness?
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.
The Toppling of the Work Tipple
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.