Category: Guest Posts
A free and independent press is a critically important foundation to any democracy. Without it, governments can go unchecked and the rule of law will suffer. One only has to see the events in Hong Kong over the last two years to see the impact on a society where the influence of the press has been extinguished.
The apparent kindness of locking down to limit Covid-19 deaths will, instead, be killing more people by making us poorer - lockdowns are one of our greatest peacetime policy failures.
The Level 4 lockdown imposed on March 25 2020 in New Zealand was the world’s most restrictive set of closure and containment policies at the time.
I acknowledge that police surveillance and monitoring are key components in community safety and national security. But they do not result in rehabilitation. In fact, they could arguably encourage reoffending.
What other councils do around New Zealand is up to them however engagement with all ratepayers and a public referendum in every district would allow our residents and ratepayers who have along with their families over generations paid for these three water assets to make the decision to opt in or out.
My first reaction to the "compelling" financial benefits claimed by Minister Mahuta was scepticism, for two reasons. First, the figures seem too good to be true. And second, as someone familiar with discounted cash flow analysis, I'm aware that minor "adjustment" to an underlying assumption can result in a significantly different result - the difference between a favourable or unfavourable recommendation.
The Judicial oath requires the newly appointed judge to discharge the office “without fear or favour affection or ill will.” It is well established that any criticism of a judge’s decisions should be moderate, factual, and tempered with respect. The consequences of a loss of public confidence in the office of Judge are incalculable.
Poor outcomes are given as concrete and conclusive evidence. This is simply not the case for most Māori. Their living standards have improved enormously, as has equality of opportunity.
The Climate Change Minister James Shaw has published a Risk Assessment of the effects of global climate change on New Zealand during the next 5 years. It is a massive document which which will form the basis of a National Adaptation Plan in the next few months. This Plan is expected to “transform the economy” and have major impacts on private property rights.
As the firestorm over the professors’ letter shows, New Zealand science is indeed being engulfed by the post-modern mantra that there is no such thing as objective truth. And it is also clear that anyone who dissents must be silenced
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