Yesterday, after kids got “steam burns” from hot school lunches, came the news of a kid in Gisborne who suffered “second degree burns” after the contents school lunches accidentally splashed on their leg.
I am dismayed by the state of our politics. Most people, including politicians, seem to be consumed with the day to day short-term problems of earning a living, sorting out the roads and pipes and winning the next election. They are incapable or unwilling to invest precious time into reading the huge amount of research and wise writing out there on the train-wreck fast approaching our doomed civilisation as we have known it. Our lifestyles are surely going to change dramatically and shockingly and I am very sad for my grandchildren. The few among us retired folks who invest time in learning about what is happening, around us, to the planet must step up, support any brave and inspirational leaders that pop up and coach our grandchildren in how to face up to what is coming.”
It's a very important comment you make Nigel. Something I said to someone yesterday was what I'm witnessing is also an intentional sowing of extremism in our community on top of everything you've mentioned. And witnessing what happened overseas, I don't believe we can discount that's the goal - society division and the "opportunities" that presents to bad actors.
One of the most significant issues we have as well is from what I'm seeing is whatever one calls them - neoliberals, libertarians, "rich pricks", Atlas Network, Project 2025 - they have a significant theme of being pro fossil fuel and anti-climate.
Yesterday Meta blocked all news about Australia's cyclone for "breaching community standards"
Later it claimed it was a mistake. Note: Meta also "accidentally" blocked #democrats at some recent stage.
And Zuckerberg said he wanted to be an "effective partner" to Trump - that means, as I've mentioned in one of my longer articles before, our reliance on US Technology will be increasingly problematic - if it isn't already.
🙋 To be fair, "politicians" have ALWAYS been consumed with those things - the "civil servants/deep state" is who has always been paid to read the research, write speeches/articles for the politician(s) they work for, and alert them (via advice & briefings on topics) about the "train wreck" & all manner of subjects elected officials are called on to deal with outside of their expertise (in the main). The likes of Seymour, Peters, Jones, Luxon et al are not interested in this kind of "support" necessary to do their jobs to the benefit of their constituents, but only the ideology/opinions of those who "support" them via $$$ 🤷
One of my eccentric work colleagues used the phrase “more sizzle than sausage”, even as a vegetarian I can see that this sums up Luxon perfectly. He also liked “donkey deep” - and despite denials Luxon is an active participant in some of the anti-society moves from his coalition partners
Absolutely agree, Mountain Tui—Luxon is a dead man walking, and the sharks are circling. The real question isn’t if he goes, but when. The May budget is his final, final chance, but even if the numbers improve slightly, it’s hard to see him recovering. National MPs can smell weakness, and they won’t let him drag them down with him.
Seymour isn’t faring much better—ACT’s school lunch mess and ideological rigidity are catching up with him. He’ll go down with ACT if the public turns, but right now, he’s still taking chunks out of Luxon. And then there’s Winston. “I made him Prime Minister”—but for how much longer? NZ First won’t hesitate to cut Luxon loose if he becomes a liability, and Peters will make sure it’s on his terms.
National’s problem? A leadership change could crack the whole coalition wide open. But at this rate, waiting it out might be even worse. Luxon’s already a waka without a paddle—and the current’s only getting stronger.
Fully agree! The other complexity they have, Paul, is that any new leader will be pressured to keep the terms of the - in my view - flawed Coalition negotiation agreement. The fact that Luxon agreed to the TPB process even though ACT never put that forward as a must-have speaks to Luxon's .... lack of substance.
Anyway, I suppose if the new leader is someone like Bishop, he won't care of course - moral fortitude isn't his strong point (having broken a number of laws around Fast-Track) and being a tobacco lobbyist in the past.
I do note that Luxon has finally recognised their treatment of health is a liability and are trying to make signals that they are investing (even as they keep slashing and burning).
I agree, MT, that the existing coalition agreement adds another layer of complexity—wasn’t Bishop heavily involved in those negotiations? National don’t have many good options for an untainted alternative to replace Luxon, so as you say, they may opt for a political pragmatist who can stomach a few dead rats in a ‘reset’. Yes, yet another reset of a reset for health is on the cards… Apparently, more pre-Budget announcements are imminent. Let’s hope they bring real improvements rather than just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
I suspect you wrote your comment reply BEFORE the Weasly Mr. Brown made his big announcement today on the Progress of Privatising the Healthcare System. The Slip of the Lip that we all knew was coming, if they actually admitted their dastardly plans to dump everybody in the Deep End of the Paddling Pool without alternative Insurance cover.
As an add on, I have wondered if Luxon has only survived till now due to Winston occasionally helping him out.. in a weird way, as evidenced by one of Mountain Tui's recent videos on Youtube during question time. It's definitely going to get worse for him too when Seymour is deputy PM.
Yes great point Amy - I’ve often seen Luxon look relieved when Peters steps in to “assist”. Also for the first time the other day I saw Seymour look less confident than usual.
ooh thats interesting re the assists and re Seymour. Seymour does seem more used to the role of being an outside agitator rather than really holding any responsibility. The wheels are falling off the carts too of all his "projects".
Yeah honestly, I can't express how incompetent he is to have messed up this badly. These types of Atlas Network spokespeople (and the National politicians I've seen too) are just "all hat, no cattle".
It was a little refreshing to see his usual smugness get rattled - although I have no doubt they are trained to come back and double down. Toxic.
It's all so shallow and self serving. I hope the incompetence is what does them in. I hope someone eventually fully wipes that revolting smile off his face. I hope dirt that sticks like mud will come to light soon. urgh
Yes Peters helps Luxon out constantly during Question Time but have noticed that this has slowed down of late. And you're absolutely right about Seymour
I'll be pleased if Winston upends the arrangement but I also feel the money behind the scenes is big.
NZ First have clearly to my mind taken fossil fuel and tobacco money (hallmarks of Atlas)
It may be that Winston just starts to give National and ACT more crap but keeps himself in power - unless he has something else to gain....will have to see on this one.
Since the "Send the Mexican's Home" comment, just before the Cook Islands went sideways, Winston has been biting his lip during question time & Shame Jones has been MIA.
This has resulted in Dear Leader losing his Temper and doubling down on blaming Labour for everything that's happened since Rome Burned.
De Luxon's big plan is coming unraveled in broad daylight, which will cause him to be out of Town more often, on Cheerleading Trips to find somebody to Trade with him.
This poses a serious question about what happens when the Training Wheels fall completely off the little Blue Tricycle's that these Clowns are peddling?
Bishop is NOT qualified to run this silly Clown Act. Judith won't be handed another mess to fix before she retires & No Boats wouldn't dare putting her hand up again and making promises she never intended to keep in the 1st place.
The rest of these empty Suits are full of Helium and you'd have to retrieve them from the over head power lines, or low hanging branches to get any one to accept that "Steaming Hot Mantle" to complete their already disastrous Term!
Chippy's announcement of their Strategic Reshuffle to improve Poverty & Employment opportunities going forward to the next Election, may come sooner than any of us think! Prepare to go to the Poles People!
Great post and the hope the opportunity to go to the poles occurs on a daily basis. It used to be a hope but am beginning to think it may become a reality......or at least the change of PM.
I have an additional concern, and that is, since these lunches are hot enough to cause burns to skin when the the containers are opened, then most likely the containers are being heated to a temperature that exceeds the specified safe limits for tin and accepted food grade plastics.
So not only are our tamariki being burned, they are also being poisoned by the packaging.
Great newsletter- you've covered a lot MTui. Thanks for the video link to Jenny Shipley's submission against the TPB. I have never been a fan of hers but her speech was powerful, moving and also offered practical solutions.
Very welcome, and I should stop posting before I get reported for spam :-) Shows how far we've fallen when we need to rely on people like Shipley. The video got a lot of spammed comments.
Over the past few weeks I’ve politely emailed Erica Stanford three times with School Lunches in the subject line and three times my email was rejected by parliamentary services.
"Did you know polling completed last month showed just 25% of New Zealanders oppose the Bill? It is very unlikely that the Prime Minister's office haven't seen this polling. So why are they ignoring the will of the people?"
Has anyone here seen a credible poll suggesting this figure of 25%?
They often use Curia Market Research but I'd ignore it - Curia released a poll last time sayint that - and 1News came out the next day with a polar opposite poll.
Do we trust the industry standard breaching David Farrar or 1News? I know who I trust.
I wouldn't trust a thing that is associated with that Hobsons pledge and I don't believe only 25% oppose the Bill. Their pollsters are very clever at manipulating the questions to get a result that supports them.
🤬 If the parents want to take a civil suit against Seymour/the govt, I would find some $$ to give to their legal fund 💪 And yes, Seymour should be a "named" person, but it is govt policy/Luxon approved so ⁉️
👏 Luxon is indeed a dead-man-walking in political terms, but being as leadership of National in this 3-headed-Taniwha is a poisoned chalice, will he survive by virtue of no-one else wanting to take the leadership role with Seymour & Peters et al dragging their party into all sorts of untenable policies & unpopular fall out ⁉️ I mean, who WANTS to be tarred with feeding kids meals that poison & burn them but don't nourish them, and the increasing stories about people dying or having bad health outcomes due to insufficient resources in hospitals, GP services etc. 😱 Not to mention huge rates increases due to central govt dumping projects/responsibilities on to them such as water infrastructure... The list is endless 🤷
There are always people with huge egos who think they can do what no-one else can so will step up for the "title" of Prime Minister, and in DECENT parties a leader might step up out of care & concern & a genuine belief they can lead a team to make things better, but if you wanted a long-term future in politics would you WANT Luxon's job before the next election 🤔⁉️ Just sayin' 👀
I am dismayed by the state of our politics. Most people, including politicians, seem to be consumed with the day to day short-term problems of earning a living, sorting out the roads and pipes and winning the next election. They are incapable or unwilling to invest precious time into reading the huge amount of research and wise writing out there on the train-wreck fast approaching our doomed civilisation as we have known it. Our lifestyles are surely going to change dramatically and shockingly and I am very sad for my grandchildren. The few among us retired folks who invest time in learning about what is happening, around us, to the planet must step up, support any brave and inspirational leaders that pop up and coach our grandchildren in how to face up to what is coming.”
It's a very important comment you make Nigel. Something I said to someone yesterday was what I'm witnessing is also an intentional sowing of extremism in our community on top of everything you've mentioned. And witnessing what happened overseas, I don't believe we can discount that's the goal - society division and the "opportunities" that presents to bad actors.
One of the most significant issues we have as well is from what I'm seeing is whatever one calls them - neoliberals, libertarians, "rich pricks", Atlas Network, Project 2025 - they have a significant theme of being pro fossil fuel and anti-climate.
Yesterday Meta blocked all news about Australia's cyclone for "breaching community standards"
Later it claimed it was a mistake. Note: Meta also "accidentally" blocked #democrats at some recent stage.
And Zuckerberg said he wanted to be an "effective partner" to Trump - that means, as I've mentioned in one of my longer articles before, our reliance on US Technology will be increasingly problematic - if it isn't already.
🙋 To be fair, "politicians" have ALWAYS been consumed with those things - the "civil servants/deep state" is who has always been paid to read the research, write speeches/articles for the politician(s) they work for, and alert them (via advice & briefings on topics) about the "train wreck" & all manner of subjects elected officials are called on to deal with outside of their expertise (in the main). The likes of Seymour, Peters, Jones, Luxon et al are not interested in this kind of "support" necessary to do their jobs to the benefit of their constituents, but only the ideology/opinions of those who "support" them via $$$ 🤷
Luxon is a living example of why we shouldn't raise our children on marmite sandwiches.
I tried not to smile.
😜🤣
😱👀😁😂🤣👏
One of my eccentric work colleagues used the phrase “more sizzle than sausage”, even as a vegetarian I can see that this sums up Luxon perfectly. He also liked “donkey deep” - and despite denials Luxon is an active participant in some of the anti-society moves from his coalition partners
Excellent point. Yes. He is behind the most regressive policies of this group.
Absolutely agree, Mountain Tui—Luxon is a dead man walking, and the sharks are circling. The real question isn’t if he goes, but when. The May budget is his final, final chance, but even if the numbers improve slightly, it’s hard to see him recovering. National MPs can smell weakness, and they won’t let him drag them down with him.
Seymour isn’t faring much better—ACT’s school lunch mess and ideological rigidity are catching up with him. He’ll go down with ACT if the public turns, but right now, he’s still taking chunks out of Luxon. And then there’s Winston. “I made him Prime Minister”—but for how much longer? NZ First won’t hesitate to cut Luxon loose if he becomes a liability, and Peters will make sure it’s on his terms.
National’s problem? A leadership change could crack the whole coalition wide open. But at this rate, waiting it out might be even worse. Luxon’s already a waka without a paddle—and the current’s only getting stronger.
Fully agree! The other complexity they have, Paul, is that any new leader will be pressured to keep the terms of the - in my view - flawed Coalition negotiation agreement. The fact that Luxon agreed to the TPB process even though ACT never put that forward as a must-have speaks to Luxon's .... lack of substance.
Anyway, I suppose if the new leader is someone like Bishop, he won't care of course - moral fortitude isn't his strong point (having broken a number of laws around Fast-Track) and being a tobacco lobbyist in the past.
I do note that Luxon has finally recognised their treatment of health is a liability and are trying to make signals that they are investing (even as they keep slashing and burning).
I agree, MT, that the existing coalition agreement adds another layer of complexity—wasn’t Bishop heavily involved in those negotiations? National don’t have many good options for an untainted alternative to replace Luxon, so as you say, they may opt for a political pragmatist who can stomach a few dead rats in a ‘reset’. Yes, yet another reset of a reset for health is on the cards… Apparently, more pre-Budget announcements are imminent. Let’s hope they bring real improvements rather than just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
I suspect you wrote your comment reply BEFORE the Weasly Mr. Brown made his big announcement today on the Progress of Privatising the Healthcare System. The Slip of the Lip that we all knew was coming, if they actually admitted their dastardly plans to dump everybody in the Deep End of the Paddling Pool without alternative Insurance cover.
Correct - I did write that comment BEFORE the health announcement.
Excellent. I wish I found Mountain Tui sooner.
As an add on, I have wondered if Luxon has only survived till now due to Winston occasionally helping him out.. in a weird way, as evidenced by one of Mountain Tui's recent videos on Youtube during question time. It's definitely going to get worse for him too when Seymour is deputy PM.
Yes great point Amy - I’ve often seen Luxon look relieved when Peters steps in to “assist”. Also for the first time the other day I saw Seymour look less confident than usual.
ooh thats interesting re the assists and re Seymour. Seymour does seem more used to the role of being an outside agitator rather than really holding any responsibility. The wheels are falling off the carts too of all his "projects".
Yeah honestly, I can't express how incompetent he is to have messed up this badly. These types of Atlas Network spokespeople (and the National politicians I've seen too) are just "all hat, no cattle".
It was a little refreshing to see his usual smugness get rattled - although I have no doubt they are trained to come back and double down. Toxic.
It's all so shallow and self serving. I hope the incompetence is what does them in. I hope someone eventually fully wipes that revolting smile off his face. I hope dirt that sticks like mud will come to light soon. urgh
Yes Peters helps Luxon out constantly during Question Time but have noticed that this has slowed down of late. And you're absolutely right about Seymour
I'll be pleased if Winston upends the arrangement but I also feel the money behind the scenes is big.
NZ First have clearly to my mind taken fossil fuel and tobacco money (hallmarks of Atlas)
It may be that Winston just starts to give National and ACT more crap but keeps himself in power - unless he has something else to gain....will have to see on this one.
Since the "Send the Mexican's Home" comment, just before the Cook Islands went sideways, Winston has been biting his lip during question time & Shame Jones has been MIA.
This has resulted in Dear Leader losing his Temper and doubling down on blaming Labour for everything that's happened since Rome Burned.
De Luxon's big plan is coming unraveled in broad daylight, which will cause him to be out of Town more often, on Cheerleading Trips to find somebody to Trade with him.
This poses a serious question about what happens when the Training Wheels fall completely off the little Blue Tricycle's that these Clowns are peddling?
Bishop is NOT qualified to run this silly Clown Act. Judith won't be handed another mess to fix before she retires & No Boats wouldn't dare putting her hand up again and making promises she never intended to keep in the 1st place.
The rest of these empty Suits are full of Helium and you'd have to retrieve them from the over head power lines, or low hanging branches to get any one to accept that "Steaming Hot Mantle" to complete their already disastrous Term!
Chippy's announcement of their Strategic Reshuffle to improve Poverty & Employment opportunities going forward to the next Election, may come sooner than any of us think! Prepare to go to the Poles People!
I dont think you should underestimate Tricola's arrogance tbh
Great post and the hope the opportunity to go to the poles occurs on a daily basis. It used to be a hope but am beginning to think it may become a reality......or at least the change of PM.
I have an additional concern, and that is, since these lunches are hot enough to cause burns to skin when the the containers are opened, then most likely the containers are being heated to a temperature that exceeds the specified safe limits for tin and accepted food grade plastics.
So not only are our tamariki being burned, they are also being poisoned by the packaging.
Yes, it's all depressingly awful. And the preservatives in that nutritionless slap is unforgiveable as a daily lunch....
This is sackable in any other job in the world, I imagine.
I'm certain that both Luxon and Seymour would be sacking someone and demanding a refund if this was done to them, THEN they would take it personally.
It is personal values that separate Luxon and Seymour from Aotearoa New Zealand.
For Aotearoa, those kids ARE us, those parents ARE us, those teachers ARE us, those local businesses ARE us, those school communities ARE US.
Very true....it's a values difference
Great newsletter- you've covered a lot MTui. Thanks for the video link to Jenny Shipley's submission against the TPB. I have never been a fan of hers but her speech was powerful, moving and also offered practical solutions.
Very welcome, and I should stop posting before I get reported for spam :-) Shows how far we've fallen when we need to rely on people like Shipley. The video got a lot of spammed comments.
Cheers Alfred.
Over the past few weeks I’ve politely emailed Erica Stanford three times with School Lunches in the subject line and three times my email was rejected by parliamentary services.
Did they give you a reason, Anna?
That "Hobson's Pledge" nonsense contained this:
"Did you know polling completed last month showed just 25% of New Zealanders oppose the Bill? It is very unlikely that the Prime Minister's office haven't seen this polling. So why are they ignoring the will of the people?"
Has anyone here seen a credible poll suggesting this figure of 25%?
They often use Curia Market Research but I'd ignore it - Curia released a poll last time sayint that - and 1News came out the next day with a polar opposite poll.
Do we trust the industry standard breaching David Farrar or 1News? I know who I trust.
I wouldn't trust a thing that is associated with that Hobsons pledge and I don't believe only 25% oppose the Bill. Their pollsters are very clever at manipulating the questions to get a result that supports them.
Yep - look no further than Curia's history
🤬 If the parents want to take a civil suit against Seymour/the govt, I would find some $$ to give to their legal fund 💪 And yes, Seymour should be a "named" person, but it is govt policy/Luxon approved so ⁉️
👏 Luxon is indeed a dead-man-walking in political terms, but being as leadership of National in this 3-headed-Taniwha is a poisoned chalice, will he survive by virtue of no-one else wanting to take the leadership role with Seymour & Peters et al dragging their party into all sorts of untenable policies & unpopular fall out ⁉️ I mean, who WANTS to be tarred with feeding kids meals that poison & burn them but don't nourish them, and the increasing stories about people dying or having bad health outcomes due to insufficient resources in hospitals, GP services etc. 😱 Not to mention huge rates increases due to central govt dumping projects/responsibilities on to them such as water infrastructure... The list is endless 🤷
There are always people with huge egos who think they can do what no-one else can so will step up for the "title" of Prime Minister, and in DECENT parties a leader might step up out of care & concern & a genuine belief they can lead a team to make things better, but if you wanted a long-term future in politics would you WANT Luxon's job before the next election 🤔⁉️ Just sayin' 👀