Although Ardern tried hard to divide Kiwis along every imaginable line for her own political benefit, an inescapable fact is that a profound cultural factor, way bigger than her, unites us all together. We have our roots in making our way through our own industry. When people started to migrate to NZ, whether indigenous or not, they had to depend on themselves, friends and family for survival. There was no welfare state back then. Out of this history, an important part of our culture became the "can-do" attitude - Kiwi ingenuity, the number 8 fencing-wire, practicality - taking calculated risks that many in the Old World had lost. Cut to modern times and this is the current philosophy of the NZ Labour Party, as espoused by its current and former leaders:
"People .. look for light, hope, a fulfillment of their own ambition and they will either find that in political leadership or they will seek out reasons why they have been failed" (Ardern Speech at Bologna University, 1hr 43 mins, Italy, March 2024).
"Governing is about choices" - choosing subsidies to "childcare", "prescriptions", "public transport", "school lunches" (Hipkins - Labour's temporary current leader).
What stupendously depressing words, declaring the only way a human can be fulfilled - can achieve their dreams & ambitions - is dependence on politicians - & should we not achieve them then we will sit on our bums & ask, "Who failed me? Why did those in power not do enough to help me?". What a patronizing view. It does not explain how great nations, like ours, were built. Their formation was not based on creating a dependency culture. The job of politicians is not to make choices for people - their job is to set up a system of rules - create a level playing field - that allows us freedom to make our own decisions. We know what's best for us, not them. Successes & failures follow from our choices. What we share, regardless of ethnicity, is that we don't want to "look for light, hope & fulfillment" from politicians. Ardern should spend time at Harvard reading books - not teaching how to lead from her life experience in Morrinsville & Podium of Truth. Start with some philosophy about how government should protect fundamental rights & liberties, leaving people with the freedom & responsibility to carve their own path in life.
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