Really.

I’m staggered at how bad this government is.
Take this pitiful offering for example. How did she ever get to be elected?

Or the amount of legislation that is passed under urgency – a quite staggering amount, deliberately chosen to stifle debate and circumvent the processes specifically set up to avoid bad law. Seventeen separate Acts where the vitally crucial Select Committee stage has been avoided. It’s well known that without the Select Committees having had a chance to think through the finer points of the proposed law, only Bad Law results. Grant Robertson and David Farrar have joined hands as a stand on this one: that shows that there are some serious issues, if those two have got together! So, what have we got?

There’s the Copyright law, pushed through a couple of days ago, which subjugates NZ rights to the bullshit demands of American corporations.

There’s the Canterbury Earthquake legislation, which allows CERA to ignore every rule and guideline on the books, and do whatever the hell they want. That’s an extraordinary powerful piece of legislation – without parallel in NZ history except in cases of war – and all to avoid having to discuss or consult. I’m surprised that they didn’t incorporate the ability to set the death penalty while they were at it – or perhaps they have, and no one knows it yet.

They even passed a bill for National Standards in Schools, which is a fantastically pointless right-wing piece of ideology that leaves the realms of logic and practicality far behind. Well worthy of debate: but passed in a twinkling, sans debate.

Then there was the Privacy Act. The 90-day Rule. The Taxation (Urgent Measures and Annual Rates) Bill. Sentencing (Offences Against Children) Amendment Bill. Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill – that’s the one where they sacked all the elected officials because they wouldn’t pass allow dairy farmers to keep expanding water use over the Canterbury plains. Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill. That was a shocker, especially with the axing of the 2 token maori seats, and that has come back to bite National in the bum in a big way… Never leave Rodney Hide / Hyde to do your dirty work for you. The list goes on – and the full list is here at Granny Herald.

Sigh.

Not that I am enamoured of the Opposition either, mind you. It seems obvious to the whole country, except for one man, that Goff has the charisma of a snail and will never win the election and never run the country – he’s the straw man put into the unenviable position of trying to take the shoes of Helen Clark. He will be replaced immediately after the next election, without a doubt – there is no-one wanting to take the poisoned chalice of Labour Leader at this late stage of the game. After the Election, after the Wugby, an obligatory knife-fight by Labour luvvies will turf him out if he has not already fallen on his sword.

In the mean time, I continue to be staggered. Normal urban discussion transmission may be resumed at some stage in the future.

Post-script: Updated for reasons apparent only in the comments section below. What building triggers memories of Kylie’s hotpants for you?

Fish

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