Wow.
I mean.
Wow.
David Seymour has just gone where few NZ Politicians dare to ever go – he just criticised China!
Stop interfering in NZ’s internal affairs: Act Party Leader to Chinese Consulate General
Act Party leader David Seymour has sent a strongly worded letter to the China Consulate General in Auckland, accusing it of interfering with New Zealand’s internal affairs.
The Consul General released a public statement last week condemning Hong Kong democracy protests at the University of Auckland and praised students who confronted protesters for their “spontaneous patriotism”.
Seymour also noted reports that the Consulate General had also written to the Vice-Chancellor of AUT University asking that commemoration of the Tiananmen Square protests not go ahead.
This is righteous! I’m no fan of David Seymour, but I have to say, this extraordinary political courage – to actually criticise China attempting to meddle in our internal affairs, and the manner in which he guided the Euthanasia Bill through has made me see Seymour in a different light.
While I am utterly opposed to the original Euthanasia Bill, he has refined it to a point I believe I could accept, and he did that with real skill and diplomacy.
That leadership over the Euthanasia Bill coupled with this new spine in standing up to China means I think he could rebuild the ACT brand.
Well played Mr Seymour. Well played.
Is it really strong political courage or is it an act for someone desperate to get back into parliament
The former, he’s always been the only candidate to put both National AND Labour in their place, plus he’s already in parliament and was put there by Epsom, either way does it matter? This is an important subject that needs to be brought up!
David Seymour’s recent challenge to the NZ Chinese Consulate General regarding China’s interference in NZ is a bold move indeed, for any politician to make!
Although I am definitely not an ACT supporter, never will be, I do support Seymour’s action in this instance. China seems to be manoeuvring its way into NZ’s internal affairs, as it is throughout the Pacific, points which cannot be ignored.
The recent fine tuning and clarification of the terms of Seymour’s Euthanasia Bill, has my support. It’s past form presented too many grey areas for my liking, leaving gaps open for abuse.
The Chinese Consulate’s response to Seymour’s communication should be at the very least, interesting! I guess the directive for that will come from the hierarchy in mainland China.
The Chinese may well ask David who ??????
It’s not very bold when you have no political power and will suffer no consequences for speaking out. DS said this precisely because there will be no blowback.
Amazing, it does seem to be a bold move by Seymore. Maybe it’s curtains if ACT doesn’t drum up some differentiation and not all Chinese agree with the mainland Chinese government. Very well played.
He seems like a decent guy but for some reason he cant just connect…maybe he needs to pitch Act as the party to keep National honest
“Yeah! He bought me this massive dido, and I got reamed man!”
David Seymour is the MP for Epsom. In the 2013 census, 57 per cent of the electorate was Asian, and a big chunk of that are Chinese. So he may well encounter some blowback from those of his constituents who don’t like the Chinese govt being criticised.
And whether you like his politics or not, Seymour is a highly principled man. He turned down an offer of a ministerial position from John Key because he didn’t want to abandon his End of Life Choice Bill, which he would have been obliged to do.
Critics like to pass him off as a dope or a wally, but as Martyn says, he has shepherded the assisted dying bill through Parliament carefully and thoughtfully and with regard to the concerns of its critics.
He’s far smarter than many like to give him credit for but he doesn’t take himself too seriously, as his turn on DWTS showed.
He is the only MP in Parliament I can think of who robustly defends free speech. I have never voted for Act but I think Parliament would be a much poorer place without him.
Seymour is perhaps the only NZ politician I have any real respect for even though I can’t imagine ever voting for him.
“Well played” Fuck off! That wanker couldn’t play footsie with a fucking octipus wearing work boots.
Big bad seymour, the twerk master’s simply sucking ‘merican cock who, under trumps steerage is trying to ignite a war with anyone to re start the fed reserve. The Chinese will do, the Russians at a pinch, the Iranians? They’re foreign and they’re a bit different aren’t they, so they’ll do? Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!
Wait…wait? Little bit of sick!
Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!Yuk!
BTW? That ‘WOW’ you meant? Should save that for when the yanks start world war 3.
I have never thought Seymour was a dullard bit of a dick at times and can be arrogant but not stupid just misguided when it comes too supporting the entrenchment of the neo liberal stranglehold.
And supporting policies that have been totally discredited.
He totally blew his re launch when it was an opportunity to re brand his tired ACT party and make it relevant like in Prebble’s heyday.
He does respond to emails requesting information unlike a number of other parties in parliament and outside as well.
I totally support this action against the Chinese who have got away for too long in meddling in our affairs.
Now if David could take this fight to stop our water being plundered for nothing which is a highly emotive issue he would get that lift in support he so desperately wants and change the whole political game overnight.
“I totally support this action against the Chinese who have got away for too long in meddling in our affairs.”
Well when New Zealand signed up with 21 other countries to condemn China over Xinjiang, that was not ‘meddling’ in the affairs of China?
I think David Seymour is a good guy –he’s certainly not a racist, but he has made the wrong call on this one. He should get a proper translation of the statement put out by the consulate – the Chinese version emphasises the need for both mainland and hong kong students to base their expressions on the basis of respect for the laws of New Zealand and the regulations of Auckland university.
In terms of `courage` the point is what he says is of little consequence —if Ardern or Peters have to think of far wider implications if they said this sort of thing.
When one is a political minnow one can say all sorts of things and no one really cares. When you are big enough to be responsible for the economic well-beign and livelihood of real people, it is a different matter.
Must be one of the few political parties left in this country not getting ‘party donations’ from the Chinese.
Even 5 eyes wants to kick us out of the intelligence network because NZ politicians are being influenced by Chinese cash.
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