GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – On hypocrisy

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Greens co-leader James Shaw has apologised for backing an $11.7 million grant to an exclusive private school saying it “was an error of judgment”

Yes it was – but it takes courage to admit you have made a mistake and that’s something very rare in politics.

Let’s at least acknowledge his admission of error , let’s accept the apology and move on.

Now, if we coud just get Labour to apologise for introducing neoliberal economics (that allows the few to exploit the many) and National,with Winston Peters as Treasurer in the Bolger government, for putting it on steroids.

And if we could get NZ First, Labour and National to apologise for signing Trade deals that included ISDS clauses in them that mean it’s going to be difficult to stop things like exploitative water bottling (are you listening Judith?)… then we might move forward to being a fairer more equitable country.

Bryan Bruce is one of NZs most respected documentary makers and public intellectuals who has tirelessly exposed NZs neoliberal economic settings as the main cause for social issues.

16 COMMENTS

  1. While they are at it, the liars and agents for corporate looting had better apologise to THEIR OWN CHILDREN for completely stuffing up their futures (and everybody else’s). And that apology for hypocrisy should include Jacinda, of course.

    [Speaking about the climate change which is actually Planetary Meltdown] “This is our nuclear-free moment.”

    How about: “It’s time to get serious about climate change.”

    Yeah right!

    But not me and not now. And not this government because we have to get the economy moving again. And we have to get the roads projects completed. And then there’s the ultra-rich trans-national yachting party to consider. How many millions shall we throw at that to promote economic growth? Make it $30 million for a start.

    As George Carlin succinctly put it: “It’s all bullshit. And it’s bad for you.”

    Misquoting Shakespeare: Looting and polluting by any other name is still looting and polluting.
    And a fucked-up planet by any other name is still a fucked-up planet.

    Hey, but let’s not worry about fine details like this:

    Daily CO2
    Sep. 1, 2020: 411.93 ppm

    Sep. 1, 2019: 408.23 ppm

    or this:

    WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

    ‘The unthinkable consequences of global warming’

    https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/

    After all, if the consequences of global warming are ‘unthinkable’, we’d better not think about them, say our politicians. All of them.

    • @afewknowthetruth…..reality is not an impediment to their ongoing destruction of our planet, they will not be happy until they have extracted every last bit of mineral out of the earth destroying the ecosystem and all sentient beings that depend on it. It’s the corporates we need to have a movement against because as you rightly point out our govt won’t do anything and Jacinda’s up to her neck in crocodiles at the moment and whilst she is the lesser of two evils and Id rather her there then the other lot she ain’t gonna do what’s right for NZ’s, although we need to see what she does by returning labor with an overwhelming majority, to see if they are listening to us.
      I was watching Chris Hedges last night and something he said about power that people need to take back power from Govt that is the only way we take down power structures and force the Govt to start taxing these corporates (Fonterra et al) and making them pay for their destruction. Power begets power, it must be taken because it certainly won’t be given back to its rightful owners the people.

      • Chris Hedges described large areas of America as sacrifice zones, places that are left to rot by corporations and governments because they have no further use for them or ravaged by corporations because there is still something of short-term value that can be extracted.

        I think the term applies just as well in NZ; large areas that are left to rot because the corporations and government have no further use for them, or ravaged by corporations because there is still something of short term value to be extracted.

        And everything gets sacrificed to the gods of consumption.

        I must find that cartoon again, the one that has a a speaker at a company meeting announcing that times are apocalyptic but the management team sees plenty of opportunities for profit.

      • TB. Jacinda is the best of two evils, but is evil. Jacinda is pleasant and says the right things but not much change happens because of incompetence. National is evil but bulldozers ahead and does stuff you don’t like. But actually does something. So your choice is listening to nice stuff but not much change. OK then.

        • We did not come to bulldoze, we come to learn. Rest assured we (and by we I mean regulars at the daily blog) will not interfere in the natural development of The National Party. When we see them next to the new Parliament I would like to see them order the state quits stealing babies.

        • The people of Christchurch may disagree that National “does stuff” although they would agree that National “does stuff up”.

          “National is evil but bulldozers ahead and does stuff you don’t like.
          And you say this like it’s a good thing?
          Any examples, any at all and no building roads doesn’t count.

          • Bulldoze sounds like you are doing demolition work New view. And you have admitted your party is evil and will bulldoze everything that is precisely why they will be sitting in the backbenches for another three more years.

          • This Chch person s very glad we had National in power at the time of the earthquake. Mistakes were made but like our present situation it was all new .
            EQC had 2 full time staff at the time of the first quake. Thinks were done and could seen to be done by the government . Over the years it is the council that has fallen down on the job. This was agreed today by both Poto Williams and Gerry Brownlee. National were very successful in the election that followed both earthquakes so it shows many were happy that they allowed them to move on as quickly as possible.For some they are still battling insurance companies but that situation has not changed with a change of government

  2. ”Now, if we coud just get Labour to apologise for introducing neoliberal economics (that allows the few to exploit the many) and National,with Winston Peters as Treasurer in the Bolger government, for putting it on steroids. And if we could get NZ First, Labour and National to apologise for signing Trade deals that included ISDS clauses in them that mean it’s going to be difficult to stop things like exploitative water bottling (are you listening Judith?)… then we might move forward to being a fairer more equitable country”…
    ———————————–
    Yes, its time they all ate a shit sandwich with no relish and apologized, then set about reversing it. They’ve had their 36 years in the sun shafting and exploiting us all with impunity but the fun’s over. We are about to enter into a major recession and guess who the collectives fingers are going to be pointing squarely at…

    So screw all these political bastards and their 1%er mates, Now, if we coud just get Labour to apologise for introducing neoliberal economics (that allows the few to exploit the many) and National,with Winston Peters as Treasurer in the Bolger government, for putting it on steroids.

    And if we could get NZ First, Labour and National to apologise for signing Trade deals that included ISDS clauses in them that mean it’s going to be difficult to stop things like exploitative water bottling (are you listening Judith?)… then we might move forward to being a fairer more equitable country.

    ——————————-

    Yes and its time they all ate a shit sandwich with no relish and apologized and then reversed it. They’ve had their 36 years fun in the sun ripping us all off and exploiting us with their bullshit about ‘we should be glad we have a low wage economy because that encourages foreign investment’…

    Well screw the foreign investment, screw their shit low wage lies and pay up you thieving bastards!

    There is 36 years of back-payments owed to each and every worker they ripped off deliberately and knowingly when balanced against the REAL TIME costs of living. How they were allowed to get away with this ongoing grand theft is beyond the pale. And that’s both politicians and the 1%ers collaborating…

    Its time they were given a take down.

    Any politician advocating this sicko neo liberal ideology from here on in should be voted out and shamed publicly for being anti New Zealander.

  3. Lange and his government went into an economic desert. There were some real smooth-taking and ultimately set serving charmers in the rip shit and bust business: A Gibbs, Brierley Fay and Richwhite and some real bright commercial lawyers spring quickly to mind. The rippers all paralysed the Labour government of the day into playing things very much their way. When simple people are wined and dined and filled with scotch in opulent board rooms, the poor fools have their intellects paralysed.
    NZ was very much raided and plundered. Continued under Shonkey and the gang.

  4. And next they should buy back our electricity companies, or come up with a convincing explanation as to why so many New Zealanders can no longer afford to keep warm in winter while they try to figure out the cheapest time to use a washing machine or do the ironing.

    The local MED’s had efficient one-stop shop providers, and depriving them of that income, and our own people of such a basic necessity, is morally indefensible.

    Wellington Electricity is owned by the richest man in Hong Kong, 23rd richest man in the world, while Wellingtonians shiver in winter cold. Nice and warm in the Cook Islands, are you, Mark Blumsky ?
    Max Bradford tottering down in his walking frame to sit in the local library to keep warm ?
    Any children afflicted with third world medical conditions now, and why ?

    • But that’s the problem buying back the power Co’s would put hundreds of high paid CEO’s, advertising and marketing excec’s and regulators back on the dole. Privatisation was merely a disguised social welfare system funded by our need for electricity.

  5. Key was an elected criminal along with the entire National caucus and if there was any real justice he and the rest of his henchmen should be serving time in a NZ jail with their knighthoods removed.

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