…even for National, this is a pork barrel cronyism that is jaw dropping in its audacity and cynicism.
As most Kiwis are weighed down by the cost of living crisis, this Government are ramming through controversial decisions that are self interested and spiteful.
Even Right Wing ‘all-tribe-no-village’ Hate Trolls will find defending this decision a challenge.
In 1943, NZs Ambassador to America, Sir George Laking, reflected on the surprising ability of the NZ Government to pass authoritarian powers against the citizens of NZ with little to no resistance from Kiwis by saying, “Much that was accomplished in those early years was possible only because of the absence of any detailed or sustained public interest in the issues”.
We have become experts in a hyper laid back culture of turning a blind eye.
Remember – there is no depression in NZ, or corruption and we don’t know how lucky we are.
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Officials warned their minister in no uncertain terms:
The “potential savings” in the stormwater project were “unclear,” as was the final cost of the bridge.
They warned that it was not “prudent” to proceed.
Crucially, HUD “did not believe that the bridge directly enabled housing as the stormwater infrastructure would.”
And most damningly, officials flagged the “reputation or precedent risk”. This is the polite, bureaucratic language for “Minister, this looks corrupt and sets a terrible example”.
The deal was also rammed through so quickly in March that “Treasury did not have time to take an official view”. This is a classic tactic to avoid the fiscal watchdog.
Bishop, of course, ignored them all, telling The Post he saw it as a “pragmatic response”. This “pragmatism,” echoed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, is a weaponised word. The truly pragmatic advice was from HUD: don’t raid a critical housing project for a non-housing one with unclear costs. Bishop’s “pragmatism” was purely political. It was pragmatic for him to deliver a visible project to his own voters.
https://nzagainstthecurrent.blogspot.com/2025/11/th-e-pork-barrell-politics-of-chris.html
Let’s not forget that our current government loathe any form of transport that doesn’t involve a car.
They’ve scrapped cycleways elsewhere and don’t want to fund them in the future.
And apparently pedestrians are third rate citizens worthy of being choked to death by the incoming tide of filthy cars this government just welcomed.
So … Why the fuck does Bishop get special treatment?
Also, are they putting a memorial in for his dad and the sausage roll he never got?
So one day he takes money off the homeless the next day he allows gas guzzlers back on the market . Aotearoa must be the thickest people on the planet because we are now being dictated too on a daily basis by morons whose biggest crime will be to underestimate the thickest people on the planet. One senses that Luxon’s days are numbered with all this hasty unnecessary law making before Christmas,a blue brochure in the letter box, Peters having a very senior moment and Seymour almost reverting to form where Peters is concerned and the cost of the new ferry’s is not really the cost of the new ferries. Lastly lets have a quiet moment of reflection for Carlos Chung’s tears he who has just seen the light that his cosy days of being a backbencher is coming quickly to an end and no more nodding waving and smiling at the camera and getting paid big bucks for said privilege is over “ OH DEAR NEVER MIND “
Yes, we got our blue brochure in our letterbox, and my partner and I immediately saw it as a sign of desperation as was the large billboard in Petone featuring Bishop as if he was the only person involved in the Melling link. And we still have a long way to go before our election and yet the CoCs have already switched into campaign mode.
Many months before the 2023 election I saw the election banners up in our area for the Wannabe National MP Paulo Garcia.
This was Long Before the banners were actually Legally Allowed. Garcia could hardly claim He Did Not Know because he would have known. But sadly enough NZers are an apathetic lot but I am getting the feeling the Long Sleep of Apathy is nearing an End and Patience towards this government.
National, ACT and NZ First LOVE to blame someone else but themselves but this sort of problem on their part shows them up for how bad they are. They cannot think of policies but instead resort to Blame Games. I am sure many NZers are completely fed up to the back-teeth of THEIR Blame-Games. If they cannot Grow Up and Be Adults then they should Not Play Any Part in decision making here in NZ.
Since he became yet another Troughing MP in National he may as well be like Luxon i.e an often Missing In Action, Part-time MP for National.
I am so hoping whenever and however soon the next election is that National, ACT and NZ First have a huge Thrashing at the time because They All Well Deserve it. Karma is a Dish Best Served cold.
When it comes to this decision by the Minister of Housing who is also the Minister of Transport it all reeks strongly of Hypocrisy.
In fact Bishop is doing a Bill English. Remember Bill English whilst Minister of Finance approved for an $8million bridge in his Electorate. Remember he was also knows as the Double Dipping MP for Dipton.
It does seem when it comes to Self-Serving and Troughing on the NZ Taxpayers Teats like Bishop, Luxon, English and so many others that they manipulate finances for their OWN intent and purposes.
Bishop will be depending upon votes at the next election and in a Vote Buying Bribe in his electorate he will proudly proclaim that he, out of caring and consideration of his electorate, has done so much for HIS electorate and for the country.
Who knows but he might in some money-making racket make the bridge a Toll Bridge where ONLY the wealthy like him can use so he doesn’t have to mix and mingle with the “Great Unwashed” as National tends to call low income NZers.
Money well spent.
So it’s Bishop’s turn now and surprise, surprise yet another corrupt, egomaniac. Amazing how the likes of him try to “justify” their desperate, and dishonest actions. Again, extremely short time-frame – without consultation and lacking transparency. How can’t Kiwis see how far this CoC is prepared to go to get what they “personally” want, not need? NZ has an extreme shortage of affordable housing but Bishop has chosen to ignore that – afterall it only applies to those at the bottom of the heap! Why are we not screaming louder and where the hell is our media on this – pretending it’s not happening, hoping it will go away? The appalling treatment of decent folk in NZ has to stop now. I eventually forced myself to look inside National’s despairing blue propaganda brochure and gasped at the lies and mis-information it contained. It was jam-packed with utter Bullsh&t and wishful thinking. The fact that Luxon has brought this out now shows he believes a snap election is imminent, so has moved to campaign mode. The pamphlet is a veritable clown show and the final straw. If he has any pride left he should fall on his sword NOW.
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