Because the NZ Labour party have long since stopped representing labour.
Because the current system works well for the politicians on the gravy train.
Because the ‘politics of kindness’ is a smart sound bite with no depth.
Because NZ’s Neo-Labour party, is as close to a blairite party as you can get on the other side of the planet.
Because they don’t care. The ‘poor’, don’t fund them or spend thousands on lobbying them.
Because in its dark heart NZ has a very punitive streak.

“There is a fundamental lack of trust in authority these days, when authority figures are found to be so woefully lacking in even the basics of community care.”
Ain’t that the truth!
And while there are a few politicians, policy wonks, and bureaucrats (that @Snow White refers to) that do give a shit, not so others working in the cistern that’s way, way overdue for reform

Once again @ SaveNZ, I agree with a lot of what you post. However,

“Can’t remember crying for UK residency and welfare when working in the UK on my working visa. Must be NZ NeoKindness again when temp workers are used to break down the NZ welfare system.”

Could that be because
– you were relatively well educated
– you were coming from the land of the British settler and Noble Savage, rather than a 3rd Whurl/developing nation and AO/NZ was/is seen as that plucky little nation/ex-colony that punches above its weight
– there was a social welfare safety net (albeit one that was about to be seriously undermined and dismantled by the neo-lib agenda and its religious devotees)
– you were not seeking a ‘better life’ from the poverty surrounding you – regardless of the level of your education and circumstance. Rather just the big OE cos travel broadens the mind don’tcha know
– AND residency was never presented to you as an option: Firstly by a government and its agencies wanting to prop up various shady institutions such as sham PTEs – often that provided courses which taught immigrants how to suck eggs, or cheap labour for various sectors. All in pursuit of those huge export dollars.
And secondly by an industry of people who because of policies (usually copied from other members of the Empire, and dressed up as “best practice”), who saw an opportunity to make money through clipping the ticket.

From memory, that’s the second time you posted something like the above. The problem isn’t the immigrant aspiring to the same things we often take for granted. It’s the fundamentally exploitative cistern that we’ve allowed ourselves to buy into. The global trickle down effect

Btw – you’ll no doubt be interested in this (especially the 43 page table):
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/123475269/from-real-estate-agents-to-pet-groomers-these-are-the-jobs-that-new-zealanders-cant-or-wont-do
I wondered whether with some occupations, they were pulling my tit. I hear there’s a shortage of bus drivers around the place which reminded me of my time driving them during the 1970s while studying. An occupation that allowed me to save and buy a house, then have kids. Even in my retirement, I wouldn’t go near the bus companies that pay the shit wages to drivers for the conditions and what’s expected of them.
(Thanks to that failed zoologist Mr Steven Choice)

There is a fundamental lack of trust in authority these days, when authority figures are found to be so woefully lacking in even the basics of community care. Can these ‘authority’ figures even begin to wonder why they are held in such low esteem by the public, – the public that voted them in for,- when they continually demonstrate their capacity for being so out of touch with the community they are supposed to serve?

Lets ask Evita:

Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
https://youtu.be/adUPdnzCAk8?t=80

Yeah, @pb, you may have missed something…
https://bigthink.com/sex-relationships/women-sex-socialism?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1