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New Zealand swings back and forth between Labour (generally do nothing) and National (generally Christian rightish wing). We're currently under a Labour majori
by yarg 4y ago
New Zealand swings back and forth between Labour (generally do nothing) and National (generally Christian rightish wing).
We're currently under a Labour majority (though James Shaw - the environment minister is Green).
There's a bit of a swing back toward National, hobbled in a very large part by their own incompetence, but this will go nowhere if they get back into power.
As an example of their attitudes, last time they were in it was found that basically every body of water in the country had pollution levels in excess of defined quality standards.
Their solution was to change the standards (I'm not sure if the subsequent backlash changed their minds) so that the water was no longer polluted (by definition).
Am I suggesting that we do nothing? No, but unless there's buy in from across the political spectrum (there won't be) I struggle to see how this can acheive anything.
- xupybd 4y agoAs a Christian right winger I'd say that National doesn't represent my political views. They're much like Labour, they do very little. I have very little hope that our government will improve no matter who is voted in. They seem determined to slowly make things worse, not matter what direction they pick.
- plugger 4y agoAs a non-religious part of the majority I'm happy that your religious views are no longer represented in political views, as they're a niche perspective and should not be foisted on society at large.
- xupybd 4y agoI'm not advocating my views here. I'm simply stating that as a religious person I think calling National Christian right is incorrect.
- joshsyn 4y ago
- morepork 4y agoNit picking, but not quite the majority yet, last NZ census had irreligious at 48%
- EdwardDiego 4y agoWhat's the technical term for "largest single bloc"? Because that other 52% isn't just Christian.
- kadoban 4y agoA "plurality" is the term for that.
- EdwardDiego 4y agoCheers!
- phantom_of_cato 4y agoPlurality [1]. [1]: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/american_english/plurality https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/americ...
- EdwardDiego 4y agoThanks!
- refurb 4y agoWith the exception of laws regarding religion itself (say prayer in school) almost all laws with religious supporters also have non-religious supporters. The views aren't purely "religious" in basis.
- squidsoup 4y agoThat's what people said about the IRA essentially, and yet the bill passed and it will have a huge impact on Americas move towards a more sustainable future. If we want to have a future (and by we I mean humanity), we need optimism and activism, not complacency and defeatism.
- 3np 4y agoOotL. What bill?
- Nekhrimah 4y agoLikely the Inflation Reduction Act.
- squidsoup 4y agoThe Inflation Reduction Act https://grist.org/politics/house-passes-the-inflation-reduction-act-the-most-significant-climate-bill-in-us-history/ https://grist.org/politics/house-passes-the-inflation-reduct...
- ZeroGravitas 4y agoA Youtube video that may be better targetted for those out of the loop: The biggest Climate Bill of your life - But What does it do!? -- vlogbrothers https://youtu.be/qw5zzrOpo2s https://youtu.be/qw5zzrOpo2s
- PostOnce 4y agoLabour has problems; I have problems with Labour's paternalism and fetish for a nanny-state, but I would never accuse them of "generally doing nothing". For example, Labour banned guns, insulated and ventilated cold/moldy rental homes, vaccinated >90% of the population (while simultaneously keeping covid at bay until that was achived), and a lot more https://old.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/wvifwk/so_what_have_labour_achieved/ https://old.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/wvifwk/so_what_... They also embarked on a massive program to fix the water quality issues you mentioned https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Waters_reform_programme https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Waters_reform_programme So, nannies they may be, layabouts they are not.
- classabove 4y agoTwo shots for summer.
- EdwardDiego 4y agoBanned _some_ guns. My semi-auto .22, bolt-action .308, and the .177 air rifle for my kids to plink targets are still fine and dandy.
- PostOnce 4y agoYes I'm aware and disagree with the policy, but I would still consider it "something" in contrast to "do-nothing Labour", considering the "something" in question has been a political battleground in the US for decades. tl;dr: they banned >.22 semi-autos.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- phyalow 4y agoWhat about the substantial growth in Child poverty, massive inflation, lack of housing stock growth (kiwibuild has delivered less than 5% of what was promised) etc. Labour may not be layabouts, but they are a group of busy idiots.
- creakingstairs 4y ago> though James Shaw - the environment minister is Green I've always been deeply frustrated at Green's unwillingness to work with National. By playing kingmaker like NZ First did, the party would have had much more impact on the environment, had their primary focus actually been environment. I know that this would never happen because Green is not an environmental party but an actual left wing party that a Labour should have been instead of...generally doing nothing.
- EdwardDiego 4y agoIt doesn't help that National won't meet the Greens even half-way on their social issues. Or that they purged the blue-greens cos Judith Collins. I'd like a liberal green party a la Switzerland, as the Greens are too far left for my centre-left self.
- xupybd 4y agoIt would be nice to be able to vote for policies and not parties.
- turnnnnnip 4y agoI wouldn't say National is Christian by any means.
- lostlogin 4y agoLuxons maiden speech had him discussing his Christianity and he was evasive regarding abortion law change (while being anti abortion himself). His party has a Christian history and a christian conservative bent. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-air-nz-boss-christopher-luxon-explains-his-christian-faith-in-maiden-speech/RWFT54SHFJBYERYXRZBW27XJM4/ https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-air-nz-boss-christopher...
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- Mandatum 4y agoIt really is. New Conservatives have cut out a large part of the die hards, but just look where wealthy National voters and MPs send their kids.
- pleb_nz 4y agoNot a lot of difference between national and labour these days IMO. Both quite centrist with just a few differences in policy and personalities here and there.