Just a few points to catch up with readers as we head into 2024.
First I would like to apologise to subscribers who might have received emails about various non-existent posts recently. I was experimenting with a different authoring system and at first could not work out how to preview trial posts without publishing them. I think I have this under control now.
This blog was always meant to be an extension of my posts on Twitter, and I intend to try and make it this from this point onwards. Meaning there should be more posts. I have been neglecting it lately and intend to try not to do so for the future. If I post something on Twitter, it should make it on to this blog, perhaps in slightly extended form.
The air seems to be full of optimism for the new coalition govt. One doesn’t want to dampen this optimism by being critical, but I have reservations on how well it will perform in the long run. We have some new people in via NZ First and ACT, and I am hoping they will be able to prevent the Nats from going too far off the rails, as I think they will try to do.
A simple and immediate example would be congestion charges to combat over-crowding on roads, a policy that has been a favourite of Chris Bishop and others. Whereas it definitely has the potential to reduce traffic at certain times of the day, it comes with an array of intrusive electronic surveillance systems that no free country should be contemplating. Therefore it should not happen in New Zealand. (Sure, its a council thing but the Nats will push it)
Pleased to see that after so long immigration is finally being recognised as the driver of infrastructure problems and spiraling house prices. Have been saying this for at least a decade and suffered the usual racist slurs for my trouble.
Immigration provides an artificial boost in overall GDP growth, but a reduction in GDP per person. GDP per person is low in New Zealand, and is at the root of so many of our economic problems. It does not need to get any lower.
As for the rest of our problems, we badly need a NZ version of Javier Milei. Is he somewhere in the offing? Hope springs eternal.
Canada seems likely to throw out the odious Justin Trudeau. Trump should make it back in the USA. Suella Braverman or Kemi Badenoch might replace the useless Rishi Sunak. All good if it happens.
The most outrageous global problem IMHO is the invasion of European countries and the USA (the West) by African/ Muslim men of fighting age who are clearly entering our societies to destroy them from the inside. Not nearly enough western politicians appear aware of this problem and there does not appear to be any plan to stop it. This has to change, and the bureaucrats and politicians who have stood by or endorsed what is essentially a betrayal of their citizens need to be (eventually) held to account.
People are slowly awakening to the idea that the United Nations and other global organisations (WHO, WEF) are a threat to our sovereignty and that we should cut all ties. NZ politicians should answer to NZ voters, not would be tyrants from socialist infiltrated and controlled global entities.
There are glimmers of hope for the future, but unfortunately, there is simultaneously the risk of major upheaval, with potential civil war in many countries and of course the ever present threat of the Chicom invasion of Taiwan. An event which could trigger massive global conflict.
A lot to worry about but also some reasons for optimism. All the best for 2024.
THE REDBAITER on X 
10 responses to “A note to readers”
No worries.
Could I trouble you to change my email address to [email address hidden] Retirement looms so getting all in order.
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Grant-
I looked at your subscription email address but WordPress.com does not allow me to make changes. I searched for a solution and found it here-
https://wordpress.com/forums/topic/change-a-subscribers-e-mail-address/
It says “subscribers can change their email address through their Personal Settings page”
Sorry I cannot be of more assistance, and hope that works.
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I agree: “guarded optimism” is the best that I see as realistic.
I do wonder if any of the attempts to balance the loonie-leftie-tipped-electoral scales will result in an assassination, somewhere? Or an attempt at such? The Netherlands, Sweden and Argentina may well be prime suspects.
It is also quite splendid to see Winston First and David Seeless giving the Lux flake a but of essential and critical principle and spine-stiffening.
Good to see / hear you back and active, Red.
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Great to see you post again, Red. I agree with your cautious optimism, but it is merely a glimmer at this stage. The new coalition is definitely less-destructive than the previous government, but I fear the past 6 years have wreaked so much damage to our society it will take decades to rebuild – economically and socially.
I also agree that it’s good at least some in the new coalition seem to have a sensible view on immigration. It was the Key government which papered over the deep cracks in our ‘rock star’ economy with (then) unprecedented levels of both immigration and borrowing.
I will be looking out for certain milestones to determine whether there is cause for real hope. One is the repeal of the awful 3 Waters legislation, and its subsequent replacement. Will they respect localism or cave to the woke radicals? Another is the Covid enquiry. Will the terms of reference be tweaked to still ensure a whitewash, or will it become a fulsome review of all aspects of the ‘pandemic’ and response, with actual, meaningful ramifications for wrongdoers?
Can I exhort you to spend an hour watching this latest from Bill Whittle? He comments on a fascinating theory which expands on the ‘hard times –> strong men –> good times –> weak men –> hard times’ cycle, placing an 80-year timeline on it and pointing to historical events in support.
https://rumble.com/v44gca6-things-to-come-an-early-overview.html
Happy new year to you, and all your commenters.
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Hi Gantt, and compliments of the season to you too. I watched the video. They 80 year theory was an interesting viewpoint. Perhaps the big question there might be Taiwan, and whether the Chicoms regard the Biden admin as their better chance for a successful invasion over a probable Trump presidency.
I wasn’t happy to see the Nat’s first act in Govt was rushing to sign up to the COP28 declaration saying agriculture and food production must urgently adapt to respond to climate change. This agreement opens the door to all kinds of globalist rubbish similar to the UNDRIP deal. Again, an assault on our sovereignty that we do not at all need.
People say these things have no legal standing, but that’s just a smokescreen. The texts in the agreements stand as templates for legislation by central and local govts, so even though the declaration itself is not law, the ideas it promotes soon become so.
Well, the new govt and the Nats in particular deserve a chance, so let’s see.
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You’re right, signing up to the COP declaration – or even attending their ludicrous eco-cide conference – is a bad sign of things to come.
Remember when Key sent Pita Sharples off to the UN in the dead of night to sign the ‘unbinding’ UNDRIP? Without UNDRIP there is no He Puapua. John Key, through his naivete and ignorance, is the godfather of all of the co-governance nonsense we saw from the previous Labour government.
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Some good points here. And we certainly need to cut all ties to global
organizations like the UN and WHO, little by little eating away at our
sovereignty. And deliberately so.
The Nats need to be saved from themselves and Luxon. Thank heavens for
Winston.
It’s also time to boycott TVONE and any media that keep calling us
Aotearoa – and using Manglish.
But let them know. They won’t like losing viewers and listeners, and
advertisers then back off.
These are good ways to fight back.
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When purchasing anything of substantial value, check to see if the retailer advertises with any Woke media (most). If they do, try and find another supplier, informing the former your reason for buying elsewhere. Recently did it with a car, and the salesman was really pissed off, even got a bit sassy . . . he will keep!
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Amy- so distressing to read Kiwiblog or the BFD, two discussion forums that broadly represent the “right” in NZ, and see constant references and (on Kiwiblog) links to TV One and the rest of NZ’s stinking legacy media. You’re right- a boycott is the best option but apparently old habits die hard.
The way John Campbell has licence to post his one dimensional rubbish at TV One/ TVNZ is a disgrace really, and it shows the whole outfit from the top down to be utterly politically corrupted. If it was managed by anyone with any principle Campbell would be told to post on his own blog site, (like we all must do.)
Or better still he would be told to resign and go stand as a candidate for the Green Party.
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Ok
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