Sitting on the fence

Now is not a time for sitting on a fence. The coalition leaders are becoming almost casual in making appointments. One of the founders of a group claiming that freedom of speech means being able to say whatever one wants has just been appointed the new Race Relations Commissioner

That follows a number of other appointments which seem to be of people with strongly held right wing views. The tradition in Aotearoa/New Zealand has been to choose someone without clear political ties to any party or group. This Government appears to be behaving like US presidents in making blatantly political appointments. Inthe last week or tow we have been told that the Government has instructed the Ministry of Social Development to reduce the payment unemployed beneficiaries receive or even cancel the benefit if they don't keep appointments etc. Thereis no evidence to support their claim that this will help people get off the benefit and into paid work.

What frightens me (and others) is the way that David Seymour appears to be controlling the governing coalition despite his party getting only 8% of the votes. He claims that gives him a mandate to (essentially) do what he wants.