Commentary & News

A few months ago, the term "woke right" was all the rage. I addressed it a little in an interview with Brendan Malone, but I want to revisit this in writing.

All taxation is a punishment of sorts. A tax on income penalises you for earning more money. A tax on consumption penalises you for spending more money. A tax on land (rates) penalises home ownership.

There's a stark contrast between the Luxon/Willis "say yes" and "open for business" positive propaganda in trying to attract investors and the reality.

I've long said that New Zealand could be fixed by one rogue billionaire and a dozen men. A handful of millionaires working together could manage it too.

The government's latest announcement to expand the powers of citizen's arrests are the first ray of light in favour of the common man when it comes to fighting thieves.

Sovereignty is an issue that comes up a lot in New Zealand. One of the reasons is Rev Henry William's decision to translate "sovereignty" as "governorship" in the treaty.

Two unrelated stories caught my eye due to two unrelated events this week, but they both tell the same sorry story about the state of politics in New Zealand.

I hadn't followed the story of Janet Dickson's fight against the Real Estate Authority (REA) very closely. I knew she objected to the REA requiring real estate agents to do a left-wing "cultural course" before they can be licensed.

All the winning that's going on in the United States is a stark reminder how far we still have to go.

Note for subscribers: I made an appearance on the Adnan Belushi podcast this week. You can watch a 22 minute preview of it here (plus other clips on his and my X accounts).

Note for subscribers: I received an email from a long-time reader, Ian Froggatt. He's a local who has written a short book called Lab Leak of which he has a few dozen copies that he's happy to send out free of charge, postage paid by him.

Elon Musk is openly calling for regime change in the United Kingdom. His platform X is shaping narratives of the damage that both illegal and legal immigration are having on the West.

Submission on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill

I believe the bill to be better than the status quo. It has already been stated that the bill will not pass, so I make my comments in line with that expectation.

Dear Select Committee,

Another year draws to a close. I'd like to thank all my readers and listeners across New Zealand who have enjoyed all the commentary I've been able to produce for Good Oil News, RCR,  Left Foot Media, and my own Right Minds blog.

Former colonies of the British Empire all have an origin story: America's Pilgrims, Australia's First Fleet, and Canada's Thanksgiving. What of New Zealand?

It's taken five long years, but the raid on my family home (first reported by the Good Oil's predecessor) has been ruled to be illegal by the High Court. A few small excerpts from the judgement:

There is a difference between being in government and in power. Far too often necessary changes are not made because bureaucrats entrench themselves and ministers refuse to demand the changes.

We're in a bit of a tough spot. Since the 1970s Maori have developed a bit of a racial consciousness—the "Maori Renaissance" as they call it.

On the flight from Auckland to Toyko I finally had a chance to finish reading Yukio Mishima's Sun and Steel, his personal testament on "art, action, and ritual death." Mishima was a Japanese poet and author who is a complicated figure, in large part bec