Quotes of the week

The Domestic Purposes Benefit has been variously described as a “disaster” (David McLoughlin 1995), an “economic lifeline” (Jane Kelsey 1995) and “an unfortunate experiment” (Muriel Newman 2009).

Its effect on family formation can never be definitively ascertained. But the growth of the sole parent family dependent on welfare has correlated with more poverty, more child abuse and more domestic violence. Each of these was intended to be reduced by the introduction of the DPB.  – Lindsay Mitchell

Police report that family violence is at record levels – single welfare dependent females are the most vulnerable to partner violence according to victim surveys.  The correlation between substantiated child abuse and appearing in the benefit system is incredibly strong.  – Lindsay Mitchell

While benefits became more generous, easier to access and stay on under Ardern’s regime of “kindness”, any remaining obligations to the taxpayer became passe. There is no sign whatsoever that a resumption of deserving and non-deserving considerations will make a comeback. In fact, morality is ever more remote. Widows who become sole providers through no fault of their own are no longer differentiated from gang women who produce children as meal tickets. No distinction is made between reasons for ‘need’ and the taxpayer is expected to like it or lump it, despite the fact that fifty years of trying to solve social problems with cash payments has only made them worse.  – Lindsay Mitchell

Go figure!?! pic.twitter.com/zViowU8z5w

— Marie Magdalen (@femalemagic) November 14, 2023

There are always people who say I’m not a proper Māori because I don’t go to a marae. The way I look at it, some people have a religious faith but don’t necessarily go to church every Sunday. And I don’t think it’s right to tell people they’re wrong about their identity because they don’t live it the same way that you do. I think we need to be a bit more accepting of people and a bit more accepting of difference.

I did notice that Māori, on average, are disadvantaged. But I’ll make a couple of points. One is that it’s not only Māori who are disadvantaged. There are also non-Māori who are disadvantaged economically and socially. And some people live with a disability that makes their life harder for them.

And the second is that not all Māori are disadvantaged. Growing up in Northland, I’d see Māori who were extremely successful and don’t face much disadvantage at all.

When people say Māori are disadvantaged, that does a disservice to non-Māori who face the same challenges. So, I don’t think we should be looking at disadvantage and categorising people according to race.

The number one thing that I’m opposed to is the thinking that there’s a Māori world or a Māori way of thinking. Well, for some people there might be, but it doesn’t make you any less Māori if you don’t subscribe to that world view.

And it’s not helpful if your true commitment is to address disadvantage for all people. Disadvantage and Māori are not one and the same. – David Seymour

New Zealand does need to have that debate, because the way the Treaty is currently interpreted is increasingly divisive – and I agree with Dame Anne Salmond, who says that the Treaty would never have required the public sector to be split down the middle and co-governed by two races.

That debate needs to occur, even though there are some people who don’t want it exposed to any sunlight. – David Seymour

There are a lot of vulnerable people in desperate need, and everything is just focused on someone’s ancestry. – Casey Costello

It is worth analysing the report as it reveals the overall health system performance is very poor and is getting worse. It records what is probably the most staggering decline in health system performance ever. – Michael Hundleby

 A Government’s legacy is defined by its accomplishments when it leaves office, not by what is written about it at the outset.

In history, good intentions count for nothing. It is achievements and results that matter.  – Oliver Hartwich

There is no point in incremental reform when, for example, half of our students do not attend school regularly and a similar proportion cannot read and write at an adult level. 

Incremental reform is not enough when hospitals have long waiting lists and people have difficulty registering with doctors. 

It is not enough to make incremental reforms when gangs and retail crime plague our inner cities. 

All these social and economic ills require more than small steps. They require root and branch reform. 

Future historians will judge the new Government by its results. The new government will only be deemed successful if it fundamentally turns this country around. – Oliver Hartwich

There is, invariably, a huge amount of pressure to close any corporate deal and with that, pressure to concede points or fudge issues.  Experienced dealmakers will, however, use every minute until closing to negotiate and re-negotiate the terms of their deal, often to the exasperation of their own advisors.  Knowing that they will need to live with those terms for years and that those terms will largely determine the success of the deal, they will often hold out longer than anyone expected to secure the best possible terms.

By contrast, negotiating a bad deal will get you fired from Unilever and any other top corporation. No-one cares if you did the deal quickly if the terms suck.  – Philip Crump

But to the larger question being posed at the moment: will Luxon be feeling ‘humiliated’ by the length of time that all this is taking? No, not at all. I doubt he cares a jot. 

Political opponents and some commentators are eager to hang that label around his neck but as soon as an agreement is reached – and all indications are that it is still a day or two away – the focus will shift very quickly to the terms of the deal and the business of government. And that is where the party leaders will be judged. 

Time spent now agreeing a fulsome coalition agreement will undoubtedly be time well spent.  – Philip Crump