Kiwi here. As another commenter mentioned, don't be. Overall, I think things are going downhill. The New Zealand Law Society recently reported to the UN Human Rights Council indicating that we've passed a number of laws recently that are in breach of human rights.
- We've very recently passed an odious bill to legitimise spying on NZ citizens.
- We've recently passed a bill that cannot cannot be challenged in court. (IANAL, don't ask me how this can be the case).
- We've recently passed a bill (copyright infringement) that presumes guilt.
In 2010 many New Zealanders staged a huge protest against mining conservation land (owned by the government, accessible to everyone). The government stood down. Yesterday I discovered permits for mining exploration have been granted on conservation land. Technically, this is land that was not under explicit discussion in 2010, but it unquestionably violates the spirit of the protests.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&o...http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objecti...
We're one of the few western democracies that hasn't banned or restricted shark finning. We'd rather have an estimated NZD 6m/yr (IIRC).
We'll have a few million dollars instead of an entire species (Maui's dolphin).
Don't be. This is the same country in which the PM thinks it's ok to literally walk out of a Q&A session with the press regarding a widely disputed bill that's being rushed into law.
Rushed into law is normal now. I must see the statement Passed Under Urgency most weeks. This is what happens when you give a banker the reins (reigns?).
Did you ever do that thing in primary school where you put one finger in each corner of your mouth and say "My Dad's a national banker"? If you didn't, I acknowledge that it's weird, but it was funny when I was eight.
Anyway, back to the point! We can now do the same and say "John Key's a National banker".
Not that I dislike the National Party in general. Just the current National Party.
- We've very recently passed an odious bill to legitimise spying on NZ citizens.
- We've recently passed a bill that cannot cannot be challenged in court. (IANAL, don't ask me how this can be the case).
- We've recently passed a bill (copyright infringement) that presumes guilt.
The report identifies more: http://www.lawsociety.org.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/685...
In 2010 many New Zealanders staged a huge protest against mining conservation land (owned by the government, accessible to everyone). The government stood down. Yesterday I discovered permits for mining exploration have been granted on conservation land. Technically, this is land that was not under explicit discussion in 2010, but it unquestionably violates the spirit of the protests. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&o... http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objecti...
We're one of the few western democracies that hasn't banned or restricted shark finning. We'd rather have an estimated NZD 6m/yr (IIRC). We'll have a few million dollars instead of an entire species (Maui's dolphin).
Another shameful example of our PM in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmF5b_t3PjA
That's all I can think of for now. Sorry to burst your NZ bubble.