Meanwhile, Russia is aligning itself with world-friendly nations via BRICS, a significantly different concept.
New security-state documents show Wellington aligning its military with the “rules-based international order” while preparing Kiwis for war with key trading partner China, writes Mick Hall.
As the world is thanking Jacinda Ardern profoundly for her 14 years in New Zealand’s Parliament and more than five as prime minister, a large number of white male scribes have joined in a frenzy of extraordinarily bitter attacks. Alan Austin reports on her economic performance.
Source: Michael West Media – investigative journalists – always independent
As school and university students ponder their end-of-year results, it’s only fair we cast a critical eye over the country, too. Using international and domestic indices and figures, it’s possible to get an idea of how well – or poorly – New Zealand has done in 2021.
Source: NZ report card 2021: from COVID to housing and happiness, it was a tale of two countries
New Zealand COVID-19 vaccination rollout built around the Pfizer vaccine Experts say the rollout is slow, but the government has “delivered on what they promised” so far The rollout ramps up in July when vaccinations are to be offered to the general population
Source: New Zealand’s vaccination program is built on Pfizer and a plan to take it slow – ABC News
London: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been savaged for allegedly sucking up to China and turning her back on the Five Eyes alliance during a historic debate in which British MPs unanimously declared that China was carrying out genocide and crimes against humanity.
Source: Jacinda Ardern savaged as UK Parliament declares treatment of Uighurs genocide
The trick with Jacinda Ardern is that it isn’t a trick. I once thought it might be. I now want a hug from Jacinda before I die. This permanent change comes from a place of shame. During my non-believer phase, circa March 2017, I spotted Ardern at a St Patrick’s Day festival of fiddly-dee songs. Probably in the way retired All Blacks players bore the new caps, I decided to give Ardern the benefit of my inglorious three years’ experience as an MP.
NZ election: Jacinda Ardern victory result of core philosophy
Jacinda Ardern has secured a thumping victory in New Zealand’s election, with a second term as prime minister assured less than three hours after the polls closed.
Jacinda Ardern claims huge win in New Zealand’s COVID-19 election
New Zealand’s government recently put more than NZ$160 million towards developing a domestic recycling sector to create jobs as part of its economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Zealand invests in growing its domestic recycling industry to create jobs and dump less rubbish at landfills
She’s not that Kind (ODT)
Even Joe Biden — who sits on the conservative end of a Democratic Party more conservative than most of New Zealand’s political spectrum — has called for measures that go further than our government’s response. At various times, Biden has called for direct cash payments to families, freezing and forgiving rent payments, a moratorium on utility shutoffs, and forgiving at least $10,000 of student debt, a proposal that has been considered a laughable half-measure by American progressives, but has no comparable equivalent in New Zealand politics at the moment. That Joe Biden of all people has a more progressive vision than a New Zealand Labour-led government should prompt some serious soul-searching by our country’s liberals.
The worry is that even as the government has pumped more than $30 billion into financial markets, an inordinate number of New Zealanders now have less money to spend, and a bigger share of the meager income they do have has to be directed toward paying off debts, including any credit card and landlord debts they may have run up under lockdown. This is not only immoral, but as some economists have warned, could be economically disastrous, as less and less money goes toward buying the goods and services that drive the actual economy, and more and more goes into the world of finance.
via New Zealand’s Coronavirus Response Isn’t as Great as It Seems
As Australia prepares for another climate policy reset, it’s easy to look to New Zealand and wonder what might have been.
Like Australia, New Zealand is one of the world’s largest per capita emitters and for many years both countries developed their climate policy in tandem.
But as Australia adjusts to another prime minister undone by climate change, New Zealand has just released its comprehensive roadmap for transition to a low emissions economy.
The Western world is bereft of leaders and now the US and Australia have deserted the trenches by trading ideology for human lives and health, writes David Shearman.
olddogthoughts 
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