#nz first

23 October 2024: NZ Government cuts funding for research on preventing White Supremacist terrorism.

30 October 2024: NZ Government says they don't think Swastikas are as intimidating as gang patches and don't need the same restrictions.

Erin Reed at Erin In The Morning:

On Wednesday, New Zealand’s government—under growing pressure from its far-right flank—made the dramatic decision to ban new prescriptions of puberty blockers for transgender youth. The move, framed by the governing right-wing coalition as deference to the United Kingdom’s “Cass Review,” a document shaped under advisement from members of anti-LGBTQ+ hate groups, makes New Zealand the latest country to impose severe restrictions as anti-transgender panic spreads globally, following political forces in the United States and United Kingdom. Although the ban was expected to be announced by the health minister, the far-right NZ First party preempted the rollout, declaring it a victory in the “war on woke” and making clear that the decision was a political concession rather than a medically grounded one.

“That New Zealand First announced this news three hours before the Minister of Health shows the way this care has been politicised, and how politics have been prioritised over the wellbeing of New Zealand children,” said Avery Zavoda of the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa in a press release.

In an early post to the New Zealand First party website, the far-right party in the coalition government, the party stated, “Today, sanity won another battle in the war on woke. After years of dangerous ideological experimentation pushed by radical activists and rubber-stamped by weak politicians, the New Zealand Government has officially banned puberty blockers for children. This is what happens when you back a party that actually delivers… While other parties can’t even define what a woman is, we’ve stood up for families, for truth, and for children.” The language used in the NZ First announcement closely mirrors far-right language used in the United States and TERF language used in the United Kingdom, a clear indication that the country has imported anti-transgender politics from abroad.

Shortly after, the New Zealand government released an official press release stating that the decision was merely about “putting in place stronger safeguards,” adding that the ban would remain in place until the United Kingdom could complete a clinical trial on puberty blockers. Notably, this clinical trial is not expected to be complete until 2031 according to PATHA, who said of the decision, “In no other area of care would life-saving medication be withheld from a vulnerable population for six years. This will have a traumatic impact on a generation of transgender children.”

As much as I'd love to have a Labour-Green coalition, I don't want NZ first to be anywhere near them. Their anti-immigration stance is not what I stand for and I wouldn't be able to be in a better place if it weren't for immigration.

While the immigration crisis is a real problem, blaming it on the immigrants is oppressive and demeaning; to me and the others. We're not here to steal low-skilled jobs. We're not here to become more of a priority than working class citizens. We are here to have great lives and opportunities, just like everyone else.

MEDIA RELEASE - STATEMENT ON MULLER RESIGNATION

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters acknowledged today the heavy price of trying to lead the National Party today.

‘One’s sympathy goes out to Todd Muller and his family. Todd is a good man, unlike most of his colleagues he does have commercial experience, and he will bounce back.

‘Leading a divided and incompetent caucus would have tested even the best leader. ‘The National caucus now has the unenviable job of selecting its fourth leader since the Coalition Government took office.

‘The National caucus, like too many parties in parliament, lacks business experience, life experience and political experience. Heaven only knows who will be the next cab off the ranks selected to lead such a dispirited and incompetent lot.

‘Todd never had a chance given the fault lines of ambition, personality, and ideology that run deep through the National Party caucus.

‘National has demonstrated to voters as clearly as it is able that it cannot govern itself.

‘During a time of crisis, when stability and real experience is what the country needs from its politicians and their parties, National’s instability and hubris takes it out of the running for the coming General Election.