Fast moving politics -again

It’s been a busy few days down here in NZ, after a lull in the storm. As has been predicted, it’s all going to ramp up again.

First up was an announcement of new regulations which will cripple farming in NZ.

They are proposing to reduce stock numbers on farms by 20%  to reduce methane emissions from cows -Fart tax !
The draft document even goes on to say the newly unemployed farmers could work in the tourism industry instead!

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/10/13/jacinda-arderns-fart-tax-fuels-rightward-shift-in-local-new-zealand-elections/

Meanwhile farmers are ramping up to deal with in a countrywide protest

https://www.groundswellnz.co.nz/campaigns/were-not-going-to-take-it

Second up, the covid ‘plandemic’ may be over, but they seem to want to keep it going, probably as an instrument of fear and control.
The Emergency powers that the Government gave themselves were meant to expire this Thursday. The link below shows, they considered keeping them.

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/10/coronavirus-government-seeking-to-extend-powers-behind-covid-restrictions-until-2025.html

What they eventually decided on is as below..

The list of public health measures to be removed from the Act:

• Movement restrictions beyond self-isolation requirements e.g. localised or national “lockdowns”
• Managed isolation and quarantine
• Worker vaccine mandates
• Capacity/Gathering limits
• My Vaccine Pass
• Requirement to display QR codes
• Record keeping for contact tracing purposes
• New Zealand Traveller Declaration System
• Entry restrictions at the border
• Vaccination requirements for travellers
• Testing – for people in self-isolation or who would otherwise be required to self-isolate

The list of public health measures being retained in the legislation for current or future use:

• Self-isolation (for cases, household contacts, close contacts)
• Mask use

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/10/government-reveals-full-list-of-covid-19-powers-it-s-ditching-and-what-it-s-keeping.html

One might think that it’s about what they think they can get away with, rather than about the health and welfare of their constituents….

Thirdly, the Government had an MP that hasn’t been a happy camper for sometime, and has been badly treated by his own party
I don’t know him, but he seems to be an honest chap.

https://thebfd.co.nz/2022/08/26/dr-sharma-a-gp-and-mp-with-integrity/

He has now resigned in a strategic move to cause a by-election, rather than be booted out just before the next election.

https://thebfd.co.nz/2022/10/18/dr-gaurav-sharma-mp-for-hamilton-west-has-resigned/

The government didn’t want this, they wanted to expel him quietly just before the main elections late next year. It’s very likely they will lose this seat to the opposition in the coming by-election.