New Zealand Listener Issue 6, 2023

Jacinda Ardern’s resignation raises the question as to whether politics has changed much over the past few decades. The answer, I think, is yes. And that is both good and bad. For the past 27 years, we have had a greater variety of political parties in Parliament, due to the introduction of proportional representation. Labour and National have remained the two largest and have led MMP governments, but both parties have changed substantially since they formed (Labour 107 years ago and National 87 years ago). Previously, there was a fundamental left/right divide, with Labour representing working people’s issues and National representing free markets and individual rights (with the exception of the Robert Muldoon and Roger Douglas eras). Increasingly, Labour has widened its representation to include marginalised groups, whereas National has moved more…

WINNING CAPTION Steve Godsiff, Timaru FINALISTS Kangaroo on left: “Get an ambulance quick, that’s Joey on their barbecue.” – Ian Bywater, Rangiora Kangaroo on left: “Don’t laugh! I saw an advert for a bouncer …” – Janice Gill, Nelson When Wayne and Tim were told they had been selected as kangaroos, they incorrectly assumed they would be playing international rugby league. – Bernard Harris, Palmerston North Kangaroo on left: “Do my thighs look big in these?” – Kate Gore, Tauranga Kangaroo on left: “We’re not a couple, just roo-mates.” – Dean Apps, Lower Hutt Kangaroo on left: “On the Kanga dating site, I tail-swipe left and he tail-swipes right.” – Hans Zindel, Palmerston North Caption Competition {listenercaption@aremedia.co.nz} TO ENTER Send your captions for the photo at right to listenercaption@aremedia.co.nz, with “Caption Competition No 497” in the subject line. Alternatively, entries can…

How many New Zealanders, I wonder, share my deep disquiet, not at Jacinda Ardern’s not-totally-unexpected resignation as prime minister, but because she seems to have been driven from office by the growing torrent of abuse to which she was subjected. What has happened to Kiwis’ legendary tolerance and fair-mindedness – national qualities I have admired above all others in my near half-century in New Zealand, but which lately appear to have deserted some. For the first time, I am deeply ashamed of the behaviour of too many of my fellow Kiwis. At 86, my memories of prime ministers go all the way back to Winston Churchill in war-time Britain. He was rewarded for saving his country from Nazi occupation by being defeated in the postwar general election (many Londoners of my acquaintance referring…

The QI elves are a team of writers and comedians who find the answers to impossible questions, doing the research for the long-running QI TV series, podcasts and the spin-off books. For the next little while, we’ll be running some of their finest findings: the weird, wonderful, witty and wise, from their latest book, 222 QI Answers to Your Quite Ingenious Questions. How do the GPS clocks keep time with those on Earth? Due to a concept called “relativity”, if a clock is travelling quickly, it will tick more slowly than a clock that is sitting on someone’s mantelpiece. And if a clock experiences less gravity, it will tick slightly more quickly. You don’t need to be Einstein to understand why, but given he came up with the equations that describe relativity,…

“I know what this job takes and I know that I no longer have enough in the tank to do it justice.”– former prime minister Jacinda Ardern“She’s leaving because it’s the right thing to do? She didn’t lose an election or steal classified documents or have a Boris Johnson sex party? Are you Kiwis sure you know how democracy works?”– Stephen Colbert“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has guided New Zealand through crises and seized opportunities by leading with foresight, integrity and empathy. Her country is better off because of her remarkable leadership – and the rest of us are too.”– Barack Obama on Twitter“Jacinda Ardern is a well-meaning person, but her idealism collided hard with reality.”– Act leader David Seymour“The pressures on prime ministers are always great, but in this era…

1. Tea is part of which plant family? ❑ Rhododendron❑ Camellia❑ Daisy❑ Grass 2. What type of animal is a brolga? ❑ Mole❑ Bird❑ Marsupial❑ Reptile 3. Which of these actors has not played James Bond? ❑ Sean Connery❑ David Niven❑ George Lazenby❑ Michael Caine 4. What is the generally recommended position for your hands on the steering wheel for driving? ❑ Five to one❑ 10 to two❑ Quarter to three❑ 20 to four 5. Which of the following is not a breed of sheep? ❑ Drysdale❑ Merino❑ Cheviot❑ Dexter 6. Stewie is a character on which American animated TV series? ❑ The Simpsons❑ Family Guy❑ Bluey❑ South Park 7. Actor Judd Hirsch, who starred in Taxi and Ordinary People, has a degree in what? ❑ Education❑ Physics❑ Biology❑ Music 8. Australia exports camels ❑ True❑ False 9. Haiti shares an island with which country? ❑ Cuba❑…