In the wake of Treasury’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update, Associate Professor Susan St John gives her assessement of the government’s unnecessarily hard neoliberal economic austerity measures and how the Luxon/Willis administration has not learned the lessons of the 1990’s and the misery caused by the austerity measures of then National Finance Minister Ruth Richardson.

We discuss a wide range of consequences, including the way rising unemployment and increasing levels of poverty are causing our children to suffer from third world diseases, and the government’s complete lack of empathy in reducing support for foodbanks at the very time when people need it most.

So what can we do to have a fairer society?

Susan St John’s down- to -earth analysis is always enlightening.

It’s thanks to my Paid Subscribers that I can continue to do my public journalism work, speaking truth to power and giving a voice to those who have none . For just $9 a month you can join (and chat with ) this great group of supportive people , plus get access to my podcasts and documentaries… and me :)

And just a thought- with the Christmas soon upon us, you may also wish to consider giving a year’s access to Bryan Bruce Investigates as a present to a friend or whanau. Thank you

A couple of days ago I read a very interesting Substack article about a piece of trojan horse, David Seymour, legislation currently before parliament that had managed to slip completely under my radar and perhaps yours too.

It was about the Regulatory Standards Bill and written by Melanie Nelson who laid out the far- reaching powers this Bill would give to the right-wing in our country.

You can find her excellent article here:

So I contacted Melanie and I am delighted she agreed to be interviewed for Head 2 Head because I learned a lot about how this mundane sounding Bill could undermine what a many of us still think Aotearoa New Zealand should still be about - a fair go for everyone and protecting our communities and environment from the self-serving agendas of wealthy individuals and overseas companies.

You can provide a submission:

• through the engagement hub on the Ministryʼs website https://www.regulation.govt.nz/our-work/regulatory-standards-bill/

• emailing your submission to RSBconsultation@regulation.govt.nz, or

• mailing your submission to Ministry for Regulation, P O Box 577, Wellington 6140

Make no mistake, this Bill is a device designed to enhance the ME and undermine what is left of the WE society that once characterised life in Aotearoa New Zealand. Please don’t miss the chance to have your say. RSB consultation ending on 13 January

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Dr Melody Nixon is a writer, editor, academic and artist living between the Bay Area, California, and Aotearoa New Zealand. She holds an interdisciplinary PhD, with emphases in Literature and Critical Race and Ethnicity Studies, from the History of Consciousness department at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Having spent over a decade in the USA she has a keen understanding of the the social and political undercurrents that saw Donald Trump re-elected and warns against the similar disturbing trends she sees developing here in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Funding for independent public journalism has been cut off by the current government. To support my work in speaking truth to power, please share posts on your social media sites. If you are a free subscriber, please consider becoming a $9 per month paid subscriber which will also give you access to premium posts,

To my paid subscribers, please know your support is much appreciated. Please restack posts you like and share the links to friends and whanau as it all helps to build readership. With the Christmas soon upon us,you may also wish to consider giving a year’s access to Bryan Bruce Investigates as a present to someone . Thank you.