The Ban on Private Property Rights

"If history could teach us anything, it would be that private property is inextricably linked with civilization. " Ludwig von Mises   

Judge, and be Prepared to be Judged

"We were all shocked and horrified at the level of abuse meted out on Nia Glassie. That anybody, let alone a three year old child should have to suffer such torture in a so-called civilized society..."

Game over on Global Warming

"Believe it or not, Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This in fact is the greatest deception in the history of science. We are wasting time, energy and trillions..."

My Child, My Business

Myth # 993: "Banning smacking would ensure there is no defence for violence against children." Sue Bradford

Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child

"The necessity for the adults to establish themselves as authority figures is, in my opinion, the single most important factor in child rearing."

The Hypocrisy of it all

"The Lord's Prayer can be recited in state school assembly halls, but only if it is said in Maori". (Press: 24 August 2006)

Who's the Parent

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child. George Santayana

Taxed to Death

The most encouraging news this winter must surely be the rumour that Michael Cullen might be standing down as Minister of Finance. No doubt hard working individuals and business-owners everywhere will breath a sigh of relief.

Sorry, who's money?

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: “I’m from the Government and I’m here to help.” Ronald Regan

Our Greatest Challenge is Philosophical

My stepfather came to New Zealand by boat from Holland in the early 1950's. It took him six weeks to get here. He spoke little English, arrived with a suitcase of clothes and had $20 in his pocket.

We've been had by MMP

If you voted for tax cuts and a return to a society that values sovereignty of the individual and private property rights, Election night must have been a bitter blow.

Why Act Must Stay

With just two weeks to go before the election, it would seem that the majority of voters have abandoned MMP and reverted to First Past the Post.

Where are the Truthseekers?

Having been out of the country travelling in the Northern Hemisphere for the past 12 months, I have returned with some distinct observations about New Zealanders.

For Our Own Good?

Last Thursday on November 11th, Britain marked the 86th anniversary of the end of the First World War—Remembrance Day here or Armistice Day elsewhere in the world.

When is enough enough?

In a recent 'landmark' decision by the British Courts, an ex-wife has won an appeal to claim more than a third of her ex-husband's future income.

One day's madness in the UK

I arrived in Britain this week and was keen to observe how advanced the Political Correct movement was here

Bureacracy flourishing at expense of business

"The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments. The state can be and has often been in the course of history the main source of mischief and disaster." -- Ludwig von Mises

Would you like a micro chip with that?

"The people of this country, if ever they lose their liberties, will do it by sacrificing some great principle of government to temporary passion.

Turning Parents into Criminals

"A law change to limit adults striking a child would be controversial, but would be in the best interests of children." (a child-less Helen Clark telling parents she knows best)

Legalised Plunder of the Seabed & Foreshore

"See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime." Frederick Bastiat's The Law.

Fart Tax - A Government Stink

"I'm proud of the fact that my secondary education was not paid for by the taxpayers of New Zealand but by the farmers of Canterbury and Hawkes Bay. I ripped them off for five years then, and I shall get stuck into them again in the next few years." (excerpt from Michael Cullen's maiden speech).

Lesbian 'fathers' latest in a long list of PC gone mad

The Government has introduced the controversial Care of Children Bill which will replace the Guardianship Act 1968, and if passed, will come into act next year. Contained in the proposed Legislation are two particular points of contention: · Parents will be able to jointly appoint a new partner(including de-facto and same-sex partners) as an additional guardian...

A Toast to the Individual

I read a recent editorial in one of the dailies talking about the so-called "Spirit of Self-sacrafice" at Easter. The author whined that New Zealand had become a "less-caring society" and apparently, what is worse "we have become obsessed with the individual. "I" and "me" have assumed far greater importance than "we" and "us"...

Racism - A Quest for the Unearned

Much has been made of the taxpayer funding given to Maori Television Service (MTS) and the ongoing abuse of those funds. And rightly so.

Maori television is destined to fail for the same reason that the idea of warm beer would. There's just no market for it. If the majority of Maori people (descendents - there have of course, been no full blooded Maori alive for some time now) don't even speak Maori, on who's sound business sense was it decided to plunder $50 million of taxpayer dollars to throw at it? All concerned should stand down from public office immediately...

Beware the wolf in sheeps clothing

Losing the Auld Mug to the Swiss Challenge seems to have polarised New Zealanders into two camps - those who acknowledged the spirit of professional competition and congratulated the winning team, and those who didn't. A similar number, I suspect, would exist between those who call themselves capitalists and those who don't...

No Smoke Without Fire

I took the opportunity of appearing before Government's Health Select Committee last year to submit an objection to the proposed Smokefree Environments Enhanced Protection Amendment Bill. Essentially this Bill would require all bars and restaurants to be smokefree unless they can provide a separate enclosed space for smokers not exceeding 50% of the area of their premises with a separate ventilation system. This will also apply to clubs, RSA's and sporting clubs...

Feminism

Personally, I don't care for Feminists. I find they epitomize very little of who I am as an individual, and I resent the fact that their political agenda forces men to behave in a guarded fashion around women for fear of being accused of a sexist crime...