Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Letters: Spending and free speech

Bay of Plenty Times
21 Aug, 2018 04:30 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Don Brash and Hobson's Pledge are consistently vilified in many quarters, a readers says. Photo / File

Don Brash and Hobson's Pledge are consistently vilified in many quarters, a readers says. Photo / File

Spotlight on spending
I find it ironic that certain media forums have tried to create a political storm, if not a scandal, out of National Party leader Simon Bridges' $100k spending as they conveniently ignore a government who were so unprepared for government that they now have to spend many millions
of dollars on review groups.

They spent nine years in lazy opposition, doing nothing bar shouting negative talking points, and then came into government by way of promising free stuff, "unicorns and rainbows".

Now the hardworking taxpayer is being milked for millions of dollars to pay for their review groups to work out lots of new ways to increase our taxes even further - there is the real scandal.
James March
Pyes Pa


The silent majority
Now that the 85 per cent silent majority has finally emerged to protest against civic and academic efforts to muzzle free speech, it is to be hoped that they will continue to make their voices heard to recapture control of our nation from the liberal left politicians, academics, public servants, ethnically selective historians, much of the media and Maori elitists.

Our MPs must prove to be professional, ethical and aware that they are in Parliament to serve all New Zealanders and not just an exclusively favoured racial group.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Don Brash and Hobson's Pledge are consistently vilified in many quarters. They are campaigning for equal rights for all New Zealanders, irrespective of when they arrived in the country. Does that sound inclusive or racist? His claim that all official civic, national and international events, whether it be the opening of a public building, an overseas embassy or the welcoming of foreign guests, should not be the exclusive rights of Maori when there are 230 other ethnic groups in the country.

Many visitors might conclude that Maori are the only cultural entity in the country. When Christian prayers and biblical traditions are considered unsuitable in a secular society, should we, therefore, have karakias instead?

Let's share it around. Don Brash's claims then seem reasonable. (Abridged)

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bryan Johnson
Omokoroa

Discover more

Letters: Scooter levies and Don Brash

24 Aug 05:30 AM

Letters: Peter Williams' report card spot on

29 Aug 04:30 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Premium
Bay of Plenty Times

Police chief Tim Anderson on Mount landslide grief, leadership and his new job

17 Feb 05:00 PM
Bay of Plenty Times

Mount Maunganui man named after fatal Waikato crash

17 Feb 03:25 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

From head-on crash to world stage: How Kaimai beekeepers built a honey legacy

17 Feb 03:00 AM

Sponsored

Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk

09 Feb 09:12 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Premium
Premium
Police chief Tim Anderson on Mount landslide grief, leadership and his new job
Bay of Plenty Times

Police chief Tim Anderson on Mount landslide grief, leadership and his new job

With 32 years in the police, he is known for plain speaking and empathy.

17 Feb 05:00 PM
Mount Maunganui man named after fatal Waikato crash
Bay of Plenty Times

Mount Maunganui man named after fatal Waikato crash

17 Feb 03:25 AM
From head-on crash to world stage: How Kaimai beekeepers built a honey legacy
Bay of Plenty Times

From head-on crash to world stage: How Kaimai beekeepers built a honey legacy

17 Feb 03:00 AM


Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk
Sponsored

Cyber crime in 2025: Increased specialisation, increased collaboration, increased risk

09 Feb 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • NZME Digital Performance Marketing
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2026 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP