Just as the Beatles penned a major smash hit in 1967 it resonated around the world as continues to be the mantra of nations and in particular our wonderful nation under the prime ministerial leadership of the honourable P.M. Ardern.
I’d really like to believe her as who would not want this attribute to be the number one policy that drives our nation. Just give it a thought for a moment NZ would be a unique utopia that would be the envy of every nation! But the reality is with love we have one of the highest divorce rates, highest domestic violence levels and one of the worst suicide rates in the western world. What about Ardern’s address at the United Nation Summit earlier in the year? Just listen to other leaders as they comment on border control, economic issues, trade embargoes, weapon sales, oil etc. She devoted that worldwide platform to describing NZ is a kind nation and we promote this kindness in all we do.
I could go on about child poverty, homelessness, mental health, methamphetamines, education… It’s all smoke and mirrors. We have real core problems in our communities and it seems no matter how much money the government throws at, it seems not to fix these endemic issues. The question is.. is her ‘All You Need is Love’ approach working? Are there really any visible positive results? Children are still going to school without breakfast, with no lunch, no shoes. Family dysfunction is still of epidemic proportion, crime rates have not fallen, and racial separation continues to grow in an underbelly of new ‘hate speech’ laws post the Christchurch massacre that vilifies free speech.
Are we in fact killing out country with kindness where we should protect it with common sense? “All you need is love, love is all you need…“, a remarkable song that inspires hope, but when you are on the street, no job, hungry and no hope of ever owning your own home you really question this mantra in running a country.