this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2025
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[–] [email protected] 64 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It’s nowhere near as bad here in NZ

[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Oh absolutely not. It's a much smaller population and being an island it's got a figurative and literal buffer to the rest of the world.

I have always loved New Zealand. It's like the cooler uncle of Australia minus all the spiders the size of my head.

And it's just a beautiful place. Makes me wanna go frolicking in the mountains with an elf, dwarf and old white guy lol

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Just because an island has a smaller population doesn't make it any more or less predisposed to egalitarianism, nor do large populations have to be predisposed to authoritarianism.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

....I never said either of those things?

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"It’s a much smaller population" literally your second sentence, or do you not comprehend your own writing? Why is their smaller population relevant?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I should have been more clear. I never said the words "egalitarianism" or "authoritarianism".

That would be those "either" of the things I was referring to me having not said.

Smaller population simply means each person's vote counts for more. Easier for small groups to have an effect when they only need to reach a smaller number of potential voters.

EDIT: spelling

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The world’s billionaires are heading back to NZ

BusinessDesk talked to real-estate agent Caleb Paterson, who works with a number of offshore agents and high net-worth individuals mainly out of the US and UK markets. He said interest had “definitely perked up” since National said it would repeal its ban on foreign buyers.

Foreign buyers, with the exception of Singaporean and Australian citizens, have been barred from owning NZ properties since 2018.

Assuming it makes up the next government, National’s plan would open the door to all foreign buyers to purchase NZ homes valued at more than $2 million, with a 15 per cent foreign buyer stamp surcharge clipped on, from the 2025 fiscal year.

Enjoy paradise while it lasts.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

These billionaires aren't going to pillage NZ.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You might have misunderstood me.

Billionaires aren't going to NZ to sell subscriptions or strip mine the wilderness. They've already done that elsewhere.

They're going to NZ to live out the coming apocalypse in a mansion with servants.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Billionaires aren’t going to NZ to sell subscriptions or strip mine the wilderness.

They're going to demolish nature preserves to build mega-mansions and juice up the police force to press gang local indigenous people.

Just like they've done everywhere else.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Billionaires want to exploit people and places but they don't want to live in an exploited place with exploited people.

As in don't shit where you eat.

Ultimately I think billionaires wanting to spend their billions in NZ is a good thing for NZ.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 week ago

As in don’t shit where you eat.

The Moss Landing Lithium Plant fire is right in the middle of California's largest vegetable producing county.

That's food going straight onto the plates of any number of Silicon Valley executives.