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九一星空无限Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:19:50 ZenTim Beveridge: The legacy of Joe Biden and his final address
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-legacy-of-joe-biden-and-his-final-address/Well, it’s all over bar the shouting for President Joe Biden, having given his final address where he outlined his record while also sounding a warning of a wealthy oligarchy that is taking shape in America with extreme wealth, power and influence threatening democracy and basic rights and freedoms.
It was a speech that, given the state of American politics, wasn’t going to win anyone new over. Still, it was his chance to present his record and final thoughts as president.
He will, of course, have been pleased to finish his presidency on a positive note with the deal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas (regardless of how it goes).
But, of course, from the sidelines is Donald Trump, who claims it was his overarching threat that "all hell would break loose" that influenced the outcome. Who knows? Though I would have thought all hell had already broken loose over a year ago.
But back to Biden.
To be honest, from my point of view, my preference for who occupies the position of President of the United States isn’t about domestic records or political promises. Those issues are clearly more significant to the American voter. For me and countless others, questions about the way we conduct ourselves in politics and respect for democracy matters most, given the USA’s position and power in the world.
Yes, I can understand why people voted for Trump when it comes to the economy and promises made. But when it comes to respect for democratic values, I’d give Trump a 0 out of 10 and Biden more like an 8 or 9.
For many – one of Biden’s negatives is that he will be remembered for saying he would never pardon his son Hunter Biden, only to perform a comprehensive 180. You can understand why he did it, given how he was pressured into withdrawing his candidacy. But he also would have seen an incoming president escaping all consequences for his actions on January 6, not to mention being a convicted felon and thought - am I really gonna hang my son out to dry on my principles? I would have done the same thing.
But what we have now heading to the White House is a guy who still doesn’t accept the result of the election four years ago. In a way it’s a shame Trump hadn’t won back then because now we’d be saying goodbye to him and hopefully welcoming fresher faces from both parties. Perhaps then they might compete on policy rather than appealing to people’s basic instincts or bigotries.
And that’s the problem we have seen with American politics over the past eight years - partisan politics getting more and more extreme.
In fact, it’s so bad that I reckon if the religious right finally witnessed the second coming of Jesus and he told them he was a Democrat, they’d probably all convert to atheism, such is their loathing for the other side (“that Jesus is such a snowflake!” they’d say).
So for now, fingers crossed that Trump’s unpredictable ways might somehow become a weapon for resolving global conflicts. Because, well, here we are.
And for a final thought on Biden’s legacy – unfortunately, we’re left with the sense that if he had let go of his vanity a couple of years ago and realised it was time to pass the baton, we might be in a very different place.
Much like Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler – “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to walk away, and know when to run” – Biden missed his moment. Instead, we got a last-minute Hail Mary that, well, didn’t work out the way many had hoped. Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:57:40 ZTim Beveridge: Today we farewell Lyn Fleming
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-today-we-farewell-lyn-fleming/Today is the day of the funeral for Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, the police officer who as we all know was tragically killed in the course of duty just two hours into the new year.
Back then, after we heard that awful news, I commented that we would likely see a massive outpouring of grief and community solidarity – not just in the Nelson community, but throughout New Zealand.
Many will feel that the actions leading to her death are just one example —or, should I say, symptomatic— of the problems we’ve got in society. Too many people behave without regard for the consequences: for themselves, their victims, or anyone else their actions might affect. It’s a pretty obvious point, because let’s face it, how much would crime be reduced if perpetrators stopped to think about the impact of their actions?
But before I continue, I think it’s worth pausing to acknowledge again what a huge loss this has been to the Nelson community. From Lyn’s immediate family and friends to her wider family within the police, netball, and indeed the entire Nelson community that she served, her absence is deeply felt.
However, I believe there is one thing to come out of this tragedy that, ironically, gives cause for hope or some optimism. And that is what we will likely witness today: a huge number of people coming together to share their love, to support Lyn’s family, and to grieve the loss of someone who was such an integral part of their community.
Often, from what we hear or read in the media and in the political realm, it seems like we’re always at loggerheads with one another. But on a simple human level, we are also connected and have so much in common with each other as New Zealanders and human beings, regardless of race, politics, and religion.
And I think that today is going to be a demonstration of that.
So, what I hope is that when we see the news coverage of this farewell, and when we reflect on this tragedy, we are also reminded of the fact that, as the cliché goes, there is so much more that connects us than divides us.
Maybe as human beings we’re not all that bad. Maybe we just need to give ourselves more chances to connect with each other rather than finding excuses to bicker, insult, and alienate.
Now, I’m not saying it’s all Kumbaya or the Age of Aquarius. Because, we're always going to have differing opinions, philosophies and political views etc. But I just think that in the midst of all that, it doesn’t hurt to stop for a moment and appreciate the humanity we share.
We are part of a community that’s wider and more generous than we often think, and today is a chance to remind ourselves of that. Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:14:08 ZTim Beveridge: Could this finally be a ceasefire?
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-could-this-finally-be-a-ceasefire/It looks like we’re getting closer to an Israel/Hamas ceasefire agreement involving the release of hundreds of Palestinians and some but not all hostages, which, honestly, is a little surprising
Goodness knows it’s overdue, given the tragic fallout from Hamas’ murderous attack on October 7, 2023.
But I’m sceptical about the potential for any lasting peace with the word being that this particular ceasefire will be for 6 weeks. It’s a far cry from a “truce” or “peace deal”.
And that’s because Hamas will never give up its fight, given its intense hatred of Jews and the Jewish state. That hatred is on full display in its rhetoric, with ongoing promises to rid the world of Israel and the Jewish people.
We’ve heard that sentiment echoed time and time again, at protests around the world with chants of the either mindless or deliberately genocidal slogan: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.
So, I just don’t trust that Hamas won’t want to have another crack at it — no matter how long they have to bide their time.
While I could be tempted to say, given the tragedy, that it’s unhelpful to pick sides, I can definitively say I am NOT on the side of Hamas.
Regardless of any assurances they might pretend to offer, we must recognize that their ultimate goal is the destruction of Israel. And they will not stop.
Recently, there was a debate at the Oxford Union, proposing the shameless motion: “This House Believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide.”
Just the fact that the debate was framed in such a ridiculous way shows how far Oxford has slipped with its standards. The audience was packed with Hamas sympathisers, while only a handful of Jewish students were brave enough to turn up.
Amid the jeering, Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of a senior Hamas founder and leader who defected to Israel’s side, asked the audience to indicate, by a show of hands, how many of them would have reported prior knowledge of the October 7 atrocities to Israel.
Not even a quarter of the crowd raised their hands. In the so-called civilised halls of Oxford. No matter the atrocities of that day and the death toll in Gaza, they still wouldn’t have acted to stop it. If that is the attitude within Oxford– albeit with audience stacked with Hamas sympathisers, what chance is there that Hamas leadership has changed its mind? None, I’d say.
We can leave any further discussion of Oxford for another time, while still seeing the problems that Britain is struggling with. But it also demonstrates that, even in the context of a so-called peaceful debate, there is so much entrenched hatred against Israel that you end up with a sickening response, exposing people’s true colours.
I’d even go so far as to say that Hamas hates Israel more than it loves its own people, preferring to use them as human shields.
So no, I don’t believe the prospects of a successful ceasefire that won’t eventually lead to Hamas launching another attack, in the way they did on October the 7th
When protesters chant “Free Palestine,” I’d say they’re close—but they’re missing a couple of crucial words. What they should be chanting is: “Free Palestine—from Hamas”.
Because until that happens, there will be no hope of peace in the Middle East. Tue, 14 Jan 2025 19:08:36 ZTim Beveridge: My thoughts on the need for rugby reform
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-the-need-for-rugby-reform/I’m sometimes a bit hesitant to weigh in on issues around sport because I am more of a fair-weather friend these days.
Paul Lewis’s report in the New Zealand Herald about rugby sevens’ troubles was a shock. Financial issues are at the heart of it, and World Rugby seems unable to make sevens profitable.
Stories of extravagance at the top don’t help, especially with rugby competing against other sports for attention and money. While players are obviously selected on performance, you have to wonder if the same standard applies to management.
I’m no expert on the international game but as someone who was once a passionate rugby fan, it did make me reflect on whether there needs to be a shift in attitude here in New Zealand.
Now I’m not about to have a go at coaches or the players and I’m persisting with my hope to see the Scott Robertson era excite us in 2025.
But I just get a sense that the game here is managed, in this professional era, with a lingering old-fashioned attitude to accessibility. This makes our teams and players seem more remote than ever. Just look at some of the offerings that are available to sports fans from other sports that are now competing for our attention – and money.
I’m a recent convert to following F1. That’s mainly because of the access that Netflix has had in filming its ‘Drive to Survive’ series. It’s let us into the dramas and the lives of people who are participating in an incredibly high-stakes game – and yet we still see them letting it all hang out with what they think, the rivalries, the bitchiness, and all while seeing that these are incredibly talented folk try to squeeze every last degree of performance out of their teams and vehicles.
Whereas by contrast sometimes it feels like New Zealand rugby is so carefully stage-managed that it is becoming more and more remote from rugby fans and supporters. Possibly why the NZRU’s nickname behind the scenes with sports journalists is “the Kremlin”.
Surely the reason that rugby became our national religion for decades was because we all felt like we owned the game. We felt connected to our local clubs, school teams, provincial teams, and, of course, the All Blacks. Not now. Somewhere that’s got a little lost.
I have to remind you that I’m just saying this as more of a fair-weather fan of rugby – but I didn’t use to be. There was a time when the outcome of an All Black match would dictate whether it was a good or bad day. One of my brags as a singer was having sung the anthem for the All Blacks seven times (they won them all by the way...).
I just get the feeling that something has to change. Because, as I said, there is a lot competing for our attention.Mon, 13 Jan 2025 18:52:20 ZTim Beveridge: The devastation in Los Angeles
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-devastation-in-los-angeles/The ongoing story about the wildfires in California takes your breath away, doesn't it?
As one official remarked, in the fire's early stages, it spread from an area of around 10 square kilometres to 200 square kilometres in just 10 minutes.
When you see how quickly Mother Nature can turn vicious under the right conditions, it's pretty sobering.
Of course, tragedies and dramatic events happen all the time around the world, but we're not always drawn to them in the same way as we are to the California wildfires. Probably because it's a part of the world that feels so familiar. American culture is such a prominent feature in our own lives.
We recognise some of the places and names of those affected. I mentioned somewhat frivolously yesterday that one way to keep up with the fires' progress might be to check out the Kardashians' Instagram feed.
How true that turned out to be with them posting some startling images of the devastation.
One thing I'd almost forgotten is that this is North America, and it's the middle of winter.
You could be forgiven for thinking these events were happening in Australia, where bushfires wreak havoc almost annually. But here we are in California, in winter, alongside news of record snowfall and incredible ski seasons in other part of North America - what a contrast.
Inevitably, there will be talk of climate change and how to mitigate humanity's impact, but the warnings were there beforehand.
California officials and experts have long cautioned about wildfire risks, citing overgrown vegetation, drought, and delayed forest management.
Billions had been allocated for wildfire prevention, including vegetation clearly, but clearly implementation hasn't been fast enough.
But it's one thing to announce the money, and another thing to spend it well.
Politicians are already facing scorching criticism for the lack of preparedness. Whether it's the failure to manage the growth of vegetation that provided fuel for the fires, ensuring reservoirs had enough water to fight them, or taking other preventative steps - those warnings don't seem to have been heeded.
And it's here that possibly the lesson lies.
If there's one human quality that has enabled us to survive and keep evolving, it's our ability to adapt.
If earlier steps had been taken to prepare - removing fuel sources, improving water sources, and heeding expert warnings - then maybe the disaster we're witnessing wouldn't have been on such a horrendous scale.
Sure, debate climate change all you like, but the immediate challenge is our ability to prepare and adapt.
Right now, though, all we can really do is thank our lucky stars it's not us, and extend a bit of empathy to those who have seen their lives go up in smoke.
LISTEN ABOVEThu, 09 Jan 2025 22:06:31 ZTim Beveridge: They love to hate the Treaty Principles Bill
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-they-love-to-hate-the-treaty-principles-bill/It was barely a few days ago that I commented on the Treaty Principles Bill and whether we were mature enough to have the debate - whether it was going to be an informed conversation or just a lot of shouting.
I thought that would be the last I'd have to say about it for a while, but it's a bit like the commentator's curse.
Because now, as we've seen, on the very last day of submissions, there were problems with the website - the cause of which is yet to be determined.
But there is the suggestion perhaps it was running a little slowly because a whole lot of people decided to turn their homework in at the very last minute.
That's led to calls to reopen submissions and extend the deadline by two weeks.
But it is kind of ironic, isn't it - that the very people who can't stand the bill, who want to see the end of it... those are the ones who want to prolong the process a bit more, when frankly, if they'd had their act together they would have been well ahead of the game.
Incidentally on the website itself, I understand there was the option to send an email.
And likely what's happening now is that various interest groups or political parties are churning out lots of copy and paste template submissions for their followers to send in and swamp the process with submissions.
Submissions which I have doubt will add little if anything to the argument.
It's simply a political move to stack the numbers as if the process itself is a referendum and the same submission will be sent again and again and again.
I understand the committee will be meeting at 9am today to determine whether they re-open submissions and for how long.
Look, if there were folk who, on the last day, were prevented from submitting, then in all fairness there probably should be an extension for them. If it turns out there were lots of people affected, in order to get the word out, the extension will have to be for more than a day.
But it could also turn out that very few people were affected.
But I reckon that - for all those parties that say they can't stand the bill - secretly, they LOVE it.
It's Christmas all over again for them to rile up their followers to make political capital and sow a few more seeds of division.
And again, it'll have bugger all to do with the substance of what the bill is about.
As I have said before, I would wager that a significant majority of those submitting couldn't tell you the gist of any of the three clauses in the bill.
But there we go - the political game continues. Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows.
LISTEN ABOVEWed, 08 Jan 2025 23:59:08 ZTim Beveridge: The tragic downfall of Rudy Giuliani
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-tragic-downfall-of-rudy-giuliani/I saw yesterday that Rudy Giuliani is in the news again, having just been held in contempt of court in a staggering $148 million defamation case after he falsely accused two Georgia election workers of tampering with votes.
It's quite something to have witnessed the public downfall of someone who was once described by Oprah Winfrey as "America's mayor" with the word Shakespearean coming to mind when you consider such a tragic change in his fortunes.
Prior to 9/11, Giuliani had become mayor of New York City on the back of his successful career as a prosecutor, cracking down on the mafia through an innovative use of he RICO Act.
Then came the events of 9/11 and "cometh the hour, cometh the man".
The memory I have of Giuliani in his prime - if we can call it that - was as the face of stoicism and resistance following the 2001 terror attack on the Twin Towers.
His calm, measured, and compassionate response was in stark contrast - something you might recall - to the initial image of President Bush sitting stunned in front of a room of schoolkids as he digested the news.
Former Democratic governor and senator Bob Kerrey summed up Giuliani's response on 9/11 when he said, "trust me, the range of possibilities for leaders is quite extreme: Some panic, some get paralyzed," - "Giuliani was brave and reassuring, and you can't subtract that from his résumé.”
Fast forward, and it's quite hard to get your head around what a stunning downfall we've witnessed over the last few years, with Giuliani playing the role of Trump's attack dog in leading the attempt to overturn the election results four years ago.
Then there was a string of embarrassing public appearances, which made it hard to imagine that this was the very man who, for his leadership of New York in its greatest crisis, was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2001.
But how the mighty have fallen. People who know him or knew him say that Giuliani today bears little resemblance to the man they knew.
Others have suggested that the real Giuliani was always hiding in plain sight and it was just fate that dished up the circumstances that enabled him to demonstrate the best of himself.
Perhaps it was fate also that dished up circumstances which caused him to demonstrate the worst of himself.
Maybe it was in tying his fortunes to Donald Trump, where he wouldn't be the only acolyte to have fallen under that bus. Michael Cohen and Steve Bannon are a couple of names that come to mind.
But ultimately, it's a tragedy to watch him make the choices he has made and betray his legacy as the man who led New York City through its darkest days, becoming instead the architect of his own downfall by letting his later actions overshadow it all.
And hopefully, history will be kinder to him than the most recent headlines.
LISTEN ABOVETue, 07 Jan 2025 21:44:29 ZTim Beveridge: Elon Musk vs Keir Starmer
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-elon-musk-vs-keir-starmer/I'm not sure if it's entertaining or a little frightening to watch the weight being thrown around by Elon Musk in the political arena. Not just in the United States, but also right now in the United Kingdom where, in addition to slagging off Keir Starmer, he was looking likely to throw a large amount of money at Nigel Farage's political party Reform UK.
In fact, the news around the budding bromance between Musk and Farage has been hard to keep up with. Farage recently described Musk as a hero for buying Twitter back - saying that whether we like everything he says or not, "he's a hero." He also said Musk made him look cool to younger voters.
Not so cool now - with Musk posting on X that Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to lead Reform UK. He hasn't explained his reasons, but maybe we can assume that it's because Farage doesn't want anything to do with far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who is currently serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.
It's worth noting with some of Musk's focus falls on fertile ground in his criticism of governments for failing to address the issue of grooming gangs - an issue also honed in on by far-right groups in the UK, including Robinson - who he has ridiculously described as a political prisoner. But it seems his support for Tommy Robinson was a step too far for Nigel Farage.
So, it is looking like with Musk it's a case of - you are either all in or you're out - the change in the potential financial fortunes of Reform UK happening within hours of Farage, in an interview with the BBC, describing Musk as a friend.
They say a week is a long time in politics, but perhaps when it comes to relationships with Elon Musk, maybe a single day can feel even longer.
All this has got to raise your curiosity as to how long the friendship with Donald Trump will last with Trump publicly promising Musk a role in his administration. Plenty of people are surprised the relationship has even made it this far.
The bigger question is how comfortable any of us are with someone like Musk, with his immense wealth, wielding - or attempting to wield - power through money. Not that this is a new concept - money talks and always has.
As we've seen, Musk has also been wading into German politics, endorsing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, sections of which have been described as right-win extremist. Oh great... just what we need - a far-right German government!
Musk has recently had a crack at the German Chancellor on X, tweeting "Chancellor Oaf Schitz or whatever his name will lose". Scholz's response was to simply say "don't feed the troll".
Problem is, Musk the troll has plenty of his own fuel to add to the fire, whether he is fed or not.
You might remember a while ago; Elon Musk was telling us how we should be trying to make Mars habitable. He once claimed that in 30 years, there could be a million people living on the red planet. These days, I wouldn't mind betting there is an ever-increasing number of people hoping he'll be one of the first to make the trip, and I'd probably be one of them.
LISTEN ABOVE Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:58:30 ZTim Beveridge: My thoughts on changing alcohol labels
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-changing-alcohol-labels/The momentum seems to be building on the need for more in the way of health warnings on alcoholic drinks. This follows mounting evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of about seven types of cancer including breast and liver cancer.
A recent study released in 2024 showed that in one year (2018) alcohol contributed to more than 900 deaths, 1,250 cancer cases, nearly 30,000 hospitalisations, and around 130,000 ACC claims.
And in the USA, the Surgeon General has called for a reassessment of alcohol consumption and wants alcoholic drinks to carry a warning about cancer risks on their labels.
This instantly conjured up dramatic images for me... those sorts of warnings such as those we have seen on packets of cigarettes with graphic images and messages - so my initial response was: No blimmen way.
But I doubt there would ever be the political will or momentum to apply those sorts of extreme warnings here.
But the question remains on whether there is a need for more health advice or warnings about the adverse effects of alcohol on drinks sold in New Zealand.
Currently there are warnings around the dangers of drinking when pregnant - which is hard to argue with, given our horrific statistics around foetal alcohol syndrome. Beer producers also have nutritional information panels on their products.
But it seems many New Zealanders are either blasé or ignorant about the long-term health effects of consuming alcohol.
Regardless, I don't think anyone wants to see the same kind of fear-mongering warnings on our favourite bottle of red wine that we see on packets of cigarettes.
I'm also not a fan of some of the other ideas which have been mooted, such as increasing tax or banning the marketing of alcohol.
Because while we might want to restrict the marketing of products that encourage binge drinking and the easy consumption of alcohol such as RTD's, we probably wouldn't want the same rules applied to the advertising of a particularly fine Marlborough Chardonnay or Central Otago Pinot Noir.
So many of the things we consume, whether food or beverages, have risks. Would you want to see a warning on your packet of sausages because of the saturated fat? On the menu next to your Wagyu steak? Or outside every fish and chip or burger joint - a health warning about the risks of deep frying? Should KFC have a health warning on the risk of obesity and heart disease?
I'd suggest that the answer is no, despite us wanting people to make better decisions around what they eat and drink.
At the heart of this is that old chestnut - education.
The same sort of education that has me applying sunscreen more regularly and avoiding the sun during the hottest part of the day.
The same education that reminds us why we shouldn't smoke and to swim between the flags.
But perhaps, given the stats we have on the dangers of alcohol, adding something to the pregnancy warning to address long term health risks might be okay - but as for ramming it down our throats with graphic, fear inducing labels on every bottle of beer and wine... no thanks!
LISTEN ABOVESun, 05 Jan 2025 21:45:10 ZTim Beveridge: My thoughts on Liam Payne's death
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-thoughts-on-liam-paynes-death/This is a troubling story about the events that have followed the death of One Direction star Liam Payne. You’ll recall Liam lost his life after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires in October. Understandably, his friends, family, and his multitude of fans were devastated by his death.
But now the news is that his manager, as well as the manager of the Casa Sur hotel and its head of reception, have been charged with negligent homicide and could face up to five years in prison. So apparently, this is their fault? A couple of other individuals have also been charged with supplying drugs and could be jailed for up to 15 years. That may be a different matter, but charging the hotel manager is madness. According to the judge, the manager was reckless in facilitating Liam’s transfer to his room by taking him there. This was after he was allegedly off his face and had apparently fainted in the lobby.
Also, ask yourself: if it weren’t for Liam’s fame and the global coverage of his tragic death, would any of this be happening?
And what does it mean for any other person who encounters someone who's off their face on drugs and barely conscious? How often would that scenario be encountered by people in hospitality every day? Hindsight is great, but it’s not hard to understand how the hotel manager would think, “Look, let’s just take this guy up to his room to sleep it off.” Yet now that same hotel manager is facing charges for not having a crystal ball.
What stands out here is the absurdity of charging those who were in closest proximity to Liam at the time of his death. Why should they pay the price when others who played much larger roles in either ignoring his problems or directly contributing to them seem to escape accountability?
Yes, I can imagine circumstances where people might BE responsible for such a tragedy, but I don’t think this is it. If they’re responsible, then why not go a little further back and blame those who introduced him to alcohol – or the band management who put One Direction on such a gruelling performance schedule for which there is well-documented evidence for of how demanding and exhausting their tours were. Why not blame those who introduced him to drugs or didn’t look after him in his early days? Or those who didn’t give him the right sort of care when he was stuck in hotel rooms on tour, lonely, and turning to the minibar or other substances for comfort?
What about the culpability of those closest to him, who surely knew the problems he was facing? Should we be charging them? Well, of course not – that would be obscene. Because the bit that is also missing in this story is the question of personal responsibility, which seems entirely absent while people search for answers. Everyone but Liam is being blamed for his demise. You can imagine if someone was actively encouraging him to do dangerous things while he was out of it, then maybe they would be culpable. But putting someone in their hotel room to sleep it off is hardly a case for charging them with manslaughter.
Yes, you can imagine the pressure that authorities must feel under to assign some sort of blame. But to look to those who just happened to be there at the end – while ignoring those who contributed to the long and difficult path that led to his struggles – is wide of the mark.Thu, 02 Jan 2025 20:19:55 ZTim Beveridge: An all too familiar story
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-an-all-too-familiar-story/What a tragedy unfolded in Nelson yesterday, with the news that Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming has died from her injuries after being rammed by a car in Nelson just hours after the new year began. She was a daughter, a mother, and a wife—someone who had given 38 years of service to her community. Described by Police Commissioner Richard Chambers as a “beautiful soul” and an “outstanding police officer,” this is a devastating piece of news at the start of the new year.
It’s also a story that feels all too familiar, doesn’t it? Not just because of international stories where a car is used as a weapon, but because here in New Zealand, alcohol-fuelled rage and recklessness behind the wheel seem to have become increasingly common.
Before I continue, I want to extend my deepest sympathies to all those affected by this tragedy—from Lyn’s family and friends to her wider family in the police force and the Nelson community, who must be reeling at this news.
It's obviously too early to know all the facts but so far, this has been described as senseless and unprovoked. And frankly, it’s not much of a reach to assume alcohol is involved, because I can barely imagine such a callous act happening if anyone involved were of sober mind.
But it’s moments like these that make me think we really need to be a lot harder on such callous, reckless violent acts. Maybe that’s a visceral, gut reaction to this tragedy but I’m going to repeat something I’ve been saying for quite a while: the time has come for us to go extra hard on people who commit such acts under the influence of alcohol.
Obviously, it’s not just the law that is going to be the way to address our attitude to alcohol.
Right now, and yes I'm speaking out of anger – and why not?
But I don't think the person responsible for this crime deserves one shred of mercy from the justice system when hopefully they are brought to justice. It's moments like these when I've had a gutsful of the focus switching to whether the accused was remorseful or had a bad upbringing – whatever sob story gets served up as a pathetic excuse for what they have done. The person driving that vehicle appears to have shown zero mercy or compassion for Lyn Fleming or her colleague Adam Ramsay.
In return, they deserve no compassion or mercy from the justice system. The bar should be set extremely high for any mitigating circumstances in such a callous act. And if alcohol was involved—and let’s be honest, it’s a brave person who would bet otherwise—then that should absolutely be treated as an aggravating factor in dealing with the perpetrator of this tragedy.
None of this will undo this tragedy. We can't turn back time. But it is time for the message to go out from the justice system that the law, and the enforcement of it for cases like this, will be fearsome. Not at the expense of fairness in the due process that must play out – but once accountability is established, I hope a sentence is dished out that takes people's breath away. A sentence that resonates throughout NZ and sends the message that callous acts like this, have no excuse. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 20:41:25 ZTim Beveridge: The Great Dimming
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-the-great-dimming/I imagine there’s not many of us who haven’t felt a good dose of gratitude for the fact that we grow up in an age of enlightenment where science and medicine make a massive difference — not only to our lives, but our wellbeing and our life expectancy.
And alongside that feeling of gratitude, I suspect is a certain smugness that “aren't we all so clever” when, in fact, maybe the truth is that some people are really clever and aren’t we lucky that they lived in an age where they could invent and develop technology and science in ways that improve our lives immeasurably
This is not an opinion that luddites will embrace...
But just look at the innovations we have seen over the past century or two – advances in medicine, information technology, energy, transport, science and our understanding of the universe we live in
Of course, alongside with the advances which benefit us is technology that can threaten our existence such as nuclear arms and modern weaponry
But all in all, for those of us lucky enough to live in a vaguely civilised democracy, I think we’ve got it pretty good. Ever since the scientific revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, we have seen massive advancements in science and technology.
But, if there’s something I’m probably worried about it’s this – despite all that is at our fingertips - we are now in an age — not of enlightenment — but a perhaps a great Dimming - where so much information is available courtesy of the internet that you can find any pseudoscience or argument to support your own reckons. Often, people start off with an idea that their intuition tells them must be right. Then, instead of testing that idea, they think, “Let’s go and find the evidence that fits or confirms what I want to believe.”
Yesterday there was a story in the Guardian about a doctor saying that constantly battling, seeing patients who have chosen not to take medication on the advice of online wellness influencers on TikTok. We saw it in the news here just days ago where TikTok influencers are telling people to go and get tanned when the UV level is at its highest – advice that is not only utterly wrong, but dangerous, reckless and ignorant. It is advice that panders to and exploits the ignorance of large parts of society who get their news and information from social media and clearly don't know any better.
So, it’s ironic — and perhaps a little depressing — that despite all the knowledge and advancements available to us, there is an increasing distrust of that science. Science that previous generations were grateful for, as they battled what are now easily treatable or preventable diseases and afflictions.
Because of increasing ignorance and distrust, I wonder if the era that we are heading into – instead of being one of enlightenment – is going to be an era known as The Great Dimming. An era with increasingly larger enclaves of people preferring to resort to quackery and superstition and the influencers of TikTok rather than seizing upon the incredible advancements and scientific knowledge our ancestors could only dream of. If only we would stop viewing science with such contempt.
So, if there’s one thing, I’m worried about it’s this era of wilful ignorance. We see it with the re-emergence of diseases which should never see the light of day in modern times. Diseases which can so easily be prevented through vaccination or following sensible advice on diet, alcohol consumption, sun exposure, smoking, and early detection. So please, if you hear someone spouting nonsense or dishing or medical advice from something they have seen on TikTok or elsewhere - at the very least a gentle encouragement in another direction might do them and all — and us — a favour.
LISTEN ABOVE Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:33:14 ZTim Beveridge: This year's New years honours
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-this-years-new-years-honours/So, it’s New Year’s Eve, and the honours for 2025 have been announced. There’s a kind of quirk with the whole hierarchy of the honours, which I’m not sure I’d necessarily change, but it’s worth noting.
It starts with the Knights and Dames, then moves on to the Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit, then the Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit, followed by the King’s Service Order, and finally, at the bottom of the hierarchy, is the King’s Service Medal.
And it’s here, I think, that you often find a remarkable collection of people who have given their time for years and years—almost always on a voluntary basis—and are finally being rewarded for their service.
Often for the awards higher up the hierarchy, the recipients are being recognised for things they’ve already been well-rewarded for, and the honours are simply the icing on the cake. But with the King’s Service Medals, it’s usually for years of service without any extrinsic reward.
When I say extrinsic reward, I really mean to highlight that these people have likely been rewarded through the satisfaction, joy, or meaning they derive from the service they have given.
Whether it’s in the performing arts, emergency services, the SPCA, conservation, sport, youth services, or specific communities within New Zealand, the recipients of the King’s Service Medal are usually people who have simply given of themselves. It’s an impressive and inspiring list of people who have given of themselves to make a tangible difference.
If you ever have the chance to go to an award ceremony, it’s really something I would highly recommend, because it really is quite something to see New Zealanders from a wide range of backgrounds rewarded for years of service. When the achievements, lists, or citations are read out, it’s just such a heartening moment to see, and it gives you a lovely insight into what it means to be a New Zealander giving something back to your community.
But regardless of whichever award you have received—whether you be a famous king or queen of the world in a sport you have dominated, or someone who has given 40 years of service as a volunteer to the SPCA—congratulations and thank you.
NZ wouldn’t be what it is without you.Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:45:54 ZTim Beveridge: Grant Dalton deserves man of the year
/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-grant-dalton-deserves-man-of-the-year/
/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-grant-dalton-deserves-man-of-the-year/Last week I decided I would offer a couple of suggestions as to who might qualify to be either Man or Woman of the year. I wanted to get in before the New Year’s Honours list was released tomorrow morning – New Year’s Eve—so I wouldn’t be in danger of undermining the choices that have been made of those New Zealanders to receive New Years Honours.
On Friday, I announced my choice for Woman of the Year. Now it’s the man’s turn.
And to be honest I will be surprised and perhaps not a little disappointed if his name isn’t already on the list to be announced tomorrow.
But for me, that person is Grant Dalton, who earlier this year in Barcelona led Emirates Team New Zealand to successfully defend, for an unprecedented third time in a row in the modern era, the America’s Cup.
Some say Grant Dalton is perhaps a polarising character because he did the deal to successfully defend the Cup which involved taking the cup competition offshore. I wrote my thoughts about that in a piece in the New Zealand Herald a couple of years ago so I’m not about to repeat myself on that score.
But back, then I described Dalton as a tenacious, determined man who knows how to get things done. And so it proved. In a challenging post Covid era he managed to raise the money to build a magnificent boat and to retain, maintain and develop a competitive team to successfully defend the America’s Cup in an environment where Team NZ was always competing against the bottomless pockets of other teams.
And, in what I would describe as typical Kiwi fashion, Grant Dalton seems to be the last one who wants any credit, attention, or plaudits, preferring instead to highlight that the achievement belongs to his team. Just a few days ago for our 九一星空无限talk ZB summer feature he was at pains to point out the brilliant efforts of the sailors themselves as well as the design team and other individuals within Team New Zealand.
And you don’t succeed in the way Emirates Team NZ has without an incredibly strong team culture and ethos —something sailing commentator Mark Orams described as being hard to emulate. But surely that’s the sort of thing that can only evolve through strong leadership.
The other thing I like about Grant Dalton is that he hasn't watered down his public persona to appease his critics and media in ways we might see with other sportspeople or managers where frankly, with some, you wouldn’t have a clue what makes some of them tick. Grant Dalton just does Grant Dalton.
One day the future of the Americas cup will be decided without him. But it's hard not to imagine that we might not have been quite as successful if it hadn't been for his leadership at Team NZ regardless of where the baton gets passed next.
In fact, I’m going to say it: it would be a travesty if he’s not knighted in this year’s New Year’s Honours list. But Grant will be the last to complain. As I wrote last time about him. He will be concentrating on getting the next job done.Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:48:46 ZTim Beveridge: My take on boxing day sales
/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-take-on-boxing-day-sales/
/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-my-take-on-boxing-day-sales/It has been nice to celebrate Christmas and all the positive things that can be said about this this season BUT now we’re on to the next day and ... the dreaded boxing day sales
Disclaimer: I might be a bit of a hypocrite from time to time on this one
But it is one of those days where perhaps we’ve all had at one time a sense of outrage about Boxing Day sales because well, it feels like a slight kick in the teeth when you’ve done all your Christmas shopping only to find that the goods that you were happy to fork out for before Christmas somehow suddenly got a lot cheaper and that our goodwill and need to comply with the traditions of Christmas are somehow exploited by retailers.
It might feel a little harsh saying that though because we know what a tough time retail has had with the economic downturn and so I’m hardly about to begrudge them whatever it takes for them to make a living and a struggle through some challenging times
And Boxing Day sales have been around forever and it's not like we don't know they’re coming so - the choice is ours
so yes, I have cooled called my jets about that a little bit and yes, I did check a couple of retailers websites for what they were offering but I guess the point is this
There was a time when Boxing Day was one of the few genuinely big sales of the year - but I just can’t understand how, if you’ve had a great Christmas Day - your answer next day - your next step towards happiness is to go and suffer with the hordes of folks who be there alongside you looking for a bargain
Because times have changed - the opportunities for bargains throughout the year are nonstop - we have so many times we can get a bargain - any public holiday or celebration you’ll see wall to wall ads advertising a sale We’ve imported got Black Friday Waitangi Day sales, Labour Day sales, Anzac Day sales, Easter sales - in fact any sort of public commemoration these days gets turned into a sale so it’s not like you didn’t have your chance through the course of the year
so, when it comes to the Boxing Day sales I would just say – so you really need to? Really? look maybe the gift giving has reminded you suddenly that there really was something you wanted but if you are just shopping for shopping sake – give yourself a break
You know what you won't have to look wait long before you'll get the same chance for the same item at a great price
But - if your motivation is to get out there and support those struggling retailers then good on you and have a great Boxing Day! I might see you there...
LISTEN ABOVEWed, 25 Dec 2024 23:28:42 ZTim Beveridge: What's the real meaning of Christmas?
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/on-air/holiday-breakfast/opinion/tim-beveridge-whats-the-real-meaning-of-christmas/Well, it’s just one sleep until the big day. If ever I were to deliver a sermon, this might be it!
There’s a story in the British newspaper the Telegraph which has concluded that when it comes to wearing the pants in the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s household (Harry and Meghan, for short) - their Christmas greeting might reveal who’s really wearing the pants. Apparently, their choice of wording— “Happy Holidays” or “Happy Holiday Season” instead of the dreaded “C” word—Christmas—has driven the conclusion that Meghan, not Harry, is calling the shots.
Maybe so but frankly who cares about Meghan and Harry!
But what this does remind me though, is the long running debate and sensitivity about using the word Christmas because as some argue, it doesn’t include other religions or might offend those who don’t celebrate it.
As a result, we end up with these bland, soulless – can I say WOKE? phrases like “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays.” It’s as if uttering the word Christmas is somehow a cultural crime
Heaven forbid anyone mentions Jesus…!.
But I reckon maybe we’ve moved past all that we can accept that Christmas, although rooted in Christianity – has grown into something much bigger – something for everyone to celebrate.
Remember that in the northern hemisphere Xmas coincides with the winter solstice and wouldn’t be the first tradition to have broken free or extended beyond its origins
And while for many Christians, Christmas obviously has a deep spiritual significance that goes beyond family get togethers, turkey, gifts and mistletoe etc - I don’t know many – or any – Christians who begrudge folk of other religions or no religion at all for taking the opportunity to celebrate Christmas. In fact, I believe most Christians love seeing it celebrated widely as a day for everyone.
It’s a bit like two Christian holidays - Easter and Good Friday which are considered to be important enough in our calendar that we still protect them with retail trading bans, despite commercial pressure.
I’ve heard plenty of non-believers support those trading bans too, not just for sake of tradition but because it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of days where we don’t have to be charging to the shops and instead, we can maybe step back from the chaos for a day or two
I should confess that I’m not religious although raised Anglican. But I do believe that Christmas is a special day no matter what you believe. It’s an excuse for us to put our differences aside and extend a bit of hospitality and generosity, and spend time with friends and loved ones
So, here’s to Christmas - as the song goes - the most wonderful time of the year. So… merry Christmas!
Here endeth the lesson…
LISTEN ABOVEMon, 23 Dec 2024 22:55:36 Z