Jacinda Ardern

I have learnt today that some politicians in New Zealand have been attempting to get the gun laws changed since 1996! Obviously people in NZ have been aware of the various mass shootings reported around the world over the years. You are right NannyC, there have been far more shootings than I have remembered or mentioned, Hungerford, Cumbria, Australia (Tasmania, Osmington, Ellenbrook, Bedford, and others) Chechnya (Beslan school) Pakistan (Bahawalpur church) and there are many more. A little research on the internet shows that the true number of shootings that occur all over the world is truly horrifying. Most of them pass us by unnoticed. A line on the news or no mention at all. It is politicians who have let us down. They alone have the power to restrict the sale of armed weapons. Lighting candles, tea and sympathy, warm words, attending vigils and memorials is not enough. I’m sorry if others disagree but it’s how I feel. No politician who has failed to act until people are dead deserves to be lauded. Some NZ politicians have been trying for over twenty years to get the ownership of guns restricted by law. JA did not listen. She’s listening now, fifty people dead too late.

The previous government wanted to make gun law changes but were scared of losing votes
“Three years ago, the Police Association warned members of Parliament the country's gun control rules were so inadequate they could result in a mass killing. A parliamentary select committee recommended changes in 2017. But the Police Minister at the time, Paula Bennett, accepted only seven of the 20 recommendations - prompting accusations from the Police Association she had succumbed to pressure from the gun lobby.” ( NZ Herald.)

The current government have only been in power for 18 months.

www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018687024/semi-automatic-gun-ban-probably-right-way-to-go-bridges

Really heartening to learn New Zealand must have change. Had a friend who in 1999/00 emigrated to New Zealand with two of her 3 children, 3rd staying behind for uni. Husband had a fantastic job with huge increase in salary etc. Had a card from her telling arrival and looking to settle in. Six weeks later card posted from airport in Australia. Thought she and husband had fallen out (,so unexpected) . On arrival home, story was that they couldn't stand the discrimination afforded to anyone not of New Zealand and in particular Maoris. Couldn't listen to the type of conversations both at work and socially deriding anything or anyone, white, black but foreign. The atrocity committed recently was by an Australian but perhaps he felt the " vibes" were right in that country. Do hope it really has changed for the better.

4allweknow I have lived in NZ for 40 years. It is not as your friends reported. I can’t quite make sense of your post. Are you saying Maori were discriminated against or pro?
Every country has some uneducated prejudiced people but I have lived worked and attended uni here and never met with such people.

There are places in the UK where immigrants are not welcomed. I do hope the whole counry wouldn't be judged by them. Your post is highly offensive to both New Zealanders and Australians 4allweknow. Some New Zealanders may not welcome people and some Australians may feel unwelcome. I don't imagine any of them would commit such an atrocity, and I really don't think we should be looking for an excuse for it.

I think the vast majority would not commit such a heinous act, those who do are surely not simply racist (abhorrent as that is) but surely they must deranged.

Must be deranged.....

We'll I wish we could have her. Immediate and decisive action is unheard of in House of Commons.

I have great respect for Jacinda for many reasons. I am not surprised by the quality of her leadership in the face of this terrorist outrage.

I have to disagree with the view that our political class' response to the Grenfell tragedy was of the highest quality. Frankly I felt there was a slowness to assist the victims and a lack of commitment to taking measures to try and markedly decrease the chances of a similar tragedy.

The way in which the inquiry has been encouraged to place responsibility for the tragedy at the feet of the fire service, who ran into the building at great risk to their own lives to try and save the victims, whilst an odd silence and averted gaze has been applied to the actions of the council, the contractors and the commercial interests involved in the disastrous decision to clad the building with the deadly material, has deeply upset me.

You know I don’t think any politician could have done what Jacinda did except in these tragic circumstances where no opposition member could possibly disagree. It had to be done fast. That’s what Australia did after the Port Arthur massacre. We (NZ) should have done it then.

I admire Ms Ardern. She seems to me to be a genuinely intelligent, reasonable person who hasn't lost her humanity. Of course she plays the political game, but she still gives the appearance of not having suppressed her own strong views and beliefs.
So many politicians seem to me almost robotic. No sincere feelings and no clue as to what they're really think behind the frequently meaningless soundbites. (I'm an englishwoman now living in Australia)

Was very impressed with her demeanour, words and actions. A marked contrast to many of our Westminster politicians!

While events of this type deserve comprehensive, accurate and sensitive coverage, I think the BBC wastes millions sending huge teams of staff from different channels/programmes to cover international events over and above staff already based abroad.

I see she has had death threats and pictures of guns sent to her The world is full of dangerous arsehxxxx

That is dreadful BlueBelle

Now there is a call for Jacinda Ardern to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/03/call-for-jacinda-ardern-to-be-nominated-for-the-nobel-peace-prize.html

There’ll be a call to give her a sainthood next!

New Zealand ( God's own country) as the Kiwis call it, is a wonderful country, and I speak from much experience, but it is a self- contained bubble, far from the problems the rest of the world faces. Although ask a Maōri what sort of discrimination they face. I am very sad that a racist atrocity such as Christchurch has happened but I have faith that decency will prevail because the New Zealanders I know approve of their prime minister and trust in the integrity of her views.

She may get the Nobel Peace prize? Really? What exactly has she done to deserve that? Expressed sympathy for victims of an atrocity which (with hindsight) could have been prevented? In that case, we all deserve one!

There’s always one!

And how could that have been prevented RosieLeah do you have a crystal ball?

And in answer to your other point, she got off her backside and has considerably tightened up gun laws. No messing, no false promises, no dillydallying.

She has shown world leaders how to act in the aftermath of an appalling tragedy, unlike May after Grenfell or Trump after almost everything.

Jacinda also said that all the burial costs of the Vicks of the shooting would be covered by the NZ government , highly commendable act ,

Victims, Sorry , predictive txt.

Didn’t know that. What a lovely gesture.

4allweknow. Did it not strike you as odd that your friends reached their decision to leave in just six weeks?
I am sure that there was far more to it than that.
I have lived in New Zealand and was made to feel welcome. As a Brit you are considered as family.
Jacinda has behaved impeccably and deserves the respect of all.

Anja there’s always two actually - not just one. And it’s right to challenge them on this thread and call them out here IMO. To let sarcastic comments go unchallenged or unremarked on can seem to give them legitimacy. What’s sad in general though is how low the standards of our leaders have fallen that this young women with her compassion, integrity and steely determination to change things is seen as so remarkable. Paying for the funerals of victims of terroism should be the least any of us should expect - in the US I read ages ago that people injured in the Boston Marathon attack were crowd funding to pay for their medical treatment and here, a charity had to pay for the funeral of that poor women who died in Salisbury by what I would call an act of terror as well.