Jacinda Ardern

fran021. Not sure about your comment regarding what previous generations read or did, my brother's childhood comics glorified war and guns and killing Germans. Blows your theory out of the water!

^ JA is behaving impeccably over the CC massacre^

How else could she behave?

What a strange thing to say.
Trump is clueless as to how to react, because he lacks empathy, always, but other than him, at times of tragedy, most politicians and leaders behave appropriately and say what needs to be said.

The horror of Lee Rigsby's slaughter, the Grenfell Towers disaster and other tragedies have had our politicians doing what had to be done and saying what had to be said, in an appropriate manner.

Why Ardern's response is used as a vehicle to knock UK ministers is beyond me. I see left wingers are out in force criticising May and others.

Political one-upmanship attempted via a human tragedy - that's not nice.

To get back to the original post, sorry I digressed, I think JA came across very well and it seems the new law will be implemented next month. I wish we got on so quickly here. She seems a kind, sympathetic leader.

I agree Maxdecatt, I can never understand why the beeb sends newsreaders to report disasters etc on the spot. They rarely get to interview anyone, the pictures/films we would get anyway, and as you say, why so many need to go I don’t understand. The tv licence is going up in April and the beeb have been throwing out alternatives to the free licence for over 75s as they “can’t afford it”. I can see why.

My understanding is that New Zealand has a strong gun lobby and it would have been difficult for Jacinda Arden to change laws before this atrocity. www.irishtimes.com/news/world/asia-pacific/tighter-arms-control-in-new-zealand-has-history-of-being-blocked-1.3830716

maddy your post is so illogical as to defy all reason. JA is behaving impeccably over the CC massacre and is leading her country and government in a way that can only make us in the UK almost speechless with admiration. To criticise her for not having a crystal ball is setting a standard that is ludicrous. I’ve nothing further to say. Full stop.

Jacinda is a leader pity we don’t have a PM whose the same.

What I said is true, maryeliza54. When that young girl tourist was murdered recently her reaction was one of shock. How could such a thing happen in New Zealand? She needs to wake up and face reality.

If you don’t like being attacked Maryeliza, stop attacking others.

Maryeliza, you do not need to write the words ‘full stop’, it is enough just to use a full stop.

In my humble opinion Maryeliza, any politician who fails to act on gun laws which allow fairly free access to guns, especially in today’s climate of mass shootings, is closing his/her eyes to a potential disaster. The evidence is freely available all over the world, Dunblane, Paris, multiple shootings in America, and now New Zealand. Our politicians have a duty to act, before disaster, not afterwards. They let us all down.

She didn’t get the gun laws right did she?

Come on maddy what did you mean by this post? What didn’t she get right and when should she have got it right and why? Attacking me doesn’t take away from your unfounded criticism of her whatever you might think.

And do tell maddy when exactly in the last 18 months should she have done something and why?

maddy you criticised her for not doing something sooner about gun control. That was utterly ridiculous. Full stop.

What I don't understand is that when our children, and adults, play games on line they appear to be mostly violent and based on who can shoot to kill and win. If this is 90% of what they experience, no wonder they kill in real life also. This also applies to the growing knife crime. Why does it seem that it's only me that makes this connection? Consider what previous generations read, exploring, etc.

Her parents must be so proud of her.

All New Zealand is proud of her, even people in opposing political parties are reluctantly agreeing that she's doing a great job.

My grandson saw her in the local supermarket with her Mum and asked his own mother if he could go talk to her and did. She was lovely with him, asked him lots of questions and introduced her mother.

When I heard this story I said, 'But didn't she have security with her?'
'No' said my daughter-in-law, 'just her Mum.'

My son said, 'Only in New Zealand.'
I'm sad to think that might change.

I remember once being 'accosted' on a train by a man who wandered up and asked me what I was reading. I told him but was a little brusque as I would be with any nosy strange man.

The excitement of other passengers alerted me to something amiss and they told me it was Jim Bolger, the then Prime Minister. I had no idea.

Maryeliza, you really are pathetic, what a nasty comment. To begin with I support women’s rights, always have done, I was brought up that way. She’s young, where in my comment did I make reference to her age? Really, how pathetic. That she’s left of centre, I couldn’t give a toss about her politics frankly. How does she make our PM look? It’s really not relevant.

Free acquisition of guns in any country, in my humble opinion, is a aberration on that country and on humanity. I had no idea previously, of the appalling number of guns fairly freely available in New Zealand, and what I have now learnt has shocked me.

The gun laws in America are appalling too, but Trump, Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush (senior), Reagan, Carter, Ford etc etc have dismally failed to act, with the result that there have been many mass shootings.

How about Europe? Where did the guns come from that were used in the Paris attacks?

Don’t assume anything about me Maryeliza. Your comments would be taken more seriously if you sounded less aggressive. Your posts on Gransnet always sound arrogant. Do you behave in the same way towards people in real life or is this behaviour reserved for those of us on Gransnet? It’s easy to be rude online isn’t it?

I thought she spoke so well. Also noticed someone was signing her speech, I have never seen this done for any statement our prime minister has made.

A Kiwi friend told me that when Donald Trump asked what support he could provide, Jacinda Ardern replied 'Sympathy and love for all Muslim communities'

Every single time I heard this yesterday they used his name- not just BBC.
I fully support this clever woman's idea- wish there were more politicians like her. We should adopt this approach from now on. These maniacs get off on the fact they will be 'remembered' for a very long time. Take away their identity.

My post is also to you Rosie

What a petty minded response maddy - she hasn’t been PM for even 18 months yet and in that time until CC there were no red flags re the need for gun law reform. What’s your problem with her? That she’s a woman? That she’s young? That she’s left of centre? Or how she makes our PM look?

Jacinda Ardern bans all military-style semi-automatic guns and assault rifles

Jacinda Ardern announced sweeping an immediate changes to New Zealand’s gun laws, including the banning of assault rifles and military-style semi-automatics, following the Christchurch mosque shootings.

Officials estimate that there are 1.2-1.5 million guns in a country of 5million people. They say they have “no idea” how many assault rifles are in circulation and roughly 13,500 military style semi-automatic weapons.

Ardern also directed officials to develop a gun buyback scheme for those who already own such weapons. She said “fair and reasonable compensation” would be paid. The government estimates this will cost $100m - $200m

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/mar/21/new-zealand-shooting-jacinda-ardern-to-make-policy-announcement-live-updates

As regards the gun laws - it may be shutting the gate after the horse has bolted, but at least she is taking immediate action to change things. Unlike Trump, who still couldn't give a damn as long as he is kept safe.

She didn’t get the gun laws right did she?

Using this thread may I ask why do the BBC send 3 or 4 reporters to New Zealand? One would be enough.....they all just repeat what the other one has already said. The expense must be huge.