Editorial: Reflecting on privilege and unity this Christmas 2024

Let's celebrate Christmas and forget about problems for a day.

Editorial

EDITORIAL

We in Aotearoa New Zealand have a lot to be grateful for and as we head into Christmas 2024 on Wednesday, we should take time to acknowledge the special, privileged and fantastic country we live in.

Privilege has been a big word this year. There have been some wanting to drive a divide between Māori and non-Māori. It should never be a them or us situation. New Zealanders are “US”, regardless of the cultural or ethnic make-up we all contribute to New Zealand.

Divide and privilege are words that will be used over and over in 2025, but we must not allow those words to cloud our thinking or prevent us doing the right thing.

Hīkoi mō te Tiriti crosses the Auckland Harbour Bridge into central Auckland on November 13. Photo / Michael Craig

The past year has brought pressure on thousands of whānau regardless of financial circumstances, cultural differences or ethnicity. The pressures have mounted due to high interest rates, skyrocketing food prices and the worrying rise in unemployment as more industries hit the financial wall.

What has eventuated is a new class of people – the working poor. These are families with both parents working hard in fulltime jobs, who still struggle to make ends meet. A few years ago, they were the middle class. Now they might visit a foodbank occasionally for some extra support.

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There’s no shame in that.

Community leader Dave Letele at work at his foodbank in Māngere. Photo / Dean Purcell

The people we should condemn are the brazen thieves who fill their trolleys in supermarkets – mainly with prime cuts of meat – then walk out with not a care in the world and load the stolen meats and produce into their vehicles.

They will then head to a nearby location where the buyers for the five-finger discounts will purchase the stolen goods at a bargain-basement price. The buyers are desperate but the criminals are not desperate people. Rather, they are people desperate for cash who are making a living out of the tough circumstances of others.

The Government must also take some responsibility for unemployment within the public service as their razor gang continues to shave layers of bureaucracy, just like slicing through Wednesday’s Christmas ham.

The building industry is struggling, with construction companies hitting major building turbulence. Even the big boys of construction will be happy to make it to the holidays somewhat still intact.

Like 2024, 2025 will have a huge number of challenges on the political, employment, building and cultural fronts.

But just for a day, enjoy Christmas Day with family and friends and the kids and forget about other dramas happening in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Christmas Day is a good day to be in New Zealand.