Making English an official language is common-sense legislation that deserves widespread support, acknowledging what has been a long-accepted reality in New Zealand. Deep down, even the opposition parties must recognize this fact, given their no-show in the first reading, which has exposed their outrage as purely performative.
This bill is nothing but a distraction from the government's failures to tackle the actual crises facing New Zealand, ranging from climate disasters to record unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. With no real answers to these questions, it has instead chosen to cynically stoke division ahead of the next election by pushing an entirely unnecessary agenda.
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