Pursuant to (my blogpost) 'Jacindamania', and as previewed therein:
As to Prime Minister Ardern's relationship with New Zealand's churches/Christianity a la Aotearoa, though I'm prepared to believe she is quite well-intentioned - yes, I'm willing to give her the full benefit of the doubt at this stage of proceedings - her (and her Government's) decision to omit private institutions such as churches from the forthcoming commission of inquiry into historic (sexual and physical - and even psycho-emotional?) abuse in God's own...is a dreadful, misguided mistake.
And will serve no useful purpose at all. Even allowing for the inclusion of those in such private institutions where their referral/placement therein was due to the state itself; that still doesn't give it a broad enough ambit.
This has been strongly echoed, rather emphasized by a couple vocal victims, fellows who were the subjects of such abuse, who understandably simply cannot accept the limiting of the terms of reference in this regard. Nor should they; it simply makes no logical sense whatsoever.
Sure, I'll grant that Ms Ardern in particular is reluctant to and wary about needlessly antagonizing the Christian community here by otherwise apparently attempting to mount what might well appear a veritable witch-hunt aimed at said religious organizations, delving into all the ins and outs, the nitty-gritty of how said churches have conducted themselves over the past half century. That is quite, perfectly understandable, especially in view of how upset and outraged many of them were made by the last Labour Government's ongoing 'progressive' social legislation - though at the same time a large number of liberal churches were foremost in actively supporting said reforms.
Moreover, for P.M. Ardern - quite unlike former Labour Prime Minister Helen Clark, it would seem - haled from a church/'Christian' background (though of course many evangelical believers and orthodox churches still regard the Mormons as a 'cult'), and so has an understandable personal stance ('skin in the game' so to speak) in the matter. And knows that, as I referred to a little earlier, sufficient offence and umbrage has already been given in recent years to said Christian community, and moreover is sure to come from the new Government, especially as the euthanasia and abortion overhauls are progressed during its first (or second) term.
The problem for Ardern and her government here, is that, having been made abundantly aware on numerous occasions over recent weeks and months (on RNZ National's Morning Report especially) - in relation to the commission of inquiry to be headed by former Governor General Sir Annan Satchanan - there's absolutely no good reason - no reasonable argument whatsoever - for restricting the mandate of said commission to only state-run institutions. No, absolutely none whatsoever.
Abuse, wherever it occurs, is an absolute scourge and knows no arbitrary physical bounds. Ever.
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