Angry Ratepayer Radio Rebuff

January 12, 2022

By NZB3

Francesca Rudkin usually does weekend infomercials disguised as news interviews but is filling in during prime time on radio Newstalk ZB. On Monday she opened up an interesting topic about ratepayers violently revolting against their political and bureaucratic staff. Apparently it’s now so bad that Rudkin felt the need to specify that “physical abuse” ought to be opposed rather than the more ambitious(?) call to oppose abuse in all forms!

“The number of serious incidents on Rotorua Lakes Council workers has risen…” – Rotorua Lakes Council staff endure more abuse in ‘serious incidents’, assaults drop, NZ Herald (Jan 2022)

“The number of workers at Bay of Plenty councils physically assulted on the job has soared…” – Tauranga council staff targeted as assaults, abuse soar amid Covid ‘stress’, NZ Herald (Jan 2022)

[note: both of these important public information news items are beyond a paywall. Go figure]

Rudkin set out to discover why New Zealanders are so upset. I think she found out in the first call but was unable to process the feedback. Listen to this caller patiently and clearly explain a problem and have Rudkin dismiss and spin and deflect!

Look no further for why New Zealanders are upset with government and media. Instead of active listening and honest engagement we are put through pacification cycles and stepped through flow charts. The people we talk to over counters or on phones have prescribed responses and training, not authentic human empathy.

Listening to Rudkin’s call-in is it any wonder people feel incited toward hitting someone or something? Lucky for her she is safe up in her Ivory Studio Tower.

Listen to the call on Anarkiwi Facebook here for yourself.

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