Auckland Deep Thinkers

Rock The Vote NZ presents Penny Marie from Let Kids Be Kids

Why have so many patients lost trust in their doctors?

The most obvious things that have changed the perception of medicine over these last forty years include high profile cases of physician fraud, drug abuse, drug pushing, malfeasance, gross malpractice, even murder. What in the past was often hushed up, or discounted as highly unusual, have now become grist for the media mill. To say that physicians’ images have been tarnished by these instances would be an understatement.

• Some patients feel that doctors are more focused on profit than care, viewing them as “businessmen first”
• Physician advertising and corporate affiliations can reinforce this perception of medicine as a commercial enterprise

We Came Here for Freedom is a documentary film giving voice to the thousands of New Zealanders who were ignored and mis-represented by their own government and media.
It is a story about a nation relearning the meaning of Freedom of Speech and Democracy.

In 2020-22, the New Zealand government enacted emergency laws, mandates and a medical passport system that caused thousands of New Zealanders to lose jobs, businesses, homes and health. Furthermore, those people were locked out of New Zealand society, unable to go to funerals or weddings, participate in sport, visit loved ones in rest homes or even to visit cafes and hairdressers.

But when New Zealanders who had suffered under the measures stood up to exercise their democratic rights of protest and freedom of expression, instead of trying to calm the tensions, the government ignored and demonised those who protested as a “river of filth”. And the media censored them and labelled them as white-supremacists and far-right extremists.

In the end, the divide became so large that the biggest protest movement in New Zealand’s history became inevitable, leading to the Freedom Convoy and Freedom Village occupation on the lawns and streets around parliament in February 2022. And as it happened, award-winning documentary filmmaker, Alistair Harding followed along, living amongst the protesters, filming the events and recording the stories of the people who participated.

“I’m from the Government, and I’m Here to Help”: Why Those Nine Words Still Terrify Us

In 1986, U.S. President Ronald Reagan delivered a line that would echo through decades of political discourse: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” It was more than a quip—it was a cultural diagnosis. And nearly forty years later, the sentiment still resonates, not just in America, but in democracies around the world, including New Zealand.

At its core, Reagan’s statement was a critique of government overreach. He wasn’t denying the need for governance, but rather pointing to the unintended consequences that often arise when bureaucracies attempt to solve problems they don’t fully understand. From housing to healthcare, education to infrastructure, the pattern is familiar: well-meaning policies bogged down by inefficiency, red tape, and a lack of local nuance.

This skepticism isn’t just ideological—it’s experiential. Citizens have watched as large-scale government programs, designed to uplift, have sometimes done the opposite. Welfare systems that trap people in cycles of dependency. Health reforms that promise access but deliver waitlists. Regulatory frameworks that stifle innovation while failing to protect the vulnerable. The fear isn’t of government itself—it’s of a government that’s too distant, too slow, and too self-assured to listen.
In New Zealand, communities feel the strain when centralised decisions overlook local realities. Whether it’s Three Waters reform, housing intensification, or pandemic response strategies, the public often perceives a disconnect between Wellington’s intentions and the experiences of everyday Kiwis. The phrase “we’re here to help” begins to sound less like reassurance and more like a warning.

But the quote also invites a deeper philosophical reflection: What is the proper role of government in a free society? Reagan’s framing suggests that true empowerment comes not from top-down mandates, but from bottom-up initiative. It’s a call for humility in governance—for leaders to recognise that their job is not to micromanage lives, but to create conditions where people can thrive on their own terms.

Reagan’s words endure not because they mock government, but because they demand better from it. In an age where public trust is fragile and political cynicism is rising, they serve as a reminder: help is only helpful when it’s grounded in respect, competence, and a deep understanding of the people it’s meant to serve.