Forget big business and big government, 'big neighbour' is more powerful than both

Forget big business and big government, 'big neighbour' is more powerful than both
Big neighbour has a large part to play in a lot of New Zealand's problems. (Image: DepositPhotos)
Dileepa Fonseka
People whine a lot about the tyranny of "big government" and "big business", but those weaklings have nothing on the power of "big neighbour”.  In journalist Austin Mitchell’s book The Half-Gallon Quarter Acre Paradise, "big neighbour" demonstrated its power during the 1970s by driving around New Zealand’s cities on a Sunday and inspecting everyone’s lawns."Big neighbour is always watching you, keep him happy," he wrote in 1972. Now it’s worse. Big neighbour ha...

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