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As international prices for milk-powder plummet to historic lows, wiping billions from Fonterra’s pay-out to farmers; the economy; and tax revenue; sending farms to the wall and collapse; and pushing New Zealand closer to recession – our esteemed Dear Leader, John Key, had this to say about the downturn;
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“Dairy prices are down a little bit…”?
And I suppose World Wars 1 and 2 were “nations disagreeing a little bit“.
You can always count on the sky on Planet Key being warm and rosy.
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Contrast Key’s disingenuous, Pollyannarish positivity, with former Finance Minister, Dr Michael Cullen’s, warnings about the Global Financial crisis in June 2008, and how it was impacting on New Zealand’s economy;
“In 2008, New Zealand’s economy has begun to feel the effects of a challenging global environment. Global increases in commodity prices have seen the cost of food and petrol increase significantly here at home. Internationally, there are fears that these increases could impoverish tens of millions of people in developing countries.
The continued fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States and the resulting global credit crunch have led to higher mortgage rates and a weakening of the housing market domestically, squeezing the budgets of existing homeowners and reducing household spending and investment growth. The weakness of the United States Dollar has been an important driver of a very strong New Zealand Dollar, making life difficult for some exporters. Adding to this, farmers are battling drought in a number of regions and GDP growth will slow as a result.
While these challenges are not of New Zealand’s making, they are affecting New Zealanders today. And while the New Zealand Government cannot single-handedly bring down food and petrol prices or end the credit crunch, we have a responsibility to manage our way through these difficulties while protecting families from the harsh edges of any downturn.”
Cullen was up-front with New Zealanders, warning of tough times ahead.
Key treats us like children, because deep down, his barely-disguised arrogance taints and defines his view of New Zealanders.
Sometimes, though, the disdain he holds for ordinary Kiwis pokes through his public persona of “likeable blokiness”, and becomes manifested in sneering derision. As he has done with anti-TPPA protests and opposition to the partial-privatisation of state assets;
“They don’t fully understand what we’re doing. My experience is when I take audiences through it, like I did just before, no-one actually put up their hand and asked a question.” –John Key, 27 October 2011
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“Well, the numbers don’t look like they’re that significant. I mean at the moment it’s sitting at around about 40 per cent. That’s not absolutely amazing, it’s not overwhelmingly opposed. But the people who are motivated to vote will be those who are going to vote against.” – John Key, 14 December 2013
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“They were expecting a big turnout, they were expecting a big vote in their favour and they didn’t get either of those. Overall what it basically shows is that it was a political stunt.” – John Key, 13 December 2013
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“There’s three groups – some are Jane Kelsey and her people; she’s been opposed to every single free trade deal… she’ll never agree. The second group are the Labour and the Greens people; they are there with all sorts of stuff… Labour in their heart of hearts are actually in favour, but they’re in that oppositional mode at the moment where they’re opposed to everything… then you get to the third bit with people who are genuinely protesting, but I think protesting on quite a bit of misinformation.” – John Key, 17 August 2015
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References
Radio NZ: PM shrugs off worries about economy
Treasury: Budget 2008
TV3 News: Key – TPPA protesters ‘misinformed’
Fairfax media: Asset sales promoted to seniors
NZ Herald: Asset sales proceed in spite of referendum
Fairfax media: PM playing down voter turnout
Previous related blogposts
Patrick Gower – losing his rag and the plot
Another media gaffe – this time it’s TV3’s Brook Sabin
John Key’s foot-in-mouth syndrome
National Minister refers to PM as “Wild Eyed” Right-Winger!
National Minister refers to PM as “Wild Eyed” Right-Winger!
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= fs =
When I heard JK say on the tv the other day that growth in the economy was still strong, but maybe not as strong as it had been, I got worried. From JK, that’s akin to saying, disaster is on the way.
His approach seems to be to talk it down, nothing to see here, move along. How come this still works? Because nobody is getting an alternative point of view.
So right- it’s the msm who refuse to present another side to the story. More and more personalities in the media act like some exclusive club, rather than any kind of inquiring or checking the polished turds they are fed and in turn feed us. The NZ media has completed the transition to pr mouthpiece for the govt. This is the only reason that the middle ground votes go to the Nats.
They still love him! or our election system is rigged or we are so stupid we will deserve what we get!
Unfortunately those that don’t deserve it are suffering already!
He always reminds me of that irritating character Eric Idle played in “Monty Python’s the Life of Brian.” The one that sings “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
Unfortunately Dear Leader doesn’t speak with a lovablecockneysparrer accent and his thespian skills are not quite Oscar Awards level…
His singing voice might not be up to much either…
Oooooooh…..Eric Idle…he was my favorite among the Monty Python crew….he always cracked me up so much with that cheeky cheerfulness in totally irrelevant circumstances…
Key…..ugh.
That definitely deserves an award of some kind…..
The evil clown jOHN kEY…. don’t go to asleep… don’t take your eyes off of the wardrobe…
Say your prayers, little one
Don’t forget, my son
To include everyone
Tuck you in, warm within
Keep you free from sin
Till the Sandman he comes
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit: light
Enter: night
Take my hand
We’re off to never never land
Something’s wrong, shut the light
Heavy thoughts tonight
And they aren’t of Snow White
Dreams of war, dreams of liars
Dreams of dragon’s fire
And of things that will bite
Sleep with one eye open
Gripping your pillow tight
Exit: light
Enter: night
Take my hand
We’re off to never never land
Now I lay me down to sleep
Pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I die before I wake
Pray the Lord my soul to take
Hush little baby, don’t say a word
And never mind that noise you heard
It’s just the beasts under your bed
In your closet, in your head
Exit: light
Enter: night
Grain of sand
Exit: light
Enter: night
Take my hand
We’re off to never never land
Metallica had it right…and it could just as easily been about this evil clown jOHN kEY.
The big problem here in NZ is 1.0 million people do not vote and they are the people who are most affected by National Party policies. Apathy is giving National a free ride in this country.
Well said Jack.
The rockstar economy eh? What a f*#^ing sick, twisted joke!
Mobilise the million. Get every person who’s been absolutely stuffed by this economy and by neoliberal gobshite for the last 30 years to march on the Beehive….or at least get off their collective and singular arses and get to a polling booth in 2017!
Jack I simply don’t believe it is apathy. Those people can’t see anything worth voting for. Which one of the main parties we get in power makes no difference to many peoples lives. I am talking about those at the bottom of the heap, those earning the minimum wage, those on benefits etc.
We need another NZ bred Corbyn to grip the Gen X&Y young ones so we can get some true picture of the anger out there.
John Campbell to stand for Labour?
Street protests and strikes to protest declining democracy and arrogant government controls over us all.
Shame the MSM for being pasty to nasty NatZ.
“With each passing year, it gets harder and harder to hide the real John Key from public gaze.”
So true, Frank. I saw FJK’s contempt for the general public yet again on this morning’s (Tues) Breakfast on TV One, when he made a glib comment on the flag debacle. It annoyed the heck out of me, but also greatly saddened me that we have such a shallow, third-rate PM who refuses to participate in a grown-up discussion.
Dayum, I lerrrve your blogposts, Frank. Keep’em coming, mate!
He who laughs last….
I see dairy prices are recovering quite nicely Frank.
Oh for the love of God Andrewo – you do understand why the price has risen right?
Andrew – for your attention; https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2015/09/17/malcolm-evans-truth-about-the-lift-in-dairy-prices/
Oh?
Did Dear Leader wander the countryside, smiling benignly, and market forces responded to his glorious presence?
You might be gloating, Andrew, but I’m neither laughing, smiling, sad, or anything.
Jobs may be saved if the prices continue to rise.
In fact, like Dear Leader, I’m relaxed about it…
[…] blogpost was first published on The Daily Blog on 14 September […]
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