The widespread media coverage and debate around the two big political news stories from last week should give way to a new spirit of hope for the outcome of the coming election.
The left block has stranded itself in electoral limbo with Labour’s main strategy that of waiting for John Key to stumble rather than itself putting forward creative, positive solutions to the host of problems which beset struggling families.
Remember last year when Labour and the Greens made a joint announcement of plans to regulate the electricity market to remove the cartel behaviour of the big electricity companies? These companies are competing in a pretend market, not to reduce prices, but to see who can screw their customers the most.
There was a collective sigh of relief across the country as Labour and the Greens said they would intervene to protect families.
But since then Labour has been at pains to avoid further interventions and has even wound back its main policy concessions to low income families – reneging on the promise to drop GST from fresh fruit and vegetables, dropping the policy to remove income tax from the first $5000 of income and reinstating its policy to discriminate against the children of beneficiaries by refusing them child tax credits.
In short there are significant numbers of Labour MPs who don’t see any problems with current economic policies and their impact on families. They are content to tinker at the edges and the most important thing is to look busy because it’s election year. These MPs are typically in safe Labour seats and have done well for themselves these past 30 years even as their constituents, for whom they occasionally cry crocodile tears, struggle. Their main struggle has not been to demolish the free market polices of the right wing but to work hard to undermine any political grouping to the left of Labour.
I hadn’t picked Labour’s Te Tai Tokerau candidate Kelvin Davis to be one to join this group of particularly right-wing Labour MPs but I was dumbstruck by his mindless rant against Internet-Mana and its leader Hone Harawira last week. Davis, like the other there-is-no-problem Labour MPs, would prefer to be in opposition as the MP for Te Tai Tokerau than have Labour in government with support from Internet-Mana.
The fact Labour leader David Cunliffe backed him up, in public anyway, speaks volumes for either the weak position of Cunliffe as leader, the strength of the right-wing block in Labour and/or the inability of Labour to count.
With the traditional left marooned the news of the Mana Movement/Internet Party strategic alliance followed by the announcement of Laila Harre as Internet Party leader are important events that break the left’s self-imposed mould. More broadly these events create the best opportunity in many years to demolish the economically destructive and socially corrosive “rogernomics” and “ruthanasia” polices of the 1980s and 1990s which continue to dominate the economic policies of both Labour and National.
By bringing a raft of new policies into the political mix Internet-Mana has the opportunity to revitalise interest in politics and give disillusioned New Zealanders something positive to vote for.
I’ve argued strongly before that I don’t believe New Zealanders are apathetic about politics. Those not engaged and not voting are simply disillusioned. They see no point voting because nothing really changes.
The main parties and their backers might be happy to leave it that way but Internet-Mana is one of the groups which are providing good reasons for the young and disillusioned to engage.
As the saying goes “there is work to be done” so don’t sit on the sidelines and watch history being made by others this election. Be part of the movement for historic change yourself.
The problem in NZ, is Government are not working in a manner to improve the country for all New Zealanders.
This current NACT Party is working for the 1% ers and wealthy overseas investors, the average New Zealander does not appear to come into the equation.
Jack this is a pipe dream
The problem in NZ, is Government are not working in a manner to improve the country for all New Zealanders.
It comes down to personal responsibility and accountability. Can you name one Government in the world that has policies that helps every single person? Some people just wait for more and more welfare and never move on. intergenerational welfare dependency in NZ is something Labour should hang its head in shame over. All the Communist government’s in the world have always provided for the elite. Look at the carve up of Russia after the great communist dream failed did the wealth get evenly distributed? No way. It comes back to a simple saying if its to be its up to me. Have an attitude of Gratitude to many on the left are bathed in bitterness
Oh dear oh dear “Bob”,
We have all moved on from your trite arguments of personal responsibility. Robust work from the likes of Piketty shows that all your neoliberalcon slogans of the last 30 years are just a cover for a game that is rigged and ruthlessly exploits people and natural resources for trickle-up economics.
And save your pity, we are not “bitter”, we are angry, and the truth has never been clearer.
So God damn right tim.
Angry isnt the word it is beyond anger .
Oh Dear Oh Dear old Tim
Can you please explain to me how the Trickle Down economics worked in the Great USSR the bastion of Communism. When it collapsed in a pile of shite. Why did it collapse? because they found out they couldn’t compete with the free democratic countries who don’t try and dumb people down to the lowest level, and control their lives in every way. It was a sad day for the left when communism collapsed in Russia because it exposed it, as a academics theory. That couldnt compete with personal endeavour, nous, work attitude. Not everyone will be as rich as each other. nor will they ever be. Some people get off their arse and make things happen rather than whinge about it. Might be a good place for you to start. Incidentally are you in the private sector? Or are you paid by the Tax Payer
In reply to Bob (Why did Russia Collapse)
I remember seeing a set of documentary programmes around the turn of the century called, “Great People of the 20th Century”. One of those documentaries was about the life of the Pope Paul? he was Polish anyway. In the doco it clearly stated that the Pope colluded with America, The Pope agreed to allow America to fund the Polish Ship Workers when they rose up for independence, Lek Vewensia? became President.
America used the opportunity to get incorrect information into Russia concerning the space programme knowing Russia would use it and waste billions of $$$$. Remember when Russia kept building and sending space rockets with large failure rates. This is what really brought Russia to it’s knees. I remember in the programme American agents laughing at how they duped Russia. Too bad about the people whose lives they wrecked. But we now know these people have scant regard for any person anywhere and only care about themselves, probably they would call it “Personal Responsibility”.
Margaret I have never read that and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. However that wasn’t the prime reason it collapsed. If you take away competition pay everyone the same for being efficient on inefficient. Sooner or later your house of cards is going to fall down around you. There is no personal incentive for people to strive to work harder or do better. As they all get paid the same and go to work like robots. In the mean time the democratic countries around the world are all upping their game and leaving you far behind them. No one wants to buy your goods as they aren’t advanced enough, and aren’t value for money. When you take away a persons aspiration to do better you dumb down the whole economy eventually.
And if you go round paying a few people huge amounts for being rich in the first place, which is what capitalism is truly about, then inevitably society will collapse. Just as it has every time the rich have taken control over the last 5000 years.
+1 Draco T Bastard,
Isn’t the financial system a good example of that?
The people in that sector were being paid increasingly large sums. They created ‘algorithms’ that were incorrect and this along with their lobbying (which they were well remunerated for) that ensured increasingly less regulations monitored the system they worked for- collapsed the entire financial system.
What stopped the financial system collapsing completely in 2008/9? Governments bailing it out – i.e. people en mass being paid far less were required to fix the problems created by those being paid oodles.
How much one is paid is not directly correlated to working harder or creating better things. It is not the sole driver of incentive, creative ambition, or new ideas (if at all).
It does, however, appear to be strongly correlated with the type of hubris that collapses systems.
“Bob” – is that you Anonymous ACT Supporter Intrinsicvalue?
Same shit, differentr na\me?
It always amuses me how the ideologically blind think that the totalitarian communism of that brutal Soviet state represented the ‘academic theory’ of Marxism/communism.
‘Tax payer’, ‘Soviets’ and ‘personal responsibility’…nice work Bob. You repeat the ideological slogans like a good little robot don’t you?
Brainwashed much?
Bob I do not agree with the Russian Communist Model Economy either, the problem I have here in NZ is our Infrastructural Assets have been Asset Stripped and sold off to the Merchant Banking Community and Offshore Investors, these Assets are cash cows as all NZers have to use their services ie power, banking, telecommunications etc.
I do not believe it is Communist like activity to provide services to the community such as infrastructure, health, electricity etc they are basic human requirements which society needs to function effectively.
As far as I am concerned NZ politicans were very short sighted when they disposed of NZ State Assets in the 1980’s and sold them in an irrational imprudent manner, benefitting certain people who were closely aligned with the Government.
What about the 1.8 Billion that the NZ Tax payer put into the BNZ because it was collapsing was that money well spent?
The BNZ Sale and Collapse was a Rort from start to finish, the less said the better as certain people here in NZ did very well out of the whole exercise.
What about that $1.8 billion, “Bob”?
Pray, go on.
one of Ian Wishart’s better reads , Frank “the Great Daylight Robbery” on the theft of the BNZ by Fay Richwhite et al.
Out of print but you might pick it up on Trade Me.
Along with everything Bruce Jesson wrote on the theft of public wealth by the neo- libs starting with “only their purpose is mad”
If bob is right about one thing it is russia. Russia failed miserably after communism fell, and became an even more unequal oligarchy
Totally agree with you because they had been run by the KGB thought police no one knew how a normal society worked. They are now run by the Russian Mafia and Putins Oligarchy mates
‘They are now run by the Russian Mafia and Putins [sic] Oligarchy mates’
And Western ‘democracies’ aren’t having the same trouble?
DTB’s link:
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746
Take a look at Jack’s comment at the top of this thread, that you posted an objection to, and consider the possibility that you didn’t think things through prior to responding to his comment.
You have just supplied a reason for why the concerns Jack was expressing were accurate and valid – not the ‘pipe dream’ you put them down for at all.
It never really got to communism, huge divisions in the ranks just as we have capitalism. Please look up the word communism and see what it really means. I don’t think any country has actually got to that point.
Scholars estimate that communism lasted between 35 and 50 days after the 1917 Revolution. No other country has come as close.
So you believe Marxism is and has been fair for all. Cab you name one country where it has worked? Would that be North Korea where they are eating Grass
Don’t be ridiculous neither Laila Harre nor Russel would ever intervene in any court case. We need a robust upfront court case that is all we are asking for. So far what has gone on has been absolutely wrong, raiding Dotcom’s mansion in that manner so ridiculous. We are little toadies for the Yanks.
Here’s a challenge for you Bob.
Go to Russia, meet with and engage some Russians (basically of any age, but particularly anyone over 25) and tell me that they have been “dumbed down to the lowest level”.
You’re a total ignoramus.
Pigman love the name. Love you using the word ignoramus when you talk about me. The term pig ignorant comes to mind instantly wonder why that could be. Actually I know a lot of Russian people. Who have relocated to NZ they couldn’t wait to get out of the wonderful system that you want to put in place in NZ. Tell me did you ask them how many of them want to stay in Russia or would leave if they had the whiff of a chance. I love those that are Ideologically inclined from the safety of a free democratic country. I also wonder why they never would immigrate there maybe you can enlighten me
You seem to think there is a difference between Totalitarian Communism and Totalitarian Corporatism Bob. Perhaps you’re old school, but I’m here to tell you there isn’t. Same thing – only the label is different. One simply appears more acceptable because it flies a different coloured flag. The “safety of a free democratic country” is not a default condition … it has to be constantly fought for in case you hadn’t noticed.
Soviet Russia died of corruption – the same crap Key is trying to normalise.
Learn your history you tragic flake.
Stuart
Do you mean like David Cunliffe and his secret trusts & donors. Or Russell Norman and Lila Hare and their cash for clemency. Would that be the type of corruption you are talking about. Take off the Rose tinted Glasses. Get a reality check
Don’t be ridiculous neither Laila Harre nor Russel would ever intervene in any court case. We need a robust upfront court case that is all we are asking for. So far what has gone on has been absolutely wrong, raiding Dotcom’s mansion in that manner so ridiculous. We are little toadies for the Yanks. Cash for clemency, you mean cash to get rid of Key, I don’t care how it is done I just want him and his privileged team out.
It’s National that are totally and utterly corrupt. This is seen in their selling of our laws to SkyCity and Warner Bros, their selling of our assets against our will and their donations for support that the Oravida scandal shows.
The truth has never been clearer . . . and yet for intransigent right wing ideologists it remains lost in plain sight. If the refusal to pay attention continues through to September, the virulent anger is going to ratchet it up big time. Anger finds expression in different ways … but it will always find one. A continuation of failed slash and burn neoliberal economics will guarantee it. Tick that box at your peril.
Bob, I have been a tax payer in this country for over 50 years, and I am more than happy for my taxes to be used to assist all NZ’ers. But do I want to bail out Rio Tinto, South Canterbury Finance, MGM Studios, Sky City and all the other parasite companies that have been propped up by this present dishonest government – HELL NO. NZ Taxes for NZ’ers.
What about the 1.8 Billion that the NZ Tax payer put into the BNZ because it was collapsing was that money well spent?. Then it gets sold off because its a basket case. Its a proven fact that governments don’t run efficient companies. Case and point the % of increase in power prices over 9 years when labour was last in. Versus the % increase since national has been in.
Ditto!
The real problem is that Labour have been doing the same for the last thirty years and seem likely to continue supporting the rich rather than workers and society.
Agree – you’d have to conclude that a significant number of Labour MPs would be rather be comfortable in opposition rather than negotiate meaningfully for real change on the left. Either they are still locked into the two party mindset and see themselves as one of the only two parties entitled to govern, or they are generally comfortable with overall policies, albeit preferring a slight shift to the left. Protecting their patch, as Kelvin Davis has shown, seems more important than removing a National led govt whatever it takes. Wake up Labour – stay like this and your days as numerically dominant left party are numbered.
If they arent already you only have to look at ther green support on the poll on here to see how much of labours party vote has gone to the greens .
Mine has and i was a lifetime labour voter.
John is correct.
“The fact Labour leader David Cunliffe backed him up, in public anyway, speaks volumes for either the weak position of Cunliffe as leader, the strength of the right-wing block in Labour and/or the inability of Labour to count.”
They can count all right but are still in MMP denial. Labour is one of the players now, not ‘the’ player. Expecting social democrats to behave with more steel and principle is a losing game for the people that desperately need a change of government. Or the watersiders that needed the super city Mayor to buck the CCO system whatever the consequences.
Internet MANA is a circuit breaker, there is now space to the left of National for every potential voter. Labour’s support would be ‘nice to have’ but really Hone Harawira and Annette Sykes need to plan on not getting it and charge on to win their seats regardless.
Be under no illusion that even if Internet MANA gets several MPs Labour will play them and the Greens off against Winston. Guaranteed. There are a handful of friendly Labour MPs and the glimmer of the membership having some influence but too late for this election.
Everyone needs to party voter green and give the electorate seat to labour.
Thereby giving greens a huge party vote will stimy the neoliberal labour element.
My 25 year-old daughter, Economics and Politics degree, is a disillusioned voter. She thinks there should be no threshhold under MMP. She is delighted with Internet-Mana and is going to vote for them
re discussion here about communism, ”Perestroika” by Gorbachev is an interesting insider’s account of the economic problems of the socialist system in the USSR prior to it’s collapse.
Listening to Kelvin Davis I agree it was painful but it occurred to me that he may be being allowed this indulgence to play to the blokes. Note the rugby metaphor …. Maybe Cunliffe is giving him the same loose leash he gave Jones for the same reason. And perhaps it’s not entirely stupid either as Hone will still romp home, perhaps along with a few more old school working class men giving party vote to Labour. This is not an election for the purists. How relevant will Sue Bradford be the day after the Election if and when the left have ousted John Key.?
A couple of things … Not sure why Labour think it’s a good idea to chase the “centre”. Over 50% of NZ’ers earn under $27,500 p/a … That means over 50% of voters are not really near the middle (or median income) of $70k. Not that I give a rats backside about who Labour are chasing for votes *shrug* I know it’s not me 🙂
Rightly, I read a lot about helping families. The divisive policies, of the last 30 years, have actually created an awful lot of single people. The mere hint of a relationship has WINZ rushing to cut benefits and low income top ups. Yet no party is talking about helping single people? Rent, food, transport, electricity (line fees in particular), water, etc still cost the same with no chance of sharing those costs! Can the “Living Alone” allowance – currently available to superanuatants – include those under 65 needing financial assistance from the govt?
There’s a lot of talk about income inequality but so far I’ve heard none about restoring benefits to pre-ruthanasia levels. It’s pretty obvious the slashing of the benefits has been destructive to NZ society as a whole!
Does anyone remember the calculation for food was / is $31.86 per week for an adult? This figure has not been revised! It also includes cleaning products, toilet paper, etc!
Before there’s the blather about the annual increase in benefit payments to offset inflation – find out about it! If the beneficiary is receiving any supplement – accommodation, disability, additional support, then the increase in basic benefit amount is used to reduce those other payments. The end result is that the amount paid pre annual increase and after are exactly the same. It happens every year – even under a Labour govt (who, I believe were at the helm when these recalculations were introduced).
I also hear a lot about the “living wage”. My oath! We should have that! Does anyone really believe that NZ employers will embrace this notion en masse?
If benefits were restored to pre-ruthanasia levels – there wouldn’t be much point in working for the current minimum wage. This would give the momentum employers need to cut their expectations of high remuneration for management and share holders! Or – with govt assistance – they could continue to exploit imported, low paid, workers. Whether pro or anti immigration, it’s hard not to see conditions will only get worse – for ALL unskilled labour – under the status quo …
Trickle up! Trickle up!
Which was why it was cut in the first place.
No, it just means that they’ll start whinging about having to actually pay people a decent amount. Oh, wait, they never stopped and still say that the benefit and minimum wage are too high.
FTFY
Oh – the boss classes whinging – how unusual! If they’re going to whinge anyway – might as make it worthwhile for the rest of us!
Pre-ruthenasia levels or it all just talk!
“Before there’s the blather about the annual increase in benefit payments to offset inflation – find out about it! If the beneficiary is receiving any supplement – accommodation, disability, additional support, then the increase in basic benefit amount is used to reduce those other payments.”
Hah, this kind of happened to me.
They “adjust” base benefit rates to inflation every 01 April, and after a “review” of TAS, suddenly I was getting paid $ 10 in total less, yes, less than before 01 April.
They have strange “thresholds” for the complete benefit payments, and when an annual inflation based increase pushes you up too much, you end up worse than the year before.
The NZ benefit system is bizarre, idiotic, punitive and humiliating. It is time to bring in a UBI or base benefit at a much higher rate, so these additional components become less significant.
Many on benefits live in fear and worry from week to week, as they will be hit badly, if a sudden unexpected incident requires extra spending. Even what they get paid is mostly an insult.
But with all this, Labour are totally silent on this, and all we get is talk about child poverty and income disparity, which is true and important, but which is only addressing problems that some on benefits have. There is nothing offered for single persons, and nothing really for sick and disabled, that I have heard and read coming from Labour.
So they are “Nat Light” in a way, nothing much else.
Yup! Most people are getting more than just a basic benefit and the amount in their bank always decreases after the annual increase for inflation!
Total rort that no political party is touching!
I think the problem with the so-called ABC MPs in Labour’s caucus is greater than just their personal conformity to neo liberal economic and social approaches. The three decades of neo liberal indoctrination has led to the majority of the population adopting this philosophy themselves, willingly or even reluctantly.
The incessant inundation with messages in advertising, the changes in labour laws, at work places, in business practices, of course also the media, yes these fundamental changes that occurred and basically forced everyone to compete with and fight with each other for jobs, incomes, promotions, for study and training opportunities, this has left its traces in people.
Most younger people do not know any other society than the one we have, and it is daring and “risky” to think outside the box, to challenge the status quo and to not conform and do what most others do.
A nation of workers, better off and poor, all are locked into total dependencies, on either employers paying them wages or salaries, or as owner operators or business persons, to earn enough to make profits, to keep up with the Jones’ and the rat-race.
Labour betrayed its own heritage after the 1984 elections, and after the disastrous defeat in 1990 or 1991, they took time to kind of refocus, and only managed to make some compromises with their political past. They simply chose the third way, so to say, or the more moderate neo liberal way, as so many social democratic parties in western countries, and that still was the case under Helen Clark.
It was the global financial crisis, that shook up a lot of people, that scared many, and some suddenly dreamt of revolution again, of a new order, a new society, some new form of socialism or whatever. They underestimated the cunning smartness of the capitalist stake holders, primarily the huge private banks, who forced the reserve banks to rescue some of them, to offer bailouts, to print heaps of money and shift the debt onto the populations, i.e. ordinary workers and so forth.
As it all has “calmed down” again, most are reverting to the modus operandi that was followed until 2008, with only minor modifications, and it seems now, the wealthy stakeholders and the banking interests, the corporations are back in charge, and given certain security challenges, and also economic challenges, governments all over the world are fully cooperating with the same forces again, even using security services to spy on other countries and enterprises, to get trade advantages.
We ordinary folk are again held hostage, and many on the left of centre are also aware of being locked into the same game again, as they know, no matter how idealistic they may wish to be, they will have the chains put onto them again, by the forced that be, who are really running the show.
So with all frustrations, perhaps dig deeper, see the whole picture, and think perhaps, how the many in the middle class can finally be woken up, be made aware of what goes on, that is if they bother to care, and have some values and ideals, rather than simply following the drive to self preservation and their own individual advantages and greed.
It seems hard to expect some to fully embrace the “new” child on the block, the IMP, who have now been given a generous 3 million to run a campaign, when all this comes from on rich mate, while Labour, Greens and others tried for months, to discredit Key and Nats by exposing their “corruptness”.
We have some real big challenges to address now, and it cannot just be about spirit and excitement, and some “strategic” combinations. Perhaps some principles do matter after all, for all that is?
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