With a likely 64 seats in our 120 seat parliament Labour now has been given the mandate to introduce progressive change on issues such as inequality, child poverty, the exploitation of our environment and natural resources.
In 3 years time Labour will no longer be able to point the finger at National’s mismanagement or the blocking moves NZ First or any other party for stopping transformative measures.
So, congratulations Labour you have been given the mandate for progressive policy changes. It’s time to revisit (for example) the findings of your own tax working group which you rejected and dump the disastrous neoliberal policies you introduced in 1984 once and for all.
Bryan Bruce is one of NZs most respected documentary makers and public intellectuals who has tirelessly exposed NZs neoliberal economic settings as the main cause for social issues.
They need to take the gasoline can away from Adrian Orr also. It is unfathomable that he has removed the LVR restrictions from property “investors”, and that he believes giving them cheap money to compete with FHB’s for a short supply of housing is the answer?
Why isn’t one of the most important things in the lives of people. Housing/shelter, and their biggest cost in their lifetime (land) not incorporated in the assessment of inflation? Why is this allowed to inflate away unrestricted, and even actively encouraged by Reserve Bank policy?
Why are property investors still able to buy up existing homes? It’s high time they be required to start adding to the housing supply instead of taking from it. They should be restricted to new builds only.
Like everything about this housing mess these changes should have been made decades ago, or at the very least after the GFC showed current policy is a total failure.
” dump the disastrous neoliberal policies you introduced in 1984 once and for all ”
Not holding my breath for that. The only party to come close to any kind of progressive policy platform was the Greens. This IS NOT the Labour party of 1938 or 1972 and any comparisons are totally false. This country and its media is still made up and controlled by the market and that is not easily removed overnight nor will it be.
These forces are powerful and will resent any move to seriously reform or restructure the neoliberal stranglehold.36 months left to usher in a real counter reformation of the way our country operates at every level. I wonder if the Labour party has grasped the magnitude of what has to be done let alone act on it.
They have been given no so much mandate because no such mandate was sought. Deliberately.
They do have a mandate to get parents back to work and paying tax. Which as we all know is much more important than parents spending time with their kids. Much better to employ someone else who is then earning money and paying tax to look after them. Neo liberal economics at its best.
They do have a mandate to continue with identity politics and regulate free speech.
Brave new future hear we come.
Oh I do miss the labour movement.
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