It’s no surprise to see the Act Party making headlines for a policy to give instant fines to young shoplifters.
In our political fog of confusion and distraction this policy will rate well.
I’m not aware anyone has asked ACT why it has such limited political objectives. Why doesn’t ACT target the biggest criminals rather than focusing their attention on a child nicking a packet of chewing gum from the dairy?
This graphic comes from a 2014 RNZ report headlined Economic crime costs up to $9.4 billion. The data comes from a Serious Fraud Office report which was produced in 2014 by the previous National/Act government. The Minister for the SFO at the time, Anne Tolley, said the report was to go to cabinet but it never made it there. It was buried.
Why are ACT not proposing to resurrect this report? Theft of $9.3 billion from the community should be a much bigger concern for all of us.
The reason ACT will not pick up this issue – and neither will National or Labour – is because these political parties depend on big cash donations from the corporate thieves responsible for the stealing identified by the Serious Fraud Office.
ACT are just not interested in anyone else other than their big cash donors and the top 1 %
When Brooke says “all N.Z.ers need to sacrifice, she loses reality of the fact the top 1% suffer no financial hardship whilst middle- and low-income earners/beneficiaries suffer hardships at catastrophic levels.
Labour have increased minimum wages levels during their tenure, increased benefits, increased public sector wages to meet inflation levels (until now) and are committed to Kiwisaver contributions. None of those things benefit ACTs voting demographic. That is why the left is scared of ACT gaining power alongside demolishing the Human Rights Commission- think about that when you are asking questions of Labour.
ACT comes from a long and filthy monetarist lineage going back to the “Chicago Boys”, Roger ‘Traitor’ Douglas, Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan.
They have adopted Trumpist populism but will do absolutely nothing to resolve the problems they describe–as per Trump’s total non action for US working class people. Their policy clearly states they will in fact attack working class people and claw back what gains we have made since 2017.
Agree Tiger and John. Roger Douglas’s links right-wing links were 4-5 years with Lange’s Labour and 34 years of symbiotic links with National. Dirty Politics operatives will always offer gobshite revisionism of neoliberal history. National and ACT will be coalition partners in 2023. Even Wikipedia proves them wrong.
No argument that ACT infiltrated Labour 1984 to 1988….. then ACT and National has gone and will go hand in hand with ACT from 1988 to 2022 and will be coalition partners beyond. There were even discussions about David Seymour leading the National Party and beyond! David Seymour put out his 100 – day Coalition Plan for National and ACT:
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/07/david-seymour-s-plan-for-first-100-days-in-national-act-coalition.html
ACT and NATIONAL after 1988
From 1988 on, when Lange wanted a ‘cup of tea’, there has been a deliberate and planned symbiotic, parasitic relationship between National and ACT. Neoliberalism goes hand in hand with National and ACT. Their policies are so alike.
The name ACT comes from the initials of the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers, founded in 1993 by Sir Roger Douglas and Derek Quigley….
then…..
Don Brash National and ACT
1988-2002 Reserve Bank Governor
2002–2005 47th List 5 National
2005–2007 48th List 1 National
April 2011, still a National Party member ACT Party Leader
Roger Douglas National and ACT
2008–2011 49th List MP for ACT
John Banks National and ACT
1990–1993 43rd Whangarei National
1993–1996 44th Whangarei National
1996–1999 45th Whangarei National
2011–2014 50th Epsom ACT
Richard Prebble National and ACT
Leader ACT from 1996 to 2004….
1996–1999 ACT
1999–2002 ACT
2002–2005 ACT
How many alliances between ACT and Labour between 1988 and 2022 NONE – ZERO – ZILCH
You better get your right-wing pals at DPHQ (Dirty Politics Head Quarters) to delete all the links between National and ACT, that were clearly shown through a cursory glance of Wikipedia.
Wi Pedia
The current inflation that is affecting NZ and the world, is eroding spending power. If you think things aren’t great now with homelessness and crime, wait till ACT get into government with their ruthenasia policies on benefits. The irony is that when more people forced to live in cars, turn up parked on Brooke’s street, she will be the first to complain. FYI… how about Act tries to come up with policies that help people… just a thought. What’s the point of making things tougher on whole sectors of society, that some may see gaol as an attractive accommodation option?
So much truth in your post bottomfeeder .
Yes, indeed, RB – why isn’t Labour doing anything about this report – if it still exists?
Labour is benefitting next-to-nothing from big business donations.
Today’s headlines prove that: $2.31 million to the Nats (plus Act ‘donations’) and Labour and Greens get only a few measly thousands.
While I personally feel that the recent benefit increases weren’t necessary due to initiatives such as the Accommodation Supplement, and were indeed inflationary and therefore should not have gone ahead, I do not support the reversal of these benefits because inflation continues to rise and these are our most vulnerable citizens. This is also the reason why I don’t want recession. It would make it even harder on these people, a significant portion of whom are long term beneficiaries, to secure employment.
Dan have you ever been on a benefit. Do you really think that people don’t want to work. Being on a benefit and know that is how the rest of your life is going to be is scary frankly. No wonder kids go hungry.
I stated nothing about beneficiaries not wanting to work. Simply, I am trying to explore ways for long term beneficiaries who are, or who may be at some point, able to obtain employment, to find a job more easily than they generally can at the moment.
What we need to ask is why are the rich donating so much money. Power, greed, selfish cunts come to mind.
Greedy wealthy bastards with more dosh than they should ever have, but they still want more. It is disgusting and frankly shouldn’t be allowed, skews the pitch in my view.
Yes absolutely
This is hate speech from unemployed politician and long term beneficiary Van Velden. New Zealand’s social assistance program is actually geared towards those that are not truly vulnerable, unless we class the vulnerable as bludgers such as the South Canterbury Finance gamblers who received more in welfare in one sitting than the entire Treaty settlements; or our Superannuation welfare for comfy homeowners which pays out ten times the total Treaty settlements per year; or in recent times those on the two tier Covid assistance racket who drained the country of $100 billion reserves by being paid to stay home for no apparent medical reason (not to mention the billions wasted on expired vaccines and medical fetish paraphenalia). A real politician would be holding the real thieves of this world to account – typically polluting government, big business and their super star militant executive – not punching down on the poor like some two-bit bully.
Good points John and the standout figure of course is the $2B in tax avoidance.
I actually agree with ACT’S call to lower all the spending and right the ship but every time I look at how they plan to do it, I just think WTF. Killing off some (Not all) meddlesome commissions and superfluous bureaucracy I agree with but reducing benefits? What planet are they on? Do they think anyone in NZ is going to give the big tick to that whilst people (especially beneficiaries) cant afford to eat? Maybe their core 1 – 2% but it will turn more voters off than bring them in. IMO, a mis-step by ACT, expect their polling to drop off.
The problem we have now is at this level of screw up, we need to radically overhaul the system including raise taxes and stop rorts but no govt has the mana or the power to do this.
So any new government is likely to do more damage than good. I still dont know who to vote for.
They need a good shitkicking.
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