So here we are, 5 months out from a general election that will either result ion the most Right Wing Government since Lange vs the most Left Wing Government since Savage and what are we bickering about?
Māori signs, $5 Prescriptions and potholes.
Jesus wept we are a petty people with the attention spans of children. A low imagination horizon of a. juvenile settler culture with all the maturity of a can of day old Coke-cola!
To the Right we have a National and ACT Government with a cavalcade of political circus freak reactive policies that knee-jerk so hard, that their reign of power would amount to nothing more than endlessly kicking ourselves in the face for 3 years!
To the Left we have a Māori Party more concerned with political theatre, a Green Party that has declared a culture war on heteronormative white cis males and a Labour Party you could give a red van to, call Pat and they still couldn’t deliver!
No one is actually looking at the real issues in front of us!
Nationals 3 biggest donors (Hart, Mowbray and Bolton) have a combined net worth of 15 billion!
The Bottom 50% of NZ has 23 billion.
The top 5% of NZers own roughly 50% of NZs wealth, while the bottom 50% of NZers own a miserable 5%!
IRD proved NZ Capitalism is rigged for the rich and Bernard Hickey calculates that if we had a basic capital gains tax in place over the last decade, we would have earned $200billion in tax revenue.
$200billion would have ensured our public infrastructure wouldn’t be in such an underfunded ruin right now!
There are 14 Billionaires in NZ + 3118 ultra-high net worth individuals with over $50million each, why not start start with them, then move onto the Banks, then the Property Speculators, the Climate Change polluters and big industry to pay their fair share before making workers pay more tax!
Culture War fights make all the noise, but poor people aren’t sitting around the kitchen table cancelling people for misusing pronouns, they are trying to work out how to pay the bills!
Bread and Butter cost of living pressures are what the electorate want answers to, and that’s where the Left need to step up and push universal policy that lifts that cost from the people.
The Commerce Commission is clear that the Supermarket Duopoly should be broken up and the State should step in and provide that competition.
We need year long maternity leave.
We need a nationalised Early Education Sector that provides free childcare for children under 5.
We need free public transport.
We need free breakfast and lunches in schools.
We need free dental.
We need 50 000 new State Houses.
We need more hospitals, more schools and a Teachers aid in every class room.
We need climate change adaptation and a resilient rebuilt infrastructure.
We need all these things and we need to fund them by taxing the rich who the IRD clearly showed were rigging the system.
That requires political courage and there is none!
No one is willing to fight for tomorrow, they merely want to pacify the present!
Just promise me one thing.
Don’t. You. Dare. Vote. Early. In. 2023!
I can not urge this enough from you all comrades.
Don’t vote early in the 2023 election.
I’m not going to tell you who to vote for because this is a liberal progressive democracy and your right to chose who you want in the secrecy of that ballot box is a scared privilege and is your god damned right as a citizen.
But what I will beg of you, is to not vote early in 2023.
Comrades, on our horizon is inflation in double figures, geopolitical shockwave after geopolitical shockwave and a global economic depression.
As a nation we will face some of the toughest choices and decision making outside of war time and that means you must press those bloody MPs to respond to real policy solutions and make those buggers promise to change things and you can’t do that if you hand your vote over before the bloody election!
Keep demanding concessions and promises for your vote right up until midnight before election day AND THEN cast your vote!
We only get 1 chance every 3 years to hold these politicians feet to the fire and they only care before the election, so force real concessions out of them before you elect them.
This election is going to be too important to just let politicians waltz into Parliament without being blistered by our scrutiny.
Demand real concessions from them and THEN vote on Election Day.
2023 Election will be a vote for the least worst outcome
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More like the least right-wing Labour government since… Helen Clark? Maybe not even that?
Without some sort of strike wave or eruption of other protests, the election will be dull enough to lull people to sleep. A selection of options which are all unpopular, lead by totally uninspiring politicians.
Your opinions seem to be based on reasoned facts or experienced opinion/guesses KR. How do you do that? Keep setting an example will you please.
The complete and utter fuck up of free early child care funding for 2 year olds is it for Labour. They’ve ended up miscalculating funding that has turned the entire sector against them. How. Dumb. Can. Labour. Get?
The greedy childcare sector wants the right to be able to squeeze every single cent out of parents, so they can go laughing all the way to the bank. YOu need to stand with the people, not the daycare barons.
Dumb, dumber, Labour!
Getting rid of Labour IS the least worst outcome.
This is my take…I am a very very long term Labour voter, but this 2017-2023 version has proven beyond doubt it is the worst government I’ve ever seen all round for managing this country.
1. Nothing seems to be planned beyond a knee jerk response to the last headline.
2. The single exception is the hidden work by the Maori caucus, most especially Willie Jackson, but that in itself raises serious concerns, namely it was purposely hidden (why?) and secondly as Kieran McAnulty casually said, is ending one person one vote. Labour should cease existing for that reason alone.
3. I generally never care about the fiscal side of politics, it’s been misused for far too long, but the reckless spending by Labour is incredibly worrying. Examples, $10’s of millions squandered on the Auckland bike bridge in response to a protest that has NOTHING to show for it, money that could have gone to Phamac. $10’s of millions been poured into Michael Woods insane single road light rail route that will turn into billions, if Labour are not expunged from government in 4 months time.
4. Contradictory policy made with naive intentions that backfired spectacularly. Examples, Labour/Greens free of NZ First pseudo legalised drugs of all classes, turning them into a health issue, but earlier threw 1.8 billion at mental health to not only cover off lack of investment there but to now cover for creation of even more patients with that drug policy, and still have nothing to show for it. Then pacify the police and justice systems simultaneously so people don’t get in trouble with the law and have a crime explosion. More addiction, more dysfunction, more homelessness. You simply could not invent such stupidity.
5. The ute tax vs Mt Albert/ Grey Lynn/Kelburn $70 -100k plus Tesla’s.
Nothing symbolises Labour’s move from the working man and woman to the academic urban liberal middle class more than this single policy. The already financially comfortable just needed the taxpayers handup so they didn’t have to option the cheaper white version only. So gauche. Plus they can get that optional tow bar with the savings to hang their E bikes off. And to add to point 4, Michael Wood has made buying cheaper decent affordable cars the riff raff could accress, much dearer through his bull in a China shop interference in the car industry. Thank you Michael. Thank you!
Chippy turned out to be a mirage, a flagging hope that the madness of the Dame Ardern government had ceased. It hasn’t. Time to vote else where and it ain’t the idiot Greens or some race party with a very rich Prez!
3. I generally never care about the fiscal side of politics, it’s been misused for far too long, but the reckless spending by Labour is incredibly worrying. Examples, $10’s of millions squandered on the Auckland bike bridge in response to a protest that has NOTHING to show for it, money that could have gone to Phamac. $10’s of millions been poured into Michael Woods insane single road light rail route that will turn into billions, if Labour are not expunged from government in 4 months time.
— What services would you cut then? You have to remember that National between 1990 and 1999 closed scores of hopsitals, cut welfare and threw thousands into poverty. A high spending government is a government that BUILDS THINGS UP, NOT TEAR THEM DOWN. How many hospitals are you going to close? How many state houses will you sell? By how much will you cut benefits? I bet you would stick the charge back on prescriptions, becasue you are so evil and cold hearted.
4. Contradictory policy made with naive intentions that backfired spectacularly. Examples, Labour/Greens free of NZ First pseudo legalised drugs of all classes, turning them into a health issue, but earlier threw 1.8 billion at mental health to not only cover off lack of investment there but to now cover for creation of even more patients with that drug policy, and still have nothing to show for it. Then pacify the police and justice systems simultaneously so people don’t get in trouble with the law and have a crime explosion. More addiction, more dysfunction, more homelessness. You simply could not invent such stupidity.
— So you think that people should be arrested for using pot then? From the sounds of it you do. Fucking christian prude. I suggest you go to the USA where people get put away for 20 years because they have a teaspoon of cocaine in their pocket. I bet you want to ban being LGBT as well.
If you live another 100 years you will not see worse!
I couldn’t agree more Xray and I would add a few. Pissing around with a Health re-structure in the middle of a pandemic. The catastrophe that is the health service (far far worse than under National), The crazy woke changes to the curriculum, the outrageous rates of truency (and Tinettis first response was to come up with a “hey kids schools lot of fun add” that I saw in the add break of Prime news!). The f..king crazy and unnecessary Conversion Therapy Bill and the $2,000,000 they gave to the HRC to hear cases and guess what there are none, the sneaky He Puapua document that they kept hidden from WP and the voters last election, the crazy self id laws, the 30% increase in violent crime and the Minister of Justice can’t even tell us if its related to the 20% decrease in the prison population, the shocking increase in public servants and nothing to show for it, the Minister of Immigration accuses Posie Parker of having an incorrect world view (1984 anyone), the PM not knowing the answer to the most simple question ever that even a child would know “what is a women”. There is more, I could go on, but please vote these incompetants out. Now!
GOd, dont be so fucking hysterical.
And whay are you going to do? Fine poor parents whoes kids play truant? Give them more debt? Also the media is stoking fears about crime so people can give up their civil liberties and have a police state imposed. Do you really want US style health care policing in this country? Do you know what happens if you give police more powers? They abuse them. They gun down brown people in cold blood and bash people to within in inch of their life? Do you really want want happened to George Floyd to happen here?
Fuck you! People like you make me sick to my stomach, hating on public services.
GUess what? National destroyed our heath care system between 1990-1999. They closed down hospitals, they withheld treatment. Do you remember what happened to Rau Williams? Left to die like a dog because he wasnt worthy of dialysis. Bet you want that to happen to people again. Labour are party of public healthcare and public hospitals. They want to build it up, not destroy it.
And I suppose you condone prison rape and violence in prisons as well. Like that guy bashed to death by his cellmate. In there for robbing a warehouse, and he was going to plead guilty.
National and ACT and those who vote for them are enemies of public services, enemies of the state, enemies of society and enemies of humanity.
They want to:
Cut wages
Get rid of sick leave
Get rid of holiday pay
Get rid of public holidays
Get rid of welfare
Get rid of clean air and water regulations
Get rid of free healthcare, and impose US style user pays healthcare
Get rid of state housing
Get rid of tenant protections
Get rid of unions
If Labour go, our living standards will fall right through the floor. Thousands of people will be plunged into hardship.
No they don’t, they’ll just put an end to the chaos.
Yes they will. All ACT and National care about is PROFIT. If you don’t make a profit, you deserve to starve. Plain and simple. Clean air, clean water, all barriers to profit.
ACT stand for the managers, directors, shareholders, investors, speculators, landlords, employers and the rich pricks. They want to make life easier for them and then only, the rest will just have to make do with high rents and low wages.
But, but I like the chaos. Out of chaos can rise opportunity or something, so I have heard. If only we can wake up and notice it, assess it, and grasp it in the most effectual and practical manner (with some kindness in there too please.) Is that too much to hope for. Tell me straight; don’t bother about being kind to a dreamer.
Everyone loves chaos, the unrestrained joy to burn, bash, loot & smash. To take what you want without fear. It’s great. The strong & lawless love it.
Not so great if you’re a victim of this “freedom”.
Bollocks .Wages may not need to go up by 10 percent but under N/Act inflation will not destroy incomes .
Because bugger all people will have income.
And with high inflation we get more money for public services, lilke schools and hospitals. No one got a pay rise when inflation was low, NO ONE.
Inflation destroys wealth…. Or redistribute wealth to workers.
But you are correct. High inflation will lead to job losses but those who are in productive employment will benefit from higher incomes and the cost of servicing highly geared mortgages will become easier.
Spare a thought for those on low incomes. They may well benefit from tax cuts.
They willl beneft from high wages, high benefits, and low rents, and free healthcare.
All of which you despise, being a hard right Friedmanite.
We all like free money, Millsy.
Taxpayers just cannot afford that policy.
Taxes on the rich have been slashed by 60% since the 1980’s. I bet you are really coining it up.
Can you provide links to Nat and Act’s policy statement on the things you list?
ACT want to freeze the minumum wage for 3 years. Meaning vast chunks out of this countrys work force will not get a payrise.
A large minium wage increase is bad news as it means wages are higher but there is no increase in production. In a well run business the boss will note tge workers making an effort which increases his bottom line and reward them accordingly. Under your watch they just put out their hand and a public servant in Wellington says pay more for the same output just because the government has stuffed up and allowed inflation to rise rapidly
How does that make everyone loose their incomes?
Consult Milton or another decent economist.
God Milsy 1000s of people have already been plunged into hardship under this govt. Just listen to the likes of any of the charaties dolling out food parcels and you will hear there has been an exponential rise.
The inequality gap has raced away under this govt.
At least Labour is trying to help them, National and your new mates, ACT will just give them a wage freeze and benefit cut and make them pay more for health and education?
Tell me, do you support or oppose the removal of the $5 prescription fee, and if so, why? Also, what do you think of the US health care system?
You have to understand, that first time in 30 years, workers in this country are getting decent pay rises. WHy do you begrudge them that?
And cutting wages isnt going to bring down food prices.
Labour is not helping anyone, time to open your eyes.
And National will then? All they care about is shareholders, bosses and landlords. Ditto with ACT. Everyone else can get fucked.
And you want to vote ACT which will create even further inequality.
I note that you havent denounced ACT’s proposal to freeze wages for 3 years.
I no longer care, it’s your bed, you lie in it. Labour is happy to lie with you, or was that “to you”.
Martyn – Sad, but true
A huge part of the inflation/cost of living crises, which I agree is the number one election issue, has been caused by by excessive government borrowing and poor quality spending. Overseas factors have played a part but increasingly it has been poor government actions and inactions that have driven domestic inflation and thus the cost of living crises here in NZ. The least worst outcome does now appear to be getting rid of Labour. I was a staunch Labour supporter for decades but this lot have had their chance and failed as far as I’m concerned. I am not a fan of National but they could not be as incompetent or deceitful as this Labour lot whose level of delivery on promises has been pathetic. [100,000 new homes anyone, light rail operating by 2021 in Auckland, better health system, more transparency etc.]
I would like to know how much public services are you prepared to have cut for taxes to be lower?
To start with.
13,000 jobs.
Retire those who are no longer productive and eligible for Super and do not replace those who move to better jobs in the private sector.
We need each and every public service job to ensure this country runs effectively. The smaller the public service, the poor a country and its people are. Look at Somalia, they have no public service to speak of.
This is 100% correct but unfortunately picking the least worst outcome is not easy.
Labour have put their more contentious policies on the back burner until after the election. What they have done in recent years is more bad than good. What they will almost certainly do in the future if given the opportunity will be even worse.
Christopher Luxon actively disguises his true self which is very likely why the majority of kiwi’s don’t trust him. I trust him about as far as I can throw an elephant but National do have more clues than Labour. That however is not saying much. National’s own form book is not good.
David Seymour does talk sense at times along the way but I couldn’t vote for ACT.
The Greens are a chocolate teapot. Not for me.
Te Pati Maori are not just pro Maori, they are anti the bad white man and all his ancestors. Would rather eat toenail clippings than vote for them.
NZF have been there done that. Will say the right things at the right time leading up to the election but ultimately, they need to amend their name to New Zealand First, First.
So who is the least worst outcome?
A large minium wage increase is bad news as it means wages are higher but there is no increase in production. In a well run business the boss will note tge workers making an effort which increases his bottom line and reward them accordingly. Under your watch they just put out their hand and a public servant in Wellington says pay more for the same output just because the government has stuffed up and allowed inflation to rise rapidly
So you think wages should be held down then? I suppose you are fine with people being stuck on the same wage for 20, 30 years, because that is what happened after the ECA was passed. No one got a payrise. All so rich fucks like you could rake it in.
LOW INFLATION = LOW WAGES AND LOW SOCIAL SPENDING. Health spending flatlined in the 1990’s, wages flatlined. All while you raked it in. Fucking gammon bastard.
Some of us work on Saturdays, Bomber…
Somehow I think Winstone holding the balance of power is the best outcome. It would mean no stupid side ACTS, no divided country with co gov. The country could have a breather for 3 years
Why not – Mohammed Wept?
But you are right – nearly everyone seems to be voting to keep one side out instead of believing in our future from parliament.
Fken sad. At least Jacinda Ardrn took people on a ride to believe in – sad it didn’t go anywhere despite the advertising.
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