If our leaders often seem resistant to evidence and reason, it’s because their material interests depend on being blind to challenges to the status quo
To Jarrod & other apologists for the 3-legged coalition: enjoy your tax cut while it lasts, because you might need it to buy an AR-15 & a good supply of ammo for any sequel to 1981.
That's a bit harsh Chris; Jarrod is simply making his case..
It's clearly a big stretch to suggest that he is one that would "rely for inspiration and guidance on people as morally compromised as themselves" or is defending his "interests (and salaries) by trotting-out ideas, assumptions, and justifications unsupported by evidence, and which they will not test in open debate."
While some of the responses seem reasonable others look like attempts to shame him into silence and submission. Not a word on that?
We need look no further than Jacinda to see that women do it too (and left wingers in general are no better than centrists or those on the right). Just because she did it with a caring smile it was OK? Was it OK for her to do it just because she was progressing her socialist/communist roots?
Never before has a government created so many echo chamber working groups to come up- with such poor (and often expensive) failed solutions.
Provide some examples where Jacinda listened to people that were not in her socialist/communist echo chamber. Just because she is a lefty it makes it all ok does it?
While you are there please justify the tens of billions of spending under Labour and advise the return on investment for each of the government entities. Just because it was done with a caring smile doesn't change the fact that failed ideological solutions were put in place over practical ones.
Definitely a bind and dumb national supporter. You wanted borrowing to pay for your tax cuts did you?
There is a staggering amount of legitimate evidence that NZ’s covid response was better than all most all other nations. You choose to disbelieve it all and argue the opposite is cause to terminate this discussion.
Thats the way, A truly left wing way of debating, personal insults are sure to be included.
For clarity, I have never given my party vote to the Nats and have only ever voted for one of their candidates once....go figure that your insults fall wide of the mark as did our covid response and your overly simplistic reasoning. I have never given my party vote to Labour but have voted for one of their candidates before.
NZ's response was better than most because we are an isolated island far from everywhere else.....but when you add in all of the social harm caused over this period which includes but is not limited to, Education of students suffered badly, cancer and other urgent health needs were ignored over this time, suicides were up, many SME's either went under, or are going under now because of the economic harm caused........NZ's responses weren't the best in the world.
Jarrod, try your arguments on families who lost loved ones to Covid. The reality is that the government made decisions on medical advice. Obviously, some things they got wrong because they and every other government around the world had little or no experience of a world wide pandemic. You quote Sweden. The death toll in the early months was such that many families lost members. Some have commented as many of my UK friends commented that they wished their governments had been as quick to react to the pandemic as our government did. One reason for the swift lock-downs was to save the health system from being overwhelmed. A family member is a nurse at our local hospital, one of the biggest in the south island. They have stated on many occasions that they could not have dealt effectively with many more people because they lacked the resources, staff, equipment etc. And this was with the lock-downs. I do wish sometimes people like you would just consider the awful situation a family faced when Covid was responsible for a family members death. Life is more important that anything because without life, there is nothing!
The government actions were different to the plan the government had in case of a pandemic. Go figure.
As for advice on medical advice....it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the mask wearing was a waste of time given most of the masks people were wearing were ill fitting and even an N95 mask is essentially ineffectual against a virus especially for long periods of time and there were peer reviewed studies that backed this up...yet they pointed to a supposed medical study that had no control group, which meant any results are not able to be analysed effectively making it pointless.
Its the Chinese government (and the US government who were financially involved with the Wuhan lab) who should be where peoples anger go to. about lost loved ones Oh thats right, Labour denied it did come from the lab....but what does the evidence say now?
We didn't act quick here....the medical advice was wonky, as it was in numerous countries......
Jarrod The Covid response was the most successful initiative that was the perfect example of listening to the advice from highly trained and competent professionals. Your use of the hackneyed “communist” word in your question and your obvious identity with those who are motivated by their fragile reliance on maintaining the “status quo” suggests I would rather not wasting my time explaining further.
The covid response was slow, poorly implemented and had illegal lockdowns. There is no proof it saved lives in the long term when compared to Sweden and the social harm repercussions (education and social wellbeing) to NZ's response will cause issues for the next decade.
Canada, UK, US, Australia all used lock downs to save lives and manage risks. If you want to label them illegal, by all means, go ahead. I haven't found much accuracy in the comments today.
These are some of the things that National-ACT-NZ First un-did i.e. these are Adern / Labour policies
1. Repealed under urgency NZ's smoke free legislation despite pleas by medical professionals, who said it was “immoral” and “not evidence based.” The govt argued not repealing it "would increase the tobacco black market, and escalate ram raids." This contradicted official government advice given to the Prime Minister and Ministers. Minister Casey Costello also omitted $46bn of smoke-free economic and health benefits for Cabinet. Concerns compounded as it was discovered that Ministers' papers and narratives mirrored tobacco industry talking points.The Coalition blatantly ignored urgent calls for the Govt to declare its links to tobacco. Complaints against a Minister were also sidestepped.
2. Repealed free prescriptions programs for New Zealanders. PM Luxon had said, for "people who can afford it, there's no point giving subsidised $5 prescription fees". The National Govt had promised the revenue from prescription fees would be used to fund 13 cancer drugs. However that promise was broken. After a backlash, the Govt reversed course, committing to fund 59 drugs from borrowings. Prescription fees return on 1 July, 2024. Community services card holders and Gold card holders will be exempt from the fee.
3. Deferred Whangarei hospital re-build. Health Minister Reti previously slammed Labour for “only” funding ~$800mn towards Whangarei hospital’s rebuild, saying the work was urgent. In October 2023 as incoming Minister, Reti indicated he would try to “push” for progress and warned it could take two terms of govt. The paper reported, “(his) comments have been taken by hospital staff to indicate the $795 million Labour committed to stage one of the project could disappear into tax cuts.” Doctors have warned delays would affect patient care and access.
4. Deferred Nelson hospital plans. Previously approved plans are now unclear with ongoing concerns for patient care. It also comes after Te Whatu Ora asked hospitals to save more than $105 million by July with $3m to be saved in Nelson, as part of a nationwide cost-cutting drive.
5. Accelerated $2.9bn in landlord tax cuts. This was based on the pre-election promise ACT’ Seymour and National’s Chris Bishop made with Property Investors Associations.
Reduced the property bright line period from 10 years under Labour to 2 years as part of a raft of changes for landlords. This will help people who buy and sell homes after 2 years avoid brightline tax. Effective 1 July 2024.
6. Implement no cause eviction. This means landlords can evict tenants without a reason and will not have to apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to do so. Landlords currently only have the right to end a periodic tenancy if they wish to move into the home, if it will be sold or renovated, or if the tenant hasn’t been paying rent. This will take effect in 2025.
7. Repeal Arms Act remains on the table and is being progressed by former gun lobbyist and ACT minister Nicole McKee. The Act-National agreement requires “immediate” repeal and replacement of Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983, which places obligations on clubs and ranges, followed by a “rewrite” of the act as a whole. ACT's firearms policy said the Labour-led government's gun laws had punished licensed firearms owners and burdened shooting clubs and ranges. On the cards is removing the gun registry, changing licesnsing requirements, and reinstating semi-automatics
8. Repealed under urgency Fair Pay Agreements. The law allowed for minimum employment terms for all employees at an industry-wide level where the criteria was met. The govt said the repeal would increase wages and "lift productivity." However, a leaked Cabinet paper said scrapping it would "disproportionately hurt groups like disabled people, women, Māori, Pacific people, and young people". Treasury said FPAs in place boosted wages by up to $600 million a year.
9. Reinstated under urgency 90 day trials. 90-day trials allow for new hires to work before being permanently hired. Before repeal, it was in place for businesses with 19 or fewer employees. The govt. argued the repeal would give all employers "confidence" and "improve workplace flexibility". But Treasury research found "no evidence that the ability to use trial periods significantly increases firms' overall hiring, the likelihood of new hires remaining in the long term, or make workers less likely to move jobs". Employment lawyers confirmed the change would not bring any benefits to workers.
Hard to know where to start, such were the large number of poor policies put in place by the last government. Most of the things this government has done so far is to repeal the poor, and expensive, policies of the last government.
I'd call that a great start reversing policies that were failing.
I'll do you one better too. Here's an excerpt of what they've done - I just copied and pasted the first part but there's a lot more and agree, that there are a lot of cancellations in play:
1. Cancelled half-price public transport fares for under-25s and free fares for under-13s funding, scrapping the Labour government-era subsidies. The change will not affect pre-existing discounts funded directly by councils.
2. Cut funding for free budgeting services. One third of the country's free budgeting services face closure during a cost of living crisis, after missing out on the latest round of government funding. Advocates have said: 'It's like watching a train derail'
3. Cut funding for food banks. In what has been labelled as a ‘disgrace,’ food banks have been forced to turn people away. Auckland City Mission received $75,000 despite $1.5million in operating costs. Some such as BBM have been left with no funding this year. The govt has defended the cuts, and Minister Upton said she is “monitoring the situation.”
4. Cancelled key elements of the Warmer Kiwi Homes program - including funding for hot water heating, low-cost energy efficiency measures, an LED lighting scheme, and community-focused outreach programme to target hard-to-reach households
5. Cancelled the Consumer Advocacy Council which was established by the previous government to lobby for the interests of consumers and small businesses in the electricity sector. The council has frequently voiced concerns over rising power bills and campaigned for electricity retailers to provide clearer information to customers.
6. Retained the ‘app tax’. National’s economic plan in 2023 pledged to “axe the ‘app tax’ – an unprincipled tax grab that will make your Uber, Airbnb, and food delivery more expensive." Luxon told Newstalk ZB that the app tax would not be reversed in November 2023.
7. Will not commit to keeping the living wage for public sector workers
No wonder this government has to take drastic action given the level of spending and borrowing the last government undertook without any thought for a return on investment. Now the interest bill on that borrowing is more than most government entities running costs per year (before the cuts).
I commend them for trying to reverse the economic vandalism from the last government and while its sad that some things have to go, we have to face economic realities before we are the Zimbabwe of the South Pacific....then noone wins because there is no public spending
Interestingly Standard and Poors - the international ratings agency - expressed satisfaction with New Zealand's economic management under Labour.
We retained our AAA/AA+ ratings with good commentary and they expressed that compared to comparable OECD countries, NZ was tracking well.
S&P also expressed understanding that all countries had borrowed for Covid. However, later last year, they said it would be important we start reducing the deficit.
Now, this year, in May 2024, Nicola Willis borrowed an additional $12,000,000,000 to fund tax cuts - most of that went to landlords and the middle and upper classes.
That brought us to a record deficit - and her deficit exceeded all of Labour's deficits, bar Covid.
Once again - she borrowed more than Labour ever did in any non-Covid year.
Finally, they have wasted about a $1,000,000,000 on Kiwirail's contract, threw away $1,300,000,000 on 3 Waters and have committed $4,000,000,000 to potholes while doctors, nurses, hospitals, education languish.
There's always so much to talk about when it comes to "economic vandalism."
The things you mentioned were dogs. 3 Waters was going to be more expensive than other alternatives.
Kiwirails contracted boats were not fit for purpose by all accounts and the 2.5 billion for the infrastructure to support them beggars belief. I think you need some help with maths given the 564million bill for the ferries is the maximum they would have to pay.
Printing money you haven't earnt has a negative effect on the economy, so please include that in Labours borrowings.
As for your statement doctors, nurses, hospitals and education are languishing, yes they are and to be fair to the last government, thats been the case for decades.. The thing I will mention though is that with the tens of billions wasted, it would have been nice to see some new hospitals (like the Dunedin one they promised to build in three years)
Our new government cancelled tobacco prohibition because voter evidence said that the majority of people dont want discriminatory prohibition. That is evidence based policy.
I am a non-smoker who is glad that Luxon wanted to cancel tobacco prohibition, and I am pretty sure that Winston and Seymour dont want prohibition policy either. Discriminating against people for their whole life, based on their birth date, seems wrong. And I dont believe that little MSMedia polls are representative of us.
Communism is nominally an economic system of absolute central planning a la North Korea or the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. To some John Birch types though, it's anything even just a sliver to the left of Ayn Rand. Even Reagan & Thatcher would be socialists in their gold-coloured glasses.
Of course it's impossible to know to what extent "our leaders" are blinded by their "material interests" or, equally, their personal experiences or biases or ideological delusions. Pointing out the results from a Google search is probably not going to alter their opinions because A/ you can find anything you want there that confirms whatever you want and B/ Google is itself corrupted.
That we now have, not only the media but science itself corrupted by "material interests" and ideology doesn't help one bit. Our entire legacy media, as "partners" in Covering Climate Now, parrot climate alarmist propaganda, for example. No questioning allowed.
If you think Seamore is morally compromised I fear for you own morals. Standing for the irradiation of the racism in this country is the most moral and important job of every politician in New Zealand yet where do we see it happening??
Thanks Chris ! Great to see your thorough analysis of what motivates our current regime. I’d call it corruption, the like of which we’ve never seen before in our politics . So disappointing that MMP has thrown up such a ghastly group of crooks. Let’s hope we can throw them out asap !
Very good Chris, back to your best.I do disagree with your summation that they may find it hard to live with thou .That just don’t get it or really don’t care
I would like to thank you, Jarrod, for so eloquently and fulsomely demonstrating the proof of my thesis.
To Jarrod & other apologists for the 3-legged coalition: enjoy your tax cut while it lasts, because you might need it to buy an AR-15 & a good supply of ammo for any sequel to 1981.
That's a bit harsh Chris; Jarrod is simply making his case..
It's clearly a big stretch to suggest that he is one that would "rely for inspiration and guidance on people as morally compromised as themselves" or is defending his "interests (and salaries) by trotting-out ideas, assumptions, and justifications unsupported by evidence, and which they will not test in open debate."
While some of the responses seem reasonable others look like attempts to shame him into silence and submission. Not a word on that?
We need look no further than Jacinda to see that women do it too (and left wingers in general are no better than centrists or those on the right). Just because she did it with a caring smile it was OK? Was it OK for her to do it just because she was progressing her socialist/communist roots?
Never before has a government created so many echo chamber working groups to come up- with such poor (and often expensive) failed solutions.
what a load of cobblers. Rather a leader who listens to advice than one that slashes and burns with no plan ad refuses to listen to advice.
Provide some examples where Jacinda listened to people that were not in her socialist/communist echo chamber. Just because she is a lefty it makes it all ok does it?
While you are there please justify the tens of billions of spending under Labour and advise the return on investment for each of the government entities. Just because it was done with a caring smile doesn't change the fact that failed ideological solutions were put in place over practical ones.
Definitely a bind and dumb national supporter. You wanted borrowing to pay for your tax cuts did you?
There is a staggering amount of legitimate evidence that NZ’s covid response was better than all most all other nations. You choose to disbelieve it all and argue the opposite is cause to terminate this discussion.
Thats the way, A truly left wing way of debating, personal insults are sure to be included.
For clarity, I have never given my party vote to the Nats and have only ever voted for one of their candidates once....go figure that your insults fall wide of the mark as did our covid response and your overly simplistic reasoning. I have never given my party vote to Labour but have voted for one of their candidates before.
NZ's response was better than most because we are an isolated island far from everywhere else.....but when you add in all of the social harm caused over this period which includes but is not limited to, Education of students suffered badly, cancer and other urgent health needs were ignored over this time, suicides were up, many SME's either went under, or are going under now because of the economic harm caused........NZ's responses weren't the best in the world.
Jarrod, try your arguments on families who lost loved ones to Covid. The reality is that the government made decisions on medical advice. Obviously, some things they got wrong because they and every other government around the world had little or no experience of a world wide pandemic. You quote Sweden. The death toll in the early months was such that many families lost members. Some have commented as many of my UK friends commented that they wished their governments had been as quick to react to the pandemic as our government did. One reason for the swift lock-downs was to save the health system from being overwhelmed. A family member is a nurse at our local hospital, one of the biggest in the south island. They have stated on many occasions that they could not have dealt effectively with many more people because they lacked the resources, staff, equipment etc. And this was with the lock-downs. I do wish sometimes people like you would just consider the awful situation a family faced when Covid was responsible for a family members death. Life is more important that anything because without life, there is nothing!
The government actions were different to the plan the government had in case of a pandemic. Go figure.
As for advice on medical advice....it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the mask wearing was a waste of time given most of the masks people were wearing were ill fitting and even an N95 mask is essentially ineffectual against a virus especially for long periods of time and there were peer reviewed studies that backed this up...yet they pointed to a supposed medical study that had no control group, which meant any results are not able to be analysed effectively making it pointless.
Its the Chinese government (and the US government who were financially involved with the Wuhan lab) who should be where peoples anger go to. about lost loved ones Oh thats right, Labour denied it did come from the lab....but what does the evidence say now?
We didn't act quick here....the medical advice was wonky, as it was in numerous countries......
Ah, the old "we weren't perfect" just because we led the world, and I-could-have-done-so-much-better-in-hindsight line.
Jarrod The Covid response was the most successful initiative that was the perfect example of listening to the advice from highly trained and competent professionals. Your use of the hackneyed “communist” word in your question and your obvious identity with those who are motivated by their fragile reliance on maintaining the “status quo” suggests I would rather not wasting my time explaining further.
The covid response was slow, poorly implemented and had illegal lockdowns. There is no proof it saved lives in the long term when compared to Sweden and the social harm repercussions (education and social wellbeing) to NZ's response will cause issues for the next decade.
Thank you You’ve just confirmed my impression.
Canada, UK, US, Australia all used lock downs to save lives and manage risks. If you want to label them illegal, by all means, go ahead. I haven't found much accuracy in the comments today.
Luckily we have our own laws and the first lockdown was illegal here in NZ. I suggest you try to google information.....
Saving lives from covid - tick for Labour. Saving sick patients, people with mental health issues and the future of our youth.....a massive fail.
These are some of the things that National-ACT-NZ First un-did i.e. these are Adern / Labour policies
1. Repealed under urgency NZ's smoke free legislation despite pleas by medical professionals, who said it was “immoral” and “not evidence based.” The govt argued not repealing it "would increase the tobacco black market, and escalate ram raids." This contradicted official government advice given to the Prime Minister and Ministers. Minister Casey Costello also omitted $46bn of smoke-free economic and health benefits for Cabinet. Concerns compounded as it was discovered that Ministers' papers and narratives mirrored tobacco industry talking points.The Coalition blatantly ignored urgent calls for the Govt to declare its links to tobacco. Complaints against a Minister were also sidestepped.
2. Repealed free prescriptions programs for New Zealanders. PM Luxon had said, for "people who can afford it, there's no point giving subsidised $5 prescription fees". The National Govt had promised the revenue from prescription fees would be used to fund 13 cancer drugs. However that promise was broken. After a backlash, the Govt reversed course, committing to fund 59 drugs from borrowings. Prescription fees return on 1 July, 2024. Community services card holders and Gold card holders will be exempt from the fee.
3. Deferred Whangarei hospital re-build. Health Minister Reti previously slammed Labour for “only” funding ~$800mn towards Whangarei hospital’s rebuild, saying the work was urgent. In October 2023 as incoming Minister, Reti indicated he would try to “push” for progress and warned it could take two terms of govt. The paper reported, “(his) comments have been taken by hospital staff to indicate the $795 million Labour committed to stage one of the project could disappear into tax cuts.” Doctors have warned delays would affect patient care and access.
4. Deferred Nelson hospital plans. Previously approved plans are now unclear with ongoing concerns for patient care. It also comes after Te Whatu Ora asked hospitals to save more than $105 million by July with $3m to be saved in Nelson, as part of a nationwide cost-cutting drive.
5. Accelerated $2.9bn in landlord tax cuts. This was based on the pre-election promise ACT’ Seymour and National’s Chris Bishop made with Property Investors Associations.
Reduced the property bright line period from 10 years under Labour to 2 years as part of a raft of changes for landlords. This will help people who buy and sell homes after 2 years avoid brightline tax. Effective 1 July 2024.
6. Implement no cause eviction. This means landlords can evict tenants without a reason and will not have to apply to the Tenancy Tribunal to do so. Landlords currently only have the right to end a periodic tenancy if they wish to move into the home, if it will be sold or renovated, or if the tenant hasn’t been paying rent. This will take effect in 2025.
7. Repeal Arms Act remains on the table and is being progressed by former gun lobbyist and ACT minister Nicole McKee. The Act-National agreement requires “immediate” repeal and replacement of Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983, which places obligations on clubs and ranges, followed by a “rewrite” of the act as a whole. ACT's firearms policy said the Labour-led government's gun laws had punished licensed firearms owners and burdened shooting clubs and ranges. On the cards is removing the gun registry, changing licesnsing requirements, and reinstating semi-automatics
8. Repealed under urgency Fair Pay Agreements. The law allowed for minimum employment terms for all employees at an industry-wide level where the criteria was met. The govt said the repeal would increase wages and "lift productivity." However, a leaked Cabinet paper said scrapping it would "disproportionately hurt groups like disabled people, women, Māori, Pacific people, and young people". Treasury said FPAs in place boosted wages by up to $600 million a year.
9. Reinstated under urgency 90 day trials. 90-day trials allow for new hires to work before being permanently hired. Before repeal, it was in place for businesses with 19 or fewer employees. The govt. argued the repeal would give all employers "confidence" and "improve workplace flexibility". But Treasury research found "no evidence that the ability to use trial periods significantly increases firms' overall hiring, the likelihood of new hires remaining in the long term, or make workers less likely to move jobs". Employment lawyers confirmed the change would not bring any benefits to workers.
That's just a small taste.
Provide an example of evidence based policy from this National-ACT-NZ First government please.
Hard to know where to start, such were the large number of poor policies put in place by the last government. Most of the things this government has done so far is to repeal the poor, and expensive, policies of the last government.
I'd call that a great start reversing policies that were failing.
So none.
I'll do you one better too. Here's an excerpt of what they've done - I just copied and pasted the first part but there's a lot more and agree, that there are a lot of cancellations in play:
1. Cancelled half-price public transport fares for under-25s and free fares for under-13s funding, scrapping the Labour government-era subsidies. The change will not affect pre-existing discounts funded directly by councils.
2. Cut funding for free budgeting services. One third of the country's free budgeting services face closure during a cost of living crisis, after missing out on the latest round of government funding. Advocates have said: 'It's like watching a train derail'
3. Cut funding for food banks. In what has been labelled as a ‘disgrace,’ food banks have been forced to turn people away. Auckland City Mission received $75,000 despite $1.5million in operating costs. Some such as BBM have been left with no funding this year. The govt has defended the cuts, and Minister Upton said she is “monitoring the situation.”
4. Cancelled key elements of the Warmer Kiwi Homes program - including funding for hot water heating, low-cost energy efficiency measures, an LED lighting scheme, and community-focused outreach programme to target hard-to-reach households
5. Cancelled the Consumer Advocacy Council which was established by the previous government to lobby for the interests of consumers and small businesses in the electricity sector. The council has frequently voiced concerns over rising power bills and campaigned for electricity retailers to provide clearer information to customers.
6. Retained the ‘app tax’. National’s economic plan in 2023 pledged to “axe the ‘app tax’ – an unprincipled tax grab that will make your Uber, Airbnb, and food delivery more expensive." Luxon told Newstalk ZB that the app tax would not be reversed in November 2023.
7. Will not commit to keeping the living wage for public sector workers
No wonder this government has to take drastic action given the level of spending and borrowing the last government undertook without any thought for a return on investment. Now the interest bill on that borrowing is more than most government entities running costs per year (before the cuts).
I commend them for trying to reverse the economic vandalism from the last government and while its sad that some things have to go, we have to face economic realities before we are the Zimbabwe of the South Pacific....then noone wins because there is no public spending
Interestingly Standard and Poors - the international ratings agency - expressed satisfaction with New Zealand's economic management under Labour.
We retained our AAA/AA+ ratings with good commentary and they expressed that compared to comparable OECD countries, NZ was tracking well.
S&P also expressed understanding that all countries had borrowed for Covid. However, later last year, they said it would be important we start reducing the deficit.
Now, this year, in May 2024, Nicola Willis borrowed an additional $12,000,000,000 to fund tax cuts - most of that went to landlords and the middle and upper classes.
That brought us to a record deficit - and her deficit exceeded all of Labour's deficits, bar Covid.
Once again - she borrowed more than Labour ever did in any non-Covid year.
Finally, they have wasted about a $1,000,000,000 on Kiwirail's contract, threw away $1,300,000,000 on 3 Waters and have committed $4,000,000,000 to potholes while doctors, nurses, hospitals, education languish.
There's always so much to talk about when it comes to "economic vandalism."
The things you mentioned were dogs. 3 Waters was going to be more expensive than other alternatives.
Kiwirails contracted boats were not fit for purpose by all accounts and the 2.5 billion for the infrastructure to support them beggars belief. I think you need some help with maths given the 564million bill for the ferries is the maximum they would have to pay.
Printing money you haven't earnt has a negative effect on the economy, so please include that in Labours borrowings.
As for your statement doctors, nurses, hospitals and education are languishing, yes they are and to be fair to the last government, thats been the case for decades.. The thing I will mention though is that with the tens of billions wasted, it would have been nice to see some new hospitals (like the Dunedin one they promised to build in three years)
Our new government cancelled tobacco prohibition because voter evidence said that the majority of people dont want discriminatory prohibition. That is evidence based policy.
New Zealanders overwhelmingly opposed the repeal of smoke free law.
National, ACT and New Zealand First did it anyway.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/25/poll-most-people-opposed-to-govts-smokefree-law-roll-back/
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504012/majority-of-young-new-zealanders-want-to-live-in-a-smoke-free-nation-survey
https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/survey-shows-public-back-smokefree-law-and-govt-has-no-mandate-repeal
I am a non-smoker who is glad that Luxon wanted to cancel tobacco prohibition, and I am pretty sure that Winston and Seymour dont want prohibition policy either. Discriminating against people for their whole life, based on their birth date, seems wrong. And I dont believe that little MSMedia polls are representative of us.
Sure, Mark, you represent the country and anything else is a conspiracy. I get that.
You sound like a sore loser, but I do admire your enthusiasm.
Please define accurately the meaning of "communism".
I'm afraid you'd be engaging with a bad faith poster.
Communism is nominally an economic system of absolute central planning a la North Korea or the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1991. To some John Birch types though, it's anything even just a sliver to the left of Ayn Rand. Even Reagan & Thatcher would be socialists in their gold-coloured glasses.
In a nutshell and the nut is getting harder to crack.
Enjoyed your missive this morning Chris! Thank you!
Of course it's impossible to know to what extent "our leaders" are blinded by their "material interests" or, equally, their personal experiences or biases or ideological delusions. Pointing out the results from a Google search is probably not going to alter their opinions because A/ you can find anything you want there that confirms whatever you want and B/ Google is itself corrupted.
That we now have, not only the media but science itself corrupted by "material interests" and ideology doesn't help one bit. Our entire legacy media, as "partners" in Covering Climate Now, parrot climate alarmist propaganda, for example. No questioning allowed.
https://coveringclimatenow.org/partners/partner-list/
If you think Seamore is morally compromised I fear for you own morals. Standing for the irradiation of the racism in this country is the most moral and important job of every politician in New Zealand yet where do we see it happening??
Thanks Chris ! Great to see your thorough analysis of what motivates our current regime. I’d call it corruption, the like of which we’ve never seen before in our politics . So disappointing that MMP has thrown up such a ghastly group of crooks. Let’s hope we can throw them out asap !
Very good Chris, back to your best.I do disagree with your summation that they may find it hard to live with thou .That just don’t get it or really don’t care