If National wins ...

[elZorro]

I just watched the speech from Andrew Little, I thought he did fine, and there were large tracts of it spoken without reference to cue-cards, like John Key seemed to need. Andrew was indignant about the budget on behalf of NZers who have half a brain, and I agreed with that. National will never achieve a budget surplus next year unless there is a lot of pain somewhere, or if there is a miraculous upturn in commodities. So why have they promised it? Because they think we're all fools.

John Key had a pre-prepared speech that started out criticising Andrew Little, the wording would not have changed no matter what his speech was like. He was on safe ground saying that Labour has changed leaders too often. But he's wrong in assuming Andrew Little won't be a great leader, he'd like to make us think so, but he's wrong, he'll find that out in 2017.

[Daytr]

The real world I live in I lead a social media campaign to vote out National in Northland & we had a resounding win.
So , sorry what world are you living in? ;-)
If you notice I had a crack at Labour as well in my post.
The majority are hooked on the property drug & unfortunately will allow almost anything as long as they get their fix.

Daytr, have another crack at voting them out next time, and when you lose - again - have a look in the mirror and ask yourself why you are right and the majority are wrong. Then throw out the mirror and walk out into the real world.

[westerly]

But the Labour Party is a collection of conspirators bent on moving the pieces around to suit their own agenda. I bet there are several who see themselves in the role of saviour.

And is National any different? Key might be quick on the repartee, but as is the fault with most politicians being a good speaker does not necessarily
mean a social conscience. Remember the first rule of politics, get yourself re-elected.
Promising future tax cuts, show me the money, it will come from somewhere. Enjoy your beer.

westerly

[blackcap]

I watched pretty much all of Andrew Little's post budget speech. Sorry to say it but with him at the helm, Labour have no show of winning in 2017. The new leader of the opposition is Winston.

[craic]

The real world I live in I lead a social media campaign to vote out National in Northland & we had a resounding win.
So , sorry what world are you living in? ;-)
If you notice I had a crack at Labour as well in my post.
The majority are hooked on the property drug & unfortunately will allow almost anything as long as they get their fix.

That was a battle, a minor one at that, it's the war that you are losing. What majority are hooked on the property drug? a crowd north of the Bombay Hills? Most of the rest of NZ are happy to be in a home or on their way to a home of their own. I sit here in front of a roaring fire with a big stack of Kanuka, Bluegum and pine and look out my window at the cold rain. My biggest problem at this stage is which bottle of what to open. Felt really sorry for a couple of Melanesians sitting outside the Warehouse this afternoon in the freezing rain, waiting for a lift back their digs at some orchard - now they must wonder what went wrong with paradise. My horses are also feeling the cold - they don't know that they could get warm by running a bit faster.

[Major von Tempsky]

I think a lot of people have a funny feeling that the next Gen Election result in Northland will be a completely different kettle of fish. National had a hotly disputed candidate selection where the best candidate wasn't selected and Winston has a reputation as a lazy constituent MP who managed to lose Tauranga because of this and then failed to win it back next election and then gave up. So, good luck DayTr - you're going to need it!

[winner69]

I might have been tempted to vote for Labour if there was a real chance to get rid of National but not now

Labour Leader Andrew Little has stumbled into a political hornets' nest by appearing to say for the first time that Labour could deny or reduce New Zealand Superannuation to people who were also working over the age of 65
http://www.interest.co.nz/kiwisaver/...me-says-unfair

No one meddles with my entitlement.

EZ, no narrative and lack of discipline and see what happens. Less than 30 months to go, hope they sort something out by then

[winner69]

EZ, when I read this about UK Labour I couldn't help but think about NZ is in the same boat

Has the Labour party outlived its usefulness
http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...its-usefulness

The last paragraph resonated with me

"Can people really find a new form of politics? Some will feel that there is no alternative, especially those who reckon that the world is being plundered by governments committed to economic growth rather than redistribution. In this context, one can see how remaking the world becomes a far more important question than whether to save the Labour party."

[iceman]

I watched pretty much all of Andrew Little's post budget speech. Sorry to say it but with him at the helm, Labour have no show of winning in 2017. The new leader of the opposition is Winston.

Little signed his own death warrant by gifting Northland to Winston. (Thanks for your help Daytr !!) As winner69 points out, Little then stumbles (yet again) on questions to do with Superannuation and suggests a surtax is needed on people that want to continue working beyond 65. Fatal. The Leader of the Opposition WInston Peters smells blood and jumps in and tells Little he can not touch this ENTITLEMENT. He knows he says, because he receives it alongside his MPs salary and deserves it because he has worked for it since he was 6 or 7.

Little is making one mistake after another. The message from Labour is totally confusing with noone really knowing if they have any policies or what they are.

Little is history already and Labour has no chance in 2017

[elZorro]

Little signed his own death warrant by gifting Northland to Winston. (Thanks for your help Daytr !!) As winner69 points out, Little then stumbles (yet again) on questions to do with Superannuation and suggests a surtax is needed on people that want to continue working beyond 65. Fatal. The Leader of the Opposition WInston Peters smells blood and jumps in and tells Little he can not touch this ENTITLEMENT. He knows he says, because he receives it alongside his MPs salary and deserves it because he has worked for it since he was 6 or 7.

Little is making one mistake after another. The message from Labour is totally confusing with noone really knowing if they have any policies or what they are.

Little is history already and Labour has no chance in 2017

I'll quote you on this later in 2017, Iceman. If you'd really like to know what Labour's policies are, they are always available on the Labour Party website. There are meetings going on to reshape and add new policies based on remits from around NZ, but they are only conjecture and initial meetings at this point. You would be mistaken to confuse media-aided positioning with hard policy, and Labour already has a good suite of policies that NZ needs right now.

W69, are you serious about your 'entitlement'? Up to a point I'd agree, but the super bill is heading for the $30billion mark in 2030. That's about half of the tax take in a bad year, at the moment.