If National wins ...

[fungus pudding]

No he's not, LOL.

But he is! I actually know one of these people eZ calls a right winger. An acquaintance rather than a friend of course. (Nobody would admit to having a 'right winger' as a friend.) Nearly every time I see him he looks more pale and weak than the time before. I've often asked the cause of his sickness and it is because he's just read another of eZ's posts. It's getting worse. I only have to mention that eZ has posted again and he goes into a deep shock. Now he tells me his symptoms overcome him when he merely walks past a computer! Still it doesn't appear terminal and his phycologist is working on a solution. The only thing I could do would be to plead with eZ to stop this needling, but I doubt he would listen. He is a hardened leftie and thinks nothing of spreading fear into the hearts of the real people. Shame on you eZ.

[elZorro]

But he is! I actually know one of these people eZ calls a right winger. An acquaintance rather than a friend of course. (Nobody would admit to having a 'right winger' as a friend.) Nearly every time I see him he looks more pale and weak than the time before. I've often asked the cause of his sickness and it is because he's just read another of eZ's posts. It's getting worse. I only have to mention that eZ has posted again and he goes into a deep shock. Now he tells me his symptoms overcome him when he merely walks past a computer! Still it doesn't appear terminal and his phycologist is working on a solution. The only thing I could do would be to plead with eZ to stop this needling, but I doubt he would listen. He is a hardened leftie and thinks nothing of spreading fear into the hearts of the real people. Shame on you eZ.

I'm only trying to balance up the discussion.. most of the time the lefties are on the receiving end.

This article is worth a read. It's increasingly true, a good part of some manufacturing or processing jobs can be replaced by a relatively cheap robot(s).

http://www.interest.co.nz/business/8...6+January+2017

[fungus pudding]

I'm only trying to balance up the discussion.. most of the time the lefties are on the receiving end.

This article is worth a read. It's increasingly true, a good part of some manufacturing or processing jobs can be replaced by a relatively cheap robot(s).

Good heavens eZ. That is the kind of revelation that sends us into shock. Who would have thought that mechanisation and robotics would actually be able to do things. We're doomed.

[BlackPeter]

I'm only trying to balance up the discussion.. most of the time the lefties are on the receiving end.

This article is worth a read. It's increasingly true, a good part of some manufacturing or processing jobs can be replaced by a relatively cheap robot(s).

http://www.interest.co.nz/business/8...6+January+2017

Good article. Yes, the rapidly growing automatisation is clearly creating one of the largest industrial revolutions since the invention of the steam engine. Add to that in the next 2 decades the removal of hundreds of millions jobs for various drivers (taxi, truck, fire engines, ...) and we do have a socially explosive mixture, which creates already now monsters like Trump and the ugly BREXIT crowd. The disenfranchised elect their own executioners, as they did in the 1930'ies (for different reasons, though).

Managing this new industrial revolution is a Hercules task for society, and yes, it would be good for politicians to drive this.

What are Labours proposals other than to stop progress, tax the steam engine and keep the fireman on diesel trains?

[winner69]

This was an interesting read

The Precariat, The New Dangerous Class by Guy Standing

The precariat is a growing class of people who are increasingly frustrated. They probably the ones who could vote for any 'extreme' political voice

Possibly many have been Labour voters in the past .......but not in the future making it even more unlikely Labour will govern again.

Only matter of time before a new 'extreme' political voice starts to have a real presene in NZ .....by 2020?

[Bjauck]

This was an interesting read

The Precariat, The New Dangerous Class by Guy Standing

The precariat is a growing class of people who are increasingly frustrated. They probably the ones who could vote for any 'extreme' political voice

Possibly many have been Labour voters in the past .......but not in the future making it even more unlikely Labour will govern again.

Only matter of time before a new 'extreme' political voice starts to have a real presene in NZ .....by 2020?

All change in politics? For those that don't think that a Trump or Brexit backlash could happen here, just look at falling home ownership rates and the widening gulfs between rich and poor - or the winners and losers in the NZ economy and society.
"The gap between the extremely wealthy and the rest of us is greater than we thought, both in New Zealand and around the world. It is trapping huge numbers of people in poverty and fracturing our societies"
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11782807

[winner69]

I couldn't really understand whst this article was about but it seems to say Labour are has beens (in it's current state)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11783048

[Bjauck]

I couldn't really understand whst this article was about but it seems to say Labour are has beens (in it's current state)

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11783048

I did not take that from the article. The article canvassed a wide range of opinions. I understood that Labour is at a crossroads - will it be narrowly focussed as left of centre - or more of a party of broad appeal? If O'Connor stands will he help Labour appeal to a National Party type of voter?

[westerly]

Good article. Yes, the rapidly growing automatisation is clearly creating one of the largest industrial revolutions since the invention of the steam engine. Add to that in the next 2 decades the removal of hundreds of millions jobs for various drivers (taxi, truck, fire engines, ...) and we do have a socially explosive mixture, which creates already now monsters like Trump and the ugly BREXIT crowd. The disenfranchised elect their own executioners, as they did in the 1930'ies (for different reasons, though).

Managing this new industrial revolution is a Hercules task for society, and yes, it would be good for politicians to drive this.

What are Labours proposals other than to stop progress, tax the steam engine and keep the fireman on diesel trains?

Not sure where you are coming from with your tirades against the results of seemingly free elections in the US and UK. Whatever you say can have no effect on the outcomes.
At least Labour in NZ have had a look at the future of work in NZ . National will react sometime when
it becomes obvious there is a crisis, but not before. Even then as with housing it will be left to the markets

westerly

[elZorro]

Good article. Yes, the rapidly growing automatisation is clearly creating one of the largest industrial revolutions since the invention of the steam engine. Add to that in the next 2 decades the removal of hundreds of millions jobs for various drivers (taxi, truck, fire engines, ...) and we do have a socially explosive mixture, which creates already now monsters like Trump and the ugly BREXIT crowd. The disenfranchised elect their own executioners, as they did in the 1930'ies (for different reasons, though).

Managing this new industrial revolution is a Hercules task for society, and yes, it would be good for politicians to drive this.

What are Labours proposals other than to stop progress, tax the steam engine and keep the fireman on diesel trains?

I agree with Westerly, as usual, a carefully considered post. Planning under the "Future of Work" concept has been started, and Labour would be more likely to intervene in areas where the market doesn't perform well, like lower cost housing builds. Don't forget, National didn't turn up to a manufacturing conference that Labour and the Greens etc, organised. National hides from all the tricky questions.